Chaz McKinney - Girls & Boys

"Maybe we just keep this secret"

I feel like this blog has sort of adopted Chaz and his music. I don't feature a lot of super-indie artists on here, mostly because I favor a real professional production that tends to cost a lot of money to create. But, despite being totally independent, Chaz creates pop music that's glossy and polished, while still maintaining an artistic integrity that's all his own. I confess that I haven't had time to listen to his newly released album in its entirety, but I've sampled it and I've definitely been pulled in by the opening track in particular. Girls & Boys has that type of propulsive chorus that attracts me like a bug to sugar. I just love it, and I wish there was more of it on this album (again, I haven't delved in that deeply, so I could be wrong). But, if you haven't given McKinney's music a listen yet, this is a great place to start!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Chaz McKinney - Gatsby

"I'll just be Gatsby for the night"

Nashville-based Chaz McKinney is really a diamond in the rough when it comes to pop music. For an indie artist (in the truest sense), his tracks are surprisingly robust and very well written. This guy's got an ear for melody. He's releasing a new album in June and I can't wait to hear it. I'm assuming Gatsby will be a part of that album, in its fully produced version. However, he's recently shared the demo version of the song. Although it's a bit rough, the bones are there and you can already tell what an awesome, anthemic pop song it's going to be when finished. Think Lady Gaga Gypsy or Edge Of Glory style. I really hope this gets beefed up and perfected, because I can already see myself playing it over and over again.

EDIT: Argh! I just read that this will not be on the album. I feel like starting a petition for a fully produced version to be released. This is too good to waste!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Chaz McKinney - While We're Young

"Money can't buy back the youth of your life"

It's rare to find an independent artist making big pop music with glossy, intricate production. I get hundreds of emails a week offering soundcloud links to music, and actually this guys never sent an email. I just happened to stumble across his music. I was instantly floored. This is my kind of stuff. In his own words, Chaz's sound is: "intelligent pop music for the masses, built on a strong foundation of 70's experimentalism, 80's rock, 90's pop, and 2000's sensibilities." In other words, exactly what I'm looking for. He did a cover of an unreleased Lady Gaga track, which brought him some attention, but he also lists artists like Michael Jackson, Bowie and Queen among his influences. Honestly, I can hear bits of each of those in the music. Chaz is operating out of Nashville, which isn't exactly what I'd call a pop haven. It makes him even more interesting. Best of all, his new EP is available to download for FREE. I haven't listened to it yet, as I'm waiting to bring it on vacation (more on that tomorrow...). The track I'm highlighting today is from his previous EP. It's a cover of a song by British band Pegasus Bridge. It's incredibly bombastic.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Download the ew EP for FREE here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.