He latest record, Plays Well With Others, is a subtle and often brilliant effort. As the album title would indicate the record includes collaborations with John Paul White, Rodney Crowell, Shovels & Rope, Nicole Atkins, and more. This is a grower of a record in the best of senses.
Often compared to Joan Jett, Lzzy Hale and Halestorm are the preeminent female led Rock and Roll band in the game. The new record, Vicious, is a delicious headbanging combination of Heavy Metal and good old fashioned Rock and Roll.
This 1930’s vintage lounge version of the Alanna Myles classic is sultry and cool all at the same time.
I Listen To Memphis is a stellar new YouTube channel that is designed to bring to your ears the sites and sounds of the highly underrated Memphis Blues scene. This one features Marcella and her Lovers with Spooner Oldham covering “I’m Your Puppet.”
A lot of Americana and Country ears are starting to tune into Lindsay Ell and her unique brand of Country Roll. Check out her one woman jam band performance in the Taste of Country studios. She is one to watch for.
To Rise, You Gotta Fall is a pretty solid description for the newly released record from Nicki Bluhm. Having recently ended a long term relationship and moving from the San Francisco Bay area to Nashville, Nicki shares her journey every step of the way with the listener. Recorded in Memphis at the Sam Phillips studio, the record has a deliciously retro vibe about it that is part 50’s Phil Spector girl group and part early 70’s country queen. The title track lays down a Memphis Soul Groove that is Dusty Springfield worthy.
Produced by Matt Ross-Spang, the man who knob-twirled most recently for Margo Price and Jason Isbell, the arrangements are of the first class variety. “Battlechain Rose” is a clear stunner describing in some detail her inner feelings she was dealing with in her personal life.
On the mournful bluesy Ballad “You Stopped Loving Me (I Can’t Stop Loving You)” the Hammond B-3 and Johnny Gimble are featured floating in and out in just the right places. A bit of a lover scorned push-back is provided courtesy of a cover of Dan Penn’s “Hate You” even though the closing track “Last to Know” gives every indication that she is completely over the relationship as she says “You Can’t Fool a Fool Any Longer.” Listen to this once, then grab a glass of wine and give this one another whirl. The leader in the clubhouse for the break-up album of the year.
The first single from Take Me To the Disco the newly released record from L.A. by way of Tennessee singer songwriter Meg Myers. The album is full of personal and emotional songs where you can almost see and hear her demons break free. Meg Myers may be the millennial Alanis Morissete.
Rock Is The New Roll 