Want a taste of the Northeast Ohio music scene? There’s always plenty of new music to check out.
Here are just a few of the Cleveland music of the past year. Below, check out some notable local his releases showcasing the city’s jazz, hip-hop, rock, experimental, folk, and indie scenes.
Also, be sure to follow cleveland magazine Spotify will share a playlist of local music in the new year. Some artists are not on Spotify. Check out their website and social media profiles and listen to their tunes.
(photo courtesy Matt Skvasik)
Alan Madei
In addition to releasing its annual original Christmas song, the local rock musician is releasing an all-new album’s worth of songs. leave the lights onOn this project, both Madej and Indiana-based collaborator Michael Harold Doty share eight catchy and tender tracks. alanmadej.bandcamp.com
(Photo credit: Emily Frawley)
all borer
Debut album of the Italian folk song ensemble three sisters (translated to “Three Sisters”) presents a unique interpretation of Italian folk music, incorporating various Italian traditions. “Italian folk music has a broad palette,” says band leader Anthony Taddeo. “Most of these songs are dialects that the average Italian would not know unless they were from a very specific region. Our songs come from all over Italy.” allaboara.com
(Photo credit: James Cooper)
bethany joy
When the coronavirus pandemic canceled her performances in early 2020, Bethany Svoboda, who performs under the name Bethany Joy, saw a silver lining: this could be a good time to step up her guitar playing. You can hear her new skills on her latest blues-infused album Star. bethanyjoymusic.net
beach seat
The band opened their latest album float Powerful, room-filling rock chords intertwined with vocalist Tara Smith’s smooth, low tone. From there, the record evolves into a collection of indie rock jams that veer between mellow and unnerving energies. biitchseat.bandcamp.com
Carlos Jones & The Plus Band
When Carlos Jones and his Peace, Love, Unity Syndicate blaze soulful grooves, the crowd thunders and the night goes smoothly.A group with a long history in the Cleveland reggae scene dropped out new day This year, he was nominated for Best Reggae Artist at the Cleveland Music Awards. carlosjones.com
(photo courtesy Geno Oradini)
cellophane jane
Rex Moda chronicles his healing journey after teenage car accident on Cellophane Jane’s latest album The Ballad of Bad Luck BoyFor each song, Moda chronicles the last ten years of his life. It starts with the breaking glass of a car crash on the Grammy kickoff “The Revealing.” “Coming back on stage was a bizarre adventure,” said Moda. “Each year I try to document this record, from the carefree, carefree naivety of not knowing what might happen, to coming to terms with what was going on in my life with the disease, and finally It’s up to you trying to get back to where you were, a state of confidence.” cellophanejane.com
(photo courtesy Lindsay Poyer)
Rock-turned-pop star Chyla Hope set out to make a record that would make someone dance and cry at the same time. In October, she gave birth to damn feelingan 80s-inspired ode to the highs and lows of heartbreak. chaylahhope.com
children of artists
Featuring lyrics written by Morning [A] BLKstar’s LaToya Kent and RA Washington, Liar Tongue Ballad Under the name “Children of Artists”, it embraces experimental collaboration within the loose cohort of Cleveland’s music scene. clevelandtapes.us
grumpy plum
Known for their whimsical, approachable lyrics and TikTok presence where the band has become a Cleveland staple, Grumpy Plum vented all their irreverent anxieties with their January 2022 single, “i don’t care.” grumpyplumband.com
heavy cat
This Cleveland-formed project goes all out with an apt title heavy cat returnThis tight album blows through 10 new bangers (standouts like “Numero Uno”, “Recycle” and “Frowner”). facebook.com/theheavyestcat
(Image credit: Herzog)
Herzog
hometown hotel took Herzog in a different direction. A slower, quieter tone replaces the group’s older high-energy indie rock. “It’s definitely a change in intensity,” says lyricist Tony Borrell. facebook.com/herzogsounds
(Photo credit: Catherine)
Katie
Six years after forming, local indie soul band The Katy finally released their debut album earlier this year. Her self-titled nine-track project finds the band in a laid-back groove centered around singer her bassist Catherine. thekatyband.com
(photo coatesy The Dark Room Co.)
Kyle Kidd
Singer known for working with local groups like Morning [A] BLKstar to start solo activities this year fortune teller, a fragile album that tackles the ups and downs of love, life and creativity. Abstract visuals and fashionable looks are tied into the album his packaging and released with neat multimedia his bow. kylekidd.com
Last Gasp
It’s hard to follow Cleveland’s hardcore scene without coming across Last Gasp, and you might even find international acts like IDLES with band merch on their backs.Check out the group’s latest demo Fall ’22 Eternal Get a glimpse of what Last Gasp has in store for the Northeast Ohio scene. lastgaspoh.bandcamp.com
(Photo credit: Lea Marra)
Lea Mara & The Dreamcatchers
The group put a particularly folk take on holiday music. candy cane christmasHear some new bluegrass-infused originals, along with a passionate cover of “Auld Lang Syne.” facebook.com/leamarramusic
(Photo cEllen Gobeille)
Marcus Allan Ward
This Cleveland musician returned to the basics of jazz guitar when crafting cruiserweight — 8 funky tracks inspired by the musician’s hobby of boxing. Collaborators come and go, singing and rapping, but his voice is never featured on a mostly instrumental album. marcusalanward.com
mourning [A] Black star
This Cleveland music collective and its members are constantly producing new music, and this year Crew released celestial bodiesa collection of recent works that have appeared in local and international dance, art and television projects. morningablkstar.com
(Image credit: RA Washington)
RA Washington & Jah Nada
mourning [A] BLKstar’s RA Washington and Bloody Show’s Jah Nada team up in search of my father’s garden, a seminal 9-track jazz album. The spirited collection of songs also includes a 14-member ensemble, highlighting a prominent part of Cleveland’s music scene. astralrajah.bandcamp.com
(Photo credit: Russell Flanagan)
Ray Flanagan
Local musician Ray Flanagan has released dozens of singles over the past two years, and showcases his roots acoustic work and prolific rock band every month. Flanagan plans to pull back from monthly releases in 2023, followed by a full-length album. rayflanagan.net
(photo courtesy Alexander Kerr)
rosies
Rose Garden: Quiet and peaceful, right? New from The Rosies Not often included on his album welcome to rose gardenReady for punk, hard rock and mosh pits, this album is 10 songs that are pure fun. facebook.com/therosies
signal midwest
At a time when Midwestern emo reigns supreme in alt-kids headphones across the country, Signals Midwest has it down in Cleveland with their recent releases. dentSignals, the fourth album in the band’s discography, shows a maturity and accuracy that rivals their previous releases. Signalsmidwest.bandcamp.com
slug
Released on local label Delayed Gratification Records, Slug brought underground heat with a chaotic, gritty EP. continuous growthWith five tracks totaling less than ten minutes, the record is aggressive and fast-paced. slugclevo.bandcamp.com
(photo courtesy Observer Studio)
sonder bomb
This year, The Land received a new emo anthem when Sonder Bombs was released. starListening to the track jokingly evokes resilience, with lyrics that refer to the singer’s history of balancing mental health and a music career. thesonderbombs.bandcamp.com
sister
The duo — cellist Carolina Borja and bassoonist Arleigh Savage — use loop pedals to develop colorful melodies and textures on their debut album. EsperanzaThe resulting 8 songs are songs that happily travel through various musical cultures. sororii.bandcamp.com
unity
Raven Clark blurs every genre as Unity and you can hear it on her latest album in yeastExperimental releases incorporate elements of industrial, pop, noise and avant-garde, making them a distinctive sound in the Cleveland scene. facebook.com/whoisuniity
Wesley Bright
A departure from the rest of his usual band, The Honeytones, Wesley Bright stunned Northeast Ohio with a soulful 12-track record that featured the raucous title track “Must be the Love.” . Known for his own company, his Akron Honey, the singer takes listeners on a journey from soulful singing to belted gospel awe. wesleybright.com
(Image credit: Westside Lo)
Westside Row
The Luxury Cafe Central to the smooth flow of DeAngelo Avento as Westside Row. Featuring akaFayaven, FasciN8, Trav Hen and a handful of his other local artists, this groovy hip-hop release is all about relaxed good vibes. instagram.com/westsidelo_3_
(Photo credit: Will Cherry)
Will Cherry
With a sound reminiscent of 2008’s Kanye West, Will Cherry not only emotionally touches on Cherry’s growth as an artist and as a person, but he’s achieved as much record as the hype. ultraviolet rays Boasting credits to Sango, known for his work with The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, most of the production is by Cherry himself. willcherry.jp
Want to submit some local music to our playlist? Email elder@clevelandmagazine.com and nickoloff@clevelandmagazine.com for consideration.
Delve into the food, sports, and news stories that defined 2022 for the full list of year-end wrap-up stories.
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