The dynamite is definitely going boom this week.
Hannah Cohen is bringing back ‘70s folk-pop.
Bryan Ferry teams up with Amilia Barratt on a new single, “Loose Talk”.
And, The Counting Crows have some new music in the pipeline.
But, that’s not all fellow muso’s. Here are five fresh off the presses playyers to enjoy this week.
The Damn Truth – The Damn Truth
This Canadian quartet operates on a planet of revved-up modern rock with a classic rock twist, and with this, their fourth proper long-player, their reputation that has been building as festival forces to be reckoned with should be permanently solidified.
Produced by Bob Rock, the same Bob Rock who twirled the knobs for Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, and The Offspring among many others, the sound is crisp, vocally energetic, with all of the top 40 panache you would expect with the hand-in-glove partnership of artist and producer.
“The Willow,”’a song that highlights the back of the arena pipes that belong to lead singer Lee-La Baum, is Zeppelin “stairway” worthy, “Addicted” bangs the head phones like a Beth Hart banger, and the anthemic “All Night Long” features AC/DC riffage alongside classic Bob Rock artistry.
This is a next-level record for a next-level rock and roll band.
Foxy Shazam – Animality Opera
This one tickles that G-spot between the flower-power psychedelic vibes of Jellyfish and the operatic bombast of the early Queen records.
A bit chaotic at times, less than cohesive for most of the album, this 11-track journey quite nicely puts the ethos of Foxy Shazam into a capsule that while being less accessible than its forebearers, is all the more of an interesting listen for it.
Tito & Tarantulas – !Brincamos!
Widely known as the house band in Quentin Tarantino’s From Dusk Till Dawn, Tito Larriva and his tarantulas have been mainstays of the Los Angeles punk and roll scene for decades with their genre-bending mix of rock, punk, Tejano, and surf music.
And now, with !Brincamos! the band has delivered a masterpiece of Latinx punk rock with raw ballads and energetic anthems leading the way. The opener “X the Soul” would have been perfect in the hands of Tom Waits, if Waits ever let things fly that is, 99.9 sounds like an Alejandro Escovedo garage rant from the nugget days, and “Sneer At The Drummer” could have been a Willy De Ville classic.
This is a real rock record from a real rock and roll band.
My Morning Jacket – Is
With this, their 10th record in 30-plus years of existence, the jam band-adjacent My Morning Jacket has entered into a new phase of their career for the first time in a decade, for them, an outside producer is in charge, Brendan O’Brien who has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and Phish.
Every song on this record is melodic, transcendental, and perfectly executed. The spirit is uplifting and “Everyday Magic” as well as “Time Waited” remind us of the underrated genius that is Jim James when it comes to crafting a love song.
This might not be the album of the year, but it will certainly be on heavy rotation on our turn tables for the rest of the year.
Brian D’addario – Till The Morning
When is a record really/not really a solo album? The answer is nuanced but in this case with the latest from Brian D’Addario, one-half of the Lemon Twigs twins, both answers may be correct.
The first release on the brothers new label Headstack Records, most of the songs were recorded with brother Michael who is also credited as co-producer.
Self described as country- baroque the entire record is full of Donovan-worthy gems. “Nothing On My Mind” would have been a perfect early Kinks single, “Only To Ease My Mind” is Brian Wilson-worthy, and if “This Summer” is not your summer anthem of the year you should have your ears examined.
It is too early in his career to say that Brian D’Addario has created his own Pet Sounds, but when all is said and done you might not be wrong.
Rock Is The New Roll 