Music

“Last Heroes” (LP) by Marc Miner

It’s easy to hear Marc Miner’s influences after hearing Last Heroes a single time.

Each of the album’s eleven cuts owes some degree of debt to outlaw country. He doesn’t go as far as directly mimicking the anthemic streak in progenitors such as Jennings, Nelson, or Hank Jr. – but there are other echoes. Fans of alt-country in recent years may hear some Hank Williams III in Miner’s work. I’m not saying he’s a direct influence, but that they share the same thrust.

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It cuts across the decades. “Sweet Revenge” checks off time-tested boxes while still displaying a distinctive character. Miner culls his tale from an unique collision of a love story with a criminal slant full of lyrical blood and thunder. His musical arrangement and attack for the song provide a crucial understated counterpoint to the graphic content of the words. There are affectations on his singing, but it isn’t ever heavy-handed.

“Girl Gone Bad” swings in a more neanderthal direction. Miner has very different aims with a song such as this, he’s content throttling listeners over the head with an obvious arrangement, but he does infuse the risqué lyrics with a lascivious bite that pushes the song right up to the edge. It’s a stylized number, obviously, but I do appreciate the ruthless rumble powering this track.

He turns back to more nuanced songwriting ambitions with the next few songs. “Nicki & Bob” is arguably the album’s best-realized story. It has a fully fleshed-out musical vision though, make no mistake, and the spot-on percussion pushes it forward at the right pace. It’s the lead guitar playing, however, that leaves the deepest mark on listeners, particularly with the playing during the song’s second half.

“Last Hero’s Gone” is a right, compact performance and one of the album’s most complete packages. Falling into cliché with these sorts of songs is an inherent risk, but there’s a consistent ring of experience lived rife throughout these cuts. Some listeners may hear a certain amount of posing with these songs, a measure of self-consciousness, but I hear his energy more than any sort of excessive earnestness.

He turns in a performance beyond his years with the song “Hero of Laredo”. I’m really taken with this song the way he invokes a palpable setting for his tale of an one-time street criminal’s rise to the top of the pyramid. Miner outfits the song with a tempo that keeps the song percolating from the start and gives impetus to his performance.

“Heavy Bones” is one of the album’s hardest hitters, especially thanks to its chorus. It’s an obvious choice for a single based on that aforementioned chorus alone. He flexes his bluesy muscles with this track and layers his singing with a thick gravel tone that squeezes every drop of soul from the song. “Home Ain’t No Place for Me” gets some of its melancholy glow from the elegant organ playing during the song’s second half. It’s a downcast mid-tempo amble that has a little bit of a nudge tucked into the performance.

Marc Miner writes and records something for everyone who loves Americana and alt-country. Last Heroes isn’t a lightweight release and Miner conveys a commanding personality with each of its eleven tracks.

Kelly McKinnon

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Artist Spotlight

Cali Tucker Unwraps Christmas Magic With Her New EP “Santa Baby”

Cali Tucker is back in the spotlight this season with “Santa Baby,” a beautifully made holiday EP that captures the heart, warmth, and timeless glow of Christmas classics. Cali is known for singing the National Anthem at NASCAR’s Pennzoil 400 in front of 80,000 fans and more than three million people at home. She brings the same powerful presence and emotional depth to this holiday project.

“Santa Baby” is a great holiday release for music lovers, bloggers, and new artist discovery sites. It has six tracks and lasts 20 minutes. It mixes nostalgia with Cali’s signature smooth vocals. Each song shows off her talent, but “O Holy Night” and “The Christmas Song” are two that stand out as favorites. Both performances show off her range, control, and ability to bring classic songs into modern emotional spaces without losing their original charm.

“O Holy Night” stands out as the EP’s spiritual center, with a glowing performance full of dynamics, warmth, and a cinematic stillness that draws people in. Cali gives the song both respect and a unique touch, breathing new life into a well-known hymn. “The Christmas Song,” on the other hand, makes you feel like you’re sitting next to a fire. It’s soft, heartfelt, and full of stories that make you feel nostalgic. Cali’s voice flows effortlessly through every note, making it impossible not to feel the magic of the season.

The whole EP flows easily and has a mix of fun sparkle, soulful warmth, and classic Christmas music. “Santa Baby” is the perfect song for the season, whether people are making holiday playlists, looking for new Christmas music, or discovering new vocal talents. This EP adds a new but familiar sound to today’s holiday music scene. It has a comforting feel and is easy to listen to repeatedly.

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Artist Spotlight

Kalpee Honors Heritage and Heart on His Emotion-Rich New EP Dougla Boi

Kalpee is back with Dougla Boi, a beautiful new EP that is both personal and powerful. It gives listeners a close look at the layers of identity, heritage, and emotion that make him who he is. The Trinidad and Tobago artist is confident in his own space, which is rooted in New Calypso and polished with hints of dancehall, R&B, and afrobeats. In this space, genre bends, but emotion leads.

Named after the Trinidadian word for someone of mixed African and Indian heritage, Dougla Boi is honest, proud, and warm about the complexities of culture. Kalpee opens a window into the dualities that define him across six tracks, turning personal truth into universal resonance. The EP is just under 19 minutes long, but every second is carefully planned to take listeners on a journey through courage, joy, healing, and the quiet strength that comes from accepting all parts of yourself.

The first single, “Under,” stands out right away for its calming yet emotionally charged experience. Kalpee’s voice flows over a beat that sounds both new and old, fitting the EP’s theme of bringing cultures together. It’s one of the best examples of how he can mix soft and hard sounds, which is what makes his New Calypso sound so unique.

“Everybody,” which features Full Blown, is another excellent song that has already done very well. It has a happy vibe and an infectious bounce, making it one of the EP’s most replayable songs. “Everybody” captures the spirit of community and shared experience, which is what Kalpee means when he says that identity is not a box but a rhythm.

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