Doug Levitt

Edge Of Everywhere

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Edge Of Everywhere

The first album from the singer-songwriter Doug Levitt, the aptly titled Edge Of Everywhere documents a decade of Greyhound bus travel and showcases his alluring baritone pipes and warm acoustic guitar playing.

“Cold Comfort” opens the listen with smooth singing, warm piano and crisp drums making for a sincere landscape, and “Edge Of Everywhere” follows with breezy acoustic guitar amid the poetic vocals that emit much beauty.

Halfway through, the intimate storytelling of “Buddy Gray” carries a darker spirit that welcomes soulful backing vocals, while the spirited electric guitar of “Disaster Can Wait” helps make this a lush, reflective album highlight that has Levitt hitting some pretty high notes.

Nearing the end, the stirring “Highway Signs” is full of timeless folk ideas that radiate much authenticity, and “Two-Week Warrior” exits with a bare, hushed delivery of eloquent and memorable songwriting.

Levitt fleshed these songs out in bus stations, prisons and shelters he’s played via a 120,000 mile bus tour, and he brings a cathartic approach that involves a lot of soul searching on this excellent debut.

Travels well with: Trapper Schoepp- Siren Songs; Derek Hoke- Electric Mountain

Jared Sims

Hellbender: The Resistance

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to Hellbender: The Resistance

The sax wizard Jared Sims meshes rock and jazz in a way that few others could, where he brings along Andrew Stern, James Rohr, Marc Friedman and Randy Wooten for these unique 7 tracks.

“Ensuing Plight” gets the listen off to a dense start, where Stern’s thick guitar and Wooten’s firm drums give the track a hard rock edge, and “Infinite Colossus” follows with Sims’ bright sax front and center amid Friedman’s playful bass acrobatics in the firm climate.

“Earth” and “Vertigo” land in the middle, where the former is strong on atmosphere and unfolds with a haze of timeless jazz qualities, while the latter is a rich and animated jazz-rock album highlight that benefits much from the lively rhythm section and crunchy guitar. “Orbital” exits the listen, and it’s a reflective tone of warmth and intimacy that flows with a reflective demeanor.

A very distinct listen that takes influence from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Steve Grossman and Miles Davis, Sims and company make for an experience you won’t soon forget.

Travels well with: Wayne Alpern- Saxology; David Larsen- The Peplowski Project

Wolf Eyes

Dreams In Splattered Lines

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Dreams In Splattered Lines

The Michigan duo of Nate Young and Johnny Olson, as Wolf Eyes the pair bring a wealth of experience and talent to this highly technical, experimental and electronic 13 pieces.

“Car Wash Two w/Short Hands” opens the listen with a mysterious droning that’s shrouded in cinematic ideas that are quite ominous, and “Radio Box (excerpt)” follows with plenty of sci-fi bleeps and buzzing that unfolds with a rare personality.

In the middle, “Exploding Time” welcomes voices, some of which are wordless, as firm beats enter the oddly rhythmic affair, while “The Museums We Carry” carries a tribal feeling from another dimension thanks to its frisky drumming and electronic prowess.

Close to the end, the spacey “Find You (vocal)” uses vocals strategically amid the rich, avant-garde exploration, and “Dreams In Shattered Time” exits with a chilling, cryptic display of cautious electronica and much attention to mood.

Young handles vocals, various handmade electronics, drum synth, harmonica, sequential circuits Pro-One, and Young manipulates Mutant reeds, feedback electronics and Arp Odyssey. Together, they make for an iconoclastic and distinct version of electronic fueled noise-rock that is quite interesting.

Travels well with: Swans- leaving meaning; EYRYX- Psychological Projective

APB

Three

Liberation Hall, 2023

10/10

Listen to Three

Originally released in 2006, this sophomore album from APB sees the reissue treatment, where the 14 songs sure have aged well via the band’s unique form of post-punk.

“Ghost Of Love” opens the listen with much melodic energy that brings rhythm into the punk fueled climate, and “Free Again” follows with throbbing bass lines and frisky drums amid the swirling guitar.

Elsewhere, the funky “Drag” illustrates much diversity that carries an infectious tone, while “Convuluted” trims the pace back with a gritty soulfulness that’s got some glossy pop nods, too.

Close to the end, the powerful and dynamic “House Of The Living Dead” could soundtrack both a night at the club or a leap into the pit, and “Death Of Rock n Roll” exits with raw yet tuneful, crunchy rock that will always be relevant.

APB formed in Scotland in 1979 by Iain Slater (vocals, bass), Glenn Roberts (guitar) and George Cheyne (drums), and are still active today. Their innovative blend of punk, funk and New Wave has influenced legions of other bands, and these songs are thankfully back in print and sound better than ever.

Travels well with: The Kingsnakes- Live At The Old Waldorf; The Mutants- Curse Of The Easily Amused

Charlie Faye & The Fanimals

Charlie Faye & The Fanimals

Daydream Believer, 2023

8/10

Listen to Charlie Faye & The Fanimals

Inspired by her and her daughter’s love for soul and pop sounds from the ‘60s, Charlie Faye might remind you of The Ronettes or The Supremes on this nostaglic yet modern debut album.

“7 Days Of Fun” gets the listen off to 3 minutes of fun that’s soulful, groove filled and full of expressive singing, and “Milo Wears A Tutu” follows with warm piano that complements the melodies and infectious vocals.

In the middle, the retro ideas of “Me & My Family” uses playful drumming and well timed backing vocals for the instant sing-alongs, while the animated and dance floor ready “Get Down” will have you moving your body to the throwback appeal.

Close to the end, the spirited guitar of “Puppy In The Bath” suits the charming whistle solo, and “Octopus Getting Dressed” brings harmonic and flowing ideas into the the album’s best.

Faye’s resume includes playing guitar and mandolin in Dan Zanes & Friends, as well as touring solo. After her daughter was born in 2019, she steered into kids’ music, though not in the typical sense, and along with the musicians Adrian Quesada, Pete Thomas, Scott Davis, Trevor Nealon and Jim Brunberg she pens a timeless family album.

Travels well with: Jessa Campbell & The Saplings- Forest Flow; Allegra Levy- Songs For You And Me

Jeff Coffin

Look For Water

Ear Up, 2023

8/10

Listen to Look For Water

The educator, composer and saxophone wizard Jeff Coffin pays homage to New Orleans with this listen that surrounds hope, wonder and vibrancy, where Johnny Vidacovich, Tony Dagradi, James Singleton and Helen Gillet are in attendance.

“Toy Piano” starts the listen with just that, a toy piano played by Vidacovich, before “Green Light For Billy Drewes” follows with Coffin’s bright sax alongside Singleton’s unpredictable upright bass and Dagradi’s well timed tenor sax.

Elsewhere, the soulful “Look For Water” emits much beauty from Coffin’s skills that benefits from Vidacovich’s animated drumming, while “Sweet Magnolias” finds a very dreamy place to reside thanks to the playfully plucked strings and lively sax bouts.

“Yusef” and “Luminosity” land at the end, where the former balances both minimal and busy ideas with strong attention to mood, and the latter welcomes Gillet on cello for the upbeat and melodic album highlight.

A listen with stunning interplay between the talented players, the calm ebbs, spiritual bursts and fleeting melodies keep the listener engaged from beginning to end.

Travels well with: Matt Ulery- Mannerist; Nick Finzer- Dreams, Visions, Illusions

Kevin O'Connell Quartet

Hot New York Minutes

Ignoramus, 2023

8/10

Listen to Hot New York Minutes

The long running jazz pianist Kevin O’Connell brings along Adam Brenner, Paul Gill and Mark Taylor for these originals and lesser known covers that make for an exciting jazz fusion affair.

“Newest Blues” gets the listen off to a lively start, where Brenner’s bright sax and O’Connell’s frisky keys make for a charming climate, and “One For Cliff” follows with Taylor’s crisp drumming guiding the rhythmic and rich landscape of timeless jazz.

“Biskit” lands in the middle, and showcases O’Connell’s meticulous key progressions alongside the soulful sax, while “Choose Now” finds a more intimate place to reside, where warmth and melody are both present in spades.

“One For George” and “A Thought” exit the listen, where the former quickly shuffles and benefits much from Gill’s precise bass work, and the latter is soft and expressive, where all 4 members show beautiful restraint.

Even though he’s got a resume going back to the ‘80s, this is O’Connell’s first outing as leader, and he makes a lasting impression with a nice balance between precision and playfulness.

Travels well with: Tomas Janzon- Nomadic; Dave Stryker- Prime

Waldemar

Ruthless

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Ruthless

The debut album from the Eau Claire outfit Waldemar, the singer-songwriter Gabe Larson spearheads the listen, where the heartland indie-rock comes with lush guitars and inviting synth moments across the authentic 11 tracks.

“Limbo” opens the listen with an ethereal atmosphere that showcases crisp drums and expressive singing in a hazy version of indie-rock, and “Ruthless” follows with a cautious spirit that benefits from dreamy guitar amid the eloquent singing.

“Prophet” and “Ultimatum” occupy the middle spot, where the former carries a bit of psychedelia via the buzzing synth, while the latter is quite intimate and builds into a tense versus pretty album highlight that uses thumping drums and elegant strings.

Close to the end, the acoustic guitar fueled “Waldemar” emits a stirring, bare folk presence, and “Trust” exits with a sublime demeanor amid the soundbites that leads into 11+ minutes of radiant songwriting that uses piano strategically and doesn’t shy away from busier, loud moments, too

Larson is joined by Nick Larson, Josh Garcia, John Roemhild, Colin Carey, Jordan Coffland, Ben Lester, Noah Reedy, Kayla Garcia, Sarah Olson and Tyler Henderson for a first album that took 5 years to make, and it’s an excellent starting position.

Travels well with: Them Coulee Boys- Die Happy; Louise Burns- Element

Blak29

The Waiting

Cleopatra, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Waiting

The powerful duo of Steve Zing and Daniel Tracey, the veteran musicians bring punk, goth, prog and dark rock ideas to these 11 unique tracks.

“Blackout” opens the listen with thumping drums and thick guitar, as the hard rock template welcomes some grooves, and “Destroyer” follows with bouncy bass lines and a very animated presence of crunchy rock.

Further on, “End Of Days” is a bit more subdued, a bit psychedelic and ominous in its mysterious nature, while the dense “Bleeding Love” carries an undercurrent of melody amid the buzzing formula.

Close to the end, the dreamy “I Am Screaming (But Nobody Hears)” is actually quite intimate in a cryptic way, and “Long Cool Woman” exits with some Southern rock flavor to the energetic and dynamic finish.

Zing, who also plays in Samhain and Danzig, handles vocals and drums, and Tracey plays bass and guitar. Guest spots include Johnny Kelly (Type ONegative, Quiet Riot), Tommy Victor (Prong, Ministry), and Jyrki 69 (The 69 Eyes), and together they make for a snarling, thrashy and diverse rock affair.

Travels well with: Vixen77- Easy Access; Satan’s Cats- Satan’s Cats

JW- Jones

Everything Now

Solid Blues, 2023

9/10

Listen to Everything Now

The roots artist JW-Jones brings in some excellent company, including Jimmy Vaughn, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore and Gordie Johnson for these 11 blues and groove filled tunes.

The title track gets the listen off to a smooth start, where the bluesy guitar and bouncy bass complement Jones’ flowing voice and Moore’s drumming acrobatics, and “Keeping Me Up” follows with a bit of ruggedness amid the melodic and crisp climate.

Further on, Vaughn’s breezy guitar playing adds much to the bright and dreamy “Take Your Time”, while McNelley’s hooky guitar prowess suits the well timed keys and soulful backing vocals of “My Luck”.

Deeper still, the glowing brass of “When You Left”, by The Texas Horns, give the tune some R&B flavor amid Jones’ vivid storytelling, and “Good To Be True” exits with Johnson’s inimitable guitar playing contributing much to the busier, rockin’ atmosphere that’s got some funk spirit.

Jones is also a member of the Horojo Trio, and he brings a wealth of experience and talent to a listen that births some timeless and memorable blues and roots sounds that will always be relevant.

Travels well with: David Deacon- Four; Marc Jordan- Waiting For The Sun To Rise

Timothy Schwarz

The Living American

Albany, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Living American

The inimitable violinist Timothy Schwarz returns with his 5th album as leader, where 7 of today’s esteemed composers are fleshed out with strong attention to mood and technique.

Steven Sametz’s “Fantasia on Lama badaa yatasana” opens the listen with much emphasis on pitch, as Schwarz manipulates his instrument via a highly emotive presence, and “String Poetic: Blue Hills of Mist”, by Jennifer Higdon, follows with Charles Abramovic’s piano along for the stirring and intimate landscape.

In the middle, “Lacrimosa", by Joseph Goodrich, emits a distinct warmth that benefits from Abramovic’s eloquent keys, while “Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano” allows for the piano strings to interact with much grace and poeticism amid a subdued delivery in the Avner Dorman piece.

The final two compositions are among the best, where Reena Esmail’s “Darshan: Raag Charukeshi” offers a dreamy, gripping display of meticulous violin playing, and “Australian Sketches for Violin, Piano, Double Bass, and Drum Set” welcomes Abramovic’s keys, Douglas Mapp’s double bass and Doug Hirlinger’s drums for the fuller 5 chapters that are dynamic and wide in scope.

A flawless example of Schwarz’s rich playing and eclectic vision, both the animated and gentle gestures further solidify his position as one of the best modern day violinists.

Travels well with: Danny Fox Trio- Time Took Care Of It; Color As Time- Soma Schema

Ellie Martin

Verdant

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Verdant

The debut recording from the excellent vocalist Ellie Martin, the 12 original songs are fleshed out by an all star cast of musicians that spans many genres and textures.

“Living For The Now” begins the listen with Andrew Bishop’s lively clarinet and Ariel Kasler’s fluid guitar complementing Martin’s easy going and inviting voice, and “As Time Goes” follows with Mike Harrison’s warm background vocals alongside Peter Eldridge’s cozy piano in the intimate and heartfelt delivery.

Further along, “Dancer’s Seranade” benefits much from Victor Goncalves’ well timed accordion for the playful, cultured display, while “Verdant” hosts Ben Wolkins’ trumpet that suits the eloquent singing superbly, as Martin illustrates an impressive range.

Residing near the end, the cozy “Lady Liberty” is full of soft beauty that radiates soulfulness, and “Moments” continues the sincerity with Eldrige’s harmony vocals adding much to the dreamy demeanor.

Martin has survived life’s biggest obstacles, and her life beyond cancer has her raising a family and reflecting on her experience in recent years, where the Latin grooves, swing fun and absorbing balladry is very much appreciated.

Travels well with: Tatiana Eva-Marie- Two At The Most; Joanie Pallatto- Accidental Melody

JD Graham

A Pound Of Rust

Self-Released, 2023

9/10

Listen to A Pound Of Rust

The Nashville singer-songwriter JD Graham delivers deeply personal songs across this unique perspective that stems from a 5 year prison sentence where he wrote 160 sober tunes.

The title track opens the listen with gorgeous acoustic guitar complementing Graham’s smooth, inviting voice that tells the story of his drug fueled days, and “2 Days South Of December” follows with a dreamy spirit of forthright and emotive songwriting that’s poetic.

Deeper into the listen, the sublimely intimate “Part Time Lovin’” welcomes light drums to the reflective tone, while “Sidewalk Bobby” is a more upbeat delivery of sincere storytelling that illustrates Graham’s powerful voice.

Landing near the end, the stirring “Her Memory”, the album’s best, is a bare, beautiful display of heartfelt folk song craft, and “Stories From The Grave” exits with an atmospheric and eloquent illustration of an artist who has lived a challenging, difficult existence.

A drug addict since the age of 11, it took prison to allow Graham to find his soul, and with his mind now clear, he’s sharing a lifetime of stories that unfold with much grace, insight and warmth.

Travels well with: Matt Hillyer- Glorieta; Austin Gilliam- I’m Sorry, I’m Fine

Hazelrigg Brothers

Synchronicity

Outer Marker, 2023

9/10

Listen to Synchronicity

A very creative interpretation of the classic album from The Police, George Hazelrigg, Geoff Hazelrigg and John O’Reilly Jr. make for a very memorable tribute record, where the seminal tracks are handled with much care.

“Synchronicity I” opens the listen with George’s swift keys and O’Reilly’s agile drumming making for a mesmerizing climate, and “Walking In Your Footsteps” follows with Geoff’s playful bass plucking complementing the hypnotic piano of the very warm delivery.

Further on, “Miss Gradenko” is a quick blast of technical and complicated dynamics between the trio, while “Every Breath You Take” has Geoff playing bass in a baritone range alongside the melodic key patterns.

Deeper still, “King Of Pain” retains the emotive spirit of the original with the 3 working together in the most obvious jazz fashion with excellent results, and “Murder By Numbers” starts and ends with a drum solo, and spotlights the Hazelrigg’s skilled piano and bass in the middle.

The album was recorded in one room using two stereo microphones, and it gives the listen a very crisp, spontaneous feel that truly does justice to this seminal record, while showcasing the inestimable talent of the brothers and O’Reilly Jr.

Travels well with: Audible Spirits- Audible Spirits; Darren Johnston- Wild Awake

Graber Gryass

Waking Up

Self-Released, 2023

8/10

Listen to Waking Up

The Memphis jamgrass wizards Graber Gryass return with their 3rd album, where 9 tunes penned by Michael Graber make for a diverse landscape that welcomes plenty of strings, brass and vocals.

“All The Time” opens the listen with cozy call and response vocals, where Andy Ratliff’s swift fiddle and Jesse Dakota’s lively percussion suit the swift bluegrass climate, and “Morning On The Water” follows with a calmer spirit that benefits from Kitty Dearing’s soulful vocals and Clint Wagner’s emotive fiddle playing.

“Waking Up” and “Living On A Faultline” land in the middle, where the former welcomes Hope Clayburn’s dreamy flute for the highly intimate landscape, while the latter recruits sax from Clayburn for the superbly textured, funky album highlight.

Near to the end, “Okay” lands in timeless folk territory with its warm strumming, and “Faultline” exits with group vocals that illustrates much chemistry between the members, where Randal Morton’s banjo is particularly luminous.

A highly creative effort that meshes jam band ideas, bluegrass, folk, funk and Americana, Graber Gryass are paving a path entirely their own, and it’s just getting better and better with each release.

Travels well with: Mighty Poplar- Mighty Poplar; Arkansauce- OK To Wonder

The Kingsnakes

Live At The Old Waldorf

Liberation Hall, 2023

9/10

Listen to Live At The Old Waldorf

The Kingsnakes were part of the punk/New Wave scene of San Francisco in the early ‘80s, where the founder Daniel Jeanrenaud (aka The Camden Cat) is joined by James Ferrell (guitar), Ze Moita (bass), Danny Mihm (drums) and Karl Malinowski (guitar) for this set opening for Robert Gordon at the Old Waldorf in 1981.

“Rock’n’Roll House” begins the listen with crisp drums and throbbing bass, as rhythmic and playful rockabilly enters the lively climate that will get your body moving, and “My Babe” follows with some proto-punk energy entering the head bobbin’, toe tappin’ delivery of retro rock’n’roll.

Further along, the busy and melodic “Not Nice” is full of swirling guitar, a lively rhythm section and smooth singing, while the conversational “Look Out Mabel” will get anyone out on the dance floor thanks to the acrobatic bass and playful drumming.

Ending the set is the rowdy “Good Rockin’ City”, which might be the best track, where the rawness of the instrumentation makes for a thick, loud and memorable closer, but we’re also treated to a couple of bonus studio tracks, where “More” is a cultured, multi-faceted version of rock.

Jeanrenaud would eventually bring The Kingsnakes back to Europe, where he’s from, and the band would exist in different forms for many years. This release, which comes with excellent sound quality, preserves the early days of the band, who were an important piece of the Bay Area scene, and certainly deserve more recognition than they received.

Travels well with: APB- Something To Believe In; The Mutants- Curse Of The Easily Amused

Caleb Nichols

Let’s Look Back

Kill Rock Stars, 2023

9/10

Listen to Let’s Look Back

Caleb Nichols turned quite a few heads with Ramon, his queer Beatles rock opera, and this 2nd LP on Kill Rock Stars will likely gain him even more attention as he navigates vindication and reintegration along with Adam Nash, Zach Rogue, and Pat Spurgeon.

“Christmas Carol” gets the listen off to an atmospheric start that segues into a firmly strummed and melodic folk rocker, and “Demon Twink” follows with some scrappy garage-rock ideas entering the busy, soaring climate.

Further along, “Don’t You Ever” brings a playful, jangly demeanor that can parallel Elliott Smith’s brightest moments via the emotive singing, while “Limn” welcomes Nash’s superb drumming for the snappy and pop friendly display. “Stranged” then finds a very intimate place to reside, where Nichols’ soft, poetic vocals and meticulous acoustic guitar make an indelible impression.

The last 2 tracks continue the top notch songwriting, where the dreamy “The Wires” is quite pretty and reflective, and “Wicked” finishes with Spurgeon’s buzzing keys complementing the crisp drums and vivid storytelling of the lushly textured and glossy pop ideas.

The Kill Rock Stars camp has given us some of the best records in the world of independent music (The Decemberists, Unwound, etc.), and I feel pretty confident saying that Caleb Nichols will be another very important and influential songwriter from the label, as this sophomore album is just so catchy and full of substance.

Travels well with: Teke::Teke- Shirushi; Tele Novella- Merlynn Belle

The Pacific Jazz Group

The Pacific Jazz Group

Ropeadope, 2023

8/10

Listen to The Pacific Jazz Group

The inimitable pianist Dred Scott introduces this new project, where Eric Crystal, John Wiitala and Smith Dobson join him for songs by Bernie Miller, Russ Freeman, Gerry Mulligan and Shorty Rogers.

“Bernie’s Tune” gets the listen off to a lively start, where Crystal’s lively sax and Scott’s warm piano make for strong melodies, and “Maid In Mexico” follows with cultured drumming aligning with swift keys and and soulful brass.

In the middle, the fluid “Casa De Luz” offers a swift pace of rhythmic and energetic musicianship, while “Festive Minor” trims the pace back with cozy piano, meticulous sax and strategic bass playing. The final track, “Utter Chaos”, is quite controlled, where flowing jazz qualities illustrate a striking interaction between the quartet.

Scott has already impressed us with his 11 prior recordings, and now with The Pacific Jazz Group he touches on the laidback formula of West Coast jazz from the ‘60s with much style and charm.

Travels well with: Marc Ciprut- Blue House; Wayne Alpern- Saxology

Charlie Apicella & Iron City Meet The Griots Speak

Destiny Calling

OA2, 2023

9/10

Listen to Destiny Calling

An extremely creative listen, the combination of organ grooves and free improvisation come together here for the hard bop presence that has Charlie Apicella handling madal drum, Tibetan singing bowls and guitar with much expertise alongside The Griot Speak’s inimitable playing.

“As The Sun Rises” opens the listen with Daniel Carter’s fluid clarinet complementing Apicella’s playful drumming and William Parker’s strategic strings, and “Titan Vs. Sphinx” follows with soulful saxophone amid the lively drumming from Austin Walker that finds plenty of melody to reside in.

“We’re All Here In Spirit” lands in the middle and moves swiftly with no lack of rhythm thanks to Juma Sultan’s lively shakers and Parker’s animated bass playing, while “I Heard In Passing” offers a hectic performance of wild brass, acrobatic drumming and unpredictable keys from Brad Whiteley.

The final 2 tracks are among the best, where “Where Do You Find These People?” focuses on mood for the timeless jazz flavor, and “Sparks” exits with cozy guitar, shuffling drums and plenty of memorable grooves.

A very distinct listen that tips its hat to Yusef Lateef and Pat Martino, The Griot certainly add much to this pan-ancestral and pan-African experience you won’t soon forget.

Travels well with: Jeff Johnson- My Heart; Jason Keiser- Shaw’s Groove

Grupo Encuentros

Tangos & Something More

Navona, 2019

8/10

Listen to Tangos & Something More

Spearheaded by the esteemed conductor and composer Alicia Terzian, the Latin American ensemble Grupo Encuentros offer a handful of tangos here, but all are delivered in unique, cultured, unpredictable ways.

“Mimi Pinzon” starts the listen with fluid keys before intricate violin enters the equation on the playful opener, and “Cristal” follows with operatic vocals in the cautious tune that’s a bit haunting.

Elsewhere, “Invierno Porteno” recruits a busy display of keys in the classical setting, while “Lloron” uses softer ebbs to its advantage in the cinematic album highlight.

Near the end, “Los Mareados” offers a Spanish anthem where power and melody are in attendance, and “Verano Porteno” finds beautiful tension between the cello, violin and piano. The album exits on “Llamado De Tambores”, where solos on piano and bandoneon complement the emotive singing.

Certainly a classically influenced record, but making full use of the ‘Something More’ in the title, there’s much lush texturing and plenty of soulful instrumentation in this accomplished listen where each track comes with a journey that’s difficult to forget.

Travels well with: Lachlan Skipworth- Lachlan Skipworth; Hevreh Ensemble- A Path Of Light