Patrick O'Heffernan | Music Junkie Press

Matt Jaffe hits his stride with Undertoad – picking up where David Bowie left off

March 11, 2021

Matt Jaffe has hit his stride with his latest album, Undertoad. I have been following Jaffe since he was 14 and playing hugely good guitar at a house concert series in Northern California and have been waiting for this album since then. At the age of 16 he was discovered by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads and together they produced his first album. Seven good albums later, Undertoad has positioned him for the very big time. With 7 sophisticated songs that transcend the boundaries of rock and create an urgent universe of their own. Undertoad opens with “Broken Flowers” , a song that makes you sway, cry, and think as its hypnotic guitar and his high-pitched but perfectly modulated voice carry you into a Leonard Cohen-like cinematic world, but with a rock beat. Keeping up the energy in “Punch Drunk Love” Jaffe moves the pitch even higher, while staying smooth and addictive as he spins out a tale we all know. He stays in the deep emotional narrative mode with “Beacon in the [Read More]

Roundup: The Hot Half Dozen for October 19, 2020

October 20, 2020

Patrick O’Heffernan, Host, Music Sin Fronteras radio From 67 submissions this week, Will You Still Be Mine, single by the Allman Goldflies Band. Pure southern rock music written from the prison experience of one of the group’s founders, Gary Allman. An urgent, blues-heavy earworm you need to hear. Available on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. https://www.facebook.com/AllmanGoldflies Ghost, single by Crimson Calamity. Lauren Harding and Mallory Trunnell know how to grab you gently and then completely capture your ears and your heart. Gut wrenching guitar, heartbreaking harmonies. This women are so, so good! Available this Friday on YouTube, Spotify, other platforms. While you are there check other their songs “Line Em Up & Shoot Em Down” and “ Fools Gold”. https://www.facebook.com/CrimsonCMusic Worth the Weight single by Maggie Szabo. For every one of the 6 years I have known and followed Szabo, she had consistently delivered addictive, intelligent pop and ballads. Worth the Weight bundles together all that experience and moves her to a new plateau of sophisticated, layered ear-grabbing pop. Available on [Read More]

Roundup: The Hot Half dozen for October 12, 2020

October 12, 2020

Patrick O’Heffernan, Host, Music Sin Fronteras radio From 61 submissions this week, my Hot Half Dozen Amigo Cruel (acustico) single by Francisca Valenzuela. If you liked the studio version of Héroe you will love this stripped down, very Spanish, but powerful new song. Valenzuela’s vocals are so strong they create a different environment all by themselves. Stream on Spotify. Waving at the Window new single by Travis, single release from new full album 10 Songs is melodic, reminiscent, melancholy, romantic and addictive. Stream it Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Soundcloud. 10 Songs available at https://bit.ly/373nGxB Black Motorcycle , single by Kassi Ashton. Nashville-based Ashton has been a motorcycle fan and owner for years and expresses her passion for the king of cycles in the hard-driving, hook-heavy and fun song. Available on all platforms. https://www.kassiashton.com/ ‘OPE’ (Gratitude) debut album by Riddim Doctors. A project Of Nigerian Grammy-Winning Recording Artist and Percussionist, Sikiru Adepoju, the gems of fusion music on this beautifully produce album, chock full of op level collaborators, will close your eyes [Read More]

Roundup: The Hot Half dozen for October 5, 2020

October 5, 2020

Patrick O’Heffernan, Host, Music Sin Fronteras radio From 70 submissions this week, my Hot Half Dozen Coming Undone, single, video, lyric video by Eric Zayne. Always a musical powerhouse, Zayne blows you apart with bulldozer beats, spiritual touches, and insane lyrics in this new song. Checkout the lyric video and wear earphones. He is a master at all levels. Stream on Spotify. https://ericzayne.com/ The Album, by Black Pink, with contributions by Selena Gomez, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, and others. I don’t usually like manufactured groups doing manicured pop, but there is a reason they have streamed 1.8 billion songs: they are very good. Their writers are snappy, rappy, and clever. Their music is anything but canned. They rock and you should listen. Available on all platforms. Mann Mein Aman, single and video by Ricky Kej, Salim Sulaiman and IP Singh. If you have not sampled India’s rock, this will convince you to get on board. Powered by three megastars of the subcontinent’s rock scene, this musical celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s [Read More]

Roundup: The Hot Half dozen for September 28, 2020

September 29, 2020

Roundup: The Hot Half dozen for September 28, 2020 Patrick O’Heffernan, Host, Music Sin Fronteras radio From 56 submissions this week, my Hot Half Dozen My Quiet, single, Kris Angelis. On the heels of “That Siren Hope”, Angelis does it again, a single that warms your heart and energizes your ears with her intimate voice like lips next to your ear. There is no one like her. Available on Bandcamp. Apple Music, Spotify. www.Krisangelis.com As You Are, single and video, X.Ari. A composite video of clips from people around the country who have triumphed over bullying by doing what they do best, set to X.Ari’s poppy , addictive soundtrack. Love the message, the video, and the music. Video at https://bit.ly/36fBjcM check her out at http://www.xariofficial.com !Pan-Americanos! EP by The Reckless Night Ensemble. The 8-piece Ensemble’s bi-lingual EP led by Angelica Villarreal on vocals is fun in any language, veering from a send up in English of “Sixteen Tons” to faux banda about Mexico and Los Angeles, to Cha Cha …all with clever lyrics [Read More]

Dynamite cross culture collaborations: Mestiza and Matt LeGrand in I’ve Been Watching You

November 14, 2019

By Patrick O’Heffernan I love cross language/culture/border/genre collaborations – it is at the edge of genres that great creativity happens. A perfect example came across my desk this week, a collaboration between Chicago native crooner Matt LeGrand and the Venezuelan rap star Mestiza who have teamed up on “ I’ve Been Watching You”. The song is a steamy R&B love ballad with rap conversations punctuating Legrand’s smooth seduction. The combination is electric, delivering 4 minutes and 38 seconds of romance in Spanish and English that moves with a slow hand and electric spark through your ears. The combination – the first single from LeGrand’s EP release this week – works well on several levels. LeGrand teamed up with music industry pros Dave Hall (Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Madonna) and Bryant Reid (Usher, Toni Braxton and more) to produce a deftly layered work. The production seamlessly combines LeGrand’s slick style with Mestiza’s sexy Latin voice and sultry flavor. Mestiza, aka The Barbie Trapper, began with hip hop in 2004 when she was just [Read More]

The success of Binx: a case study in hard work, persistence and talent.

November 14, 2019

By Patrick O’Heffernan It is no secret that hard work and persistence are just as important as talent for success in today’s music world. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of very talented singers, musicians, and bands playing weekends in small clubs all over the country while they focus on their jobs during the week. Some, like the Wohl Band from Guadalajara, will succeed beyond weekend gigs, but most of them will move on in their profession and music will remain a weekend pleasure for them and their audiences. The artists that succeed are the ones who are not only superbly talented but spend almost every waking moment (and some sleeping moments) writing, arranging, playing, performing and recording music. They find a day job in the music industry that lets them learn, connect, and grow musically as well as pay the bills. They work to take – or create – every opportunity to introduce new audiences to their talent, and to hone and grow their art and expand their fan base as they [Read More]