The Bongo Boy Rock ‘n’ Roll TV show series – Episode 6 Season 14 – WAVE, RISE, WORLD

There is a lot of music in the world. Arguably too much. And whilst any uptake and increase in creativity can only be a good thing, as a discerning music listener, how can you cut to the chase and wade through the mountains of music that, whilst having its merits, is not for you? Who can you trust to point you in the right direction and take the hard work out of finding the music that is right for you?

Well, Bongo Boy, that’s who. Not only a record label whose roster contains the great and the good of rising talent and many established names, but also one that, via their long-running Rock n’ Roll TV show series, brings you regular audiovisual short lists of the best music hitting the street at any given moment. Music that any fan attempting to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the industry must check out.

As usual, this show has been making waves, airing nonstop across more than 72 TV channels nationwide, as well as streaming on Bongo Boy TV’s Roku Channel. For the full scoop, head over to bongoboytv.com. And if you’ve got what it takes to snag a spot on the lineup, drop a line to submit@bongoboyrecords.com. Now, let’s crank it up and get this sonic beast moving.

Things kick off in fine style with “Wave” from Scott McDonald, featuring the perfect blend of raw rock and roll power tempered by more mainstream, pop-powered accessibility. This is an engaging and energetic song that bridges the gap between the underground rock world and the more sunlit commercial realms. Not only is it a great track, but it’s also the perfect way to get this latest series underway.

“Neon Pretense” follows, a song that blends folky finesse, poised pop, and indie smarts courtesy of none other than Bongo Boy’s own Monique Grimme. There is something slightly ’60s-infused, a nod to the classic period Kinks vibe in its jangling, urban ways, but also something totally of the here and now in its modernity. Fresh yet slightly familiar, the perfect blend.

And talking of familiar, “What Will You Say” from Annemarie Picerno has us searching our memories for which classic act, which blues diva, which soul sensation, which pop player this is, until we realize that this is a new song and a new take on older, established genres, a song for the here and now. It’s also a song that contemplates our mortality and wonders as to how we might be remembered, and if it does feel slightly familiar, perhaps that comes from the fact that this is precisely the sort of song that Tina Turner would have taken to the number one spot at the height of her solo success.

Shar features here twice, and for good reason. “Rise” is a reggae-dance remix, a weave of clubland groove and island vibes, rootsy rhythms, and dancefloor infectiousness. If the original was a song that was hard not to move to, this heightened version will have even the most casual of listeners dancing in droves. “When The World Is On Your Shoulder,” her second offering, and incidentally, the first song she wrote, takes the upbeat blues format into some celebratory realms. Far from the “woe is me” nature of much of the genre, this song advocates inner strength and self-belief and perfectly embodies the adage, “When you find yourself going through hell… keep going!”

Between her two succulent songs, we find Gar Francis doing what he does so well. To this end, “Cool Cool Baby” shimmers with his signature, low-slung rock and roll energy, his sonic attitude, his foot-on-the-monitor, musical charisma, and his ability to write songs that move the established rock ‘n’ roll template forward without losing everything that made it great in the first place.

And reminding us that Bongo Boy’s roster is broad and unpredictable, this broadcast ends with “Sanctuary” by Anaya music. This instrumental piece weaves ambient dreamscapes around neo-classical delicacy, drifting spiritual sonics through heavenly timelessness into the most marvelous, mellifluous, and meditative music.

So, music fan, if you can’t find something to take your breath away from this small and perfectly formed sonic package, I think you need to question whether music is actually for you.