Review: Hillary Reynolds Band - The Miles Before Us

When Hillary Reynolds sings the powerful lines, "Have you ever been to the bottom of a bottle/And wanted just a little bit more," stark instrumentation framing her soulful voice in the intro to the song "Can't Let You Go," you're know you're in for a treat. With their third album, The Miles Before Us, the Hillary Reynolds Band delivers a plethora of these moments, laden with emotion and richly textured with strong Americana that's flavored with elements of folk, country, pop, rock, jazz, and bluegrass. The result is an album that is well worth the listen.

The collective formed when they met at the vaunted Berklee College of Music, coming together over a love of traditional music, and they quickly gelled and took to one another. Now based in Boston, the band has enjoyed a number of accolades and opportunities, performing on the stages of the "Northeast Pennsylvania Bluegrass Festival, Mile of Music Festival in Appleton, WI, the Blue Plate Special on WDVX Knoxville, the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, and Green Bay's Meyer Theatre and Fox 11 morning show “Good Day Wisconsin.” Further praise has come their way from critics and fans like fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss and they've seen their songs work their way onto the playlists of multiple radio stations while individual members of the band have been afforded the chance to work with "notable artists like Wyclef Jean, Imogen Heap, and The Click Five, and Michael Manring."

All of these accolades come honestly as the Hillary Reynolds Band is a talented quintet, making music that is alternately honest and enjoyable. With Reynolds managing lead vocal duties, she's joined by Connor Reese on guitar, Trevor Jarvis on cello and backing vocals, Jeff Hale on drums, and Chris Mewhinney who shines on electric and acoustic bass. There's a strong chemistry that's evident throughout the whole of the record and it's no doubt due to the strong ties this group shares.

The Miles Before Us starts simply with "Took Me a While," a breezy pop-tinged track with singsong vocals and bright piano and twinges of strings that give it that touch of country and "Pretending I'm In Love" continues that same vibe, Reynolds' vocals smooth and rich and somewhat reminiscent of Norah Jones in its lower registers. "Honey Come Home" marks a shift, the pace slowing to a gentle acoustic shuffle, brushed drums and plucks of banjo and swells of cello lending emotional tones before seguing into the gem that is "Can't Let You Go."

Forrest O'Connor guests on "I Surrender," which opens with a soul-stirring Appalachian a cappella feel before breaking out into a barn burning acoustic jam, mandolin, guitar, and more raging forth with passion while "Braver Than We Think" pulls things back to a gentler, rolling listen with warm harmonies. "What It Is" picks up those sunny melodies and runs with them followed by "Balloon & Kite," two tracks that are playful but are among the few that fail to truly register here.

"Crossing the Line" returns to where the band really excels however, a strong acoustic arrangement providing the framework for Reynolds' voice to shine as "This Love of Ours" makes a case for the highlight song of the album with its powerful instrumentation and lyrics like, "Oh, take my heart when you leave/In the morning/Leave your love on the pillow/So I can love you/While you're gone." It's rich with emotion and makes the best of Reynolds and company. The goodness continues with the stark sounds of "I Didn't Know Who Else to Call," the band working a "less is more" approach that really works while they let it all hang out on the rock-inspired "Keep On Driving," ending things out with plenty of energy and leaving listeners chomping at the bit for more.

And that’s exactly what’s bound to happen after folks give The Miles Before Us a listen. The Hillary Reynolds Band shows here that they’re the real deal and deliver your money’s worth and more, crafting compelling Americana-flavored jams with authenticity and passion. And that’s a formula that will have you reaching for the “repeat” button time and time again.

Review: Leslie DiNicola - Some Greener Yard EP

“I want to share my experiences in song so that others can see their lives mirrored and pass through the door of whatever is troubling them or holding them back,” shares NYC-based singer-songwriter, Leslie DiNicola, and on her latest EP, Some Greener Yard, the artist does just that.

DiNicola’s spent the past couple of years rising through the ranks, earning the chance to work with some great music professionals like Ron Allaire (Keith Richards, Madonna, David Bowie, Shakira), Julian Coryell (Aimee Mann, Leonard Cohen, Jewel, Alanis Morisette), Erich Gobel (John Mayer, Ray Charles), Mark Schulman (P!nk, Cher, Foreigner), and Ellis Traver (Diane Birch, Fischerspooner, Sean Lennon, and Mark Ronson) while releasing some celebrated work like 2011’s Draw Back Your Bow EP which found the artist offering up a playful and imaginative set of cover songs. It was time well spent as the artist just basked in those classic songs and drew inspiration and knowledge from the experience.

That experiences colors the five tracks of Some Greener Yard and lends a depth and emotional quality throughout as things kick off with the rock-tinged country of “Shaky Wire,” whirring organ fills providing color over against thudding drums and a chunky guitar part as the artist shows off her talented and obviously well-trained voice as she plunges headlong through the passionate track. “Give Me Away” lets the artist flow into even more country-feeling fare, her vocals rich and resonant as she is supported by an arrangement sporting brushed drums and moody keyboards which mirror the darkly painful lyric.

“Stay” is step back in the direction of the fun and playful, the tone bright and cheery with a Motown feel and peppy backbeat as DiNicola sings of love and the euphoric joy of a new relationship. It’s one of the better tracks here as the artist lets her hair down and seems to have a blast, lending the song an unseen smile throughout.

That smile becomes bittersweet with the entry of “Weight” onto the scene, DiNicola opting for a subdued piano and acoustic strings to carry home her ode of love to a lost friend, her voice aching with pain and loss, tears brimming as she sings, “No one here can get me through the night/Even God Himself could never make this right.” Producer Julian Coryell manages the tone just right and helps to deliver another killer song before DiNicola offers her swan song with “It’s Alright,” a gentle closer featuring folksy guitars and another painful yet hope-filled lyric to one who’s lost someone.

Leslie DiNicola is an artist who is all about painting pictures in sound and word and Some Greener Yard does that through and through. Bridging from sounds that draw from country, folk, pop, and more, DiNicola has crafted five powerful songs that evoke mental and emotional pictures, drawing you in and refusing to let you go.

Review: Steven James Wylie - Everything I Love EP

Sometimes you’ve got to hit rock bottom before you can start heading for the top again. That’s just what up and coming artist Steven James Wylie realized when he found himself and his expectant wife living in his parent’s basement after his real estate development company crashed and took his financial security and material possessions along with it.

“It was a brutally painful season, but as time went on I began to realize it was an opportunity. It was actually one of the greatest things to ever happen to me,” he shares. “Before that, I felt like I was 65 and my life was over, but after the dust settled, I reconnected with music and felt reborn.”

That rebirth found the artist pulling from two uniquely diverse influences. The first influence was that of his Spokane, Washington upbringing, where he grew up heavily influenced by the alt-rock Seattle sound. The second influence came as Wylie found himself unemployed and fallen, watching television and, interestingly enough, finding his creativity stoked once again by watching country music videos. With the juices flowing, Wylie took action and has since released three LP’s, one EP, and various singles and is set to make an impact with his latest work, Everything I Love.

Everything I Love definitely showcases the artist at his best as he performs five songs that cull from those differing elements while letting Wylie add healthy doses of his own creativity as well. The template holds stronger toward the pop country side, the alt rock taking a back seat this time but the number one star here is Wylie himself as he sings through well-crafted lyrics with his soulfully textured voice.

The EP opens up with the smooth, acoustic country strains of the title track, Wylie singing of a simple life enriched by intangible blessings, sharing, “These are the things that you can’t take away/The simple joys of living/That God gave me today/You can take the house and take the car/I’ll be okay/These are the things that you can’t take away.” It’s a warm and heartfelt start that gets the record off to a strong start.

Wylie puts his faith front and center on “This Is What Faith Is,” offering up an acoustic pop rock jam with some welcome guest vocals from CCM veteran, Christine Dente, who gives the track an additional lift while “Flower” draws some big, organic percussion together with piano and acoustic guitar as the artist sings lyrics of encouragement and love.

“Butterfly” is an upbeat lullaby of sorts, Wylie singing to his baby daughter over against a bright, mid-tempo pop background with rich guitar fills and tight melodies, the artist’s vocals warm and resonant. Those vocals continue to shine on album closer “Beautiful Souls,” Wylie’s voice recalling elements of Chris Daughtry as he sings the soulful lyrics, “Family ties can never break/And that explains all of the heartache/Here today then say goodbye/I will keep your legacy/God knows I will try.”

Losing his real estate business may have been the best thing to have happened to Steven James Wylie. The artist has emerged from his difficult season, buoyed not only by God-given talent but also a renewed purpose in his craft. His work on Everything I Love speaks of hard work, dedication, and honesty while capturing a warm and creative essence as he encourages listeners going through hard times. It’s one that’s well worth a listen or three.

Review: Chris Leigh and the Broken Hearts - Broken Hearted Friends

Somewhere in the past several years, country music has experienced a shift in style. While subtle
elements like songs about the everyday man and love and family still undergird things to some degree, there’s been a swell of raging rock ‘n’ roll guitars, dancehall riffs, and more. Sure, there’s a steel guitar fill here or a touch of banjo there but, suffice it to say, it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish country from the pop and rock that’s ruling the charts these days.

And while the good or bad of those shifts in the country style are always up for debate, there are some who’ve continued to make hay performing true, classic country music. Artists and musicians like Marty Stuart, Dwight Yoakam, Jim Lauderdale, Shooter Jennings, and more have fought long and hard to preserve country music culture and authenticity while making great music. And along the way, they’ve inspired countless numbers of rising artists, artists like Kentucky-based Chris Leigh and the Broken Hearts to forge a path true to that of classic country and on his debut record, Broken Hearted Friends, he does just that.

“Three years ago my wife left me,” Leigh shares. “I sat there in an empty house wondering what to do with my life. I thought about all the things I should have done and picked up the guitar and started playing. These songs just came out.”

Those songs are cut from the same thread as great artists like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Lyle Lovett, among others, managing to capture slices of life that celebrate and lament the process of love and loss, redemption, and everything in between. Leigh’s lyrics are such that capture the seriousness of these situations, conveying the sense of pain and heartache that accompany much of this journey while always managing to keep something of a smile at the edge.

A great case in point is the great weeper, “If You Make It To Heaven,” where, surrounded by a plodding acoustic guitar lead and steel guitar fills providing key emotive vibes, the artist sings of the woes of the world before hitting the chorus where he sings, “If you make it to heaven/Tell ‘em I’m not doing well/Could they send me an angel/’Cause I’ve done my time/Here in hell.” It’s a serious lyric but, somewhere in there, you can picture a smile in Leigh’s eye as he sings it, perhaps since he’s experienced the redemption the song hints at.

And while Leigh has not shortage of heartfelt moments, with songs such as “Like I Love You Forever,” carrying a homespun father’s love along a mid-tempo, swaying arrangement, the artist clearly still likes to let loose, something he does with abandon on “Ramblin’ Man.” The type of track that clearly sees him drawing comparisons to Yoakam and Cash, complete with a “boom chicka” guitar line, Leigh chews off his vocals with pleasure, chewing them up and spitting them out with country-flavored gusto.

Classic country sounds get a heartfelt nod with tracks like the tear in my beer weeper, “Heartache & Misery,” while “Whiskey River” takes a more direct nod, naming the point of its homage, none other than Willie Nelson, within the lyric. Leigh also harnesses the great story songs of country gone by as he sings out “The Ballad of Bobbie Sue.” Despite its longer track length and vintage lyrical style, it’s actually one of the more contemporary sounding songs here, the chorus ripping with emotion fueled by Leigh’s capable vocal delivery.

While country music fans continue to battle over what country really is, there are still artists like Chris Leigh who shoot from the hip, drawing from their life experiences, and putting it to music. Inspired by the great musicians of then and now, Leigh takes those inspirations and weaves them into a sound that, while reminiscent of the past, is resolutely his and that honest authenticity permeates this entire release. For those weary of country radio’s slick, pop-laden fills, Chris Leigh and the Broken Hearts’ music is a breath of fresh air.

Review - Arlon Bennett : World of Possibility

We’re all drawn to honesty in music. No matter the genre, whether it is hip-hop or heavy metal, we long for our musical muses to reach out and touch us with sounds and lyrics that carry themselves with an air of authenticity, relevance, and connection. And it’s those best artists, those that have stood the test of time, that manage to continue to captivate audiences with their ability to, time and again, deliver honest music.

If he keeps on pace, Arlon Bennett is a name that will bandied about with those artists who have, and are, making music that connects in that way. Calling Long Island, New York, home, the artist is set on making music that carries his simple philosophy, “Shoot for the moon and ask questions later,” capturing elements of folk and singer-songwriter stars like Harry Chapin and James Taylor. Since the release of his debut album in 1998, Fountain of Dreams, the artist has seen solid success, scoring opening acts for Americana stars Glenn Tilbrook, Jill Sobule, and Tom Paxton while as being honored by being “twice selected by Noel ‘Paul’ Stookey (Peter, Paul & Mary) to perform in his Music-to-Life showcase at the Kerrville Folk Festival featuring America's best songs of social consciousness.”

Now, the artist continues his mission to bring his dreams to life, while igniting those of others, on his heartfelt new release, World of Possibility. Coaxing classic folk sounds from his guitar and writing lyrics about real life, Bennett captures and captivates the heart here. It’s not fancy and sports no frills, much like a meal at the county diner, but its “stick-to-your-ribs” good, leaving you full and satisfied at the end.

Bennett’s key to providing this satisfaction to his listeners is in large part due to his prowess as a storyteller. Through a simple, homespun tale of an elementary school janitor, “Sal,” Bennett manages to grab the heartstrings and teach a lesson. Likewise, the snow-laden sadness of “The Christmas Tree on Salem Street” weaves a tale of holidays left sad by the loss of loved ones in the military, daring one to not wipe away the inevitable tear. And the artist’s heartland-fueled personification of the U.S., “I America,” complete with its soulful harmonica fills, has the potential of adding itself to many a listener’s Independence Day playlist.

Inspired by an invitation to perform at an international Parkinson’s conference, Bennett wrote the title track, conveying an acoustic-driven melody that brims with hope and confidence while “Nothing Like a Song” captures some old school country vibes, telling of the power of music. It’s simple and, some might say, hokey, but there’s an inherent honesty to it all.

The highlight track here, however, is Bennett’s playful and unique song, “Question for Einstein.” Celebrating the joy and mystery of love, Bennett ponders questions to the great physicist, asking in the chorus, “Dr. Einstein/The question I would ask/If you were alive and I was sitting in your class/Of all the beauty in your mind/Of all you know of space and time/What is love?” Bennett plays with asking these questions of Einstein, adding in some soulful strings, and ultimately concluding in the end, “Well you ran out of time/Before you could find/The answer to all that is/But I will keep on searching/To find the inertia/Behind a single kiss.” It’s sweet, poignant, and from the heart.

And those are the elements that truly make up Arlon Bennett’s work on World of Possibility. Clearly working as a glass half-full sort of guy, Bennett presents warmhearted, honest songs of real life and real people, continually seeming to find the silver lining in each situation. He frames these tales in musical compositions that mirror their lyrical counterparts, coming across as accessible and inviting. So, come on in and sit a spell and let Bennett tell you a tale.