AUSTIN BELLE – Just Drive (EP)
by Mitchell Garrison. Approved by Cyrus Rhodes.
URL – https://austinbelle.com/
Have you listed to the Radio lately? Is it me or is something horribly wrong with today’s music. Do you remember when music actually had really instruments in them with real people playing them? No kidding. How about good songwriting performed by artists that not only wrote the music but poured their heat and soul into performing them. Now when one listens to the radio what do you hear: a pretty face, cookie cutter songwriting, crafted via a microphone, some fancy sampling and a mix that sounds more like a commercial than a piece of music. Yes the magic is all but gone from modern-day music, and people are wondering why. Actually there are a few select artists out there that still believe in the power of music. Artists like Canadian musical twosome called Austin Belle featuring Stacey Mckitric and Jesse Wainwright.
Bio: With a blend of Country and Pop/Rock backgrounds, Austin Belle is equipped with the perfect combination of well-written songs and talented artists. Lead guitarist and songwriter, Jesse Wainwright, hails from the hit-making, award-winning rock band State of Shock, lending his musical skills and incredible stage presence to the group. Wainwright is balanced by lead singer and songwriter, Stacey McKitrick, a JUNO award-winning artist already known to the Country world. Together, they create a new sound that can only be described as magical.
This latest EP teaser entitled “Just Drive” was released in 2014 and I have to say I was extremely impressed with the opening 3 tracks “Just Drive”, “Point of no return” and “Back Where We Belong”. They made quite the impression and each one possessed my full unadulterated attention. To be honest: I expected cheesy Sing Songy Pop that was extremely predictable and shallow in nature – very compatible for a mass audience. Well shame on me! What I discovered was actually quite the opposite. The whole CD is wonderfully conservative yet full of what I would call positive energy with music that appeals to so many different senses on so many different levels. Austin reminds me of Natalie Imbruglia, Marisa Monte, and Melanie C but can also hear the slight Country, R&B influence in there as well like from Ashlee Simpson and Mirand Lambert. Mckitric has a lot of soul behind the mic, but what I admire most about these two is there is no attempt to deliver what I call over the top pop. Cheezy music with a pretty face via top flight sampling, cookie cutter songwriting via a mix that sounds more like a commercial than a piece of music. It will also appeal to both advanced and novice listeners alike. Whatever kind of listening level you’re on – some will identify with things while others will not. Like a three layered cake Mckitric & Wainwright are two artists that has a lot of depth and has so much to offer. Whether it’s musically, lyrically, inspirationally, emotionally, spiritually – if you feel like music is taking us in the wrong direction than rest assured Austin Belle is taking us back in the right direction with “Just Drive” EP..
Top Tracks are: “Just Drive” and scandalous “3 Sided Story”
Final Word: Austin Belle will affirm your faith in music again. She represents all that is good in music and her latest EP “Just Drive” delivers a highly passionate 5 track catalog via top flight musicianship, amazing songwriting and music that covers all the bases: Pop, Rock, Country and Soul.
Purchase Link: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/just-drive-ep/id910856434
Overall Rating: 4.5/5