John Apice

New Jersey

Article Writer, Features Writer and Music Reviewer at Americana Highways

Features Writer at Freelance

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Articles

REVIEW: Emanuel Casablanca “Hollywood Forever”

1 week ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Emanuel Casablanca – Hollywood Forever Brooklyn’s Emanuel Casablanca has been described as an artist redefining blues-rock. But we’ll maintain the blues are the blues & what’s reshaped is the artist & his presentation. If you “redefine” the blues, what happens is what happened to country music. It morphed into Nashville pop music with a cowboy hat. The country timbre became kindling. The “blues” isn’t supposed to be upbeat & happy. It’s the blues.
REVIEW: Caitlin Cannon “Love Addict”

1 week ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Caitlin Cannon – Love Addict This is an interesting set as Caitlin Cannon makes a viable attempt to take a vintage musical genre & not so much present it with her own pop swing but recreate it in a more unique setting. This is brave because many aficionados of Country can be fickle. However, Gram Parsons had earlier added a tint of rock to his country by leaving the traditional ghosts in place.
REVIEW: Ron Sowell “Dance Till The Music Stops”

1 week ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Ron Sowell – Dance Till The Music Stops This set is a diversified showcase. Traditional to modern is featured with certain varieties of music that don’t always mesh, but Ron Sowell has a balanced approach — a mix of flavors including folk to jazz, R&B to samba & conjunto to creole. Quite a deep dip for a skillful artist navigating his 4th studio LP.
REVIEW: The Gospel Plowboys “Something To Be Said”

1 week ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

The Gospel Plowboys – Something To Be Said While most songs touch on religious aspects, the music & performance are generally captivating to bluegrass aficionados. The veteran group name states they are a gospel group, so the melodies will be inspiring & that’s a good thing. But that upbeat picking is attractive & though it isn’t a gospel approach in the Mahalia Jackson tradition, it has its richness. This is more fertilized & rooted bluegrass planted in the soil of country-gospel.
REVIEW: Emily Zuzik “age & alchemy”

2 weeks ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Emily Zuzik – age & alchemy EP Well, it can’t be said that some of the younger artists recording today independently haven’t learned their blues, alt-country & thrill of rocking out on an opening tune. But Los Angeles-based Emily Zuzik certainly didn’t miss any classes in this genre.
REVIEW: Eva Hillered “Take Me Home”

2 weeks ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Eva Hillered – Take Me Home I usually don’t agree with the consensus of what other writers compare an artist to or what a singer sounds like or closely resembles. However, I must agree that in some respects Eva Hillered does indeed have an early career persuasive Joni Mitchell style (“Take Me Home”) – but, on that title track there’s lots of intonation & tone closer to prime Petula Clark (“Downtown” “A Sign of the Times”) as well.
REVIEW: Mason Via – Self-titled • Americana Highways

3 weeks ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Mason Via – Self-Titled Mason Via was the youngest member of the Grammy-nominated Old Crow Medicine Show. This solo set digs more deeply into the influence he aspired to through his exposure to old-time Appalachian music & progressive bluegrass. Mason was raised in two mountain towns between Virginia & North Carolina, so these musical genes are inherited.
REVIEW: Tim Gartland “Right Amount of Funky”

3 weeks ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Tim Gartland – Right Amount of Funky This is Tim’s 6th LP since 2011 & he mixes it up jubilantly with blues, soul, roots rock & reggae. Each song has its message or story rather than just tunes to “create a groove.” The songs do have their own way of maintaining liveliness & intensity. The Ohio-born & Nashville-based Gartland has been listening to the blues since he was 13 & he’s quite proficient.
REVIEW: Sawyer Fredericks “No Need To Wonder”

3 weeks ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Sawyer Fredericks – No Need To Wonder As usual, Sawyer Fredericks instinctively amasses a good collection with a voice that sounds like it started singing during the Civil War era. I’m convinced he would’ve had a place in The Band if they ever needed a distinctive rural voice. “Lonely Bear” is a back porch homegrown beauty. The instrumentation is woven with threads of spirit & polish. Some tunes here are superior to his earlier work, while his reliable old-fashioned intonation.
REVIEW: Sean Harrison “Ghastly Love and other Dubious Tales”

3 weeks ago | americanahighways.org | John Apice

Sean Harrison – Ghastly Love and other Dubious Tales This set starts in a tight groove & the seasoned Mr. Harrison slides into base with all the ease of a Robert Palmer on “Good Cover Story.” The difference? Sean has a bit of a street-wise tone to his narrative. Palmer was suave. Sean’s voice has clarity, but it doesn’t detract from the sincerity in his varied material. Midway through, it goes J.J. Cale, which is a nice shift in style.