Skip to main content

Song of the Day "American Dream" JS Ondara

"He was just an American Dream
Hey Hey"

American Dream by Nairobi born, Minneapolis based singer songwriter, JS Ondara, ripples with soulful sounds and poignant lyrics.

"Lover don't make a sound
Bring your rifle around"

Ondara uses a rich arrangement of guitar picking paired with highlighted strings. The effect is both haunting and inviting. This is a song to listen to as the sun is falling as the end of the day is just around the bend.

Clearly influenced by Bob Dylan's style of protest songs, Ondara even offers a bit of Dylan "speak" half into the song. That is what I heard strongly. Upon research I found that he moved to Minneapolis because of his deep respect for Dylan. He does Dylan well. 

He feels like he fell from another era. I don't hear anything like this out there especially from a relatively unknown. He is touring with Lindsey Buckingham who obviously was aware of his talent and humility. One of the best dressed musicians, I've seen he sports tailored fitted suits, elegant shoes and a fedora.  One sharp dressed man. One smashing musician.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Song of the day - "Turbulence" - Archpalatine

"Turbulence"  Starts with his utilizing his voice as an instrument along with his nimble fingers taking care of the keys. The low rush of background singers whispering “Palatine” sneaks in as he continues to resonate. As his  voice hits its crescendo the pop of the drums whips in a surprise. The deft use of the kit rushes in, quick and edgy.   The song rolls on with dramatic flair while his voice ascends "We will take the chance to fly away" He plays his vocals again as he sings Taaaturbulence then the gust of the drum takes over like a strong supporting character. A song rich in drama and operatic elements, comparisons to Queen are fair. And again the drumming continues stellar.  Listening to this song is like being enveloped in a short play. I can imagine the majestic costumes and sweeping set design. Also I see color when I listen to “Turbulence”; scarlet, rich gold and shades of charcoal much like the picture I just posted. Interestingly I...

Song of the Day - "OPEN" - by Stella Ruze (Rules)

The Gang is all here. STELLA RUZE writtten by Violet Rosette Stella Ruze? More like Stella Rulez! Stella Ruze was birthed in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia in 2014 and is continuing to grow. They just dropped a new video for their newest song “Open”. This song will be featured on their new album “The Greater Dog”. Brendan Johnson & Katie O’Donnell are the band founders and help write most of the songs. The group also includes Keyboardist Mason Wallack and Alex Styer on trumpet. Together they make a stellar team! What could be better than Stella Ruze the 4-piece?   Stella Ruze the 7-piece! These funky monkeys have added accomplished blues drummer Sean McIntyre who really knows his way around a drum set. They also merged Bass guitar extraordinaire Ted Mayo and saxophone player, Vince Gleason, who is a lifetime member of the legendary Mummer group – Ferko String Band, into the previous 4-piece. According to the band, “Our new sound emboldens our message t...

Other Music Documentary

Other Music Documentary Other Music, famously located on 4th Street with a view of Tower Records before it folded,was a destination stop for me. The small shop was neatly packed & stacked with the latest & the greatest vinyl records & CDs. This thoughtful, well crafted documentary truly depicts what it was like to be a guest at Other Music. Puloma Basu & Richard Hatch - Miller  clearly took their time to interview the owners, past staff members & the artists who got their start at OM.   Walking into OM always gave me a happy tingle. Watching this documentary evokes a similar feeling. It made me smile as if I was there pawing through the Big Star Category, the Latin flavored music & of course the latest releases. The scene with a composer clutching his hand written review card was priceless. Hearing one of the Berringer brother's bliss out about having a card at OM was a delight. He gushed "That meant the National was a 'real' ban...