Excerpt from a review from the Northwest Music Scene blog, by Rebekah Ann Curtis, 1/6/2016: If the city of Seattle dreamed, I imagine her dreams would sound like the upcoming release by The Almost Faithful. A City Dreams is a melodic offering of siren-like vocals by Kyung Lee, seductive lyrics of John Feodorov, and backed by the pope of bass Hal Daranek. This five-piece takes you on a journey that is at times progressive, often alluring, into a dreamscape of sounds that is touched by the grit of grunge, just like Seattle. The Almost Faithful’s EP begins with “My Soul is Saving Me” and “We,” two songs that alone would make a solid offering, but the band never stops delivering on songs that are worth listening to and repeating. Kyung’s delivery, reminiscent of Beth Gibbons, is bittersweet and dripping with sultry vocals. Where many bands would fail with mixing silvery vocals and grunge-tinged progressive rock into one consistent package, The Almost Faithful succeeds brilliantly.

aka, VISUAL MUSICIAN. Sound + Visual Artist || Tap Dancer in the Realm of Music || Rooted in Jazz Music, Expresses Across All Genres Compositionally and Improvisationally || Collaboratively-Minded Foot Percussionist Profile Pic Credit: Antony Su

Funk/Dub/Hip Hop Power Laces is formed from two prior existing bands (The Hooky's & The Approach). Two Brothers Ary & Corbin Webb have joined the likes of Joseph & Jeramey Abarca to produce a groovy out of the box sound and vision. Adding synthesizer/Keyboard player Ryan Gardner to the mix was an instant gratification and layer needed for the experimental vision and sound.

Jessica Lynne, a sensational and rising country star and London Tone Music’s latest signing moved to the US from Denmark in 2010 and immediate took the scene. Compared to luminaries like Dolly Parton and Miranda Lambert Jessica Lynne has taken the Northwest by storm. She has already played legendary stages as the Gorge Amphitheater and the Triple Door, a natural step up from her being the Washington State Winner of the Texaco Country Showdown. With big names like Bob Rivers starting to pay attention to her it is clear we can expect big things from Jessica Lynne.

The Crossroads Exchange is a subtle mix of the roots of American music, taking equal parts country, blues, folk, pop, ragtime, rock n roll, and even a bit of Klezmer, to create a sound unlike anything heard on current radio. Since their formation in 2013, the Crossroads Exchange has kept busy performing regularly around the northwest, touring the western US, recording and self releasing their first album "Black Train, performing at festivals around the Northwest including Hempfest '14 and '15, Northend Throwdown, Boise Lilac Festival, and a headlining spot at Wilderfest 2015. Their ability to adapt to various styles and venues has allowed them to play alongside many great acts like The Goddamn Gallows, Kevin Seconds, Hillstomp, Calabrese, The Tossers, Baby Gramps, The Bad Things, James Hunnicutt, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band, and countless others from punk to bluegrass and everything in between. Their music has been featured on several podcasts, and was even featured in the Funny Or Die web series Hicky: The Hillbilly Vampire. Keep up with their antics at www.TheCrossroadsExchange.com!

We are a funky, blues, soul band with reason.

“The newest mind expanding band to emerge from our city of Seattle is psychedelic rock trio, MASZER. My first MASZER experience was but a few weeks ago, when I watched the music video for their song, "Roar". I was on board from the start." – My Northwest.com MASZER guitarist, Tomer-David Rapaport (aka STITCX), arrived in the U.S. from Tel Aviv ten years ago, and toured relentlessly with his band Mother’s Anger (Dionysus Records). In the last three years, Rapaport, along with drummer Joseph Braley (who joined Mother’s Anger in 2007), took on world tours, opening for Black Sabbath and The Pixies, as well as playing major festivals and shows all over the world with their subsequent band, Reignwolf. Inspired by those years of musical excitement, David spent six months in his studio writing over a hundred songs in preparation for the next musical adventure. Teaming up with longtime friend and Seattle-based singer, Kate Blackstock, the trio dubbed themselves MASZER, meaning 'tithing' in Hebrew (מְעַשֵּׂר).

Hand of the Hills is the culmination of the collaboration between songwriter David Totten (Quiet Ones, Scriptures) and multi-instrumentalist Matt Benham (A Breakthrough in Field Studies, Argo). Finding common influences in the textures of psychedelic and schizophrenic prog rock of the 60’s and 70’s, as well as the melodies of indie-folk music, they began to write songs containing a mixture of elements that are both strange and familiar. There is riffage and ambience, wandering guitar lines and shredding solos, screaming vocal melodies and soft background vocal pads.

Rod is known for his collaborations with singer/songwriter/bassist Laura Love (recording seven albums with her, two of which were released on Mercury Records, and touring the United States, Canada and Europe through the '90's and early 2000's), former Steve Miller Band guitarist James "Curley" Cooke, NBC's The Voice Finalist Vicci Martinez, Northwest icon Little Bill Englehart and many others as well his exploits with Rod Cook and Toast, a band performing original and cover material based in blues, rock, country, Americana, surf and American roots music in general. Rod has also backed up blues legend Taj Mahal and opened as a solo act for Todd Rundgren, Sonny Landreth, and Charlie Musslewhite. He has been nominated numerous times for the Washington Blues Society's "Best Of The Blues" Awards, including nominations for all three guitar categories (Acoustic, Electric and Slide) in 1999, 2000 and 2004. In 2004 and 2015 Rod received the award for both "Best Acoustic Guitar" and "Best Electric Guitar," in 2006 and 2014 was awarded the "Best Acoustic Guitar" award and in 2012 and 2016 "Best Electric Guitar". Rod Cook and Toast has been performing around the Pacific NW for around twenty years performing an eclectic mix of American roots music based in but not restricted to blues. The band consists of Rod Cook (guitar, vocals), Jon Bayless (bass, vocals) and Chris Leighton (drums). All three members have an extensive resume and are well respected throughout the Northwest music community. Jon Bayless is known for his work as bassist with Heart in addition to holding down the groove with countless bands in the Northwest. Chris Leighton also has played with too many Northwest bands to count in the last forty years as well as Randy Bachmann and Laura Love. In 2014 Rod Cook and Toast was named "Best Blues Band" by the Tacoma Weekly readers.

Adrian Xavier has collaborated musically with a number of notable local and international musicians, from the original members of Heart to members of legendary reggae groups Soul Syndicate and The Wailers. Seattle's Adrian Xavier blended sax and fiddle, reggae and soul, in a highly appealing musical brew. Energetic and honey-voiced, his long dreadlocks swinging in the breeze, Xavier sang feel-good songs on the Seattle Center lawn, about how we should take care of the planet and be good to each other. His grooves were fetchingly danceable. He and his band kept surprising with eclectic riffs, off-center rhythms and fresh instrumental combinations. - The Seattle Times

Big Wheel Stunt Show began their journey together in April of 2009 and have been dazzling rock and roll fans with their incredible, classic three-piece vintage sound ever since. With three full-length albums, three tours under the belt, as well as multiple appearances on radio and in music magazines all over the Globe, the Big Wheel Stunt Show is the sort of high-caliber rock and roll band that you won't forget about any time soon.

Long known as one of the Puget Sound region’s most sought after hip-hop and pop producers and engineers, Tacoma native Phinisey has stepped out from behind the production boards and into the spotlight with Something New, his first release as a solo artist. The new EP is a showcase of Phinisey’s soulful vocals, thoughtful songwriting, and dynamic production. Featuring a 4 piece band comprised of seasoned indie rock and soul musicians, Phinisey concerts combine the energy and emotion of electronic pop music with the cool, sensual refinement of R&B.