Category: Blues

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (May 8, 2025)

It is officially the summer season and the hits just keep on coming.

Rock is the New Roll’s favorite glamster takes a trip to “Snake City” laying down some Alice Cooper vibes along the way.

The Dead Daisies are out in front of their May 30 release of Lookin’ For Trouble with “Boom Boom.”

And, if that’s not enough , Geoff Palmer lays down some epic pop-punk from his latest E.P. Exit Wounds.

This week, the rock keeps rolling in a sure sign that this summer will be pretty epic when it comes to music. Here is a sampler set of our favorites.

Gypsy Pistoleros – Church of the Pistoleros

The self-proclaimed best flamenco gypsy rock and roll band is back with nary a stylistic change in site. Much as you would expect from a band with Gypsy Lee as lead singer and a guitarist that goes by the name of Shane Pistolero Sparks, the order of the day here is straight-ahead rock and roll that would make Billy Idol, Alice Cooper, and Queen blush.

Come for the Billy Idol snarl of “Dance Naked In The Rain,” but stay for the better than the original “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”

Truly an earworm lovers delight, this one is high-octane, smash to the brain, rock and roll like it is meant to be played, loud and proud.

This one is the leader in the clubhouse for rock album of the year.

Billy Idol – Dream Into It

With one listen of “Still Dancing” you will be hot tub time machined all the way back to 1983 and “Rebel Yell” era Billy Idol. With his long-time sidekick Steve Stevens in tow and his signature sneer still firmly implanted, this record is far better than it has a right to be.

The voice is snarly cigarette and whiskey soaked great, the rock is pure 80’s dancing yourself glory, and with guests the likes of Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart to smooth out the rough edges, this record just might be his best record since 1986 and Whiplash Smile.

Just listen to “John Wayne,” the “Eyes Without A Face” ethos of “Dream Into It,” as well as “Too Much Fun” and tell us we are wrong.

Samantha Fish – Paper Doll

The reigning queen of the blues has been pretty much everywhere lately with her solo work, her collaboration with Jesse Dayton, and her partnership with BFF, Joe Bonamassa.

Full of bad-ass bravado, the likes of which we haven’t heard since the latest Beth Hart Record, the opener “I’m Done Runnin,” is a defiant ode to self-reliance, “Can Ya Handle The Heat” could have been a Bonnie Raitt anthem, and “Rusty Razor” kicks out the jams while veering heavily into the rock lane on the blues-rock highway.

Looking for the leader in the clubhouse for the blues album of the year? Your ship has just come in.

Counting Crows – Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!

Forcing us to calibrate our time machine, fantastically, it has been 11 years since the last proper Counting Crows record, Somewhere Under Wonderland, was released. And, this latest record just might be the band’s best effort since 1993’s August And Everything After.

Always a familiar listen, the latest record doesn’t stray far from the Crows template of mid-tempo rhythms coalescing with sharp songwriting, paired with the avuncularly warm vocals of lead singer Adam Duritz.

With multiple spins of this one, the petals of the flower reveal themselves most notably on the Mellencamp-worthy “Elevator Boots,” the REM adjacent “With Love, From A-Z,” and the rare driving anthem rocker “Boxcar.”

Look for this one to be on many of the end-of-year lists, best-of lists.

Sunflower Bean – Mortal Primetime

Four albums in, and Sunflower Bean seems to have hit that sweet spot of ‘70s meets ‘90s retro glam. Adroitly walking that delicate tightrope between Blondie, the cooler side of ABBA, with some Twigs-adjacent psychedelia thrown in for good measure, this record is a time warp record.

Fully formed, every nuance of this record seems curated with the coolness knobs set to hyper drive. The opener, “Champagne Taste” has a certain Suzi Quatro joie-de-vie to it, “Waiting For The Rain” would have fit in quite nicely on any Jellyfish record, and “Shooting Star,” would be perfect fodder for the b-side of any Cranberries single.

An elegant record for dysfunctional times,

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (March 28, 2025)

With summer only a couple of fortnights away, the time is right for dancing in the streets.

Be very careful putting the pedal to the metal on this high-octane barn burner from Josh Todd and the Buckcherry boys.

De’Wayne is a newcomer on the scene and an artist to watch out for. The vibe here is Prince fronting the killers. Never before has Indie Rock and Classic rock blended so seamlessly.

And, finally, Rock is the New roll favorite, Luke Spiller is prepping for his April 25 release, Women Will Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine.

And if this rock and roll splendor doesn’t tickle your fancy enough, here are five new morsels for your ears to digest this week

Dawn Brothers – Cry Alone

All the way from the Dutch city of Rotterdam, The Dawn Brothers produce a refreshing blend of Rock, Americana, and Memphis Soul. Sort of like Hall and Oates teaming up with the Travelling Wilburys. If you did not know the band’s origin, with just one door-to-ceiling listen of their new record, Cry Alone, you would be hard-pressed to tell if they were from Rotterdam, Memphis, or Los Angeles.

The opener, “Do Me Wrong” sets the hook with a funk-driven backbeat and a Memphis Soul Stew vibe, “Can’t Let You In, Can’t Let You Out” is perfect Travelling Wilburys fare, and “I Cry Alone” would have been a perfect addition to the Hall and Oates Abandoned Luncheonette record.

Much like The Little River Band from back in the day, there is a timeless appeal to this record that will soothe the soul.

The Darkness – Dreams On Toast

For those not previously in the know, The Darkness, with their flamboyant frontman Justin Hawkins, is a U.K.-based rock and roll band that combines the over-the-topness of Sheer Heart Attack era Queen, Jellyfish, and for a more recent vintage touchpoint, Luke Spiller and the Struts. Glam energy, bombast, glass-breaking falsetto’s and more is the order of the day.

From the opening blast-off of “Rock and Roll Party Cowboy” the DNA of the band’s eighth album, Dreams On Toast is on full display. No-holds barred party like its 1975, good time, rock and roll played like its meant to be played, loud and proud.

Lead-off single “Longest Kiss” is pure Jellyfish vibing, and “Hot On My Tail” is the Darkness’ version of Queen’s “Seaside Rendevous,” deliciously operatic and bombastic with a bit of whimsey thrown in for good measure.

A welcome addition to the canon of one of the best rock and roll bands to come around in the last decade.

Lucy Dacus – Forever Is A Feeling

As one-third of the indie rock supergroup that includes Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and an album that was rewarded with three Grammys, lucy Dacus steps out on her own with an understated record of hushed harmonies, warm shades, and gentle, close-to-shoegaze, instrumentation.

“Ankles” has Laura Nyro in its DNA, “Talk” is a slow-burn pastoral epic, and “Limerence” could have done well in the hands of Karen Carpenter, if she was just a little hipper.

This one belongs on your Sunday chill playlist as if that’s such a bad thing.

W.E.T. – Apex

If AOR-adjacent, 80’s rock in the Def Leppard and Night Ranger mold is what you are into, then W.E.T.’s latest, Apex, is going to be your jam.

“Where Are The Heroes Now” is pure peak-era Bon Jovi, “This House Is On Fire” is Journey by way of The Scorpions, and “The Believer” is a stadium-ready anthem.

Don’t think with this one, just listen.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Bobby Rush – Young Old Fashioned Ways

You can feel the feel the energy and the chemistry bursting from the speakers on this old-school meets younger gun collaboration between Bobby Rush and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Giving a respectful nod to Rush, his vocals and his harp throughout, Rush provides the vocals as well as a killer harp on all ten of these tracks. Holed up in a Memphis studio, the pair launches into a stripped-down set that leans into the blues half of their respective blues-rock resumes.

4 of the songs displayed here are Bobby Rush tunes with an additional 5 co-penned, with a Willie Dixon song thrown in for good measure.

Whether the pair goes low and slow like they do on “G-String,” or the alligator stomp of “Hey Baby) What Are We Gonna Do),” the playful comradery between the two is infectious and palbable.

Rush sings with the vigor of a singer half his age and Shepherd delivers one of the best performances of his career.

The leader in the clubhouse for blues album of the year, for sure.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (January 17, 2025)

With the new Eric Clapton, Rose City Band, and Delines records in the hopper, 2025 is shaping up to be a boffo year.

The Waterboys have a Dennis Hopper themed record ready to be released soon.

Swedish rockers The Hellacopters have a new record out on January 31. Overdriver.

And Frontier Records own, Perfect Plan delivers the AOR goods on their latest “We Are Heroes.”

And here, in an abundancy of riches, here are five new records that saw the light of ear this week.

David Gray – Dear Life

On his 13th album and first since 2021, David Gray gets a bit more sparse and introspective than we are used to from the artist that first hit our ears with the mega-hit “Babylon.”

Recorded mostly in his home London studio, this time out Gray reflects on things getting old on “Plus & Minus,” on “I Saw Love” he is heavily influenced by Raymond Carver short stories, and “Leave Taking” with its horns and intricate production is worth a headphone listen.

The Weather Station – Humanhood

With Humanhood Tamara Lindeman and Weather station doubles down on the jazz-inflected pop sound version of the band that she brought to our ears going back to the 2021 release, Ignorance.

“Body Movement” has a certain Joni Mitchell element to it, while “Neon Signs” will float you on a Suzanne Vega cloud.

The instrumentation on this record with bass, sax, and flute delicately dispersed throughout the record is next-level quality. Listening to this one while chemically induced will take you back to the ‘70’s sitting under a tree deep in a forest.

20/20 – Back To California

Think of the spawn of the Flying Burrito Brothers and The Little River Band and you will have a bit of an idea of what this band is all about.

In business under various configurations going back as far as 1979 and their eponymous record, these guys are all Laurel Canyon all the time.

The opening title track has an R.EM. bent to it, “The End Of Summer” could have been a Bodeans B side, and “Laurel Canyon” is pure power pop.

If you are looking for a record full of melodic nirvana wrap your ears around this one.

Mick Clarke – Bad Whisky Blues

Recorded entirely in his Surrey, UK studio Bluesman Man Mick Clarke delivers up a set of whisky-drenched songs that run the gamut from stone-cold classic covers to self-penned tumblers.

“Killing Floor” and “Smokestack Lightning” are adequately covered and “Watch Your Step” is a ZZ Top worthy jam.

This one is the perfect soundtrack for that next bender, but make sure that you cleanse the palette with a nice single malt before extinguishing the flame.

Ex Void – In Love Again

A behemoth of an Indie Rock record, everything that you thought of the genre is wrapped up for you in one tight package.

My Bloody Valentine, check. The Smiths Check, The Cranberries, Dinosaur Jr., check, check, check. Cobbled together from several indie-pop U.K. bands of stirling quality including Joanna Gruesome and The Tubs, the dual frontpeople consisting of Lan McArdle and Owen Williams take center stage on this one that is sure to be top 10 contender.

And, if you don’t believe us have your ears take a gander at the Lucinda Williams cover, “Lonely Girls.”

Live Video of the Day: John J. Presley – Delicate Thread (Blue Eyes)

When you are down into your fourth shot of bourbon, this time is the right time to enter the devil’s playground that is Chaos and Calypso, the latest from John J. Presley. Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and an only slightly less dark Mark Lanegan would be relevant comparisons here.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Platters Released This Week (January 12, 2024)

The dam is getting to break as the artists come out of their winter hibernation and begin to release new music.

On that front, Indie Pop maestros Gospelbeach are out with a refreshing Laurel Canyon vibing tune, “Hang Thyme.”

Great White’s Jack Russell and LA Gins Tracii Guns combine their collective rock and roll creds to a collaboration.

And, new to us the EMO influenced Remo Drive are out with a new single.

But all hail rock and roll, here are five new records to hit the ear-waves this week.

Bill Ryder Jones – lechyd Da

For this this, Coral frontman’s sixth proper record, Bill Ryder Jones has pulled out all the stops even employing a kids choir on several tracks on his latest, lechyd Da, Welsh for cheers.

With an Elliott Smith appeal and Beatles carnival pop feel, the production value is first rate with ELO inspired strings delicately placed in all the right places.

“I hold Something In My Hand” is a song that Ryder Jones goes to frequently do get him through hard times, and the symphony-laden “This Can’t Go On” will have you facing your own demons with The Moody Blues leading the parade.

The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations

Put a pin in this one and allow it to resurface several times over the next few months as there is a tendency to neglect January records in the avalanche of new releases.

As per usual, with this Indie rock band The Vaccines deliver boisterous wide screen anthems on a foundation of sticky hooks and Brit Pop influences.

High octane with a hint of garage rock, “Lunar Eclipse” is a sun-kissed bouncer, and “The Dreamer” is patented Vaccines pop song craft.

Look for this one to show up on many year end best-of lists.

Magnum – Here Comes The Rain

Magnum is an English hard rock and AOR band that applies their trade in the being of Night Ranger and early Journey.

Doing business since 1972, with Hear Comes The Rain, the band’s 23rd album, the band delivers melodic power ballads combined with straight ahead rockers thrown in for good measure. The title track is pure orchestral AOR splendor, and “The Seventh Darkness” rides the rails along the darker side of Bon Jovi.

Sadly, Tony Clarkin, guitarist and songwriter for the band, passed away two days before the release of the record.

Mike Flanigin – West Texas Blues

Texas Honky Tonk Blues in the Stevie Day Vaughan mold, Mike Flanigin is mostly known for his proficiency on the Hammond B3 organ and collaborations with Jimmie Vaughan, Billy Gibbons and Steve Miller.

“I Got My Eyes On You” will drift you right back to your favorite Texas roadhouse, the opener “West Texas Blues” seances the spirit of SRV’s “Pride and Joy,” and “I Live Where The Action Is” presents a love letter to the Austin music scene.

Brothers Brown – Nowhere Left To Go

From the VW van with the peace sign on the cover of the album there is a retro vibe to the proceedings that will take you back to the Fillmore West on a bill with The Band, The Grateful Dead, and Van Morrison.

Opener, “Wrong Side of Town” could have been a “Tupelo Honey” B-side, “Junior’s Back” settles in like a lost Songs From The Big Pink demo, and “My Baby” will put you right on the sawdust honky tonk floor with Delbert McClinton.

There is nothing not to like with this one.