Can’t Miss New Music From South Florida’s Y&T Music Label
By Debbie Brautman
Mary Karlzen Shines Again on Her New Album
Mary Karlzen was a member of the Miami based band Vesper Sparrow in the late 1980’s and went solo, under the wings of Rich Ulloa and his indie label Y&T Music. He released her self-titled debut and Hide EP. She signed with major label Atlantic Records in 1995 and released her critically acclaimed major label debut, Yelling at Mary, which featured renowned artists Jackson Browne, Benmont Tench and David Hildago. She returned to Y&T Music for her superb release Shine in 2021. Now, in 2026, we’re treated to another gem of an album by Mary, and we are not Yelling at Mary but Yelling for Mary. Her new album is called For All That We Dreamed Of and it’s another winner. It is her 7th album. Her unique storytelling blended into pop, rock, country and folk tunes, comes from the heart making this a winning combination. “Blindsided” starts off the album and is reminiscent of another favorite female artist, Aimee Mann. It’s a great catchy song that tells a story of dating a guy who turns out to be gay. with her clever lyrics, “My first boyfriend was totally gay and I couldn’t see it from a million miles away, and though I look like a boy, he said, I like you that way.” The music is great; her vocals are spot on, and it is a real highlight and killer tune. “Mr. Typewriter” shows her imagination and descriptive storytelling. A songwriter meets an old-fashioned typewriter in the garbage and falls in love with her typewriter until a computer comes along. And the typewriter says he will wait for the power to go out. It is clever and somehow, she makes it believable. The original songs are great, and her covers are well chosen. All songs are written by Mary except the cover of “She” by Gram Parsons and ‘There is A Time” by Jayne and Dillard of The Dillards. She especially does a fabulous job covering “She.” Another highlight is “History,” with a first-rate vocal performance by Mary. “Night of A Million Moons” is a rerecorded song from her debut album with a new arrangement. On the song “Franklin,” Mary plays some dazzling piano, showing her immense talent. “Heading Out To Sea” is the new single with a beautiful video and it closes out this fine album. Some of the excellent musicians are Mitch Mestel, Jolynn Daniel, Ben Peeler, Fernando Perdomo, John Deaderic, and Jansen Press who also did a superb job mixing and producing. Rich sums it up perfectly, “I can honestly say that Mary’s songwriting has never been stronger and her vocals have a wonderful new maturity and depth.”
A Different Kind Of Tribute to Pete Ham Of Badfinger Fame
It has been three years since Rich Ulloa’s dream project Shine On – A Tribute to Pete Ham, and now we have another labor of love release by Rich Ulloa of Y&T Music, along with his partners Jim Wurster and Donald Sarley. Thanks and executive producer credit is given as well to Mark Strothmann, representative of the Pete Ham estate. This new Pete Ham tribute is named Just Look Inside The Cover – Songs Of Pete Ham. All the songs are written by Pete before his tragic suicide death at the young age of 27. What is different about this Pete Ham tribute album is that the 22 new recordings of songs written by Pete Ham were only previously released as home demos and never recorded by his band Badfinger. These are timeless, beautiful songs that are deep cuts that have come to light thanks to the Pete Ham estate. The genius of Rich Ulloa and his Y&T partners is how they assemble top notch talent to cover and bring these gems to brilliant life with modern technology and superb production. Just Look Inside The Cover also includes new recordings by Ron Griffiths and Bob Jackson, both who have recorded and toured with Pete Ham, as members of The Iveys and Badfinger. Bob Jackson nailed the title track “Just Look Inside The Cover,” and there is a great video of it on YouTube. Ron Griffiths did justice to “Take Good Care Of My Baby.” Mary Karlzen covered “Dawn” and put her stamp on it. Sharp Pins did a beautiful rendition of “Just How Lucky We Are” with a Byrds feel in addition to the Badfinger vibe. Eric Dover’s version of “Leaving on A Midnight Train” sure rocks! The talented Arlan Feiles aced “You’re Such a Good Woman.” Humbert’s version of “Little Mary” is a definite highlight. Humbert is a band formed from the ashes of the band I Don’t Know (IDK) featuring Ferny Coipel, Izo Beseres and Tony Landa. They are a superb South Florida based band and have more recently added guitarist Jorge Hernandez. Their version of Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” released in 2022 on Y&T Music as a limited vinyl single is excellent.
“Hand In Hand” by Rob Bonfiglio really channels Pete Ham perfectly. “Little Bit of Rock and Roll” by Mic Harrison and The High Score will have you on your feet dancing. The gifted Tobin Sprout from Guided By Voices does “Keep Your Country Tidy” and a reprise of it as the last song. There’s not a bad song on here and anyone that loves Pete Ham and Badfinger will love it. It is an absolute must for all completist Badfinger fans. Also, it will make any Beatles fan happy as well. As Rich Ulloa puts it, “It is my hope that this tribute will help in preserving and growing the legacy of Peter William Ham and introduce his work to a new generation of fans.”
Tambyrlane- Fools Parade
Rich Ulloa also turned me on to a new project from Michael Molina. Rich managed Michael’s first band, The Coins, in the early ‘80’s during Miami’s first wave of original music. Rich enlisted Michael’s help in his Pete Ham Tribute albums and encouraged Michael to record a new album. Michael’s new project with guitarist Steve Capozzi is called Tambyrlane, and the album is Fools Parade. They had worked together in the band Creepin’ Charlie in the late 1990’s. Their new album incorporates rock, Americana and folk. No longer in Florida, Michael has been in Connecticut and part of that music scene for quite some time. Florida’s loss is Connecticut’s gain. Michael Molina’s voice is distinctive, with the intensity of Nick Cave and Tom Waits but slanted more toward a southern rock/Americana sound. Molina’s influences are Dylan, Neil Young, Steve Earle, The Band, The Who and The Stones, but his sound is his own and this is an album that is solid and pleasing to the ears. It is especially impressive for a debut album, but their years of musical experience are quite noticeable. “Prelude/As The Crow Flies” slowly builds into a masterpiece that’s got it all. “Can’t Cry Enough” is a beautiful song with great instrumentation and vocals. It really works. “Walk Tough” is a driving bluesy rocker. “Calico Sings” has some killer background vocals, swirling guitars and is another impressive song. There are so many strong songs on this album. “Gun” closes out the album with a moving ballad that would make Tom Waits proud. There is an excellent online video that is striking and very emotional. The album was recorded by Paul Opalach at Long Hill Studios and mixed and mastered by Edwin Ramos at Platinum Room Recorders in Bridgeport Connecticut. Lap steel guitar, mandolin and violin add to the guitars, piano and organ. Opalach and Ramos did a fantastic job. The sound is top notch and works perfectly for the album’s blend of rock and Americana. Lesley Daunt did the stellar artwork for the cool cover of Fools Parade. She has also done the artwork for some of Y&T Music’s Pete Ham Tributes. They give thanks to their wives on the credits which is a sweet touch. Also look out for their new single “Appalachia Rising/Medicine Bow” as it’s got some great guitar work and sounds like an Americana ZZ Top. No fools here for this parade of excellent musicians. Fools Parade is an outstanding album. Keep on rockin’ Michael Molina and Steve Copozzi aka Tambyrlane.
