Category: Five Cool Ones

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Records Released This week (February 25, 2022)

We are just about ready to round the quarter pole, and there is a lot of new music for our ears to digest. New Easy Eye Sound stablemates, Ceramic Animals have a new record coming out soon and have released the new single, “Valerie.”

Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has released a video, “Stand,” as a tribute to those that lost their lives in the tragic fire at The Station in Rhode Island during a Great White concert.

And, hold on to your ears for this one, Taj Majall and Ry Cooder collaborate from a living room on “I Shall Not Be Moved.”

And, of course, on top of everything, we have five sweet records to savor this week.

Band of Heathens – Remote Transmissions, Vol. 1

Already in heavy rotation in the offices of Rock is the New Roll H.Q., The Band of Horses have turned the coolness up several notches with the release of Remote Transmissions, Vol. 1.

 With time on their hands and their professional lives on hold during the pandemic, every Tuesday night, the band would gather together a loose-knit collective of artists via Zoom to host a 90-minute fun time session called The Good Time Supper Club. Ultimately, as part of the shows, the band would sit down and interview the guest artists, and following the show, they recorded cover songs with each of them in a segment they called Radio Transmissions. 

All killer, no filler, the song selections for this record are perfectly complementary to our ears, the artists selected might as well have been culled from our vinyl library, and the pairing of the two is all hit and no miss.

The Ray Wylie Hubbard version of “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” shouldn’t work, but it does, and brilliantly so. The Rolling Stones cover of “You Got The Silver with blackberry smoker Charlie Starr is Keith Richards endorsement worthy, and “L.A. Freeway” is perfect.

Lock it in as the covers record of the year has already announced itself. And, if you still are not a believer, listen to “Tumbling Dice with Nicki Bluhm.

Tears For Fears – The Tipping Point

It should come as no surprise that after the passing of over forty years since the band originated and almost two decades away from their last record, Tears For Fears has released a new album. The headline here is that Roland Orzabel and Curt Smith have set aside artistic differences and petty personal squabbles in creating a song cycle that stands right up there next to the iconic “Songs From The Big Chair.”

With the possible exception of “My Demons,” the anthemic side of the duo does not rear its head which is a good thing as the boys generally stay in their vocal lane. Lyrically, this is a sign of the times record without being overtly political, with “River of Mercy” being about as topical as it could be right now.

With “End Of Night” blasting vintage Tears For Fears like it’s 1985 all over again, stick a pin in this one and resurface it once the end of the year best-of lists roll around.

Superchunk – Wild Loneliness

Longevity being the order of the day, it has been 32 years since Superchunk released their debut self-titled album. And, based on their sparkling new album, Wild Loneliness, it’s almost like no time has passed at all.

Sparkling Jangle Pop of the highest order, Big Star influences abound with touches of Jelly Fish here and Cheap Trick, there. “This Night” is a gang-chorus standout, “Endless Summer” has a scent of the melodic side of The Replacements in the DNA, and “Refraction” has Punk-Pop energy that is contagious.

There is no logical reason for this album to be as good as it is, but there is not a bad song on this surprisingly excellent record from one of the hip bands of the ’90s.

Diamond Dogs – Slap Bang Blue Rendezvous

From the name alone, you pretty much know what you are getting with Diamond Dogs and their new record, Slap Bang Blue Rendevous. 

Hailing from Sweden, their brand of incendiary Rock and Roll touches on David Bowie Glam, but their mojo goes much deeper than that. With touches of Aussie Rock in the Angels, Cold Chisel mode, and the essence of the Velvet Underground or Mott the Hoople respective oeuvres, this is a yellow brick road-worthy journey down the trail of Classic Rock coolness.

“Golden Wheel” Is Cheap Trick if they had come around ten years earlier than they did. We had to do a double-take to make sure that “Makeup Boogie” wasn’t on the T-Rex Electric Warrior album, and “You Shouldn’t Be Lonely On a Saturday Night” could have been a Status Quo special back in the day.

All in all, this is a true-spirited Rock and Roll record. Lighters Lit!

Sophie & The Broken Things – Delusions of Grandeur

A stunning debut record, Delusions of Grandeur, brought to you by Sophie & The Broken Things, is as good an Americana record as you are likely to find this year. With a vocal range that floats along like the love-child of Lucinda and Emmylou, Sophie Gault is the real deal. When you combine influences like Bonnie Raitt and Neko Case, along with a band that can switch from a mournful ballad to a country-tonk stomper at the blink of a stetson, all of the ingredients are in place for a classic listen.

“Churches & Bars” is Americana song of the year-worthy, “Dashboard” is an epic road trip song that finds Sophie getting in her car driving down the road putting some John on the cd player. And, on “Heavy-Metal,” the band gets to stretch a bit on this ode to traveling down the road cranking that heavy metal heading to bar to be with her black Slayer t-shirt wearing tribe.

This is a new find well worth checking out.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (February 18, 2022)

A sneaky-cool week is brewing, with a couple of our favorites showing their musical wares. There is a groundswell of Rock and Roll in the air, and the Americana music brigade is out in force. And, if all of that is not enough.

We have our ears peeled for the upcoming release of their new record, and if “Devil’s Lullaby,” courtesy of the band Bad Day is any indication, it’s going to be a doozy.

The guns ‘N’ Roses riffing song driven by South of Eden, “Lone Rider’s,” will take you right back to the Sunset Strip.

And, straight out of Nashville, The Nobility, gallop, almost literally, their way into your airwaves with the highly infectious Western-Pop swagger of “No Doubts.”

And, of course, if all of that is not enough to satisfy your earbuds, here are five new records that are getting some serious play in the halls of Rock is the New Roll H.Q.

Goodbye June – See Where The Night Goes

The pride of Nashville, Goodbye June, has been flying under the rock and roll radar for almost a decade. But now, with their latest record, See Where The Night Goes, their current opening act gigs should be turning into headlining tours in short order. Goodbye group van, hello tour bus.

From the early guitar chords and instant Brian Johnson era AC/DC vocals on the opener “Step Aside,” it’s game on, lighters lit. Next in line is “See Where The Night Goes,” still a scorcher but a bit more melodic with killer hooks and even sweeter melodies that will whip the audiences into a frenzy during the upcoming festival season. And, things get more head-banging in all the best of ways from there.

Sure the band and the songs are a bit formulaic with an “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” approach to their rock and roll. But, when a band goes about their business with such exuberance and delivers the quality riffs song to song as they do on this one, imitation turns into emulation in the blink of a power ballad.

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Nightroamer

Sarah Shook and her Disarmers step over and cross back again, that line between Americana and Rock and Roll with the ease of A Wallenda sibling tightrope walking across the Grand Canyon. With their latest record, Nightroamer, Sarah seems to be shedding her image as the younger sister who waters down her parent’s vodka, climbs out of her bedroom window, and sneaks out to sing a few tunes for a Hank III tribute band. Now, with her late-era Tanya Tucker vibe, her music is more contemporary posh than cow-punk with a classic country flair in just the right places. 

The stellar “Talking To Myself” is Sheryl Crow Meets Joan Jett, “If It’s Poison” has a ’50s country lilt to it complete with a lap-steel guitar, and “I Got This” is a biographical piece that carries some Melissa Etheridge DNA in its core. “No Mistakes” could have been a Billy Joe Shaver penned outlaw country tune.

Still worn weary with a well-earned lifetime expressed with every syllable she sings, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers have been there, done that, so you don’t have to.

Foxy Shazam – The Heart Behead You

If like us, you know exactly where you were the first time you heard the glam-glorious band Foxy Shazam, you are in luck, and your musical ship has arrived at the dock. Going back to their epic breakthrough record, The Church of Rock and Roll, a classic that is ten years old now, the band has never has failed to deliver on their psychedelic, glam, power pop template that brings to the minds-ear the classic S.F. based band Jellyfish. Until perhaps now, that is.

Certainly not their best, the production seems a bit fuzzy in the mix and does not sparkle as bright as a Foxy Shazam diamond should. And, the band is trying a bit too hard to be clever in their wordplay, case in point is the attempt to rhyme china (the tableware) and a part of a woman’s anatomy with a straight face. 

The opener, “I’m In Love,” is pure soaring, bombastic Foxy Shazam, “Fall Into The Night” is a dance-hall worthy call and response feet-mover, and “Love Rush Ecstacy” would be a wonderment if, as mentioned above, the production was crisper and cleaner.

Not their best effort, this one might be among the worst in their oeuvre, but much like when a skunk comes home for Thanksgiving with his family, gets drunk, and accidentally lets out a little spray, he will still be invited over for Christmas dinner.

Hurray For The Riff Raff – Life On Earth

Alynda Segarra, doing business as Hurray For The Riff Raff, is out with her typically a per-usual stellar record, Life On Earth. As part of a collective of New Orleans musicians, the new album, self-described as “nature-punk,” is centered around the theme of survival in a turned-around world.

“All stunners, no bummers” is the order of the day on this one. “Pierced Arrows” floats in the ether like Florence and the Machine’s younger sister performing on a side stage at Bonnaroo, “Jupiters Dance,” has a wafting of a Kate Bush Spirit Dance, and the exquisitely horned “Rosemary Tears” is the essence of New Orleans pathos in a song. The “deep in the soul” rendering of “My Sweet Lord” is life-affirming.

While this new record doesn’t quite live up to the majesty of its predecessor, The Navigator, it is a sterling example of an artist in progress that is one of the shining lights working today.

Dana Cooper – I Can Face The Truth

Dana Cooper is an Americana treasure that you likely have never heard. Roaming the country from Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, to Texas and beyond, teaming up with Shake Russell on several records, Cooper is a dues-paying road-weary musician of the highest order. And, on his latest, I Can Face The Truth, the truth is out there.

With a version of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” that is as honest as you will ever hear along with the Thelma and Louise road-tripping with your BFF vibe of “Old Friends,” the stage is set for the circle to be unbroken. “Laughing and Crying” might be a fitting metaphor for the present times, and “Summer in America” is a “lovers in wartime” protest anthem with a satisfying ending.

If you are not previously hip to the Dana Cooper scene, use this opportunity to right a grievous wrong.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (February 11, 2022)

Boom goes the dynamite this week as records are starting to hit the ear-waves that will be heard from again once the end of the year lists come around.

Ray Wylie Hubbard continues to blur the Rock, Blues, Americana lines with “Naturally Wild,” his most recent cool collaboration with Lizzy Hale and John Five.

Seratones are bringing the sunshine with their R&B and gospel-tinged feel-good tune, Good Day.

And, of course, one for the ladies with Valentine’s Day around the corner with Michael Buble and “My Valentine.”

But wait, don’t turn that dial. Here are five really cool records to share with your ears this week.

Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa

With an uncanny ability to slightly reinvent themselves without losing themselves to the ether, Spoon is back with their first proper record in five years, Lucifer On The Sofa.

Full of sway and swagger, the record is made all the better with the return of Britt Daniel leaving the glitz and fake glamour of Los Angeles behind in favor of his hometown of Austin. The opener, a cover of the Smog song Held, sets the stage bringing a Blues-Rock White Stripes worthy semi-psychedelic opus feeling to the proceedings. And, on “The Hardest Cut,” one of the standout tracks on the record, the band lays down a ZZ Top groove on top of a T-Rex boogie that would make Ty Seagall blush.

Giving the guitars a more primo position in the mix than on some of their more synth-laden recent releases seems to serve the project very well, most succinctly on the highly excellent “The Devil & Mr. Jones.” And, there is a definite INXS vibe on the anthemic “Wild.”

With the chips going all-in to the middle of the table, let’s go on record in calling our shot early with this one as one of the best albums of the year. So far, anyway.

Delvon Lamar Organ Trio – Cold as Weiss

The dirty little secret in the halls of Rock is the New Roll HQ is that we are all closet Jazz fans, and in fact, we are lovers of the Hammond B-3 in the Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lee Michales mold. And, the latest record from the Delman Lamarr Organ Trio, Cold As Weiss, checks off all of the Jimmy Smith boxes. And, then some.

With the addition of drummer Dan Weiss to the band, the swing is the thing. The sound is pure seventies jazz-funk, psychedelic soul-jazz. The dials are set firmly to groove-city on the Stevie Wonder worthy “I Wanna Be Where You Are,” “Pull Your Pants Up” features the tight as Scrooge McDuck interplay between Weiss and the guitar player Jimmy James, and the spooky atmosphere of the closer, “This Is How It Is” throws things back to the Booker T and the MG glory days.

Swing it baby, swing it!

Night Shop – Forever Night

With Forever Night, Justin Sullivan, doing business as Night Shop, spins a record just a little West of Laurel Canyon, a tiny bit South of Bob Dylan, and straight to the heart of Conor Oberst, Brett Dennen territory.

“The End of Time” could have been one of the later-era Bright Eyes Conor Oberst reclamation projects, “Slow Dancing at the Wax Museum” could easily be a Beck tune, and “Pensacola, Florida” is an old school singer-songwriter type song that would have been epic sounding in the hands of Jerry Jeff Walker.

The semi-rocker “Let Me Let It Go” has a bit of a Chuck Prophet mantra about it, and the lilting “Midnight” is a contemplating wonder. “Let Me Begin” is pure mid-era Dylan.

There is no new territory being blazed on this one, but the influences are so tightly sewn here this record will only get better with multiple listens.

The Delines – The Sea Drift

If like many of us, while you were supremely enjoying reading Willy Vlautin’s novels and savoring his work with his Post-Punk band Fontaines, D.C., it is brilliant that his side-piece band, The Delines, have released their first album in over three years, The Sea Drift, and he is back to making music.

With singer Amy Boone making a mostly complete recovery from a near-fatal auto accident, the band is in fine late-night noir form. Inspired and centered around The California Northern coast, the song cycle came into being once Amy asked Willy to write a song like Tony Joe White’s “Rainy Night In Georgia.”

The familiar Southern-Gothic ambiance that is the core of this record with each song a cinematic screenplay in its own right will bring to mind Bobbie Gentry as well as the mid-sixties murder ballad records in the Porter Wagoner Cold Hard Facts of Life mold.

“Little Earl” could be a Faulkner penned short story, Kid Codeine should have been implanted in an episode of True Detective, and “Hold Me Slow” should be your soundtrack for Valentine’s day.

The Cactus Blossoms – One Day

A bit more upbeat than their semi-dour 2019 release, Easy Way, their latest, One Day, finds the Cactus Blossoms chaneling their inner Everly Brothers and outer Ricky Nelson in all the best of ways.

The opener, “Hey Baby” is a perfect demonstration of the pop sensibility that J.D. Mcpherson brings to the record as the producer, and on “Is It Over” the ghost of Tom Petty in his Byrds cloak of many colors comes out to play.

The collaboration with Jenny Lewis on the semi-spectacular “Everybody” wanders into Gram and Emmy on the synchronicity scale, and “I Could Almost Cry sounds like a Tom Russell penned song as sung by Mark Knopfler.

If this record was released in the mid-seventies it would have been a huge hit among the Sweethearts of the Rodeo Crowd. The fact that it is released now makes it even better.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (January 21, 2022)

Sure, the week is a little slow on the new release front, but we are doing the work so you don’t have to in order to deliver to your ears some choice musical nuggets.

The Mysterines are barely out of their teens, have yet to release a proper album, yet these Liverpool rockers are set to take over the world two ears at a time.

Pretty much the only thing you need to know about Ceramic Animal is that the Black Keys and Easy Eye Records major-domo Dan Auerbach is twirling the knobs producing their upcoming album. The blend of classic ’70s countrypolitan splendor on this one will have you riding through a desert on a horse with no name.

The Canadian band The Damn Truth is setting stages on fire in support of their 2021 record, Now or Nowhere. All you really need to know about these guys is that they have opened for ZZ Top, Metallica, as well as Rival Sons and their latest record was produced by Bob Rock. “Only Love” opens up like a Bon Jovi lighters lit anthem and quickly morphs into a Heart Wilson sisters rocker at the blink of an ear courtesy of Lee-La Baum and her back of the barroom vocals.

And, yes there’s more. Here are five new records that are nibbling at our ear lobes this week.

John Mellencamp – Strictly A One-Eyed Jack

It’s hard to believe that it has been forty years since John Mellencamp was telling us to “hold on to 16 as long as you can.” Here, on his latest, Strictly A One-Eyed Jack we find the singer fully shedding his Springsteen lite midwest rocker overalls in favor of a Leonard Cohen worthy coat of paint.

The voice is rough and battle-scarred, somewhere North of Lemmy and South of Tom Waits, a result of decades of chainsmoking, but it still sounds great and is perfectly suited for the spare storytelling fare that he presents on this one.

Two songs, “Did You Say Such A Thing” and “Wasted Days” feature The Boss himself on guest vocals, are particularly great. And, the piano-sparse “Gone So Soon” could have easily been the last cut on any one of the early Tom Waits records.

If you haven’t spent any time with John Mellencamp since the “Pink Houses Days” allow yourself a visit, He is aging quite nicely.

Keb Mo’ – Good To Be …

After refurbishing his childhood home in Compton and alternating residences between California and Nashville, Kevin Morris, aka Keb Mo’ continues to reside deep in the pocket of what has become practically his own musical genre with a fusion of Delta Blues, Contemporary Country, Americana, and Soul.

“The Medicine Man” is a gospel stomper with Old Crow Medicine Show providing authentic hillbilly sensibility to an otherwise politically tinged tune, “Good To Be (Home Again)” proves once and for all that you can go home again, and you need to stick a pin in “Sunny And Warm” and dust it off for the summer hammock and sipping season.

There is a feel-good ebb and flow on this record that is inspired and soul-stirring. Feel free to walk on by the closing track “Quiet Moments.” This Lionel Richie ’80s ballad song could have been left off the record, all for the better.

The Whitmore Sisters – Ghost Stories

Sure, this may be the debut record under the name Whitmore Sisters, but if you are hip to the Americana scene at all you have heard both Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore in various musical configurations over the last decade. Bonnie has four solo albums under her belt, Eleanor is a member of The Mastersons with Chris Masterson, and they are both card-carrying members of Steve Earles’ band, The Dukes.

Here, with Ghost Stories, the sisters Whitmore definitely seem to have found their niche. The opener “Learn To Fly” is a harmony-laden splendor that would make First Aid Kit blush, “The Ballad of Sissy & Porter” is a cross between “Jack and Diane” and “The Road Goes On Forever,” and the closer “Greek Tragedy” is a weeper made even more emotionally heartfelt with the blending on the sisterly voices.

This one is a grower that should grow onto many of the top ten lists when the end of the year rolls around.

Tinsley Ellis – Devil May Care

Tinsley Ellis has long stepped out from the shadow of Stevie Ray Vaughan and is still going strong. And now, 20 albums in, he is just as fresh, vibrant, and relevant as ever. On Devil May Care Ellis pays tribute to The Allman Brothers on ten tightly wound tunes culled from a batch of 200 songs written during a pandemic induced creative burst of energy. From the opening Allman’s “No Way Out” inspired salvo all systems are go as Tinsley’s leathery, whiskey soaked voice takes over and joins the party with the band kicking in creating a joyful Eat A Peach worthy noise.

Using overdubs of his own lead and slide playing to recreate the Almann’s signature sound with added musical texture courtesy of the presence of a trumpet and saxophone player in the band, the players are tight and in-step as any band you will find this side of Muscle Shoals.

Whether he is wandering the back alleys with the late night subtle blues of “Don’t Bury Our Love,” jumping center stage on the Hendrix chanelling “Step Up,” or taking the “Slow Train to Hell” like he does on the closer that owes more than a little debt to ZZ Top’s “Blue Jean Blues,” Tinsley Ellis may have just released the Blues record of the year. And, it’s only January.

Miles Kane – Change The Show

As co-frontman with Alex Turner in The Last Shadow Puppets, Miles Kane is known for his tightly constructed symphonic melodies in the Paul Weller Mold. And here, with his fourth record, he has hit his stride as a solo artist.

Chanelling Marc Bolan on the opener “Tears Are Falling” Kane somehow manages to rhyme orchestrator and cocktail maker on a song that could have been in the ether somewhere in the late ‘6os. The ghost of “Wah-Wah” era George Harisson surfaces on “See Ya When I See Yah,” and on the effortlessly ebullient “Coming of Age” he lyrically outkicks his coverage with the line “whisk me off to Sicily, we’ll pretend we know history.”

Putting forth nostalgic influences front and center is nothing new for an artist that moves from Beatles to Pop to Motown, and on to Phil Spector, with many time machine stops along the way, with the ease of a member of the Wallenda family walking a tightrope with a bicycle on their shoulder.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (January 14, 2022)

The wait is over, the new year is upon us, and we lie in wait for a bevy of new releases over the next few months. It should be a big first part of the year as John Mellencamp has a guest-laden record in the hopper called Strictly a one-eyed Jack, the mighty Jethro Tull is coming out of hibernation, and speaking of Classic Rock titans, Bryan Adams, The Scorpions, Tears For Fears, and Ozzy Ozbourne all will be tickling your ears soon in 2022.

In the meantime, the always intriguing Mitski has already released an e.p. in advance of a formal long-player later in the year. Her single, “Love Me More” is already getting buzz for inclusion on many year-end lists.

Never sleep on Bryan Adams as the Canadian Rocker has, coming to eardrums near you, a new album with the release of So Happy It Hurts. And, well it sounds like Bryan Adams.

And, Eddie Vedder has teamed up with a couple of Chili Peppers forming a new band called The Earthlings with a platter due in February.

And now, without further ado, we have five tasty nuggets all set to tickle your eardrums and rattle your senses this week.

Elvis Costello – The Boy Named If

With this follow-up to 2020s Hey Clockface, Elvis Costello shows no signs of slowing down. From the scorcher of an opener, “Farewell, OK,” Costello and his band, The Imposters, kick things into gear and party like it’s 1977 and they are living in the My Aim Is True glory days. The voice hasn’t changed too much, Elvis never was one for stretching out the high notes, and, here he stays very much within his range with his delivery that is pure E.C. vocal splendor.

The title track, with If actually meaning imaginary friend, is Classic Costello with its off-beat eccentric songwriting, and returning to ballad form, “Paint The Red Rose Blue” should stand the test of time as one of his best songs. And, “Magnificent Hurt,” to our ears, is best in class. This one is a lost-in-time record that is could have been released anytime from 1980 to the present.

Put a pin in this one for top album of the year consideration.

Cat Power – Covers

It only took 12 years for Cat Power, aka Chan Marshall to come up with the follow-up to her 2010 release, The Covers Record, the album that featured her seminal version of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” This time out, she covers songs by Bob Seger, The Replacements, and Billie Holiday among others in her own style making the songs almost recognizable but no less glorious.

Seger’s “Against The Wind” is transformed into a night-noir ethereal wonder, the piano-based Replacements seldom covered “Here Comes A Regular” has a definite Tom Waits touch to the proceedings, and the one-two punch of Jackson Browns’s “These Days” and “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” strays into Nina Simone territory when it comes to an artist making the song their own.

Ari Roar – Made To Never Use

Ari Roar is the name that singer/songwriter Caleb Campbell uses for his self-released projects. With a Ben Folds by way of Wilco vibe, the songs are all Indie-Pop bangers that you will be able to digest in short 2-3 minute jangly bursts. “Take Me Over” is Jack Johnson by way of John Lennon, and “Far From The Rest” could have been a Replacements with a slight Police vibe.

The hooks, rhythms, and melodies, all coalesce into a catchy set of songs that you should bring back out when the weather gets warmer and the drinks get colder.

Poco – One Night in Nashville

For many, the seminal band Poco is considered to be one of the original OG’s of Americana and the Country-Rock sound. Originally formed by Buffalo Springfield members Richie Furay and Jim Messina, the band released 18 albums with multiple hit singles including “Crazy Love,” “You’d Better Think Twice,” and “Rose of Cimarron.”

Now, the 2004 live concert from Nashville has been polished up into a spectacular blue vinyl edition that should serve to satisfy longtime fans of the band as well as those who are just starting to explore the roots of American Music. Reuniting original members Furay, Rusty Young, and drummer George Grantham, the band runs through all of the hits with particularly stellar versions of “Call It Love” and the harmony-laden “Good Feeling To Know” as stone-cold standouts. “Bad Weather” is a deep-cut must-hear.

Jacob Bryant – Barstool Preacher

Once you get past Garth Brooks, the ’80s flavor of Country music is not deserving of the scorn and ridicule that it seems to get in some circles. Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, John Anderson it’s all good music, certainly better than the “all hat, no cattle” purveyors of the scene that seem to be prevalent today.

Here, with his latest record, Bar Stool Preacher, Jacob Bryant’s ear-melds ’80’s Alan Jackson country along with contemporary outlaw country in the Jamey Johnson and Chris Stapelton mold that would fit in perfectly at your next fourth of July party or your next bourbon binge.

“Well Whiskey (Discount Cigarettes)” could have been a hit song for Keith Whitley, and on the semi rocked-up “Good Ol’ Boy,” Bryant laments his local turning into a hipster bar with boys in skinny jeans and no Skynyrd songs in the jukebox.

Five Cool Ones: What We’re Listening To (January 7, 2022)

It still will be a couple of weeks yet until things start heating up and the River of new releases starts to flow again. But, in the meantime, there are a lot of groovy tunes to dive into while we wait.

The Sheepdogs – Singing in the Band

Rock is the New Roll uber- favorites The Sheepdogs are keeping themselves busy making some new music that will see the light of day in 2022. Their blend of James Gang by way of Blackberry Smoke vibes will have the toes tapping and ears twirling all in a Smokey haze.

Goodbye June – Stand and Deliver

The first really great E.P. of 2022 has declared itself. And, it’s a stunner. Having dribble-released the songs as singles in 2021, all four songs have been included on their debut E.P, Stand and Deliver. These Nashville Cats walk that tightrope between AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The Districts – Outlaw Love

These Pennsylvania Indie rockers blast off like a slightly less cool Rebel Yell-era Billy Idol on one of the first great songs of 2022.

Band of Heathens – Rock and Roll Doctor

Americana rockers Band of Heathens never fail to impress by coming up with unique ways to present their new music. Here, they release another of their collaborative cover songs, this time Little Feat’s “Rock and Roll Doctor” with Dallas psych-rockers White Denim. For extra credit, Search out the collabo with Ray Wylie Hubbard covering “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.”

Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh, David Grissom – Johnny Be Good

Joe Walsh and David Grissom on saxophone sit in with Edgar Winter on a scorched earth version of the Chuck Berry classic. Edgar is in fine form on this one.

Five Cool Ones – Five (More) Reasons That Pop Matters

It is no secret that here at Rock is the new Roll we love Pop music in any form. Whether it is Power Pop, Indie Pop, Pop-Punk, or Paul Simon and “Kodachrome” 70’s Pop we will be giving it a spin on our turntables. Here are 5 top-flight pop nuggets that hit our ears this past year.

The Lickerish Quartet – Threesome, Vol. 2

Formed from the ashes of famed S.F. Bay Area pop icons Jelly Fish, Eric Dover, Roger Manning, and Tim Smith are carrying the pop torch with their band, The Lickerish Quartet. Named after the Randy Metzger 1970 erotic drama, the band released a pair of stunning records over the last 18 months with Threesome, Vol. 1, and Threesome Vol. 2.

Roller Disco Combo – The Sun After The Rain

With their new e.p., Barcelona popsters Roller Disco Combo offers up Teenage Fanclub on “Indonesian Breakfast,” and a bit of a Laurel Canyon vibe courtesy of “Holes on the Grass.” In its entirety, The Sun After The Rain is a five-song e.p. that will have you yearning for more.

Sorrows – Love Too Late … The Real Album

This re-recording of a record that was originally released in the ’80s is a solid combination of Cheap Trick Power Pop, British invasion Garage Rock, and ’60s Rock and Roll with the cover of the Kinks “Tired of Waiting for You” a stellar standout. The back-to-back sound flurry of “Love Too Late” and “Crying Time” have the essence of The Knack Meets the Specials.

Bros. Vol. 2

BROS, the sidepiece band for Ewan and Shamus Currie from the ’70s throwback band The Sheepdogs deliver on a set of tunes that will have you reaching for your old KC and the Sunshine Band records. Never Gonna Stop is Hall and Oates meets The Greg Kihn Band, and Hesitationg is The Little River Band if they were just a wee bit cooler.

Radio Days -Rave On

Big Star with a bit of Replacements danger vibe is the cocktail of the day served on the latest L.P. from Radio Days, Rave On. Early Elvis Costello is also an appropriate touch-point for this record should cover all of your musical bases.

Five Cool Ones: Five (More) Reasons Rock Is Not Dead – Best of 2021

Rock and Roll is alive and most definitely alive and well heading into 2022. Here are five bands that your ears should wrap themselves around heading into the new year.

Kim Melville – Mr. My Man

Throwing herself fully into the ring after delivering choice covers of Larkin Poe and Led Zeppelin tunes, Paris-based chanteuse Kim Melville will be transforming herself from an under-the-radar artist to center stage in no time.

Dust Coda – Limbo Man

These Londoners deliver the swagger of The Struts and the riffage of Greta Van Fleet on a bed of ’80s sunset strip glam. Crank this one while driving.

Chris Catalyst – King Of Everything

If Pop-Rock is an actual genre, “King Of Everything” from the Eureka Machines frontman Chris Catalyst would be among the best of the lot. Festival ready call and response chorus, jangle pop guitar splendor, this Cheap Trick inspired cut has it all.

Sheepdogs – No Simple Thing

If you long for the days of Three Dog Night, Dr. Hook, and Fanny, to get your ’70s mojo going, jump on the Sheepdogs bandwagon post-haste.

Sweet Crisis – Ain’t Got Soul

Straight out of Cambridge, this epic starts out as a bond theme and quickly morphs into some sort of slinky Led Zeppelin by way of The Cult anthem that would make Rival Sons blush.

The Darkness – Motorheart

A perfect fit for one of those early Queen records, Justin Hawkins and The Darkness has his band kicking it on all cylinders. This one is like going to see Rush opening up for Queen at the Cow Palace back in the day.

Five Cool Ones: Some Rock With A Little Bit of Roll

Buckcherry – Gun

From Buckcherry’s ninth record Hellbound, the band is starting to take themselves more seriously. The killer harmonica intro and the Aerosmith-worthy grooves make this one a hip-shaking groover.

Houndmouth – Make It Midnight

The first single released from their upcoming record, Good For You, this one takes things low and slow on this Americana-tinged late-nite noir beauty.

Blurred Vision – Dear John

Released in support of the John Lennon War Child charity, “Dear John” features the UK/Canadian/Iranian prog-rockers alongside Peter Frampton and Mollie Mariott. This one evokes the spirit of John Lennon with more love than any we have heard in quite some time.

Starbenders – No One Listened

Carrying the torch for new wave glam rock, Starbenders are out with a new single and artistically cool video in advance of a proper release late in the year. Frontward Kimi Shelter puts her best Marc Bolan Ziggy Stadust foot forward on this one.

Ghost Hounds – Between Me and the Devil

Blending Blues, Soul, and Rock and Roll, Pittsburgh rockers Blues Hounds are as good as it gets. Just ask The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top, both bands inviting them out on the road in 2019.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Platters Released This Week (October 15, 2021)

Since everything is just a placeholder until the new Deep Purple record comes out later in the year, there is a chill in the air as a new Coldplay album hits our ear-waves this week. And, it’s not terrible.

The ironically monikered Southern groover Handsome Jack has a new song and video out with “Got You Where I Want To” that would make Doug Sahm proud.

If you were lucky enough to have Hayes Carll draft you a beer at The Acoustic Cafe in Galveston you would have known early on what an electric talent he is. For the rest of us, we get to bathe in his immense talent courtesy of this latest release, “Help Me Remember.”

And, there is great news on the horizon. The great collaboration of David Coverdale and Jimmy Page has four previously unreleased songs set to see the light of day later in the year. In the meantime, here is a bit of a blast from the MTV past. 

And, if all of that is not enough to tickle your musical fancy, here are some tasty morsels that we particularly love from this week’s batch of goodness.

TK & The Holy Know-Nothings – The Incredible Heat Machine

Don’t let the fact that Taylor Kingman, frontman and major-domo for TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, self glosses his band’s music as “psychedelic doom boogie” stop you from giving this one a couple of turns around the dance floor. 

From the opener, “Frankenstein” a Doug Sahm fronting Whiskeytown vibe grabs you and staples your ears to the speakers. “Serenity Prayer” is Steve Earl at his rebellious best, and “Laid Down and Cried” sounds like it comes from the outlaw spawn of Chris Stapleton and Merle Haggard. And, who among us hasn’t been too stoned to find their beer as lamented on “I Lost My Beer,” a song that would have been perfectly handled by Jerry Jeff Walker or Bobby Bare.

If you are looking for just one recent-vintage cosmic cowboy outlaw country circle of life album to place on your mantle, look no further than this Old 97’s by way of Jerry Jeff Walker-inspired gem.

Jason Isbell – Georgia

Inspired by his promise to record a tribute album to the state of Georgia should the election turn to a democratic blue, Jason Isbell puts politics aside to deliver a solid setlist that pays tribute to the songs and artists associated with his home state. 

Highlights abound on this one. The Drivin’ ‘N’ Cryin’ staple “Honeysuckle Blue” is perfect in the hands of Isbell and his 400 unit, and Brittney Spencer offers up a gender turnaround and slays “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”

The two R.E.M covers presented here, “Driver 8” and “Nightswimming,” as perfectly crafted as they are, seem to be minor cogs on a wheel of excellence. While the wildcard here is a Santana-tinged version of Allman’s “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” the return of Brittney Spencer on “Midnight Train To Georgia” tells the tale the most poignantly.  

Sure, if you are inclined to pick nits, you can lament that “Georgia On My Mind” is not included in the set, but that would be short-sighted. By going deep with Cat Powers’ “Cross Bones Style” and “Kid Fears” by the Indigo Girls, there is no doubt that this album was passionately curated from the song selections to the choice of collaborators.

Joy Crookes – Skin

 A sure-fire candidate for debut record of the year Joy Crookes’ new record is a blend of Amy Winehouse neo-soul, Nina Simone sultry jazz, and the silky smooth vocals of Ella Fitzgerald.

Standouts “When You Are Mine” and “Wild Jasmine” offer more contemporary song diva fare, while “Poison,” along with the title track, is a girl and her piano offering up some late-night noir.

Especially powerful is “Unlearn You,” a song about the lasting effects of domestic violence. Give this one a spin or three on your turntable, and your ears and soul will be exponentially rewarded.

Pokey LaFarge – In The Blossom of Their Shade

Breezy Americana is the order of the day on this, the seventh and latest record from Pokey LaFarge, In The Blossom of Their Shade. With a bit of an old-timey New Orleans vibe, the music takes you down a country road swerving to avoid cows and trying not to miss a turn causing you to drive into an alligator-infested swamp.

Even when he visits Holland as he does on “Rotterdam,” we get the city of his imagination instead of the real thing. “Drink of You” has the delicate aroma of a Rufus Wainwright song, and “Yo-Yo” has a Caribbean tilt to it that would be best served on the beach next to a fire. 

With touchstones that include Western cinemascope, 50’s exotica, 60’s doo-wop, and 40’s big band, it is a wonder that LaFarge can meld these disparate styles into a contemporary tapestry the way he does on this record. If you are up for a road trip the likes of which you likely have not experienced since riding with Ryan and Tatum O’Neill in Paper moon, it’s time to begin your journey.

The Courettes – Back In Mono

What year is it? Is it time to put on my ascot and get ready for Austin Powers’ bachelor party? Yes, on all fronts, courtesy of The Courettes and their latest release, Back In Mono, a record that is the grooviest album of the year, or of recent years for that matter.

With the ghost of Phil Spector dancing all over the mixing boards, this Danish and Brazilian garage rock combo inhabit rather than imitate the Shangri-La spirit of every girl group you have ever heard from The Supremes to the Runaways. From the intensely clever “Want You! Like A Cigarette” to the Ramones evoking “Night Time (The Boy of Mine)” every song delivered to your ears is go-go club cool.

Don’t sleep on “R.I.N.G.O.” as a novelty song soul sucker. It might very well be, but strangely, it works. “Until You’re Mine” is a late-night voodoo hip-shaker, and “Trash Can Honey” will remind you of “Big Girls Don’t Cry” with a Flamin Groovies makeover. And, once the Duane Eddy guitar fuzz kicks in on “Hop The Twig,” it’s game on, everyone on the dance floor!