68-75

Could we be in the midst of a Rock and Roll Revival? When you look at the charts, of course you see a lot of pop acts, hip-hop acts and the likes, BUT there also seems to be a movement. A movement that includes Retro Rockers and Folk/Americana artists making a strong surge. Acts like The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Grace Potter, Mumford & Sons, Rival Sons and Leogun all have a retro element to their sound that seems to be resonating with fans of music today. For me, I hope and pray it continues. I love that classic sound. Bands like Clutch have always had those elements and they’ve been a favorite for years. Having said all of that, I want to bring another band to your attention. One that is definitely not afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves. Hell, even their name harkens back to a classic era. Let me introduce you to 68-75! Led by frontwoman Suzanne Sledge, 68-75 combines a dynamic female vocal with classic guitar tones, driving backbeats, and all the soul one could ask for. The band has shared the stage with likes of Leon Russell, Joe Bonamassa, and fellow Atlanta natives, Blackberry Smoke. Drawing from influences such as Rod Stewart and the Faces, Janis Joplin, Humble Pie, and Jeff Beck; 68-75 brings us their first EP and today, I’m here to review it in our Initial Thoughts series. As usual, I’ll hit the highlights, it’s up to you to discover the rest of the album. Please, buy it, don’t steal it. These artists don’t download their instruments for free. Believe me they cost plenty of money. Support the artists, or lose the art.

Let’s start with the album opener, Play With Fire. The groove laid down by drummer Jack Massey and bassist Steve McPeeks will keep you bopping, but the sweet guitar licks of Andrew Cylar will keep you dancing. The song is a rocker through and through, reminiscent of artists such as Jefferson Airplane and Heart. Suzanne Sledge delivers a powerful performance and really showcases what she can do. A great way to kick off the EP.

Next up is Drowning. This song is quite possibly my favorite track on the EP. Everything about it is just right. There’s no overplaying. There’s no overproduction. There’s no one trying to steal the spotlight. It’s the way music is intended. Four musicians creating something greater than the sum of the parts. Great song!

Bulletproof is the next song I want to touch on. It’s got this killer vibe, one that makes you just kinda snarl up your lip and rock out. The groove is pure blues and one of my favorite tracks on the album. This song isn’t flashy, it isn’t intended to be. It’s meant to deliver the goods, and that business my friends, is good.

Trail of the Dead is the last song I want to talk about. Like Bulletproof, the groove steals the show. With it’s upbeat tempo, killer 2nd guitar in the chorus and free for all delivery from Suzanne, this song has something for everyone.

If the fact that Andrew Cylar is not afraid of a solo, or that Suzanne Sledge has soul, or the fact that the rhythm section of Jack Massey and Steve McPeeks are terrific isn’t enough to have you check out the band; How about the fact that these guys are still available on a local level in and around the Atlanta area. Do yourself a favor and catch these cats on the way up, that way you can say….”I was a part of the Rock and Roll Revival!”

?????????? 7 out of 10 stars
- Unsung Melody- Jonathan Newsome

January 25, 2013 by Zack

68-75Rating: 7/10 Sweet Fros

As soon as you press Play, you know what you’re in for with 68-75.

This Atlanta classic rock band “offers straight ahead rock laced with soulful, emotionally raw vocals.” There’s really no better way to put it. 68-75 doesn’t pull any punches, offering heavy blues-rock riffs that hit the gas while Suzanne Sledge’s honest, beautifully raw pipes drive the muscle car.

The band is 100% rooted in the great rock bands of the 1970s. If the album isn’t enough to convince you of their indebtedness to those bands, then the fact that 68-75 have shared the stage with the likes of Leon Russell, Blackberry Smoke, and Joe Bonamassa should be proof enough. From stripped-down early Zeppelin (think “Good Times Bad Times”), to Paul Rodgers and Free, 68-75 don’t mess around. They keep things short and sweet, with the five songs on the album averaging around three and a half minutes. And the themes are much the same as their influences: Sledge brings down the hammer with songs about being a heartbreaker and the troubles with love. It’s easy to compare Sledge to Ann Wilson, lead singer for Heart, but it’s clear that 68-75's leading lady favored the bluesy side of the likes of Steve Marriott and Humble Pie. Listening to 68-75 is like listening to a huge “thank you” to the heavy blues-rock titans of yesteryear.

Their self-titled album starts off by kicking you in the teeth, with guitarist Andrew Cylar cranking off a sweet and heavy riff on “Play With Fire.” It’s the most up-tempo song on the album, catchy and fun right from Sledge’s emphatic “Ooo” that would make John Kay and Burton Cummings proud.

Things slow down a bit with “Drowning,” which has an atmospheric, driving-at-midnight feel. Sledge sings about “Pickin’ up pieces of my mind on the side of the road, and I wonder where it all went wrong…” in true blues-rocker fashion. She really takes center stage on this song and shows her prowess at giving a heartfelt performance.

It becomes clear from “Bulletproof” onwards that Cylar knows how to write a memorable, mighty meaty riff in true blues-rock fashion. It also becomes clear that 68-75 is primarily the Sledge-Cylar show, with drummer Jack Massey and bassist Steve McPeeks holding down the fort in the rhythm section. They do a great job and help fill out the sound, but it would’ve been nice to hear a little more flair from them, making 68-75 feel like a complete album and giving the band a well-rounded lineup. That’s not knocking their abilities; conversely, that’s me wishing they were more present.

68-75 definitely tells me this is a band to see live; it’s gonna be loud, beer-battered, and ridiculous amounts of fun. If you’re looking for a blast to the legendary blues-rock past, give 68-75 a listen. They’re sure to whet your appetite for more.

Bottom Line: 68-75 is a very good, if not great, blues-rock album that pays homage to the legends of the 70s. Sledge’s versatile voice and Cylar’s powerful riffs own the show, for better or for worse. It’s hard not to have fun when you’re listening to 68-75.

Songs You Must Hear: “Bulletproof,” “Powers That Be,” and “Trail Of The Dead”




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SilverSpark Congratulations....well deserved guys! We wish you every success xxx

January 25 at 2:17pm · Unlike · 1..











Michael Sean Brady Yep! That's about right. Don't forget your next favorite drummer should things not work out!!

January 25 at 2:39pm · Like..












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Paul DJreadmanradioandmusic

January 25.


Now up http://www.mixcloud.com/deejayreadman/radio-variety-show-prhajektz-68-75-popdogs-and-more/






Radio Variety Show: Prhajektz, 68-75, Popdogs and more

Radio Variety Show ( January 24th 2013) features Prahrjekst aka electro producer, Chris Saffle. Also continue with the Album promotion series playing 68-5 at the top of the show and thought on voiceover segments. Plus listener requests and all sorts of goings on.




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68-75 nice one!

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68-75

January 25.



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Barb Epstien Awesome!!

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Andre Cholmondeley gonna miss it... hope it rox!

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68-75 shared T-Bone's Prime Cuts's photo.

January 25.


Join us here this Saturday! Should be a killer - Gonna Groove Reviews- Zack Godfrey

“…68-75 take their input from the same era, but with far more of a Zeppelin/Free/Humble Pie
influence, with Cylar’s meaty riffs and Suzanne Sledge’s sassy soul-mama vocals locking into a
push-and-pull groove.” - Stomp and Stammer

“…(68-75) traffics in no-frills blues-rock in the blustery, beer-battered Humble Pie/Free
tradition….the prodigious pipes of lead singer Suzanne Sledge, whose debt to Janis and Paul
(Rodgers) couldn’t be any more obvious or heartfelt.” — Creative Loafing
“… - Creative Loafing