A chance meeting leads to an amazing musical duo with The A.M.s

In 2019 on Piano Day, Adrian happened to tune Mariko’s piano. He asked if she wanted to play together; she said maybe. Realizing she might be able to return to her long-lost passion, music, they connected and started rehearsing with the hopes of playing out.

And then the pandemic happened.

But that didn’t stop Adrian and Mariko. They kept playing and sending ideas and soon after had a catalog of 50+ songs, which led to their first album, “Ignite the Sky.” In this episode, we talk about the origin of the A.M.s and how the experience has allowed them to grow as artists. We examine the story of “Ignite the Sky,” which chronicles Mariko’s journey of finding her birth parents during COVID, while processing the events and struggles of 2021 in quarantine. We also see how the two—despite living several hundred miles apart, have been able to play out now and again.

Following this, enjoy the single, “Ignite the Sky.” I really enjoyed this entire album, and hope that you check it out.

The mind behind Gold Light Hour talks new styles and bringing music to the big screen

From playing in an alt-country band to the atmospheric styles of his current project, Gold Light Hour, Christ Gutierrez has taken on a number of genres. In this interview, we talk about the varied and unique sounds of Gold Light Hour and his DIY, self-taught approach. He's recently been back on stage courtesy of the good folks at Tiny Oak Booking and we go into what a show with him sounds and looks like.

Chris and I dive into his new album, “Music of Sex and Horror,” and all the cool stories behind the music. Chris hopes to get into the film scoring field, and we talk what kinds of movies would be the best fit. I'll bet you can never guess his answer.

Following this, enjoy two tracks from the new album, “Morph,” followed by “Warm.”

A Heaven for Heretics” gives us a lifetime of tales in 10 songs

 

Kristian Montgomery is back, giving us more of his gritty, passionate, no-nonsense style that made “Prince of Poverty” such a hit. This new, 10-track album gives us an assortment of both styles and stories, something I’ve come to expect from this artist.

Kristian has always been brutally honest in his music, holding nothing back in the lyrics and giving his all with each tune. Songs like “I’ll Break Your Heart Again” could very well be autobiographical, such is the intensity and emotion of the vocals.

 

Let’s shift a bit to the style. Kristian blends country, rock, and some folk elements to give us a layered sound. While “I’ll Break Your Heart” again is a more mellow song, “Times Like These” is one move to and it’s defiantly a favorite. “Ain’t Got Nobody But Me” follows suit, and it’s a sound that I love to hear.

 

I really enjoyed the journey portrayed in “If I Live to See Virginia” and it’s this song that exemplifies Kristian’s journeyer type of music. You feel like you’re exploring someone else’s life and the details bring everything into sharp relief. Whether the trip is a physical one or of the soul, it’s an experience that’s hard to forget. 

 

“Peach” is the perfect closer for this album—high-tempo, with a foot-tapping, head-nodding melody. The album as a whole is genuine, skillful, and a real pleasure to hear. 

https://kristianmontgomeryandthewinterkillband.bandcamp.com/album/a-heaven-for-heretics

Constellation Myths debut a new sound with “Everything and Time”

We're back in Boston for this episode, talking with the band Constellation Myths. Band members Josh Goldman, Justin Kehoe, and Molly Seamans share their past work and how it changed to this new Americana sound.

Josh and Justin have a lengthy career in the Boston music scene and talk about what they had to learn for this new project. Molly talks about how she came to be in the band and her own musical experience, which includes playing in the band Tom Thumb.

We also talk about the theme of the tension between city and country and how it's shown in the lyrics and the music, as well as when live shows for the band could happen.

Following this, I've got two of the band's songs for you—“It Would' ve Been Enough” followed by “Suffer.”

Prateek and I reconnect to talk about his new music's different directions

It's been a few years, but Boston-based singer-songwriter Prateek is back! A lot has been happening over the last few years, including the release of his debut album, “The Band’s All Gone,” a live recording at Q Division Studios. We also look at his newest single, “Wrong” and the difficult time from Prateek's younger days that inspired the song.

Prateek has been public about his struggles with mental illness, and in this interview we take a deep dive into it. He talks about how it's affected him as well as the help he's gotten. One of the takeaways from this discussion is that help is always available.

We also look at the last year and it's impact on the Boston music scene. Prateek talks about a year without shows and how he's moved his creative energies in new directions, including establishing a Patreon page and doing a number of livestream shows.

After this, enjoy two of Prateek's singles, “All The Stars,” followed by “The Gang's All Gone.”

Charlotte Young talks debuting her music amidst the pandemic

UK-based country artist Charlotte Young kicked off her music career in early 2020, just as live music came to a halt worldwide. Her debut album “Blown Away” has gotten a great response, and on May 4, “Coffee and Conversations” will be released. We talk about how she got her start in music and what it was like to launch at a time when social media was the only promotional tool available.

Charlotte and I talk about her style, which ranges from chill folk-infused tunes to pure rock goodness. She shares stories from her early days playing cover songs and what led her to release her own music. Her most recent single, “On The Loose,” was made with fellow UK artist Georgia Nevada, and Charlotte talks about what it was like working with her.

Following this, enjoy “Whiplash,” Charlotte's debut single.

Lewis Ciavarella shows us how to be productive in a pandemic

Lewis Ciavarella

BONUS—Tara Kelly talks about the adventure of making her new music video


It's a mix of musical styles in this episode. To start off, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Lewis Ciavarella has been up to quite a bit over the last year. He talks about what it was like when live shows stopped being an option and how he kept things moving forward.

He's got a new album out called “Two” and the electro/pop styles are really something. We talk all about his development as an artist, which has included a lot of time spent busking as well as working with Kelly Rowland following an appearance on The Voice.




Plus, we've got another bonus interview for you. Tara Kelly, who hails from Los Angeles, has a new music video out for her single “The River.” This song is based on a real-life cheating boyfriend, and actor Hunter Garner brings his A-game to the production. We also look at some unexpected hiccups and how the creative crew worked around them.

Following Lewis' interview, enjoy his single, “New Sun,” and at the end of the show, kick back with Tara's “The River.”

Actor/musician Michael Cooke talks being on set and how the pandemic kicked off his new album

Who says that the pandemic can't have a silver lining?

Michael Cooke's career in the stage and screen was well underway (including a role in a new Netflix movie!) when COVID-19 brought such productions to a screeching halt. Undeterred, he decided to use the free time to learn the skills needed to break into music. The result—his new album, “Doin Alright,” a powerful and uplifting collection of songs.

Michael and I dive deep into how his foray into becoming an Olympic athlete led to working on dozens of plays, films, and television shows. He talks about meeting one's heroes as well as those in the industry that he'd love to work with.

We also look at his debut album, and his first time in the recording studio. Michael talks about the message he hopes to pass on through his music.

Following this interview, enjoy “Loosing My Mind For Nothing,” from the debut album.

Zachary Kibbee shares how his work has been featured in movies, TV, and much more

If you're a fan of the Marvel series of shows, then odds are you've heard the work of Zachary Kibbee. He's my guest in this episode and his work can be heard in over 100 shows, movies, and ads. We talk all about that and the changes that it allowed him to make, including quitting his day job and becoming a full-time musician.

Zachary's got a new album out, “Life in Low Fidelity,” and we look at some of the new sounds he's using, with much of the work done in his home studio. It's a big investment, but one that he said paid off big time in allowing him more freedom when it comes time to record.

Following this, I've got a track off the new album, “Somewhere to Put My Gold.” I really loved the intensity and diversity of sounds he uses, and as he said, you can't just keep making the same song.

Natalie Joly keeps the music going amidst the pandemic

In this interview, Wakefield-based solo artist Natalie Joly unveils her new single, “Running Circles,” which drops on Nov. 6. Recorded during the pandemic, this song took Natalie in some new directions, which she goes into, as well as her plans for releasing it with shows and tours not on the menu.

Natalie is a full-time musician, and she defines what that means and how it goes far beyond playing at clubs and going on tour.

Following this, enjoy two of her songs, “You Oughta Know,” followed by the new single “Running Circles.”

Leah Belle Faser talks about the stories behind her songs in her debut EP

In this recording of an Instagram Live interview on Oct. 8, Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Leah Belle Faser and I talk about her debut EP, “Crossing Hermi's Bridge.” 

Set to be released on Oct. 16, this album this seven-track album includes relationships gone both right and awry and the comforts of going home again. Leah talks about what went into the album and the team she worked with, as well as some upcoming shows she has later this month and in November.

After this, I've got two tracks off the upcoming album, “Better Than Mine” and “Back Home.”

He's back! Jeff Royds returns with a revamped “Greatest Hits” album

Former Citywide co-host Jeff Royds returns to talk about the recently released “Greatest Hits Vol. 2: Director's Cut” album for his band, We Are Bullethead. This is a revamp of some earlier music, which Jeff and the band felt wasn't up to the level it should have been. So, a number of great tracks got a complete strip-down and rebuild. Jeff talks all about this and what was changed. We also dive into how it felt to bring We Are Bullethead to a close and change the name to We Were Bullethead and what he is up to these days.

Following this, enjoy two songs from the album, “Celebrity Douche Bag (Even Douchier Cut)” and “Welcome to My Nightmare (Deadman's Digest Cut).”

Clare Cunningham talks new singles, virtual shows, and life in Nashville

From Ireland to Nashville, solo artist Clare Cunningham talks about the journey that brought her to the US and some of her favorite places to play. Clare’s latest project has been recorded at RCA studios in Nashville. The first single off the project “Heart Of Mine” is to be released July 3, and we talk about releasing new work in the pandemic age and her plans for the rest of the year.

Following this, I've got two songs from Clare, “Carry Me” followed by “Grey Lady.”

Sabrina Maria talks new music and past shows

Originally from the UK and now living in Italy, singer/songwriter Sabrina Maria has a new album out, “Life Is A Journey, Not a Destination.” We talk about her own journey as a musician from her days gigging and how she's evolved to the point where she is now.

Her new album takes the listener on a journey of positivity and hope with upbeat, motivating songs and she talks about the stories behind them.

Following this, enjoy the tune “Go Out There and Get It,” from the new album.

Christian music artist brings us a massive collaboration

Alicia “Reese” Reisman, the songwriter behind Reese Collective, joins me to talk about her debut album, “The Journey.” This collection of Christian music has a very unique aspect—although she is the writer and creative force behind the project, every track features a different singer.

Alicia introduced us to the different artist and how she met them, as well as what they brought to the project in terms of skills and suggestions. We also talk about the stories behind each song.

After this, kick back and enjoy one of the tracks from the album, “My Everything (featuring Amy Little).”

Taking the stage in Boston

In this episode, Washington D.C.-based Grammy-nominated songwriter Carolyn Malachi joins me to talk about her upcoming show in Boston as part of the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum's Thursdays LIVE series. We also look at her forthcoming album, her work as an education advocate, and work with the GRITS & GARRI podcast.

Following this, enjoy her song, “Beautiful Dreamer.”

Some new sounds for Thieves & Lovers

Brandon Stoner, guitarist and vocalist for the band Thieves & Lovers, joins me to talk about their highlights for 2019, which included the release of the single "Don't Think About Me." This tune took the band in some new directions, and we look at what these were and some potential plans for 2020. We also look at some different show types out there that the band has pursued or is looking to try out.

Following this, I've got their entire EP, “Down The Line” for you. This includes "Don't Think About Me," followed by “Down The Line” and ending with “Up at Night.”

Boston artist heads to a new musical territory

Boston based songwriter Matt Jatkola joins me to talk about his new project called JATK with a debut self-titled 4 song EP. The album took Matt into some new directions music-wise and he gives us some insight into what was learned in the process.

2019 was a big year for his other project, FBGM, and he goes into tour stories with he and bandmate D as well as what is planned in the new year.


Following this, kick back and enjoy two songs from the EP, “How I Feel Inside” and “Come Inside Your Room.”