Author: falconi5

A place for musically minded folk to get together and share ideas, reviews, and basically spread the word.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Songs We Are Listening To This Week (October 11, 2019)

I am really starting to like the release patterns of bands these days. Every time you turn around one of your favorite bands is putting out a great new single for you to enjoy. Here are five new(ish) songs we are jamming to this week.

Caamp – Peach Fuzz

There is a definite folk appeal to this trio from Athens Ohio. “Peach Fuzz” is from their latest album By and By. There is a bit of a Ray Lamontagne by way of Bryan Adams on this. The summery surf guitar sheen is an addictive high.

Joseph – Fighter

From Good Luck, Kid with their debut single “fighter” all of the familial harmonies are on full display. Think ABBA meets First Aid Kit.

White Reaper – Might Be Right

In 2017 White Reaper announced that they were in it to win it with their modestly titled L.P. The Worlds Best American Band. Now, with their latest single “Might Be Right,” these boys from Louisville, Ky show some real glam and grit in advance of a new record coming out later in the year.

Brittany Howard – Stay High

With the lead-off single from her first post Alabama Shakes record, Brittany Howard lays down a record that might end up on many song lists for song of the year.

Illiterate Light – Better Than I Used To

The first single from their new self titled LP, these organic farmers turned rock stars blend soaring Indie Rock with Psychedelia and atmospheric Folk to create a sound all their own.

Video of the Day: Drugdealer – Fools

The latest single from Raw Honey, the bands latest and very much greatest record. Clearly, these guys have been going through their parents record collection. Not only is there a heavy Laurel Canyon vibe being Laid down here, but there is a Steely Dan by way of America tune-du-jour all over this song and the entire record.

Best Albums of 2019: North Mississippi All Stars – Up And Rolling

Cody and Luther Dickinson, sons of the late Jim Dickinson, have opened up their musical Mississippi home to the rest of us with their brilliant Blues Boogie L.P. Up and Rolling.

Their debut record for New West, working for a semi-major label hasn’t slowed these Cats one bit, and while the production does seem a bit more glossy and less ramshackle than their previous affairs, the result is no less appealing and their boogie till the break of dawn spirit flag is still waiving proudly.

Calling on a gaggle of talented friends to lend a hand in the making of this record in their family studio in the hill country of Mississippi, there is never a dull moment, and every track has a live feel to it especially on their reading of Little Walter Johnson’s “Mean Old World” featuring Duane Betts and Jason Isbell on guitar with Isbell also handling lead vocal duties.

Mavis Staples complements the band perfectly on her own Staples Singers cover of “What You Gonna Do,” and keeping up the family tradition, Cedric Burnside choogles up the joint on his uncle R.L.’s tune “Out on the Road.”

The core group, Luther and Cody Dickinson, Thomas A. Dorsey, Carl Dufrene, and Sharisse Norman are a well seasoned outfit that has played together for many years and the many guests that appear here have jammed with the band all over the Mississippi Delta in one form or another. The fits like a glove partnerships on this record should serve to push this record to the front of many year end best-of lists, genre be damned.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (October 11, 2019)

Cody Jinks – After The Fire

With each successive record he releases Cody Jinks seems to channel Chris Stapleton more and more, and that is a very good thing. Now that he is back to being independent after a brief dance with Rounder Records, Cody delivers a solid set of Outlaw Country complete with Honky Tonk blazers and mellow ballads. Jinks blends the darkness with the light with a nimble touch and his Randy Travis Meets Garth Brooks croon is wearing very well on him.

Trigger Hippy – Full Circle & Then Some

On their second incarnation of the band Amber Woodhouse replaces Joan Osborne when a female lead singer is needed as the band lays down the best Country Soul this side of Delaney and Bonnie. This one is decidedly Laurel Canyon retro in all the best of ways.

The Lilac Time – Return To Us

A lovely sort of pastoral listen, there is a meandering pedal steel that sets much of the tone on this nine song set. Slightly political in some places, the title track, written three days after the current inauguration, plays off an Obama speech, and elsewhere there is melancholy whimsey in the Country inflected “Simple Things” remembering a time with less technology.

Starcrawler – Devour You

Strawcrawler comes at you and lands right in your face like some sort of Glam Punk David Lee Roth zombie mutant released to the world. Despite this, their second long-player, being a bit less aggressive than their debut, they still manage to turn out some real fine Rocky Horror Picture Show inspired Rock and Roll.

Joseph Arthur – Come Back World

Joseph Arthur is nothing if not prolific. Despite this being his first solo project in three years, Arthur has definitely been part of the scene organically implanting himself into many musically diverse projects including Arthur Buck with Peter Buck, Fistfull of Mercy with Dhani Harrison, Ben Harper, and Jeff Ament. Here, his pals Jesse Malin, Ben Harper, and Patrick Carney join in on the fun with a spirit calming set of his most personal and powerful songs to date.

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Jazz Albums Released In 2019

Here in the office halls of Rock is the New Roll we appreciate Jazz and enjoy listening to a great Jazz recording whether it be Chick Corea, Charles Brown, Herbie Mann or Oscar Peterson. With the sudden realization that we were a bit behind on listening to the Jazz albums released this year with the help of our Jazz writer Barnaby Lark we set out to right this wrong.

Cochemea – All My Relations

Cochemea has spent much of his diverse musical career as a soloist, musical director, composer, and ensemble player. Known mostly for his work with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings as a saxophone player. With his latest long player, All My Relations, he combines his roots in Jazz, Latin, Funk, and Rock into a polyrhythmic blend of indigenous and spiritual splendor.

Veronica Swift – Confessions

Having guested for Chris Botti, Wynton Marsalis, and many more, Veronica Swift is one of the sparkling new voices on the Jazz scene today. With Confessions, despite her tender age of 24 she is poised to enter the pantheon of modern day torch singers.

Camila Meza – Ambar

A bonafide triple threat Camila Meza Sings, plays exquisite guitar, and writes most of the songs on her latest release,Ambar. Singing in both her native Chilean tongue as well as English, her George Benson and Pat Methany influenced soundscapes with full orchestral accompaniment are delicately nuanced wonders.

Chick Corea, Christian McBride, Brian Blade – Trilogy 2 (Live)

This follow up to the Grammy winning 2013 album, Trilogy, that featured a collaboration between pianist Chick Corea, bass player Christian McBride, and drummer Brian Blade, All virtuoso players in their own right. Highlights abound on these live sessions, but the searing rendition of Corea’s Latin fusion opus “500 Miles High” is ear popping.

Wallace Roney – Blue Dawn – Blue Nights

With this eclectic ensemble of stellar Jazz musicians including Lenny White, who plays on four tracks here, Trumpeter Wallace Roney both leads and stands in the shadows on this set of energetic tracks. On “Why Should There Be Stars” the pin-drop of the trumpet, piano and upright bass engages the listener, and even the inclusion of Toto’s “Can’t Stop Me Now” shows that in the hands of master musicians like this, the sky is the limit.