Wrestling Preview // Pro Wrestling GRIND Sinister Urge December 2nd, 2022 Easthampton, MA

Pro Wrestling GRIND closes out 2022 at the Pulaski Club with a bang!  There will be a show at the end of December as well, as part of The Wrestival, but before that members of the GRIND roster have some loose ends to tie up... they have a SINISTER URGE.

Myung-Jae Lee vs Ryan Clancy

Myung-Jae Lee has appeared in Pro Wrestling GRIND twice before.  After a loss to Travis Huckabee at You Better Run over a year ago, Myung-Jae Lee bounced back with a hard earned victory over Cabana Man Dan at Antisocial in April.   This is that 1-1 match up for Myung-Jae Lee, as a win here would mean going over .500 and a loss going under it.   This really feels like a defining fight for Myung-Jae Lee in GRIND.

Then we have "Fancy" Ryan Clancy who has been in Wrestling Open, among other promotions, and impressed GRIND officials enough during a tryout match back when Limitless vs Blitzkrieg! Pro 2 held a try out show.   To say that Clancy has never been in a situation like this inside of the ring feels like an understatement.  This feels like a real sink or swim moment for Clancy, as no amount of posing can save him from the lethal kicks of Myung-Jae Lee.

Interestingly enough, there is also this sort of losing streak that newcomers to Pro Wrestling GRIND seem to have.   Aside from the first few shows when no one had any losses, it seems like every time someone makes their debut for GRIND- whether it be BEEF, Manders, Willow Nightingale, Nolo Kitano, Jordan Blade, Robert Martyr, JD Drake, Jody Threat or even Myung-Jae Lee, it just feels like perhaps they are not quite prepared for all the is within store for that GRIND ring.  

MSP vs Miracle Generation

Back in March at the beginning of this year, MSP took on Miracle Generation at Let's Wrestle Volume 16.   In June, just mere months later, these two teams met at Blitzkrieg! Pro (for the Tag Team Titles) at The 4th Annual Luau.  They would meet a third and final time during the year, at The Ashley Vox Beer Bash, back in August as part of Blitzkrieg! Pro.  

Though their third meeting was declared a no contest, the first two encounters were both won by MSP.  Needless to say, Miracle Generation has yet to score that coveted win over MSP.   While MSP has had their share of wins and losses in GRIND- most recently defeating the debuting Brick City Boyz- this will only be the second match in GRIND for MirGen, who lost their debut back at Doctor, Doctor (July) to The Mane Event.

With rumors of Tag Team Titles potentially coming to GRIND, this could be an important match for both teams to prove they should be GRIND Tag Team Champions.  MSP are the current Blitzkrieg! Pro Tag Team Champions, while Miracle Generation dropped some of their gold this year.  This match might feel like MirGen is coming in as the underdogs, but between the quickness and combination style moves, both of these teams feel evenly matched and right before this year ends, GRIND could have a Tag Team Match of the Year.  

Manders vs Joseph Alexander

Joseph Alexander made his debut in Pro Wrestling GRIND back in April, at Antisocial, losing to Logan Black.   A Game picked up his first win in GRIND at Doctor, Doctor (July) against Mike Skyros.   Though A Game would then go on to lose twice in the Emerald 12, he would bounce back at Celebration Day with a win over Nolo Kitano in a match which everyone should really go out of their way to see.

Manders made his debut for GRIND back in March at Price Of A Mile, losing to Jay Freddie.  Manders also squared off with Logan Black at Come And Get It (May), which was the cowboy's second loss.   Manders will definitely be looking for his first win inside of a GRIND ring, but Manders is also not the same Manders he was six or so months ago when we last saw him here.  For one thing, Manders is (as I type this) the H2O Champion.  

This match has such a clash of styles because Joseph Alexander has this explosive offense that is technical and submission based.  Manders can get just as technical, but also relies on his size for power moves.  I often think of A Game as being that technical wrestler like Bret Hart or Kurt Angle.  Back in 1997, Terry Funk held an event called "Terry Funk's Wrestlefest".  I got the VHS through ECW and wore it out.  Terry Funk took on Bret Hart in that main event.  I imagine a prime of his career Funker vs Hart being what this match somewhat resembles.  

Team T2T vs Travis Huckabee/Mike Skyros

This all started back at Electric Crown in September.  Down to the Final Four, in a Semi Final match to crown the first ever GRIND Grand Champion, Travis Huckabee took on Logan Black.  This was a back and forth match, which felt like either wrestler could have won.  But as Travis Huckabee got a chair while the ref was down, Mike Skyros jumped into the ring looking to stop Huckabee from using it.  Skyros instead used it on Logan Black, costing Black the match and potentially the GRIND Grand Championship.

But it didn't stop there.  Mike Skyros managed to get a win over Covey Christ last month at Celebration Day, since he has lined up with Travis Huckabee, but this was could have potentially helped crown Travis Huckabee as the first ever GRIND Grand Champion.  Oh, and they also cost Logan Black his shot at the title on this show because Huckabee and Skyros are squares who really hate punks!

The Money Dragon Angelo Carter will have only his second match in GRIND now, as he teams with Logan Black to take on Huckabee and Skyros.   The interesting and telling thing about this match is that it was said in a promo leading up to Celebration Day that Mike Skyros does not like Travis Huckabee- this is just a business arrangement and a means to an end.  That might make their teaming together somewhat questionable.

Logan Black is currently training Angelo Carter and the two ride together to a lot of shows.  There is no doubt in my mind that Black and Carter will be on the same page and have that same goal of revenge on their mind.  Whether or not Huckabee and Skyros can get along might be a factor in this match, but it's also going to look to just be an all out brawl.

Ryan Mooney vs Kevin Blackwood

If you looked at the history of GRIND over the last year and were to say "Who is one wrestler you feel like was built for GRIND but hasn't been in a GRIND ring yet?" I would almost 100% answer that question with the name Kevin Blackwood.  There are a few names out there for sure (possible spoilers for a forthcoming article naming names?) but Kevin Blackwood, based on his track record alone, should be at the very top of many of the lists.

And then you bring Blackwood into the fire against Ryan Mooney who has just had quite the first year in GRIND.  Aside from Jay Freddie, who went out and won the GRIND Grand Championship, who has had a better first year in GRIND than Ryan Mooney?  Possibly no one.   Ryan Mooney debuted for GRIND back in January at Overkill where he lost in an impressive effort to Alec Price.  As they say in wrestling: He might've lost the match, but he might've also gained some fans along the way.

Ryan Mooney would then go on to have a career defining match- and win- against Gary Jay at Price Of A Mile.   Mooney would go on to defeat Channing Thomas, take a loss to Huckabee, avenge the loss to Alec Price in the first round of the Emerald 12 and then upset one of the biggest picks to win the whole thing Rip Byson at Electric Crown.  Mooney would lose in the Semi Finals to eventual Champ Jay Freddie and it really felt like Mooney could be in line for an eventual title shot.  

This is a fresh Kevin Blackwood facing a fresh Ryan Mooney.  There is no way to predict what will happen here, but Ryan Mooney will certainly have the GRIND fans on his side as he has become one the biggest fan favorites over the last year.  Ryan Mooney started this year with a loss to Alec Price, but you have to imagine he wants to close it out with a win here.  Blackwood will also want to make a statement in his debut.  This is going to be a war.  

Perry Von Vicious vs Andy Brown

Perry Von Vicious has had quite the first year in GRIND.  Even in defeat, PVV has has some of those matches that are still talked about, months after they've happened.  Perry Von Vicious faced off against Jay Freddie back in April againsy Jay Freddie.  If PVV can get a win here and build some momentum with numerous wins, perhaps next April could see a rematch with the GRIND Grand Championship on the line and PVV trying to avenge that loss to Jay Freddie.

Andy Brown has only appeared in one GRIND match thus far and it was a loss to Jay Freddie (who is the Champ now) back at Fear Of The Dark in non-tournament action.   As much as it feels like PVV could get that win here and move right back into a title shot, Andy Brown has to be thinking the same way.   A win here for Andy Brown and then going on a winning streak could certainly have Andy Brown in line to avenge that loss to Jay Freddie and this time for the GRIND Grand Championship!

These two wrestlers seem to match up fairly even in terms of size and power.  But both of them also feel like they have that way about them where in a month or two they could be in line for a title shot and it would be well deserved.  Andy Brown is currently the number contender to the Bedlam Championship over in Blitzkrieg! Pro, so just going for all of that gold in this general area seems like something Andy Brown could be after.  

While this match would put Andy Brown at 1-1, this will likely also have implications in terms of whoever wins it could be on their way to a title shot next year.   This might not be an official "number one contenders match", but the winner could quite possibly make their way into a title match in the near future.  

Jay Freddie (Champion) vs Rip Byson (GRIND Grand Championship Match)

When it comes to title matches, there might not be a bigger one than this one right here.  In his first title defense, Jay Freddie takes on Rip Byson.   While Ryan Mooney lost in the Semi Finals to Jay Freddie, I wondered if Mooney hadn't already had a match with Rip Byson earlier in the night, could Mooney have beaten Jay Freddie.  The same can be said for Rip Byson.  If Rip Byson wasn't matched up with Ryan Mooney maybe he would've made it past a different opponent.  Most importantly: Rip Byson and Jay Freddie did not meet in the Emerald 12.

As wrestling tends to tell stories (as it should) this match feels like a lot of things in GRIND coming full circle as well.  Jay Freddie's first match in GRIND was back in November of 2021- a little over a year ago- at You Better Run.  This debut of Jay Freddie and only second match in GRIND for Rip Byson ended up being a loss for Jay Freddie, the current GRIND Grand Champion.

Jay Freddie might be the current GRIND Grand Champion (and he is) but one thing he has not done in GRIND is beat Rip Byson.   Against Byson, Jay Freddie is 0-1.   This makes this match feel that much more important.  Sure, the Emerald 12 was set up that by Jay Freddie defeating Ryan Mooney (who defeated Rip Byson) by proxy Freddie defeated Byson.   But Jay Freddie not having that pinfall or submission win over Rip Byson has to be what drives him in this match.  

And let's not forget that not only does Rip Byson hold that victory over Jay Freddie a little over a year ago, but Rip Byson also only has one loss in all of his matches in GRIND (in the Emerald 12 against Ryan Mooney) along with a draw against Derek Neal.  So not only is Jay Freddie looking to avenge that loss from You Better Run, but Jay Freddie is looking to make Rip Byson's shoulders stay down for a count of three for only the second time in GRIND history or that first time submission.   Tense is a bit of an understatement.  

For more information, tickets, etc please visit Pro Wrestling GRIND on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/GRINDpuro

Music Review // Pat Donnelly "Stay Right Here"

Pat Donnelly begins "Stay Right Here" with a somewhat punk rock sound, which makes me think of bands like Green Day and Blink 182- in a radio way.   There is a certain fuzz about this song though, which also comes out to make it feel less like punk as well and closer to that grunge feel of the late 1990's, which at times felt like a cross between grunge and punk.

This feels more like a flashback to the late 1990's when Stacy's Mom had it going on.  Times when the Goo Goo Dolls had this fast paced rock style that almost hit on punk, which you can find on their albums prior to their big radio singles.  There is also just a bit of Matthew Sweet in here for good measure and it just fits this era so perfectly.

With the melodies, this also makes me think a bit about a band which came after all of those, someone such as No Motiv.   It has a fairly straight forward way about it and if it was on a soundtrack it could either be on one of those DGC Rarities types of deals (or No Alternative) or even the "Angus" soundtracks.

Back at this point in the 1990's I had moved from cassettes onto compact discs mainly because society had as well.  When I heard a song on the radio that I really liked, I'd go out to my local big chain record store and buy the full CD worth of that music.  A band like Ammonia, who I still find to be underrated, comes to mind and if I had heard this song on the radio around 1996 or 1997, I would definitely be buying the full CD by Pat Donnelly.

Live Music Review // Junk Orbit / Dan Greene / Aaron Snow / Michael Slyne November 20th, 2022 @ Willimantic Records, Willimantic CT

http://blog.willimanticrecords.com/

Photos can be found in a Facebook album here :::

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1119732628756957&type=3

First off, I want to admit how impressed I am with the level of live music that Willimantic Records consistently brings to people.  There was a show the weekend prior to this that I am rather bummed I missed.  While driving to this show I went the wrong way and it simply rerouted me so that I didn't lose any time but drove through a different rural type part of Connecticut, which was nice as well.   The sun was shining so everything felt okay.

The interesting thing about this show- the way in which all of these artists are connected- is that everyone on this show was mostly playing solo (Junk Orbit is a duo) but they are members of bands which might even be what they are better known for musically.   But each one of these artists still brought forth a sound their own and that just made the show feel special as well: everyone contributing their own pieces of themselves to it.

Michael Slyne was up first.  This set came with the introduction of the song being called "Never throw a glass bottle into the woods" and then the entire set ended up being the one song.   Musically, this was ambient and drone at times but it also just had that hypnotic way about it where you just get so drawn into the music you forget what else is going on around you.  I've spent a lot of time listening to music and wondering how it is made.

It was neat to see how the guitar notes echo and you turn on this pedal or turn it up and it makes a certain effect.   The one thing I'm still unsure of was that a tape player was used during the set and I'm not sure if it was for additional sounds or to record the music but I do like how that remains somewhat of a mystery to me.  There is a recording of this set though, so I feel like that could've been part of it but the tape deck also could've been an instrument itself.

Aaron Snow was up second and the guitar made some dreamy / blissed out sounds while birds were chirping along.   Since the pandemic, I've been to exactly three live music shows and they have all been at Willimantic Records and all in different spots.   The way this one was set up in front of the windows, so that the sun came through during this set, just felt so fitting because the sound made me really feel like the sun but not on a beach.  It felt like when the sun shines bright in the winter and there's snow on the ground, it's cold and so this all just worked well together.

Dan Greene was up third and he started up two tape players that had sounds on them which went along with his music.   However, Dan Greene had an acoustic guitar and was singing songs with it in a style similar to some great folk hero.  I want to say Dylan but it seems too cliché.  The way the songs were acoustic but then you'd catch the odd bit of electronics in it with the tapes was just perfect.   The first two sets you could feel this wave of feedback come through and shake everything, but this set by Dan Greene was loud and powerful in a different way.

The main event was Junk Orbit, a duo of guitar and bass with a lot of effects.   This was a lot of fun because it was that looping and notes but it wasn't just one sound.   The way that the guitar and the bass played off of each other and came together at times to form one sound just made it so brilliant.   Everyone except for Dan Greene just played one long song as their set and it just felt like it all could've gone on so much longer but wanting more is not a bad thing.  

The full set from Michael Slyne can be found here :::

https://thefamilystoned.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-willimantic-records-again

Music from Aaron Snow can be found here :::

https://surfshop.bandcamp.com/

Music from Dan Greene can be found here :::

https://csiterecordings.bandcamp.com/

Music from Junk Orbit can be found here :::

https://4theyemusick.bandcamp.com/music

Music Review // Emm Gryner "Valencia"

https://music.emmgryner.com/valencia

Emm Gryner has captured a sound on "Valencia" that is unlike anything else out there right now.   Somewhere between rock, pop and jazz the song is upbeat with horns in the chorus as well.  I'm drawn back to my younger days thinking about Gloria Estefan, but am also reminded how no artist in the 21st Century really sounds like this.

The song has lyrics about dancing in the moonlight and what comes around goes around, so it feels a lot like a complete circle.  There is this energy to it that just makes you want to get up and dance a certain way and I think the lyrics reflect that as well.   Overall, with the lyrics there is just this feeling that things get better.

This music video is set primarily in the ocean, dancing around in the sand and water.  It's mostly during the sun shine as well, so it just radiates the positive vibes that both the lyrics and music create.  Emm Gryner also just has such a positive and unique voice that it makes this song so easy to love.

By the end of the song, there is this saxophone solo that just kind of drifts off.  I'm not sure when the last time I heard a sax in a song on the radio was, but even when you think back to the 1990's and how this could be along those lines, it still has a distinct sound from that.   Everything about this just makes the song itself stand out and that should only bring you in closer.  

Music Review // JSJ "Thinkin' Bout U"

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jsj/thinkin-bout-u

The music of JSJ is definitely on the side of pop but it has several other factors coming out at the same time.  A song which should be all across the modern pop radio stations, JSJ perfectly blends that idea of hip hop with the idea of rock in a pop genre, which is something that can be heard individually on the radio right now but not together.

On one hand, there are artists out there that are along the lines of hip hop- with beats and that R&B soul- and they are on the radio.  You know who they are, you listen to the ones that you like and I don't feel like I need to drop names.  But I do feel like JSJ could go on tour with them and be rather successful in the meshing of sounds.

At the same time, something about these vocals and the way the music is presented feels symphonic.  They have that big stadium singing rock feel which is what the bands Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco have become in their latest sounds.   JSJ could just as easily fit in with them, as they are considered to be rockers.

This is such a chill and upbeat song; a way to get a conversation going.  And in the way that the lyrics present themselves that they are to open up the lines of communication between two people, this song can just as well serve as an icebreaker when it comes to music.  If you heard this on the radio you would definitely be able to discuss it further with someone who is hopefully thinking about you too.

Wrestling Review // Blitzkrieg! Pro Mercy Me November 19th, 2022 Enfield, CT

https://blitzkriegpro.net/

Photos can be found here :::

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1118826992180854&type=3

This was a day show but even leaving at 7pm felt like it was 11pm for some reason.  At the previous Blitzkrieg! Pro show- where they were versus Limitless Wrestling- it was announced that MSP would defend the Blitzkrieg! Pro Tag Team Titles against Bussy and as if I'm not the type of fan who buys tickets any way, that definitely had me ready to go to this show.  I'm going to say this now in case you don't make it to the end of this review: MSP vs. Bussy is a special and historic match for many reasons.  No promotion- and I mean literally no other promotion- would give you this match outside of Blitzkrieg! Pro.  You can argue that point all you want, but I firmly believe it.

As we were also live on IWTV, the show opened with a bang as Miracle Generation took on The Haven.   This was a really fun, fast paced high flying match between two teams that know each other so well.  Imagine having that peak Hardy Boyz being able to take on themselves but also it's the future so they somehow defy the laws of gravity and have even more innovation.   Representing Connecticut, it was a great way to start off the show.

Up next a match I was really looking forward to as the sort of sleeper match on the show.  Anthony Greene took on the returning TJ Crawford.  I feel like when we look at the best wrestlers around, Anthony Greene gets overlooked because he is so good that people just forget and seem to think "Oh yeah, he's one of the best" and everyone just knows it so they don't feel like they need to say it.   But in Blitzkrieg! Pro alone this year, AG has had stand out matches with Travis Huckabee and Andy Brown before going into this one.  AG has that way of bringing the best out of his opponents.  

This match was a lot of back and forth wrestling, but I wouldn't mind seeing TJ Crawford challenge for the Bedlam Championship at some point.  He's coming back to be the best and I truly believe he can do it.  I also want to shout out Blitzkrieg right here for opening with a high flying/fast paced tag team match, going into this singles more technical wrestling match and then next up is a fourway with different wrestlers in it.

Logan Black vs Kirby Wackerman vs Delightful Dan The Goddamn Candy Man vs 50 Cal was somewhat comedy and somewhat just wrestlers wrestling, but it was a lot of comedy and a lot of candy.  I'd be interested to see what a match between Kirby Wackerman and ABBS would be like, as Kirby's hard head hits ABBS' abs of steel.   This match really showcased the characters of Blitzkrieg! Pro though and it was good to see Kirby Wackerman back as well.

Gabby Ortiz made her Blitzkrieg! Pro debut against Paris Van Dale.    The fans were clearly behind Gabby Ortiz and that didn't stop PVD from getting some offense in.   But it proved to be too much for PVD to handle Gabby because is, let's face it, one of the best wrestlers out there today.  This is just something that is proven in every match- every time you see Gabby Ortiz- and this was certainly no exception.

Next up was a three on three match where Mike Anthony, Dante Drago and Lucas Chase teamed up to take on A Message To You and Erick Redbeard.   Going into this match I wasn't sure what to expect because A Message To You is on the same page and Dante Drago/Mike Anthony can be too, but that just means there are maybe four different styles going in and so you don't know exactly what is going to come out most.   Erick Rowan did lean into the comedy though, at one point carrying Dante Drago around like a baby.  

Seeing Lucas Chase in there with Perry Von Vicious also stood out.  I know that in PAPW Lucas Chase is in a tag team with Chris Battle and it'd be cool to see them versus A Message To You one day.   Everything in this match just kind of clicked and worked.   When you go into a match thinking it'll be high flying or technical and it is, that's one thing.  But not really knowing how a match is going to play out but then really enjoying it is another thing and that's how I felt about this one.

After intermission we came back to see Shook Crew vs JGeorge and Angelo Carter.  I'm not sure who was doing the ring announcing, but JGeorge was introduced as just "George", which of course upset JGeorge and he had words about it.   This was a good tag team match with Shook Crew being an overly popular fan favorite team while JGeorge and Angelo Carter worked well together as well, despite whether the fans booed or cheered.  

The next three matches all felt like main events.   Travis Huckabee took on Andy Brown for a shot at the Bedlam Championship.   This match had so many moments where I thought one of the two wrestlers was down and out, but they somehow kicked out and the match continued.  At least three times I thought "That has to be it" but it wasn't.    Travis Huckabee is a tough opponent and he really took it to Andy Brown.  Whenever the title match happens, I think VSK is going to have a tough time because of just how focused and ready Andy Brown is. 

One of the things I also like about Andy Brown is that he just does not seem to care whether or not you like him.  If you like him, cool, but if you don't he doesn't care because he's there to win matches.   There is a row of fans though that loves Travis Huckabee though and he ripped one of their signs, which I thought was funny.   But how is Andy Brown not a champion everywhere?  He has the power, the speed, the technical skills- he just has it all and I hope the right people are watching.

In a match most historic, next up the team of Bussy (Effy and Allie Katch) took on MSP.   MSP were announced as the Bedlam Tag Team Champions and that was the second time I really missed Ethan Scott.  This match was also part of some tournament that IWTV is doing to crown Tag Team Champions of their own, so it had major implications.   Although I feel like Bussy spend more time on the competition than on IWTV, but I didn't run the numbers so who knows.

This match had a little bit of everything in it, but when you go into a match knowing it is MSP vs Bussy you have certain expectations, certain ideas of what might happen.   This match just went above and beyond all of that.   Different matches mean different things to me, but this is definitely up there as one of my favorite matches of 2022, but also it's going to be talked about for a long time and is already one of my all-time favorites.

The main event saw crowd favorite CPA challenge VSK for the Bedlam Championship.  This was introduced as the Blitzkrieg! Pro Championship and so when the Bedlam needed to be there it wasn't.  I realize the ring guy probably wasn't a ring guy but it makes you appreciate ring people like Ethan Scott that much more.

There were a few times during this match where I thought CPA had won the title.  There were also a few times during this match where it looked like CPA was done, that VSK had him beat, but CPA still kicked out.  I feel like this was really one of those matches where I didn't know who would win and it kept me on the edge of my seat, as a main event big feel title match should.  

After the show we waited in line for autographs/merch/photos.   Quentin had bought a Bryce Donovan Slam Buddy and Effy saw it.  I said something to Effy about them coming back to Blitzkrieg! Pro and facing Shook Crew.   Somehow, a few days later, Blitzkrieg! Pro announced that very match for The Wrestival.   Great minds and all that.  But with that match, Andy Brown getting a Bedlam Championship match against VSK and seemingly endless possibilities, I'd say the future is looking good.  

Cassette Review // Sansyou "True North Coast"

https://sansyou.bandcamp.com/album/true-north-coast

"True North Coast" begins with upbeat guitars which find their way between math rock and post rock.  It's instrumental, but the guitars really sing and you can hear the differences between the chorus and verses of the song.   It even seems to go into a break down at one point where the drumming can be heard more than anything else.  

As water can be heard- such as at the ocean- these serious guitar notes come in like a Gin Blossoms or Toad the Wet Sprocket song.   This song feels dreamy but there is also just such a strong drive to it.   With the guitar chords in rhythm, the next song really picks up as well and feels like a bright and sunny day.

On the flip side we open up with drums and then electronics before the guitars kick in with such a somber tone.   This feels like such a serious song.   This has a strong spatial quality as well and it just rings.   Each note just pierces through like it has its own story to tell.   The percussion comes through faster now and this next song feels like it could be at the beach.  

It sounds as if the waves are coming in now as the guitars also paint the picture of just being in the sun on an island somewhere.    Even though there is a very strong post rock vibe to this cassette, I do enjoy that it also feels like it's on the beach.  Not like the Beach Boys, but in its own way, I just feels like these songs are under palm trees in a bright, cloudless sky.

Music Review // Eva Schubert "The Feel of Your Love"

 

https://linktr.ee/evaschubert

The sound of Eva Schubert is one of a rather regal singer, such as on the grandest stage of all.  At times I think this song sounds like it could be on the soundtrack to a film such as James Bond, but then at other times I just feel like it is too classy for something like that.   This doesn't even feel like the type of song where you'd hear someone singing it in a run down club, looking for their big break because it seems like it skips right to the big break part.

There was a time that existed before me even where singers had these songs that were slow and beautiful such as "The Feel of Your Love".  From the perspective of a man, you might have a singer such as Frank Sinatra.  It's just that line between Marilyn Monroe and Doris Day, but it is from a time when performers wore their Sunday best on stage and it really not only made it feel more serious but also just classy.

Through this lyric video there are images of someone in red dress and flowers.  This reminds me of art in the largest scale of painting and I just think that is a perfect comparison here as well.  Some of the more digital music can be related with NFTs while some graphic art could be pop music.  But the sound of Eva Schubert is like an old, valuable- priceless really- painting.  The type they put behind glass to protect and preserve.

One thing I've always loved about music is you have to imagine maybe a hundred years or more into the future someone hears this song and thinks "That's from somewhere between the 1930's and 1950's".  Just that idea of not only being a classic in the modern sense but in the way that this song feels just timeless is really speaking volumes about it.  

Music Review // Étamine "Helicopter Takeoff at Night"

https://linktr.ee/etaminesounds

One of the first things I thought about when reading this title was whether or not helicopters could fly at night.  I don't know why I briefly thought that they couldn't, but that seems like what the title is about somehow.   But helicopters can project down those huge spotlights when they try and find escaped prisoners and such, so I'm pretty sure they do fly at night.

This song and music video feel like they go together.  Synths and beats are calmer, then explode.  It starts with helicopters flying and then shifts to someone doing a ski jump.   When the ski jumper hits that big air though the song really kicks in as well.  They go together.   Much of this footage feels older as we see a skydiver performing various twirls and such in the air.  

An instrumental song, part video game and just part synthwave in an electronic way, this has a lot of build behind it.  The video seems to focus on that which goes up in the sky and comes back down, which is interesting because it all also takes place when the sky is blue- not at night, though I suppose the darkness would not make for the best video.

I think "Helicopter Takeoff at Night" could be the name of something.  Maybe one of those gymnastics type moves the skydivers are doing is called that, in the same way that skateboard tricks get named.  But with the video being in the daylight I see it more as an existential question.  Sure, a helicopter can take off at night, but if no one sees it then what?   It feels like it's more about the flash than the reason and that's okay.

Wrestling Review // Blood Sweat Tears Wrestling Road To Success November 18th, 2022 Bridgeport, CT

https://www.facebook.com/BSTWRESTLING/

Additional photos can be found here :::

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1118135105583376&type=3

When I first saw this show announced with the main event of Lucas Chase defending the BST Championship against JD Drake I thought that was a match worth going to the show to see.  As the card was announced more and more following that match though, this just became such a solid show in terms of who was on it that I wanted to see- not just the wrestlers but the matchups as well- and so this really just became a show that was can't miss.

I had mapped this location- to see what was around it- earlier in the week and it said it was about 30 minutes away.   By Friday that had jumped up to an hour and no matter which way we went it felt like we were hitting traffic.  It's kind of funny because we started out on 1, then the maps app said we'd save five minutes by going onto 95, so I did that because I like their rest areas better.  When we were on 95 at one point it told me to go around somehow and save one minute but that I would not do.

Also, don't know who else was coming from the north but you might have also seen near North Haven a single car pulled over near an exit with four police cars in front of it and at least six more behind it.   I don't know what that guy did but I've never seen that many cop cars pull over one car before.

Getting into Bridgeport took some time but we made it and then drove around the block of the YMCA looking for parking.   We ended up parking on the street- near other cars- and then just walked a little ways.  We were able to get in right away and then the show managed to start on time as well.  

The first match put the Brick City Boyz (as the challengers) against the BST Tag Team Champions The Armada.  I know very little about The Armada but they were introduced by Matt DaCorte as being from Texas.  There used to be a band in Texas (near Houston) called Thee Armada, so that's kind of funny to me.   The Brick City Boyz were working as the good guys here, which was strange because I'm so used to them being booed.  But The Armada were cheating and did so to win, so that made them heavily booed.

This took us into the second match which was one of my favorite matches on this show.  Big Juicy went one on one with Vita VonStarr and the way that they worked together was just so good.  You have to think of Big Juicy as this bright, colorful, bubbly character whereas Vita VonStarr comes out dressed in black to contrast, she's closer to gothic and just methodical in her movements where as Juicy has this fast power style.  

The match itself is worth going out of your way to see once it hits streaming, but the aftermath was fun too because these two wrestlers weren't finished with each other.   To have this as a rematch- for there to even be a stipulation involved with it- would be well worth going out of your way to see.   

We went into the second title match as Ichiban defended his title- the BST Territories Championship- against Mantequilla.  I've never seen Mantequilla live before so this was a treat.  And in many ways, these two masked wrestlers both felt like they shared that fast paced, high flying style and so this match worked in that way.  This was another one of those matches that when I saw it on the card made me excited for this show and it definitely delivered in every possible way.

Here's something interesting to note about the next match.   It was a tag team match and half of the people in it weren't part of the announced card and seemingly came in at the last minute.   So, The Battle Academy was supposed to be represented by two of them but they ended up just being Hunter Tarca coming out with Skylar Grey.   They then introduced Ken Powers as their tag team partner, which was a nice surprise.

Now, on the other side of the match we were supposed to have Troy Stevens teaming up with Marcos and I was confused as to who would be cheered in this match- I thought maybe Marcos would be cheered somehow- but as it turns out The Battle Academy is cheered in BST, which was a little bit easier to do with Ken Powers there.    But Marcos... umm... he wasn't on this show either.   Troy Stevens ended up teaming with J Heru, as they are both Italian.

A few months ago we were supposed to see Marcos and he didn't show up at that show either.   This is the second time in a row I've gone into a show expecting to see Marcos and we did not.   But I am not the biggest fan of Marcos so if this trend continues I am in no way going to complain.   

This tag team match was fun and J Heru was trying to get everyone to make his hand gesture while Powers + Tarca just made a good team as well.   Hunter Tarca really is growing on me, even if that means going to PAPW and having to boo him, but I like the technical wrestling aspects of Battle Academy.  Also, J Heru is a star he just needs the right promotion to recognize that and then the sky is the limit.   Troy Stevens was also a lot of fun teaming with J Heru.

We did not go to intermission and next up Evie De La Rosa defended the BST Monarch's Championship against Clara Cerreras.   This singular match- for all of the times that I've seen Evie De La Rosa and didn't want to- I was made a fan of Evie De La Rosa during this match.  What you have to understand as an outsider is that during this show, there were chairs, bleachers and standing room.   The guardrail was far from front row, so you couldn't high five wrestlers from your seats when they came out.

There were also somehow about ten times as many children at this show as there were adults.   So every time something was happening- whatever side of the ring it was on- it felt like the kids would all run to that side of the ring as well.  They were in front of me (in my way) quite a bit during the show and it just felt like something that BST didn't really need to step in about but rather whoever was there that drove them to the show.  

At one point during this title match, both wrestlers were in the corner on the side we were sitting and the kids were near us but not in front of us.  The kids were booing Evie De La Rosa because she's not the fan favorite for whatever reason.  Evie De La Rosa fires back to the kids "Boo your mother!" and the kids just lost it.  They got so heated and I tried my best, I really did, but I just burst out laughing and in that moment it all came together and I was like, "I like Evie De La Rosa now".

The next match was a big four on four match and things got out of control.  On one side we had Miracle Generation, which was Dustin Waller, Kylon King and The Haven and they were up against The Firm (Sammy Diaz & Elijah Six), Joseph Alexander and Patrick Saint.  There was so much talent in this ring it was crazy and before the match started Stevie Legend came out, wanting to be on one of the teams but he was forced out of the ring.

There was also a moment- to back track here- at the beginning of the show when Stevie Legend sat in the ring to protest not having a match before being forcefully removed.  So it's interesting to see where this is going and to see Stevie Legend as the heel here as well.

During this four on four match, at one point Joseph Alexander came and was halfway between the fan side and the ring side of the guardrail.   Somehow the kids saw this and took this as an opportunity to come over and start beating him up.    The rule at wrestling shows is always to not put your hands on the wrestlers and the way these children got a bit out of control with all of that just made me feel a little bit uncomfortable.  

The next match saw "The Guy" Jack Dalton take on Mark Alexander.  As soon as Mark Alexander came out he went right after Dalton, which was smart because that's what it felt like he had to do.  This was my first time seeing Jack Dalton in a singles match and he was really impressive.  He has the size behind him, but he also knows how to use it and just the power is there.  

At one point during this match, Jack Dalton came out of the ring and pointed at an empty chair next to me.  I immediately began folding the chair up to give it to him out of just habit of being polite.  But then I hear kids across the way screaming "Nooooo!" because they don't want me to do it and that just made me give Dalton the chair a little bit faster.  But regardless, Jack Dalton really should be on the radar of a lot more people.

The main event was as hard-hitting and just had everything you could've wanted out a match between two wrestlers such as Lucas Chase and JD Drake.   I'm interested in seeing what the future holds for Lucas Chase as Champion in BST- who the next defense will be against- but Lucas Chase is also aligned with The Armada.  So, they came out and left one of the Tag Team Titles on the steps.  JD Drake saw this and seemingly put an idea in his head.  Yes, if we get JD Drake back in BST going for the Tag Titles with Anthony Henry as the Work Horsemen I will be most excited.

Top to bottom this show was full of matches you shouldn't miss.  It also told stories to that extent of there being matches coming out in the future, for the next show.   Dan DeMan hit Ichiban with a cutter showing he'd be next up for a title shot.  Then you have everything between Big Juicy and Vita VonStarr still there.  Who will Evie De La Rosa defend against next? Will we see the Work Horsemen?  What's next for Stevie Legend but also Lucas Chase and the title?  It's all the more reason to be excited for the future as well!

Cassette Review // Eyes and Flys "Manic AM (Tetryon Tapes)

https://tetryontapes.bandcamp.com/album/manic-am

"Manic AM" is a delightful cassette by the band Eyes and Flys and it has a rather distorted punk rock sound which can sometimes be on that verge of hardcore even.  Artists such as The (International) Noise Conspiracy and Tora Tora Torrance come to mind right away.  There are just these great distorted guitars and it feels like a party.

The third song- "New Way to Get It"- has garage melodies while "Coastal Access" can feel a bit more like something from that Nitro Records era of punk rock in the early 2000's or even Bouncing Souls.   Things do slow down a little bit and even get dreamy over the next two songs but then by "Black Flowers" there is a loud and crunchy feel which makes me think it has a little Nirvana in it.

"Everyday Life" is rather fast paced while the cassette ends on a song called "Fall Asleep with the TV On" which is quite trippy.  Overall this cassette has that punk/distorted/garage/hardcore sound to it that will attract the listener based just upon that, but it also has layers on top of that which will leave them coming back for more.

Cassette Review // Euphotic "Conjugate Regions" (IKUISUUS)

https://ikuisuus.bandcamp.com/album/conjugate-regions

This cassette begins with some sharp ringing.  Whirrs come in behind that and they start to twist to where it can begin to sound as if it is a seal.   A whistle or flute also blows through the transmission now.  There are real alien vibes in here as well.   It's become somewhat of a hum and I hear faint horns.  Vocal scrapes slide through now.   Swirling through what feel like muted vocals now, as the sharpness is fading but still there.

Sounds like lights and it just feels like we've shifted into an experimentation now.  Not in the sound, but as if we're in an actual laboratory.   Tones come through now almost like a fax machine.   Keys like car horns now and the sound begins to gallop.   It trills now and there is also just that rattle.   There is some growling in this but also sounds like glass.   Birds are chirping now, making it feel like the morning.   As it reaches an end it just feels like deflated jazz.

On the flip side we open with the sound of a fly buzzing.  Rapid fire electronics now, as if they are glitching and then that sound of glass again.   Electronics come in now and feel a bit like a video game, even a bit like pinball.   There are those scrapes as well.   Bings and beeps now.   There is a horn coming through now and it adds a melody to the madness.  

Horns come through now in a beeping way and then they begin to scramble.   It drops off a little bit quieter, but feels like JAWS.  There is still some scraping and then that sonar comes in and expands, putting us somewhere between an alien sci-fi movie and something scary like "The Thing".   The electronics are going up and down now, screeching to a halt but then also just soaring back up.  

The horns have returned, giving it that broken jazz sound once again.   The ball bounces, the metal rattles, the glass shakes.   Some whooshes and crashes going on.  The whirr is hypnotic.  Someone is out of breath.   Words are coming through in fragments.   It feels like a radio station now and then that scraping is there again.  Pulsating.   That warm hum seems to glow as it radiates.  It grows quieter, almost like drone, but it feels as if we're being hunted.

Music Review // Lesley Pike "Wild"

https://lesleypike.lnk.to/WILDVol1

The idea of being "Wild" in this song pertains to living that life outside, in the wilderness where as a kid you can often just go exploring, feel like you're going to get lost and not have a care in the world.  As we get older, we begin to lose some of that.  When I was younger I wouldn't hesitate to do certain things that I look back at now and think about how if I did them now I'd likely be hurt.

This song does both ask and answer that question about whether or not you can still be wild when you're older.  To me, I think age is a state of mind.  I always have that idea in my mind of "I need to do this now because when I'm older I'll be too tired".   But at the same time, so long as you keep telling yourself that you never really stop doing things because of your age.

With melodies like Lisa Loeb and a bit of that sound like the song "Torn", this just feels like a pleasant song and it somehow feels connected to nature in its sound as well.   There is definitely a vibe about it that could have it on modern radio and I think people might just see it as the surface of going wild but it has those deeper meanings.

If you've ever thought about slowing down or just felt like you didn't have that same level of curiosity or just that you're not learning new things still then this song is for you.   "Wild" should serve as a reminder that as long as we're still breathing we can keep going so we should.  

Music Review // Mary Clements "Possibilities"

https://music.maryclements.ca/comewithmelp

The idea of possibilities can be good because if something looks optimistic then they can say you have unlimited possibilities.  But the idea Mary Clements brings into the song "Possibilities" is more of a tribute to those events which could have happened but didn't.  It's interesting because you always have to think about not just what happens but what doesn't happen.

Maybe I have too much anxiety but I do think about these types of things a lot.  If there is one day with two events happening and you have to pick you always wonder what the other would've been like.  But just that idea of everything you do has a direct result but also spawns off all of these others things which you could've but didn't do.

This song comes through in a non-threatening pop rock way where the verses have singing and the chorus is a bit faster with the words begin spoken rapidly.  At one point the verse just seems to count to ten, to consider all those possibilities, and then one lyric which really ties this song together is: "I try to do my best and forget all the rest"

In so many ways and just for so many reasons I think we're all going to experience that FOMO as much as we let ourselves.  What this song should remind of us and help us to cope with is the fact that there are always going to be these "What if" situations and rather than dwell on them we just have to keep going forward and trust that the choices we make are the right ones.  

Music Review // Kinga "Sexy Boy Champain"

https://beatcha.in/kinga1/sexyboychampainmix

From the start and throughout the entire song, Kinga brings that nonstop dance beat on "Sexy Boy Champain".   This makes me think of songs such as "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive and even on some other scale it feels like Right Said Fred.  This is particularly fitting because Right Said Fred is perhaps best known for their "I'm Too Sexy" song, which has the same vibes as being a Sexy Boy.

Back when "I'm Too Sexy" first came out I actually bought that full Right Said Fred cassette.  I've never really heard anything like that sound before and it hasn't really been in the mainstream since.   Having Kinga create this sound of a dance club hit just feels like something not a lot of artists are doing, so there is definitely a place for it, but Kinga should also be the blueprint for it as well.   At some point on modern pop radio- say after 11pm- this song should be played.  

The lyrics of this song are about exactly what you would expect.  There are lines about being in the backseat as well as "Feels so right it can't be wrong".   I think that makes this song just feel like a club hit because it's so care-free and just out there to dance without really worrying about anything else going on in the world, just having that confidence.

Kinga has more of a spoken voice in the verses and singing in the chorus but I still just hear this one under the bright lights yet dark dance floor, lots of energy, lots of sweat and just the way you would picture a rave back in the 1990's but with a more modern twist now.  This just feels like such a strong dance anthem and we need more of those.  

Cassette Review // Abu Ama "TOTEM" (Mahorka)

https://mahorka.bandcamp.com/album/totem

This cassette begins with blasts like horns and they create this wonderful, dancing type of beat.   The rhythm here is just something out of a movie because it has that big stage feel.   This has dropped off now into these drum machine beats, sax notes coming through here and there and all with this haunted air behind it, as if we're standing outside under the moonlight with trash blowing in the street around us.   It's got that pulp noir feel to it.  

We dive deeper now into the distorted beats and feeling like we are digging our way through something in an old video game- which makes me think of Dig Dug naturally.   It slows down now, as it feels more methodic with these whistles behind it that echoes.   We switch things up now into a much more traditional sounding electronica with those laser blasts behind these electronic beats.

Back to that sound this all started with now, which very much makes me think of India.   The rhythm is quite fast paced as well, so it just feels like we're constantly moving.   Words of some sort can be heard being spoken within this now but I'm not sure what they are saying, partly because they are behind the music.  

On the flip side now we have music coming out with just a lovely rhythm and the vocals are being broken up within it.   We're in deeper beats now with those sitar sounds and it just feels so much like this constant moving throughout the entire cassette so far- we have not slowed down one bit.    Quieter now, it feels as if we are in a martial arts film with the slight ringing and the back and forth of the hollow moans.  

The quiet drifts off into the sounds of animals, such as in an ambient jungle now.    That big flute-like siren trills on in now.   Strings come through in a serious tone and it makes it feel as if something big is about to happen.   Eerie whirrs drop off now into the percussion sounding like destruction and then the singing returns and it's somewhat ominous as well.  

It seems as if the gong hits and big laser beats take this one into a dance club vibe.  Vocals are once again in here- though different than any time I've heard them before on this cassette- and the thunder is crashing down as well.   The vocals get downright scary as the song comes to a close and we get a little bit lighter with the next one.  

With clicking and haunted tones, this sounds like "Paint It Black" on some level at first but there is also just that vibe of it being a haunted house soundtrack as it seems to have some of the souls trying to break free from it.   It's a little bit like chanting within this as well.    This all changes in the next song as the pulsating beats come through with industrial sounds.   This has gone from feeling like a haunted house of sorts right into the dance club.   This also can begin to feel like an alarm is going off when it doesn't have the beats.

Through echoes in space now, beeps are spread out and feel like a classic sci-fi spaceship setting or a metal detector on the beach.   As this feels like we're in space, it also begins this steady, early NIN type of beat behind it.   The way these transmissions keep bleeping through while we're just moving with the rhythm behind it makes for quite the sound.  The sound just keeps the pacing now where it can be moved along with and it just feels like a relaxed dance party.   The rhythm just seems to be key on this cassette so far.

The percussion seems to shift into acoustics now and it is all that there is feeding this sound.   There is also this sound now of the percussion being a drum machine, like that 1990's sound of hip hop / pop / NKOTB, but it also comes through like it's breaking things.   Vocals are coming through now with those synth lasers and the vocals have been given the maximum amount of bass so they're kind of disguised.  

There is a percussion, a rhythm with a word or two being spoken here and this feels like fun.   Inside of this nice groove comes this almost alarming horn sound.   You can really begin to hear the melody form and though this song is instrumental, there is a hook in it.   This turns into a more percussion based SNES type of sound.   After some words the music continues with higher pitched sounding acoustics.   This feels like an instructional video- maybe about your life- as the beat pulsates behind it.  

After a little bit of that Pole Position synth sound we go into these tones which come out like the beginning of a Quentin Tarantino film.   Beeping and laser blasts bring about a stronger sort of synth sound which makes it feel like the 1980's.    This gets a bit more of a hollow bass sound into it and for some reason it makes me think of that Empire of the Sun song "Walking on a Dream" (which I always thought was Foster The People)  While it maintains this sound somewhat, it also gets quite heavier on the drumming.  

Cassette Review // Nervous Tick and The Zipper Lips & Eyes and Flys "The Covid Collaborations: vol. IV"

https://nervoustick.bandcamp.com/album/the-covid-collaborations-vol-iv

On this fourth volume of the Covid Collaborations, Nervous Tick and The Zipper Lips join forces with Eyes and Flys.   The first song on here is by Nervous Tick nd The Zipper Lips together, while the two artists also come together on the second song which happens to be a cover of an Eyes and Flys song.  (Which is also the last song on the Eyes and Flys "Manic AM" cassette.   The third song has all three artists together and this song also has these alarm sounds in it.

Eyes and Flys have their own song on four- "Drive Slow"- and it feels rather dreamy.  "Wake Up Grumbling" is a Nervous Tick cover by Eyes and Flys and there is a very acoustic way about it.  Eyes and Flys team up with Nervous Tick on the final song- "I Believe in Science Fiction"- which seems to get shared around a lot.

If you're following these artists individually (and you should be) then this would be a lot of fun for you to hear the covers and the different sounds coming together.  But even if none of this makes sense to you, there are still some great raw, rock songs on this cassette that should get you out of your seat and moving.  

Music Review // HAPPIE "Heartbreak Season"

If you've been paying attention to the music of HAPPIE (which you should be) then the first two songs on this EP- the titular track and "All I Needed"- should come to you as singles which you are already familiar with hearing.    The way that these two singles kickoff the EP though make it like getting into the water where it's just easier because it feels more comfortable and you're not scared or being thrown it, but it just feels more natural and makes the rest of the EP that much easier to get into.

One of the biggest factors about this EP is that it has soul.   Every song you can just feel pieces of HAPPIE pouring out onto paper and it just is appreciated that an artist would put that much of themselves into music still.  "Hallejujah" has this chill way about it and in some ways the music reminds me of Meghan Trainor, but if you don't like Meghan Trainor don't worry this isn't enough of her to put you off of these sounds.  I think the music of Meghan Trainor can become repetitive, but HAPPIE doesn't have that problem.

"Goodbye" is a very slow, very sad song with these delicate string plucks.  It's quieter- the ballad of the EP- and it's just a painful song.  It's about leaving, hence the title, and it's sad but also something more.   But it's also something where the song just sets the mood and you're not going to put this one on in the club because you're going to feel it every time.  You're going to let this one play through the EP when you're also in your feelings and, really, the songs leading up to this help encourage that.

On the final song, "So Clean", there is a line that goes: "We all got scars / And mine are yours to see".  In a general sense, it is not okay to walk up to someone no matter your relation to them and ask them about their scars.  But thinking about this in the sense that it's more reflective of HAPPIE being a musician and the songs are revealing.  So it's not something you really have to ask about because it's there and we should all just share in it together.  

Music Review // Melissa Marchese "Sirens"

https://linktr.ee/melissamarchese

Melissa Marchese has created a wonderful song about the way it feels like the world is coming to an end.   Aside from the wars and natural disasters there are just certain events which happen and someone on Twitter will say that the end is near.   And it definitely does feel like that at any time because it just feels like there are signs all around us.

As the title is "SIRENS" this song feels like a distress signal as the lines "The world's coming down / And if anyone knows how to make it better call me now" come through.  Musically there are these horns that have a somewhat ska feel to them where this could be a Save Ferris type of song and I do enjoy that about it also.   

The music video is quite telling as it notes natural disasters and things which feel like they are out of our control but are signs of the end.  From the very beginning Melissa Marchese has a sledgehammer and by the end of the video she's using it to just smash everything around her.  This is symbolism of how we can't control some of what is happening around us, so we will create our own chaos and destruction as well.

Through all of these apocalyptic warnings in both the lyrics and the video, there comes a line that strikes me not only as being poignant in this song but in life in general and it says: "No matter where you jump from, you're going down".  This line just makes everything feel so final, so absolute and I think we need to realize that as well, perhaps while listening to this song.

Music Review // jRadx "Desert Power"

https://jradx.bandcamp.com/album/desert-power

This album starts off with the sounds of strings and electronics.   It feels like a symphony at first, but it can turn quickly into that twang that makes you think it's almost country.  "Maybe" has some monotone singing where as the third song brings out the beats with what feels like programmed singing in the sense that you'd hit a key on a keyboard and the "ahhhh" comes out as you hold it down.

The third song also likes to say "Have a nice day" while "Strife" has a the hook of "We just need to take our time".   It reminds me a bit of Twenty One Pilots at this point, but only briefly.   Video game tones and growling voices shape the song "Hypertribe" and it just feels like it glitches out by the end.  "Playful Thinking" has a slow hiss start but turns into JAWS.

"Digital Music Therapy" has singing and it feels more mechanical in the beats.  There are flight instructions- how to be a passenger- on "Flying" and then a sweet, sweet sax on "Dreams".   Laser blasts and steady beats make up "Freeform" while sonar type whirrs with steady beats go into "Well".   By the end the video game beats feel even bigger while it takes us through an Atari2600 type of stage.

This album is mostly instrumental, but not completely.   It is mostly electronic, but again is not completely.  There are times when it spans genres such as synthwave, chillwave, electronica, hip hop and vaporwave but where it lands really depends upon the song.  It definitely helps this album to sound unique, as it crosses different genres to find its own.

Music Review // Rick Christian "In Dreams"

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2w85LyIRjkbfYhd7dtTE7L

As much as this song is about dreams, it is also about time.   There is a line in the chorus which says: "In dreams where there is no time" and that kind of hit my hard because it's true.  You can sleep and have a dream that feels like a half hour but you wake up two hours later.  And you can also take a forty minute nap but have a dream that lasts for weeks.  

Through synths, drum machine beats and just an overall sound of this song being blissed out we go into what can be dreamwave on "In Dreams".   It's just one of those songs where the lyrics and mood of it are also set by the music itself- they just go together.   And it just makes sense to have a song about dreams be dreamy in its sound.

The idea between time and dreams is that there isn't enough in life so that if we're together in our dreams we can spend more time together.  Isn't it funny too how you can dream about places that you've never been- places that don't even exist?  How is this possible!  It feels like dreams can somewhat act as their own reality and Rick Christian really plays on that here.

While this song might not be completely shoegaze, it could still end up on a compilation or in a nice mix with similar artists such as Screen Vinyl Image, Rev Rev Rev, Music For Headphones and Dead Leaf Echo- just a lot of those whenthesunhits bands.   Whether it is in time or in dreams, this song just feels like it will help you get lost in the best possible way.