YMN Reviews: Tiki Black

 Born in Paris, raised in France and Cameroon and now based in England, singer/songwriter Tiki Black has been entertaining audiences with her natural musical talent for years. For Tiki, the words and passion seem to come straight from the heart. For a first time listener like myself, I found that rather impressive. A childhood that involved many moves and little consistency, music was the one thing that she could always rely on and are we ever glad that she did.

Tiki Black

 Released in July of 2013, Tiki Black's debut album "Out Of The Black" is nothing short of a masterpiece. Ten tracks are included on the album and each one is worth listening to ,and more then once. Piano is quite evident throughout the record and it compliments her voice quite well. If I had to pick one song that stood out to be, it would have to be the first track, "Feel Like Smoke". The song has a very powerful feel to it and it does a great job of setting the tone for the rest of the album. Other personal standouts include the title track "Out Of The Black" and "Powder Masks".

 Throughout the past few years, Tiki Black has played many shows in Europe and that will continue into next year as well. I can only imagine the powerful and moving shows that Tiki Black puts on and if you get a chance to go, I highly recommend that you do.

 Well, it was an honour to do this for Tiki Black. She is a deserving musician and we wish her nothing but the best going forward. Be sure to check out her music, links will be below.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tikiblackmusic

Website: http://tikiblack.com/

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/tikiblack

In Concert With: Oh Village

 Recently, I had the chance to see local band Oh Village in concert. I had only been listening to them for a few weeks prior on a recommendation from a friend. Seeing them live really blew me away.

Oh Village.

 You can tell that they throw all of their emotions behind their music, which is great to see. At the same time, they have so much fun on stage. It's easy to see that this is what they are meant to do. The four piece band uses such a wide variety of instruments which helps keep things interesting and fresh.

 Personally, Oh Village's sound draws comparisons to The Fray and another local artist, Teen Daze. They are a great band to see live and they know how to both interact and respect their audience. With such a young band, that was great to see.

 They say no one is perfect but Oh Village is about as close as they come. I encourage you to check these guys out!

Website: http://www.ohvillage.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohvillage

"A.O.T.M" May- Junkyard Poets

Junkyard Poets.

 Junkyard Poets are a Christian Rock band hailing from Sherwood Park, Alberta. Earlier this year, they released their second album, "Mrs. Sophomore". Featuring twenty tracks, there is no shortage of potential stand out singles. Personally, "Fly Away" is a track that immediately jumped out at me. Be its catchy chorus or its genuinely crafted instrumentals, the reasons could go on and on. Often times, I'll catch myself humming along to it.

 The bonus track on the record, "You Gotta Love Somebody", is an artfully crafted seven minute piece that truly blew me away the first time I heard it. The lyrics are simple yet heartfelt, easy to relate to and to the point. Judging by the album cover, you would seem to think that a track such as this would be out of place.However, I am glad that I included it as it diversifies the album.

"Mrs. Sophomore" album cover.

 If you ever get the chance to see Junkyard Poets live, do it. You will not be disappointed. I got the treat of seeing them recently and that's what persuaded me to explore this band on a deeper level. They have a great, commanding stage presence and do an excellent job of interacting with the audience. Junkyard Poets are one of the few bands that actually sound better live as opposed to their record. They seem to take things to a whole new level and you can tell that they enjoy doing what they do, truly a talented band. I look forward to what they put out in the future and wish them nothing but the best. Buy their album, come out to their shows and support Junkyard Poets.



Connect With The Band:

Website: http://junkyardpoets.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junkyardpoets

Update

Hey guys! I am now writing part time for a new blog. Check out my first post here:

http://blog.houseofjames.com/2013/03/easter-paska-bunnies.html

Important Announcement

Hey everyone,

 I know that lately we have been lacking in content and activity on our various social networking sites. For that, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies. During this time, I have been thinking on a decision that was very tough to make. Starting today, and for the next month, we will be shutting down the blog completely. This includes our Facebook, Twitter, email etc. as well.

 What started out as a hobby has grown and surpassed all expectations. I no longer have the time to run and upkeep our presence nor do I have the resources. Our readers deserve the best quality content we can deliver and for that reason, I have decided to shut down, regroup, and if all goes according to plan, reopen and start connecting with you again.

 I would personally like to thank all of you that have read our blog, sent us an email or interacted with us on our various social networking accounts. To all of the bands and artists we have had the pleasure of interviewing and/or promoting, we wish you the best of luck in your journey and never stop living the dream.

 In addition, thank you all for the patience and understanding as we work through this. As always, I would like to wish you all the best and we look forward to a rejuvenated reopening down the road.

-Matt
YourMusicNews Founder

Important Announcement