Author: falconi5

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

Video of the Day: Elton John – The Last Song

A deepest of the deepest cuts from Elton John released on his 1992 record, The One. The song centers around a father coming to grips with the sexuality of his son who is dying from an AIDS-related illness. This was also the first single released to benefit Elton’s AIDs foundation. Bernie faxed the lyrics to Paris shortly after Freddie Mercury had died.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (November 13, 2020)

I don’t mean to be an alarmist here, but this may be the last really good release week until well into January. Stand ready to have your ears insulted with a rash of Christmas releases, greatest hits re-packaging, and, only if you’re lucky, some tasty reissues. But, in the meantime, it is a pretty terrific week of new releases for your ears to savor.

W.E.T – Big Boys Don’t Cry

For those frequent visitors to the Falcon’s Nest or Rock is the New Roll you know that we are big fans of contemporary Melodic Rock in the Night Ranger mold. And, this latest from W.E.T. fits the bill quite nicely.

If you are a Neil Young fan, in recent months you have been having the time of your life with all of the concert releases, archive deep-dives, and artistic videos he is releasing to his public.

And, one of Rock is the New Roll new finds Joyous Wolf is out with a tasty acoustic version of their song Odyssey.

Here are five tasty new nuggets we are enjoying this week.

Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

Chris Stapleton is not messing around with his latest record, Starting Over. Returning to the comfortable environs of RCA Studio A in Nashville with Benmonth Tench and Mike Campbell, a couple of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers in tow, he continues to deliver his own brand of Outlaw Country blending Classic Country, Country Rock, Soul, and Americana to create a soul-soothing mix of impeccably written and produced tunes. It would be a fools-errand to cull a favorite track from this package, suffice it to say all of them are the best. The title song is great, “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice,” Waylon by way of Steve Earle, is even better, and “Whiskey Sunrise” is a mournful Country-Noir belter.

AC/DC – Power Up

AC/DC is back, mostly better than ever, and it’s like they never left. The national nightmare that was the money-grabbing Axl Rose tour is long behind us, Brian Johnson is belting the songs out with Back in Black quality venom, the late Malcolm Youngs’ son is filling the rhythm guitar shoes quite admirably, and long-time drummer Phil Rudd is back behind the kit after taking a few albums off. Sure, this is reliable ground they are treading, their sound hasn’t really changed since the Bon Scott Days, but in the case of these Rock and Roll Lifers, this one is the welcome adrenaline shot of good old-fashioned, old-school Rock and Roll that we really need right about now.

George Bens0n – Weekend In London (Live)

This one should be on the shortlist alongside Linda Ronstadt’s Live at the Hollywood Bowl for the best live album of 2020 consideration. Pristinely recorded at the famed Ronnie Scott’s in London, there is a sense that you are spending some quality time with a person that you really missed and had let too much time slip away between visits. The band is top-notch, the 10 feet from stardom backing singers are belters, and the overall vibe is that he is singing for you in your living room. All of the standards are here, classics all, with “Give Me The Night,” “Turn Your Love Around,” and “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” setting themselves apart as silky standouts.

L.A. Guns – Renegades

If you are a fan of Sunset Strip Rock and Roll, and if you are not, you really are taking life a bit too seriously, you will relish the chance to be transported back in time to the glory years of L.A.’s Rainbow Room and the Whiskey A-Go-Go. In this 2020 line-up, the Steve Riley/Kelly Nickels/Scotty Griffin version, the band that incubated Guns ‘N’ Roses, the original sound from the Cocked and Loaded days is replicated to a Rock and Roll edge that will have long-time fans of the band headbanging in approval and newcomers to the Glam-Rock sleaziness of L.A. Guns will be scrambling to ingest their back catalog.

 

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (November 6, 2020)

The dog days are here my friends. As artists hunker down in advance of the holiday madness of Christmas releases soon to drop from the heavens and we all wait in anticipation of the new AC/DC record to drop next week, there are still a couple of gems that deserve a bit of your ear-time this week.

Seattle underground popsters The Young Fresh Fellows are back and indeed better than ever. Think of these guys as The Replacements lite.

Sir Elton John continues to release some great previously unheard cuts from his new career retrospective box set.

And, our boys in Cats in Space are out with another fine set of AOR Dad Rock gems.

Here are five ear-worthy cuts for this week. We do the work so you don’t have to.

Orianthi – O

Having spent years as the main ax-woman for Alice Cooper and more recently serving as the musical muse for Richie Sambora, Rock is the New Roll favorite Orianthi is back on her own again with a scorching new record that brings her back to the roots of her heavier rock and roll days. The Blues Heavy riffs presented here clearly show that the Aussie guitar queen is ready to shed her pop princess baggage and get back to her old-school grit. The opener “Contagious” has a bit of a Metal edge about it and sounds like it was dropped in right from an Alice Cooper show, “Sorry” has somewhat of a Prince by way of Alanis Morissette vibe and is the best song in the lot, and “Impulsive” throws down some golden era Sunset Strip angel dust. This is the impassioned, chops displaying rock and roll record we always knew Orianthi had in her.

The Silence – Electric Meditations

This one will take a few listens to rid your ears of the somewhat Tom-Waitsian ramshackle explorations the songs on this record seems to take, but the effort put into this Psychedelic Space Rock epic of a record will lend rewards. “Butterfly Blues” is an MC-5 meets Frank Zappa freak-fest with the best flute solo this side of Jethro Tull, “Electric Meditations” and the instrumental closer “EA” will bring you down from the Acid-Folk clouds. This is the record you would have been listening to in Grace Slick’s living room playing twister with Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, and Hunter S. Thompson.

Pylon – Pylon Box

With the brevity on the new release front, it is a very good time to revisit old friends in the form of several reissues and choice box sets released for your listening pleasure, one of the best being The Pylon Box, the career retrospective from the cult Athens, Ga band that grew up in the shadow R.E.M.. Blending New Wave with a dash of Jangle Pop and Reggae along with a bit of Dub thrown in for good measure, this band landed squarely between that other Athens band The B-52s and R.E.M. on the hip music scale. If you have not experienced this great band before, dive on in, the water is fine. If you are one of the hip-to-the-scene few that are long-time regulars of the band, welcome back to the pleasuredome.

Kylie Minogue – Disco

There is no rocket scientry going on here, just good old-fashioned groovy fun of the highest order. This blend of snappy dance-pop is a bit of a coming home for Minogue leaving her more Country vibe behind while she puts on her disco-diva hat. With the bouncy groove of “Miss A Thing” on to the studio 54 mirror ball of “I Love It” all the way to the Madonna by way of Donna Summer vamp of “Fine Wine” this is an ebullient affair that you might not realize it right now, but is a dose of sunshine that you sorely need.
Donovan Woods – Without People
Recorded with several collaborators working remotely, this post-breakup album is a slow paced sublime and supremely calming listen. With a lot of influence from his idol Paul Simon showing here, most notably on “She Waits For Me To Come Back Down,” there is an honesty to this record that reaches to the core of the human condition. His hushed, never forced vocals seem to float slightly above the music in the best of ways. With songs like “Clean Slate” and “Last Time I Saw You” it appears that it will take a bit of time for Woods to lick his wounds, but we are certainly looking forward to his found a new love masterpiece certain to be a major theme on his next record.

Friday Night Fever: Five Songs To Rock Your Friday Night World

 

Tequila Mockingbyrd – I Smell Rock and Roll

And yes, they certainly do. If Joan Jett fronted Guns ‘N’ Roses the resulting take no prisoners band would sound more than a little like this.

The Dust Coda – Rock N Roll

One of the hippest Rock and Roll bands we have run across in an awfully long time, these London blokes are certainly carrying the torch for the next wave of rock and rollers. Led Zeppelin with a touch of AC/DC is the order of the day.

The Texas Flood – Gambling Man

More Molly Hatchett than Stevie Ray Vaughan, this Dallas based band started out as an SRV tribute band and evolved themselves into a stomping blues-rock band in their own right.

Dangereens – Streets of Doom

If you’re into an all-boozing,  party till you drop, rock and roll band like you used to dig back in the day, then Dangereens is your jam. These Canadian punkers are high octane with enough sleaze and debauchery to make Motley Crue blush. If the Stones and New York Dolls somehow mind-melded, the result would be Dangereens.

The Speedways – This Ain’t A Radio Sound

With a self-glossed sound of Ronettes Punk blending elements of Tom Petty, Phil Spector, and Exploding Hearts these Power Pop kings are your next perfect party band.

 

 

Five Cool Ones – Five New Records released this Week (October 30, 2020)

Get on it music Peeps. The dreaded Christmas blackout period is right around the corner and there are only a few music weeks before we will be getting more version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” Another Garth Brooks Christmas record, or horror of horrors, a Michael Buble special.  So, let’s sit back, put our feet up, and enjoy the goodness that is a new music release.

If you’re not hip to Jaime Wyatt and her latest record, Neon Cross, your ears deserve a bit of a treat with her latest single, “Rattlesnake Girl.”

Danny Elfman, the lead singer of Oingo Boingo, is front and center just in time for Halloween with the spooky “Happy.”

And Trev Lukather, son of Steve, introduces his band Lavara and their unique brand of Classic Rock with a modern twist.

Here are five more records that have caught our ear-tention from this week’s batch of goodies.

Elvis Costello – Hey Clockface

Yet another well crafted, exquisitely produced, and impeccably written record from Elvis Costello. From spoken word, to ’50’s Tin Pan Alley crooner and beyond this record will come across at first listen as somewhat of a disjointed affair. But, give it a view grooves in your ear-space as you move from the dead of night poetry of “Radio is Everything” to the Tom Waits inspired “Hetty O’Hara Confidential” and this path less travelled will reveal itself.

Black Stone Cherry – In Love With The Pain

One of those bands assigned the daunting task of saving Rock and Roll, Black Stone Cherry with their latest record In Love With the Pain takes steps towards shedding their their Swamp-Metal label in favor of good old fashioned Rock and Roll. And, starting a record out with the lyrics “People, people your attention please, I want to tell you about a new disease,” might give the impression that this is a current events record instead of the Rock and Roll opus that it truly is. From the supremely rocking driving tune “Ride” to the almost ballad refrain of “If My Heart Had Wings” there is an old school vibe to this one that should be savored.

Skyway Man – The World Ends When You Die

James Wallace, the singer songwriter known as Skyway Man, fully embraces his role as one of the leaders of the Cosmic Country movement on his latest offering, The World Ends When You Die. Self described as a psychedelic space opera, the record has a mellow feel to it reminiscent of mid-era George Harrison in places, most notably on “Night Walking, Alone” and in other spaces brings to mind The Band front and center like they do on “Old Swingin’ Bell.”

Smokescreens – A Strange Dream

A band that was formed around their collective love for New Zealand’s Flying Nun record label, jangle, Byrds-Ian Power Pop is the order of the day with this group. The sunshine on your shoulders opener “Fork in the Road” will send you on a jaunty stroll that will keep on going all the to that one and only love of your life ending opus, “I Love Only You” that will cap off your journey on the highest of notes.

Sam Morrow – Gettin‘ by on Gettin’ Down

If Little Feat is your band then Gettin‘ by on Gettin’ Down, the latest from Country rocker Sam Morrow, is most definitely your groove-laden jam. The eclectic mix of funky licks and swamp rock kicks combine to make this one a delectable comfort food listen. The title track sends out a Lynyrd Skynyrd vibe, “Round ‘n Round” is pure .38 Special, and “Golden Venus” carries with it the spirit of Tony Joe White, great touchstones, all.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (October 23, 2020)

Boom Goes the Dynamite, it was a great week for new releases this time around. The Boss is back with a set of comfort food E-Street anthems, the Mothership has landed with a new Bootsy record, and there are tons more golden nuggets to savor on this yellow brick road journey this week.

The mighty Chris Stapleton is out with a burning Country-Rock anthem “Arkansas,” that would be a perfect driving song for taking a pit stop in Little Rock and driving down the road with your COVID hair flowing in the wind. If you haven’t’ heard any of Stapleton’s music other than “Tennessee Whiskey” do your ears a solid and let your freak flag fly.

The great-great-great granddaughters and Rock is the New Roll favorites Larkin Poe perform their Blues Rock magic live from Carter Vintage Guitars.

And, Southern rockers Black Stone Cherry give us a summer anthem in October with their new video for “In Love With the Pain.”

Here are 5 fresh new pieces of fruit we picked for your listening pleasure this week.

Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War

Nine albums in Shemekia Copeland, daughter of Johnny Copeland, really should be more of a household name than she currently is. Her unique and incendiary  Blues-Rock-Soul style can go belter back of the barroom to Gospel and beyond at the drop of a tonsil. Her newest effort, Uncivil War Puts all of her immense talents on full display, and then some. “Walk Until I Ride” is an update Gospel number, The Opener “Clotilda’s On Fire” featuring guitar licks that would make daddy proud is an anti-slavery anthem for the modern-day that is about the last slave ship to arrive on our shores long after slavery was declared illegal, and the cover of the Stones “Under My Thumb” takes on a completely new meaning from the voice of someone that has endured domestic abuse on her own home front.

I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – Razzmatazz

It is ear-boggling to consider that a band that was trying to break-out and reach a wider audience would give themselves a name that is largely confusing and mostly un-googleable. And, that is exactly what this band, known to insiders as the equally ear-scratching monicker of iDKHOW, have done mostly distracting from the fact that this band from Salt Lake City, Utah is one heck of a diversely talented Alt-Pop/Power Pop band of the highest musical order. Their latest record, Razzmatazz has touchstones embedded within it pretty much covering just about every musical genre you can think of including leanings towards our beloved Jellyfish. From the Devo and Talking Heads by way of The Cars and Duran Duran aura of the opener “Leave Me Alone” to the Rufus Wainright by way of Queen beauty of “Nobody Likes The Opening Band” and on to the Marc Bolan Night at the Opera refrain of the mostly morbid “From The Gallows” there is diversity at every turn that will have you coming back to this one for several more listens.

Kurt Baker – After Party

If Power Pop is your jam, and if it’s not you don’t have enough fun in your life, then the new Kurt Baker opus, After Party, needs to be your new weekend guilty pleasure. Taking a break from the more Garage/Nuggets intensity of his Kurt Baker Combo, a Little Steven’s Underground Garage perennial favorite, for a more Jangle Pop sound that brings to mind Elvis Costello of the current vintage and the later day fare of Greg Kihn, The Raspberries, and maybe even Marshall Crenshaw. “Wandering Eyes” is pure EC “Watching The Detectives” energy, “She Don’t Really Love You” is a little ramshackle in the Replacements mode, and the Closer “Outta Site” even has a unique “Jessie’s Girl” vibe to it. Play this one twice and all of the COVID wax will be blown out of your ears and you will be in a better headspace.

Jeff Tweedy – Love Is The King

If ever there was a record perfectly suited to spinning with your feet up, a fire roaring with a tumbler of fine whiskey firmly in hand, this would be that record in a perfect place at exactly the right time. Recorded at his studio loft in Chicago and written over a span of 14 days in what became one song everyday writing sessions, this Tweedy solo album started out as a Country record that eventually ended up to be a universal balm to help to heal whatever might be troubling you. “Even I Can See” sounds like a long lost Townes Van Zant anthem, “Save It For Me” has a Dylan by way of Bright Eyes pallor to it, and the title track “Love Is King” pretty much says it all. You may not know it just yet, but you really need this record right now in your life.

Bootsy Collins – The Power Of One

Beam down the mother ship Bootsy Collins is back, and it’s like he never left. There is no real re-making of the Funky template here, just some friends sitting in on a stress-free funkadelic late-night jam, and we are all invited to join the party. George Benson jumps on in with the title track, Ellis Hall, also known as The Ambassador of Soul, classes up the joint on “Slide Eazy” while big band Jazz front-man Christian McBride takes you behind the scenes to “Funkship Area-51” and co-conspirator Larry Graham lays down the groove on what might be the cover song of the year on this even more funky, if that’s even possible, version of Sly’s epic song “If You Want Me To Stay.” And, make sure that you don’t sleep on the exquisite saxophone of Branford Marsalis on “Club Funkateers” as a palate cleanser after a fine funky new meal the likes of which you haven’t been able to savor in quite a while.

Friday Night Fever – Five Songs To Rock Your Friday Night World

 

A new feature in Rock is the new Roll. Five groovy singles to rock your Friday Night World.

The Amplifier Heads – Rave Up

A blast of Rock and roll energy that would play perfectly well at CBGB’s.

Small Town Titans – Rufflin’ Feathers

This power trio from York, Pa draw their inspiration from present-day rockers Royal Blood, Foo Fighters, and Deep Purple. Listen to their earth scorching new single “Rufflin’ Feathers.”

Larkin Poe – Fly Away

Larkin Poe, distant relatives to Edgar Alan Poe put heir own blues stomp signature on the classic Lenny Kravitz single.

When Rivers Meet – Battleground

This old-school blues-rock duo consisting of husband and wife team Grace and Aaron Bond is a thumping combination of John Lee Hooker and The White Stripes if Meg did the singing instead of Jack that is. Heady stuff, indeed.

Mason Hill – Against The Wall

This band of Scottish twenty-somethings seems to be in it to win it. Scorching guitars, gang vocals, these boys are right around the corner from hitting the big time.