Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

Leon Bridges Coming Home Vinyl LP (click here) Leon Bridges has put out one of the most soulful albums I’ve heard in a long time. But it wasn’t until I paid attention to “River” that I truly fell in love with the ideas pushed on the record. It’s in this song, that the nature of love is captured. But not just emotional connections with someone, but rather a larger scope. Obviously, music means different things to different people, lyrics can mean something but end up painting something else. For me, it is the structure of “River” that gets me every time. A simple man’s song turns into a beautiful, soulful institution. It’s not just about love for someone else, if you think about it. You can think about it in terms of God, losing a loved one, church, sanctuary, or just home. I recall that in 2011 when I stepped off an airplane headed home, divorced, saddened, and lost, a song could bring me hope. Little did I know that the soundtrack for that memory would be this. It’s in the lyr...

Ok, so I didn’t cry, but wow, what a voice. Thorne’s “The Parade” is one of the most incredible songs I’ve heard in a long time. It’s powerful, and it features incredible lyrical elements, amidst tracking that is nothing short of breath taking. At the chorus point I was completely enthralled with this track, and I could see it play through the moments of my life. I could see moments of happiness, sadness, and introspection come through as I listened to the beauty come through the speakers. I absolutely love the mix here, with passionate singing and percussion that comes through with acoustic guitar work. I am completely impressed by the ease of the musical landscape painted here, as it truly shines with such an easy going attitude. At the second minute, I found myself in a whole new world of music. “I want you to cry”, the lyrics come through and hit me hard. Thorne has a way of singing to me, as if I were the only one in the audience, and that’s the sign of an incredible artist. W...

During my days, I listen to a lot of fast, hard, and obnoxious music. But every now and again I will slow things down and listen to some slower tunes. DigMarie came on my playlist and completely turned my day upside down. The vocal presentation mixed with the lyrical elements all play so well together. They put my cats at ease (I have 4), and got me daydreaming. There is a sweetness to the vocals that you get when you hear this talented singers voice. There’s a gentle spirit that comes forth on tracks like “Lost In You” and it’s sincerity that tugs at your heart, and whispers in your ear. It’s a seduction that is played with such a compelling elemental design. As you move forward with more tracks from DigMarie, you start to realize that there’s a lot more talent than you may have first realized. There’s depth to the tracks, and as you traverse the different layers of the music, you get that same vibe that you received when you first learned about many other mainstays in the music i...

I was introduced to Sienná through the first musical notes on the upcoming single “I Know Why”, and was completely stunned. There’s something elegant about the musical production at first glance. You’ll hear a very melodic point, before you are lead down a line of singing and other elements that create a lavish picture. It’s this ethereal relationship that comes through with vocals and sound design that is really well done. It’s got a mix of pop, electronic, digital, and organic sounds that work very well here. You really get this compelling sound and design that flows so well together. You are not going to be disappointed upon listening as it starts to become clearer through the track. By minute 2, you are enthralled, you are in love, and you can’t let go. There’s a symbiosis at work here, something that only the best artists can produce, and that’s iconic here. It’s not a noisy track, it’s moody, it’s eclectic, and it is definitely one of the better sounding songs I’ve heard in a...