Hardcoremix.com Blog

New Music: Salvatore Sgarlata

2011-12-10T11:20:00.001-08:00

Coming from the UK, Salvatore Sgarlata has a unique style blending several genres together for a sound you do not hear too often today. The guitar is awesome and lead vocals are smooth and relaxing on the current song in rotation on www.hardcoremix.com called "Another World 2012". Another cool thing is he can sing in multi languages. You do not hear too many artists doing that. Check out Salvatore Sgarlata at http://www.reverbnation.com/salvatoresgarlata

Roxi & The Blue Cats

2011-09-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

This group is a wonderful mix of Blues, Rock, Country and Jazz. Their new album is worth a listen and their new single "Lotus Elise Blues" can be heard at www.hardcoremix.com radio.
The band consists of RoXi (Lead Singer), Martin Ellins (Lead Guitar), Rick Moxon (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals), Phil Plant (Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals) and Brian Johnson (Drums)
Check out their website www.bluecats.co.uk

New Music: Blackberry Wednesday

2011-08-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Blackberry Wednesday is a wonderful mix of Rock and Pop that you will absolutely love. Their first single "Hey I" sounds very Rock and had my head bobbing with it's driving guitar and drums.

The 5 band members Rod Henson (Vocals), Chris Leerskov (Guitar), Sir Lucien Croy (Guitar), Matt Martone (Bass) and Dave Wade (drums) really come together to create a great sound.

They sound very polished and as good if not better than anything out today. Check them out at their website http://www.blackberrywednesday.com

Their debut album "Start Again" is well worth checking out.

Do you like Jazz? Check out Flute played Richard Brown

2011-08-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Richard Brown is a master Flute player. Mix that with Jazz and some R&B flavor and you have a talented man that makes wonderful music. His latest CD titled "Dreams" is the type of music you can totally relax to. I personally grabbed a glass of wine and enjoyed the CD in headphones for an awesome experience. He plays flawlessly and it is really a breathe of fresh air.

Check his website at www.flautist.us today.

2011-03-04T15:40:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey Slape is a Folk/Rock artist from Georgia who has a new EP called "Cycles".
His acoustic style is so mellow and laid back that he makes the perfect music to just sit in your house and zone out to. His songs are simple with guitar and vocal but they work extremely well.
His style is so laid back the EP almost blends together like one long song. This is a good thing in my opinion because it works. One of my favorites is a song called "For My Father". Any man with a good strong father in his life can relate to this song. His guitar playing is beautiful and flows perfectly with the lyrics.
I actually like that there are no drums in the songs. Another song called "The Reassembling" is again a song others can relate to. Especially if you have been through something rough and you needs to piece your life and your mind back together. It is hard to find good songwriting like this anymore. It makes you look forward to a full length album from him to see what is next.
The CD is well recorded and each song seems a bit short but that is fine.
This type of music is for grown folks. Really mature and easy listening to brighten any day!
You can buy the EP at itunes here!

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Roget - Pain

2011-01-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

Roget has a great sound and this new album "Pain" truly shows it. The title track is a mid-tempo jam with great guitar and drums. Another favorite of mine is "Fly Away". It is such a relaxing song that I can imagine driving down the road with this cranked on a nice Spring day. Roget gives me a Beatles vibe with his music. Which is a great thing to me because I am a huge Beatles fan. He is not a copy of The Beatles, but has a similar style but Roget is unique for sure. I love how his voice is layered on certain parts of the songs.
Another song called "Believe In Your Life" has a "bad ass" sound to it. You for sure need to listen to "Killing Me". See his voice is recorded with what sounds like some type of vocal effect on it which really makes it sound cool. The songs on this album are all good songs. Some stick out more than others but it is an album you could listen to from start to finish and not skip a thing.
The music and lyrics are somewhat easy listening but can get a little rougher at times. The song "Walking Back To Georgia" is an amazing song. Lyrics and music excel here. If you want to see for yourself visit Roget at http://www.reverbnation.com/roget

9 out of 10 stars

You can listen for Roget at www.hardcoremix.com
Award winning radio network.

Discover New Music: Jackson Delaney

2010-12-18T12:29:00.000-08:00

Jackson Delaney is a wonderful up and coming Country artist. His sound is well polished and Country fans will be sure to like it. JacksonDelaney is an artist that quite obviously puts a lot of energy into his music. He is a great cross of country and rocker, with a brand and style of music that gets you energized while also perhaps smacking you in the gut a bit. Listen for yourself at www.jacksondelaney.com

New Music: Free Kennedy - American Dream

2010-11-08T21:15:00.000-08:00

Free Kennedy blends Country and Rock together so well that both listeners in either genre will have no problem checking them out. They are versatile enough to be played on a full blown Country station as well as a full blown Rock station.

Made up of Jim Morley, Karen Mcnamara, Joe Karns and Eric Olson. These guys sound extremely well polished and sound just as good if not better than anything out today!

The current single on at www.hardcoremix.com is called "American Dream". This Mid-uptempo song compares a wonderful woman to the American dream. The lyrics are great and the guitar and drums are perfect. The engineer of this track really did a good job mixing this record. The drums sound excellent and you nod your head the whole way through.
I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to hear a great sounding Country group come out these days. Good music will always shine!

Check out Free Kennedy at www.freekennedy.com
Even their website looks awesome.

CD Review: Will Echo - Fragile

2010-10-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Will Echo is a well polished artist and his new Cd "Fragile" shows just that.
The beginning track "Pour Me A Drink" at first sounds like it was recorded in a club and then it transfers into a more full studio recorded sound. The song is very well written and although short, is the perfect intro to his album.

Will wears many hats for this CD including the songwriting, music production and engineering. The sound is on point and compares excellently with any major release out today. There are so many good songs on this CD. "I'll Call You From The USA" is another favorite the stellar "I Still Love You,But" is a great story many people can relate to. He talks about still loving a woman but pretty much realizing he cannot be with her because they are not right for each other.

The final track he really slows things down with "Fragile" and the song is again the perfect exit track for this album. The production on this song is done well. It starts with the music and him singing and then the drums come in a bit later which brings excitement to the whole song and your head will nod to the slow,infectious beat. It almost has some R&B influence to it.

I was really impressed with this artist and hope to hear new albums yearly!

9 out of 10 stars

www.willecho.com

Band Review: Seven Story Fall

2010-09-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Seven Story Fall is made up of 4 members who all play a wonderful role in creating something that most bands are missing today. They sound extremely well polished and everything comes together nicely.
On the song "Nightmares" it reminds me of a mid-tempo song I would hear at a summertime party just chilling with my friends on a late summer night. They sound as good if not better than anything else out there today!

The guitar on the song "Beautiful Eyes" is flawless. I like this song because the vocals are recorded in a way that sounds like it is unplugged.
Their album is coming out soon and don't take my word for it but check them out and judge for yourself!

http://www.myspace.com/sevenstoryfall

CD Review: Sting - Symphonicities

2010-07-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sting reworks some of his greatest hits with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra backing him. Some of these tracks I would consider classics. Some songs are not that well known.

The CD is not advertised as live but I was expecting much more energy and a big symphonic sound. unfortunately the Orchestra really does not bring much to the originals like I had hoped.

It is still enjoyable to listen to but I could see long time Sting fans being very disappointed!

6 out of 10 stars

New Music: Eldebrock - Release Me

2010-06-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Elderbrock's new single Release Me is a wonderful rock ride.
It's a mid tempo song that sounds just as good if not better than anything out today. The vocals of Jay Wegenast and Barrett Moore sound good over wonderful guitar and drums. It is the type of song that will sound good 10 years from now.
If you like solid rock with a touch of grime to them then this is for you.

They also are giving something back. The band started a wonderful campaign. Eldebrock’s World War on Cancer and they have committed to giving one dollar per album (ten cents per song sold) to support the UICC’s fight against cancer.

This is polished band that produces good music that the industry has been missing and they care!

9 out of 10 stars

Check the website.
http://www.eldebrock.net/home.html

CD Review: Mike Short Jr - Blame It On Me

2010-04-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

Mike Short Jr is an extremely well polished Country artist. His voice is as good if not better than any other Country artist out in the mainstream today!

His new album Blame It On Me is a wonderful showcase of his skills. The opening song "Who's To Blame" is a wonderful mid tempo song that I can imagine women will swoon over. The CD really kicks into gear with "Lady In Waiting" where he sings about meeting a woman while out at a bar. The next few songs on the CD are great but a real good old dance song is "I Can Dance". This song would be great live with a crowded dance floor! It gets away from the love style songs and puts some great fun into the CD and it is one of my favorites! Basically this CD is a winner. It has love songs, slow songs, dance songs and fun songs as well. Along with his good looks, Mike has a complete package here! Dan Drilling did a wonderful job at mixing and mastering project.

The final song is a song about a soldier wanting to come home. If you listen to the song in the right mood it may bring a tear to your eye especially if you have a loved one overseas!

9 out of 10 stars

CD Review: JC Cassis - Four On The Floor

2010-03-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

JC Cassis is a well polished artist who has a wonderful club sounding style. The first song on her CD "Four On The Floor", is a fun tune called "My Ex Is Delicious". Her vocals flow over the beat nicely and is a good showcase for her to jump start the album!

For the most part she sounds very comfortable on every song, but "Hold For Your Lovin'", something just doesn't fit right. It is not a horrible song but not one of my favorites. She slows things down a bit on "I Just Wanna Hold You". I love the way she sounds on this song. The production has some Hip-Hop influence on it and with her unique vocals it just really makes it work!

That is one thing you will notice about her, she has a really unique voice and singing style that works well for most every track.
The production on this disk is good but I feel she would really come to life on some hard hitting dance/Hip-Hop/Pop music.

The songs "Say It" and "Friday Night Forever" are for sure two songs to go back to.
I can tell she really puts 100% into her music.

If you like dance beats paired with soulful yet pop type vocals then this is the CD for you!

Check it out at http://jccassis.bandcamp.com/

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

2010-03-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

The Gorillaz new CD is finally here! I'd love to go through each song, which I literally could and explain every part I love or leave me wanting, but its just too much. 16 tracks people, its huge. I love it! Well worth the wait.
Gorillaz Plastic Beach is a real trip. It is somewhere in between classical, electronic, and jazz. It goes ethnic at points at others you think you are in a rave club. Overall it is a very interesting listen. These musicians are very talented and unique.

The overall theme of the album is what you might deduce from the title: a statement against rampant waste produced by our civilization. Almost every track deals with this issue in its own way. The styles vary from the rap of the second track to the crooning of 2D that we have become very used to in past Gorillaz albums, to some more soulful tracks that bridge the sound between the previous two. The album is exceptionally well constructed.

8 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Rob Zombie - HellBilly Deluxe 2

2010-02-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

Rob Zombie returns to the fun horror themes of his first album with Hellbilly Deluxe 2.
This album is classic Rob Zombie; horror, booty-shakin' metal. Listening to his music always make me wish it was October and the best season of all. See I think most hardcore Zombie fans are used to his hardcore devil music sound, although Educated Horses was a bit of a turn in his style. It seems like for Hellbilly Deluxe 2 that everyone including me thought he would go back to the extra hard core sound, but it seems like he figured out how to produce the two into each other. If this was the first Zombie CD you ever listened to then you would love it. If you can figure out how to grow with Zombie, then you will love this CD. If you can't let go of the past, then your not going to make it very far with this CD.

Music Review: Rosarsic

2010-01-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

Rosarsic is a wonderful band consisting of Alastair Owen and Abigail Brennan.
They have the type of music you can just lay back, put headphones on and drift away. They have such a light and raw sound. Excellent guitar and great raw vocals that bands used to have back in the days. There is no "magic" studio work here. No auto-tune put on their voices, and no pre programmed drum machines. What you hear is them and they sound great! The way their songs are recorded, you almost feel as if they are right next to you putting on a private concert.
It is just a guitar and two wonderful singers for their genre.

The first song I listened to is called "A Song I Wrote For You". The guitar is fabulous and they complement each other well singing together. After listening to this song like four times, I am still not sure what the story of the song is supposed to be. Still it does not matter because it is the kind of thing where you kinda know what they are talking about and you feel like you relate to it without really having to know exactly what it is.

The second song "Maybe I should stay", is another fine song but the one I enjoyed the most is a song called "Hallelujawho". On this one Abigail takes lead and she comes off great.

These are the type of songs you can either sit at home and drift away or take a nice long drive through the park on a Spring or Summer day.
They make you feel good. Like you just got something off your chest or the kind of feeling like you just told somebody the truth about something.

Judge for yourself
http://www.myspace.com/rosarsic

Listen for them now at http://www.hardcoremix.com

Cd Review: Katharine Mcphee - Unbroken

2010-01-05T19:48:00.000-08:00

This is an incredible sophomore effort from Katharine and the song selection here, and the maturity of the lyrics - is a big leap forward from her first CD. It is a must have for any fan of soft rock and adult contemporary music like Sara Bareilles and Vanessa Carlton.

This album is excellent. Katharine is finally headed in the right direction in finding her niche as an artist. Each song on the record suites Kat's voice perfectly and she brings them to life with her emotional presentation of the lyrics.
This album is a perfect sound for Katharine and it suits her voice perfectly. It also shows how much of a talented songwriter she is, as she co-wrote 6 of the 12 original tracks. What makes this album so great is its maturity. The lyrics are mature, beautiful, inspiring and catchy (a major step up from her first CD); and the production is superb; nothing is overdone!

9 out of 10 stars

Video: Iyaz - Replay

2009-12-31T20:52:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that this song is very catchy. Pop music at it's finest! I can see this guy for sure being a one hit wonder but for now you have to admit on some level that this song stays in you head!

CD Review: Phil Vassar - Traveling Circus

2009-12-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

This CD has been delayed for so long!
So, after such a long wait, how does "Traveling Circus" fare? Frankly, it's high up on par with Vassar's pristine standards; not that it's perfect but it's still better than the average country CD out there. This time round, Vassar has a more hands on approach to this project whereby he produced all the tracks here himself. Further, he has relied on his road band rather than the paid by the hour session artist creating a more live feel to it. The killer tracks here are the ballads: the best being the ultra sweet "She's on the Way." A choke to the heart, "She's on the Way" has two dads conversing about the challenges of fatherhood. The emotions are so raw and so immediate while the song's melody is memorable: combinations that make this a big hit to come. Another winner is the melancholic piano driven ballad "A Year From Now"--an ode to the transcendence of time that will heal our deepest pains. "John Wayne" is perhaps one of the most tender love songs Vassar where the protagonist swears by forever love and commitment looking to American's iconic actor for inspiration. "Everywhere I Go," the current single, starts off well soft and tender before being seduced into the current trend where bombastic drums and screeching electric guitars ruined what could have been a heartfelt broken hearted love song.

6 out of 10 stars

CD Review: 30 Seconds To Mars - This is War

2009-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

This is not what I was expecting from this new CD. This is the type of CD that will have to grow on you. I think many of the true fans of 30 Seconds To Mars will initially be disappointed. And it's quite possible bandleader Jared Leto wanted the album to feel this way. After all, he went to hell and back to get it made — staring down a $30 million lawsuit from Virgin Records, shouldering the load (and the majority of the recording expenses) himself. One can imagine that there were stretches where he felt totally, completely alone in his struggle, like he was living life in lunar solitude. That being said, give this album a listen, let it grow on you and in the end either you will embrace it or use it as a frisbee.

6 out of 10 stars

CD Review: Allison Iraheta - Just Like You

2009-11-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

This is the 2009 debut album from the American Idol finalist.
Her first CD is a good start but Iraheta shows less promise as a pop artist than a runner-up on one of America’s most prominent reality shows.
There is nothing that this album does that sets it apart from anything else pop out there.
Her first single “Friday I’ll Be Over U” is not bad but nothing spectacular.
Hopefully her second album will show improvement!

CD Review: Bon Jovi - The Circle

2009-11-27T21:41:00.000-08:00

Bon Jovi is back! I wasn't sure what to expect from this album when I bought it. The album starts with a highly energetic "We weren't meant to follow" and has some really good tracks that follow. I have listened to it a few times now and it feel like they have gone back to their roots with this album after flirting with the Country scene with "Lost Highway". Their sound is still truly unique and I believe it always will be. I think this CD is true to the Bon Jovi vision and incorporates current themes into their music. I must say this, I would classify this more as an "Easy Listening" album than a Rock album.
I guess in their old age they need to tone it down a bit. Still a decent buy!

6 out of 10 stars

Music Review: Green Mountain Rebels

2009-10-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

The Green Mountain Rebels are a real Americana/Blues/Country-Punk band from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Their sound is raw and gritty and worth a listen!
The song "If It Don't Shine" has a great upbeat tempo and the vocals are fantastic with a gritty sound to them. The guitar sounds great and reminds me of a modern day 70's tune that you cannot ignore.

Some of the songs really show their Country side such as on "Shot glass On The Dashboard". This song has a raw and gritty Country vibe to it.

There is something about the way the songs are mixed that has me hooked. There must be some kind of effect on their guitars that sound outstanding!

Either way be sure to take a listen to them.

www.myspace.com/gmrebels