"No Turning Back" by Rose Coen (Acoustic artist from New York (NY))

"No Turning Back" from songstress Rose Coen is literally a work of art that has been produced phenomenally. From the opening upbeat positive tune "Follow The Wind" to the sultry number "Dance," this CD is filled with strong songwriting and beautiful harmonies. To say that Rose Coen's music settles into any particular genre is impossible. We hear elements of folk, rock, bluegrass, country, jazz, gospel, and more. The lyrics on the tracks we reviewed were well thought-out and the musicianship impressive. "No One Left to Lie to" and "I've Been Blind" are filled with impressive and clean guitar runs, and hook-filled choruses with nicely-blended harmonies. With its many impressive elements, this CD is well worth a listen.

-Terri D., Manny V, and RadioIndy.com
Check out Rose Coen's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

"One Band Man" by Geoffrey Welchman (Acoustic artist from Maryland (MD))

"One Band Man" is filled with lyrics, licks, and lessons of life that reflect the abounding talents of Geoffrey Welchman. In keeping with historical trend-makers, Welchman shows us the path of bluesy, contemporary music, as he echoes past, present and future sentiment in this well-put together package. The musicianship on the CD is impressive, especially considering that Geoffrey performed all of the instruments himself. The production is very clean with some interesting effects. The highlight of the CD, however, is the songwriting, which combines interesting and sometimes unpredictable chord progressions with clever and well thought-out lyrics. One of our favorite tracks, "Unforgiven" is an adult rock track filled with raw emotion that blends electric guitar licks with beautiful self-harmonies. "Fender Bender" begins with some interesting effects that fade into a catchy bass line that provides a very cool groove for this track. This CD is well worth a listen to hear some of the creative songwriting and impressive musicianship of one talented person!

-Terri D., Manny V, and RadioIndy.com
Check out Geoffrey Welchman's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

"Stories from Cactus Motel" by The Men They Couldn't Shave (Acoustic/Country artist from Norway)

"Stories from Cactus Motel" by the humorously named The Men They Couldn't Shave is a pleasant collection of well-crafted acoustic/country tunes. Majestic acoustic guitars serve as this CD's strongest captivator and draw listeners in with a tight grasp. "Up North" stands out for just this reason; its graceful acoustic intro quickly becomes etched into one's memory. Moreover, the vocals on this album are refreshingly unique, adequately raw, and compellingly emotional. Lyrically, The Men They Couldn't Shave brings a nice mix to the table – a little bit of wit, a lot of relevance, and a nice dose of introspection. Other standout tracks include "The Ballad of Old Henri P.," "Ghost Dance Shirt," and the hilarious "A Tough Man Left Town." All in all, "Stories from Cactus Motel" is fun, highly relatable, and musically outstanding.

-Xavier P.
Check out The Men They Couldn't Shave's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

"Giant Sized Life" by Micah Olsan (Acoustic artist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin (WI))

 

"Giant Sized Life" by Micah Olsan is an impressive modern folk CD. The CD features Micah's excellent songwriting, which includes memorable choruses and thought-provoking lyrics. Throughout the CD, Micah demonstrates his smooth acoustic guitar work and pitch-perfect vocals, which are delivered with a very interesting vocal tone. The production and musicianship on the CD are top notch. Tracks such as "Come Again" and "Jerry Danks" feature a very tight groove that is a signature of this fine CD. Another signature of this CD are tight breaks, which, on "Giant Sized Life," are filled with catchy percussion and guitar licks. If you enjoy big-name artists such as Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson, you will enjoy this CD.

- Xavier P. Check out Micah Olsan's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites