The Groove Hive

 Aspects - Impossible Release date -  Dec 13, 2020    Shining some light on Ottawa based hip hop artist Aspects latest album Impossible for this review. If you haven't heard this talented dude yet you're missing out. An incredibly hard working, diverse musician, who with this latest release, brings some fresh beats to our ears.  Can we start off by talking about that album cover? Impossible with the IM crossed out, leaving the words POSSIBLE just speaks for itself. Along with a ghostly Scorpion glowing between his hands, I think this is such powerful, well thought out album art. Aspects has been on my radar for a few years now. If you follow him you'll see he's always putting out or working on something, whether it's playing live (pre-pandemic), posting covers, online streaming or heading into the studio. You can tell music runs through his veins, and he's got a variety of musical tastes. You'll hear him spit out everything from hip hop to soul, reggae, root...

Lespecial - Ancient Homies  My first blog review is of Ancient Homies, the third album release by  Lespecial , a power trio hailing from Millerton, NY. I discovered this band a few years ago and have had a couple of their songs from previous albums on regular repeat. The thing that excites me most about these guys is how they mesh so many styles together in an experimental way and succeed brilliantly in doing so. When I saw they released a new album I of course dove right in, eager to hear what they've created and let me tell you, it's a musical journey!  The opening track Snell's Feet is a journey in itself, starting off with the feeling like you're entering a sci fi realm. It proceeds to pick up pace and reminds me of being in the throws of a video game, no doubt letting your mind paint a picture of what kind of story you're in, but I definitely envision aliens and a monster needing to be defeated.  The next track The Vessel has a Nine Inch Nails vibe but with a f...

 Welcome to The Groove Hive! This has been a long time goal of mine, to start a blog where I will dissect and share my thoughts of latest music releases, and also when live shows are happening again (we are currently in a global pandemic), reviews of shows I attend.   I'm a music lover to the core, a sponge for what's new and fresh (to me) and don't settle for one genre. I'm all over the map, and this blog will be to. I might review a local obscure jazz fusion band one day and a progressive metal band from Sweden the next. The sole purpose is to share in the appreciation for the arts. I'm also a musician and know how much goes into releasing music and sometimes you just want someone to take the time to really listen to it. (Isn't that what we all want in life? Someone to listen to us? For real 😀) Back in high school I had a stint as a music journalist for my local newspaper (I'm from a small town in New Brunswick, Moncton, but currently live in Ottawa, ON)....