Roundup: the Hot Half dozen for August 31, 2020

El Derrumbe,, single by Enjambre . a new healing song, ghostly, but calming  and yet with a subtle energy, it is music to turn pain into rebirth from the ashes. Remarkable and wonderful. Spanish, but the music works in any language. Available on all platforms and at https://enjambremusica.com

Rise. EP and video by Voices of Service (VOS). The military quartet are releasing the first video and the songs from their EP produced by David “DQ” Quinones and Johnny Black. It grabs you in your heart immediately and carries on its wings to the end.  I loved its beauty and its earthiness in a world of pop and zip and Autotune.  It is the real deal. Video at https://youtu.be/nnmukyuspf8. 

In the End. Single and video by Sheryl Crow.  Following up on her single Woman in the White House, Crow puts her considerable talent to work on a biting portrait of the current occupant.  Rife with hot guitar solos, heavy blues beats and hooks, it rocks and it works.  Available on all platforms

Americano Beat Tape Vol. 1. mixtape by El Dusty.  Only El Dusty could pull off an instrumental mixtape of  favorites from the Americano label catalogue that  melds his talents and spans genres from cumbia, dembow, reggae, dancehall, hip hop and R&B beats capturing the  underground Latinx scenes from Mexico to Florida . On all streaming platforms. https://www.eldusty.com/

Pistola. Single  by  La Misa Negra featuring Flor de Toloache’s Shae Fiol & Mireya Ramos, This is their first single in over a year and a half, a new version of their hit  salsa tune. As with everything they do, it’s so much fun. “Pistola” available now on all digital platforms.

On the Line. Album by Vanessa Collier . Deep down and dirty blues the way it should be.  She is so good , she makes a sax cry and you with it..  The lyrics are throwback and the music is throwdown.  Whether or not you are a blues fan, get this album, now or stream on Spotify. https://www.vanessacollier.com/store

Patrick O’Heffernan.