Category: A Rock and a Roll

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (March 10, 2023)

Summer will be here before we know it, but things are heating up on the music front already. The Ruen brothers are beginning to come out of hibernation with the release of “Seasons Change,” the latest single from their upcoming long-player, Ten Paces.

The mighty Winger will take you back to your rock and roll youth with their latest release, “Proud Desperado.”

And if Tiki music and Tiki drinks are part of your vibe, The Tikiyaki Orchestra and “South Pacific Sojourn” will stir your Mai Tai.

But, enough of the preamble, here are five records that your ears should digest this week.

The Nude Party – Rides On

With their first self-produced affair, The Nude Party rides on with their Classic Rock adjacent retro sound that never fails to put an extra stride in the step and honey-drenched nectar in your ears.

Searching for an early ’70s Blues-Rock feel in the Sticky Fingers mode, one doesn’t have to stray much further past the opener “Word Gets Around” for audible evidence that the mission was definitely accomplished on this song that combines Rolling Stones swagger with T-Rev grooves.

The vocal prowess of singer Patton Magee which seems to channel the devil spawn of Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan carries the day whether he is kicking out the jams on the cowbell swirling, organ magnificence of “Hey Monet,” a song that would have fit in perfectly in the canon of The Flamin’ Groovies back in the day, or laying back on the Phil Spector inspired “Cherry Red Boots.”

Once the first couple of lines of the Velvet’s inspired almost title track “Ride On” hits your ears, the sales pitch is in, and the deal is closed on a record that will remain in heavy rotation well into the summer and beyond.

The Cold Stares – Voices

Blues Rock is back and better than over, case in point, is Voices, the latest from Indiana’s own The Cold Stares. Bringing to the minds-ear other back-in-the-day trios, The Jimi Hendrix Experience on “Come For Me,” Stevie Ray and Double Trouble on the opener “Nothing But The Blues,” and ZZ Top on “Got No Right.”

The semi-funky “Lights Out” is a festival and arena-ready anthem, and while “Waiting For The Rain Again” might ride the rails entering into Kenny Wayne Sheppard or Jonny Lang guitar slinger territory, the muscular drive of the band, locked in the groove, carries the day.

If there is a miss-step here, it might be “Sorry I Was Late.” The Whitesnake meets Night Ranger ballad certainly highlights the vocal prowess of singer Chriss Tapp, for much of the song it sounds like the band is trying to work out the intro to “Stairway To Heaven.”

Overall, this record rocks hard where it needs to and allows time for reflection right at the very time that it is needed.

The Panhandlers – Tough Country

If you ever wanted to experience what it would be like cruising the Texas backroads going from Honky Tonk to Honky Tonk listening to red dirt music the way it was meant to be played, then The Panhandlers and Tough Country is your perfect hill country jam.

Originally coming together as a tribute to the legendary trio The Flatlanders, a band consisting of Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock, The Panhandlers are younger gun Texans, Josh Abbott, John Baumann, William Clark Green, along with Cleto Cordero of Flatland Calvary.

Standing on their own, the Panhandlers celebrate everything Texas on this record. Whether they are celebrating the real Texas on “West Texas Is The Best Texas,” lamenting the hipster take-over of Dallas and Austin, or languishing in the Marfa lights like they are doing on “Moonlight In Marfa,” it sounds like picking up some screw-top wine and a case of beer at the 7-11 and stepping out to the “Midland” Jamboree would be a perfect end to a perfect day spent with this record and the Panhandlers.

Matt Andersen – The Big Bottle of Joy

Rock and Soul is the order of the day on Matt Andersen’s new album, the aptly named The Big Bottle of Joy. From the opening Hammond B-3 riffage of “Let It Slide” the cathartic joyful noise is palpable.

“What’s On My Mind” is a ripped-from-the-headlines plea to get along with one another, and “Rollin’ Down the Road” is taken right from the J.J. Cale songbook. “Only an Island” takes things a bit low and slow in the Joe Cocker Mold, and the closer “Shoes” puts a poignant pin on an album of reflection and joy.

Doolin’ – Circus Boy

Festival favorites on both sides of the pond, the band Doolin’ is a French Celtic supergroup of sorts combining traditional Celtic influences with Creole, French Pop, and Folk inspirations to create a smorgasbord of sounds that transcend boundaries.

“Man Smart (Woman Smarter)” is the band’s New Orleans-style take on the King Radio, made famous by Harry Belafonte, calypso classic, “When I’m Done” has a bit of a Waterboys pathos to it, and the title track “Circus Boy” has a bit of a Kevin Rowland by way of Dawes vibe to the deal.

The “Darkest Day” breaks down like a Lumineers epic ode, and “A Place Where We Belong” could have been on a Bono solo record, if he ever were to record one that is.

Given the disparate influences on this record, it would have been easy to stray away from the core and lack cohesion. Such is not the case on this artistic tour-de-force mostly due to the collaborations from Ashley Davis (The Chieftans), Celtic band Screaming Orphans, and Niahm Gallagher (Lord of the Dance). This is a band that is clearly stretching boundaries and having fun. And, in the end, isn’t that what playing music is supposed to be about?

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (February 24, 2024)

The roll continues to rock this week with some intrinsically cool nuggets perfect for palate cleansing.

The mighty Luke Spiller and The Struts are out with an outstanding E.P., Unplugged at East West.

Americana OG’s The Long Ryders are out with a new video and single in advance of their upcoming record.

And, Brian Dunne, a newcomer we are starting to get behind, has released the single, “It’s A Miracle,” in advance of his soon-to-be-released long player, Loser On The Ropes.

But, enough with the foreplay. Here are five carefully curated selections to please the senses and tickle the earbuds.

Shamus – The Shepherd and the Wolf

Springing from the retro-rockers Sheepdogs collective, a stable that includes The Sheepdogs, the band BROS, and now Shamus, The Shepherd and the Wolf, is the latest project of band member and multi-instrumentalist Shamus Currie. With heavy 1970s influences throughout, the record is a concept album centered around a world of fantasy and adventure.

A rock opera of sorts, there are enough progressive rock touches to satisfy the faithful, leaving the edges to be rounded out with healthy doses of rock and roll. Think of a Jethro Tull without the flute.

From the opening “Days of High Adventure,” the stage is set for an aural journey that will shape-shift your mood back to the days when the music was intelligent and escapism the order of the day. With musical muses the likes of Thin Lizzy, Early Steve Miller, Moody Blues, and King Krimson, the prog riffs are there for sure but are contained to the mini opus level.

Meant to be digested as an entire entity in one sitting, this is a journey worth taking.

Jenny O. – Spectra

Opening with the mighty Hammond B-3 organ on “Pleasure In Function,” Jenny O. introduces us to her newest record which is stylistically a bit of a departure with more indie pop than we may be used to from her.

“You Are Loved Eternally” floats on a George Harrison solo-years cloud, “Prism” is a floater that comes across a bit like Suzanne Vega, while “Advise at A Dinner Party,” a song that reminds us that we get better as we age, has a Bangles dance party vibe about it.

You won’t find yourself passing over any tracks on this record and while Jenny O. might not seem to be as edgy as she was back in her Automechanic Days, this more laid-back introspective version is pretty much perfect for our ears.

Lucero – Should’ve Learned By Now

Having curated a sound that has evolved from Southern rock to Americana, Stax soul and beyond, Lucero continues to release quality music that lifts the spirit and soothes the soul. 

From the cowbell declaration of the opener, “One Last F.U.,” the ears perk up, and the train starts rolling, soundtracking a morality tale anthem that would make Tom Waits cringe. Veering away from the Southern-goth imagery, on this, the band’s twelfth record, they return to the barrooms and the bar-rock roots already well-traveled by The Hold Steady, The National, or the Drive-By Tuckers.

Essentially an album about drinking, “Macon If We Make It” is about waiting out a storm in a backwoods watering hole, “At The Show” espouses the youthful exuberance of waiting for your friends trying to figure out how to get into the bar where your favorite band is playing, and “Drunken Moon” speaks for itself.

Overall, Should’ve Learned By Now should stand up in the upper tier of the band’s canon, and for a band that has put out quality work for more than 20 years with essentially the same band members, that is saying a lot.

The Shootouts – Stampede

Coming quickly on the heels of their last record, Bullseye, the timeline for the follow-up shortened once Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson expressed an interest in working with the band. With Stampede, the band’s third long player, the musical template remains the same, Western swing with heavy doses of classic country and Americana thrown in for good measure.

With guest turns from Mary Stuart on “Better Things We Do,” Buddy Miller on “Anywhere But Here,” and the underrated Jim Lauderdale on “Tomorrow’s Knockin’,” the album at times takes on the collaborative feel of a Willie Nelson picnic.

If Bob Wills is the king of Western Swing, then Ray Benson is the crown prince, case in point, “One Step Forward” as presented here. And, if all of that fails to scratch your honky tonk itch, “I’ll Never Need Anyone More,” with Raul Malo pitching in, should have you heading for the dance floor post haste.

En Attendant Ana – Principia

With a vibe that flows somewhere between Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kate Bush, and the chanteuse go-go boots era, the Parisian combo En Attende Ana will hot tub time machine you back to a simpler time when your television had rabbit ears.

Hipster, stopping just short of being shoegaze, the opener, “Principia,” mood-sets the rest of the record with the jangle-adjacent guitar, echo chamber production, and floating Delores O’Riordan-style vocal textures.

“Ada, Mary, Diane,” while a bit more contemporary sounding than much of the record, is nonetheless a compelling jam, “Black Morning” is a bouncy pop tune that would have fit in quite nicely in Melanies’ canon back in the day, and “Wonder” is a vulnerable piece of art with the evocative lyric, “I’m a good human being, my mama said, I hope she’s right,” is a song right from the Aimee Mann playbook.

A groovy listen from start to finish, with the subtle horns, vintage organs, and selective use of the mellotron all coalescing to take you back to a simpler time while keeping your feet planted in the present.

Five Cool Songs: Five New Songs Released This Week (February 24, 2023)

Local Drags – Heard About It

The second single to be released from their upcoming record, Mess of Everything. This band from Springfield, Illinois travels the Power Pop edges of the Wilco, Cheap Trock universe with splinters of Tom Petty to soften out the edges. Look for the new record on March 17.

Nude Party – Sold Out Of Love

We are not sure of what is going on at camp Nude Party, but in the last couple of weeks they have put out a lot of content, and for the record, we here at Rock is the New Roll are quite pleased. This one, “Sold Out of Love” has a bit of a “Wild Horses” scent about it.

Ashley McBryde – Light On In The Kitchen

One of the shining lights on the Country/Americana scene, with her new single Ashley McBryde sings about the simple pleasures of life, pancakes that taste better after midnight, and a dose of local honey.

Angel – It’s Alright

If you were to ask RITNR senior contributor Bernie Sparrow there has been no decent rock music since 1977. This means this freshly minted single that features original Angel members Frank Dimino, Punky Meadows, and Danny Farrow will be on heavy rotation in the halls of Rock is the New Roll H.Q. And, god help us when the new record comes out on April 21st, via Cleopatra Records.

The National – New Order T-Shirt

The second pre-release single from their upcoming ninth proper release, Two Pages of Frankenstein.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (February 10, 2023)

The new release mojo is hitting its stride this week with artists jockeying for position, releasing new singles before proper releases to see the light of ear later in the year.

Connor Selby is the real Soul-Blues deal. If Ray Charles had played the guitar instead of the piano, this is pretty much what he would have sounded like.

Dangereens are bringing their Stones meets NY Dolls meets Hanoi Rocks T Rex Boogie rock to the masses with “Lucky In Love.”

And, La Luz Frontwoman Shana Cleveland is out with a new atmospheric single, “Ghost.”

But, as per usual this is all just foreplay for the main event. Here are five newly hatched records to savor from this week’s musical selections.

Wig Wam – Out of the Dark

Widely recognized in the trade as the father of Scandaviavan ’80s Sunset Strip Rock, Wig Wam is back with gusto on this high-voltage set of tunes that will make your hair grow with each subsequent listen.

Lighters lit from the opening track, “Out of the Dark” which has a hint of Van Halen in the air if you listen closely enough, and “High n Dry” would have fit in nicely on any Billy Squire album from back in the day.

With enough interesting curves veering into ’80s Sleaze Rock, ’70s AC/DC, and even ’90s grunge in places, there is enough variety to give this one sustainability over several listens. And, we’re still trying to figure out what to make of the call to arms anthem, “Forever,” a song that literally features the style of Mongolian throat singers The Hu, along with a Celtic dirge vibe.

Come for the Ronnie James Dio splendor of “Uppercut Shazam” and stay for the blast of the Van Halen meets AC/DC of “Bad Luck Chuck” on this fun rollercoaster ride of a record.

Baby Cool – Earthling on the Road to Self Love

As debut albums go, Baby Cool’s is as fine an example as we have heard year-to-date. Firmly implanted in the hazy Psych-Pop genre, there is a certain scene setting to this record that will make you go limp in some places, and will give you over to the music in others.

The shoegaze of “The Sea” starts things off by transporting the listener to a marshmallow cloud full of peaceful vibes, and “Poison” has a bit of a surf guitar and mellotron vibe that will carry you away. And, once the slow-down, deep country evoking “Daydream” washes over your eardrums you will be looking for that last edible to end the evening in blissful contentment.

Doomsday Outlaw – Damaged Goods

Not quite shedding their Southern Rock past, there are still some heavy doses of Blackberry Smoke wafting in the air around these guys, what they have morphed into is a tightly constructed rock and roll band that can rip off Van Halen Worthy Riffs, and an AC/DC high voltage vocal barrage with equal aplomb.

The opener, “In Too Deep” burns the house down and opens up all of the cylinders to set the stage for the rock party that is about to break out. “On My Way,” cowbell indeed, is a cool hybrid of Blackberry Smoke and the Black Crows, and a potential instant classic. “Turn Me Loose” is a loose-limbed rocker, and “My Woman Comes On Strong” stacks up to anything that the Winery Dogs or Black Star Rider are throwing drown on the rock and roll front these days.

Not necessarily recreating the wheel here, when the debate continues that rock and roll is dead, Doomsday Outlaw and Damaged Goods is exhibit A to the contrary.

Laure Briard – Ne pas trop rester bleu

A strong contender for chanteuse record of the year, Laure Briard is a worthy descendant of Francois Hardy or Vashti Bunyan. Here she slips effortlessly between French and English on a sublime set of early ’60s hipster-noir tunes.

Based in Toulouse, France, while her vibe may be French, her spirit is firmly planted in the California desert, after a visit to Joshua Tree, with heavy influences from Carol King, Lee Hazelwood, and the psychedelic scene.

Translated to “don’t stay too blue,” the album title says it all about this record. There is a whimsical beauty to “My Love Is Right,” “Magical Beauty” could have fit in quite nicely in the Burt Bacharach ’60s canon, and “Me Pardonner” puts the chant in chanteuse.

Give this one multiple spins and listen for her songs in the Netflix series Emily in Paris.

CIVIC – Taken By Force

Steeped in the punk-adjacent world of Aussie pub rock, Melbourne’s CIVIC brings to the minds-ear the best of The Saints or Radio Birdman. Every song on this CBGB-worthy, kick out the jams blast of sonic energy is true to form.

“Born On The Heat” could have easily been a mid-era Clash anthem and the Pop-Punk gloss of “Wars or Hands of Time” carries the spirit of Iggy Pop in the days of The Stooges.

There is no real new ground broken here, just solid songwriting, a punk sneer, and a rebellious attitude that carries the day amongst searing guitar solos and propulsive energy. From start to finish this one rocks.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released Today (February 3, 2023)

It won’t be easy to top the auditory splendor of last week’s top, five, but here at Rock is the New roll we do the work so you don’t have to.

American Authors will tickle your earbuds with the ebullient “We Happy.”

The classic rockers The Answer is busy twirling the knobs putting out their first record in 7 years releasing Livin’ On The Line in advance of an album that is sure to be a pure rocker.

And, Mott the Hoople modster Ian Hunter has a new album to April 23rd with “Bed of Roses” providing a taste of what the record is all about.

But enough of the preamble, here are five savory nuggets to assault your eardrums this week.

The Winery Dogs – III

Despite the lack of imagination in selecting the album title, The latest Winery Dogs record is a blast of a Rock and Roll record. A supergroup consisting of Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan, and Mike Portnoy, you would likely get into the dozens without breathing hard if you were to list the number of bands past and present that have engaged their service. Mike Portnoy currently is in Sons of Apollo, Mr. Big, and is the co-founder of Dream Theatre, and Richie Kotzen was a consort of David Coverdale in Whitesnake for many years.

This time out, the veteran rockers deliver a solid set of tunes that land somewhere along the road of MC-5 riffage, early grunge, and ’80s Sunset Strip sleaze-rock. Richie Kotzen’s voice melds quite spectacularly, the bass solos on “Rise” is worth the admission alone, and Mike Portnoy lays down a back-beat worthy of any power trio you want to name including The Jimi Hendrix Experience and SRV’s Double Trouble.

Avoiding the tendency to stretch out the songs with an extended solo here and there on “Gaslight” the ears are treated to a sonic blast that is some cool hybrid of Montrose and Deep Purple, “Lorelei” is a low and slow ballad that spotlights the vocal, and The Red Wine has a bit of a Southern rock flair to spice things up a bit.

All in all, fret for fret, this one is right up there with Black Star Riders when it comes to solid real rock and roll records that have been released this year.

Larry Cambell & Theresa Williams – Live at Levon’s

Delivering the feelgood record of the year husband and wife team Larry Cambell and Theresa Williams have released a vibrant new live record, where the venue, Levon Helms studio in Woodstock, N.Y., has so much magic attached to it consideration should be given to adding the barn as an official band member.

The song selections are loose-limbed and the appreciative audience reaction to the perfomances adds to the overall ambiance of the recording. Willams, who led the infamous Midnight Ramble at the venue until Levon’s death in 2012, is in fine form on fiddle, pedal steel, and lead guitar while wife Theresa handles the bulk of the vocal duties.

The songs inherent on this record are peppy rockabilly style with highlights including a rousing cover of “Big River,” a fun version of Lois Prima’s “Yeah Yeah Yeah,” and a poignant version of the Loretta Lynn love lost ballad “Success.”

A fun romp from start to finish, if you are looking for a feel-good escape Live at Levon’s should be your jam.

Jarrod Dickenson – Big Talk

Current Nashvillian by way of Brooklyn and Waco, Tx., Jarrod Dickenson is a stellar Americana singer songwriter on the rise. Tilting just slightly over to the Country side of the fence, there is also a Tom Petty influence that permeates the ether on this one.

The songwriting here is first rate, case in point “Home Again,” and “if You’re Looking.” Listen closely, and a bit of a Rolling Stones guitar lick emerges on “With Any Luck,” a song that has a Lucas Nelson and the Promise of the Real feel to it, and “Bamboozled” surges forward with a bit of a New Orleans dirge flavor.

An exciting new find, this Outlaw Country adjacent artist should be moved from below your rader right up to the top.

DeWolff – Love, Death & In Between

Nothing if not prolific, Dutch rockers DeWolff has just released their fourth album in the last three years, and it’s retro-riffic.

With a sound that features the mighty Hammond organ prominently, the band lays down a groove of ‘70s rock, psychedelic soul, old-school funk, and Deep Purple classic rock.

White Reaper and Black Star Riders will have something to say, and the new Nude Party album has yet to see the light of ear, but this one might be rock record of the year after all is said and done.

Robert Forster- The Candle and the Flame

As the lead singer of the Australian band the Go-Betweens, Robert Forster certainly knows his way around a pop song or a brooding ballad with these skill sets on prominent display on his new record, The Candle and the Flame.

Beginning with the first two songs, “She’s a Fighter,” along with “Tender Years,” a tribute to Forster’s wife who is dealing with an ovarian cancer diagnosis, and playing things forward to “When I Was a Young Man,” Forster sets a reflective tone that seems to honor the spirit of deceased band mate in the Go-Between’s the Lennon to his McCartney, Grant McLennan.

And, for extra credit, make sure to check out his book The Ten Rules of Rock and Roll, a compilation of his writing for the Australian magazine monthly.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (January 27, 2023)

Of course, everything is just a placeholder while waiting for the new Metallica album to hit our shores, but in the meantime, there are a lot of new records to hit our earbuds.

The Power Pop splendor of The Push Puppets is a refreshing new find.

Sunset Strip retro rockers Backstreet Girls are out with a Sleaze-Glam rocker, “Too Cool For You.”

And, Golden Richards, a Power Pop band with hooks-a-million in the Fountains of Wayne and Cheap Trick mold has a cool new single out with “Shake Your Hair.”

But, enough of the pre-game hype. We do the work so you don’t have to. Here are five choice cuts to savor this week.

The Shang Hi Los – Aces Eights & Heartbreaks

That rare band with dueling male-female singers, Dan Kopko and Jen Angora, The Shang Hi-Los, create a beautiful noise mixing Phils Spector girl group and Cheap Trick by way of Blondie Power Pop into a mai-tai blender of semi-retro coolness.

Hailing from Boston, filling out the band with maestros from the area music scene, there is nary a dud inherent in this set of firecracker tunes. The opener, “Takes One To Know You” is Cheap trick with a Badfinger sensibility, “Monsieur Valentine” would have gone over well at CB GB’s in the ’80s with Debbie Harry behind the microphone, and “Plymouth Rock” has a bit of a Pretenders scent wafting in the air. And then there’s “Billy” with its over-the-top mariachi horns a song that is perfect Tarantanio-noir fare.

This record is a blast of a new find worth your extended ear time. Hard to believe, but it’s true. This cool album actually lives up to the cool band name.

White Reaper – Asking For A Ride

To our ears, the Rock album of the year may have just self-presented with White Reapers’ fourth proper record, Asking For A Ride. Over three years past their breakthrough single “Might Be Right,” with this one the band may have just painted their masterpiece.

Part Zenyatta Mondatta era police, part Black Sabbath, with a dose of the MC-5 and The Ramones for good measure, from the opening salvo of the title track you are hit between the ears with an aural blast of atomic energy that is as transformative as music can get without landing you in jail.

From “Asking For A Ride” and on to “Bozo” and “Fog Machine” the guitar and drum attack is relentless, and it is not until four songs in with “Getting Into Trouble W/The Boss” that the poppier side of the band shows through. And, with the Oasis evoking “Heaven or Not” it is clear that the time spent between records honing their craft and curating their sound has the band coming out the other side with a solid release that should stand the test of time.

The Foreign Films – Magic Shadows

With “Midnight Movies,” the opening track of the new album from Bill Majoros, dba The Foreign Films, the tone-setting begins with a dose of Kinksian butterfly splendor in the Schoolboys In Disgrace mold. And, once the second track kicks in with the All Things Must Pass George Harrison vibe on “Rain Clouds (Sunshine In Your Heart)” your minds-ear will be setting the coordinates directly towards cool.

With “Perfect Future,” a song that could have been on any David Bowie Dogs era record, and once the hippy-dippy Donovan dusted “Sparks In the Dark (Merry-Go-Round)” kicks in you will be left hoping that the time machine that took you back to 1965 has enough volts left in the tank to get you home.

Speaking of time machines, the song “Time Machine” will have you yearning for the days of The Dave Clark Five, and there is more than a little bit of Electric Light Orchestra landing on “Cinema Girl (Magic Shadows).” Pound for pound greta, this record, with its textured and fluid Joie-de-vie tickling your ears, will likely resurface once the end-of-the-year lists hit the presses.

David Ronaldo – Tunes For A Dime

A bit too country to be classified as Rock, not quite outlaw enough to ride the wind with Waylon and Jamey Johnston, David Ronaldo, with his new record, Tunes For A Dime, David lands right there in the Sturgill Simpson, Steve Earle universe with Tennesee whiskey, reefers, and wine the order of the day.

Deftly mixing Rock, Barroom Blues, and Country in equal measures, it is hard to imagine the driving ZZ Top adjacent “Laid-Back & Easy” not being a crowd-pleaser in any, pick-your-poison, juke joint where Ronaldo might be playing.

Sure, there is a miss-step along the way here, most notably on “Shadows Walking,” A song that is much too close to the Bon Jovi “Wanted Dead Or Alive” bone, and the environmental challenge of “What Have You Really Done” where the music doesn’t really fit the lyrics, but overall this is a solid listen with over the top guitar work that scorches the earth with a double bill of ZZ Top and Delbert McClinton evoking splendor.

The Arcs – Electrophonic Chronic

The Arcs, the side-piece band for the Black Keys singer-songwriter and Easy Eye Sound major-domo Dan Auerbach, are out with one of the more eclictically cool records of the year with Electrophonic Chronic.

With shades of R&B with “Heaven is a Place,” the yacht rock-adjacent Hall and Oates vibe of “Keep On Dreaming,” and the “Crimson and Clover” dusting on the intro to “Eyes” there is a warm familiarity to the proceedings here that makes this one sound vintage and fresh at the same time, a gift that is Auerbach’s superpower.

Making full use of the instruments available to him at Easy Eye, “River” has a old-school soul organ sound that comes acrsoss like Leon Bridges covering “Take Me To The Water,” and the piano-pop wondermint of “Sunshine” floats along like early era Bee-Gees. Once you get to “A Man Will Do Know Wrong” it is clear that the studio is a co-conspirator on this record taking on a life of its own much in the way that Muscle Shoals was the co-star for all those Soul albums back in the day.

Listen to this one once, twice, then thrice. A new experience will unfold with each subsequent tracking, and they are all glorious to behold.

Five Cool Ones – Five New Albums Released this week (January 20, 2023)

Now we’re rolling, the month is careening into high gear with a bevy of fine morsels to savor.

The fine folks at Big Stir records are out with “Anchors Away,” a nautical video that features Maple Mars from their highly excellent 2022 release, Someone’s Got To Listen.

And, speaking of Rock is the New Roll favorites, Easy Eye Sound, their latest entry, The Velveteers, have a snarling new video out with “Choking.”

And, if all of that is not enough, retro popster Nick Waterhouse throws down his 60’s crooner vibes on “Hide and Seek.”

Of course, it’s all foreplay in anticipation of the main event and the five choice nuggets released this week.

Maneskin – Rush

With the slow burn rush of singles that were dribbled out to the masses, Maneskin, depending on your point of view, is either a guilty pleasure, or the next big thing.

Combining the eclectic glam mix of Queen, Abba, The Struts, Sweet, and the Village People, the vibe us all fun all of the time. Perfectly framed for the festival circuit, whether your jam is “Gossip,” a song that features Tom Morello, or “Supermodel” the entirety of this record is an E-Ticket Disney ride of the highest order.

Don’t sleep on “Mammamia,” a song released earlier in the year, but equally bombastic. There is not a cut on this record that is not a glam-stomper.

The Baboon Show – God Bless You All

This Swedish rock and roll band that features the dynamic lead singer Cecilia Bostrom is not so quietly establishing themselves as one of the best live acts on the planet. The opening track of their latest L.P., “Made Up My Mind” is definitely a case in point.

Ten records, in The Baboon Show is still a rock and roll show on a platter. Cecilia’s vocals are a somewhat an acquired taste, picture Axl Rose, Meatloaf, and Cherie Curie in your minds ear, but once the familiarity settles in, the uniqueness becomes an asset.

The opener, “Made Up My Mind” is a propulsive rocker and” Have a Party With Me” mixes things up a bit with guitar player and main songwriter Hakan Sorle jumping in on the vocals.

Not for the faint of heart, but if you are looking for one hell of a party record you wouldn’t be too wrong turning up the dials on The Baboon Show.

Black Star Riders – Wrong Side of Paradise

With Wrong Side of Paradise former Thin Lizzy ax player Ricky Warwick leads his Black Star Riders through another master class in rock and roll on this, their fifth proper record.

Throwing down an anthemic blend of ferocious guitars and thundering drums, most notably on the Thin Lizzy pitch perfect vibes of “Better Than Saturday Night,” and the 60’s garage rock splendor of “Pay Dirt,” there is nary a miss-step here, unless, of course you choose to throw shade on the questionable choice to include “Crazy Horses,” an Osmond Brothers cover, in the set.

The Black Star Riders with their singular mission to preserve all that is good in rock and roll have definitely scored another winner here.

Butch Walker – Butch Walker as … Glenn

Adopting the persona of piano man Glenn, singer, songwriter, producer Butch Walker adopts the role of a piano player regulated to applying his trade in dive bars playing for half-listening drunk patrons. A sequel of sorts to Billy Joel’s character on “Piano Man.”

That’s not to say that these are simply a set of snoozer tunes, every song presented here is pretty stellar. “Roll Away (Like a Stone)” could have been a Boz Scaggs “Lido” B side, “Tell Me I’m Pretty (Bethamphetamine Pt 2)” rolls out like a Springsteen rager, while “State Line Fireworks” has the pastiche of the great Jim Steinman and Meatloaf.

Overall, Butch Walker as … Glenn is a semi-easy listening gem that will have a definite appeal to those ears of a certain age.

The Bad Ends – The Power and the Glory

It would be reaching a bit to call this band a supergroup given the only legitimate universally known member of the band is R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry with the rest of the band filled out by stellar talent from the Athens, Ga music scene present and past.

With a solid mix of college rock, back in the day, evoking tunes and pathos driven tender ballads, this record definitely was made for these times as the band grapples with loss, change, and decay offering up an antidote to doom scrolling and negative vibes.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (January 13, 2023)

Back in the saddle and ready to roll for 2023, Bernie Sparrow, Jeremy Wren, Jimmy the Finch, Cletus Crow, Nigel Owl, and the rest of the staff at Rock is the new Roll is gearing up for another great year of good music and good vibes.

Rock is the New Roll favorite Indie popster Brett Dennen is out front and center with his ode to the new year with “This Is Going To Be The Year.”

The Nude party is gearing up for a new record later in the year with the infectious new sing “Ride On” where they deftly and without a net rhyme Mexico, a vaquero named Alfredo, and Mexico.

And, if you are not hip to the Nervous Eaters, take this opportunity to check out this band that combines the Velvets with 80’s Loverboy vibes on their latest “Last Chance.”

But, enough of all that, here are five new records to savor this week.

CVC – Get Real

CVC, Church Village Collective, is a Welsh band that favors tight CSN harmonies, breeze-pop tunes, and yacht rock adjacent melodies. With this, their first proper record following up on 2022’s Real to Real.

From the opening salvo courtesy of “Hail Mary” the sonic palate of ’80s influenced AOR widescreen classic rock is front and center with its Christopher Cross by way of America vibe, while “Knock Knock” takes you on a trip into Little River Band territory.

The band was heavily influenced by their parent’s respective record collections, most notably, Wings, Neil Young, and REO Speedwagon. With the song “Anogo,” try picturing in your minds ear the Electric Light Orchestra singing doo-wop, and you will get a sense of how cool and eclectic this record is.

Margo Price – Strays

Opening this song-set by proclaiming that she has been to the mountain and back is a strong declaration that Margo Price is back and better than ever once again shape shifting her sound, this time into a cross of the Pretenders Chrissie Hynde backed by Crazy Horse, and indeed it is cool.

Not as confessional as you might think it would be, she saves that for her memoir, here she embarks on a set of story songs including “Light Me Up,” with an assist from Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, and “Radio” with Sharon Van Etten that takes the ears for a ride to the glory days of AOR radio on a song that could have been a Fleetwood Mac single back in the day.

Often times, subtle mood-shifts and turns are the sign of a confident artist that is in control of her own art, and that is certainly the case here. The flow from breezy to contemplative to downright fun will have you returning to this record for months to come.

Whitehorse – I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying

On their latest record I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying, Whitehorse, the husband-and-wife duo named after the Capital of Yukon, Canada, channel the best of the ’60s Country male-female partnerships in the George and Tammy mold to sublime perfection.

Transported quickly to your favorite honkytonk from the opening lap-steel teer in your beer beauty “If The Loneliness Don’t Kill Me” to the mournful “I Might Get Over This (But I Won’t Stop Loving You)” this set puts the classic in classic country.

Belle and Sebastian – Late Developers

Indie pop heroes Belle and Sebastian are fresh out of the box with another pristine record of power pop goodness.

Stylistically, few bands blend musical tones and textures better than this band, and here case in point, “Give A Little Time,” a bouncy up-tempo wonderment that even features a dusting of a Thin Lizzy influence. “Will I Tell You A Secret” would make Donovan blush, and “So In The Moment” is the first great driving tune of 2023.

With songs as strong as the “Juliet Naked,” and the semi-funk “When You’re Not With Me,” we are calling our shot now. This record will be in contention for record of the year. It’s that good.

The Subways – Uncertain Joys

For those not in the know, The Subways are a British rock band from Welwyn Garden city that is influenced by Oasis, AC/DC, T Rex, The Ramones, the Beatles, and The Carpenters.

With touches of the Smiths on “Waiting On You,” boy band Brit-pop on the title track, and Black Sabbath by way of Billy Idol all over “Incantation” this record is about as eclectically cool as it can get.

“Black Wax” wears a Depeche Mode mood ring, and the semi-ballad “Amelie” is pure Oasis, love it or loathe it at your own discretions.

This band is definitely a fresh find worthy of your ear-time.

Five Cool Ones: Five Reasons Rock Is Not Dead (2022 Edition)

Way back in 2017, the band Greta Van Fleet hit the scene and was widely lauded as the next big thing in Rock and Roll. Truth be told, these young whippersnappers from Frankenmuth, Michigan were just a bit too Led Zeppelin-adjacent, and in most musical circles their sound was considered to be simply an esoteric listen. Yet, they were considered to be the next great thing in Rock and Roll.

The truth is, there are many high-caliber Rock bands that are putting out great Classic Rock inspired high-octane rock music. Whether it be Glam Rock in the T Rex, early David Bowie mold, AOR (Yacht) Rock treading the waters of the Little River Band, or straight-up Sunset Strip good-time jams, the spiritual progeny of the bands those of a certain age were weaned upon are making the current scene in all of their spectral glory.

Here are five songs from five bands that will have you digging out your old black light posters and turning on your lava lamps.

“Heart Stopping Kinda Show” – DeWolff

This Hammond B-3-centric band from the Dutch province of Limburg combines ’70s Psychedelic flair with Southern Rock tendencies in the Wet Willie and James Gang mold. Look for the new record Love, Death & In Between to be released in February 2023.

“White Buffalo” – Crown Lands

A Juno award winner for the best-emerging band, Ontario-based Crown Lands combines the most digestible flavors of Progressive Rock with Led Zeppelin’s over-the-top bombast. Picture in your mind’s ear Robert Plant fronting Rush on one of their most accessible songs and you pretty much will have nailed the template for their single from 2022’s breakthrough record, Discover Crown Lands.

“I Wanna Know You” – The Sheepdogs

Having hit the scene after being featured on the cover of Rolling Stone as one of the new-face bands in Rock and roll, these road warriors apply their trade somewhere between Foreigner and The Guess Who. Their most recent record, Outta Sight will evoke all of your favorite ’70s Rock and Roll bands without sounding pastiche. With this band, it is all about the songs. And, they are stellar.

“Girls On The East Side Of Town” – Tuk Smith

Standing right up there with The Struts Luke Spiller, and Justin Hawkins from The Darkness, Tuk Smith is on the medal stand of top present-day Rock and Roll front-men. His 2022 record, Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts is as good a guitar-based rock record as you will have heard all year. For extra credit, go back and check out his work with his old band, The Biters, but stay for this Thin Lizzy adjacent tour deforce.

“Going Back To Hoonsville”- Datura4

Given that the Aussie band, Datura4 takes its name from a stretch of Western Australia highway, it should come as no surprise that the band has released the number one driving song of 2022 in “Going Back To Hoonsville”. This Psychedelic, organ-centric, Blues Boogie makes ZZ Top blush, and could very well be calling Radar Love its bitch.