CD Reviews
Your friends and family love your tunes, but you’re dying for an objective viewpoint? I’ve met countless musicians who want nothing more than a straight-forward, articulate response from a true music lover. But it isn’t just an opinion you’re getting, the CD Review service also helps build your Press Kit, adding quotes from an established music journalist with credits in JamBase, 1340 The Mag, HypeZine, and many more. Check out a few of my samples below:
http://www.jambase.com/headsup
http://www.hypezine.com
Here’s a sample of what you’ll be getting, and also a great example of how to use the review on your website, MySpace, or CD Baby page:
Garry Segal
Taking Notes
By Trevor Dye
FREE Magazine, JamBase.com, HypeZineAfter receiving critical acclaim for his work with Garry & The Moodswingers, Garry Segal is entering the realm of solo act, well, sort of. Taking Notes, his 2008 solo debut, is a collection of Segal’s original compositions, but he is accompanied on the album (and often in live shows) by the To Dye For Band. The band is a collaboration of friends Segal has amassed over his 25 year playing career, and the collective credentials are astonishing; to name a few: Jeff Pevar from Crosby Stills & Nash and Phil Lesh & Friends, Phil Rosenthal from Seldom Scene, saxophonist Collin Tilton from Van Morrison’s Moondance, and Grammy Award winning dobro player Stacey Phillips. Segal adds vocals and acoustic guitar for all the tracks on the album, along with a bit of his renowned harmonica playing on “Cartwheels” and “Everything’s Jake.”
Taking Notes bleeds Americana, with an intoxicating blend of uptempo blues and soulful bluegrass that would fit nicely in the juke box of any down n’ out, PBR serving dive bar. The good ole’ boy quality in Segal’s sound is evocative of late Springsteen. But at times, his strong blues influence sends his vocals a little more along the lines of Van Morrison circa Astral Weeks. As a personal fan of whistling, I was especially pleased to hear the whistle intro/exit for “I Keep Drinkin” (probably the best candidate to be added into the aforementioned dive bar juke box). This nod to the drinkers is my favorite track on the album, and the combination of Segal’s raw vocals, Steve Roane’s heavy baseline, and Tilton’s smooth sax, artistically portrays the melancholic world of well whiskey and a burdened heart. Segal’s musicianship - especially the free-flowing harmonica work that would put a smile on the face of any Dylan fan - makes his solo worth seeing, but if you have the chance to catch him backed by any combination of the To Dye For Band, don’t pass it up. Garry Segal’s Taking Notes is a surprisingly great solo debut.
Click ‘Music‘ under categories to see a sample of a few of my reviews
As Senior Writer for ReviewYou.com for the past year and as a freelance writer for several prominent online music magazines, I’ve had the opportunity to write about some truly talented emerging musicians. With every review I write, I become intimate with the music and attempt to help others understand the message the artist is trying to convey. I’m first and foremost a music lover, and a writer a close second, so when combining the two I become fully absorbed in the process.
