Over the course of the past ten-plus years Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) has not so much created musical compositions as they have crafted atmospheres, different musical worlds, or at least ways to look at our world differently through music. This is perhaps most true of their most recent album ‘Ad Explorata,’ of which they are currently touring in support. According to STS9’s website the album is “inspired by the idea that there is always more to be discovered, manifested by the belief that you can always push towards the unknown and unexplored, and created by the will and desire for constant artistic evolution, expression and change.” And after listening to the twelve tracks that make up ‘Ad Explorata,’ it’s clear that the band did indeed accomplish what they set out to do. Even without prior knowledge of the intended theme, as it were, of the album one gets the feeling that the intention of this group of recordings is to push limits, move forward and put the listener in a beautiful trance, to take the listener somewhere unexplored, even if that place is only in their own head.

Blake Shelton, who has garnered more attention in recent months from his publicized relationship with Miranda Lambert than from his music, returns with ‘Hillbilly Bone,’ a six-track E.P. that is his latest long-overdue collection of music.  Throughout his near-decade long stint with Warner Brothers Nashville, Shelton has enjoyed renowned success for such singles including “Austin,” “The Baby,” “Some Beach,” and “She Wouldn’t Be Gone.” 

With his outlandish southern-pride influenced demeanor and attitude, Blake has developed a reputation for his humor-based catchy sing-along tunes, while also surprising fans at times with his more sensitive, slowed down appreciation of the genre as well.  With every release, Shelton continues to add to his diversified collection of music, adding influences and elements to his repertoire that are setting him apart from his country male artist counterparts.

“This song heads straight for the heart for so many people.  It’s a natural kind of connection.”  Easton Corbin, the traditionally modern rising country star, who is set to release his debut album on March 2, is adamantly headstrong with regards to the impact his lead single has had on the general public.  The song, as everyone knows, is “A Little More Country Than That,” and it’s been dominating country airwaves for months.  But what some may not realize is how autobiographical this tune actually is for the Gilchrist County, Florida native.  “Even though I didn’t write this song myself, it is one of the more personal songs on the album,” Corbin shares.  “It’s one of those songs that just screams out at you, and you can instantly relate to it.  That’s exactly why I love it, and I think that’s why other people are digging it so much.”

Tommy Tallarico is an icon to any one with a love of video games or modern classical music, and to those with a love of both he is a veritable god.  Despite having no musical training beyond playing his parents' piano as a kid, Tallarico was able to virtually infiltrate the video game industry and compose for nearly 300 games, winning over 35 industry awards and establishing his own namesake studio which has become the largest audio production house in the multimedia world.  While these accomplishments on their own would certainly be amazing, Tallarico, with conducter Jack Wall, have gone on to create the phenomenon that is Video Games Live, an orchestral rock experience, utilizing the music, images, and raw emotion of video games to create an immersive experience like no other.  The concert, if it can be called such, has gone on to repeat world-wide tours and untold success, introducing those in the video game world to the experience of the symphony and vice-versa, letting worlds collide for a spectacular musical outcome.

As we entered the early stages of a new decade, the music industry is in a state that it has never been in before.  Digital music is dominating record sales, touring is the artists’ goldmine, and musical creativity is collectively at an all-time low.  Throughout the history of this one-of-a-kind industry, though, there are a few artists who have re-defined everything we, as a society, believe in musically.  These musicians utilize their talents in more ways than to merely entertain us superficially; they create music to make a difference.  This is the elite club in musical entertainment, and Andy Fraser, is perhaps its most deserving member.

Fraser, the original founding member of seminal group Free, has been one of the craftsmen of the blues-rock style that has influenced some of the top-notched names in the industry, most notably Led Zeppelin and Foreigner.  Unlike many other artists in the situation of developing a triumphant career as a member of a band, Andy has emerged as an astoundingly successful solo musician as well.  His latest effort, “This Is The Big One,” displays Fraser’s talent and passion with more essence than perhaps any other single piece of music.