Category: Artists We Like

Five Cool Ones: What We’re Listening To (January 7, 2022)

It still will be a couple of weeks yet until things start heating up and the River of new releases starts to flow again. But, in the meantime, there are a lot of groovy tunes to dive into while we wait.

The Sheepdogs – Singing in the Band

Rock is the New Roll uber- favorites The Sheepdogs are keeping themselves busy making some new music that will see the light of day in 2022. Their blend of James Gang by way of Blackberry Smoke vibes will have the toes tapping and ears twirling all in a Smokey haze.

Goodbye June – Stand and Deliver

The first really great E.P. of 2022 has declared itself. And, it’s a stunner. Having dribble-released the songs as singles in 2021, all four songs have been included on their debut E.P, Stand and Deliver. These Nashville Cats walk that tightrope between AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The Districts – Outlaw Love

These Pennsylvania Indie rockers blast off like a slightly less cool Rebel Yell-era Billy Idol on one of the first great songs of 2022.

Band of Heathens – Rock and Roll Doctor

Americana rockers Band of Heathens never fail to impress by coming up with unique ways to present their new music. Here, they release another of their collaborative cover songs, this time Little Feat’s “Rock and Roll Doctor” with Dallas psych-rockers White Denim. For extra credit, Search out the collabo with Ray Wylie Hubbard covering “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.”

Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh, David Grissom – Johnny Be Good

Joe Walsh and David Grissom on saxophone sit in with Edgar Winter on a scorched earth version of the Chuck Berry classic. Edgar is in fine form on this one.

Five Cool Ones – Five (More) Reasons That Pop Matters

It is no secret that here at Rock is the new Roll we love Pop music in any form. Whether it is Power Pop, Indie Pop, Pop-Punk, or Paul Simon and “Kodachrome” 70’s Pop we will be giving it a spin on our turntables. Here are 5 top-flight pop nuggets that hit our ears this past year.

The Lickerish Quartet – Threesome, Vol. 2

Formed from the ashes of famed S.F. Bay Area pop icons Jelly Fish, Eric Dover, Roger Manning, and Tim Smith are carrying the pop torch with their band, The Lickerish Quartet. Named after the Randy Metzger 1970 erotic drama, the band released a pair of stunning records over the last 18 months with Threesome, Vol. 1, and Threesome Vol. 2.

Roller Disco Combo – The Sun After The Rain

With their new e.p., Barcelona popsters Roller Disco Combo offers up Teenage Fanclub on “Indonesian Breakfast,” and a bit of a Laurel Canyon vibe courtesy of “Holes on the Grass.” In its entirety, The Sun After The Rain is a five-song e.p. that will have you yearning for more.

Sorrows – Love Too Late … The Real Album

This re-recording of a record that was originally released in the ’80s is a solid combination of Cheap Trick Power Pop, British invasion Garage Rock, and ’60s Rock and Roll with the cover of the Kinks “Tired of Waiting for You” a stellar standout. The back-to-back sound flurry of “Love Too Late” and “Crying Time” have the essence of The Knack Meets the Specials.

Bros. Vol. 2

BROS, the sidepiece band for Ewan and Shamus Currie from the ’70s throwback band The Sheepdogs deliver on a set of tunes that will have you reaching for your old KC and the Sunshine Band records. Never Gonna Stop is Hall and Oates meets The Greg Kihn Band, and Hesitationg is The Little River Band if they were just a wee bit cooler.

Radio Days -Rave On

Big Star with a bit of Replacements danger vibe is the cocktail of the day served on the latest L.P. from Radio Days, Rave On. Early Elvis Costello is also an appropriate touch-point for this record should cover all of your musical bases.

Album of the Day: Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems – Still Dirty

If you haven’t hipped yourself to Springsteen’s guitarist Little Steven and his side gigs with his three XM radio stations, Little Steven’s Underground Garage, Coolest Songs in the world, and Outlaw Country, jump in on it now. And, for an even deeper dive, he’s got his own record label, Wicked Cool Records, where he digs deep with a stable of some of the coolest bands on the planet that you have never heard. With their debut set for Wicked Cool Records, the Dirty Gems have come up with a gem of a record with virtually no miss-steps over a tightly constructed 10 song set.

Avoid the temptation of glossing over the opener “She Likes To Party” with its Sly Stone by way of “Play That Funky Music” mojo as a one and done wonder. Sure this song is groovy, but trust us, this is only the tip of the coolness spear.

Overt genre-hopping has been been the death knell of many an album, but here, jumping from the mothership funk of the opener to the Motown worthy “I Can Still Feel It,” and be-bopping on to the Robert Palmer groove of “Can’t Give It,” the transition is as pure and smooth as a good bottle of whiskey.

Kris, as a piano player, will definitely render comparisons to early Elton. And, if after listening to “See You Again” and his spot-on terrific extended-jam reading of “Take Me To The Pilot” you don’t agree with this assessment, your Elton John fan club membership will be revoked. Bad Company By Way of REO Speedwagon makes an appearance on “I’m Your Man” and Deep Muscle Shoals vibes spring from every pore of “Don’t Turn Around.” “Tortuga” even has a Santana tinge to it.

It is not often that an album comes around that is this good that nobody has heard. Kris Rodgers and his mates deserve a wider following. Let’s make it happen.

Video of the Day: Art d’Ecco – Good Looks

The mystery value inherent in the work of Vancouver, British Columbia artist Art d’ecco is only enhanced by the inability to find out what his first name is. Despite this closely guarded secret, this cool-cut for the 2021 release, In Definition, will take you back to the glory days of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, or a more amped-up Rufus Wainwright.

Five Cool Ones: Five (More) Reasons Rock Is Not Dead – Best of 2021

Rock and Roll is alive and most definitely alive and well heading into 2022. Here are five bands that your ears should wrap themselves around heading into the new year.

Kim Melville – Mr. My Man

Throwing herself fully into the ring after delivering choice covers of Larkin Poe and Led Zeppelin tunes, Paris-based chanteuse Kim Melville will be transforming herself from an under-the-radar artist to center stage in no time.

Dust Coda – Limbo Man

These Londoners deliver the swagger of The Struts and the riffage of Greta Van Fleet on a bed of ’80s sunset strip glam. Crank this one while driving.

Chris Catalyst – King Of Everything

If Pop-Rock is an actual genre, “King Of Everything” from the Eureka Machines frontman Chris Catalyst would be among the best of the lot. Festival ready call and response chorus, jangle pop guitar splendor, this Cheap Trick inspired cut has it all.

Sheepdogs – No Simple Thing

If you long for the days of Three Dog Night, Dr. Hook, and Fanny, to get your ’70s mojo going, jump on the Sheepdogs bandwagon post-haste.

Sweet Crisis – Ain’t Got Soul

Straight out of Cambridge, this epic starts out as a bond theme and quickly morphs into some sort of slinky Led Zeppelin by way of The Cult anthem that would make Rival Sons blush.

The Darkness – Motorheart

A perfect fit for one of those early Queen records, Justin Hawkins and The Darkness has his band kicking it on all cylinders. This one is like going to see Rush opening up for Queen at the Cow Palace back in the day.

Video of the Day: Goodbye June – See Where The Night Goes

The Jury is in. Nashville’s Goodbye June is officially one of the best rock and roll bands on the planet. Here they are in all their riffage and glory with a three-song E.P. in advance of a proper full-length due in February. Think the devil spawn of Blackberry Smoke and AC/DC with these guys.

Video of the Day: Goodbye June – See Where The Night Goes

Nashville cats and Rock is the New Roll favorites Goodbye June are cranking things up with this tour montage video for their latest AC/DC riffing single, “Where The Night Goes.” This is the sixth single recently under the latest model bands are using where they release multiple singles over a period of time keeping the music in the mind’s ear over a longer period of time prior to the release of a new album. And, here in the halls of RITNR, we love it.