Albums From Across The Musical Universe Proved Themselves Among 2022’s Top New Albums

Posted on December 31, 2022 by philspicks

As the final hours of 2022 tick away and all eyes and hopes look forward to 2023, there is still a little bit of time to look back on the year that is now ending in regards to the year’s top new albums. This year produced so many impressive new albums across the musical universe, from rock to rap to jazz, blues, classical, world, and even family music, as Phil’s Picks has shown. Looking at all of those genres, many of them have produced records that are clearly among the best of the best, and they are presented here in the last of this year’s new music lists.

This year’s list of the year’s top new albums includes Machine Head’s new album, Of Kingdom and Crown, percussionist Tom Collier’s new album, The Color of Wood, and even Pimps of Joytime’s new album, Reachin’ Up among so many others. Between these and all of the other albums included in this final music list for the year, it is clear that this year’s overall field of new music was rich with enjoyable content. It made creating this list so difficult, but the list was created, nonetheless.

As with each Phil’s Picks list, this one consists of the year’s top 10 new albums and five additional honorable mentions for a total of 15 titles. The top 10 records are the best of the best and the honorable mentions are records that are appealing in their own right and deserving of attention, too, thus their inclusion here. Without any further ado, here is Phil’s Picks’ 2022 Top 10 New Albums of the Year.

PHIL’S PICKS 2022 TOP 10 NEW ALBUMS

Bloodywood – Rakshak
Danilo Perez – Crisalida
Derek Sherinian – Vortex
Machine Head – Of Kingdom and Crown
Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music – Variants of Vibe
Devin Townsend – Light Work
Joe Satriani – Elephants of Mars
Sabaton – The Symphony to End All Wars
Pimps of Joytime – Reachin’ Up
Tom Collier – The Color of Wood
The Jorgensens – Americana Soul
Mark Tremonti – Tremonti Sings Sinatra
Playing For Change Band – The Real Revolution
Old Crow Medicine Show – Paint The Town
Bobby Watson – Back Home in Kansas City

That’s it for this year’s new music year-enders. There is still time for at least a couple of TV pieces to go through before the year officially ends, so stay tuned!

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

New Independent Albums Helped Make 2022 A Great Year For Music Lovers

Posted on December 31, 2022 by philspicks

Today’s independent music act could very well be tomorrow’s hit name in the mainstream. One never knows. All it takes is the right support from radio and audiences and of course being in the right time and place to make it happen. Even if an act does not make it to the mainstream masses does not mean said act is not worth hearing. As a matter of fact, many independent acts are just as good as their mainstream counterparts if not better. To that end, even they deserve their own attention at each year’s end, and that is why Phil’s Picks provides a list of the year’s top new independent albums each year, too.

This year’s list of top new independent albums bring together independent albums from the worlds of rock, pop, and even jazz, showing just how much great independent music continues to be released even this year. This year’s list is topped by Indian nu-metal outfit Bloodywood. The band is joined here by the likes of Mythosphere — which features former members of Fates Warning, Pale Divine, and Beezlefuzz — as well as jazz artist Kevin Cerovich and others.

As with each list from Phil’s Picks, this list features the year’s top 10 new albums plus five additional honorable mentions, for a total of 15 records. These lists are never easy, so no disrespect is meant to the honorable mention titles. They deserve just as much credit as the top 10 records considering their overall content.

Keeping that in mind, here without any further ado is Phil’s Picks’ 2022 Top 10 New Independent Albums.

PHIL’S PICKS 2022 TOP 10 NEW INDEPENDENT ALBUMS

Bloodywood – Rakshak
Pimps of Joytime – Reachin’ Up
Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music – Variants of Vibe
Ginger Wildheart and The Sinners – Ginger Wildheart and The Sinners
Soraia – Bloom
Mythosphere – Pathological
Kevin Cerovich – Aging Millenial
As Within, So Without – Salvation
Artifas – Reflections
Gill Brothers Band – Gill Brothers Band
American Thrills – Parted Ways
Standards – Fruit Town
Kulick – Everyone I Know Will Die
Dancing on Tables – Colour in the Grey
The L.A. Maybe – Dirty Damn Tricks

One more down and one more to go before the attention turns to the realm of TV and movies. Stay tuned!

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music Debuts New Single, ‘Standing In The Dark’

Posted on January 15, 2022 by philspicks

Musician/author Mickey Leigh and his band mates in Mutated Music debuted their latest single this week.

The group debuted the new single, ‘Standing in the Dark‘ Thursday. The song is the latest single from the group’s forthcoming album, Variants of Vibe, which is scheduled for release Feb. 18. ‘Standing in the Dark is the eighth (yes, eighth) single from the 14-song record. Audiences can pre-order the album here.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Standing in the Dark’ is an instantly infectious composition. The upbeat tempo and harmonies immediately lend themselves to comparison to some of the best works from Tom Petty. At the same time, the song manages to maintain its own identity along the way.

No information was provided about the song’s lyrical theme in the press release announcing its debut. No lyrics are provided with the song on YouTube, either. What can be inferred from what can be deciphered without lyrics is that the song’s lyrical theme seems to focus on someone trying to find direction in life. That is just this critic’s interpretation.

More information on Mickey Leigh and Mutated Music’s new single is available along with all of the group’s latest news at:

Website: http://mickeyleigh.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MickeyLeigh

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Mickey Leigh Announces New Album Details, Debuts New Single

Posted on November 26, 2021 by philspicks

Musician/author Mickey Leigh and his band mates in Mutated Music will release their new album this winter.

The band is scheduled to release its new album, Variants of Vibe Feb. 18 through Wicked Cool Records. In anticipation of the record’s release, the band debuted the record’s latest single Friday in the form of ‘No Fun.’ The song is the record’s seventh single. Audiences can check out all seven of the record’s singles and pre-save/pre-order the album now here.

Leigh talked about the group’s new single in a prepared statement.

“It’s not uncommon for songwriters to steal bits and pieces from either their musical contemporaries or past influences,” said Leigh. “Not that I’m a big fan of his, but I decided to steal a line written by an old Roman Emperor. “Veni, Vidi, Vici” = I came, I saw, I conquered,” said Julius Caesar. The Queens (NY) interpretation – or, at least, mine – is: I came, I saw, you’re no fun anymore. Whatever it might be: if you realized something was a danger to you and left it behind -before it kicked yours – fair to say you “conquered” it. In this song, it’s a healthy conquering. You came and saw it was time to conquer that demon. Don’t sue me, Caesar!”

In regards to the album, Leigh had the following to say:

“Like every organic entity, music is perpetually re-adapting itself in order to survive = mutating. As we know, things we create also variate as they mutate. Mutated Music is what we are. Our new album presents a Variant of Vibe. This may sound complicated, but, it’s only rock n roll. and we love it and don’t want to see it become extinct! Mutated Music = Rescuing Rock ‘n Roll, One Song At a Time.”

The musical arrangement featured in Leigh and company’s new single is a direct throw back to the rock and pop rock songs that formed the foundation of today’s rock industry. There are hints of The Who here as well as influences from Huey Lewis & The News. Yes, it seems like quite the contradiction of sounds, but it is there and it works well here.

More information on Mickey Leigh and Mutated Music’s new single and album is available along with all of the group’s latest news at:

Website: http://mickeyleigh.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MickeyLeigh

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music Debuts ‘Little Cristine’ Video

Posted on August 4, 2020 by philspicks

Musician/author Mickey Leigh and his band mates in Mutated Music debuted the video for their latest single over the weekend.

The group debuted the video for its new single ‘Little Cristine‘ Friday. The video features the group performing its new single against a CG created backdrop of a subway alongside footage of the band in studio. Additional video effects are incorporated, such as multiple clones of Leigh himself in some scenes.

Courtesy: Wicked Cool Records

The song’s musical arrangement presents a sound that is easily comparable to works from the likes of The Ramones. That should come as no surprise since Leigh’s brother is none other than Joey Ramone. On another even more intriguing note, Leigh’s own vocal delivery conjures thoughts of fellow famed singer Huey Lewis, as do some of the song’s guitar riffs. It sounds like an odd combination, but it works very well here.

“For all the blabbering about politics and messages, I haven’t lost sight of what attracted me to rock ‘n’ roll and why it was love at first sight — the fun,” he said. “I miss fun rock ‘n’ roll songs. So, I was inspired enough to write one about a guy and his girlfriend having fun. Can you imagine that? It’s called “Little Cristine,” and we did have fun. It’s Mutated Music. I’m working on rescuing rock n roll — one song at a time.”

The debut of ‘Little Cristine’ and its companion video comes less than a month after Leigh and company debuted the video for their then latest single ‘Two Kinds Of Law.

Leigh talked about the song’s topic in a recent interview.

The concept that there are “two kinds of law- one for the rich, and one for the poor,” is not exactly one that came about recently,” he said. “I first heard those words many decades ago, in a book and film called “In Cold Blood”, and, though said in different words, in a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. I just, recently, felt compelled to write a song about it. Very compelled.”

“The importance of “equality” and “justice for all” has come to the forefront of our lives like never before and, it’s a message that needs to be repeated…repeatedly,” he added. “There aren’t many ways to repeat a message repeatedly without boring people to tears, aside from immersing it in a catchy chorus and irresistible rhythm.”

Much as is the case in the group’s new single, the musical arrangement at the center of ‘Two Kinds of Law’ features its own throwback sound. It takes listeners back to the rock and roll from the golden age of the genre, the 1970s.

More information on Mickey Leigh and Mutated Music’s new single is available along with all of the group’s latest news at:

Website: http://mickeyleigh.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MickeyLeigh

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Tag Archives: Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music

Albums From Across The Musical Universe Proved Themselves Among 2022’s Top New Albums

New Independent Albums Helped Make 2022 A Great Year For Music Lovers

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music Debuts New Single, ‘Standing In The Dark’

Mickey Leigh Announces New Album Details, Debuts New Single

Mickey Leigh’s Mutated Music Debuts ‘Little Cristine’ Video