Snapshot by cHoclat FRoG

Snapshot is the debut June 16, 2021 release by cHoclat FRoG, a german progressive rock studio-duo featuring Rainer Ludwig (vocals/drums/keys) and Tim Ludwig (bass/guitar) with several guest artists to fill in. This album is the idea of Rainer Ludwig for Snapshot was to interlink different parts of life (“Snaps”) musically without actually interlink the mentioned topics or much less continuing a contained story to the end which is recorded in eleven parts which features such tracks as Opposites, Useless Talk, Metropolis, Where Language Ends Music Begins and much more.  I was quite impressed with the performance on this album as well as their songwriting talent and a brilliant job of recording and production.  One thing I enjoy about what I do is the chance to hear different bands and styles from many different countries. I highly recommend you take a listen to this album which is available on CD and digital download from Bandcamp where you can learn more about this band.

Esca[e Velocity by Head Spin

Escape Velocity is the new album by Head Spin, the instrumental psychedelic project of UK musician Andy Scoffin which is released on June 24, 2020.  This eight track album features tracks written, played, programmed and produced by Andy Scoffin. I enjoyed this album from start to finish with such amazing tracks as Limpet, Wax Donor, Digitalis, Eggshells and so much more.  The performance and production of this album was brilliant and the songwriting was superb.  In addition this album was masterfully recorded.  This is an artist I would love to hear more from, even his older material to see his growth as an artist.  I highly recommend you take a listen to this masterpiece which is available as a digital download from Bandcamp.

Can’t Get It Out Of My Head by Mary Fahl

Can’t Get It Out Of My Head is the July 22, 2022 release by Mary Fahl, an American singer, songwriter and actress known for her work with October Project in the mid-1990s. This solo release showcases the essential music that has brought her sustenance and clarity by reinterpreting songs from her greatest inspirations … Pink Floyd, George Harrison, Moody Blues, ELO, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and others. For Mary, this is a tribute to the music that defined her as an artist. Joining Mary Fahl who brings her amazing vocals is joined by Mark Doyle on guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums, Josh Dejabet on drums, Edgar Rumalyan, Jonathan Hwang, Noemi Miloradovic and Joe Davoili on violin, Jessica Tumaiyan on viola, and Kate LaVerne on Cello.  On this ten track album, I was moved by her take on such great classics as the title track Can’t Get It Out Of My Head by ELO, Ruby Tuesday by The Rolling Stones, Don’t Let It Bring You Down by Neil Young, Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, Beware Of Darkness by George Harrison and so much more.  I was quite moved by the performance on this album with her amazing vocals, brilliant musicianship, and a superb recording.  I feel this is an album that you will enjoy listening and relaxing to.  This project is available on CD and digital download from her official website https://maryfahl.com/ and many other music retailers.   I hope I get the opportunity to hear her earlier work.

Sunshine Hotel by Neybas

Sunshine Hotel is fifth album by Neybas, a Trad Rock Jam band from Connecticut  released on June 10, 2022 featuring original members Kevin “English” Bornstein (bass/vocals), Nicholas “Toad” Eckert (guitar/vocals), Russ “Skull” Waesche (guitar/vocals), and long-time drummer Emmet Hale, they added keyboardist and hometown “neybahood” friend Greg Marshall in 2019 to complete the outfit. This fourteen track album features all original songs such as At The Sunshine Hotel, Hey Cinderella, Sunshine Girl, The Girl I Knew Yesterday, Talking About You and so much more.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish with a sound and performance that reminded me so much of the music of the sixties and seventies that I grew up listening to.  In addition to an amazing performance this album showcases their great songwriting talent and a superb recording.  You can get this album on CD and digital download from https://neybas.com/

Mammoth WVH by Mammoth WVH

A few weeks ago I went to the opening day of Welcome to Rockville in Daytona, Florida and among the many new bands I have not heard before and fell in love with was Mammoth WVH.  I enjoyed their performance so much that when I got home, I searched to see if they had an album when I found this album, I ordered the vinyl version immediately.  Mammoth WVH is the debut studio album by the American rock band Mammoth WVH released on June 11, 2021, on the EX1 Records label. This band was founded and fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen, initially as a solo project while he was still a part of Van Halen prior to their disbandment.  He’s a one-man band,  singing, playing drums, guitar, bass and the keyboard. Of course, when I saw him live he had a backup band which consisted of Frank Sidoris and Jon Jourdan on guitars, Ronnie Ficarro on bass and Garrett Whitlock on drums.  This fourteen track album has already spawned the singles Distance, Don’t Back Down, and Epiphany.  It also features such amazing tracks as Mr. Ed, (in which Wolfgang used the original Electro-Harmonix Micro-Synthesizer that his father, Eddie Van Halen, used for the 1981 Van Halen track “Sunday Afternoon in the Park, plus Mammoth and Feel (in which Wolfgang used his father’s original Frankenstrat guitar for the solos) and many more.  I was quite impressed by the performance on this album as well as Wolfgang’s talent as a songwriter and a superb job of recording and production.  This is an album you will definitely want to add to your music library that is available on Vinyl, CD and digital download from Amazon, Walmart, Target, Spotify, Apple Music and so many other retailers.  To learn more about this band, go to their official website https://www.mammothwvh.com/

Dear Monsters by Bad Wolves

Dear Monsters is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Bad Wolves released on October 29, 2021 through the Better Noise Music Record label and was produced by Josh Gilbert.^[4] It is the first album to feature vocalist Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz, after the departure of Tommy Vext from the band in January 2021 and the final to feature rhythm guitarist Chris Cain, following his departure in April 2022.  Present line up on this amazing album is Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz on lead vocals, Doc Coyle on lead guitar and backing vocals, Chris Cain on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Kyle Konkiel on bass and backing vocals and John Boecklin on drums and percussion.  This twelve track album features the singles Lifeline and If Tomorrow Never Comes and also features such other amazing tracks as Gone, On The Case, House Of Cards, In The Middle and so much more.  Even with the change of lead vocalist, they still have that brilliant sound that I enjoyed in their earlier albums.  In addition to a excellent performance, this release also showcases creative songwriting talent and a superb recording.  I had the opportunity to see them live at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida and they still sound as amazing as they have that last three or four times I have seen them live.  If you are as big of a fan of Bad Wolves as I am, you will want to add this album to your rock library which is available on colored vinyl, CD, and digital download from Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Discogs and many other music retailers.

Bioluminate by Circus Mind

Bioluminate is the fourth album by Circus Mind, a New York-based rock outfit and the brainchild of singer/songwriter and keyboardist Mark Rechler set for release on June 22, 2022 which features  Jaime Scott on guitar, Chris Crosby on bass, drummer Dan Roth, percussionist Steve Finkelstein, and saxophonist Michael Amendola.  This five track album which is my second review for this band showcases the tracks West End Road, Darwin’s Sister, Baby Come Back Down, Miss Fortune and Vampire Blues.  I enjoyed this album to start to finish with amazing musicianship and great mixture of blues, latin and jazz as well as a stellar performance, great songwriting talent and a superb job of recording.  It is great to hear their music again.  This release will be available on digital download and CD from Merchbar, FYE, and many other music retailers.

Show Up And Love Me by Joe McClour

Show Up and Love Me is the new album by Atoka, Oklahoma, native  Joe McClour.  This eleven track country album features amazing musicianship and a brilliant country voice with such tracks as Bloodline, When Will I Learn, the title track Show Up and Love Me, Springsteen Seranade, Train Wreck and so much more.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish and I was quite impressed with the performance on this album as well as songwriting talent and a superb recording.  Since “Show Up and Love Me” was released May 6, numerous tracks from it have been added to Spotify playlists.  I highly recommend that you take a listen to this amazing album with is available on digital download  from apple music, you tube, Amazon, Spotify and other music outlets.