In 2012, Idiot Grins made Quarry. East Bay Express inexplicably referred to the band as, “zydeco-rockish” and said the album was “charming but torpid.”

The Idiot Grins’ newest album is entitled Big Man, and it represents a bit of a departure from their first album. “I’ve always loved R&B and soul, especially the music of the great Stax Records from Memphis – artists like Sam and Dave, Booker T and the MG’s, and of course Otis Redding,” Randy explains (guitarist). Of course, you can’t recreate the Memphis sound of the ’60’s without horns. The band was fortunate to enlist the services of Johnny Bamont, sax player for the 80’s super-group Huey Lewis and the News, and Mic Gillette, trumpet player for the legendary East Bay R&B band Tower of Power. Their horns add just the right touch of authenticity to the band’s original compositions.

Randy and the band have also spent a lifetime admiring the work of the legendary Gram Parsons, considered the father of country rock. Big Man also explores this genre, employing the incomparable pedal steel playing of Bay Area legend Joe Goldmark on several tracks.

You may stream the album via SoundCloud and follow the band on Facebook.

“Poppy Piss” by Idiot Grins

Vancouver singer-songwriter Lindsay Kupser has crafted five tracks of incredibly soothing and gentle music for her new EP titled Quiet Songs. With chilled-out guitars and lush vocals, Kupser has done something truly special on this record. Stripped down soundscapes define this record. Kupser understands the future of acoustic music and she is proud to be blazing a path.

The album is available now on itunes and bandcamp.

A girl after my own heart, she quotes Joni Mitchell on the landing page of her website, “I’m an individual, and an individual can’t follow and doesn’t want to lead.” ~ Joni Mitchell

“All of My Bones Broke on Thursday Evening” by Lindsay Kupser

Texas musical maniac Andy Evans‘ latest record, Miracle is a representation of everything that makes this kind of music great. A soulful poet, his straightforward guitar-playing accompanies vivid lyrics that show his knack for poignant storytelling. Evans shares his boundless creativity and ongoing experiences through introspective live performances and polished recordings. He has been inspired by great classic rock, folk and alt-country artists and musical philosophers, including Rush, The Allman Brothers Band, Tom Petty, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Shovels & Rope, Jack White and Ryan Adams.

Evans’ solo debut, Miracle is a sultry, saucy and bittersweet mix of groove-heavy songs that stroll through stories of love, heartbreak, joy and hope.

Evans grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, where there was a steady stream of songs in his childhood home. He was introduced to Texas country, gospel and the red dirt music that was coming out of Oklahoma after joining the Navy and getting stationed in Ingleside, Texas. Moved by the sound, he began to write his own songs as a release and a way to document his journey.

Now blazing a new trail with his solo career, Evans has been active for many years on the local music scene in central Texas, playing guitar, singing and building a following as the front man of the blues-rock outfit Andy Evans & The Brotherhood. He has played shows with Brandon Rhyder, Sam Riggs and has frequently collaborated with North Texas singing-songwriting fixture Clayton Landua of Six Market Blvd.

With his feet planted in Austin, Texas, Evans is currently putting together a series of live shows in support of his first release. Miracle will be available in January 2016.

“Miracle” by Andy Evans

Vancouver singer-songwriter, Andre Chrys, delivers roots rock songs that blend eclectic influences from rock, classic pop, Americana, blues, and soul. Chrys began his music career in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He paid his dues in hardworking bands that toured across Canada, playing clubs and festivals. Life, love and reality took him down a dozen different roads since then, finally drawing him to the west coast. Window to Nowhere is a new record, with an old soul. It introduces colorful characters, and themes of love and loss.

Chrys has always responded to music with a timeless quality to it. He considers Tom Waits, Townes van Zandt, and Steve Earle “some of the real greats.”

Chrys explains the inspiration for the title track, available on cdbaby: “I have a room at home where I do most of my writing and recording. It has a window that looks out onto the wall of the house right next to mine. It’s East Van, and the houses are built really close to each other. I’m not even sure why they put the window in the room in the first place. It’s literally a window to nowhere. I’m trying to capture that desperate, out-on-a-ledge feeling you get when the walls are closing in around you. I’m sure that most people who live in shoebox-sized digs in Vancouver can relate.”

Accompanying Andre on Window To Nowhere are long-time bandmates Jeff Younger (guitar), Bill Briscall (bass), and Mike Magnusson (drums). Guest musicians lending their talents to the record include Aiden Briscall (violin) and Tyson Naylor (organ and accordion).

“Window to Nowhere” by Andre Chrys

British Columbia sweethearts, Violet Night, have crafted a distinct sound described as “deeply emotional indie pop magic” with their debut EP, I Hope You’re Well. The band’s vocalist and guitarist Connor Pohl is also known for his work in City Light Vigil.

There is a depth to the sound on this album, and a profound artistry to Violet Night’s sonic constructions. Visit examiner.com for more on the four-track EP. Plus, have a listen to the entire EP via SoundCloud.

“I Hope You’re Well” by Violet Night

The powerfully dynamic folk rock trio out of San Diego, California, The Liquorsmiths, are known for their eclectic arrangements, compelling energy and poetic story-telling. Their style has recently been compared to Wilco meets Delta Spirit meets My Brightest Diamond, but retains a style and musicality all their own. Members hail from San Francisco and San Diego, California and New York, New York.

The group typically performs as a trio, but frequently features guest appearances by friends and family. Additionally, the group’s frontman, Drew Thams, is also known to perform solo when debuting new material. The Liquorsmiths have shared the stage with a variety of artists, including Mike Pope, The Marshall Tucker Band, William Walter, John C. Reilly, and many others.

“Get Well Soon” by The Liquorsmiths

San Diego-based, Meniyka Kiravell, is not your typical musician. She dabbles in quantum mechanics and energy medicine and considers herself a “vibrational scientist.” She is currently focusing her intentions on creating ecstatic music that pleases ones ears and uplifts the soul sonically and energetically.

Soaking up influences from around the world, Kiravell poured out 9 individual musical pieces of art into an eclectic collection entitled Vaudevellia. The songs embody the serene exploration of jazz mixed with world music and indie rock. The cover art for each single is a sketched self-portrait set atop a variable palette of mixed colors and backdrops. Kiravell chose the album title Vaudevellia because the acoustic versions of the songs sound a bit circus-y and have a vaudeville like quality to them.

Kiravell grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. She moved to Ann Arbor for University and fell in love with music and the guitar. Playing in various indie rock bands and DJing at the college radio station, her musical world exploded. These days, Kiravell calls San Diego home. It is where she connects with friends, new and old around the world, through her musical creations.

Watch the music video for “Wash” via Youtube and stream the album on Soundcloud.

“Yello Hazy” by Kiravell

Musically, songwriter Jared Deck has always worked to transcend genres, but his current transition comes naturally, as he puts his stamp on the timeless genre Midamericana.

“Midamericana is the sound of our world – outside the big cities, between the coasts, where dreams are born and die. It’s the hopeless optimism in our stories and the bumpy rhythm of Old 66. In our world, there’s more culture being practiced than studied, and we like it that way.”

Derek released the single “17 Miles” on June 2 with his band consisting of Brandon Cink (electric guitar); Fred Hanradt (bass); Travis McKinzie (drums); Jacy Deck (piano); Chris Wiser (organ); and Derek himself on vocals, acoustic guitar, and tambourine. It was produced by Wes Sharon (John Fullbright, Parker Millsap, Turnpike Troubadours, The Grahams). Plus, it was mastered by Eric Conn of Independent Mastering (Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, John Prine, Nickel Creek, Townes Van Zandt).

“17 Miles” by Jared Deck

Hailing from Truro Nova Scotia, Canada, Sperry Alan, released their third album Before Our Time on April 21. The creative energy behind the band is John Alan Sperry, an artist who writes the lyrics and plays the music Sperry Alan publishes. John Alan Sperry recorded, mixed, mastered, produced and provided all vocals and guitar on the album.

Since landing on the alt-rock scene in 2004, Sperry Alan has had the privilege of sharing the stage with a number of prolific East Coast artists and has enjoyed the support of local radio air play.

Stream and download some of the tracks via Soundcloud. You may also purchase the album via bandcamp.

“Hold On Tight” by Sperry Alan

Stockholm-based indie rock quartet Slim Loris was formed by singer and bass-player Mattias Cederstam and guitarist Robert Barrefelt in 2009. The duo was soon accompanied by drummer Jonas Ellenberg and singer and guitarist Leon Lindström.

The band released their third album Love and Fear on May 19. Production was done by Pecka Hammarstedt (who also mixed the album) at Olga Studio and Mattias Cederstam at Slim Loris Studio. It was mastered by Jonas Ekström at Mastertone. Characterized by a fusion of modern pop sensibility, somber moods and 60’s British invasion influence, the band has been steadily gaining popularity. Stream the lead single “Down” via Soundcloud or the player below.

After a collection of demos in 2010 entitled Amateur Night at the Asylum, Slim Loris’ debut album Down To Earth was released in June 2011, led by the first single “Low” that showed the band’s fine-tuned song-writing skills and classic rock sense of melody.

“Down” by Slim Loris