Category: Indie Pop

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (September 23, 2023)

There is a distinct essence of Rock and roll wafting in the air this weekend. The Dollyrots are out with a new single in advance of a new record later in the year.

The mighty Dokken is showing a pulse with their new single, “Fugitive.”

And, Indie Rock veterans The Vacant Lots are priming the pump in advance of a new record.

But, there is no time like the present to introduce five new albums worthy of your ear time.

Starbenders – Take Back The Night

With a glam-stomping sound that sounds like it is coming from the love child of Johnny Thunders and Joan Jett, and with this, their fourth proper record, their presence on the festival circuit and their growing reputation as one of the best live acts in the game today, is on full display here.

Opener “The Game” strays from a Geddy Lee worthy intro into a rock and roll anthem that Greta Van Fleet only wishes they could conjure up. And, “Body Talk” would have fit in quite nicely on any of the early-era Runaway’s records.

Roger Joseph Manning Jr. – Radio Daze/Glamping

The keyboard player and former Jelly Fish band member takes a break from his side-piece band The Lickerish Quartet to lay down 16 nuggets of pure power pop perfection.

“Rockin’ It Our Way” is Marc Bolan T-Rex deliciousness, and “We’re Starting A Band” just might be the Power Pop song of the year.

If you are looking for a record that simply will make you feel better, let this be your jam.

Lydia Loveless – Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again.

Americana’s bad girl, the little sister to more established stalwarts Margo Price and Nikki Lane, Lydia Loveless has come out the other end of a failing relationship and sketchy record deals to produce as solid of an Americana record as you will hear all year.

With a cracker Jack band including Jay Gonzales of The Drive By Truckers, the live in studio feel along with the stellar heart on the sleeve songwriting continues to reveal the many layers of an artist that has paid her dues.

With this triumphant return to her original label, Bloodshot records, Lydia Loveless is here to stay.

Diamond Dogs – About the Hardest Nut To Crack

About as close as you can come to The Faces without marrying a super model, Diamond Dogs are not shy about putting their Tom Petty by way of The Black Crowes influences on full display on their latest record, About the Hardest Nut To Crack.

“Get A Rock And Roll Record” would have been a great Chuck Berry single, and “Guru’s and Gangsters” has a Dave Edmonds and Rockpile appeal.

This one is all about having fun ‘70s rock style. And, who are we to argue.

Teenage Fanclub – Nothing Lasts Forever

Somewhere along the line Teenage Fanclub has shed their Brit Pop vibe on 1991’s Bandwagonesque in favor of the more lid back Laurel Canyon essence as displayed on their new record, Nothing Lasts Forever.

From the opener “Foreign Land” that could have been a Buffalo Springfield hit all the way to “I Left A Light On” that is Jellyfish meets Nilsson, the record takes subtle, atmospheric turns that with nary a miss step among the ten nuggets presented here.

In a world where bands that have been around for more than 30 years that are releasing less than stellar records, Teenage Fanclub is a refreshing exception to the mold.

Five Cool Songs: Five New Songs Released This Week (February 24, 2023)

Local Drags – Heard About It

The second single to be released from their upcoming record, Mess of Everything. This band from Springfield, Illinois travels the Power Pop edges of the Wilco, Cheap Trock universe with splinters of Tom Petty to soften out the edges. Look for the new record on March 17.

Nude Party – Sold Out Of Love

We are not sure of what is going on at camp Nude Party, but in the last couple of weeks they have put out a lot of content, and for the record, we here at Rock is the New Roll are quite pleased. This one, “Sold Out of Love” has a bit of a “Wild Horses” scent about it.

Ashley McBryde – Light On In The Kitchen

One of the shining lights on the Country/Americana scene, with her new single Ashley McBryde sings about the simple pleasures of life, pancakes that taste better after midnight, and a dose of local honey.

Angel – It’s Alright

If you were to ask RITNR senior contributor Bernie Sparrow there has been no decent rock music since 1977. This means this freshly minted single that features original Angel members Frank Dimino, Punky Meadows, and Danny Farrow will be on heavy rotation in the halls of Rock is the New Roll H.Q. And, god help us when the new record comes out on April 21st, via Cleopatra Records.

The National – New Order T-Shirt

The second pre-release single from their upcoming ninth proper release, Two Pages of Frankenstein.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (February 10, 2023)

The new release mojo is hitting its stride this week with artists jockeying for position, releasing new singles before proper releases to see the light of ear later in the year.

Connor Selby is the real Soul-Blues deal. If Ray Charles had played the guitar instead of the piano, this is pretty much what he would have sounded like.

Dangereens are bringing their Stones meets NY Dolls meets Hanoi Rocks T Rex Boogie rock to the masses with “Lucky In Love.”

And, La Luz Frontwoman Shana Cleveland is out with a new atmospheric single, “Ghost.”

But, as per usual this is all just foreplay for the main event. Here are five newly hatched records to savor from this week’s musical selections.

Wig Wam – Out of the Dark

Widely recognized in the trade as the father of Scandaviavan ’80s Sunset Strip Rock, Wig Wam is back with gusto on this high-voltage set of tunes that will make your hair grow with each subsequent listen.

Lighters lit from the opening track, “Out of the Dark” which has a hint of Van Halen in the air if you listen closely enough, and “High n Dry” would have fit in nicely on any Billy Squire album from back in the day.

With enough interesting curves veering into ’80s Sleaze Rock, ’70s AC/DC, and even ’90s grunge in places, there is enough variety to give this one sustainability over several listens. And, we’re still trying to figure out what to make of the call to arms anthem, “Forever,” a song that literally features the style of Mongolian throat singers The Hu, along with a Celtic dirge vibe.

Come for the Ronnie James Dio splendor of “Uppercut Shazam” and stay for the blast of the Van Halen meets AC/DC of “Bad Luck Chuck” on this fun rollercoaster ride of a record.

Baby Cool – Earthling on the Road to Self Love

As debut albums go, Baby Cool’s is as fine an example as we have heard year-to-date. Firmly implanted in the hazy Psych-Pop genre, there is a certain scene setting to this record that will make you go limp in some places, and will give you over to the music in others.

The shoegaze of “The Sea” starts things off by transporting the listener to a marshmallow cloud full of peaceful vibes, and “Poison” has a bit of a surf guitar and mellotron vibe that will carry you away. And, once the slow-down, deep country evoking “Daydream” washes over your eardrums you will be looking for that last edible to end the evening in blissful contentment.

Doomsday Outlaw – Damaged Goods

Not quite shedding their Southern Rock past, there are still some heavy doses of Blackberry Smoke wafting in the air around these guys, what they have morphed into is a tightly constructed rock and roll band that can rip off Van Halen Worthy Riffs, and an AC/DC high voltage vocal barrage with equal aplomb.

The opener, “In Too Deep” burns the house down and opens up all of the cylinders to set the stage for the rock party that is about to break out. “On My Way,” cowbell indeed, is a cool hybrid of Blackberry Smoke and the Black Crows, and a potential instant classic. “Turn Me Loose” is a loose-limbed rocker, and “My Woman Comes On Strong” stacks up to anything that the Winery Dogs or Black Star Rider are throwing drown on the rock and roll front these days.

Not necessarily recreating the wheel here, when the debate continues that rock and roll is dead, Doomsday Outlaw and Damaged Goods is exhibit A to the contrary.

Laure Briard – Ne pas trop rester bleu

A strong contender for chanteuse record of the year, Laure Briard is a worthy descendant of Francois Hardy or Vashti Bunyan. Here she slips effortlessly between French and English on a sublime set of early ’60s hipster-noir tunes.

Based in Toulouse, France, while her vibe may be French, her spirit is firmly planted in the California desert, after a visit to Joshua Tree, with heavy influences from Carol King, Lee Hazelwood, and the psychedelic scene.

Translated to “don’t stay too blue,” the album title says it all about this record. There is a whimsical beauty to “My Love Is Right,” “Magical Beauty” could have fit in quite nicely in the Burt Bacharach ’60s canon, and “Me Pardonner” puts the chant in chanteuse.

Give this one multiple spins and listen for her songs in the Netflix series Emily in Paris.

CIVIC – Taken By Force

Steeped in the punk-adjacent world of Aussie pub rock, Melbourne’s CIVIC brings to the minds-ear the best of The Saints or Radio Birdman. Every song on this CBGB-worthy, kick out the jams blast of sonic energy is true to form.

“Born On The Heat” could have easily been a mid-era Clash anthem and the Pop-Punk gloss of “Wars or Hands of Time” carries the spirit of Iggy Pop in the days of The Stooges.

There is no real new ground broken here, just solid songwriting, a punk sneer, and a rebellious attitude that carries the day amongst searing guitar solos and propulsive energy. From start to finish this one rocks.