Visual Sound: May 2025

Written By Mike Greenblatt

Francesca Fuentes
“I Just Wanna Be Your Lover Again”

Francesca Fuentes is a singer/songwriter/author from West Long Branch. She has a degree in English and Creative Writing from Monmouth University. Her “Rock W Me” was awarded Best Film at the 2019 Lovesick Film Festival in Jersey City. The ending of her romantic relationship and longtime collaboration with her music producer gave her plenty of artistic grist for her mix. Francesca loves to explore variations of pop and rock. Her lyrics often include themes of romance, breakups, mental health, artist angst and faith. During the day, she teaches creative writing and works as a music-marketing assistant. She hopes her story will help other women and artists who have struggled with their artistic identities.  

 

Mardi Gras
“Lia’s Theme”

Jersey City must be a cultural flashpoint as here’s a band based out of Rome, Italy, who reached out to tell us of their album, Sandcastle, which they describe as “a Jersey City story in music.” Mardi Gras—vocalist Liina Ratsep, acoustic guitarist Frabrizio Fontanelli, electric guitarist Fabrizio Del Marchesato, pianist/organist Alessandro Matilli, bassist Carlo De Tore Tosti, drummer Valerio Giovanardi—hope to someday actually visit New Jersey.

 
 

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Pan American & Kramer
“Under The Mariana Trench”

Pan American & Kramer’s new album, Interior of an Edifice Under The Sea (Shimmy Disc), won’t be out until next month but we scored a quick peek at Kramer’s mood these days with the release of this one track.  Pan American is Mark Nelson from Illinois, a producer-composer-guitarist. Kramer is a composer-visionary-producer-Simmy Disc label head, who helped such acts as Pussy Galore, Urge Overkill, Half Japanese, Daniel Johnston, Galaxie 500 and LOW make their best music. He lives in North Carolina but is originally from Bergen County.

 

Mike Hall
“Through The Fire And Flames”

You have to see Mike Hall play solo bass on the 2006 Dragon Force song, “Through The Fire and Flames,” to believe it. Dude’s a monster. As he recently explained to us, “any instrument is capable of telling a story all by itself. For me, I tell stories through the bass guitar.” He’s from Madison in Morris County and he’s toured up and down the east coast with his band Running Late opening for Joan Jett, Gin Blossoms, CCR, 3 Doors Down and dozens of others. He endorses Skjold Design Guitars (as does Dezron Douglas from Trey Anastasio’s band).

Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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Visual Sound: Issue 36