Category Archives: Critic’s Corner

Critic’s Corner: Alfa Garcia – Second Skin

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I discovered Alfa Garcia through her various participation in Kollaboration events and videos. I was intrigued by her unique, smoky voice so when her debut album dropped last summer I made it a point to pick it up. Well, this also means that this review is a good 6 months or so late and for that I apologize. I honestly wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the album, since I’ve only heard bits and pieces of her singing in all the Kollaboration promos. Independent singer songwriters come a dime a dozen so I really wondered if Alfa had what it takes to stick out from the pack.

So how did Second Skin fare? Read on to find out!

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Critic’s Corner: Dawen – American Me

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I fist heard of Dawen when I saw the MV for his single ‘Wake Up’. I was intruiged to say the least, especially considering not only do you rarely hear that brand and style of R&B from Asian American artists in general, but you also rarely hear it from now a days from any artist period. So when his debut LP American Me dropped back in September I was excited to hear it and picked it up right away. Over the past several months I’ve had the time to digest it fully and take in everything Dawen had to share. So how did the budding singer/song writer fair with his debut?

Let’s find out!

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Critic’s Corner: Marie Digby – Breathing Underwater

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Marie Digby really gained a lot of attention through her acoustic cover of ‘Umbrella’ on Youtube back in 2007. Since that time she released an album in 2008, gotten numerous TV song placements, started modeling a little bit,  and even released some work in Japan (her mother is Japanese). With her sophomore US effort Breathing Underwater, Marie Digby is out to prove she belongs to stay and isn’t an artist riding out 15 minutes of internet fueled flame. Personally, I really enjoyed her debut album Unfold and was highly anticipating her new release. Originally slated to drop in the first half of 2009, it was pushed back to the fall, causing a long wait for her fans.

So was Breathing Underwater worth the wait? Let’s find out!

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Critic’s Corner: The Nehemiah Band – Break of Dawn

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The Nehemiah Band is a relatively new band based out of sunny Southern California and has been steadily building a pretty strong buzz over the past couple years. Having only heard a few snippets of their music including their goofy but fun TV show medley, I was intrigued to check out their material when their first full length album Break of Dawn was released at the end of August last year. (Yes, I know I’m late, but get used to it cause the next bunch of reviews are all going to be from around the same time frame) Their style can kind of be summarized as a mixture of Jason Mraz, David Crowder Band, Matt Redman and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Additionally, their music is undoubtedly and whole heartedly inspired by and about the Christian faith. With that said I’m sure this will cause some of you to be more interested, and some of you less. Regardless of religious stance, they have proven to be a capable group of musicians but the question is can they make a good album?

I’ve had a good 4 months to listen to and digest the album and so without further ado I present you with the review.

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Critic’s Corner: Blue Scholars – OOF! EP

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What’s going on a-Tunes readers? I know it’s been a long time since our last review and I apologize for the delays. Believe me, we got our work cut out for us as we try to play catch up with the all the albums we got to review for you all. But let’s start from the top of our list. Blue Scholars is a hip-hop duo (MC Geologic and producer Sabzi) that’s been doing their thing for a number of years now. Based in Seattle but heavily influenced by Geo’s upbringing in Hawaii , they’ve steadily increased their brand and exposure and though I’m a bit late I’ve just discovered them earlier this year. Their latest release, the OOF! EP, dropped at the end of August (again, sorry for the lag) and pays deliberate homage to the 50th state. Wondering if it’s any good? Read on after the jump to find out!

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Critic’s Corner: Mia Kim – Who Is Sukey Rose?

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Mia Kim is an alt pop-rock singer/songwriter with whom I was completely unfamiliar with until her management reached out to me in regards to her sophomore album release ‘Who Is Sukey Rose?’.  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect especially since you don’t see the words asian, female, and rock all in the same description too often. Produced by Jason Martin (of Starflyer 59), it was clear Mia had some decent backing with this project. What’s most interesting is that the album was fan funded as she was able to raise $8K to put this album together. So the question remains, is Sukey Rose worth it?

Find out after the jump!

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Critic’s Corner: afterschoolspecial – not one for words

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Earlier this year I remember reading/hearing about afterschoolspecial at various places online but unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to check out their material until earlier this summer although this EP has been out for months now. This band, hailing from San Diego, stands apart from a lot of current acts today with their sound and dynamics as a whole. By implementing and meshing together various genre’s of music afterschoolspecial aims to bring together music that sounds unique yet oddly familiar as well all the while touching upon a various range of subjects. With their EP ‘not one for words’ we are given a peek at just how they plan to accomplish such a feat. So are they on their way to doing just that? Read on to find out.

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Crictic’s Corner: Kato – T.I.M.E. Vol. 1

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Returning with a new mixtape release entitled T.I.M.E. (This Is My Everything), Kato is out to prove himself as an up and comin producer. This time around he refrains from the microphone, contributing only one verse on the entire tape. Instead he relegates the vocals to various artists around the country, leaving him to focus solely on the production tip. In similar fashion to illmind’s Blaps, Rhymes & Life series, T.I.M.E. has been released as a free download to maximize word of mouth marketing and exposure. For this review, we’re going to do things a little differently and focus more heavily on the production, this being a producer’s mixtape and all.

So is this release worth your bandwidth? You know the deal. Find out after the jump.

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Critic’s Corner: Tim Be Told – From the Inside

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I can’t remember exactly how I came across Tim Be Told, a pop/rock band hailing from Virginia, but I remember being skeptical for no good reason. Then I heard a few of their songs on their myspace and was completely surprised by the strength of the few singles they had available to stream at the time. When they announced they were releasing their new EP ‘From the Inside’, I was immediately intrigued and ordered a copy to really get a closer listen at what this band had to offer. Mixing together styles of Gospel, Pop, Rock, and Blues, Tim Be Told offers a pretty unique sound. So should you to check out their EP ‘From the Inside’?

Find out after the jump!

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Critic’s Corner: Neah Lee – The EP

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I remember first hearing about Neah Lee 4 or 5 yrs ago when she was still signed to Koo Chung‘s label Broken For Good. I’ve seen her in concert once when the entire label performed at a church in Virginia and came away impressed with her soulful voice and honest artistry in her expression of faith and life. Since that time it seems like she’s been a bit quiet on the music front, branching off on her own. ‘The EP’ marks Neah’s first return to the scene since she released ‘Without Wax’ in 2005. Eager to hear new material from her, I ordered a digital copy. So are you curious to know how the EP is?

Find out after the jump!

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