Category: Americana

As we get closer to the end of the year the music starts heating up.

Shiraz Lane is out front with this scorcher ahead of their soon-to-be-released record In Vertigo.

Chrissie Hynde has a new album coming soon with some stellar guests, first up Chrissie and Rufus Wainwright slaying “Always On My Mind.”

And, last and probably best, The Belair Lip Bombs, Melbourne’s secret weapon, has a new record coming that is pre-determined to be among the best of the year.

And that is not all. Here are five cool ones to savor this week.

Hollow Souls – Hollow Souls

With a new line up that brings Kris Barras back to his blues-rock roots while at the same time creating a heavier sound than was on display with the Kris Barras Band, the debut record mines Stevie Ray territory with aplomb.

Fronted by Phoebe Jane with pipes that would make Beth Hart blush, the new band is joined by current hot shots Monster Truck, Chris Tapp of The Cold Stares, and Elles Bailey on a debut record that certainly sets the stage for great things to come.

“Burn It To The Ground” is a scorcher with assistance fro Elles Bailey, “Shotgun” just flat out rocks, and the opener “Borderline” introduces the listener to Phoebe’s back of the barroom pipes. And yes, there is cowbell.

Another example of why rock is not dead.

Liam St. John – Man Of The North

Nashville-based Pacific Northwest-bred, Blues rocker Liam St. John blends rock influences with just a bit of Cadillac Three country twang to keep him authentic with a timber in his voice that brings Lukas Nelson to the mind’s ear.

“Devil in Disguise” with an ample assist from Houndmouth veers into Chris Stapleton territory, “Trouble” is a blues-rock stomper, and “Greyhound Bus Blues,” a duet with Molly Tuttle, might be one of the best Americana songs of the year.

Even at a stout 53 minutes long this one seems to end too soon.

Amanda Shires – Piece Of Mind

Singer, songwriter, and fiddle player Amanda Shires turns her divorce from Jason Isbell. “A Way It Goes” into her personal salve and provides the first indication that the breakup did not go well,

We hear the breakup play out in real time “Piece Of Mind” making Alanis look tame, and “Lately” has Shire finding solace in listening to Billy Joel’s Stranger album.

Straying a bit from her folk roots on this one, this mostly sparse affair showcasing some of her best songwriting to date with “Friendzone” a stellar example where she gets high and watches Tombstone and gets higher watching Rambo.

Far from maudlin, this might be Amanda Shires’ best effort to date.

The Third Mind – Right Now!

Three albums in this supergroup of sorts formed by Dave Alvin, Camper Van Beethoven bassist Victor Krummenacher and vocalist Jesse Sykes seem to be basking in the sunshine of nuggets-style rock and roll with an ear towards psychedelic folk.

The Youngbloods “Darkness Darkness” is turned into a Jefferson Airplane-worthy monster ode, “Reno, Nevada” with Alvin and Sykes duetting would have been a monster hit in the hands of Nancy and Lee, while “Pretty Polly” is murder ballad mojo at its finest.

There something to savor in every groove. Come for the Otis Rush mojo of “Reap What You Sow,” but stay for the silky vibe of the Delines evoking “Before We Said Goodbye.”

The Prize – In The Red

With the hot at balloons set to ‘80s rock atmosphere, In The Red, the latest mini-masterpiece from Melbourne’s The Prize, shades of Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, and Thin Lizzy blast from every speaker.

They just don’t make rock and roll records like this anymore. If juke boxes were still a thing, mine would be loaded with these gems. “Down The Street” is Early Cheap Trick by way of late-era Ramones, “Static Live Affair” is right from the listenable Stooges canon, and even the closer requisite ballad -adjacent “Silver Bullet” has a certain Night Ranger vibe about it.

We are calling our shot now, this is the best rock and roll record of the year.