Somehow, Ozzy Osborne was able to convince Eric Clapton to play on his new album and the latest single, “One of Those Days.”
Magnolia Park is doing their best Fountains of Wayne impersonation on the fantastically catchy “Addison Rae.”
And, the garage rock noise-nicks Murlocs come out blasting with their new one, “Ballerine Ballerina.”
But wait, don’t turn those ears down just yet, here a five more cool sounds for you to savor this week.
Crossword Smiles – Pressed & Ironed
As debut albums go, Pressed & Ironed, delivered by Crossword Smiles, is as great a debut record that you are likely to hear all year. From the breezy Little River Band adjacent “October Leaves” to the calmer side of The Replacements on “…Where’s The Sense,” and sliding into the early Who evoking wonderment of “The Girl With a Penchant For Yellow,” on this one, all of the coolest touchstones coalesce into a pool of power pop perfection.
From the opener, “Feet on the Ground,” the listener is introduced to a sparkling new band that brings to the minds-ear pre-Sweethearts of the Rodeo Byrds, and “Take It On the Chin” would have fit in quite likely between Full Moon Fever and Damn the Torpedos in the Tom Petty canon while the epic “Parallel Lines” seems to share some DNA with The Zombie’s and “She’s Not There.”
With the crisp and pristine production combined with an ear-pleasing mix with the vocals floating just in front of the guitars, there is no puzzle to be solved with these crosswords. 5 across, 6 letters……WINNER.
Rhett Miller – The Misfit
Rhett Miller, the head man of The Old 97’s doesn’t come out to play solo very often, his last effort was way back in 2018 with The Messenger, but when he does, the results are typically outstanding as is the case with The Misfit.
Once again teaming up with Sam Cohen, a former member of Apollo Sunshine, this time out the order of the day is psychedelic infused Indie Pop instead of the Americana version of The Replacements like we are used to with him. Touches of Big Star, The Beatles and Tom Petty make this one a relaxing sail in calm waters.
Starcrawler – She Said
With front-woman Arrow De Wilde and their new record She Said, the band Starcrawler is in full throttle mode to continue their assault on rock and roll supremacy.
With a style that brings to mind John Doe and his band X, The Distillers, along with the sleazier side of The Rolling Stones, it is no wonder that they count Jack White, Dave Grohl, Angel Iggy Pop in the fold as super fans.
Lead single “Roadkill” travels down the highway sounding like The Go Go’s on steroids, “Thursday” would make The Runaways proud, and “Midnight” takes thing low and a bit back alley slow.
If this five piece L.A. collective can stay raw and hungry there is no telling the heights they can reach.
Ondara – Spanish Villager No. 3
Having taken the Americana world by storm with his Grammy nominated album Tales of America, Nairobi, Kenya native Ondara moved to Bob Dylan’s Minnesota stomping grounds in an attempt to capture some of the mojo from his idol.
Now, three years beyond his debut, Ondara finds himself settling into his new life quite nicely, case in point the autobiographical “An Alien in Minneapolis.” With songs like “A Shakedown in Berlin,” “A Seminar in Tokyo,” and “A Drowning in Mexico City” the album is part travelogue, part vagabond love letter, and all heart courtesy of an artist that really should be more widely known than he is.
The Black Angels – Wilderness of Angels
Remaining slavishly devoted to Psychedelic Rock forbearers Syd Barrett Roky Erickson, and Arthur Lee, Austin’s Black Angels deliver on all fronts with this mellotron forward, swirling tour de force.
On “The River” Syd and Roky along with members of The Velvet Underground are name-checked, while “Firefly” is straight up ‘60s flashback, Donovan by way of Austin Powers. And, “A Walk on the Wild Side” careens down the paisley highway managing to bring itself together just as the proceedings seem to be blindly veering into magical mystery tour territory.
This record is yet another ambitious undertaking from a band that continues to push the psychedelic boundaries.
Color Green consists of the Los Angeles-based duo Noah Kohll and Corey Madden. Brought together on a shared love of Laurel Canyon-tinged Americana, there is a wafting of Grateful Dead, free form Allman Brothers, and The Byrds throughout their eponymous debut record.
“Bell of Silence” has a psychedelic aura about it that would make Pink Floyd proud, “Ill Fitting Suit” is The Grateful Dead by way of Gram Parsons era Burrito Brothers, and “Ruby” slinks along like a classic Doors Song.
And, whatever you do, don’t miss the astral head trip journey that “Verdolaga Dreams” will take you on. Stopping just short of genre-hopping the eclectic mix of Americana, Cosmic Cowboy, and Funk-lite makes this one a platter worthy of multiple spins on your turntable for the rest of the year.
Out of pocket for the last couple of weeks, but we are back and better than ever. The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The Struts are back to once again save Rock and Roll.
If Blackberry Smoke backing up Sheryl Crow is your jam, then the latest from the Poe siblings means the latest Larkin Poe single is up your street.
And, The Hu, your favorite Mongolian throat singing band, are back and as mind boggling as ever.
But let’s move on. Here are five solid albums released this week to tickle your ears.
The Orchids – Dreaming Kind
Back and better than ever after reforming in 2020, Scottish popsters Orchids with their new record features everything that you love about the band, Meandering guitar melodies, emotive vocals, and songs that go from beauty to sadness at the drop of a note are the order of the day.
“This Boy Is A Mess” will bring to mind vintage Echo and the Bunnymen, “Limitless #1 (Joy) has a real mid-era Beach Boys vibe, and “Something Missing” is a slow burn Jangle Pop delight.
A joyful new find for these ears, this record will get multiple plays in the Rock is the New Roll listening rotation.
Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night
Coming out of the gates with another dose of Honky Tonk ennui much in the same vein as 2019’s Heartache Medication, Vol. 2, Mr. Saturday Night walks that delicate line between Bro Country, Midland vintage Nudie Suit Country, and traditional Honky Tonk.
The title track, laments the Sunday morning side of a Saturday night blowout, “Neon Light Speed” is a bit of an ‘80s Brooks and Dunn throwback, they are even name checked on the song, and “Smokin’ A Doobie” is pure escapist fare where Pardi manages to rhyme doobie and Guadalupe without the slightest hint of irony.
A slightly slick affair, with not much outlaw in this country, but there is enough to like on this record to give it a spin while your drinking a Margarita at the Tipsy Turtle in Galveston.
Kenny Neal – Straight From The Heart
One of the torch bearers of the Louisiana Swamp Blues movement, Kenny delivers a guest-laden master class in the genre with his latest, Straight From The Heart.
Hot newcomer Christine “Kingfish” Ingram scorches the earth on “Mount Up On The Wings of the King,” New Orleans OG Rockin’ Dopsie let’s the good times roll with “Bon Temps Rouler,” and Neal takes things into his own strings on the horn-laden tribute to his home town on “New Orleans.”
Given that his pops counts Buddy Guy and Slim Harpo among his friends, it comes as no surprise that Kenny Neal is carrying the New Orleans sound to dizzying new heights.
Kris Kristofferson – Live at Gilly’s, Pasadena, Tx, 1981.
Not quite at the peak of his powers, yet a powerful earmark of the artist at his grizzled best, this set from the famed Gilly’s Roadhouse might be his best live record this side of the Austin City Limits sessions.
Kicking things off with a scorching version of “Me and Bobby McGee,” the energy is tuned to 11 and the crowd seems to be well lubed up and appreciative. The deeper cut, “Here Comes That Rainbow Again,” is pure Kristofferson with that raggedly tinged voice , clear and sharp, as if he were delivering the lines for the very fist time. And, by the time “Sunday Morning” comes down you can hear a pin drop as the lucky fans in attendance feel every word he is singing to the core of their bones.
Best consumed with a double bourbon on the rocks with a fine set of headphones, this is a must-listen historical document from an artist that will stand the test of time.
Pat Green – Miles and Miles of You
Having lost his way for a bit chasing that neon rainbow of a major label deal, Pat Green is back to his road-worn Honky Tonk roots with his latest, Miles Andrew Miles if You. With his first set in the last three years, the opener, “… I’m Going Home” pretty much says all you need to know about this record and Pat Green’s state of mind. “If You Don’t Have a Honky Tonk” is classic Pat Green in the “George’s Bar” mold, and April 5th very much has a Jerry Jeff Walker tilt to the proceedings.
Sure, his best work at be behind him, and his collaboration with Cory Morrow on Song We Wish We’d Written is pretty epic, but it is great to have Pat Green back in his wheelhouse.
There is a distinct anticipating in the air as the artists and the record companies are gearing up for the summer season.
Auckland, NZ’s four-piece, The Beths, has released a new video for “Expert In A Dying Field” from the album of the same name to be released in September.
Singer-songwriter Beth Orton has released “Forever Young,” no not that one, in advance of an August release date.
And, The Black Angels are zooming up our radar with the intoxicating “Firefly.”
But, don’t change the channel just yet. Here are 5 choice nuggets for your listening pleasure.
Beabadoobee – Beatopia
Beabadoobee is Indie DIY singer songwriter Bea Kristi. Famous for theTic Toc hit single, “Coffee,” her sophomore full-length is very much a fully formed affair.
Part Pop, part Psychedelic, there is even a distinct ‘90s Indie Rock feel on “10:36.” With “Talk” a summer anthem for those of a certain age.
This record is as perfect a pairing of singer-songwriter fare and Pop sheen as you will find all year.
Arlo McKinley – This Mess We’re In
Emerging out of the other side of a tough year of personal losses in the last couple of years, Arlo McKinley’s second effort is, more than anything else, about change.
“Dancing Days” mourns the death of his mother, and “Back Home” laments the death of his Beth friend to addiction.
The songwriting is crisp, the vocals front and center in the mix, and the messaging circling around addiction and mental health is perfect for the times.
Nick Dittmeier and the Sawdusters – Heavy Denim
One of those bands that built their chops on touring with a Grateful Dead-worthy road dog mentality, and if you would be so lucky as to stumble into a bar where they happened to be playing.
The songs presented here, gritty and character-driven, have been stripped down from their usual barroom fare to a more laid-back approach with a flavor of Dire Straits carrying the day.
“Doing Wrong For All The Right Reasons” has a real Sturgill Simpson aura about it, while “… Turned and Walked Away” is a strong vocal turn in the Charley Crockett mold.
Elf Power – Artificial Countrysides
Elf Power, out of Athens Ga., is another of the bands along with Apples (In Stereo) and Neutral Milk Hotel associated with the Elephant 6 collective. With hints of early R.E.M. as well as Vic Chestnutt, a former band collaborator, there is a pastoral cohesiveness to the record that makes for a pleasant listen.
The title track “Artificial Countrysides” would have fit in quite nicely on R.E.M.’s Murmer, and “Dark Rays” could have been on any of the self-titled Peter Gabriel albums.
A nice pastoral listen with hints of progressive rock and British folk to make things a bit more relaxing.
Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
Don’t let the Bond-theme swagger of “Kingmaker” the title track on Tami Neilson’s eclectically pleasing latest release sway your opinion. Shirley Bassey Bombast aside, there is a dangerous curve around every corner on this one. “Careless Woman” has a bit of R&B girl-group gravitas while “Baby, You’re A Gun” would be perfect fare for Kill Bill 3 should Tarrantino ever design to make another one.
The great Willie Nelson is even on board and featured on “Beyond the Stars,” while ’60s mojo in the dojo vibes is essenced on “Mama’s Talkin’.” Things even go lower and slower into Laura Nyro’s territory on “I Can’t Forget.”
If you are scoring at home, this record ticks off many of the cool genre boxes including Classic Country, ’60s Chanteuse, R&B, Rockabilly, Western-Noir, ’70s Rock, and more. Highly eclectic, indeed.
A turbulent record for turbulent times. Reminiscent of Joy Division at their peak, if they had been around long enough to have a peak.
49. Miranda Lambert – Palomino
15 tales of love and chasing the American dream as only Miranda Lambert can deliver. Palomino represents an artist that is maturing before our very ears.
48. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Nightroamer
Pedal steel-era country-tinged Rock and Roll. Sarah Shook will make you want to drink, dance, or fight in whatever order you choose.
47. St. Paul and the Broken Bones – The Alien Coast
Paul Janeway and the band venture into new musical horizons. Loosely based on the land in the Gulf of Mexico and unwanted colonization, there is a lot of soul to go with the vocal swagger.
46. Sharon Van Etten – We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong
Sharon Van Etten transfers her pandemic angst into her most personal album to date.
45. Wet Leg – Wet Leg
Hailed as the saviors of post-pandemic guitar rock, their song “Chaise Lounge” may very be the earworm of the year.
44. Jody and the Jerms – Flicker
Upbeat and sonically pleasing Power Pop from Oxford, England. Blondie, The Go Go’s, The Bangles, all of the touchstones with a scent of Americana are all front and center.
43. Father John Misty – Chloe and the Next 20th Century
Floating between bossa nova, swing, big band, and John Barry soundtrack-noir this one is about as expansive as it gets.
42. Sundowners – Pulling Back The Night
With Paul Weller and members of The Coral collaborating there can be nothing less than gorgeous harmonies and Laurel Canyon vibes.
41. The Hanging Stars – Hallow Heart
Terrific cosmic cowboy stuff from a Scottish band that wears their influences on their collective sleeves with aplomb. Listen closely and you will hear some Pink Floyd and mid-era Fleetwood Mac fertilizing the garden.
40. Jon Spencer & The Hitmakers – Spencer Gets It Lit
The Garage Rock dynamo that is Jon Spencer fires up a set of scuzz-laden grooves worthy of a night of Rock and Roll debauchery at CBGB’s. A return to worm town, indeed.
39. Kevin Morby – This is a Photograph
A love letter to Memphis of sorts, the album was inspired by a two-week stay at the historic Peabody hotel where he visited the Lorraine Motel, Graceland, and the exact bank of the Mississippi where Jeff Buckley met his demise.
37. Calexico El Mirador
Forced to stay home, these tour dogs made good use of their pandemic-induced isolation to produce this Desert-Noir classic.
36. The Lazy Eyes – Song Book
These young Aussie popsters channel everything from Revolver-era Beatles to Foxygen all the way to your favorite new psychedelic band of the day. A warm and fuzzy jam of the highest order.
35. Mordecai Smyth – Things Are Getting Stranger On The Shore
A lavishly adorned Psychedelic Pop record. Don’t let the latter-day prog feel of this one-stop you from lounging in the octopus’ garden under the influences.
34. Kai Danzberg – Satellite
All in on Jeff Lynne and ELO down to the spaceship on the cover, you are not going to hear a better hot tub time machine record this year.
33. Fantastic Negrito – White Jesus Black Problems
Never has the story of an indentured Scottish servant who falls in love with a black slave been told with such rock and roll panache. Merging Black Sabbath, James Brown, Frank Zappa, and a whole lot of Prince-ly funk, learning has rarely been this toe tapping.
32. Nicki Bluhm – Avondale Drive
Girl group Phil Spector’s swagger mixes with tropical Tiki vibes and Sheryl Crow singer-songwriter pathos for an immensely pleasing listen.
31. Sheepdogs – Outta Site
The best new band to hit our ear holes in the last 5 years. These guys are what the James Gang could have been having if they stayed together long enough to be fully formed.
30. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band –Dear Scott
A perfect follow-up to 2017’s Adios Senor Pussycat, here, Head delivers a set of perfectly crafted songcraft.
29. Los Peyotes – Virgenes
Bold, sexy, and ear-catching, Los Peyotes is Tarantino-Noir at its most dangerous. The Surf Punk album of the year without a doubt.
28. Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time
Another deftly produced record from the twilight of Willie’s career. The guitar picking, dusty vocals, and songwriting remind us that we should all age as gracefully as Willie.
27. Kurt Vile – (watch my moves)
With spit-shined lyrics and Pop sensibilities that would make Matthew Sweet blush, this set of laid-back missives will swirl around in your head long after the last note is played.
26. Monophonics – Sage Motel
With heavy doses of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, never has a concept album about a by-the-hour flophouse sounded so grand.
25. Anton Barbeau – Power Pop!!!
There isn’t much Power Pop on this record, but that is pretty much the point. What you do get is a delicious concoction of ABBA if they were a synth band, glam-dusted flower power, and Bowie if he ever went techno.
24. Ceramic Animal – Sweet Unknown
Another fine effort from Easy Eye Sound, Ceramic Animal lays down a palate of T-Rex, Todd Rundgren, with Tame Impala thrown in for those that like their musical touchstones less dated. A fresh record with a vintage feel.
23. Ghosts of Jupiter – Keepers of the Newborn Green
No less than Shindig magazine has hailed this record as a potential album of the year candidate. And who are we to argue. The music has shades of West Coast ‘60s pop, ‘70s psychedelic grooves, and English Canterbury sounds.
22. Goodbye June – See Where The Night Goes
Rock and Roll is not dead And, neither is Lynyrd Skynyrd despite a plane crash it seems. Come for the Southern Rock vibes stay for the AC/DC bombast of the opening track, “Step Aside.”
21. Classless Act – Welcome To The Show
No inhibitions showing with this Sunset Strip-worthy record. All your favorite bands are spirited here in unfiltered, lighter waving style.
20. Hollis Brown – In The Aftermath
After much debate in the halls of Rock is the New Roll as to whether or not to include this on the list, common sense prevailed. After all, Aftermath is a favorite Stones album among many. Here, the presentations are not slavish interpretations and don’t try to replicate the swamp-boogie of the original. Which at the end of the day is extremely cool.
19. Simon McBride – The Fighter
This Blues-Rock guitar slinger from The Emerald Isle channels Paul Rodgers and Bad Company with the best of them. Just listen to the opening track, “Don’t Dare,” and tell us we’re wrong. And, things only get better from there.
18. Banditos – Right On
Mary Beth Richardson is the secret sauce behind Banditos, an eclectic band with touches of Los Lobos, Lone Justice, and the backing band for the Titty Twister bar in Tarantino’s From Dusk Til Dawn.
17. The Coffis Brothers – Turn The Radio Up
Seemingly hailing from Woodstock, laying down tracks that easily could have been songs from From The Big Pink, with Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers as the backing band, this is an Americana treasure.
16. Fernweh – Torschlusspanik!
T Tex meets ‘80s Brit Pop with a lot of Classic Rock nuances sprinkled in is the order of the day on this fine sophomore release. Listen for Paul McCartney and Harry Nilsson touchstones as well.
15. April March – In Cinerama
Truly, a cinematic wonder to behold April March walks that delicate line between the sultriness of Dusty Springfield and the bombast of Shirley Bassey. The French Pop arrangements sprinkled in only serve to enhance an already eclectic listen.
14. The Americans – Stand True
With no less than musical Sensei Rick Rubin in their corner, L.A.-based band, The Americans, are blazing a new Americana trail by putting one fret firmly in the here and now while placing another clearly in the past. If your Jam is Springsteen, Mellencamp, or Petty, these fellas will wet your whistle just fine.
13. Band of Horses — Things Are Great
Another raggedly glorious effort from The Band of Horses, this one is a bit of a return to form. Back to their Indie Rock roots, with a bit more jangle in their step than demonstrated on their previous two albums, Bill Barnwell and his latest band of horses deliver on one of the better Americana releases of the year.
12. Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs – External Combustion
A bit more rock than you might expect from the guitar player for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but that definitely is not a bad thing on this set of Midwest-rooted, Americana-tinged, tunes. Guest turns from Margo Price and Ian Hunter make this one even cooler.
11. Silverbacks – Archive Material
There is more than a hint of The Talking Heads in the DNA of this Irish five-piece. The melodies are catchy with a post-punk flair that will bring to mind Devo.
10. Hurray For The Riff Raff – Life On Earth
Best described as Folk Blues Punk, Alynda Seggara and the rest of the Riff Raff deliver a thoughtful set of songs that seem to reflect on their new found outlook on life with a fresh perspective and a less jaded world view.
09. Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Performance
Artfully blending ‘80’s Indie Rock and ‘90s shoegaze, Horsegirl has risen above the radar to emerge as on of the most vibrant young bands on the scene today.
08. Angel Olsen – Big Time
Much less symphonic and much more introspective, the new Angel Olson L.P. is a study in restraint. Going down like the last call at a honky tonk bar, the subtle arrangements and dreamy pedal steel coalesce with Olson’s dream weaver vocals to create a perfect antidote for a poisoned world.
07. Gymnasium – Hansen’s Pop ‘N’ Rock Music ’22
A who’s who of the Boston music scene pitch in on this robustly energized set of 22 songs that will rekindle your love for Power Pop. The Cheap Trick-induced “Tavern at the End of the World” is worth the price of admission alone, and the ghosts of Pink Floyd that make an appearance on “Down to a Glimmer” will leave you wanting more.
06. Gyasi – Pronounced Jah See
Glittering bombast of rock and roll excess, shades of T Rex, early David Bowie, and all the glam you can fit in one record, Gyasi will be your next favorite guilty pleasure.
05. The Delines – Sea Drift
Sure, the singer is mostly Amy Boone on this one, but the heart and soul of this band is Willy Vlautin, the songwriter and novelist. You probably missed this since it came out pretty early in the year. This one is a collection of William Faulkner’s short stories come to life in a song.
04. Bye Bye Blackbirds – August Lightning Complex
With Lenny Gill back and better than ever, Bye Bye Blackbirds have released their best record to date, which is saying a lot since 2020’s Boxer at Rest was an instant classic. Blending REM, Big Star, and the more listenable aspects of The Replacements, this record is rich in diversity, tones, and texture with first-class songwriting courtesy of bandleader Bradley Skaught who delivers a set of vocal turns that veer between Elvis Costello, lost weekend-era John Lennon, and Alex Chilton.
03. Black Keys – Dropout Boogie
Following quickly on the heels of Delta Kreame, the 2921 deep blues cover, album, this layer record is more loose and lively with a lot of Blues-Boogie to savor. “Baby, I’m coming home” gives a nod to The Allman Brothers “Midnight Rider,” and Kings of Leon’s Angelo Petraglia lends a hand on “Wild Child,” and the king of Boogie himself, Billy Gibbons even makes an appearance.
02. Michael Rault – Michael Rault
Fully entrenched in the studio wizardry of the ‘60s and the ’70s, this is a delicious throwback melding of ‘70s FM rock, pop, and soul.
01. Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
With a nod to The Kinks, Prince, and Motown, ten records in, this one might be their best. Good old-fashioned rock and roll, glam, and ’70s riffs all coalesce into one of the best albums of the year.
You will be hard-pressed to find another record that is released this year that will be as perfectly crafted, concisely produced, and all-around fun as this one. Holding his fingers to the frets, his hands to the piano, or his feet to the fire, Kai Danzberg would tell you that his greatest musical influences are Michael Jackson, E.L.O., Jellyfish, Drake Bell, and The Beatles. Listen carefully and you will find every one of these artists making an appearance on his terrific new record, Satellite.
“Lonely Together” jaunts down the highway with a hint of mid-era “I’m In Love With My Car” Queen vibes by way of The Little River Band, and “Voodoo Woman” pumps up the party vibes with more than a little dusting of Elo’s “Evil Woman” if George Michal recorded the song in a New Orleans studio complete with a horn section that is. And, yes there is cowbell.
With “Diva Eyes” and “Oh Baby,” two songs that would have slid in quite easily on any of the E.L.O. Discovery era records, Danzberg’s immense talent in crafting a perfect Pop song is on full display, if you are looking for a musical miss-step in this song cycle there is none to be found.
And, if you are still not convinced, heed the advice on “Turn It Up” and turn up the volume up to 11 to savor this ear-worm-worthy epic that features Roger Manning of Jellyfish on keyboards.
With an entirely new listening experience awaiting around the corner, track to track, your ears are not deceiving you. An early candidate for album of the year may have just surfaced.
The pickings are a bit slim this week, but we do the work so you don’t have to in curating the best of the crop.
First Aid Kit is out with a freshly minted video, “Angel,” live from Glastonbury.
Nervous Eaters, another great band courtesy of Wicked Cool Records, have released “Wild Eyes” in advance of a soon-to-be-released record.
And,
In a week of slim Pickens, here are five nice nuggets we were able to surface for you.
Classless Act – Welcome To The Show
That buzz you are hearing is not a swarm of killer bees heading to a rock festival near you, what you are hearing is the hype surrounding one of the freshest retro-rock bands to come on the scene in quite some time.
Equal parts Sunset Strip swagger, Aerosmith Blues-Rock, and AC/DC riff-ready anthems, Classless Act is primed and ready to satisfy your appetite for destruction.
Feel free to skip right over the cringe-worthy title and opening track, a song that features the past his born-on date Vince Neil, and you are in for a Classic Rock feast for the ears.
“This is For You” is likely the pound-for-pound best song in the set, and would have been a prime B side on any of the Guns ‘N’ Roses singles, and “Thoughts From A Dying Man” features Jellyfish’ own Roger Manning on keyboards on a song that would have fit in quite nicely on any of the J-Fish albums.
If you are looking for a record from back in the day when rock reigned supreme, then this is your jam.
Jack Johnson – Meet The Moonlight
With his eighth proper studio album, and first in the last five years, Jack Johnson doesn’t paddle out to the really big swells on Meet The Moonlight, but that doesn’t make this any less chill.
On the opener, “Open Mind” you might as well be sitting next to a campfire on the beach listening to a guitar pull, and “3am Radio” is as a life-affirming record as you will hear all year.
Jack Johnson is an important artist that has a knack for emerging just when we seem to need him most. For best results, take the title track, “Meet The Moonlight,” for a spin with a Mai Tai in hand sitting underneath a coconut tree swaying in the wind.
Tijuana Panthers – Halfway To Eighty
Any band that blends Post Punk, Garage, Surf, and Rock, all with a distinctly low-fi edge, is very worthy of some of our ear time.
With a bit of Devo and a Dash of Green Day in the DNA of this record, the production value seems to have a bit of Lee And Nancy’s “Summer Wine” aura about it, most notably on “Take Back Time.” Stray Cats come to mind on “False Equivalent,” and “Man of Dust” has Link Wray written all over it.
Given their influences including the likes of Ty Seagall and Thee Oh Sees, this band is destined for better things with certainly more surprises just around the musical corner.
Joan Shelley – The Spur
As the state of the current state of affairs seems to be careening towards self-destruction, it is refreshing to come across an artist who is refreshingly old-school, and Joan Shelly with her latest, The Spur, has produced a timeless record that will at times take you back to the dust bowl, an East Tennessee farm with chickens wandering in the yard, and a civil war bride waiting for her soldier to come home from the war.
With a voice that floats to the heavens with refrains of Judee Sill and Joni Mitchell swirling in the clouds, “Between Rock and Sky” is as beautiful a song as you have likely heard all year, and “Like The The Thunder” will linger in your brain long after the final notes are struck.
Written and recorded during the heyday of the pandemic, this record seems to straddle the line between the happy and the sad while at the same providing a calming coping mechanism for the listener.
Supersonic Blues Machine – Voodoo Nation
A loose collective of a Blues Boogie band curated by Toto’s Steve Lukather. prior incarnations of the band have included Billy Gibbons, Slash, Steve Vai, and John Mellencamp’s drummer Kenny Aronoff.
This time around, the curation includes some newer-gun guitar slingers including Sonny Landreth, Eric Gales, Charlie Starr, and Kris Barras carrying most of the vocal duties.
Blues guitar dynamo King Solomon Hicks lends a Robin Trower flavor to “You and Me,” and the title track “Voodoo Nation” straddles that line between blues and funk. The closer, “All Our Love,” is pitch-perfect dirt road Americana tinged blues with Blackberry Smoker Charlie Starr stepping up on vocal duties.
With a passion project like this one and the talent level of the musicians called for duty here the results are as expected, Boogie-Blues stacular.
The weather is starting to heat up and so is the tune-space
Amanda Shires, otherwise known as Mrs. Jason Isbell is out with a scorching new single, “Hawk For The Dove” in advance of her new record set to reach our shores later in the year.
Michael Monroe, ex of Hanoi Rocks proves once again that Rock is not dead with his latest record Dead, Jail or Rock and Roll.
And, Aussie siblings The Buckleys just might have released the hit of the summer with “Oops I Love You.”
And, hang loose everyone. On top of all that aural blissfulness, here are five hot-stepping records worthy of your ear-time.
Rust – The Resurrection of Rust
Rust was the name of a short-lived duo that consisted of Elvis Costello, then known as Declan MacManus, and singer songwriter Allan Mayes. Existing for approximately one year, the lads played the Liverpool pubs and coffee houses before Costello set out to find fame and fortune in London.
After connecting again in early 2021 to flesh out the idea of doing a one-off Rust reunion gig for charity, Elvis countered with a proposal to record a full-blown E.P.. and thus The Resurrection of Rust was born.
With a set list that harkens back to their pub rock days, every song on this set will strike a Rockpile chord. “Surrender To The Rhythm” is classic pub rock splendor circa 1962, and “Don’t Lose Your Grip On Love” would have been a perfect song for The Attractions to caress back in the day. But, it’s on “Everybody Knows This is Nowhere,” the Neil young staple, where the sun really shines and all is revealed as to why the duo got together in the first place.
Kelley Stoltz – The Stylist
Certainly on the medal stand of contemporary Power Pop mavens along with Brendan Benson and Matthew Sweet, weaving a tapestry of Rock, Folk Rock, Post Punk, and Power Pop, Kelley Stoltz proves, yet again, that he is simply incapable of making a bad record.
“We Grew So Far Apart” could have been a Standells Garage Rock Classic,” “It’s A Cold World” carries with it a bit of Harry Nilsson in the DNA, and on the opener, “Change,”Stoltz channels early ‘70s Steve Miller.
There are hooks everywhere on this record, “Wrong Number” even evokes the spirit of David Bowie. There is nary a miss-step anywhere on this one and it stands right up there with his best work.
American Aquarium – Chicamacomino
Almost twenty years into their career now and having produced two stellar records in the last five with Lamentations and Things Change, American Aquarium continues to play to their audience on their new record, Chicamacomico. A bit more stripped down and less edgy than their prior efforts, this one nevertheless has the band very much on-brand in telling working man stories from the perspective of the denizens of America’s heartland.
Death and mortality are the two centerpieces on display here, bookended by “The First Year,” a song that recalls the emotions that seem to be strongest the first year after a loved one’s death, and “Waking Up Echo’s,” a poignant tune that surfaces the ghosts brought about from a friend ending their life on their own terms.
The breezy first single, “All I Needed” is about as Country has things get on this album, and should be the most familiar to long-time fans of the band. And, “Wildfire” chronicles a relationship that goes from an ember to a forest fire at the flick of a match.
Make no mistake, the fact that Chicamacomico is a bit more of a sedate affair than you are used to hearing from BJ Barnham and the boys, the band has not lost their edge. They simply have found their groove.
The Dream Syndicate – Battle Hymns and True Confessions
Somewhat overlooked in the pantheon of ’80s Indie bands that have reunited, restructured themselves, etc, including The Pixies, The Replacements, Dinosaur Jr, among many others, The Dream Syndicate may be the most under the radar of them all. Growing up in the “Paisley Underground” scene, Steve Wynn and the band were mostly known for their stretched-out affairs with stylistic curves thrown at the listener from song to song on their albums. And, here on their latest, the fourth album since re-forming, equalling their 80’s output, the song generally remains the same.
On “Hard To Say Goodbye” the Velvet Underground influence and particularly the Lou Reed speak-sing vocal turn is somewhat difficult to hide, “Lesson Number One” is a bust-out rocker that has a bit of a Mark Lanegan despair about it, and “Every Time You Come Around” is a woozy Bowie evoking affair.
With Chris Cacavas, formerly of Green on Red on keyboards and now an official member of the group, there seems to be a more focused approach to the songs. This one is a timeless affair that can easily transport you back to 1985 and will have you pulling out those old Depeche Mode and Duran Duran CDS.
Florence Dore – Highways & RocketShips
An artist in the true sense of the word, Florence Dore is a professor of literature and creative writing at the university of North Carolina and has written a scholarly work entitled Novel Sounds drawing the link between Southern fiction in the Faulkner mold and Rock and roll.
Her latest, Highways and Rocket Ships, her first in four years, is a rollicking diverse affair. Part Country with a Mary Chapin Chapin Carpenter vibe, part Americana, and part Tom Petty, most strikingly on “Thundercloud (Fucking With Your Heart).”
With influences the likes of Lucinda Williams showing on “Rebel Debutante” and Steve Earle on the title track, which makes sense as her husband Will Rigby is Earle’s drummer, there is something for everyone on this record.
Given this cauldron of smart, literate songwriting mixed in with a Cracker Jack band with Hootie and The Blowfish, R.E.M., Steve Earle, and Son Volt pedigrees, it should come as no surprise that this one should be a contender for top 10 billing when the best Americana album of the year lists start to roll around.
The halls of Rock is the New roll are simply.buzzing over the upcoming new Def Leppard record set to hit our shores next week. But, in the meantime.
The mighty Sheepdogs are out front and center with yet another single from their up and coming sure to be a stunner of an album. “Scarborough Street Fight” represents everything we love about The Sheepdogs.
If Maggie Rogers and her Alanis Morissette evoking “That’s Where I Am” has not hit your ear holes yet, that miss-step should be rectified immediately.
And, Train jumped the AOR shark some time ago, but they still put out pleasant sitting at the beach tunes with the best of them. Case in point, “AM Gold.”
But, enough of all of that, let’s move on to the main event. Here are five new albums we are getting jiggy with this week.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Dirt Does Dylan
If , like many musos of our ilk, your first exposure to folk, bluegrass, and roots music was likely courtesy of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and their Will The Circle Be Unbroken series of releases. Here, they put their Americana-tinged coating on a set of carefully curated Bob Dylan covers.
Meaning no disrespect to Mr. Dylan, his songs presented by singers that you can actually understand often times take on a new meaning, and such is the case here.
The opener, “Tonight, I’ll Be Staying Here With You” is a fiddle-enhanced stunner from Nashville Skyline, “The Girl From North Country” is stretched out a bit yet doesn’t stray too far from the reservation, and the iconic “The Times They Are A-Changing” is a must- listen for any set of years with Steve Earl, Isbell, The War and Treaty, all joining the party on gang vocals. This one is worth the price of admission alone.
Take this record, absorb it, and use it as a jumping off point to rediscovering a band that has been doing there thing since 1966 and are still going strong.
This Nashville by way of Alabama band combines Blues- Rock boogie, Americana, and Roots- Rock into a blender that mixes drinks for the common man.
Banditos – Right On
With Right On, the bands third proper record, dynamic front-woman Mary Beth Richardson channels her Motels by way of Beth Hart back of the barroom vocals on a set of songs that range from Americana Brandi Carlisle style to Pretenders Indie Rock all the way to Indigo Girl inspired Jingles.
“On My Way” has a bit of Sheryl Crow in the DNA, “Deepend Weekend” is a ramshackle in all the best of ways tune, and on the closer, Ozone” Richardson does her best Maria Muldaur ‘50s chanteuse impersonation ex.
With the diversity and texture-hopping represented here it is no wonder that Banditos are one of the hottest live acts in Nashville.
Eliza and the Delusionals – Now And Then
Another of the great Aussie bands, Eliza and the Delusionals spin the time machine back to late ‘90s early ‘00’s Indie Rock on their latest long player, Now and Then.
With a wild range of touchstones from Alanis Morrissete all the way to The Breeders and The Motels, “Sad Song” would have fit in quite nicely on Jagged Little Pill, “Get A Hold Of You” is ABBA on steroids, and “Circles” would be a perfect complement to the Sheryl Crowe oeuvre.
Don’t sleep on this record or this band.
Mavis Staples and Levon Helm – Carry Me Home
Recorded during one of his famous upstate New York Midnight Rambles concert from his Woodstock, N.Y. Studios, Levon Helm partnered up with Mavis Staples.
Designed to emulate the traveling musical road shows traversing the country in the 1940’s “Handwriting On The Wall” is church revival music at its finest, and “This Is My Country” is as relevant today as it was when Curtis Mayfield wrote it when it was performed here in 2011.
Highlights are plentiful, but the supreme stars of the show are the laid back, low and slow version of “It May Be The Last Time,” and the closer of closers, The Bands own, “The Weight” with Levon in surprisingly strong voice doing his best Joe Cocker impersonation is epic,
When two musical icons are at the top of their respective games as they are here, the results can only be sublime.
Seth Walker – I Hope I Know
A Blues man dressed in a suit of Americana, Seth Walker has produced a guest drenched slice of topical tunes written for the Everyman. Produced by Jano Rox of the Wood Brothers. The lead off track, “The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be” features the great Alison Russell, and the sparse Dylan cover of “Buckets of Rain” is a sparse delight.
A highlight, for these ears anyway, is the Van Morrison cover of “Warm Love,” and while Walker doesn’t wring all of the emotion out of the standout track from Hard Nose The Highway, he does more than do the song justice with his delicate picking. And, yes there is flute.
As a new set of ears to Seth Walker and his oeuvre, I am prepared to say that if you like laid back Americana Blues in the J.J. Cale mode you will love Seth Walker.
Time keeps rolling along, and as the year progresses, the hits are starting to pile up.
’90s vintage Country dwellers Midland are once again summoning the ghosts of Garth Brooks and George Strait with their latest, “Longneck Way To Go.
The Afghan Whigs have released “The Getaway” in advance of a new album to be released on September 9.
And, the Waterboys are out with another album that sounds like The Waterboys. That is great.
But wait, that’s not all. There was a bevy of prime musical cuts to select from this week, so many that we had a tough time paring the list down to five albums this week. But, we did the work so you don’t have to. Here are five groovy platters spinning at Rock is the New Roll HQ this week.
AWOLNATION – My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers & Me
Sometimes, when there is really no legitimate reason for a band to cover a certain song or the song is such an earworm that our ears can’t comprehend anyone but the artist performing it, there can be magic in the air when it is done well. And, that is certainly the case with My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers & Me, the latest missive from AWOLNATION.
With a playlist that is as tight as the skin on an apple, every song presented here is a nostalgic trip down top 40 memory lane from the days that radio play actually meant something. The rendition presented here of “Maniac,” from the movie Flashdance, has enough curves to make this a different listening experience from the original, and the Scorpion’s iconic “Wind of Change”, with a guest turn from Incubus and Portugal. The Man, shouldn’t work, but it does quite well.
Were not sure that there ever has been an attempt at covering Alan Parson’s “Eye In The Sky,” and although this version paints pretty much between the lines, the guest turn from Beck is pretty cool. “Flagpole Sitta” is worthy of some ear time simply because you likely have not heard the song in a while and Elohim very much does it justice, “Alone Again (Naturally),” yes that one, shouldn’t really work either, but in this context with Retro-Country dudes, Midland sitting in it works quite well. If you have never heard the tune with a pedal steel guitar give this one a try.
And, once you add the anthemic “Beds Are Burning,” ABBA’s “Take A Chance On Me,” and the Cars’ “Drive” what you are left with is a highly polished, exquisitely curated set of songs that just might come together as the best covers album of the year when all is said and done.
Chateau Chateau – Grow Up
With the punk attitude of Blondie along with the buoyant energy of The Bangles, Chateau Chateau is a loose-knit collective of Tucson-based musicians that self describe themselves as making cathartic indie pop for weirdos, outcasts, queer folks, and anyone else who needs it.
Grow Up, the band’s sophomore record is a concept record of sorts detailing the various relationships that frontperson Bleu has maintained, both good and bad, throughout her life. “I Don’t Love You Anymore” is a CBGB-worthy rocker with Phil Spector girl group interludes that rails against her abusive father, and “Converted” walks the ground once traveled with a narcissistic ex.
“Push Your Luck” would have been a superb Pretenders single back in the day, and the ‘Til Tuesday Indie Rock classic “Voices Carry” is a perfect cover version to bring out the versatility of the band.
After a couple of spins of this record, especially on the song “Pray,” the specialness of individuality surfaces and is celebrated in its truest form.
Luke Winslow King – If These Walls Could Talk
Recorded in Memphis, New Orleans-based Luke Winslow King with the release of If These Walls Could Talk represents his most pleasingly diverse set of songs to date. From the peppy “Slow Sunday, June,” a song that has them sitting in the shade under a banyan tree on a sultry New Orleans Sunday afternoon to “Love At First Sight” that will transport you to a stroll down Bourbon Street.
Proving he can rock with the best of them, the Jonny Lang evoking “Have A Ball” is pure Blues-Rock Big Easy Style. The title track is a somber look at a relationship that is ebbing away, and “Leaves Turn Brown” is a perfect winsome closer.
Proving that he is no vintage Country and Jazz one-trick pony, this mostly settled down affair will reward the soul wit multiple spins on the turntable.
The Coffis Brothers – Turn My Radio Up
With the very appropriate album title, Turn My Radio Up is perfect Laurel Canyon, Pacific Coast Highway, peaceful easy feeling fare. Produced by Tim Bluhm, frontman for The Mother Hips, the record gives a definite nod to the radio dial harkening back to the late ‘70s, when radio still mattered.
The opener, “One That Got Away” could have been a Timothy B. Schmidt vocal-led single from an early Eagles record, and the single “Turn My Radio” up would have been perfect on a Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers record.
“Ramona” travels into Flying Burrito’s Cosmic Cowboy territory, and “Two of a Kind” brings to mind Jackson Browne in his Running On Empty days.
Growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains in California seems to have been the perfect backdrop for brothers Jamie and Kellen Coffis to hone their craft using Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers as influences to craft one of the best album releases of the year so far.
Pink Mountaintops – Peacock Pools
With their first record in 8 years, Stephen McBean and his collective Pink Mountaintops weave a magical mystery tour of a record, Peacock Pools.
Full of neo-psychedelic turns around every corner, this record combines early Kinks with Pink Floyd and Alan Parsons if your ears can grasp all of that coolness in one sitting.
Playing it mostly straight on the tender “Nikki Go Sudden,” a tribute to the late Post-Punk icon Nikki Sudden, the rest of the album seems to be in constant motion with “Shake The Dust” propelling down the road with a bit of Kraftwerk in its DNA, and “Miss Sundown” summoning the ghost of early “Jean Genie” David Bowie.
As is the case with most really good records, this takes you down a different Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole with every turn of the groove.
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