“38 MINUTES”

Storm (Tin Idol Productions)

Frank De Lima wasn’t the only one who found inspiration in January’s infamous “false alarm” ballistic missile incident. Hoku Award-winning heavy metal rockers Storm share their view of it with this fully produced CD single that they’re releasing this month as a preview of their next full-length album.

Sandy Essman shares the story of Hawaii’s “38 minutes of panic” while Gerald K. Gonsalves (drums), Donald Muller (guitar) and Darren Soliven (bass) lay down a heavy metal wall of sound. Metal certainly fits apocalyptic subjects like (almost) nuclear war. “Let this become a lesson for all of us,” Essman sings.

Visit facebook.com/storm808.

“ALIVE”

Lucie and the Perfect Wave (Self-produced)

This fresh new constellation of veteran musicians traces its roots back to the days when Nick Gertsson (electric guitar) and Michael Tanenbaum (slack key guitar) were working as a duo. Vocalist Lucie Lynch made the duo a trio, and then came Domingo Loranio (drums) and Blake McMillian (bass) as the rhythm section. The quintet’s six-song EP establishes them as an act to watch for.

The contrasting textures and imaginative interplay between the guitars, the unintrusive but interesting work of the rhythm section, and the range of emotions Lynch conveys on vocals make this six-song calling card deserving of attentive listening.

Visit lucieandtheperfectwave.com.

“ALOHA FROM MOLOKAI”

Rick Schonely feat. Pena Bu (Self-produced)

Retired firefighter and long-time Molokai resident Rick Schonely celebrated his 60th birthday by teaming up with multi-Hoku Award-winner Kapena “Pena Bu” De Lima to record and release a two-song Hawaiian country single. Schonely pays tribute to the late Johnny Cash with a straightforward bar band remake of Cash’s 1955 hit “Folsom Prison Blues” and does nicely with it. His second choice, “Molokai Cowboy,” comes with a backstory.

The song was written and first recorded by the late Ernie Cruz, Sr., in 1997. Schonely met Cruz several years ago and is now personalizing Cruz’ original version of “Molokai Cowboy” by adding verses of his own that mention two Molokai landmarks — the Hotel Molokai and Paddlers Inn.

“Aloha From Molokai” is available at Amazon.com.