By Joe Viglione

Hummingbird Syndicate will be at the Tavern at the End of the World in Boston with Low Spark on March 9th at 4:30 pm 5pm – 6pm Hummingbird Syndicate 6:20pm – 7:30pm Low Sparks. Hear 5 minutes of pure Pop with “Gracefully” from Lynn Shipley, Steve Gilligan, Jon Macey and the gang. You tube here: https://youtu.be/kd7cH79K0wA It’s a gorgeous video and a classy, memorable guitar line that Macey has been known for from his days in Fox Pass, Mercury Records’ Tom Dickie and the Desires and Macey’s Parade.

As for Low Spark: Lucky Girl EP
Short review by Joe Viglione

Released on November 15, 2014
the Lucky Girl EP bv Low Sparks is smart pop with bursts of melodic energy that delights. “I Just Want You Back” is five minutes and six seconds of a wonderful musical excursion, kinda like a sequel to the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.” A slow groove with pensive vocals and music
that would make Gram Parsons proud. “No Getting Over You” is reminiscent of Emmit Rhodes, “I Just Want You Back” is five minutes and six seconds of a wonderful musical excursion, kinda like a sequel to the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.” A slow groove with pensive vocals and music
that would make Gram Parsons proud. “No Getting Over You” is reminiscent of Emmit Rhodes, while New Year’s Day and its chorus of “just let go” would be welcome on any post-Lou Reed Velvet Underground album from Doug Yule. Thanks to Bandcamp where I found this
https://lowsparks.bandcamp.com/track/new-years-day

If you want some spectacular reggae, listen to HONEY B
Clocking in at 4:20 Honey B’s “Happy For You” is a delightful, uptempo positive look at life. The kaleidoscope, calypso, cosmic cheerful sounds would put anyone in a good mood.

Produced by Issachar Muzik and featuring the legendary Roots Radics founding members Honey B’s voice propels the celebration. This isn’t Millie Small’s 2 minute opera “My Boy Lollipop” with Chris Blackwell of Island Records’ insight, the almost four and a half minutes go by just as
quickly as Small’s definitive and iconic 60’s hit. You’ll find “Happy for You” on repeat, just as “My Boy Lollipop” was….and still is. Joe Viglione 7:13 pm 2-17-25 http://www.joevigtop40.com

FROM PATRICK MANIAN OF MOBILE STEAM UNIT
PEACE AND QUIET

Patrick Manian’s solo project, including “Peace and Quiet” is a marvelous travel to a dreamy landscape. Five minutes and thirteen seconds of an exotic world peopled by multiple sounds that cascade alongside Patrick’s science-fiction vocals. Released on: 2025-02-11 the guitar and percussive feelings melt into the lyrics which quickly
find themselves swirling with other voices and by the 2:15 mark threads of keyboards building – not to a crescendo, but to soothing, oozing thoughts inside the perpetual mellow mood.

joe viglione review, 4:29 pm Feb 17, 2025

Babygirl, Nicole Kidman

Age Gap relationships a big thing nowadays, especially on YouTube with Cher, Mick Jagger, Rupert Murdoch and so many others dating people they love that are…well, people, where age doesn’t matter. A handsome young intern – Samuel (Harris Dickson,) plays mental games with a CEO (Romy) played by Nicole Kidman. “Incredibly inappropriate” is the catchphrase from Samuel, whose competition is Antonio Banderas as Jacob. On IMDB everyone has a first name only, and what could have been devolves into a long, drawn-out watered down Fatal Attraction. When Antonio and Harris (or Samuel and Jacob, how Biblical) get into fisticuffs the first thought that came to my mind was….threesome. Unfortunately they all don’t jump into bed (good idea for a sequel) and it just kind of fizzles away. If mind games and good looking people are on your menu for a nice night out…or nice night at home streaming, well, Babygirl is your cheap fling at the movies.

Zach Kaas & The Macrocosmonauts have a truly post-psychedelic video with “Stock Tips.” It’s a driving well-played song with unique splashes of pop/jazz and musical diversions that keep your attention. Music, Lyrics & Visuals by Zach Kaas Mixed and Mastered by Jason Felitto at My Lady On Fire (Brighton, MA)

Chicago, Live at 55, DVD/Blu Ray on Mercury Studios (the old Eagle Rock) is a very Las Vegas look at the venerable band that delivered hit after hit throughout the decades. From the press release: Chicago, the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band with more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, are captured in this 2½ hour event recorded this past November at Ovation Hall at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ in front of a live audience of 10,000 fans over two nights. The film, produced by Award Winning Producer Barry Summers as part of the critically acclaimed Decades Rock Live concert series, features the band who play songs from the album, including some never-before-performed songs as well as “unplugged” versions of some of Chicago’s classic tunes.
Joined by special guests Robin Thicke, Chris Daughtry, Steve Vai, VoicePlay, Judith Hill, Robert Randolph and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, each performance is visualized in vibrant video and animation.

Joe Vig’s thoughts: “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” is picture perfect, like the hit single. From the 1982 film Summer Lovers, which could have been much more (don’t blame the song, it fits in perfectly) flawless guitar, flawless vocals, this professional band knows its audience and how to deliver. Not for fans of the Velvet Underground who will find this ostentatious and grandiose, nor will Deep Purple’s Appreciation Society run to these sounds, but Chicago’s success was always playing to a mainstream audience, different audiences through the 60s, 70s, 80s, but always the mainstream in those audiences. Good for them. Well done, and a supreme delight for their vast fan base.

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