The jam band world wouldn't be the same without a lot of things, one of them being the presence of The String Cheese Incident. Since announcing they'd go on a bit of a hiatus, Kyle Hollingsworth, the band's keyboardist, decided to get into the studio to lay down some tracks for his second solo release. The album is a bit of a departure from his day job, but the music still has the same elements and qualities of what makes great jam band rock. Of course, the album is keyboard heavy, and the production quality is a bit more than just organic, but that is what make it great. He has decided not to make a SCI album, and that makes for an interesting take on his own personal style, influences, and experiences. The album is full of genre bending with elements of jazz, pop, hip hop, and rock sprinkled throughout, making for and interesting and musical journey. Hollingsworth still can't forget his musical roots, and this solo release showcases just how necessary he is as a member of SCI and how excellent a musician he can be on his own.
Although he just recently released his debut album, Matt Hires has decided to grace us with a few new tunes to keep our cravings at a minimum until his next full length release. This EP features a reinterpreted version of his hit single (and downright awesome song) "Honey, Let Me Sing You A Song," which falls somewhere between the studio version from his debut album and an acoustic performance of the song. The original version also appears on the EP. This digital only release also features two brand new songs, the title track "A To B" and "Rock N' Roll Heart," both of which could have easily found themselves on the debut. These songs are the epitome of pop rock music and are exactly the style you'd expect from Hires. Nothing outrageously inventive, but nothing incredibly run-of-the-mill either, Matt's new tunes could play on the radio, but could very well become just a few fan favorites that only the die hards fall in love with. Either way, Matt Hires has proven that his debut album and the beauty of it was not a fluke and he can match its excellence with subsequent releases, even if they are only a few songs long.
They say "the west coast is the best coast" but in this group's case, Best Coast is the west coast. The entire album is light and airy indie rock music that transports you right to the coast of California. It's old school indie vibe is incredibly similar to the work of She & Him, but the music seems to me much more gritty and less poppy. At times the vibes of 50's era pop shine through the music and in other places on the album you can hear elements that remind you of no one else. "Boyfriend" could be Summer 2010's best song. The title track and "Summer Mood" are also two of the album's best tracks. Best Coast is truly great new band that is making music that is unmatched in its special blend of uniqueness and excellence.
Without the burden of a major recording contract, making music can be fun, sound great, and define you as a band. Ingram Hill has come full circle from being an unknown indie band, to a major label standout, back to an indie band, only this time people know who they are and really want to hear their new stuff. Well, the wait is over, and "Look Your Best" has the band looking their best with some of their best tunes since before anyone cared who they were. "As Long As I'm With You," the album's lead single, could be the band's best song since the original indie release of "Will I Ever Make It Home." "Ready For The Sun" is another of the album's standout tracks. The band has outdone themselves and have proven that making great music is the core of who they are. They have proven that the band they always were is the band that they still are, and the music industry certainly didn't get in the way of the music.
Amy Kuney is a lesser known singer/songwriter that is beginning to make a name for herself in the indie world. Her newest release, a full length album that features ten originals, is a beautiful collection of music showing off both her talents in songwriting and performance. "Simple Things" is probably the best on the album, however each song has it's own level of greatness. She even gets a little help on the song "Time Machine" from her friend and fellow singer/songwriter Ari Hest, repaying the favor of guest appearing on his last album. The music is beautiful and listeners will get lost in its subtleties and intricacies. She is truly a talent to keep your eye on, as she will surely continue to turn heads and gain fans in the years to come.
Operation Aloha is a bit of a supergroup, comprised of members from Gomez, Phantom Planet, and Maroon 5. The guys all got together, being that they are all friends, and decided to make sweet music while on the island of Hawaii together. The result is an outstanding album that combines original tunes with some of the band members' previously released music, all done in a traditional Hawaiian musical style. The best song on the album is "Failure" which previously appeared on Ian Ball's (of Gomez) solo release. The version featured here makes the song even better by adding the Hawaiian elements and the musicality of all of his friends. Overall, the album is a success, creating more of a feeling and an energy than a collection of music. Hopefully this won't be a one time thing, but who knows. At least we still get to bask in their sunshine.
Sleeperstar have returned with their best album to date. "Just Another Ghost" is the definition of what it is to make a great rock record. It won't be long before alternative rock radio station are picking up this album and adding its songs to their heavy rotation. And, despite the album's excellence, Sleeperstar remains unsigned and put the disc out all on their own. Recycling older songs like "Texas Rain" and "Disengage" (their best song period) and combing them with newer standouts like "We Go Tonight (Say It Again)" and "Only Human" is the perfect formula for making the album that is going to get you recognized by exponentially more fans than before, not to mention all the major labels. "We Go Tonight" and "Disengage" have the makings of superstar rock records and will hopefully find themselves atop airplay charts in the not-too-distant future. Sleeperstar have proven that they are the real deal and can rub shoulders with the best around, and this album is as good as anything that any alt-rock band has put out as of late.