Runnin With My Rhythm

I'm sure we've all had those moments when we hear a track and  it starts with such great musical promise that we stop what we're doing and allow that rush of  excitement to rise up from our toes to around the midway mark in anticipation, and then the vocals come in and hope and everything else drop quicker than an elevator ride at Disney?  Well thankfully that's not the case with Alex Francis. Alex is one of those Singer/Songwriters that could warble about a chip butty and make it sound sexy & credible. Already a fan of this talented chap based in London but originally from Hitchin after I reviewed him back in in 2017 , I couldn't wait to get my ears around his forthcoming 4 track E.P Live In Munich, and boy it doesn't disappoint .   The first  acoustic  soul track  "Make Believe" had me melting within 30 seconds via accomplished musicianship and vocals that slid down like honey, Just as Opera singers can shatter glass via a high p...

I rarely offer up reviews straight away, I sit on someone's Twitter profile, not literally of course, apart from being extremely uncomfortable  it would probably get me  arrested?  But if I keep going back then it's for good reason and that's exactly what happened in the  case of  Road Man a.k.a Funk, Soul, Roots, Reggae man  Jon Petronzio  . When I checked out his work, and  I'll get  to his new album shortly, it was the discovery of his 2014  album "Light At The Speed Of Life" and the opening track "Dangerous Road- Feat John Browns Body"  that kept reeling me back for another listen.    Jons vocals are  very clean cut and while in a lot cases that could equate to boring, it's anything but, in fact there's a vulnerability in his tone and an honesty in his delivery which is all part of the draw. With  "Chosen"  and it's Old School Funk vibe, I was transported at the speed of a Starsky & Hutch Ca...

When the furthest you've travelled is to the local shops to pick up  a jar of coffee and a bag of mint imperials, it's rather mind blowing to hear that a young boy was on his own at 16 and went on to journey through  42 countries in search of  themself and their own unique musical sound. Welcome Dax Brook with his  debut release  "Only Human." I asked him, why so long & why now?     Dax: "Releasing a body of work (songs) has always been a dream of mine, I've written many songs for film and television but none really for myself. Only Human is the first of many songs to come. This is a personal labor of love project that finally found its way out of my system and into the world. "   And who inspires him? well, it turns out a very surprising mixed bag, from his dad's love of classic rock,  to his own curiosities in reggae and jazz and the likes of Sam Cook and Otis Redding.  I have to say, when I  hear...

So my inbox pinged the other day, it was Ian Morcher from local Hertfordshire band April Blue just letting me know they were releasing  a new single on 31st August. I've followed AB's career after hearing them  on a local radio show presented by Nia Visser   some years back,  but it suddenly dawned on me I'd not given them an Eargasm Feature yet ......Sacre bleu! This needed rectifying.  So who are April Blue & what have they been up too?  Well they describe themselves as a rock band with an RnB heart, (right) Ozz LP - vocal & guitar , Ian Morcher - Vocals, Bass & MPC, Sarah Payne-Keyboards & Saxaphone & while there's no permanent drummer, it's Casey Cronyn (pictured) & Andy Robinson that are stepping up for the studio and live stuff, although on the new single the drums have been programmed & played on MPC . Then I found out the new release is going to be a cover of Gary Numans Cars.....Oh Oh ?   "Cars by Ap...

There's not much that gets my nether regions rumbling  these days.....erm? .... a well made cappuccino, a large slice of cheesecake,....and now I've just added the soulful rasping vocals of Alex Francis to the list, what a voice! Before reading his bio i'd just assumed he was from the states, the quality and production of his new EP  "These Words" from vocal to musicianship screamed stateside, but while he has been touring the US and been working with production team Truth & Soul, the duo responsible for the classic sound of  Amy Winehouse & Adele, he originally hails from Hitchin in Hertfordshire..... What?  I always think its a travesty when we have great talent like Alex not getting the  attention they deserve here in the UK, the same thing I ranted about when Craig David  first came on the scene, tell me I'm wrong?  But hopefully that's about to change?  there's definitely an old soul residing in Alex, and as I sat liste...