Now we’re rolling, the month is careening into high gear with a bevy of fine morsels to savor.
The fine folks at Big Stir records are out with “Anchors Away,” a nautical video that features Maple Mars from their highly excellent 2022 release, Someone’s Got To Listen.
And, speaking of Rock is the New Roll favorites, Easy Eye Sound, their latest entry, The Velveteers, have a snarling new video out with “Choking.”
And, if all of that is not enough, retro popster Nick Waterhouse throws down his 60’s crooner vibes on “Hide and Seek.”
Of course, it’s all foreplay in anticipation of the main event and the five choice nuggets released this week.
Maneskin – Rush
With the slow burn rush of singles that were dribbled out to the masses, Maneskin, depending on your point of view, is either a guilty pleasure, or the next big thing.
Combining the eclectic glam mix of Queen, Abba, The Struts, Sweet, and the Village People, the vibe us all fun all of the time. Perfectly framed for the festival circuit, whether your jam is “Gossip,” a song that features Tom Morello, or “Supermodel” the entirety of this record is an E-Ticket Disney ride of the highest order.
Don’t sleep on “Mammamia,” a song released earlier in the year, but equally bombastic. There is not a cut on this record that is not a glam-stomper.
The Baboon Show – God Bless You All
This Swedish rock and roll band that features the dynamic lead singer Cecilia Bostrom is not so quietly establishing themselves as one of the best live acts on the planet. The opening track of their latest L.P., “Made Up My Mind” is definitely a case in point.
Ten records, in The Baboon Show is still a rock and roll show on a platter. Cecilia’s vocals are a somewhat an acquired taste, picture Axl Rose, Meatloaf, and Cherie Curie in your minds ear, but once the familiarity settles in, the uniqueness becomes an asset.
The opener, “Made Up My Mind” is a propulsive rocker and” Have a Party With Me” mixes things up a bit with guitar player and main songwriter Hakan Sorle jumping in on the vocals.
Not for the faint of heart, but if you are looking for one hell of a party record you wouldn’t be too wrong turning up the dials on The Baboon Show.
Black Star Riders – Wrong Side of Paradise
With Wrong Side of Paradise former Thin Lizzy ax player Ricky Warwick leads his Black Star Riders through another master class in rock and roll on this, their fifth proper record.
Throwing down an anthemic blend of ferocious guitars and thundering drums, most notably on the Thin Lizzy pitch perfect vibes of “Better Than Saturday Night,” and the 60’s garage rock splendor of “Pay Dirt,” there is nary a miss-step here, unless, of course you choose to throw shade on the questionable choice to include “Crazy Horses,” an Osmond Brothers cover, in the set.
The Black Star Riders with their singular mission to preserve all that is good in rock and roll have definitely scored another winner here.
Butch Walker – Butch Walker as … Glenn
Adopting the persona of piano man Glenn, singer, songwriter, producer Butch Walker adopts the role of a piano player regulated to applying his trade in dive bars playing for half-listening drunk patrons. A sequel of sorts to Billy Joel’s character on “Piano Man.”
That’s not to say that these are simply a set of snoozer tunes, every song presented here is pretty stellar. “Roll Away (Like a Stone)” could have been a Boz Scaggs “Lido” B side, “Tell Me I’m Pretty (Bethamphetamine Pt 2)” rolls out like a Springsteen rager, while “State Line Fireworks” has the pastiche of the great Jim Steinman and Meatloaf.
Overall, Butch Walker as … Glenn is a semi-easy listening gem that will have a definite appeal to those ears of a certain age.
The Bad Ends – The Power and the Glory
It would be reaching a bit to call this band a supergroup given the only legitimate universally known member of the band is R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry with the rest of the band filled out by stellar talent from the Athens, Ga music scene present and past.
With a solid mix of college rock, back in the day, evoking tunes and pathos driven tender ballads, this record definitely was made for these times as the band grapples with loss, change, and decay offering up an antidote to doom scrolling and negative vibes.
Way back in 2017, the band Greta Van Fleet hit the scene and was widely lauded as the next big thing in Rock and Roll. Truth be told, these young whippersnappers from Frankenmuth, Michigan were just a bit too Led Zeppelin-adjacent, and in most musical circles their sound was considered to be simply an esoteric listen. Yet, they were considered to be the next great thing in Rock and Roll.
The truth is, there are many high-caliber Rock bands that are putting out great Classic Rock inspired high-octane rock music. Whether it be Glam Rock in the T Rex, early David Bowie mold, AOR (Yacht) Rock treading the waters of the Little River Band, or straight-up Sunset Strip good-time jams, the spiritual progeny of the bands those of a certain age were weaned upon are making the current scene in all of their spectral glory.
Here are five songs from five bands that will have you digging out your old black light posters and turning on your lava lamps.
“Heart Stopping Kinda Show” – DeWolff
This Hammond B-3-centric band from the Dutch province of Limburg combines ’70s Psychedelic flair with Southern Rock tendencies in the Wet Willie and James Gang mold. Look for the new record Love, Death & In Between to be released in February 2023.
“White Buffalo” – Crown Lands
A Juno award winner for the best-emerging band, Ontario-based Crown Lands combines the most digestible flavors of Progressive Rock with Led Zeppelin’s over-the-top bombast. Picture in your mind’s ear Robert Plant fronting Rush on one of their most accessible songs and you pretty much will have nailed the template for their single from 2022’s breakthrough record, Discover Crown Lands.
“I Wanna Know You” – The Sheepdogs
Having hit the scene after being featured on the cover of Rolling Stone as one of the new-face bands in Rock and roll, these road warriors apply their trade somewhere between Foreigner and The Guess Who. Their most recent record, Outta Sight will evoke all of your favorite ’70s Rock and Roll bands without sounding pastiche. With this band, it is all about the songs. And, they are stellar.
“Girls On The East Side Of Town” – Tuk Smith
Standing right up there with The Struts Luke Spiller, and Justin Hawkins from The Darkness, Tuk Smith is on the medal stand of top present-day Rock and Roll front-men. His 2022 record, Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts is as good a guitar-based rock record as you will have heard all year. For extra credit, go back and check out his work with his old band, The Biters, but stay for this Thin Lizzy adjacent tour deforce.
“Going Back To Hoonsville”- Datura4
Given that the Aussie band, Datura4 takes its name from a stretch of Western Australia highway, it should come as no surprise that the band has released the number one driving song of 2022 in “Going Back To Hoonsville”. This Psychedelic, organ-centric, Blues Boogie makes ZZ Top blush, and could very well be calling Radar Love its bitch.
100. The Moon City Masters – The Famous Moon City Masters
A throwback in all the best of ways, the opener, “Takin’ It Back” from the latest Moon City Masters record will take you all the way back to the James Gang ‘70s, bell-bottoms, cowbell and all. “Spinning Wheels” is pure Toulouse Street Doobie Brothers, and their cover of the Beatle’s “I’ve Got A Feeling” has a Bad Company vibe to it, and is one of the best songs we have heard all year.
099. Smut – How The Light Felt
Lousy name, great band, Smut will bring to the minds ear the best of Mazzy Star or Natalie Merchant and the 10,000 Maniacs.
Seemingly perfect for a teen angst soundtrack in the Princess Diaries or Lizzie McGuire mold, “Janeway” could have been a Bangles hit if the Bangles had been just a tad bit cooler, and ”Supersolar” would have been perfect John Hughes movie placement back in the day.
098. Shooter Jennings and Yelawolf – Sometimes Y
Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon, is on quite a roll of late with his production credits for Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker. And, here he teams up with Yelawolf on a highly polished genre departure with the anthemic, Indie Pop Americana -Noir leaning Sometimes Y.
097. Tuk Smith &The Restless Hearts – Ballad of a Misspent Youth
Back to the ‘70s in the Hot Tub Time Machine, Tuk Smith rises from the ashes of his tumultuous period with the Biters to lay down an energetic, set of pure rock and roll the way it was meant to be played.
096. Brant Bjork – Bouganvillea Suite
Digging deep into the 60’s era Psychedelic Rock think Iron Butterfly by way of The Doors on Brant Bjork’s latest, Bougainvillea Suite.
095. Drugdealer – Hiding in Plain Sight
Yacht Rock is back, and it’s like it never left. With equal parts Hall and Oates, Little River Band, and, for those in the know, Pablo Cruise. Hiding In Plain Site, the latest from Drugdealer is a time-warp affair that will take you back to the days before kids, jobs, and responsibilities pretty much killed the vibe.
094. Uni Boys – Do It All Next Week
This California quintet could have been time machined from the summer of 1977 with teenage hooks, sun-baked choruses, and Power Pop with a razor edge. “You Worry About Me” is perfect a.m. radio fare.
093. The Mellons … Introducing The Mellons
Channeling the essence of Brian Wilson and the mid-era Electric Light Orchestra, The anthemic opener sets the table for a psychedelic fun-fest that The Zombies would envy.
092. Beach Bugs – Beach Bugs
Coming to your ears all the way from Limoges, France, this Pop-Punk band delivers waves of surf rock and Power Pop in equal measures. “Sugar Ocean” could have been the flip side to Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” and “On a Bike” would have made a nice Buzzcocks single.
091. Dropkick Murphy’s – This Machine Still Kills Fascists
Some previously unseen Woody Guthrie lyrics pair well with the acoustic side of The Dropkick Murphy’s. The aggression is still there along with the messaging.
090. Babe Rainbow – The Organic Band
With album number five, the stoned mellowness of the Aussie band is still front and center, but here they are more Neil Young than Brian Wilson.
089. 2nd Grade – Easy Listening
The Philadelphia five-piece that is 2nd Grade is poised for next-level greatness with their third proper full-length, Easy Listening.
The texture transitions from song to song that the band pulls off make for not only an enjoyable listen but also reward the listener with new signature Nuggets to be unfurled with each successive spin.
088. Miko Marks and the Resurrectors – Feel Like Going Home
From the opening buzz of the lead-off song as well as the title track, you get an immediate sense that Miko Marks is on to something special. Aretha Franklin with a side of Bonnie Raitt is the vibe presented here with the overall band stepping in with an energy that would make the Tedeschi-Trucks band blush.
087. Cory Branan – When I Go I Ghost
Cory Branan is one of those under-the-radar artists that gets little play in the mainstream but those who know definitely know.
His latest, When I Go I Ghost is definitely a must-hear. From the opening salvo of “When In Rome, When in Memphis,” the sonic boom is palpable with his Steve Earle by way of James McMurty vibe hitting you between the ears.
086. The Chesterfields – New Modern Homes
Framed up with a Kinks by way of Big Star foundation, this one glistens with a Pop sheen that would make Weezer proud.
085. Crown Lands – Discover Crown Lands
The opener, “White Buffalo” would be what Rush would have sounded like if Robert Plant fronted them. And, “Howlin’ Back Again” could be Greta Van Fleet reinvented as a delta blues band. Retro-cool in all the best of ways, one of the best retro-stompers of the year.
084. Sonic Flower – Me And My Bellbottom Blues
Definite truth in advertising with this set of’70s rock-riff-inspired jams. MC-5 meets Black Sabbath on this set of tunes that will inspire you to get out your old black lights and lava lamps.
083. Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott – N.K-Pop
As close to a perfect pop record that your ears will have savored this year, the chemistry and lyric sparring skills that booth artists have on display here are complementary sides of the same coin. “Good Times” is a bouncy and ebullient opener, “I drove her away with my tears” is a perfectly constructed Brit-Pop single, and “Baby It’s Cold Inside” is a poignant juxtaposition of the original classic.
082. Silverbacks – Archive Material
There is more than a hint of The Talking Heads in the DNA of this Irish five-piece. The melodies are catchy with a post-punk flair that will bring to mind Devo.
081. Angel Olsen – Big Time
Much less symphonic and much more introspective, the new Angel Olson L.P. is a study in restraint. Going down like the last call at a honky tonk bar, the subtle arrangements and dreamy pedal steel coalesce with Olson’s dream weaver vocals to create a perfect antidote for a poisoned world.
081. Bonnie Raitt – Just Like That
When you sit down and listen to “Down The Hall,” the last track on Bonnie Raitt’s exquisite new record, you can immediately tell that even going on 50 years since her debut record was released, she hasn’t missed a songwriting beat. A somber ending it may be, but the song, narrated by a murderer that is in jail working in the cancer ward in prison trying to find meaning to a life well wasted checks every John Prine box and is as good of a song from a writing standpoint that has been released this year.
080. F.M. – Thirteen
Think Foreigner or Night Ranger with a slice of Toto on this AOR guilty pleasure melodic masterpiece.
079. Whiskey Myers – Tornillo
Their best yet, Tornillo presents all that is good in the Americana World. Barroom rocking, and Southern Rock ethos with slices of gospel and soul, are all represented on this dazzler.
078. Elvis Costello – The Boy If
With this follow-up to 2020s Hey Clockface, Elvis Costello shows no signs of slowing down. From the scorcher of an opener, “Farewell, OK,” Costello and his band, The Imposters, kick things into gear and party like it’s 1977 and they are living in the My Aim Is True glory days. The voice hasn’t changed too much, Elvis never was one for stretching out the high notes, and, here, he stays very much within his range with his delivery that is pure E.C. vocal splendor.
077. Chateau Chateau – Grow Up
With the punk attitude of Blondie along with the buoyant energy of The Bangles, Chateau Chateau is a loose-knit collective of Tucson-based musicians that self-describe themselves as making cathartic indie pop for weirdos, outcasts, queer folks, and anyone else who needs it.
076. The Bobby Lee’s – Bellevue
This high-energy, furnace blast of a record puts the post in Post-Punk. As frenetic as the Ramones before Phil Spector got a hold of them, the Bobby Lees are all about blasting through the status quo, in short, sometimes off-kilter blasts of sub 2:00 CBGB-worthy glory.
075. Gymnasium – Hansen’s Pop ‘N’ Rock Music ’22
A who’s who of the Boston music scene pitch in on this robustly energized set of 22 songs that will rekindle your love for Power Pop. The Cheap Trick-induced “Tavern at the End of the World” is worth the price of admission alone, and the ghosts of Pink Floyd that make an appearance on “Down to a Glimmer” will leave you wanting more.
074. Gyasi – Pronounced Jah See
Glittering bombast of rock and roll excess, shades of T-Rex, early David Bowie, and all the glam you can fit in one record, Gyasi will be your next favorite guilty pleasure.
073. Courtney Marie Andrews – LooseFuture
A much more introspective record than prior efforts, the album was mostly written while Andrews was searching for the center of her soul in a beach shack on Cape Cod. The songs are well-crafted, plain-spoken, and some of the best work in her career.
072. Cat Power – Covers
It only took 12 years for Cat Power, aka Chan Marshall to come up with the follow-up to her 2010 release, The Covers Record, the album that featured her seminal version of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” This time out, she covers songs by Bob Seger, The Replacements, and Billie Holiday among others in her own style making the songs almost recognizable but no less glorious.
071. Ari Roar – Made To Never Use
Ari Roar is the name that singer/songwriter Caleb Campbell uses for his self-released projects. With a Ben Folds by way of Wilco vibe, the songs are all Indie-Pop bangers that you will be able to digest in short 2-3 minute jangly bursts. “Take Me Over” is Jack Johnson by way of John Lennon, and “Far From The Rest” could have been a Replacements with a slight Police vibe.
070. Autoramas – Autointitulado
Mainstays on the Brazilian independent music scene, the Autoramas blend Punk Rock, nuggets style Garage Rock, and New Wave Pop into a blender of coolness. Part Devo, plenty of The Ramones, with a side order of Dick Dale, are all incorporated into the sound. And, regardless of your language of choice, the vocals presented here, exclusively in Spanish, will be easily recognizable and chorus-worthy after a few listens.
069. Night Shop – Forever Night
With Forever Night, Justin Sullivan, doing business as Night Shop, spins a record just a little West of Laurel Canyon, a tiny bit South of Bob Dylan, and straight to the heart of Conor Oberst, Brett Dennen territory.
068. The Cactus Blossoms – One Day
A bit more upbeat than their semi-dour 2019 release, Easy Way, their latest, One Day, finds the Cactus Blossoms channeling their inner Everly Brothers and outer Ricky Nelson in all the best of ways.
067. Foxy Shazam – The Heart Behead You
If, like us, you know exactly where you were the first time you heard the glam-glorious band Foxy Shazam, you are in luck, and your musical ship has arrived at the dock. Going back to their epic breakthrough record, The Church of Rock and Roll, a classic that is ten years old now, the band has never failed to deliver on their psychedelic, glam, power pop template that brings to the minds-ear the classic S.F.-based band Jellyfish. Until perhaps now, that is.
066. Tears For Fears – The Tipping Point
It should come as no surprise that after the passing of over forty years since the band originated and almost two decades away from their last record, Tears For Fears has released a new album. The headline here is that Roland Orzabel and Curt Smith have set aside artistic differences and petty personal squabbles in creating a song cycle that stands right up next to the iconic “Songs From The Big Chair.”
065. Diamond Dogs – Slap Bang Blue Rendezvous
From the name alone, you pretty much know what you are getting with Diamond Dogs and their new record, Slap Bang Blue Rendevous.
Hailing from Sweden, their brand of incendiary Rock and Roll touches on David Bowie Glam, but their mojo goes much deeper than that. With touches of Aussie Rock in the Angels, Cold Chisel mode, and the essence of the Velvet Underground or Mott the Hoople respective oeuvres, this is a yellow brick road-worthy journey down the trail of Classic Rock coolness.
064. The Mysterines – Reeling
As debut albums go, Reeling, the sparkling, bombastic record from Liverpool rockers The Mysterines at the end of the year, might well be considered one of the best.
With a DIY feel to the songs along with aggressive production value, the garage punk-pop songs seem to burst from the speakers. Recorded live to capture the dynamics inherent in their incendiary live shows, from the opening salvo of “Life’s A Bitch (And I Like It So Much),” you are transformed in your hot tub time machine to a mid-‘80s mosh pit at CBGB’s.
063. Bryan Adams – So Happy It Hurts
Right from the opening title track, it might as well be the summer of ‘69 all over again. The Tom Waits-lite rasp is more whiskey-soaked than ever, the radio-friendly cruise with the top-down anthems all in place, and if you are looking for a summer jam you have come to the right place.
062. Ray Wylie Hubbard – Co-Starring Too
No need to mix words here. Ray Wylie Hubbard is a bonafide Texas outlaw legend. Here, in the sequel to Co-Starring, with Co-Starting Too, Hubbard is back in true collaboration glory spinning to include Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, and Hayes Carll along with harder rockers John 5 and Lzzy Hale. And yes, Hubbard’s BFF Ringo Starr is invited back to the party on “Ride or Die – Montar O Morir.”
061. Romero – Turn It On
It is no secret that some of the best vibrant, electrified, pure Rock and Roll currently is generated down under, in this case, Melbourne Australia. Turn It On, the debut record from the Band Romero is, simply put, a party on a platter.
060. Kelley Stoltz – The Stylist
Certainly on the medal stand of contemporary Power Pop mavens along with Brendan Benson and Matthew Sweet, weaving a tapestry of Rock, Folk Rock, Post Punk, and Power Pop, Kelley Stoltz proves, yet again, that he is simply incapable of making a bad record.
059. Tami Neilson – Kingmaker
Don’t let the Bond-theme swagger of “Kingmaker” the title track on Tami Neilson’s eclectically pleasing latest release sway your opinion. Shirley Bassey Bombast aside, there is a dangerous curve around every corner on this one. “Careless Woman” has a bit of R&B girl-group gravitas while “Baby, You’re A Gun” would be perfect fare for Kill Bill 3 should Tarrantino ever design to make another one.
058. Jon Pardi – Mr. Saturday Night
Coming out of the gates with another dose of Honky Tonk ennui much in the same vein as 2019’s Heartache Medication, Vol. 2, Mr. Saturday Night walks that delicate line between Bro Country, Midland vintage Nudie Suit Country, and traditional Honky Tonk.
057. Crossword Smiles – Pressed & Ironed
As debut albums go, Pressed & Ironed, delivered by Crossword Smiles, is as great a debut record that you are likely to have heard all year. From the breezy Little River Band adjacent “October Leaves” to the calmer side of The Replacements on “…Where’s The Sense,” and sliding into the early Who evoking wonderment of “The Girl With a Penchant For Yellow,” on this one, all of the coolest touchstones coalesce into a pool of power pop perfection.
056. Starcrawler – She Said
With front-woman Arrow De Wilde and their new record She Said, the band Starcrawler is in full-throttle mode to continue their assault on rock and roll supremacy.
With a style that brings to mind John Doe and his band X, The Distillers, along with the sleazier side of The Rolling Stones, it is no wonder that they count Jack White, Dave Grohl, And Iggy Pop in the fold as super fans.
055. Dead Daisies – Radiance
Full of high-tone ‘70s rock swagger in the Deep Purple mold, this super group that consists of former Whitesnake guitarist David Aldrich, Glen Hughes, major-domo, and bandleader David Lowy, and drummer for hire Brian Tichy, pull out all of the stops on a record that is full of heavy riffs, soaring vocals, and monster drumming.
054. 2nd Grade – Easy Listening
The Philadelphia five-piece that is 2nd Grade is poised for next-level greatness with their third proper full-length, Easy Listening.
The texture transitions from song to song that the band pulls off make for not only an interesting listen but also rewards the listener with new signature Nuggets to be unfurled with each successive spin.
053. The Airport 77s – We Realize You Have A Choice
From the opening Journey by way of Night Ranger riffage on “One Good Thing About Summer” to the Cheap Trick if The Struts Luke Spiller fronted the band splendor of “Birthday Girl” the ears are tuned to coolness with this sophomore release of Airport 77s.
052. The Mahones – Jameson Street
It is rare when an album comes out that is the perfect salve for a point in time that desperately calls out for a set of anthems the likes of which are presented here. All of the familiar Emerald Isle touch-points are front and center from The Waterboys to Thin Lizzy, The Chieftains, and beyond.
051. Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners – Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners
The Country rock and 70’s rock interplay on this record are refreshingly eclectic, and the cover songs curated here in The Georgia Satellite’s “Six Years Gone,” as well as the Status Quo classic “Dirty Water” represents a band that is at the top of their game.
050. Color Green – Color Green
Brought together on a shared love of Laurel Canyon-tinged Americana, there is a wafting of Grateful Dead, free-form Allman Brothers, and The Byrds throughout their eponymous debut record.
Setting ourselves up for disappointment with Bruce Springsteen’s upcoming November release, it seems that things on the new release front are a bit tepid at the moment. But fear not, we here at Rock is the New Roll to do the work so you don’t have to.
Still yearning for the new First Aid Kit Record, a new single and video has been released for “A Feeling That Never Came.”
Nashville’s resident Psych Rockers All Them Witches weigh in with their latest, “Holding Your Breath Across The River.”
And, R.L. Burnside speaks the truth.
But, that’s not all. Here are five more blasts of goodness to wash your ears with from this weeks new releases.
Drugdealer – Hiding in Plain Sight
Yacht Rock is back, and it’s like it never left. With equal parts Hall and Oates, Little River Band, and, for those in the know, Pablo Cruise, Hiding In Plain Site, the latest from Drugdealer, is a time-warp affair that will take you back to the days before kids, jobs, and responsibilities pretty much killed the vibe.
“Baby,” is a Beach Boys inspired floater with a guest turn from Tim Presley that has a distinct aroma of “Pleasant Valley Sunday” in its DNA, and “Someone To Love” could have been a deep cut on Boz Scaggs’ Silk Degrees.
“Pictures of You” warrants a more contemporary comparison vibing Bethany Constantino and her band Best Coast, while the instrumental “To Live and Drive in L.A.” could have been a b side for Simply Red’s “Money’s Too Tight Too Mention.” And, should you think these guys are all yacht and no Rock, “Hard Dreaming Man” carry’s a Mick swagger from the days that Keith was hanging out with Gram Parsons.
This one is a pleasant all around listen that will cleanse your mind and soothe your soul.
Jonathan Tyler – Underground Forever
Considering that 6 singles have already been leaked out to streaming sites, it seems like Underground Forever, the Latest release from Jonathan Tyler was a long time coming, and, in fact the album was mostly completed in early 2020, the very beginning of the pandemic. “Movin’ On” foresees the hopeful end of the disease and “Old Times” bookends things with the line “one day we’ll remember these times.”
Performed against a backdrop of smooth Americana and every-man songwriting, Laurel Canyon Vibes, the song “Hustlin’”is perfect road trip material displaying Tyler’s guitar dexterity, and the psychedelic undertones of “Movin’ On” with it’s early Steve Miller dusting provides nuance to the proceedings.
The title track, “Underground “Forever” is a jaunty picnic in the park affair, and “Magic Sam’s Boogie,” a tribute to the late blues singer, is as badass as it sounds it might be.
Truly a DYI artist, Jonathan Tyler is someone that should be on your musical radar.
Joanne Taylor Shaw – Nobody’s Fool
Seemingly, since moving to Nashville living in the shadow of the Ryman, Joe Bonamassa has been everywhere. And, here, the current hottest guitar slinger in the world lends his talents behind the board producing the new record, Nobody’s Fool, for Joanne Taylor Shaw.
Earning a write, or co-write here on 10 of the 11 songs presented here, Shaw lays down a pallet of hook-laden Rock, Soul, Blues, and R&B. The title cut shares plenty of DNA with “Werewolves of London” with a side order of “My Sweet Lord,” and “Bad Blood” is highly pleasurable surf guitar Tarrantino-noir.
Once the gritty “Just No Getting Over You (Dream Cruise),” a song that embodies her Detroit upbringing, kicks in, the blues travelogue comes full circle.
“Then there’s you is a Koko Taylor worthy stomper, and the sole cover song here, “Missionary Man” with Eurythmic Dave Stewart on a stellar version of the classic rock staple.
Impeccably produced and expertly played, this one has real Blues Album of the Year potential.
Lee Fields – Sentimental Fool
Along with Leon Bridges and the late Charles Bradley, Lee Fields is bringing real soul to the millennium masses.
“Two Jobs” brings to mind Bobby Blue Bland, and “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of the City,” and the opener “Forever” is pure Al Green gloriousness. And, the title track, “Sentimental Fool” is pure Lonnie Smith worthy bliss.
Teaming up with Daptone records, the delicate horns peppered throughout and the old school ‘60s production values makes this one a new school treat with an old school heart.
Brant Bjork – Bouganvillea Suite
Digging deep into 60’s era Psychedelic Rock think Iron Butterfly by way of The Doors on Brant Bjork’s latest, Bougainvillia Suite.
“Let’s Forget” is desert rock atmospheric, and yes there are bongos, the version presented here of “Who Do You Love” is next-level cool, and “Ya-Dig” would be the perfect soundtrack to listen to while during through the desert on a horse with no name.
With “Good Bones” genre shifting at the blink of a Hammond B-3 between Funk and Psychedelic Stoner Rock, and the spacious opener “Trip In The Wine,” a song that hovers and floats as if Jim Morrison was fronting Cream, the entire record is a transportive Desert Rock wonder that will take you to another time, another place, at the blink of a 60’s head trip.
Follow us on this one. A psychedelic wonderment that is a bit like Ry Cooder fronting All Them Witches with a scent of U2’s “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” thrown in for good measure.
The releases should get a bit more groovy over the next couple of weeks as the artists are in a frenzy to get their new releases ready to be wrapped under your Christmas tree.
The Ruen Brothers are out with their first new single in many a fortnight with “Don’t Know What’s Come Over You.“
Husband and wife duo Johnny Fox and Renee Couture doing business as The Standstills are scorching the earth with able assistance from Eagles of Death Metal on “Motherload”.
If you somehow missed the glory five minutes when Sebastian Bach was in the band and, like us, have been struggling to keep up with the revolving door of Skid Row frontmen since, with the mighty Erik Gronwall manning the microphone this time out may be worth a listen.
Librarians With Hickeys – Handclaps & Tambourines
From the opening blast of “I Better Get Home” from Handclaps and Tambourines, the latest album from Librarians with Hickeys, you will think you have been time-warped all the way back to the middle of the groove line at Austin Powers’ wedding reception. This record is that cool.
Fresh, propulsive, Power Pop in power drive, with a distinct undercurrent of Psychedelia, these bookworms lay down plenty of hookworms. “Lady Overdrive” is a perfect soundtrack for that early summer convertible drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, the ebullient “Over You” sounds like the best of Badfinger if they had been a little less depressed, and the ballad-ish “Stumbling Down Memory Lane” clearly demonstrates that this band is no one Cheap Trick Pony with the songwriting chops to match the Power Pop splendor.
Certainly subject to change as we are only 6 spins into the record so far, a favorite song in the set is “Last Days of Summer,” a song that likely would have been a hit song in the canon of the mid-era Beach Boys. Avoid the temptation to pigeonhole this one into any one particular sub-genre, put on the headphones, and immersive yourself in what is turning out to be one of the wholly satisfying listens of the year.
Lightning Seeds – See You In The Stars
For extra credit, take a trip back in the way back machine and check out “Pure,” the 1994 smash hit from The Lighting Seeds to get a flavor of the pure pop perfection that this band is capable of releasing.
And, with their latest, See You In The Stars, along with the lead off single “Losing You,” you don’t know if it’s 1979, 1989, or 2019, the music is that vibrant and relevant.
“Great To Be Alive” is a festival-worthy stunner, and the title track is a perfect song to calm the nerves in times of trouble.
Find a new friend, or reacquaint yourself with one of the best back in the day bands you likely have lost touch with.
Miko Marks and the Resurrectors – Feel Like Going Home
From the opening buzz of the lead-off as well as the title track, you get immediate sense that Miko Marks is on to something special. Aretha Franklin with a side of Bonnie Raitt is the vibe presented here with the overall band stepping in with an energy that would make the Tedeschi-Trucks band blush.
And, once “One More Night” kicks in paying tribute to Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, and Muscle Shoals, her lend is fairly cemented.
A genre bender of the highest order, Marks can wrap her tonsils around a Mahalia Jackson spiritual or Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” with equal aplomb. Don’t waste your time looking, this record is all stunners no bummers. “Peace of Mind” is a slow and slow ballad, and “Trouble” is a real deal, for the times country stomper.
Chips to the middle of the table, this is a year end top 10 record for sure.
The Big Moon – Here Is Everything
Loosely themed around the experience of motherhood courtesy of vocalist and band leader Juliette Jackson, this is a fresh slice of Indie Pop Nirvana.
“Wide Eyes” is a cinematic wonder in a Florence and the Machine meets U2 sort of way, and “My Very Best” is a testament to simply giving things a go.
Listening to “Ladye Bay” there is a discerning freshness to the production value that seems a bit contrary to expectations since this was generally a covid-centric release with the band not in the same room in the era of file-swapping. The piano based “Satellites” lays bare the songwriting chops of the band, and “Trouble” is about as exuberant as you can get given the general topic is child birth.
We are officially putting The Big Moon on our Buzz Bands list.
Cory Branan – When I Go I Ghost
Cory Branan is one of those under the radar artists that gets little play in the mainstream but those who know definitely know.
His latest, When I Go I Ghost is definitely a must hear. From the opening salvo of “When In Rome, When in Memphis,” the sonic boom is palpable with his Steve Earle by way of James McMurty vibe hitting you between the ears.
“When I Leave Here” displays the songwriting chops that matches the musicianship. And, “Room 101” takes you on a back street love affair.
And, a listen or two to of “Come On If You Want to Come” will have you scrambling to check out his back catalog that goes back to 2002.
Albeit, if we are being honest, this week is a bit tepid on the new release front. But fear not gentle readers as we are doing the work so you don’t have to.
The excitement is building in Rock is the New Roll HQ with the new single and video “Turning Onto You” from First Aid Kit. Look for a new album in early 2023.
New Skynyrd loving Southern Rock favorites Black Stone Cherry are releasing songs from their Live From The Royal Albert Hall album, this time featuring “Peace Is Free.”
And, Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts are out with one of the best songs they have ever put out. Part Cheap Trick, some Jellyfish with a bit of Queen thrown in, and all cool.
But wait, that’s not all. Here are five voice albums to tickle the earbuds this week.
The Mahones – Paint The Town Red
This Celtic-centric band from Kingston, Ontario Canada is the real deal. And, with this record, Paint The Town Red, the band having been around since 1993 is at the top of their game.
It is rare when an album comes out that is the perfect salve for a point in time that desperately calls out for a set of anthems the likes of which are presented here. All of the familiar Emerald Isle touch points are front and center from The Waterboys to This Lizzy, The Chieftains and beyond.
Devil in the bottle is the requisite drinking song that would make the Dropkick Murphys blush, “Rise Up (Be Strong) comes rolling down the rails like some devil hybrid of The Dexy’s and U2 with even a bit of a ramshackle Replacements vibe, and the propulsive base line on the lead track, “Paint the Town Red,” is the most purely Irish sounding song in the set and prepares the palate just perfectly for what is to come.
A nuanced listen for sure, this one is a lot of gold at the end of a listening rainbow for sure.
Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners – Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners
Mostly known for his rock and roll side with his band The Wildhearts, with this incarnation as Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners there is an Americana bent to the music much in the mold of his work Jason and the Scorchers.
The Country rock and ‘70’s rock interplay on this record is refreshingly eclectic on this record and the cover songs curated here in The Georgia Satellite’s “Six Years Gone,” as well as the Status Quo classic “Dirty Water” represents a band that is at the top of their game.
The opener “Wasted Times” is best consumed with the top down rolling down the Pacific Coast Highway, and “Code of the Road,” a song that provides a glimpse behind the scenes at what life on the road with a touring band is like would have made for a perfect Dr. Hook song back in the day.
The Cult – Under The Midnight Sun
It seems that a band that has been around for over 40 years should have more than 11 albums under their belt, but here, Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy and the rest of the band clearly know the formula that works for them as their latest record, Under The Midnight Sun, represents the band at the top of their game.
The vocals are soaring throughout particularly on “Vendetta X” where Astbury rings to the cheap seats of the stadium with a vocal that would make Bono proud, and “Outer Heaven” is as swirling a powerhouse of a rock song that the band as ever laid own. And, “Knife Through Butterfly Heart” could have been on any of the early Doors records.
The most fulfilling aspect of this record is that the band really seems to enjoy playing together with a spark an energy that is palpable on every song. Don’t look now, but the rock album of the year may have just mad it’s presence known.
The Bobby Lee’s – Bellevue
This high energy, furnace blast of a record puts the post in Post-Punk. As frenetic as the Ramones before Phil Spector got a hold of them, the Bobby Lee’s are all about blasting through the status quo in short, sometimes off-kilter blasts of sub 2:00 CBGB worthy glory.
“Ma Likes To Drink” has a B-52’s “Rock Lobster” in its DNA, and “Death Train” roars down the tracks as if Ty Segall was a member of Van Halen, and the band even stretches things out a bit on the lower and slower slow burn of “Strange Days” with the song weighing in at 2:43.
Nuanced where it needs to be and perfectly apoplectic in spots, this is a record that will bring out the secret punk rocker that resides in all of us.
Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott – N.K-Pop
Having been part of the Housemartins in the ‘80’s and The Beautiful South in the ‘90’s, Paul Heaton definitely knows his way around a pop song. And, here with N.K-Pop, his with Jacqui Abbott, we have exhibit A.
As close to a perfect pop record that your ears will savor this year, the chemistry and lyric sparring skills that booth artists have on display here are complementary sides of the same coin. “Good Times” is a bouncy and ebullient opener, “I drove her away with my tears” is a perfectly constructed Brit-Pop single, and “Baby It’s Cold Inside” is a poignant juxtaposition of the original classic.
And, as if you needed another reason to admire Paul Heaton, to celebrate his 60th birthday he left 1,000 pounds behind the bar in 60 random pubs throughout the U..K.
Rock Is The New Roll 