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The Singles Lowdown With Gerald Stansbury

Ella Langley - ‘Here’ (Self Released)

Some of you may remember that I reviewed previous single ‘Perfect’ several months ago where Langley played it pretty straight with a brilliant Pop-Country single. She has taken more risks with this new single, both musically and vocally. She has incorporated more Rock influences as well as tapping into the field that the likes of Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, and Tyler Childers are mining. The acoustic intro gives way to a simple catchy guitar refrain and beat that picks up some speed throughout the song reminding me of a car going down a dusty highway. Her voice comes across a little rougher here and not as poppy as on ‘Perfect.’ She captures a more world weary tone, and this song has grown on me with each listen. It also affirms to me that Langley is going to do things on her terms and shines because of it.

Erik Dylan - ‘Omaha’ (Iddy Biddy OKC)

You might remember that I reviewed and enjoyed Dylan’s album ‘Baseball On The Moon’ earlier this year. Dylan returns with a great single inspired by a story he saw in the news about a Vietnam Veteran whose funeral was attended by over a thousand people he didn’t know because he had no known family. This emotional journey finds Dylan singing from the perspective of a family attending the service. The acoustic frame with the marching beat is perfectly done and packs a hard emotional punch with the second verse featuring these lyrics ‘there ain’t nothing sadder than a black Cadilac, with a long trail of nothing behind, no tiger lilies, no babies, no whiskey, living proof that lonely just died.’ This is a great place to start your journey into Dylan’s catalog.

Dierdre - ‘Stone Cold Killer’ (Self Released)

Following the release of her collection of previous singles, Dierdre returns with new single ‘Stone Cold Killer.’ A thick heavy guitar riff sets the tone here with Dierdre delivering a powerful throaty low toned vocal with some very nice falsetto in the chorus for good measure. I’m not a huge fan of the mix on this one as the drums don’t have the power they usually do on her songs. This is a great modern Rock song though and proof that we need more songs by Dierdre in this world.

Bexley - ‘Run Rabbit Run’ (Bexley Music)

Not the most conventional song title you will see this year, Bexley makes her debut as Bexley with this single. This reminds me of Garbage with her vocal taking a different twist than Shirley Manson and also the likes of early Marilyn Manson production wise, which strikes my mind as odd every time I think it but something is causing that in my head. It might be the drum sound. The song is captivating and tends to get stuck on a loop every time I play it. With a debut due in January, get on board with Bexley now.

Cassidy Paris - ‘Walking on Fire’ (Girl Power Music)

This new single by Paris incorporates more Pop elements than I had heard on her previous two singles and sounds much more contemporary for radio today than ‘Talk About It’ did. Being an old man, it took me a few listens to really appreciate what she is doing here. Paris is young and showcasing an ability to do what most of us dreamed of doing at her age. I hope to hear less effects on her vocals in the future, but this is a solid single that could definitely generate some radio play for her.

Gallows Circus - ‘Faith To Believe’ (Self Released)

With the likes of Black Stone Cherry, Rival Sons, and other modern Rock bands incorporating the Blues, Gallows Circus find themselves in outstanding company on this new single which features a catchy riff and a cool chorus as well as a tasty guitar solo. I look forward to hearing more by these guys.

CAMU - ‘The One You Leave Behind’ (T Bag Records)

Following the hard rocking New York inspired ‘Empire State Of Sound,’ CAMU returns with a more relaxed sounding rocker that serves as the midpoint of a trilogy of songs he is currently releasing. The acoustic guitar in the intro quickly segues into an easy going rocker with a catchy chorus. One of my favorite things about CAMU is how he packs so many lyrics into his songs always makes me think of Michael Monroe. These first two songs in the trilogy have laid down the gauntlet to see if the next one can give him the trifecta.

Bad Religion - ‘My Sanity’ (Epitaph)

A three minute blast of prime Bad Religion Punk would be the easiest way to describe this one. I was not a fan of ‘The Kids are Alt-Right’ earlier this year but have really enjoyed this and ‘The Profane Rights of Man.’ Lyrically, this is sharp, intelligent, and poignant for the current state of America and the world. Bring on a new album guys, we need it.

Review - Gerald Stansbury

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