“Like Destiny” Coming Soon!

On Thursday, January 21, 2016, Barley Station will release a new single titled “Like Destiny”.  Blending folk and rock with progressive beats and pop sensibilities, this one has been called the best yet by those who have heard the song. The song will be available at most digital retail outlets.

Here is a sneak peek of the album art:

Snippet from a Pre-release review:
“You’ll want to find a pretty spot under the old oak tree by the river and let Barley Stations new single ‘Like Destiny’ flow right through your soul.

“The unique instrumental in the song pairs perfectly with Vocalist Randy Wayne Belts ‘tranquil fluid motion’ vocals transcending one into a heavenly place of peace also known as: bliss… Infectious and pretty, this song is one for the iPod ‘favorites’ playlist for sure!”
~CA Marshall editor of Starlight Music Chronicles and Magazine

(Click here for a sneak audio from the track “Like Destiny”)

 

Album art by Candice Anne Graphics & Photography

 

 

Review of “Christmas For Two”

Review and Interview with Olivia Penalva

by Randy Wayne Belt

(first published in Starlight Music Chronicles Magazine)

As a connoisseur of original Christmas music it’s always great to find something new that is full of festive joy, delight, and fabulous vocals!   “Christmas For Two” by Canadian recording artist Olivia Penalva is just one of those songs.  With a fresh clean sound that has a somewhat Jazzy and R&B old motown rhythmic feel combined with a very contemporary vocal and lyric, Olivia delivers a song that reminds us of the joy of the season, and just enjoying life and having fun.  It is the perfect Christmas feel-good song!

 

As a singer, not only on this song, but in all of her work, her voice  has a timbre and character that make one think of a voice like that of Andrea Wittgens, Nora Jones, or Colbie Caillat.  Olivia’s voice has a mature tonal quality to it and a special warmth with a sultry yet innocent character to it that will capture your heart and ears.

Perhaps it’s that innocence of youth that can best create the atmosphere of a joyous life-is-good Christmas song.

At a mere 15 years old, Olivia has already begun making a splash in music, and the addition of “Christmas For Two” to her repertoire will only further the ripples created by the waves she’s already making.

This new Holiday song has already gained some radio play alongside other well established artists with Christmas songs on this years Christmas playlists such as 103.5 QMFM in her home area of Vancouver, BC; Majic 100 in Ottawa, ON and more. But this isn’t her first airplay.  

Then there is Miss Penalva’s recent single “Ferris Wheel”, a song that has a carefree atmosphere with a strong rhythm section, once again, giving a solid beat behind the song which is, more than less, a celebration of life.  With another powerful vocal performance, the song will simply leave you in a good mood!  The control she has over her voice allows her to naturally move around her notes and move in and out of vocal inflections with great ease.  This is a very note worthy song also garnering airplay support.

(Official video for “Ferris Wheel” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMcmCV9-aBM    )

Another song I should mention is a song called “Forgettable” which Olivia co-wrote and collaborated on with a Canadian DJ Group called Project 46 who released it as part of their own album called “Beautiful”.  And indeed it IS a beautiful!  At this stage in her career, the music seems to be defined by strong rhythm section and very powerful vocals.

(Listen to “Forgettable” at this link:   https://soundcloud.com/djproject46/forgettable-ft-olivia-free-gift-info-below  )

So don’t shrug off the “fifteen years old” part because her voice is like that of an experienced 20-something, and one only needs to be reminded that when LeAnn Rimes came out with “Blue” and floored everyone with her mature sounding voice at age 14, they said the same thing with a similar “Wow” effect.  Her voice simply commanded respect and admiration.

So naturally, one of the questions I wanted to ask leads right into my interview:

Click Here to read my interview with Olivia in Starlight Music Chornicles Magazine

Review/Interview of Naomi Psalm

Interview With Naomi Psalm and Review

of Naomi Psalm’s new single “Now You See Me”

You may remember awhile back I did a review of the music of recording artist Naomi Psalm titled “The Musical Art of Naomi Psalm”.And remember that section that talked about looking for a song by Naomi Psalm in October that was to be in a movie titled Ghostumentary?

Well, it’s here! The title of the song, “Now You See Me”, and the atmosphere created in the song were made to fit perfectly for the film with the line “Now you see me – now you don’t”.

And as always, with Naomi’s consistently good songwriting, it is not only a good fit for the film but is also a very catchy song that will definitely be stuck in your head!  Psalm has proved once again that she is a consistently good songwriter and vocalist!

(Click here to learn about the film at: http://www.ghostumentary.com/)

Produced by Scot Alexander (from the band Dishwalla), the big thumpy beat that comes in and the thick bass sounds drive the song home accenting, pulsating and drawing you into all those little nuances, such as the effects on the vocals, which in spots will leave a haunting impression as you hear it in stereo. (Yes, stereo is still the best way to listen to music) The mixing job and effects on the vocals are perfect and helped lend to the song the haunting effect that make the lyrics come alive.

The depth of Psalm’s songwriting will always intrigue as you wonder what some of the deeper meanings of the lyrics are when she sings “I’m not only in your dreams, but that’s the way it seems”. If you are a fan of the song “Ink”  from the Stare album, you’ll also be a fan of “Now You See Me”, which is in the same creative vein.

Click here to preview and purchase “Now You See Me” on iTunes here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/now-you-see-me-single/id1046929061

So on the thought of creativity, I was able to get in a quick interview with Naomi

and being a visual artist myself as well I had to get into that right away.

Randy: What other creative arts are you into?

Naomi: I’m also a visual artist using the medium of water acrylics. I got into that in 2003 when I didn’t want to pay someone else to design my album cover.

Randy: I also paint (oil paint), so I have to ask, was there any artists (visual) that have inspired you or that you look up to?

Naomi: No one in particular. I just really like artists that paint abstract and colorful.

(Click here to view Naomi’s art on her homepage)

Randy: How did you get started in music?

Naomi: I began writing poetry when I was 8. When I was 13, I inherited my grandfather’s guitar and started playing. I am self taught, and would glean inspiration from friends of my parents that would come over and jam all the time.

Randy: Explain your passion for music:

Naomi: I am deeply passionate about music. It is what makes me feel alive. The world seems right when I am performing music, writing songs, and creating art.

Randy: Do you have a “pet” instrument? (your favorite guitar, a ukulele, etc.)

Naomi: My takamine is my favorite guitar and has been with me since my dad bought me it in 1993. It gets better with age.

Randy: Yeah, the older the instruments the better they sound. So, who are your biggest influences and musical role models?

Naomi: Brandi Carlile is one of my biggest influences. She’s is an incredible singer/songwriter who really moves me.

Randy: What are you working on and what’s in the future for Naomi Psalm?

Naomi: I am finishing up an EP right now, as well as 2 music videos. I also just released the song that is in the movie Ghostumentary.

Randy: Does the EP you’re working on have a title yet? And can you divulge any of the song titles from the EP?

Naomi: I have a title rolling around in my head, but it’s top secret at this point.

“Hole in the Carpet” and “The Postman” are 2 song titles I’ll give away.

Randy: How did you get hooked up with doing the song for Ghostumentary?

Did you write the song specifically for the movie? Or did you have something you

were already working on that you tailored to the movie? How did it come together creatively?

Naomi:   I am friends with one of the movie directors and he needed a theme song. I watched some rough footage for inspiration, and wrote the song specifically for the movie. That song came together really fast for me. The lyrics and music happened simultaneously.

Randy:  Awesome!  Do you have any collaborations going on or planned?

Naomi: There are 2 newly released songs out on YouTube that I have written with a local musician Ryan Bayne.

Randy: Cool! Link us up.

Naomi:  “Not My Kind” at http://youtu.be/929nhRF_cW4

and  “I Don’t Know Why You Love Me” here:  http://youtu.be/uf2-53R51Sc

Randy:  Great!  My two top favorite videos of yours thus far are “Ink” and “Already Hit Send”

(hint: click the song titles to watch the videos)

Randy:  Thanks for taking the time to interview!

Naomi: Sure! Thank YOU

Connect with Naomi Psalm here:

Website: http://www.naomipsalm.com

YouTube: http://www.YouTube.com/naomipsalm

Twitter: https://twitter.com/naomipsalm

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

“Now You See Me” on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/now-you-see-me-single/id1046929061

Video for “Younger Summer Memories” Airs on Bongo Boy TV Episode 1057

Barley Station’s video for “Younger Summer Memories” is now premiering Coast to Coast on “Bongo Boy TV Episode 1057 “What About You”.

The Bongo Boy Rock n’ Roll TV Show series has exclusive national airtime to over 15 million viewers in the USA on 9 major cable companies.  (NBCUniversalComcast, FiOS, CableVision, Time Warner, RCN, AT TUverse, Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications, Suddenlink)

The video will be on Heavy Rotation on 33 TV channels.
This will be on permanent broadcast times in Nashville, Manhattan, Brooklyn, San Francisco, New Jersey, Down the Jersey Shore, Nevada, California, Montana, New Mexico and many other cities and towns across the US. Also International with Go Indie TV Roku Channel in the UK, Canada and The USA.
Bongo Boy TV is filling the void on Television that MTV once dominated.

Barley Station music video “Younger Summer Memories” aka winner of the BEST MUSIC VIDEO – Americana /Rock won Best Video Award by the Akademia Music Awards to American Television.  (And the song itself won Best Song Award as well in Feb 2015)

Music Video Director: Poppy Zhu

The Musical Art of Naomi Psalm

Naomi Psalm can best be described, by this reviewer, as a very creative music artist in the realm of indie pop that really brings the word “artist” back into play again.  After all, it is supposed to be art isn’t it?  With a music industry so far away from musical art and relying on overdone formulaic sound patterns instead of actual musical painting, Naomi brings a much needed refreshing of sound to the music scene.

I’m sure her own music scene in Boise, Idaho is the richer for having her there.  She writes, she sings, she plays guitar and ukulele. Oh, and she can play bass as well. Psalm has a knack for knowing what to do with her voice in a given song.  Her vocals make good use of her dynamics and she sings with a passion that you can feel in the emotions of what she is singing about.

Her voice has some hints of Sarah McLachlan in her tone and melodic expressions at times, but she has a voice all her own.

Currently working on a new  album, we must go back a little first to look at some of the musical art that precedes what is to come. Perhaps it may foretell?

First, we journey back to her last single.  In her April 21, 2015 interview with Jacqueline Jax on A.V.A. Live Radio, http://avaliveradio.com/behind-the-music-naomi-psalm-music-is-freedom/  Naomi gives a glimpse of what her single “Losin It“ from 2013 might be about when she says, ” It’s based on a true story….lol! I lost more than a few things one day that prompted me to make the best out of it and use the experience for a song. It’s one that everyone can relate to.”

“Losin It” is a fun and lighthearted song that will simply leave you in a good mood. The song opens with a well recorded Ukulele.  Now, a ukulele will always get my attention right away, so the intrigue begins the song.  A rich bass guitar comes in next with drums driving the song home, and then unexpectedly, the chorus brings a change that brings in a swingy feel that makes one think of the type of experimentation you might get on The Beatles’ White Album in a vaudevillian song like “Honey Pie”.   It’s quirky, it’s fun, and it makes you drift off into somewhere else. The song will definitely leave you wondering what she will do next or what she may have done before. 

Now we go to 2012.  A single titled “Fitted Sheets” was released that year.  The sound on this song reminds one more of a mid-western Sheryl Crow type feel and with a west coast laid back vibe behind it and accompanied by a more progressive bass line.  It’s unique – which always gets points with me.  Though not a bad song by any means, neither did it strike me as a smash hit, but it’s no matter because this song gives a display of the artist’s continuing creativity and uniqueness, which is a more desirable trait.

So let’s go back a little further.  On Naomi Psalm’s six-song 2011 EP Stare you get a feel for her continuing creativity where pictures are painted with carefully crafted words.

In the song “Ink” for instance, the song opens with the lines: “Pain turns to ink, ink becomes words, words become melodies, flowing like tears”.  The verses of the song captivate you right away with their iambic beauty, driving beat and haunting melody.  

I can’t tell you what the song is about, and I don’t like having a song ruined by someone telling me exactly what it’s about because I like to stay guessing.  But to me, the song speaks to my own soul of the inherent therapeutic value in music and in creating music. This song is a personal favorite and the one song that would be that unexpected hit song by the artist.  A song that would slowly rise on the charts and just stay there for a long time somewhere near the top.

The brush Naomi paints with is streaked with colors of old and new, with experiments and fusions of sound with a twist of pop likability to it.  In fact, if you watch the video for the song “Ink”, you will notice there is painted art all throughout the video perfectly fitting my opening description of this artist being an “artist” in the truest sense of the word. I definitely recommend watching the video for “Ink” here:  https://youtu.be/eg1ohMThDrk

In fact, so much is she the artist that you will find an art section on her webpage. The title of this artwork is Leaves.

Now – back to musical art. Another real powerhouse of a song and what I would call the first of two hits on the Stare EP, for me, is the opening track “Already Hit Send” which is a powerful song that will just leave you feeling in a good mood, well, depending on what mood you started at maybe, but it did the trick for me.

It features what I call an acoustic-guitar-driven-rolling-smoothness on the verses, then on the chorus the bass changes to a slap type bass sound with a synth/keyboard piece behind it giving an extra musical hook to highlight the vocals and brings the song to a new level of goodness! One thing notable to me, as a bassist myself, is the way the drums and bass guitar stay locked together in this and all of her songs, providing a tightness that I often find lacking in many independent artists.

Another notable song from the Stare EP is the song “Gazing”.  It is a song that will hook you into it on the chorus, and shows this artist is capable of creating more than just one or two good songs.  In the closing song “Listen”, you will find considerable vocal control demonstrated in the delivery and emotional conveyance of the song.  Now that we’ve gone back a ways, the question is, “what’s next”?

With a new record in the works, Naomi describes what she has so far recorded for it as “more in the vibe of Imogen Heap and Ellie Goulding with an electronic, industrial feel”.  Considering what she’s done in the past and how she describes what’s coming up, one can’t help but be intrigued to hear how the new album will sound!  A release is hoped for in late autumn of 2015.  And in October look for a song Naomi Psalm wrote to be in a movie titled Ghostumentary.

Having already received various music awards, I’m sure there will be more on the way for this artist! So stay tuned with that, and be sure to connect with Naomi Psalm on her homepage and her social media here:

http://www.naomipsalm.com

https://twitter.com/naomipsalm

https://www.facebook.com/naomipsalmmusic

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBlueCinemaMusic

on iTunes: http://www.iTunes.com/bluecinema