Category: Americana

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (January 19, 2024)

The heat is on and there is a ton of new long- players to digest this round.

The mighty Saxon is scorching the earth with a new single and video.

Judas Priest never fails to amaze and will likely go on forever, case in point, their latest single and video, Panic Attack.

And, if AOR is your jam, Grand and their new single “Kryptonite” will wet your early Journey and Europe whistle.

But grab the popcorn, the main event is coming up with five new platters the likes of which we have not heard in a very long time.

Sleater – Kinney – Little Rope

Returning from a ten-year hiatus, Sleater Kinney is releasing their 11th album. One of the more taut efforts from Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker, the guitar lines seem to be crisper, and the vocals are more textured than we are used to coming from the OG’s of the riot grrrl movement in the Pacific northwest.

The angst is still there front and center on “Six Mistakes” and the no-flinching songwriting has not been lost most notably with the lyric “get up girl, and dress yourself in clothes you love for a world you hate” as exhibit A.

The Love Gone Wrong song “Say It Like You Mean It” might be the poppiest of the pop songs the band has ever written, and “Don’t Feel Right” jumps right out of the speakers.

Look for this one staking a claim in the end of the year lists. The welcome return of a band we had forgotten we missed.

Chemtrails – The Joy of Sects

One of the rare female-centric Post Punk bands in the game today, Manchester-based Chemtrails has almost created their own sub genre, Garage Pop.

The opener “Detitrus Andronicus” sucks you in with the first bouncy guitar riffs, with the distinct vocals of Mia Lust and Laura Orlova introducing themselves to your ears.

Most, at first listen, will have a love-hate relationship with the Cindy Lauper fronting the B-52’s vocal stylings that some might find irrating at best, unlistenable at worst.

A record that needs to be savored in the correct setting, don’t jump off the island until you check out the “Rock Lobster” vibing of “Superhuman Highway.”

Lizzie No – Halfsies

Emerging Folk-Americana artist Lizzie No, with her latest record, Halfsies, is poised to be one of the hottest break-out artists of 2024.

A New York to Nashville transplant, Lizzie combines the best of the musical melting pot waving the inclusion flag in everything she does.

All of the hot spots are touched here with elements of Country, Bluegrass, Folk, Pop, and Rock all represented with aplomb.

80’s ladies’ country is all over “The Heartbreak Store,” “Lagunita” is a straight-up rocker, and “Deadbeat” is pure Laurel Canyon Joni Mitchell.

This record is a stunner well worth your aural respect.

Green Day – Saviors

Green Day is one of those bands that will immediately transport you to a place in time from your not so distant past where life was simpler and music was real.

With this, their 14th album Billie Joe and the fellas build that bridge connecting 1994’s Dookie, American Idiot, their most popular record, and now Saviors.

Weighing in at a compact 15 songs in 45 minutes, this one has Green Day doing what they do best, melding a scattershot of socially relevant songs around a soundscape of Post Punk fury that is unique to the band.

The opener, “The American Dream Is Killing Me” will remind you why you fell in love with the band in the first place, and “Corvette Summer” could be a long lost Jellyfish B-Side.

A welcome return from a band of our youth.

Emperor Penguin – Emperor Thieves

“What’s The Worst That Could Happen,” the leadoff single from Psych Pop band Emperor Penguin pre-dispositions the template on this one with the early Beatles rock and roll groove and psychedelic undertones.

“ I Wouldn’t Put It Like That” is Elvis Costello at his poppiest, “You And Me” will envelope you in the secondhand smoke of a Sgt. Pepper sit-in listening party and the band goes all hipster French on “Sonnez Les Martines.”

Pristine Power Pop for pure people.

Song of the Day: LJ Makkay And The Six – Bad Weather Blues

With a voice that seemingly comes from Hades that floats somewhere Between Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen, Long John Makkay and his 66 crew ride the Americana/Country Rock range.

The songwriting is first-rate storyteller fare with a big sound along with varying soundscapes that make every song an immersive experience. Consider us among the several that missed placing their latest record, Bridges, on our album of the year poll for 2023. It was well deserving.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (September 15, 2023)

The weather is cooling but the music is getting even hotter.

The Rolling Stones are alive and kicking better than they have in the last 10 years with the release, “Angry,” from their soon to be released record.

Relative newcomer Creed Fisher Ouija boards Merle Haggard and Alan Jackson with “This Ain’t The Hamptons.“

And, Paul Cauthen goes old school drinking song laying down “25 Tequilas.“

But, don’t call for that Uber just yet, here are five new albums to wet your music whistle.

The Bites – Squeeze

With Sunset Strip back in the day vibes emitting from every pore of their Rock and Roll soul with with their debut record, Squeeze, courtesy of Earache Records, the Bites are inviting you to a party that you don’t want to miss.

From the opening salvo of “Knockin’ On The Door” to the sleeze glam of “Pretty Boys,” a trip to the Whiskey and a late night hang with Lemmy at The Rainbow followed up by breakfast at Canter’s Deli just might be in your future.

Willie Nelson – Bluegrass

Does the world need another Willie Nelson album in general or a Bluegrass record in particular? Probably not, but we will take them while we can still get them.

Basically, Willie’s greatest hits with a banjo, “Bloody Mary Morning” seems to sparkle, and there is never a bad version of “Yesterday’s Wine.” Give this one a whirl, then cleanse the palate with Willie and Family Live.

Ashley McBride – The Devil I Know

Seeming to play the little sister role on the women in Americana scene, Ashley McBride should put her stamp on the certificate as a legitimate star with her latest, The Devil I Know.

With plenty of tear in your beer ballads to help you through your latest misery including the George Jones shadow of “Whiskey and Country Music” and the hangover lament of “6th of October“ the songwriting presented her is legitimate old school Outlaw Country.

You will be drawn in by the bouncy title track, but you will stay for the “Coldest Beer In Town.”

This one might be the Honky Tonk record of the year.

Brian Setzer – The Devil Always Collects.

The template hasn’t changed in 40 years, and if you think I’m wrong go back and listen to the Stray Cat’s Built For Speed. Otvstill holds up.

And, thankfully Brian Setzers latest, The Devil Always Collects, is raging Rockabilly coolness. Jump in the car and crank up “The Girl on The Billboard” to lose yourself in what might be the driving song of the year, and “Rock Boys Rock” is “Rev It Up And Go” on steroids.

Mitski – The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We

Ever the shapeshifter, Mitski is back with her second album in two years. Shedding her pop roots that were starting to show on her last record, Laurel Hell in favor of this more acoustically sparse orchestral approach, Mitski is proving that she is her own artist living in her own world.

From the mini-epic opener “Bug Like an Angel” all the way to “I’m Your Man” there is a spiritualness inherent in this record that will cleanse the heart and heal the soul.