Category: Indie Rock

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (May 30, 2025)

Whoever said that rock is dead just isn’t trying. All you need to do is look around. Its in the air.

Frontier Record continues to produce vintage rock, this time ballad style, with Malvada’s “I’m Sorry.”

The ever-interesting Jenny Hval is out with another single.

And, the always evocative Low Cut Connie is out with a socially aware single.

But enough of that, here are five new records to savor this week.

Wyldlyfe – Sorted

Coming to you from Little Steven’s Wicked Cool stable, Wyldlyfe blends Rock, Garage, Punk, and Glam into a a blender of coolness that will tickle the earlobes of any fan of good old fashioned rock and roll.

Riding on the coattails of The Ramones, The New York Dolls as well as the accessible side of The Stooges, this latest record finds the band a bit more Power Pop melodic than we may be used to from the firebrands, however as evidenced by the opener, “Bystander,” the punch in the gut opener, the urgency is still there.

Somehow fresh and vintage sounding at the same time, “Dizzy” sounds like Luke Spiller fronting Oasis, and Mia M.I.A. Sounds like Blondie on steroids.

A solid escape sort of record that will scratch your rock itch for sure.

When Rivers Meet – Addicted To You

When Rivers Meet is Grace and Aaron Bond, the best husband-and-wife blues rock duo this side of The White Stripes with a sound that mixes the more melodic side of Led Zeppelin, with a touch of The Black Keys and Bonnie Raitt thrown in for good measure

There is a real ’70s rock feel to the proceedings with this, their fourth proper record, and with songs like “Still Standings” with a ready-for-the-festival chorus, and the change of pace with the lush and beautiful “Coming Up For Air,” the future is so bright for this band they won’t need to wear shades.

Taj Mahall and Keb’ Mo’ – Room On The Porch

With their second collaboration, Room On The Porch, the follow-up to 2017’s highly excellent Tajmo, Taj Mahall and Keb’ Mo’ may have just curated the most soul affirming record of the year.

From the opener, “Room On The Porch” on to the old school blues of “The Blues’ll Give You Back Your Soul” this one is perfectly suited to sitting on your porch reflecting with an old friend.

The version presented here of “Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out” is worth the price of admission alone.

Chapparelle – Western Pleasure

Chaparelle is a Texas-based supergroup consisting of Zella Day, Jesse Woods, and Beau Bedford handling knob-twirling duties.

With their feet firmly planted in the classic country sand, their sound is exquisitely crafted to blend traditional George and Tammy country, Lee and Nancy hipster-noir, vintage pop, and dirty blues all peppered with a bit of Sun Records rock and roll.

“Devil’s Music” could have been produced by Sam Phillips himself, “Inside The Lines” is a hip-swaying earworm that will stick with you a while, and their version of “Dance With Somebody” reimaged with steel guitar would have fit in quite nicely on a Dusty Springfield record.

Pretty much a perfect record, lets hope that this debut album is a beacon leading to a stellar career for this band.

Deraps – Viva Rock N’Roll

If you are a fan of early Van Halen and the Sunset Strip era rock scene, and if you are not, you should be, Deraps and their sophomore record, Viva Rock N’ Roll will become your new jam.

This one has everything a 70s and 80s rock aficionado would want. “Solitaire” cranks up the classic era Styx by way of Night Ranger, the opening title track is all Diamond Dave and Van Halen, and “The Dawg Stomp” could have been an Aerosmith “ Walk This Way” B side.

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

Ben Kweller – Cover The Mirrors

The latest record from Ben Kweller is a deeply personal affair. Released on would have been the 19th birthday of his son Dorian who died tragically in a freak car accident, Cover The Mirrors has a real heart on the sleeve tattoo inked on every groove.

A supreme example of an artist turning personal grief into a salve, every song is a thought-provoking journey into the healing process. Getting by with a little help from his friends, Waxahachie pitches in on “Dollar Store,” Coconut Records on the appropriately named “Depression,” and MJ Lenderman joins the party on the closer, an ode to a father’s son, “Oh Dorian,” Kwellers “Tears in Heaven Tribute to his son.

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,