No thanks, close this window
Hello, My name is Bob Levoy, and I am a U.S. Navy Veteran and music and concert reviewer. I have written over 3500 reviews since the 1980s for my blog Oasis Entertainment and for independent record labels, PR firms, festivals, venues and bands. I write reviews for all genres, except for hip hop, which is not my cup of tea. In addition to all the independent labels and artists that I have been writing reviews for, I am currently an Author on Staff at Virtuosity Worldwide Arts & Entertainment Magazine, a subsidiary of Virtuosity Worldwide LLC. I write music reviews and do concert and festival interviews and reviews for their magazine. I will still write reviews for my independent artists and labels in addition to the work I will be doing for Virtuosity Worldwide. I would also be interested in reviewing your bands music and reviewing your live performance if you are ever in my area. I do not ask for pay for my reviews, I only ask for either a signed Vinyl or CD and an X-large t-shirt that I wear to promote the bands. You can contact me at one of the links below. Plus, I would love the opportunity to get my vinyl signed the bands. Bob Levoy Owner of Oasis Entertainment Blog Writer for Virtuosity Worldwide Arts & Entertainment Magazine 204 Rainbow Drive Jonesborough, Tennessee 37659 https://oasisentertainmentblog.word press.com https://virtuositymagazine.com/ boblevoy@comcast.net
NEW ARTIST. NEW LABEL
our guitar player, David, wrote another song...check it out if you have a chance. It's called "Spark" by Oak Street Diary http://oakstreetdiary.bandcamp.com/track/spark-demo 1
Our guitar player David just posted a really cool song on youtube. Check it out if you like mellow music and you have some extra surfing time! Happy Holidays everyone. Search youtube for his project "Oak Street Diary" and the song is called Upside Down. :)
Amazing similarity to Conner Oberst --and he hasn't done too badly.
That's cool! I'll have to let him know :) Thanks
Hey Shawn, I'll make my comments public so others can tell you "Dude don't listen to that old fart." Overall I'm saying these are very good and marketable efforts that ain't my cuppa tea. As always I enjoy being part of the process. I hope the comments are useful. Best, Jeff Both tunes are not music I'd listen by choice to style-wise; but that's just a personal taste qualifier. Nightfall is well-done with ballsy aggressive guitar a la Godsmack, Tool, System of a Down etc. I'd drop the keyparts because they give a Europe "Final Countdown" wimpiness in an otherwise manly tune LOL. On this player and online format the bass doesn't sound big enough to me. This tune kicks butt but to be honest I think your voice is too pristine for this kind of song--it gives the overall effect of Kansas progrock like Kansas rather than the usual effect. I really like the bridge "sunrise...". If you were out to please me then I'd say back off the rectifried guitar a bit, drop the double-kick and make this heavy melodic rather than sensitive kickass. Porcupine Tree is a great example of a heavy approach with more "pretty" vocals. Goodbye is like a Nickelback tune to my ears. This tune doesn't grab me at all. But again I lean toward alternative rather than mainstream sounds. It's a very polished tune and a good soundtrack and modern rock playlist candidate.
"t gives the overall effect of Kansas progrock like Kansas rather than the usual effect." In English: It makes it sound like 70's progrock (Kansas Boston Yes) as opposed to tattooed biker rock (grandchildren of Lemmy).
I very much so appreciate your time, and honesty is the best reply I can ask for. I thrive on the constructive stuff.
Hey Shawn, since folks seem to be talking about preference in these threads I'll throw it out there that like Jeff I prefer One More Nightfall over Goodbye, but unlike him I would keep the keyboards (but maybe with some more meat in them). And I lose the theme a bit in the bridge, where Jeff seemed to like it best. If we're comparing the songs to other bands' work I guess I would say I like Lincoln Park better than most new Rush and that's the pair of domains I see the two songs falling into. As usual, though...great job! Love your music.
with jeff on this one....but i see a lot of comments about voice matching songs....that's huge. It's an instrument and it's important (at least in my opinion) to match the vocal tone to the mix just as much as you would the guitar tone.
I feel so blessed to have such great feedback from you all. Thank you! I will consider each and every suggestion very carefully.
do think that Goodbye is a well written tune and a good arrangement. Nightfall is really intense and I like how you blend sounds that are considered outside the genre of the song. You're obviously incredibly talented, and I would like to see you focus on a sound that's undeniably you and leave the rest of your songs for separate projects (not to say that you should stop writing those....write everything that comes to mind!)
Argh, it's just embarrassing to have spelled Linkin Park "Lincoln Park". I guess I'll blame it on my spell checker. :-) The point was just that Chester Bennington frequently uses a "sweet" non-growling style but it still works for me with the hard sound of LP.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cool minor cabaret feel on September!!
thanks! we're working on another version as we speak!
listened to silly little love songs....nice tune
thank you!!
great job with These Days
Thank you Stephen :)
Wow - you have great diversity in your writing style - very impressive work - congrats on the top 10 thing - makes sense really! ~noel
thanks so much!
Well, that's kinda cool. 'Shudder' #1 Canada top 10, #1 Progressive Chart. Wish I was younger and marketable and out on the road again. Anyone want to buy a song?
No like button, so *Like*
Nice! That's going on my playlist.
Thanks Julie! (but I meant to just "Like" your comment and your success). Just listened to "Shudder". That's a top-notch effort. Quirky lyrics and dramatic performance--reminds me of Feist and Pentangle to name a couple references. Great band performance and wicked fiddle solo. Well done!!
"like"
Just posted a new video on youtube of a live performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPRzpdxEyaQ 1
Sounds awesome!!!! this is really cool.
Stephen, Great Job on Floors! My mutual pals (below) also love you. Sending you a Friend request so we can all paint BJ Red! Come Join Us! - Top 10 (God only knows why) Nick
Thanks soo much, Nick. One of my favorite sounds in the world is the reverse on that song. Let's do it!! Gotta stick together!
you're killin the charts!!! great job!!!
Thank you for the encouragement; I really appreciate it.
hey! thanks for your review! your comments are spot on. thanks so much! if you get a chance please listen to the rest of our demo and find us on facebook! thanks! www.facebook.com/thestephenbanister project
thanks sooo much julie!!! glad someone finally gets it!!! i like it mixed that way....it makes you want to go back and see what is being said. People on broadjam tend to think that every single word has to be understood - I think the exact opposite. Thanks so much for reviewing our song and please check out some more stuff if you get a chance! find us on facebook too if you can!!!!
i've put in a connection request so I can follow what you're up to. Good luck with the full length LP. Looking forward to hearing more!
hey we have the same name!!! (kinda) haha. love the tunes. please check us out if you get the chance!
hey thanks for your review of "strange". will consider flute. if you get a chance please listen to some of our other tunes and hit us up on facebook! thanks!!
Hey! If you have some time check out some of our tunes! We're Indie rock
Hey! Thought you might like our genre....if you have a chance check out some of our tunes :) thanks
Hey sounds good! violation is cool. check us out if you get a chance you might like it! thanks and keep up the good work
sounds great! keep up the good work!
Hey thanks. You too!
Just reviewed Floors. I knew it was you immediately - certainly have an unique sound which is EXCELLENT!
Thanks sooo much!!!
hey thanks for your review of our demo, livin. please find us on facebook and if you get a chance please listen to the rest of the demo! thanks soooooo much!!!
thanks for your review of september! check out the rest of the album and hit us up on facebook!!!!
hey thanks for your review of our song floors. your stuff sounds cool too! please check out the rest of our demo and hit us up on facebook and reverbnation! thanks
thanks for your review of strange! glad you liked it. check out some more of our tunes sometime and hit us up on facebook!!!!! thanks again
hey thanks for reviewing Medicine. I listened to your tracks and I dig 'em. If you like it and wanna hear more like our stuff on facebook and reverbnation so we can get it out!! thanks so much
hey thanks for your review of our song medicine. if you liked that please check out our other stuff on facebook reverbnation etc. thanks sooo much!
Nice.
Thank you for taking the time to check it out. I appreciate it.