Ovtlier Debuts ‘Bulletproof’ Video

Posted on July 25, 2021 by philspicks

Ovtlier debuted the video for its latest single this week.

The band premiered the video for its single, ‘Bulletproof‘ Thursday through Decibel magazine. The video’s premiere comes less than a month after the band debuted the single by itself.

The video features the band performing its new single in what looks like the darkened corners of a warehouse and pairs that with footage of people taking their frustrations from their workplaces out against others in a fight club type setting. One of those people is a man who is being harassed by his boss despite doing his job the best he can. The other is a woman who has to endure being sexually harassed at her job.

According to information provided about the video, it features two fighters from Gladius Fights and Bomb Squad in the fight scenes. While the video features two people releasing their daily frustrations in such setting, the song’s lyrical theme is decidedly different, according to comments from front man Joey Arenas.

“We live in an age where everything has become politicized; from image to virus,” he said. “I have watched both bands and people label and segregate one another solely based on a difference of not character but opinion. We are force-fed so much false information by the media, although many are aware, we still have lost some humanity. I have grown impatient with the amount of ignorance and hypocrisy that spews from the puppets of this world. Anger would be an understatement. I look forward to the day people can look to grey area and realize there’s more to it all.”

Added Arenas, “‘Bulletproof’ is a call to my fellow man to remove the veils and look into the grey. These corrupt politicians are playing you. I don’t care what side you stand on or what bias feelings you hold to your “party”. I’m not left or right, up or down. I look at character and could care less about the empty promises and b******* they are selling to your emotions only to gain a vote. I refuse to be a pawn in their game.”

Arenas concluded, “We will never divide our audience based on age, sex, identity or politics, for our goal is to bring love and light together. Our “leaders” don’t want unity for that becomes a threat to agenda. I’m fed up. I want the old model to fall so we can build within its stead. It’s time for change and that starts with us.”

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Bulletproof’ immediately lends itself to comparison to works from Dry Kill Logic, Chimera, and Whitechapel. That is evidenced through the heavy, aggro-rock/metal style approach and sound to the song. The balance of the screams and clean vocals makes for comparisons to the likes of Tremonti and Sevendust.

In other news, Ovtlier is serving as support for Gemini Syndrome’s headlining tour this summer. The tour, which runs more than a month, launched July 9 in Salt Lake City, UT and is scheduled to run through Aug. 15 in Albuquerque, NM. It features performances in cities, such as Joliet, IL; Nashville, TN and Akron, OH.

The tour’s remaining schedule is noted below. A Killer’s Confession, and Pushing Veronica will also serve as support for the tour. Additionally, Fozzy will join the tour for one date in place of Pushing Veronica. Eva Under Fire will take Ovtlier’s place on at least two dates.

w/ Fozzy (No Pushing Veronica) †
Rock Fest + Upheaval Feativals (No Supporting Bands) ‡
w/ Eva Under Fire *direct support (No Ovtlier) #

More information on the band’s new single and tour dates is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ovtlier

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OvtlierBand

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://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.

Tremonti Premiere’s Video For New LP’s Lead Single

Posted on July 25, 2021 by philspicks

Tremonti premiered the video for the lead single from its forthcoming album this week.

The band debuted the video for its new single, ‘If Not For You’ Thursday. The single is featured in the band’s forthcoming album, Marching in Time, which is scheduled for release Sept. 24 through Napalm Records. Album pre-orders are open, and audiences who pre-order the album now will get the track as an instant grat download.

The album will release on a variety of platforms, all of which are noted below.

Marching In Time will be available in the following formats:
-CD Digipak
-Digital Album
-2LP Gatefold Black
-2LP Gatefold Pink Transparent (Napalm Mailorder Only – limited to 500)
-Die-Hard Edition: 2LP Marble Transparent Black + Guitar Pick + Print (Napalm Mailorder Only – limited to 500)
-Deluxe Box: Flag, Wristband & More! (Napalm Mailorder Only – limited to 500)

‘If Not For You’ is one of the heaviest songs that Tremonti — the brainchild of Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti — has released to date. It is a heavy, melodic hard rock opus that builds on everything that Tremonti himself has composed over the years as a member of Alter Bridge. This is especially evidenced in the song’s bridge, which finds Tremonti offering up a riff that can be argued to present some thrash influence. The contrast of that against the melodic hard rock approach of the rest of the song makes for an interesting overall presentation.

No information was provided as to the song’s lyrical theme in the press release distributed about the video’s premiere. A close listen is certain to generate its own share of discussion and interest. That is especially the case considering the chorus, in which Tremonti sings, “If not for you/Then I might be dead/So run while you can/I will follow from now/Until the end.” Additionally, the mention of leaving “here without a trace” and to “take me far from this place” pairs with the earlier note of someone else trying to “erase me once more” adds to some interest here. It is almost as if the song’s subject is one of those figures that is just completely reliant on someone other, almost to the point of desperation. This is all just the interpretation of this critic and should not be taken as the only interpretation.

The video for ‘If Not For You’ is more simple than the song’s lyrical theme. It features Tremonti and his band mates in a studio setting composed of video walls that play various, random images as the group performs its new single.

In other news, Tremonti has an extensive live schedule planned for the remainder of the year. The band is scheduled to tour with Sevendust and Lydia Can’t Breathe from September 3-26. Following that run, the band will take some time off to rest and recharge Daughtry, Sevendust, and Travis Bracht from Nov. 3 – Dec. 17.

More information on Tremonti’s new single, video, album, and tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://marktremonti.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkTremonti

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marktremonti

Maya Nichole Premieres New Single, ‘Miles Away’

Posted on July 24, 2021 by philspicks

Independent pop singer Maya Nichole debuted her latest single last month.

Nichole premiered her new single, ‘Miles Away’ June 22. The song features a reserved musical arrangement. It is a presentation whose subtle piano line, finger snaps, and vocals will immediately appeal to R&B fans and more specifically to fans of works from the likes of SZA, Tate Mcrae, and Jorja Smith.

The reserved nature in the song’s musical arrangement is paired well with the song’s lyrical theme, which according to Nichole, focuses on the familiar topic of a broken relationship.

“The lyrics of ‘Miles Away’ are from deep within and I hope you can feel some slight truth in that,” she said. “We have all likely found ourselves in love’s tragedy at one point or another in the part of life-journey we call love,” says Maya, “In this time in my life, I felt “Miles Away” from this person, myself, and love. This song allowed me to express that. This song helped me heal, as music so effortlessly does.”

More information on Maya Nichole’s new single is available online at https://www.instagram.com/realmayanichole.

The Deadnotes Premieres New Single, ‘Easy Summer,’ Companion Video; Announces New Tour Dates

Posted on July 24, 2021 by philspicks

The Deadnotes premiered its latest single and video this week.

The duo released its new single, ‘Easy Summer‘ and its video Monday. The song’s musical arrangement is a sort of pop punk style composition. To a point, it throws back to the pop punk of the late 90s and early 2000s. That is evidenced in the vocal harmonies in the chorus and in its pairing with the guitars.

No information was provided about the lyrical theme that accompanies the song’s musical content in the press release distributed about the song. However, a close listen reveals that the lyrical theme that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement is meant to send a positive, uplifting message of hope.

The song’s video features the duo in a variety of situations, such as playing tennis, enjoying a ride in a car, and atop a tower of sorts. The visuals, it would seem, are meant to help translate the song’s lyrical theme of enjoying life’s good things.

In other news, The Deadnotes have announce a new tour schedule. The tour, which is in support of the band’s 2020 album, Courage, is scheduled to launch today in Freiburg, Germany and to run through Sept. 17 in Heek, Germany, with stops along the way in cities, such as Colmar, France; Graz, Austria and Sursee, Switzerland. After that, the duo will take some time off before launching the next leg of its tour Feb. 12 in Oldenburg, Germany.

The tour’s schedule is noted below. Tickets are available here.

Summer 2021:

24.07. Freiburg (DE), ArTik

28.07. Innsbruck (AT), Talstation

29.07. Graz (AT), Music House

30.07. Wiener-Neustadt (AT), Triebwerk

31.07. Munich (DE), Backstage w/ Cadet Carter

01.08. Braunschweig (DE), Wolters Applaus Garten w/ Razz

06.08. Freiburg (DE), Kultur_Los! Festival

07.08. Fürth (DE), Sommer am Lindenhain

16.08. Dortmund (DE), JunkYard w/ Pabst

19.08. Sursee (CH), Kulturwerk 118

26.08. Colmar (FR), Festival Natala

27.08. Voitze (DE), Fill the Void Festival

17.09. Heek (DE), Open-Air Heek

‘Courage’ Tour 2021:

02.12. Oldenburg (DE), Umbaubar

03.12. Lübeck (DE), Blauer Engel

04.12. Copenhagen (DK), Underwerket

07.12. Paderborn (DE), Sputnik

08.12. Bonn (DE), Bla

09.12. Mainz (DE), Schon Schön

10.12. Jena (DE), Rosenkeller

13.12. Zürich (CH), Dynamo

17.12. Freiburg (DE), Waldsee

18.12. Rorschach (CH), Treppenhaus

More information on The Deadnotes’ new single, album, tour and more is available online now at:

Website: https://www.thedeadnotesofficial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeadnotesofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_deadnotes

Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems’ New LP Is A Shining Success

Posted on July 24, 2021 by philspicks

Wicked Cool Records has quietly become one of the leading names in the independent music community in the past year or so. New releases on the label from acts, such as Soraia, Jessie Wagner, and Marc Ribler have served well to support that statement. The release of Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems’ seventh album, Still Dirty, Friday solidifies that statement even more. The band’s debut record with Wicked Cool Records, it is easily a record that will appeal to a wide range of audiences. That is due in no small part to its musical arrangements. They will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes play their own part to the album’s appeal and will be discussed a little later. The record’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted here plays its own important part to the whole of the album’s presentation. All things considered, they make Still Dirty one more of this year’s top new independent albums.

Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems’ forthcoming seventh album (and debut for Wicked Cool Records) is a surprisingly impressive offering from the veteran independent collective. That is due in no small part to its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements in question are diverse. That is putting it lightly. From beginning to end of the approximately 34-minute presentation, audiences get such a wide range of sounds and styles from one to the next and even within themselves. There is a lot of neo-classic rock sensibility throughout, beginning right from the album’s outset in ‘She Likes to Party.’ The slide and talk box in this song pairs with the use of what sounds like a Hammond B-3 organ and Rodgers’ vocal delivery to really liken the song to works from the group’s label mate, Kurt Baker while also clearly taking influence from the likes of The Dobie Brothers and The Allman Brothers Band. By contrast, ‘Across The Galaxy,’ features a vocal performance by Rodgers that immediately lends itself to comparison to that of Alter Bridge front man Myles Kennedy. That against the string arrangement in this contemplative song, makes for a unique presentation in itself here. That pairing conjures thoughts of Barry Manilow’s timeless classic ‘Mandy’ (wild, huh?) while the use of the guitars, bass and drums alongside those elements also gives the song more of that neo-classic rock sensibility already established through the record’s first half. The contrast in that dichotomy makes this song interesting in its own right. On yet another note, the funky approach to ‘Don’t Turn Around,’ throws back to the soul and R&B sounds of Motown. Again, the organ plays a big part in that comparison. The use of the choral style vocals against that organ line and the ‘My Girl’-esque bass line and horns enhances the song even more while still ensuring the song boasts its own identity. The whole is a presentation that is yet another unique addition to the album’s overall musical body. When it is considered along with the other songs noted here and the rest of the album’s arrangements, the whole makes clear why the record’s musical diversity is so important to the album’s presentation. It is just one part of what makes the album engaging and entertaining. The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements makes for its own appeal.

The lyrical content that is featured in Still Dirty is important to address because on one level it follows one central theme – relationships – for the most part. On another level, the way in which that central theme is addressed makes it fully accessible. Audiences get songs of love found in songs, such as ‘She Likes To Party,’ ‘I’m Your Man’ and ‘Don’t Turn Around’ while ‘See You Again,’ and ‘Can’t Give It’ tale pm the relationship topic on the opposite end of that spectrum. Getting off topic a bit, the piano and strings in ‘See You Again’ pairs (once again) with Rodgers’ vocal delivery in this case to not only sound like Kennedy, but also Elton John. Interestingly enough, Rodgers and company do take on an Elton John classic in ‘Take Me To The Pilot.’ That song is yet another of the works featured in this record that takes on the so common theme of relationships. For all of the talk of relationships that dominates this record, it is not the album’s only theme. ‘Across The Galaxy’ is a deeply moving existential contemplation in which the song’s subject seems to contemplate his purpose in life. That in itself is a familiar theme across the musical universe. Because of that and how it is delivered, it proves just as accessible as the album’s other songs. ‘I Can Still Feel It’ is another existential type work. In this case though, the song’s subject is looking back while also looking forward, celebrating what has been and what is to come. The horns, organ and guitar pair with the vocals here (again, getting somewhat off topic) to make this song very similar to another even far more popular classic work. Audiences will be left to discover that similarity for themselves. On yet another note, ‘Tortuga,’ the album’s penultimate entry, is just a fun, random party type composition both musically and lyrically. It is another break from the more common theme of relationships that permeates the album. Between this song and the others examined here, the overall accessibility of Still Dirty’s lyrical content becomes clearer, as does the importance of that accessibility. When all of this is considered along with the album’s musical content, the whole makes the album that much more enjoyable. The collective content featured in Still Dirty is only part of what makes the album successful. The sequencing thereof brings everything together and completes the album’s presentation.

Still Dirty’s sequencing is important in part because it ensures the album’s content avoids any redundancy throughout its 10-song presentation. The musical styles and sounds change subtly from one song to the next, just enough to show the differences but still keep a certain feel throughout. The lyrical themes are, again, mostly the same throughout, but the way in which they are handled is just right. It ensures that even this aspect of the said element changes just enough throughout. On yet another hand, the sequencing also takes the album’s energy into account. For the most part, the album’s energy remains relatively high and up-beat. ‘Across The Galaxy,’ the album’s midpoint, serves as a good breakpoint for the album as it noticeably pulls the album’s energy back. Next to ‘See You Again,’ the album’s finale, it is the album’s only other reserved song. This song might have been better served by being moved up slightly by one or two tracks, but that is a moot point at this rate. Either way, it and ‘Across The Galaxy’ ensure collectively, the album’s energy does its own part to keep listeners engaged and entertained in the record. Keeping this overall importance of the album’s sequencing in mind along with the importance of the album’s content, the whole makes Still Dirty a great presentation and one more of this year’s best new independent albums.

Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems’ new forthcoming album Still Dirty is a surprisingly enjoyable offering. It is a presentation that will appeal easily just as much to the act’s established audiences as to newer listeners. That is due in part to its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements in question blend influences of classic and modern rock for some of its content. At other points, there is also some R&B and soul influence. At others still, there is a sort of pop influence infused into the music. That diversity offers plenty for audiences to appreciate in itself. The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements adds to the album’s appeal. That is because of its overall accessibility both in its themes and how those themes are presented. The sequencing of that collective content brings everything together, ensuring even more, audiences’ engagement and entertainment. That is because it changes things up just enough from one song to the next from beginning to end. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this album. All things considered, they make Still Dirty a success for Rodgers and company and for their new label home. Still Dirty is scheduled for release Friday through Wicked Cool Records.

More information on Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems’ new single and album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.kridrodgersmusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krisrodgersmusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/krodgersmusic

‘Rainbow In The Dark’ Leaves Readers Wanting More In The Best Way Possible

Posted on July 23, 2021 by philspicks

Ronnie James Dio is one of the most prolific figures in the modern history of music. That goes without saying. Dio fronted not one, not two, but three of the most famous and respected acts in the history of rock in Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and his own band. While not a physically large figure on stage, his persona more than made up for that. As his forthcoming autobiography, Rainbow in the Dark shows, his time with those bands are only a thumbnail of what is a much bigger overall career and life. Set for release July 27 through Permuted Press, the 244-page autobiography is a rich look at the first part of Dio’s life. The story featured therein serves as the book’s foundation and will be discussed shortly. The story’s transitions add to the story’s appeal and will be addressed a little later. The pictures that are incorporated into the story add a nice aesthetic element to the whole and round out the book’s most important elements. Each item noted is important in its own right to the whole of the book. All things considered, they make this book a welcome personal recounting of Ronnie James Dio’s life. It will leave audiences hoping that his widow, who compiled Dio’s writings for the book, will eventually release a follow-up that completes his story.

Permuted Press’ forthcoming Ronnie James Dio biography, Rainbow in the Dark is a book that every rock and hard rock fan will enjoy. Given, it is hardly the only biography or even autobiography ever released from any rock act, but is still fully enjoyable in its own right. Its engagement and entertainment comes in large part through its story. The story is told through Dio’s own words and starts in his childhood living in upstate New York. Right from the outset, audiences learn that ultimately, Dio’s grandparents are really to thank for him becoming a musician and performer. As he reveals here early on, they made Dio’s father and his siblings learn to play an instrument. His own father did the same to him, too, repeating history. If not for that, it is possible that Dio might have otherwise pursued a career in baseball. It was this fateful event that would set Dio on a lifelong course that would eventually see him and his band mates in Elf record for Deep Purple’s own Purple Records. Those recordings and tours with Deep Purple would eventually lead to the biggest part of his career. The stories that Dio shares along the way are, at times laugh-inspiring in the best way possible, and at other times so dramatic. Case in point is Dio’s recollection of the fateful night in which a crash involving a drunk driver claimed the life of one of his then band mates in Ronnie Dio and the Prophets and put his own life and that of another in jeopardy. One of the funnier recollections shared along the way comes as Dio shares how he used his stage name (as it turns out, Dio is not his real name. This will be left for audiences to learn for themselves. He was in fact Italian by direct descent) at a gig during his formative years and almost got himself tied up in the mob. Even later in the story, Dio shares another funny and albeit short anecdote about how he and Wendy Dio got used to living out of their suitcases while Dio was a member of Rainbow. Again it is only a short statement, but still will leave plenty of people laughing. Speaking of Wendy, she points out in the books preface that the story presented here culminates in her late, great husband debuting with his own band at Madison Square Garden in 1987. It also opens at that point before going back to Ronnie’s childhood. The whole story is so easy to read from start to finish because at no point do Ronnie’s notes try to be flowery. He uses simple language that is accessible to everybody. The result is that the story, which again spans 244 pages, can be finished in a day or two at the most. That accessibility and the equally engaging and entertaining stories do a lot to make this (hopefully first) part of RJD’s life and career so enthralling. The transitions that are used in telling his story play their own part in the story’s appeal.

The transitions that are used to help tell Ronnie James Dio’s story are so important because they are so clear and solid throughout the book. That is thanks to the way that Ronnie started and ended each of his writings. Those points perfectly connect the chapters. Add in clear division points that involve blank pages and pictures, and the whole makes the story progress that much more smoothly. Those blank pages and pictures are important because they feel almost like virtual commercial breaks within the story. They, together with the solid wording connecting the stories, completely ensure readers’ maintained engagement and entertainment, showing completely, the importance of the story’s transitions. Keeping all of this in mind, there is a lot for readers to alike about this story of Ronnie James Dio’s life and career. It still is just a portion of what makes the story so appealing. The noted pictures used between the chapters round out the story’s most important elements.

The pictures that are presented throughout Rainbow in the Dark are important because they honestly help to tell the story in their own right. Case in point is an early picture of Ronnie as a boy with his parents. Readers will note that Ronnie’s father is in a military uniform. That might help to explain the sense that Ronnie explains he got of his father. That sense in question is a determination to make sure one is one’s best self possible. That is a value that the military does in fact instill in its personnel young and old alike. A later picture of Ronnie with his band mates in Elf during the 1970s made them comparable to the look of bands, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, and others. Ronnie explains in the story that follows the story, a laugh-inducing anecdote about not wanting to cut those long locks, but seemingly having to in order to help market the band. It is another way in which the pictures tie in to the story to help enrich the reading experience. On another note, there is also a picture of Ronnie with Ritchie Blackmore in the early days of Rainbow backstage before a show. It helps to bridge two other chapters in which Ronnie talks about that part of his career. It is such a casual picture, clearly not staged. Together with his own words, it showed how happy Ronnie was at that time. Between these pictures and so many others, the pictures prove to tell the story here just as much as the story itself. Keeping this in mind along with the impact of the smooth transitions, the whole of these noted items makes Rainbow in the Dark a fully immersive, engaging and entertaining story of one of rock’s greatest figures.

Permuted Press’ forthcoming presentation of Rainbow in the Dark is a wonderfully engaging and entertaining look into the life and career of Ronnie James Dio. The story itself is told through Ronnie’s own words on pages up on pages of collected notes. The stories are at times laugh-inspiring and at others heartbreaking. Through it all, the stories are told simply, making the story fully accessible for readers. This is in itself, reason enough for audiences to read this story. The transitions that are used between the story[s chapters build on the appeal established by the story. That is because of their fluidity. The manner in which Ronnie ends and begins each story is the biggest part of that fluidity. The blank pages and pictures used between the chapters also play into that fluidity. That is because they allow readers a moment to take in everything before moving on to each chapter. Speaking of the pictures, they do well as visual aids, helping to tell the story just as much as Ronnie’s own words. In some cases, they add even more to the story. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of this book. All things considered, they make Rainbow in the Dark a story that will appeal to a wide range of readers. The book is scheduled for release next Friday, July 27, through Permute Press. More information on the book is available along with all of Dio’s latest news at:

Website: https://ronniejamesdio.com

Facebook: https://www .facebook.com/OfficialRonnieJamesDio

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OfficialRJDio

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.

Audiences Will Enjoy PBS, BBC’s Latest Trip To Africa In Their New Documentary

Posted on July 14, 2021 by philspicks

PBS and the BBC apparently have a thing for Africa. The networks have taken viewers to Africa and its many nations multiple times over the years. The networks’ trips have taken viewers to countries across the continent while examining the vast multitude of species that call the continent home. This past May, the networks partnered again for yet another trip back to Africa in the new documentary, Life at the Waterhole. As the title infers, the nearly three hour documentary focuses in this case on how various species interact at a water hole. PBS Distribution released the show on DVD last month. It is just as appealing in its home presentation as its television presentation. That is due in no small part to the general presentation. The cinematography that is featured throughout the show makes for its own appeal and will be discussed a little later. The program’s pacing rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted its important in its own way to the whole of Life at the Waterhole. All things considered, they make this program its own interesting presentation that is worth watching.

PBS and the BBC’s wildlife documentary, Life at the Waterhole, is a presentation that plenty of audiences will find worth watching. That is especially the case with the nearly three-hour program’s recent DVD release. It’s appeal comes in large part through its general presentation. The general presentation finds the program, which runs two hours, 45 minutes, separated into three separate segments, two of which run approximately 55 minutes and the third of which runs approximately 56 minutes. The segments follow host Dr. M. Sanjayan as he observes the role of watering holes for ecosystems in Africa. In this case, the waterhole is a man-made structure in a wildlife preserve in Tanzania. Over the course of six months, audiences join Dr. Sanjayan as he and his team of scientists as they observe the social habits of various animals who come to the waterhole. Viewers will find themselves just as interested to learn how animals change their habits with the changing seasons and their conditions. Additionally, viewers will find themselves just as interested to learn about the diversity of the species who utilize the waterhole. There are water buffalo, various species of birds, elephants, hyenas, giraffes, and so many others. According to Dr. Sanjayan, he and his cohorts record more than 100 species of animals over the course of six months at the waterhole. The changes in prey animals’ habits at the waterhole in relation to predators’ introduction is also engaging. Getting back to the story’s segmentation, this aspect works with the story to form a solid starting point for the program. That is because it allows audiences to follow all of the changes at their own pace. This is important to note because as simple as the story is, there is a lot of information in each segment. Anyone who tries to binge all three segments will find themselves mentally drained. To that end, this general presentation will encourage viewers’ engagement and in turn entertainment to a certain extent. That positive starting point is just one part of what makes this story worth watching. The cinematography is of its own importance to the show.

The cinematography featured in Life at the Waterhole is important because of its aesthetic value. Audiences are taken up close and personal at times thanks to cameras mounted in and around the waterhole. One is actually encased in a watertight dome at the water level. That allows for those up close views from that vantage point. The footage from that camera is unique just as is the footage from the cameras located above the waterhole and at its edge. There is even a camera mounted inside the blind that allows viewers to see what Sanjayan and company see – a paper wasp nest and even a swallow nest. As if that is not enough, the cameras even have night vision capability, thus allowing audiences to see how the animals interact at night. The footage is so vivid and rich in its color while the varied angles give audiences plenty of equally wonderful vantage points from which to take in the story. That expansive visual aid from the cinematography helps drive home everything that Sanjayan discusses in all three segments, ensuring even more, viewers’ engagement and entertainment. This aesthetic element pairs with the program’s general presentation to enhance the viewing experience even more. It is just one more aspect that makes the program worth watching. The program’s pacing rounds out its most important elements.

Life at the Waterhole’s pacing is important to examine because, again, of the program’s content and run time. As already noted, there is a lot of content to sort through over the course of two hours and 45 minutes. Thankfully, as in-depth as the content is in each segment, Sanjayan and company ensure that the breadth of information is not overpowering. Rather, they keep the story moving fluidly within each segment, connecting discussions on say, the weather and animals’ behavior smoothly. As a result, viewers who watch the program one segment at a time will find each segment so easy to follow. The engagement and entertainment ensured through the positive impact of the pacing pairs eventually creates an appreciation for the story, its general presentation and cinematography, too. That overall appreciation will leave viewers agreeing that as extensive as Life at the Waterhole is while another visit to Africa, still a visit worth taking.

PBS and the BBC’s new documentary, Life at the Waterhole is hardly the first time that either network has presented any wildlife program centered on animal life in Africa. Despite that, it is still a presentation that audiences will agree is worth watching. That is due in part to the documentary’s general presentation. In regards to the presentation, the nearly three-hour program is separated into three segments. Each segment clocks in at less than an hour. Even as in-depth as each segment is in terms of its information, that limited time and separation does its own part to encourage viewers’ engagement and entertainment. The cinematography featured in the program adds its own layer of appeal. That is because of how up close it brings audiences to the animals being observed by Dr. Sanjayan and his team of researchers. The editing used in the cinematography increases that appeal, too. Each segment’s pacing rounds out the most important aspects of this presentation. Considering the depth of content in each segment, the pacing was especially important to track. That is because of how easy it would have been for the program to get bogged down in itself. Thankfully that did not happen. Rather, the pacing remains fluid and solid in each segment, ensuring viewers’ engagement and entertainment even more. When this aspect is considered along with the impact of the program’s cinematography, story, and general presentation, the whole makes Life at the Waterhole a presentation that is another worthwhile trip to Africa from PBS and the BBC. Life at the Waterhole is available now. More information on this and other titles from PBS is available at:

Website: https://www.pbs.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pbs

Twitter: https ://twitter.com/PBS

More information on this and other programs from the BBC is available at:

Website: https://bbc.com

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Ribler’s New Album Is Awaiting And Deserves Attention From Audiences, Radio Stations Nationwide

Posted on July 13, 2021 by philspicks

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Marc Ribler has made quite the name for himself over the course of his career, having worked with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zant, and Paul McCartney. Now this Friday, Ribler is poised to take a big step forward in his career, going from a supporting role to that of front man with his new solo album, The Whole World Awaits You. The record, which has already produced three successful singles, could make Ribler a star in his own right given the right support as those singles show. They are just a few of the songs that serve to support the noted statements. ‘Without You,’ one of the album’s late entries, serves in its own way to show the album’s strength. It will be discussed shortly. ‘Manzanillo,’ which comes just past the album’s midpoint, is another example of how much the record has to offer. It will be examined a little later. ‘This Is How The Song Goes,’ the album’s finale, is another example of the album’s appeal. It will also be discussed later. Each of the songs noted here does its own part to show why The Whole World Awaits You is appealing. When they are considered with the album’s existing trio of singles and the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes the album a “whole” win for Marc Ribler and audiences alike.

Marc Ribler’s forthcoming solo album The Whole World Awaits You is a wholly successful new offering from the veteran singer/songwriter/guitarist. The album’s existing trio of singles goes a long way to support that statement. They are only some of the songs that show how much the album has to offer audiences. ‘Without You,’ which comes late in the album’s 12-song run, is also of note. The song’s musical arrangement is an instantly infectious composition that lends itself to comparison to works from Train just as much as from Tom Petty. Yes, those are two completely opposing acts, but are more alike than not, as this song shows. That is evidenced through the light use of the organ alongside the vocals and the equally subtle guitar, percussion and drums. The whole is a composition that is one of the album’s most radio ready works.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Without You’ does a lot to make the song appealing, and is just part of what makes it engaging and entertaining. The lyrical theme that accompanies the musical arrangement builds on that appeal even more. While the song’s title and some of its lyrics make it seem like a love song, the rest of the song proves to be more than just that. It also presents a social commentary of sorts in the song’s chorus that shames people on both sides of the aisle so to speak. That is evidenced as Ribler sings, “I don’t want to live in a world where everyone has an empty heart/I don’t want to live in a world where it still matters what color you are/I don’t want to live in a place where they watch every thing you say and do/I don’t want to live in a world without you.” On the one hand, yes, the romance aspect is there. At the same time, Ribler uses the opportunity to comment on the negative place that the world has reached; that place where we have to be so careful about every single thing that we say and do, and where our skin color still sadly matters so much. The romance aspect becomes more pronounced in the song’s lead verse, in which the song’s subject pronounces his/her love for that other person. This is made clear as Ribler sings, “Your love runs deep for me/Shows up in most everything/You lose your way and you fall down/I’ll be the one that you can count on/Help you understand/I’ll always be right there/You can let your feelings flow.” This is Ribler’s subject saying that things are bad in the world, but he/she will be there for that other person. It is a familiar lyrical topic in pop music, and is just as familiar in this case. The adoration for that other person continues in the song’s second verse and bridge, as the song’s subject praises and thanks that other person for being there. That accessible lyrical them and equally accessible musical arrangement is just as much of a positive addition to this album as the record’s singles. It is just one of so many examples of how much the album has to offer audiences, too. ‘Manzanillo,’ which comes just past the album’s midpoint, is another example of the album’s strength.

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Manzanillo’ makes the song stand out because it stands out in itself. Whereas so much of the music featured in The Whole World Awaits You blurs the line between neo-classical, Americana, pop and rock, this song’s arrangement is a distinctly Latin-tinged composition. The dual guitar line, horns, and drums work with the claves to take listeners to Cuba from years ago. Meanwhile, Ribler’s vocal delivery maintains a more American pop sound and stylistic approach. The whole here is so infectious in its own right. When it pairs with the song’s lyrical theme, the two elements make the song even more engaging and entertaining.

The lyrical theme featured in ‘Manzanillo’ itself comes across as a tribute to the history of the Latin culture. This is inferred as Ribler makes mention of the ancient Mesoamerican peoples and their culture. He even makes mention of history repeating itself if we are not careful, perhaps making reference to how those cultures were wiped out and how our current world is doing itself in, too. This is all this critic’s own interpretation of course. His mention of his mother coming to him in a dream and warning about thing happening “in this land” lends itself even more to that inference. Considering all of this, the song’s lyrical theme definitely stands out from its counterparts in this album. That originality and identity pairs with the unique presence of the song’s musical arrangement to make the song stand out even more, as a key addition to the album. It is just one more way in which the album shows its strength. ‘This Is How The Song Goes,’ which closes out the album, is yet another example of what makes Ribler’s new album stand out.

The musical arrangement in ‘This Is How The Song Goes’ is just as unique as those in the songs addressed here and the rest of the album’s songs. To a certain point, the blues, almost psychedelic approach and sound here conjures thoughts of The Doors. At the same time, listeners can also argue that there is a hint of influence from The Beatles in the song’s arrangement, considering the strings and vocal harmonies. Once again, it is completely unlike anything else featured in this record, making even clearer the importance of the album’s musical content. The song’s musical arrangement is just one part of its identity. Its lyrical theme is just as unique.

The lyrical theme featured in ‘This Is How The Song Goes’ is just as thought-provoking as the song’s musical arrangement. It opens with Ribler singing, “A tree fell in the forest with no sound/Some things go up/But don’t come down/Tomorrow’s just a day we’ll leave behind/Only precious time…” What follows is difficult to decipher sans lyrics to reference considering the overly subtle way in which Ribler sings here, but what is understandable shows the deep metaphorical language that Ribler uses here. The mention of things being “in your dreams” in the song’s chorus is just as metaphorical even when the song’s lyrics can be deciphered. That what little can be deciphered is itself cryptic is interesting enough. When the rest of the song can be deciphered, the whole proves just as cryptic, ensuring even more engagement and discussion. That engagement and discussion pairs with the song’s equally interesting musical arrangement to make the song in whole yet another clear example of why The Whole World Awaits You deserves so much attention. When the song in whole is considered with the other songs examined here, the album’s singles, and the rest of its works, the whole makes the album a powerful new outing for Marc Ribler that could be the start of a very big career for him, given the right support.

Marc Ribler’s forthcoming solo album, The Whole World Awaits You is a presentation that is awaiting and deserves attention from audiences and radio stations nationwide. It is a unique presentation that shows Ribler, who has spent so much of his career as a supporting musician to bigger names, is ready to take his own place in the limelight. That is proven through each of the album’s singles and the songs examined here. The album’s remaining songs serve just as much to support the noted statements. Between the record’s unique (and accessible) musical arrangements and equally accessible lyrical content, the whole offers audiences much to appreciate. All things considered, the album proves itself to be among the best of this year’s new independent albums. It is scheduled for release Friday through Wicked Cool Records.

More information on Marc Ribler’s new album is available along with all of his latest news at:

Website: https://www.marcribler.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcribler

Horisont Debuts ‘Sheldon Churchyard’ Cover

Posted on July 10, 2021 by philspicks

Horisont returned this week with some new music.

The neo-classic rock band debuted its cover of Larry Jon Wilson’s ‘Sheldon Churchyard’ Friday, along with a companion video for the cover. The song is the band’s first new music in more than year, following the release of its album, Sudden Death last year.

Horisont’s take on the classic country tune stays true to its source material for the most part. Where it changes comes in the atmosphere that the band adds to the song. Wilson’s original composition features more of a bluesy style sound and stylistic approach. Meanwhile, Horisont’s take on the song infuses its more familiar neo-classic rock influence along with a touch of stoner rock to the whole to make the song a unique presentation.

More information on Horisont’s new take of ‘Sheldon Churchyard’ is available along with all of Horisont’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.horisontmusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/horisontmusic

Prey For Sunday Debuts More Music From Its New EP

Posted on July 10, 2021 by philspicks

Independent rock band Prey For Sunday debuted its latest single this week.

The band debuted its new single, ‘Broken Hearted Man’ and its video Thursday. The song — available to stream and download through Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music — is the latest single from the band’s self-titled EP, which was released in February. The band premiered the EP’s lead single, ‘Don’t Let It End‘ and its video the same day as the EP’s release.

The lyrical content featured in ‘Broken Hearted Man’ is autobiographical according to front man Tony Persico.

“The Song Broken Hearted Man is a true story based on the life of my brother Justin Persico,” he said. “He’s my younger brother, so that was fun, but anyone who has brothers know what I mean. Let’s just say it can go both ways quick. The story follows us as we were teens growing up in Seneca IL. It’s a coming of age kinda tale I guess.”

Added Persico, “Most times were good, but when drugs and drinking started happening on the reg it also simultaneously started us down a wrong path and at times the video depicts what that was like too see your younger brother who you love, slip into that hard place; a hard place that’s also very difficult too be delivered from. This was a hard story to tell, a familiar story that I’m sure people have probably went threw themselves. As time goes on and a ton of arguments and fights later – as he’s being pulled through the wall its a reminder too us all that your prayers will breakthrough.”

The song’s video reflects Persico’s story. It features Persico and his band mates performing the new single atop a skyscraper and in a dimly lit studio setting. As the band performs the single, another figure is seen sitting at a table, drinking large amounts of alcohol. Eventually, the studio setting is shown separated by a wall, which Persico destroys with a baseball bat before taking the other man’s (his brother) hand, singing about how much his brother means to him.

The musical arrangement that accompanies the song’s autobiographical nature pairs well with that story. That is because it is an emotionally heavy song. It is largely unlike that of ‘Don’t Let It End,’ which is far more up tempo.

More information on Prey For Sunday’s new single and video is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.preyforsunday.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Prey-For-Sunday-1609843975718806

Twitter: https://twitter.com/preyforsunday

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