Category: Music Reviews

Review by Jeff Day Meteo Xavier, known as well under the unique alias of 12 Followers, has delivered what could be considered a significant contribution to the oft-stagnating electronic music universe with his latest album, “Espers”. Though the album doesn’t directly reference the famed Espers of legendary Final Fantasy VI fame, it very well could [...]

A little background first. After the devastating December 2004 tsunami struck South Asia, Earthsync — a world music enterprise based in South India — sent a crew of field recordists and film makers into areas of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, The Maldives, Myanmar and India. They recorded songs that reflected the folk traditions as the [...]

In this new era of “conscious entertainment,” one would be challenged to find more positive music than Michele de Wilton’s mystically beautiful Myths & Legends. In her new album of musical storytelling via piano solos, the artist delivers soothing music sophisticated enough for adults, yet also enjoyable for children of all ages. The artist — [...]

The Renewing Isaac Shepard (2009): 33mins (approx) http://www.isaacshepard.com Review by Kate Russell “The Renewing” is the third album by Isaac Shepard. A composer for twenty years, Isaac finds inspiration in travel, the beauty of life and, perhaps most importantly, his faith. In his words “(He’s) just trying to do (his) small part in sharing the [...]

Modern Meditations series (Rock classics, Beatles Songs, Modern classics) Paradise Music Ltd. (2009) various lengths, approx one hour each www.modernmeditations.com Review by Kate Russell Do you have a problem with pan flutes or wind chimes? Does the vast majority of meditation music makes your ears bleed and send you running for the hills? Do you [...]

Rise by Jim Chappell Unspeakable Freedom Music (2009) 57:50 minutes www.jimchappell.com Review by Kate Russell This album is from a relative veteran of the New Age Music Scene. Now some twenty years since his first album was released, and with many more of them under his belt, Jim Chappell’s new release, ‘Rise’ describes itself as [...]

The New Seed by Zera Vaughan Media in Sync / Orson / Sledge (2009) 55:00 minutes www.zeravaughan.com Review by Kate Russell Created alongside French producer/composer Cyril Morin, Zera Vaughan’s new album “The New Seed” is a time warp back to the early ’90s when moody, after-dark, trip-hop such as that played by predecessors such as [...]

Nature Angels by Andreas Paradise Music Ltd. (2009) 53:05 minutes www.paradisemusic.co.uk/www.paradisemusic.us.com Review by Kate Russell A celebration of Goddess energy, Andreas’ “Nature Angels” album is a story told through music; an escape into the world of the ‘little people’ and those stewards of nature they watch over. For those of you wondering what Nature Angels [...]

Love by Paul Avgerinos RoundSkyMusic.com (2009) 63:17 minutes www.roundskymusic.com Review by Kate Russell Seeing in technicolour, feeling goosebumps and a slowly spreading pleasant warmth. What`s this feeling? It`s “Love” by Paul Avgerinos. Touchingly dedicated to his parents, who Avgerinos credits with showing him “… by their selflessness and devotion, what true Love really is”, this [...]

Through Memory’s Perception by Transcend with Time (Mark M) Transcend with Time (2009) 62:00 minutes www.myspace.com/transcendwithtime Review by Kate Russell Listed on Transcend with Time’s myspace page, composer and musician ‘Mark M’ states that he would “like to do music for films, commercials etc”. I feel he should extend this list to making music for [...]

Drive Time Rx by Steven Halpern Steven Halpern/Inner Peace Music (2009) 69:12 minutes www.innerpeacemusic.com Review by Kate Russell Of all the types of albums one can review, ‘subconscious messaging’ types have to be the hardest. It seems that so much depends on subjective factors, such as personal suggestibility, or the severity of the problem one [...]

Ten Million Moons By Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits Mantralogy & Equal Vision Records Inc. (2009) 68:11 minutes www.gauravani.com / www.equalvision.com / www.mantralogy.com Review by Kate Russell Trying to make traditional forms of music more appealing to the mainstream is certainly a challenging prospect, especially when dealing with a form as ancient and obscure [...]