Category: Indie Rock

Holy Wars Review: IHATEMYSELF

Posted on Posted in alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Backstory, California, Classic Rock, dark pop, Electronic Rock, Emo Pop, Facebook, Future Star, Guitar, Hard Rock, Hardcore, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Instagram, Interview, Music, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Rock, Singer, Spotify, USA, YoutubeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Holy Wars

Independent

@jocronin65

Editorial

There’s a lot of bad things to say about today’s online influencers. “In this selfie world, we have layers of identities that we hide behind,” Kat mentions.

I am even falling into this whole of hiding behind a mask. When I get into a deep conversation with either my parents or friends, I almost seem to avoid talking about how I really am. I always circle back to my extreme couponing, my job, my blog.

But what I am not talking about is just how hard I am finding it to stay present at the moment. Yes I do meditate, but it’s only for like 5 minutes, although I know damn well I could do 15 minutes.

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely am living my best life. I just wish the anxieties of the unknown could just stfu sometimes, so I can just spend a good amount of time in the present moment.

Kat says, “the real truth of us is either buried or forgotten or perhaps we never even knew.  IHATEMYSELF is more like a dare to those who are obsessed with a societal opinion… to strip away the layers and own up to the essence of who we really are”.

Sometime either this week or weekend, I am going to set some time aside to really get to that layer beneath my mask. Rather it be a 15 minute meditation, watching a soccer game without looking at my phone, take my dog to the dog park, or walk the dog without listening to music… Whatever it may be, I am going to be present and let myself enjoy it without a mask (figuratively speaking!)

If you’re having a tough time hiding behind a mask, then I highly suggest you do the same.

Table of Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Who is Holy Wars?
  3. Inspiration Behind IHATEMYSELF
  4. What’s Next for Holy Wars?
  5. Thank You Notes
  6. Links
  7. Conclusion

Who is Holy Wars?

Kat tells me that she first started her career in making poetry and studying classical piano. “It wasn’t until way later though that I put my poetry to song. The first span of music had an angst piano vibe like Fiona Apple and Tori Amos but then expanded to a full band after an ex told me I couldn’t,” remarks Kat.

She now has a multi-generational fan base that cares deeply for her and the band, and she is grateful to have known and conversed with a lot of them. “I have been very open about the loss of my parents and I think maybe in some small way it gives our fans a chance to get to know me better beyond the music and share their lives with us as well,” she says.

Inspiration Behind IHATEMYSELF

When I first wrote IHATEMYSELF, I wrote it therapeutically in a moment when I was feeling pretty crappy, and as I was starting to write this song that was like an open vein… I realized at that moment that I orchestrated everything that I was struggling in. I know this sounds a little like self-help verbiage but in lyrics like ‘I’m making enemies, all the bullies in my mind, they try to hurt me but it was me the whole time’…  that in a nutshell describes it all.

Kat Leon

There’s a glaring comparison with Holy Wars and Phantogram, but Holy is most definitely more of a heavy alternative. Rather it be the vocals or the alternative heavy rock, there’s something dark about both of these bands. It’s different. It’s raw. It grabs you, and it never lets go.

I love music that grabs your attention. If it makes me feels like the 1st minute lasted 3 minutes, then it’s a solid a$$ song. Some of Holy’s songs do that, such as Welcome to My Hell, IHATEMYSELF, LITTLE GODZ, BORN DARK, and Back To Life (aka their top 5 songs on Spotify). I would absolutely love to hear more songs like these!

The rest of the songs are nice, but I feel like they don’t grab as much attention as the songs I just mentioned above. However, Orphan, Cruel World (also the title of my favorite Phantogram song), and Legends are notable songs from their earlier collection.

Opening for Papa Roach is definitely up there (with the coolest thing we’ve done as musicians) as well as the NAMM show Schecter after party. But also right before I started my first band, I was on a show with Alice Cooper and after hearing me sing, he talked to me about the business and encouraged me to start writing and start a band and his words and encouragement gave me confidence to do it all. I really have him to thank for that initial push.

Kat

What’s Next for Holy Wars?

Kat tells me that, “I usually tend to be all over the place in what I like and want to say in music. The next few releases are going to have a little more piss and vinegar as I feel many of us feel like we want to bitch slap 2020 – so my head is there currently”. So the future will be that, but also carry on their honesty and cross genres.

We can expect more alt-rock music too!

“We plan to release a lot in the coming months and head into 2021 with our second album with plans of European tour if that is still going to be possible with our current global state. In the meantime, we will keep writing music and playing some online live shows because we really miss playing our music live,” says Kat.

Thank You Notes

I would like to thank Kat and the Holy Wars band for waiting for this review and connecting with me on Instagram. They have a bright future, and I’m really looking forward to working with them on their journey.

Holy Wars’ links:

Unedited Music Blog’s links:

Conclusion

Have a great rest of the week, and remember to respect each other no matter what. We are still in a pandemic, so if you’re sick then stay home and if you need to go into public wear a mask.

IHATEMYSELF (2020) by Holy Wars

Waiting for Smith [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Australia, Backstory, California, Chill, Chill Rock, dream pop, dreampop, France, Good Vibes Only, Guitar, In-person, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, New Zealand, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Rock, Singer, Soft Rock, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sweden, UK, UKViral50, YoutubeTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

Waiting for Smith

Independent Artist

@jocronin65

According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, in 2008 and 2010 thirty six lives were taken by avalanches. 36 is the most recorded deaths in one year.

To say the least, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number of people injured caused by avalanches are higher than those deaths. Avalanches are probably one of the scariest and most unpredictable natural hazards.

Harry Lloyd was a ski instructor before he started his solo career. At some point he broke his back in two places during avalanche training. It was when he was airlifted by a helicopter when he decided to dedicate his life to music.

After spending a year in bed recovering and learning how to play the guitar, he started Waiting for Smith.

It all started at a Rolling Stones concert when Harry knew he was meant to be a musician. He joined his first band at age 11 with his best friend Danny.

Now he’s a singer-songwriter with fans across the world. VH1 featured Lines of Love at one point, and Song for Grace was featured in Vis a Vis on Netflix. His main fanbase seems to be in London, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Hamburg, and Amsterdam.

When these old dudes came on stage I looked at Danny and was like; what’s this all about? Then they starting playing ‘Get off of my Cloud’ and I was instantly hooked. The bouncer saw we were having such a good time, so he lifted me up to the stage and I high fived Ronnie Wood, the crowd went crazy! I will never forgot how loud it was, how they could bring joy to so many. As my feet touched the floor I knew I’d never be the same again.

Harry Lloyd (8/21/2020)

I genuinely really like listening to Harry’s music, because I find it different in a weird way that kind of pushes boundaries of soft pop and singer-songwriting.

I love the song Meditation, and honestly I am surprised it wasn’t either used in a TV or movie production. It has that sound that would be great in a modern western or action movie. I think a lot of his songs follow the same sound so I wasn’t surprised to hear that at least two have been featured in something like that.

I also really appreciate how positive these songs are, it’s been really hard to stay positive people across the world so I think this is music that is much needed now a days!

Most if not all his songs will be added into our Indie Unedited Spotify playlist.

It was very clear to me that music was what I should be doing the minute everything was taken away from me. I experienced this amazing sense of clarity. When you think you might not make it, it becomes so obvious what’s important. It’s not like you have time to go ‘maybe I’ll take up painting tomorrow’. 

Harry’s answer to why a near death experience inspired him to start making music again.

“I love lots of different styles, the next set of tracks have a bit of everything I like in there. But it always seems to come back to a strong desire to make people come away feeling hopeful,” he says about what the future holds for Waiting for Smith.

At the moment, Harry is planning to stay positive, “I believe our mindsets have a huge impact on everything.”

So for now he is going to live his best life, and help lift other people’s spirits…… “If that doesn’t work there’s always pizza,” he says.

I would like to thank Harry Lloyd for patiently waiting for this article, as indicated I interviewed him about 3 months ago so it’s been a while. If you would like to keep up to date with Waiting for Smith, then you can click any or all the links below!

Waiting for Smith’s links:

Unedited Music Blog’s links:

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and remember to respect each other out there, and if you have to go out into public then wear a mask please!

Lines of Love (2020) by Waiting for Smith

Overall: 4.9/5

Lines of Love: 5/5

Long Life: 5/5

So Much Love: 5/5

Peace in Greece: 4.8/5

Songs for People I Loved: 4.9/5

Windy Cities of the Sun: 5/5

Meditation: 5/5

Trade It In: 5/5

Monkeys in my Head: 5/5

Roma: 5/5

Top Song: Meditation (2019)

Nick Kingswell [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, ambient, Artist Bio, Australia, Backstory, Blues, Canada, Facebook, Folk Rock, Guitar, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Soft Rock, UKTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Nick Kingswell

LPR Agency

@jocronin65

According to Oxford Dictionary, homesickness is a “feeling of longing for one’s home during a period of absence from it”. The actual word was used often in the 1940s, but it is a more popular word used today.

According to an article by The Guardian, 1 in every 30 people (a total of 258 million people) were living outside their country of birth in 2017. By 2050, it was projected that there will be 405 million migrants.

An article by IESE Business School (University of Navarra), suggested that homesickness was present in all 45 people involve with a 2012 study done by Hack-Polay.

It’s well-known that homesickness is a part of readjusting to a new place, but it’s how people choose to adjust that is important to overcoming it.

Often people in my mental health career field tell me to take care of myself. If you’re feeling homesick, do some self-care as well. Keep your body healthy, and keep your mind happy.

At an early age Nick Kingswell learned how to play the guitar from a music teacher. The first song he learned to play was the House of the Rising Sun, and then from there he fell in love with music in general.

Today, Nick has an encouraging and supportive fan base spanning the world. They always show a lot of support for each new release that he produces.

A music teacher came to my school when I was 7 and said to bring whichever instrument you have at home and I’ll teach you how to play it. My mum had an old guitar in the corner… He taught me House of The Rising Sun and the rest is history. 

Nick Kingswell (8/14/2020)

I find Nick’s music as a collection perfect for fans of Ben Howard and early Ed Sheeran. It’s music that’s very chill but also very honest and vulnerability. His new song Homesick touches on the challenges of living in a different time zone then your loved ones.

“Homesick is inspired by my move to the UK from Australia and constantly battling the time difference when trying to reach family back home. Feeling Homesick can be tough but it isn’t constant, it seems to come and go,” said Nick Kingswell.

As a songwriter, I certainly have a big appreciation for musicians who choose to be vulnerable like Nick is. While writing songs can be very therapeutic, it’s when they are produced and released to the public that can be very scary for many.

Some of my favorite songs of Nick’s are Homesick, I Didn’t Try, Swim, Everest, and Undertow. Lastly, I just wanted to say, like I did about Tia Gostelow, Aussie music in my opinion is some of the best out there. I feel like every time I hear music from an Australian music I almost always say that.

(Moving to London from Australia) was liberating and I encourage anyone reading this to drop the safety net and go for it! So many amazing things wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t left Australia.

Nick Kingswell

After recently coming out with There’s No Cure and Homesick, Nick is looking forward to releasing a new album called Brontide on October 23rd. The album was made with James Bunton in Canada, and was recorded partly at Abbey Road. “Never in a million years did I imagine my music would end up where it has!”, says Nick.

For more information on more releases in the future, make sure you follow all the links below to get updated on his future!

I would like to thank Nick Kingswell for waiting for this article, and I would also like to thank Lydia Reed (LPR Agency) for connecting me with Nick in August.

Nick Kingswell links:

LPR Agency links:

Unedited Music Blog links:

Have a wonderful week, and remember to respect others and stay safe. If you feel sick then stay home, and if you go into public please remember to wear a mask. I know that I personally have been going out with my friends in Boston a lot more, but I often have to remind myself that the world is still in a pandemic.

Homesick by Nick Kingswell (2020)

Overall: 4.8/5

There’s No Cure: 5/5

Homesick: 4.7/5

I Didn’t Try: 5/5

Never Lost: 4.7/5

Everest: 5/5

Undertow: 5/5

Swim: 5/5

Top Song: Swim (2017)

Seepeoples [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Boston, dark pop, electronic, Electronic Rock, Experimental Electronic, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Massachusetts, Music, Singer, Soundcloud, Spotify, USATagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Seespeoples

RascalZRecordZ

@jocronin65

According to Sunrise House American Addiction Treatment Facility Centers’ website, the arts and entertainment industry has the third highest overall rates of substance use from 2008 to 2012. That is 12.9% of the self-reported data from SAMHSA.

Out of that percentage, 11.5% also reported heavy use of alcohol.

9.5% of those cases were diagnosed...

At a young age, Will can remember his Dad playing the Santana III album being his earliest memories that attracted him to music, “I remember chasing the guitar parts from speaker to speaker. I don’t know why this was such a spark, but it was. The belief in the magic of music never left me since and my mind goes back to this memory every time I pull out that record.” Other inspirations include Radiohead’s album OK Computer, Will says he learned a lot about music from that one album.

Will Bradford started the band in Boston, MA in 2000, and for 11 years had seen great success. At times the band would play about 200 shows a year, opening for bands like Presidents of the USA, Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, and many more. According to an article from The Maine Edge, Will and his band members were forced to put a very sudden stop to Seepeoples. Constant touring brought on a cluster of problems for the band, which ultimately resulted in all members suffering from some sort of drug abuse. Will found himself slipping deeper than anyone, commenting that he “went to a dark place. Some call it heroin/crack island… I called it home. But I’m just thankful I remembered to bring my guitar with me.” Seeing the concern he was raising for his family, Will decided to go into rehab.

In July 2015, Seepeoples returned from their hiatus with Dead Souls Sessions, and the band have come out with various other singles and EPs leading up to their most recent release, Blink.

SeepeopleS fans are a small group of weirdos, libtards, nihilists, anarchists, drug addicts, convicts, artists, and other musicians especially. Anti-Genre Anarchist pop music isn’t for everyone, so as small of a group as our fan base may be, their loyalty is second to none. Honestly, after 20 years on the road, at this point I consider them ‘friends’ and not ‘fans.‘

Will Bradford (8/2/2020)

Listening to Seepeople is like listening to your whole Spotify music library on shuffle, you never know what you’ll get.

Shuffling such a random amount of music can be very bittersweet. Depending on your mood you might want the variety, but other times you absolutely hate it and instinctively turn on a playlist that fits what you want to hear.

That’s how labels see music, whatever fits what you want. You meaning the masses of people who generally like listening to one genre.

But that’s not exactly how experimental music projects work… You need to be open-minded, and that’s exactly what I did when taking on this review…

As a result, I actually liked what I heard. If you want to check out my thoughts, see my ratings all the way below the article.

I’ve been so lucky to record and play music with so many of my heroes, and even luckier that I get to call many of them my close friends now. I am truly blessed!

Will

So what is next for Seepeoples? The band is currently recording at Chillhouse Studios in Boston MA with long time co-producer Will Holland (Pixies, and Dead Can Dance). The album was slated for a late fall 2020 release in conjunction with the band’s 20th anniversary, but that has been postponed till 2021 along with the album release tour, due to the coronavirus. With many other musicians contributing to Field Guide For Survival in this Dying World, the album will be released through RascalZRecordZ.

Additionally, Will tells me that he is “also thrilled to announce that Pete List, the renown animator best known for his work on Celebrity Death Match / MTV, is doing another video for us. He was the animator and director of the ‘New American Dream’ video that was banned by Facebook / Instagram. I’ve seen some clips already and the video is stunning! Hopefully, this one won’t get banned.”

Seepeoples will continue to make music that defies any expectations. Will comments, “earlier in my career, the band took some meetings with some labels and management companies, and they always said the same thing, ‘focus on one kind of music,’ this is ‘impossible to sell.’  Every time I kept hearing that, it just made me want to, of course, do the exact opposite.  I started SeepeopleS as a musical project that I would never have to put walls around it, confine it, or essentially be restricted in any way.”

Keep a close eye on all the links provided below to make sure you don’t miss anything!

I would like to thank Will Bradford for keeping in touch leading up to this article, and I hope to meet him in the city in the near future!

Seepeoples links:

Unedited Music Blog links:

Hope everyone has a great week, and remember to respect other people and stay safe. If you feel sick then stay home, and/or if you go into public remember to follow your local public health/safety guidelines!

Blink by Seepeoples (2020) [Credit: Andrea Georgas]

Overall: 4.7/5

Blink: 4.8/5

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill: 4/5

Hate: 4.6/5

Love: 4.8/5

Dead Souls Sessions: 4.5/5

Top Song: Fall in Rome (2015)

Trish Discord Review: Educational Rock

Posted on Posted in 2020, alternative, Artist Bio, Backstory, Classic Rock, Dogtooth, Facebook, Guitar, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie Rock, Instagram, Interview, Music, New York City, Pop Rock, Rock, Singer, Soundcloud, Spotify, USA, YoutubeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Trish Discord

Independent

@jocronin65

Editorial

One of Trish‘s favorite bands is Green Day, not that there newest music is great… Because it definitely isn’t. They definitely are notable for their amazing debut album Dookie. If you listen to a lot of their most famous tunes like Basket Case, Longview, Brain Stew, and Welcome to Paradise talks about something on the lines of what Billie Joe Armstrong opened up about when he was 20.

According to many sources who quoted Billie directly, he felt a form of mid-life crisis were he genuinely thought he was going to die at an early age. That thought process has been in his head ever since.

So as a result, he made music that reflected his thought process. One could even make a case that he was making music about something that he was about, because most of the time that’s all he thought about for a good period of time in his life.

That’s exactly what Trish Discord did when writing her debut album Is This my Mental Breakdown. She took two of her passions, psychology and music, and combined them into a hybrid.

Table of Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Who is Trish Discord?
  3. Inspiration Behind Is This My Mental Breakdown?
  4. What’s Next for Trish Discord?
  5. Thank You Notes
  6. Links
  7. Conclusion

Who is Trish Discord?

In the beginning Trish started to write music in order to release emotions and connect with other people. After studying psychology in college she realized she had a unique opportunity that allowed her to intertwine the world of mental health into her music.

So quite literally she took the mother f***ing DSM V and made songs about some of the most commonly known diagnosis.

Trish has garnered (my new favorite word) a large audience of musicians and 90’s rock fans to, because afterall Trish‘s music does sound like something the Cranberries would make back in the day.

I started to write songs as a way to release my emotions and decided I could connect with others. I also knew I had a unique background having studied psych so I could write songs about that.

Trish Discord (8/1/2020)

Inspiration Behind Is This My Mental Breakdown?

Although Trish says it wasn’t hard too hard to use the DSM as a reference to make the songs on her first album, “it was actually hard to get the emotional part correct with each song because I knew it had to be realistic and also factual.” As a result she leaned on most of her friends who have struggled with some of these diagnosis in the past.

The human mind is a fascinating thing, especially to a large majority of people who decide to make a living out of helping people just like Trish and I. I definitely applaud her for taking her passions and molding it into a new way of raising awareness for a subject that has been stigmatized for way too long.

I, myself, have already shared about my struggles with anxiety, a horrible terrible beast that can sneak up on someone at any point in their day or life. Now I could give you the definition of anxiety according to the DSM, but lets be honest… No one wants me to because everyone genuinely knows what anxiety is. However, as common as it is, anxiety is just as stigmatized as every other mental disorder.

People who do not fully understand anxiety think it’s not an actual medical illness, even though it is a common diagnosis given by a doctor or professional.

People also think that people with anxiety can just snap out of it if they want to. However, I doubt a person having an anxiety attack can just snap out of it they want to.

I find that the DSM can be very misleading if you are trying to look for answers on why you behave the way you do. I’m not saying that people with depression are depressed because the DSM told them they were. What I’m saying is… That’s not what it’s there for.

In my personal opinion, the DSM is there for two things… 1. For medical personal who are required to diagnose DMH clients, and 2. to show that other people in the world also suffer from these symptoms in more or less the same way.

So while Trish Discord’s album is a great way to raise awareness for mental health, I highly suggest that people stay away from diagnosing themselves for various reasons that can lead to various thinking patterns.

Social is about depression and the stigma that people with it face from their close circle and society.

Trish Discord

What’s Next for Trish Discord?

So what is next for Trish Discord? “I want it to stay indie and if I could achieve something where I could live off my music or make a profit while connecting with a fan base that would be the dream,” Trish tells me. 

While that’s a basic goal for a lot of musicians, it quite honestly isn’t a goal that is often achieved. For that reason, she is pushing as hard as she can to get her music as much exposure as it can get.

She is also aiming to continue raising awareness for mental health in her music. Trish plans to release in the near future another album talking about how the 2016 election had affected people and herself personally.

While she is trying to save up to produce and record this album, you can follow the links below to stay up to date on the progress she is making towards this next album.

Thank You Notes

I would like to thank Trish Discord for keeping in touch with me up, she is a great person, and I am looking forward to working with her in the future.

Trish Discord links:

Unedited Music Blog links:

Conclusion

Have a wonderful week ahead, and remember to respect each other no matter your differences. When you go out wear a mask, and if you’re sick then stay home… You know the rest, I’ve said it many times before!

Is This My Mental Breakdown? (2020) by Trish Discord

The Coronas [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Britpop, Facebook, Hard Rock, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Instagram, Interview, Ireland, Music, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Republic Media, Singer, Soft Rock, Soundcloud, Spotify, UK, UKViral50, YoutubeTagged , , , , Leave a comment
The Coronas (2020)
The Coronas (2020)

I remember telling my parents that when I graduated from college I wanted to go to Ireland. I am half Irish, and I have a few relatives living in Ireland, so I wanted to meet them.

On May 5th I graduated from Dean College in 2018, and on May 24th I arrived in Ireland. We landed in Dublin, and we traveled across Ireland. We went to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, I kissed the Blarney Stone (but still am not as a smooth talker as I want to be), and we visited my family members who live in Killarney.

The one thing that stuck with me when I came back home were the musicians on the streets of Dublin. It was there where I met a trio who call themselves Stray Melody.

Music already established a huge part in my life, but when I walked the streets of Dublin… Irish music created a new appreciation in my life.

Irish music is different than any other music in the world, just like American music is different than Indian music. In my opinion, what makes them different is in the song writing. All I Want by Kodaline makes you feel something stronger than Let Her Go by Passenger. Yes, the Passenger song makes you cry, but the Kodaline song makes you cry and then it sticks with you… In a way that is special only to you.

That’s what The Coronas music does to you too. Especially Lost in the Thick of It, which is their most popular song. The song is a special song just like every well known Irish song, because it touches on the fragile times during the beginning of a relationship. Additionally, “it’s about needing space to sort your own head out before you feel comfortable talking about what’s on your mind,” they tell me.

Formed when they were just 15 years old, Danny O’Reilly started The Coronas. “I grew up around music, my mother is a singer, so she encouraged me at an early age to write my own songs. It was very cathartic for me in my teens and then it was bands I loved like the Frames, BellX1 and Snow Patrol that made me want to be in a band,” says Danny.

Over the past 17 years, the Coronas have grown a family-like fan base. “They sing with us, and are very loyal and proud to be followers,” they say.

“‘We haven’t even thought about (changing our name),’ replied O’Reilly. ‘We’ve been around for five albums and this is a new disease. It’s having a big effect on everything and it’s a hard one to judge. If we were a brand-new band I’d say, ‘absolutely of course’. We haven’t considered re-branding. Who knows what effect this will have?'”

~Danny O’Reilly to NME (May 13th, 2020)

The Corona’s name have been the topic of a lot of questions lately, and rightly so… After all we’re in the middle of a Coronavirus pandemic right now. I will let you read about this and form your own opinion on this subject, just Google “the coronas review” and a bunch of articles about their name will come up. But in my opinion, they have the right to do whatever they want to with their name that was made a good 17 years before the pandemic.

As far as their music, it’s nothing short to unique and memorable. If you’re a fan of Kodaline, Snow Patrol, and Picture This, then you’ll definitely enjoy The Coronas music.

I find their 2014 album The Long Way to be a hidden gem, it’s a great album that is explosive. If Oasis and The Verve would make a modern rock album today, it would probably sound something like this album.

However, Lost in the Thick of It is my favorite song at the end of the day. It’s a song I’ve listened to 10 times now, and yet I’m still singing along to it without an ounce of annoyance.

“(This quarantine has taught us) that no matter what happens, we’ll be alright. It’s made us realize how lucky we are to do what we do and put everything into perspective.”

~The Coronas (7/1/2020)

Future for the Coronas, just like every musician, is unknown at the moment. But they are keeping their fingers crossed that they’ll be back on the road soon. Until time allows that, they are focusing on releasing new music. The next release is for their next album called True Love Waits which is due to be released on the 31st! (Click album cover below to pre-save now!)

Their direction is guided by whatever songs come out of them, they say. “As we’ve grown our songwriting has naturally evolved so hopefully that will continue,” says the band.

I would like to thank Asher Alexander (Republic Media Group) for connecting me with The Coronas, I was very excited about this review and hope to set something up with them when they come around to Boston.

You can follow The Coronas on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also stream their music on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and Deezer.

You can follow the Republic Media Group on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also listen to their What’s on the Stereo playlist on Spotify.

You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also listen to our playlists on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Have a fantastic week, and remember to not be stupid and were a mask in public! Remember to be kind to everyone, and treat others the way you’d expect to be treated.

Pre-save True Love Waits (Album) by The Coronas
True Love Waits (album) by The Coronas [Click Photo to Pre-Save]

Overall: 4.8/5

True Love Waits: 5/5

LA at Night: 5/5

Reprise: 4/5

Trust the Wire: 5/5

The Long Way: 5/5

Closer to You: 4.5/5

Tony was an Ex Con: 4/5

Heroes or Ghosts: 5/5

Top Song: Lost in the Thick of It (2020)

C.SHIROCK [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Artist Bio, Backstory, California, Classic Rock, electronic, Electronic Rock, Facebook, Guitar, Hard Rock, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, Indie Rock, Instagram, Instrumental, Interview, Rock, Soundcloud, Spotify, USATagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Chuck Shirock (C.SHIROCK), taken by Daniella Midenge

I remember the first time I heard Bono’s voice, it was also the first time I’ve ever heard a musician from Ireland. I don’t remember exactly what the first song I listened to by U2, but I think it was either One, Sunday Bloody Sunday, or New Year’s Day.

I never really thought anyone would sound exactly like his voice, Bono has that kind of voice that is so powerful that it will never be duplicated. That’s what I thought before I ever heard of C.SHIROCK, however.

Singer-songwriter Chuck Shirock has been making music ever since he started playing piano at age 4 making up songs on his own. He later got a guitar that his Dad got for him, and soon after started a band. “I wanted to be the singer, and since then I’ve never looked back! Now, making music, singing, writing and performing are the best ways I know how to let my emotions out. It’s one of the only places I know how to truly be free in my expression and my emotions,” Chuck says.

After successfully gaining a huge fanbase with SHIROCK, Chuck’s solo project (C.SHIROCK) is seeing a lot of success with attracting loyal fans. “It means so much me to know that this music that I pour my heart into connects with you, and becomes a part of the soundtrack to your life,” he says.

“I love seeing the familiar names of fans that I remember from years ago – maybe we met at a show or took a picture together, and now years later they’re commenting on a new music video or single… you develop a sense of friendship and family with your biggest fans. When you see them at a show it feels incredible to know that they’ve walked with you through so much life and a very personal journey of songs and lyrics. So to every fan that takes the time to write, comment and reply – thank you!”

~Chuck Shirock [C.SHIROCK] (5/20/2020)

C.SHIROCK’s music shows a great progression in sound over the years, and his best production definitely comes from the last five tracks (averaging a 4.9/5 rating, higher than his overall rating of 4.8/5). Songs that have recently stood out are Stand With Me Tonight and his most popular song that has attracted over 250k streams on Spotify, Lost to the Night.

His newest track, All We Have is this Moment, is about being present and living in the moment. “I am the kind of person that’s always thinking about the next step… about the future, and the steps I want to take to get there. This can be a strength at times, but it can also be a huge hinderance to enjoying the process and being present to life today. It’s so easy to miss, but this very moment is all we have,” says Chuck.

This song has come out the ideal time, a time where everyone in the world has been forced to stop being so busy. It’s a perfect time to learn how to live in the moment, and I truly hope this song will remind the ones who need this the most!

Before moving, I absolutely have to address the remixes I have found in C.SHIROCK’s artist library. While I probably wouldn’t put them in my Songs/Remixes playlist, they certianly bring eclecticism to his collection. Some of his best remixes are Any Minute Now (JT Daly Remix), and Bodytalkr’s remix of Back Against the Wall.

“Over the years it’s changed… sometimes people compare my vocals to Bono, other times I get Peter Gabriel comparisons with the song writing… certain songs have gotten comparisons to Coldplay, some to Prince, some to Bruce Springsteen.”

~Chuck

It is very important to be honest and vulnerable in Chuck’s music, and that is something that he will not lose sight of in the future. All We Have is this Moment is one of those tracks, and it is a single from an upcoming album called Evidence of Things Unseen that will be released later this year. Aside from that, he’s been writing and “dreaming up the next album” during this whole quarantine.

Other than that, he really doesn’t know what the future looks like for C.SHIROCK. “As things evolve with the current situation, I’ll do my best to stay flexible… I was hoping to tour around the release of Evidence of Things Unseen, but given the current situation, that may not be an option. If touring isn’t an option, then my plan is to go straight back into the studio and being workin on the next album,” he says. He is also working on a poetry book and an instrumental album. You can find his latest news on his website (cshirock.com)!

I would like to thank Lydia Reed from LPR Agency for getting me connected with Chuck, and thank you to him for answering the interview questions! Additionally, shoutout to Daniella Midenge for taking the cover photo and Emilia Pare for the featured image!

You can follow C.SHIROCK on both Instagram and Facebook, and stream his music on Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

You can follow Unedited Music Blog on Instagram (@unedited_music_blog) and Facebook (@uneditedmb), and stream our playlists on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Just so everyone knows, Sunday June 21st is my birthday! I am planning to release a new logo on that day, and I am very excited about this one! It was drawn and photoshopped by myself!

Have a fantastic week, stay home if your sick, remember that racism is wrong, and congratulations to all college and High School grads of 2020!

All We Have is this Moment by C.SHIROCK (2020)

Overall: 4.8/5

All We Have is this Moment: 5/5

Lost to the Night: 5/5

Eyes Of Sorrow: 5/5

First Snow: 4.8/5

Stand with me Tonight: 5/5

Confess Your Love: 4.9/5

Wake Up: 4.5/5

Any Minute Now: 5/5

Back Against the Wall: 5/5

Haunted: 4.8/5

Water to Sea: 5/5

Top Song: Lost to the Night (2019)

In Earnest [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in #ilivefor, 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Facebook, Future Star, Good Vibes Only, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, indie pop playlist, Indie Rock, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Music, UK, UKViral50Tagged , , , , Leave a comment
Sarah, Toby, and Thomas (photo taken by Soundcastle)

Nowadays it feels like I can’t slow down and relax, if I do I just feel so… Useless.

I decided to do this blog not only for my love for music, but also my fear of feeling absolutely worthless. The only way I feel like I have done something productive everyday, is if I helped someone at least once. I’m not the kind of person who can eat, sleep, sh*t, and repeat… That’s just not how I work.

Worthlessness is empty, and I sometimes felt worthless before I found what I do now. Correction, before I found what I love.

In Earnest touches upon something I can certainly relate to as well, I find when I’m home alone I get very lonely and dying for someone to just be there. Loneliness is something everyone has to deal with. This is especially true with all this quaratine stuff.

That’s exactly why my family and I got a dog, and apparently I am not alone cause Sarah feels the same about her dog. “I absolutely worship dogs (I prefer them to people!),” she says.

All three of the band members had musical families and grew up listening to their parental influences. Sarah says, “for me personally, my Dad has been a drummer on the local music scene for over 40 years – I grew up listening to him play instruments around the house and tuning his drums on a Saturday morning.” She was dragged along with his band’s gigs from a very young age as well.

“I am someone who you could describe as ‘feeling things a little too much’ as I suffer from anxiety and depression, so any emotion that I am experiencing is always quite intense,” says Sarah. She uses these influences as a driving force behind her songwriting. “I like to be honest and open in my songwriting so sometimes I put it fairly bluntly,” she adds. 

In Earnest is a really new project and only just got out the starting blocks with it! Their previous band ‘Carousel’, strung together a good crowd. “I guess I’m hoping that we’ll go one step further with In Earnest where we inspire people and encourage them to talk about mental health, which is our main aim,” says Sarah. 

“Don’t you know too much already?

I’ll only hurt you if you let me

Call me friend but keep me closer (call me back).”

–when the party’s over by Billie Eilish

Sarah says that she is “a very socially awkward person, so I am awful at networking at gigs!” And to be fair, everyone is our age… Even Billie Eilish.

However, Sarah also says she’s probably a better songwriter cause of her mental struggles. She says, “it allows me to tap into more intense emotions and I can write music around that.” She also appreciates other musicians and creative people around her who are talking about their struggles as well. “It’s great that we can help each other and increase the awareness around mental illness,” she says.

“‘Put Me Under’ is a stream-of-consciousness about the loneliness surrounding depression and anxiety. My mental illness means that I can’t have a ‘normal’ job and it forces me to be self-employed, so I’m now a dog-sitter! The job does come with it’s own challenges – being away from home and in someone else’s house while they are on holiday. The song also touches upon the fact that mental health problems are invisible illnesses, but I just love that dogs don’t judge you at all and help to comfort you in those bad times.”

-Sarah (3/19/2020)

I’m really loving the fact that In Earnest are advocating such an important subject. Too many musicians have died because they were either lost in their own emotions or held their emotions too long to get help for them. It is vital that we as people to be there for each other. Just the same for fans of musicians who struggle mentally, the same people who are stuck at home in their own minds praying for all this COVID-19 stuff to end already.

If you live with a mental illness, then you know what I mean. #istayhome and #ilivefor these people who want to be touring instead of at home.

“When I choke, when I choke

When I choke, would you try and help me breathe?

Can you love, can you love

Can you love the version of me?”

–Version of Me by Sasha Sloan

I am sure everyone who gives In Earnest a chance will love their music just as much as we love the version of Sasha Sloan. But where’s that debut album…?

Well… that’ll come with time. But for now they are planning to release two sets of songs written by Tom and Sarah seperately. Sarah’s song is really experimental, because it tries to “capture my feelings as a soundscape and is bluntly about how debilitating depression can be.” Tom’s song is more intense, and portrays a feeling of being hit with intense emotion.

‘Come Upstairs’ is scheduled for their second release in July 2020. It is written from Tom’s perspective as he looks after Sarah while she struggles. It’s about desperation and sacrifice and doing anything you can to keep the one you love alive.

They also really want to tour! But that’s going to have to wait not only cause of the pandemic, but also cause they know they need to build a bite more of an audience who would want to see them perform live.

I assume no one cares, but I am so sorry for the delay of this article. It was supposed be posted at the latest of Monday… But that didn’t happen so it had to wait till today. ANYWAYS, I hope it was worth the wait!!

You can follow In Earnest on Facebook and Instagram, as well as listen to their debut single on Spotify (link to be fixed hopefully prior to the release) this Friday!

You can follow Unedited on Instagram (@unedited_music_blog) and Facebook (@uneditedmb), and listen to previous songs reviewed on Spotify.

Version of Me by Sasha Sloan and when the party is over by Billie Eilish were pulled from my greatest depressing Spotify playlist called happily depressed! Go check it out!!

Have a fantastic rest of the week, #staythefuckhome and remember to say #ilivefor someone at the beginning of the day!!!

Put Me Under by In Earnest (4/17/2020)

Overall: 5/5

Put Me Under: 5/5

Izzy Thomas [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2020, alternative, Alternative pop, Artist Bio, Blues, Classic Rock, Facebook, Future Star, Guitar, Guns N' Roses, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie pop, Indie Rock, Instagram, Interview, Music, Pop, Pop Music, Pop Rock, Rock, Singer, Spotify, UK, UKViral50Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Photo taken of Izzy Thomas by Dorota Szostek Photography
Izzy Thomas (taken by Dorota Szostek Photography)

“‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. ‘Oh you can’t help that,’ said the Cat. ‘We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’ ‘How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice. ‘You must must be,’ said the Cat, ‘or you wouldn’t have come here.'” Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Stress is something that can cause a whole lot of emotions depression, anxiety, compulsive behavior, mood swings, and… It can drive you mad. Izzy Thomas is talking about a man who is driving her mad by denying they aren’t falling in love with her in her song Mad.

As a child, Izzy learned to write poetry at a young age and then merged her poetry into songs. It was at that point when she wanted to put a melody to her songs. These songs were heavily influenced by rock and pop legends like Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jackson.

Nowadays, Izzy finds influences in everything around her. “Whether it’s things that are going on in my own life, or someone’s close to me, if it inspires me then I create,” she says.

She tells me her ever growing fan base are extremely loyal to her, and she would even consider her friends. “They’re cool as hell!”

“I was pretty hung up on someone who did the typical, ‘I’m starting to like you, I’m scared, I’m going to pull away now!’ move. It was so annoying! A lot of people are so emotionally unavailable these days, i think if we all grew the f**k up, the whole love thing would be so much easier!”

– Izzy Thomas talking about Mad (3/18/2020)

I really enjoy listening to Izzy’s music, and I can certainly hear influences in her music such as Lenny K and Michael J. Her powerful voice really goes well with her rock and pop sound. A weird little observation I have is that if you listen to each song after the next, for instance Mad then Trouble… The two songs really transition well into each other.

One message Izzy has for her fans, is to “empower each other, lift each other up. Nobody is your competition, apart from you.” This is a powerful thing to say, especially with a pandemic affecting a lot of people worldwide that is also definitely causing a sense of panic at the sametime.

“I have a new song called ‘Everybody Wants Something From Me’. I wrote that after having a panic attack haha! Big cities can be pretty overwhelming places.”

-Izzy Thomas talking about her favorite song that she’s working on

A favorite new song that Izzy is working on is called Everybody Wants Something From Me, which is about how overwhelming big cities can be. She says that she wrote after having a panic attack. She really likes the direction she is currently taking, and this song will continue that trend. However, she wants to build her sound so she can make it stronger, “with out-of-the-box ideas” she says.

After the world has come back to normal and everyone stops talking about COVID-19, Izzy is hopeful to reschedule her tour that she was on. She was meant to be supporting Marisa and the Moths alongside Finding Kate this month, but of course that was cancelled due to the current pandemic. She is also holding off her new releases until this state of emergency is over, and she really hopes she doesn’t have to wait too long.

She tells me that, “In a couple of months I’ll definitely be giving my fans a new song. In the meantime, they will be able to support me directly, and watch new videos/live streams/behind the scenes stuff via my Patreon page at Izzy Thomas Official.”

Would like to thank Lydia Reed from LPR Agency for connecting me with Izzy Thomas and other amazing musicians. You can follow Izzy on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to her music on SoundCloud, Youtube, and Spotify. You can follow Unedited Music Blog on Facebook (@uneditedmb) and Instagram (@unedited_music_blog), and listen to other musicians reviewed by us on our Spotify playlist. Have a nice week! Stay home and don’t be stupid!

Mad by Izzy Thomas (2020)
Mad by Izzy Thomas (2020)

Overall: 5/5

Mad: 5/5

Trouble: 5/5

Top Song: Mad (2020)

2am Orchestra [unedited] Music Review

Posted on Posted in 2020, alternative, Chill, Chill Rock, Facebook, Guitar, Hard Rock, Indie, indie music, indie music playlist, indie playlist, Indie Rock, Inspirational person, Instagram, Interview, Live Session, Music, New Zealand, Rock, Soft Rock, SoundcloudTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Photo taken by Joel (Instagram)
Photo taken by Joel (Instagram)

To people like myself, doing what you love keeps you sane and happy. You need to do this sh*t so that life doesn’t feel so… Useless. That’s why they call it “a calling” probably. That’s why David J. Kelley has been doing what he loves since 2001 and probably even sooner than that. You can’t really hate those people, you got to admire them. Doing something you love and then sharing it with anyone who will listen is like smiling at a homeless person, it’s the right thing to do.

David J. Kelley has always been enthusiastic about music. He refers to the thrill of making music for the first time as getting that “triple buzz”. “The first buzz is hearing something magical that you love (like ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit‘). The second is not just playing it from your tape deck (dating myself here), but playing it yourself on the guitar. The third buzz is, ‘whoa, I can create my own stuff.'” But even before making music, it has always been intrigued about creating his stuff.

His songwriting has always been inspired by the pressures of existential dread. “Haha. But yeah actually. I think that need, that pressure, is the biggest influence and also the fuel.” In other words, he wants his songs to have the biggest impact on his listeners and/or his imagination as if his life depended on that impact. This is one of many specific influences he has behind his music.

His fan base is made up of mostly his friends and family from New Zealand he says. Although, he does very much appreciate all of his loyal followers who have been listening to his music from the beginning, he released his first self-titled album in 2001.

“Plenty of what I write is just me dealing with stuff, cathartically barfing out the sickness of being inadequate, mortal, abandoned, self-loathing, questioning, whatever. There are thoughts and feelings too big for my brain and body and so I have to magic up a place in the world to hold them. I’m grateful to have music play that role.”

– David J. Kelley (3/19/2020)

To begin with my opinion on 2am Orchestra’s music, does anyone else think of Thom Yorke (Radiohead) when listening to most of the Trading Graves?… Well hopefully now you do if you don’t! That’s basically all I could think of when listening to that album. That and how hard it is to think of any other musician who sounded like Thom. This is a huge compliment from me because I literally was and still kinda am obsessed with that man, he was beyond his time and I really love his songwriting as well. That being said, I admire David’s existential dread drive behind his music, it kind of reminds me of myself at times.

David has moved around wide and far by the way. “For a time I toured state fairs in a trash can drummer band. That was a bit random I guess. I can remember this gig in Kentucky where this one vendor gave us free food, but it was the same thing every day: fried green tomatoes and fried chicken burgers. I was so broke I ate it 9 days straight: Actually, I wasn’t broke so much as cheap – beer was the priority!  My move from Los Angeles to Auckland was pretty spontaneous. I had a friend (Tim Bern, who played bass in the band from 2009 -2010) from New Zealand that was heading home and extended an invitation for me to follow him over. At that time I was burning out in LA pretty hard so it was a lovely change of pace. Figured I’d spend a few months bumming around New Zealand, then head home. 10 years later and here I am still in New Zealand” David says. ***Notice how all the links are from Google Earth, hope it shows how vast those locations are from each other!*** 

“When I was younger I went to China for a year. Played some regular gigs in Nanjing. Back then, being a white guy playing recognizable western tunes (cover songs) made me a sort of local celebrity. What a trip man – play “Hotel California” you’ll have a bar full of best friends. I took some requests for songs I didn’t even know the correct words to – no one noticed.”

-David

At the moment, David is working on an untitled song about how people can go an entire lifetime being strangers to themselves. He says he’s very excited about that release. He isn’t sure what kind of direction he wants to take with his music in the future however. “I guess I want to go in the direction I’ve always gone: with the freedom to do what I want and change it up as I go,” he tells me. 

He is exploring the idea of releasing more songs more often, and is considering releasing more singles like he did last year. “Also, if I can get the boys together I’ll try to put out another one of these casual video performances that we do soon. Those always make for a fun day” David says. I’ll keep everyone posted when I hear of future tracks, which hopefully won’t be long!!!

I would like to thank David J. Kelley for providing me with his answers for 2am Orchestra earlier this month and staying in touch since then. You can follow 2am on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; and listen to his music on Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Music. You can follow this blog on Facebook (@uneditedmb) and Instagram (@unedited_music_blog); and listen to past musicians that have been reviewed on Spotify. Have a great week, and please #staythefuckhome and don’t be stupid!

Trading Graves by 2am Orchestra (2020)
Trading Graves by 2am Orchestra (2020)

Overall: 4.7/5

Trading Graves: 5/5

Working to Divide: 4.5/5

Impermanence: 4/5

2am Orchestra: 4.5/5

Top Song: Feeling of Home (2020)