ZZ Ward brings her blue-eyed soul and “dirty shine” to The Independent
Halfway through ZZ Ward‘s set, she had the whole crowd singing along to “Charlie Ain’t Home,” a song in which she describes as too “sexy” and maybe a bit too […]
Tag Archives: Soul
Amy Vachal Interview: Brooklyn Singer-Songwriter Talks Post-Voice Journey and Upcoming Album
Amy Vachal is the kind of singer whose music puts you at ease. Full of acoustic-driven blues and pop folk-inspired tunes, the 28-year-old Brooklyn singer-songwriter has made it her mission […]
Tuxedo (Mayer Hawthorne & Jake One) brought the funk two nights in a row to The Independent
There aren’t many shows that leave me reeling for hours and staying up all night because of the energy it instilled in me, but Tuxedo was something else. Playing two sold-out nights […]
Stay Woke with “Redbone” (Childish Gambino Cover)
In the words of Childish Gambino (the musical moniker of singer-actor-comedian/creative genius Donald Glover): “If you want it You can have it If you need it (you better believe in […]
Andy Suzuki & The Method Interview: Brooklyn-based Future Pop and Hapa Identity
When it comes to being Asian-American in the music industry — even more a biracial Asian-American — it may come with a double-edged sword. “You’re too white to be Asian,” some […]
Ringing in 2017 with a Need for Change
When I look at the past year in hindsight, I realize that 2016 was just a year of preparation for 2017. I settled into my coffee shop job, working day-in and day-out […]
Yuna comes into her own and transforms the Mezzanine on “Chapters” tour
It’s closing in on midnight on a Saturday in San Francisco. The Mezzanine night club is packed. Some are dancing to the smooth house music of the resident DJ while others eagerly huddle up […]
Allen Stone closes Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with all his “Free Love”
There are some performers who are like a breath of fresh air. Their voice is clear as crystal and pierces through your heart; their music gets under your bones, sending grooves […]
Melissa Polinar Interview: On Songwriting in Nashville, YouTube and her Upcoming EP
With the “voice of a black woman,” writing chops of a Nashville songwriter and the intrigue of an Asian-American growing up in suburban North Texas, Melissa Polinar hasn’t let her […]
A Trio of Songwriters: Justin Kawika Young, Melissa Polinar and Gabe Bondoc live at The Chapel
Have you ever heard a song that changed your life? Maybe it be the way a musician’s voice can tell a story, making you feel a sense of heartbreak or […]
Signs from the Universe
The world works in mysterious ways and I can’t help but always trust it, even if I’m just being naive. It’s become rare for me to have time at the end […]
Kate Earl releases lush music video for “I Love You”
EARL, or as singer-songwriter and soul singer Kate Earl calls herself as a means to reclaim her name, has come a long way. As an Alaskan native who moved to Los Angeles […]
Hanging Up the Apron
It’s 3:15am. Samantha James’s “Rise” comes on. My body tosses over to my phone and hits the side button to snooze. Ten minutes later, another song comes on. 3:30. 3:40. 3:45. 3:50. A […]
‘Vinyl’ recreates the birth of disco with DJ Cassidy’s “Kill The Lights” (Music Video)
In 1970s New York, underground street parties and night clubs were oozing with soul. DJs played Latin soul and African-American hip hop records on turntables. Clubs were packed and steaming with noise. […]
Ray LaMontagne releases new single ‘Hey, No Pressure’ off new album ‘Ouroboros’
“Will you follow me?” Ray LaMontagne asked himself when recording his sixth studio album Ouroboros, expected to drop in early March. The first single, “Hey, No Pressure,” features fuzzy bass lines […]
beauty within 