Review | Music Junkie Press

Kris Gruen at the Sanctuary in Santa Monica by Patrick O’Heffernan of Music Friday Live!

January 31, 2014

Kris Gruen at the Sanctuary in Santa Monica Performance 1.24.14 The Sanctuary, just off Main Street in Santa Monica, is one of LA’s little oddities. During the week it is a small, traditional Christian church. But one weekend a month the staff clears out the nave, moves the alter and puts out a table in the back with wine, soft drinks, potato chips and a bottle for donations for musicians. It becomes a local music venue. The artists singing a playing there range from neighborhood garage bands whose day jobs really, really need to be secure, to rising stars staying on the Westside while they pitch other venues around the city and have a Saturday night free to introduce themselves to a Westside audience. And Westside audiences can be equally diverse: street people who come in for free snacks and entertainment to music junkies looking for the next rising star, to friends of the booked artists. This past Saturday night, The Sanctuary saw the usual audience mix of locals, music fans and artists’ friends settle [Read More]

A great weekend for dance: Rory Partin and his All Star Big Band at Santa Monica’s Typhoon

January 29, 2014

A great weekend for dance: Rory Partin and his All Star Big Band at Santa Monica’s Typhoon by Patrick O’Heffernan Now that Daft Punk has abandoned Electronic Dance Music (and won a Grammy for the effort!) I thought I would explore other ways to get my heel-clicking kicks. So Saturday night I joined Trombone Shorty and a thousand or so of his fans at the El Ray Theater in Los Angeles for a swaying and bobbing New Orleans-blues/rock dance madness party, and Sunday night I ventured to Santa Monica’s Typhoon venue for Rory Partin and his All Star Big Band. Both were a blast. You saw Trombone Shorty for his appearance on the Grammys playing with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and Madonna during the mass wedding. You may not know Rory Partin, although he has played some pretty big venues including presidential balls for both President Bush and President Clinton and appears in hip showcase clubs like Hotel Café with his wife, Alexa James, in his pop band, The Roamies. Needless to say, this is [Read More]

Interview with Niki English by Patrick O’Heffernan of Music Friday Live!

January 28, 2014

Interview: Niki English, lead singer and songwriter for Western Avenue country band. Country music was once described in the famous B.J. Thomas 1975 recording, as “somebody done -somebody-wrong songs”. the genre’s stock in trade got expanded to include trucks, beer and unemployment. Not Western Avenue. they are a whole different ballgame. The Canadian-based trio of Niki English, Keith Robertson and Matt Williams have developed country into a powerful vehicle for deep feeling and expressive writing without sacrificing an inch of country vitality. They combine the ethos of country with the warmth of love songs and the heat of rock. The lyrics they write and play are about loss and joy and nostalgia, and most of all, about hope. And they do it with great hooks, earworm melodies and classic country arrangements . They call it “hot country”, and it’s a long way from somebody-done-somebody- wrong songs. It is no wonder Western Avenue has been nominated for the Nashville Universe Award for best country vocal group. Niki English, songwriter and lead singer of Western Avenue [Read More]

Hana Kim at the Witzend in LA by Patrick O’Heffernan of Music Friday Live!

January 14, 2014

Hana Kim mesmerized a totally packed WitzendLive in Los Angeles Saturday night – even the bar was quiet. I have had Kim on my radio show, Music Friday Live!, and reviewed her new album, Exodo, which is a kind of minstrel tale of her life and international travels. She has steadily built a following in the very tough market of Los Angeles, releasing two EPS’ a single and now a full album so I was looking forward to the evening. The Witzend is an L.A. gem, a listening room designed with a beyond the state-of-the-art sound system for music lovers and emerging musicians with big futures. A gig at the Witzend is a recognition of Kim’s growing popularity and bountiful talent. I knew that her deep soulful voice would take full advantage of the club’s acoustics and that her deeply personal songs would go over very well with the discerning crowd that comes for only the best in live music. Although she has been playing almost constantly in the LA area for two years, this [Read More]

Get Ready to Rock with solo artist, Frank Palangi and his new EP!

January 2, 2014

Recording Artist and Singer/Songwriter, Frank Palangi of New York, will have you ready to rock with his new EP, “I AM READY”. Multi-Instrumentalist Frank, who has recorded/mixed/produced rock scoring work with local artists is back out in the forefront with his own new EP. “I AM READY” truly delivers the goods and satisfies your need for rock. . It starts right off with a deep intro and Frank’s intense vocals, that take you into the heavy hitting title track. It is a blazin rock song filled with bad ass riffs and the song really highlight’s Frank‘s impeccable tonality in his vocals. Turn It All Around has a cool build up intro that you will love, along with some raw edgy guitars, raging drums, and catchy lyrics. It is about time, we get more of the real rock and roll sound that Frank brings to life along with his emotionally driven lyrics. Frozen is a passionate ballad that has some soul touching lyrics and it can truly span across the rock/pop/alternative genres. Frank delivers a sincerity in his vocals in Frozen [Read More]

The Charm The Fury album is a must for modern day metal fans!

October 20, 2013

Last month we introduced you to the band from the Netherlands, The Charm The Fury as our Tuesdays Travels Pick of the Week. Well, we have been enjoying their debut album which was released in September, “A Shade of My Former Self”. This full length album is truly remarkable and for a debut album, packs a lot of punch! This metalcore band has been dubbed as Holland’s “best kept secret” and they are taking the world by storm with their edgy yet aggressive style. I would almost consider this album to be a concept album since it is definitely a complete work of art that tells a story and walks or should I say headbangs you into a journey. Let me tell you about several of the songs on this amazing album! The first song, The Unveiling is a haunting composition that leads you into a dramatic march style build up that opens the door to the next song, A Testament. This ferocious metalcore song also includes great harmony and kick ass vocals by Caroline. Get [Read More]

SOiL’s new album, WHOLE is a hard rock gem!

September 9, 2013

SOiL has recently released their sixth studio album, “Whole” and also marks the return of the band’s original singer, Ryan McCombs who sang with Drowning Pool for 5 years. It is amazing when you check out this latest album. It has all the energy and intensity which is is the reason I first fell in love with SOiL many years ago! You can pick up your copy here. The album starts right off with hard rock edgy guitars in Loaded Gun and the adrenaline filled rock continues through each song. I love the bad ass bass lines in “Ugly” and you really appreciate the return of Ryan’s vocals in “Way Gone“. Another amazing song is “Shine On” which is dedicated to the SOiL fans for standing by the band throughout the years. They currently have a video out for their single, “Shine On” and you can check it out here: The album continues on with the intensity and delivering their classic original SOiL sounds as in Wake Up and Amagalmation. SOiL is definitely WHOLE again as you can [Read More]