Author: falconi5

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

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Albums Released This Week (May 3, 2019)

img_1144During a week of comebacks of sort, Post Punk divas L7 have unleashed their terror on unsuspecting ears with a record release, Vampire Weekend is back after a 6 year absence, and even Leo Sayer feels like dancing again with a new record called Selfie. Here are 5 albums that have caught our ear this week.

Filthy Friends – Emerald Valley

Pretty Much an Indie Rock super group featuring Peter Buck, formerly of R.E.M., Scott McCaughey, and Corin Tucker taking a break from Sleater-Kinney. Emerald Valley is the second release from this collective. The songs touch lightly on the political climate of the day but don’t quite go overboard. Picture Chrissie Hynde fronting R.E.M. with the jangle tuned down a notch or two with more of a blues rock touch and you will get the general vibe of this band and this album.

The Wildhearts – Renaissance Men

Showing that you just can’t keep a good kick-ass rock and roll band down The Widhearts are back with most of the original line-up intact. Ginger Wildheart is singing as wild as ever and the entire band cranks the levels up to 11.

Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride

The shift from the right to the left coast and Los Angeles  seems to have mellowed the band without slowing them down. The Jangle Power Pop feel is still there but the songwriting seems to be more focused. There is a bit of a 70’s era Rolling Stones haze wafting through the air on a couple of these songs and the West coast Rock of the Doobie Brothers from the “Long Train Running” era shows up on “Sympathy.” We are not saying we want another 6 years to pass before we get another album, but this one was definitely worth the wait.

Bobby Oroza – This Love

Sounding much like a Motown deep cut, this soulful singer from Finland brings an old school analog sound to an album of funky low-fi arrangements thgat will mellow your soul.

Caroline Spence – Mint Condition

No giant American steps are taken here, just another solid set of mid-tempo story songs that mix rockers with some fine guitar work on the opener “What You Don’t Know” and travel songs detailing here journey to Nashville. There is more of a bit of Emmy Lou in the air on this one.

 

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Albums Released This Week (April 26, 2019)

In what might be the best release Friday of the year Bruce puts out a new single, George Benson pays tribute to Bo Diddley, Walker Lukens releases a very Adult album, and The Cranberries pay tribute to their late singer. Here are Five Cool Ones that have caught some of our ear time.

Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks

Superbly backed by Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit, this record just might be Ritter’s best yet, easily his best in several releases. Every song is a cracker with Josh easing into each song like a hand in a glove.

Nils Lofgren – Blue With Lou

The E-Street sideman has released a set of songs 5 of which were part of a collaboration dating back to the late 70’s with Lou Reed. The album has a laid back Lou Reed meets JJ Cale Vibe. “Attitude City” is pure Lou Reed. And, the title track is a love song to a hero along the lines of “Keith Don’t Go.”

Foxygen – Seeing Other People

Inching forward a bit from a 60’s and 70’s vibe to a 70’s and 80’s sound Foxygen’s Sam France and Jonathan Rado seem to be getting a lot more serious in their lives and in their music. In what might be their Rock and Roll record, “The Thing Is” shares DNA with Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart,” and “Flag At Half Mast” rolls along like Tattoo You era Rolling Stones.

BAILEN – Thrilled To Be Here

If you are a fan of the Laurel Canyon multiple harmony sound and groups like The Milk Carton Kids or the new Cactus Blossoms record then Thrilled To Be Here will be your new jam. Featuring fraternal twins Daniel and David Bailen along with their younger sister Julia , there is a First Aid Kit meets Dawes aura going on here with this impeccably produced record. There is even a dusting of Fleetwood Mac on “I Was Wrong.”

Randy Rogers Band – Hellbent

The Randy Rogers Band is Country in all the best senses of the word, still rolling with the original line-up 20 some odd years down the road. No new red dirt is broken here, just good old Texas Roadhouse Country Rock and Soul.