Radioindy Grindie Awards - Rock: January 2009

Monday, January 19, 2009

RadioIndy is pleased to present 3 Legs On Wheels with a GrIndie Award for the CD "In Our Time Machine"

The multi-talented duo of Steffen Presley and Arnold Mollica make up the wonderfully original sound of 3 Legs On Wheels. Their album, "In Our Time Machine," is a unique, forward-looking recording blending old school funk with more contemporary sounds. The entire album is characterized by Presley's superior Hammond B3 organ-playing and soaring saxophone melodies, along with Mollica's funky, imaginative drumming. "In Our Time Machine" is a solid opener, with Presley's mastery of the Hammond B3 and Mollica's bluesy lead vocals on full display. "Hey Now Mama" is a platform for Presley's abilities on the alto saxophone and Mollica's inventive grooves, and both deliver an enjoyable performance. "Free Fall" is a vehicle for their creativity and flexibility, changing from their customary sounds to a tasteful change of pace. "Veil of Tears" is another highlight, exhibiting once again Mollica's soulfoul vocals and Presley's command of the organ. "French Aire" showcases their versatility, with Mollica starting the tune with brushes before breaking into a rowdy shuffle groove, and Presley adding expressive piano melodies and more fiery work on the alto saxophone. This album is recommended for fans of Rock and/or Blues, and the instrumental tracks that feature saxophone will very likely appeal to jazz fans as well.

-Rodney and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out 3 Legs On Wheels's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present zOE's iMAGINARY fRIEND with a GrIndie Award for the CD "zOE's iMAGINARY fRIEND"

"zOE'S iMAGINARY fRIEND" is the impressive alternative rock/folk debut from Denver outfit zOE'S iMAGINARY fRIEND. Accompanied by a sensual and effortlessly talented female lead vocal, ZIF's arrangements are diverse and thorough. The songs range from slower acoustic alt-folk tracks to heavy alternative rock, and incorporate, a plethora of instruments, including fuzzy wailing guitars, muted trumpet, poppy piano, and viola. The lyrics also cover a wide range of subjects, from driving trucks to snapping photos, but they all have a great storytelling quality to them that keeps the listener hanging onto every word. "zOE'S iMAGINARY fRIEND" has a raw quality great for the group's sound. "Sweetness" is an energetic, fast-paced rock song with great riffs, rocking beats, catchy lyrics, and an outstanding vocal performance. "Fisheye" aptly begins with the sound of snapping photographs then moves into a mellow drum, bass, and guitar arrangement with more great lyrics and vocals, and some excellent male backing vocals. "zOE'S iMAGINARY fRIEND" is a fantastic debut from a talented set of musicians with an admirable do-it-yourself mentality. Fans of alternative rock, alt-folk, and great female lead vocals should definitely check out this CD.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out zOE's iMAGINARY fRIEND's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present Phil Shoenfelt & Pavel Cingl with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Live At the House of Sin"

"Live At the House of Sin" is an incredible collaboration between English singer/songwriter Phil Shoenfelt and Czech violinist and guitarist Pavel Cingl. Recorded live at the Nova Sin club in Prague, this album features digs into the Shoenfelt songbook and features Shoenfelt on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, reminiscent of Iggy Pop and Nick Cave, and Cingl contributing incredible violin and electric guitar work to accompany the acoustic rhythms and give the tracks a full sound. The resulting songs have a great mix of gothic and folk, as Shoenfelt delivers intelligent and memorable lyrics of sorrow, love, life, and death. This is the type of performance best heard live, and "Live At the House of Sin" is recorded cleanly and the product sounds great. "Saviour's Day" begins with clean acoustic and violin work, then moves into a sorrowful violin progression that perfectly matches the sadness of Shoenfelt's lyrics of lost love. "Shivers Inside" features electric and acoustic guitar work, and is an incredible, slow and lyrical love song from Shoenfelt. "Hospital" is another great violin and acoustic collaboration that creates a beautiful harmonic sound and features more great lyrics from Shoenfelt. "Live At the House of Sin" is a great album, beautifully arranged, and thought-provoking from a couple of talented musicians with a lot of street cred. Fans of goth, folk, and the likes of Iggy Pop and Nick Cave should definitely pick this one up.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Phil Shoenfelt & Pavel Cingl's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present STEHM with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Pointing North"

"Pointing North" is an excellent live rock & roll album from San Diego outfit STEHM. These guys are all about producing fun and upbeat rock & roll music. The songs are guitar-driven, full of outstanding solos, riffs, and progressions, and accompanied by great drum and bass work. The vocals are always energetic, though the entire band contributes to the vocal performance. That said, some vocals are gritty and sound like a combination of Rush and Blind Melon; others are sheer rock & roll and sound like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Mick Jagger. "Pointing North" is a live recording and has a raw, non-studio sound, which is perfect for a band like STEHM. "Sally the Girl Dog" has a catchy guitar riff and drum accompaniment, group vocals, and humorous lyrics that accurately describe the behavior of a dog. "Don't Tell Me Anything" pleases the ears with its superb guitar work, gritty vocals, and memorable lyrics. STEHM really represents what rock & roll is all about with its impressive guitar work and upbeat, fun songs. Fans of Stone Temple Pilots and fun rock & roll music are going to want to check out this CD.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out STEHM 's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

Sunday, January 18, 2009

RadioIndy is pleased to present Marsiglia with a GrIndie Award for the CD "A Band In Your Dreams"

"A Band In Your Dreams" is the debut album from Pennsylvania indie rock outfit Marsiglia. Marsiglia blends bluesy riffs, blistering guitar solos, toe-tapping drum beats, and unique poppy vocals to create a great college rock sound that fuses together a number of influences. The arrangements are tight, drawing from both classic and modern rock sounds. Similarly, the vocal performance has nice variety to it, and Marsiglia as a whole can sound like Incubus, Rage Against the Machine, and Kings of Leon, as well as an array of classic rock artists. The songs are fast-paced and in-your-face, very creative, with great hooks and catchy lyrics. "A Band In Your Dreams" is well-produced and the instrumentation and vocals sound clean and balanced. "Past the Point" begins with ambience, then slowly builds into a great arrangement with excellent lead and rhythm guitar work, a nice beat, and is lyrical and catchy. "Love of the Game" and the closer, "Heavy Water," stand out as slower paced tracks with more diverse arrangements, inserting the piano and cello, respectively, into the songs to accompany the great, memorable lyrics. With "A Band In Your Dreams," Marsiglia have arrived, though with an album title as immodest as this one, the band itself may not be surprised to hear how good it actually is. Fans of classic and blues rock influenced college rock should definitely look into Marsiglia.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Marsiglia's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present Boon with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Healing the Heart"

"Healing the Heart" is an exceptional acoustic EP filled with pop rock tunes and heartfelt ballads alike from South African singer/songwriter Boon. Boon's arrangements use solely acoustic instruments – guitar on the first five tracks, piano on the closer – and he skillfully crafts a melodic and full sound. Boon has a unique baritone male vocal ( reminiscent of Peter Murphy) with a strong, emotive delivery that helps fuel the meanings of the songs. The songs on "Healing the Heart" range from positive and promising to lonely and downtrodden lyrics that are both well-phrased and relatable. This EP is well-produced and sounds professional, many of the tracks ready to hit the airwaves. "Secret Island in the Sun" opens the album with a great in-your-face acoustic arrangement that later incorporates hand claps, whistles and catchy, imaginative lyrics with a message. "Oxygen" closes things out with a piano ballad that features an outstanding vocal delivery and great lyrics, including the chorus line "Money isn't everything, but it's the closest thing to oxygen." Overall, "Healing the Heart" is quite the impressive showing from Boon, featuring well-crafted acoustic songs, a unique vocal performance, and thought-provoking lyrics. Fans of acoustic pop rock and talented singer/songwriters, give Boon a listen.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Boon 's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present B. Keyler with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Seven Stars"

"Seven Stars" is an energetic four-song rock EP from Norwegian singer/songwriter B. Keyler. B. Keyler brings great vocal styling to the table with an impressive range, a strong voice, and an original delivery reminiscent of KT Tunstall and the cutesy European vocals of Regina Spektor. "Seven Stars" has four great rock arrangements with melodic and rhythmic tones, nice guitar work, and solos to boot. This EP was self-produced, giving B. Keyler the freedom to perfect her sound, and she succeeds. "It's Who I Am" features a nice arrangement with great acoustic and electric layering and an excellent vocal performance in which B. Keyler is really displays a great amount of passion in her delivery. "I Wish" is a more lyrical track, but it also has a nice arrangement, slick reggae guitar work and a great Spektor-esque vocal delivery. Overall, "Seven Stars" is an impressive showing from a great female vocalist that leaves the listener eager to hear what she'll do next. Fans of rhythmic modern rock and original female vocal styling should look into B. Keyler.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out B. Keyler's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present Freedom Hawk with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Sunlight"

"Sunlight" is the excellent full-length debut from Virginia hard rock outfit Freedom Hawk. This group is solid. Driven by powerful drum beats and excellently crafted guitar work, Freedom Hawk have composed nine exceptional hard rock tracks that dabble in metal and psychedelic and have a certain timeless quality to them. Attributing to this timelessness is the lead singer's vocal performance. His melodic high-pitched vocals are reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne with traces of Robert Plant. The songs are a lot of fun, meant to be played loud, and will immediately have you either bobbing your head or using your lap as a drum kit. "Sunlight" is well-produced, clean and ready to boom out of a pair of speakers. The title track, "Sunlight," is a fun track with a great rocking arrangement that gets your head bobbing and features some great drum and guitar work. "Going Down" is a stripped down track with a slow drum beat and minimal guitar work that displays the fantastic vocal capabilities of the lead singer. "Sunlight" takes us back to a time where making hard rock wasn't about making a lot of noise but rather about making very good music. Freedom Hawk have crafted a gem, and fans of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and classic hard rock are going to want to pick this one up.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Freedom Hawk's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present The Catillacs with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Meow Mix"

Portland, Oregon trio The Catillacs have come with their claws out on their excellent debut album, "Meow Mix." Guitarist Richie Bean, drummer Susan Costa, and bassist George Burton performed on and produced the entire album, skillfully jumping between and combining Americana, rock, alt-country, blues, honky tonk, and surf rock genres. The entire album features nice musical layering, excellently crafted guitar solos from Bean, and great toe-tapping beats from Costa. The vocals are consistent with the genres and reminiscent of classic artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young, and Canned Heat, adding a certain timelessness to their sound. The lyrics vary as well, from dark lyrics about death and exacting revenge to sappy love ballads to just plain fun upbeat songs about living. The Catillacs self-produced "Meow Mix," and it sounds excellent and professionally done. "Boogaloo" is a great introductory track with a fun upbeat voodoo blues sound, a great hook, and superb guitar work. "True Love Figurine" is a Chicago blues track with a New Orleans flavor that features great storytelling lyrics and a great blues arrangement. With their dynamic musical arrangements and timeless sound, the cats and Catillacs alike will be happy to know that "Meow Mix" has delivered. Fans of Americana, blues, and classic rock should certainly pick up The Catillacs' debut.

-Ross
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