Category: Crown Lands

Five Cool Ones: Five Reasons Rock Is Not Dead (2022 Edition)

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.

Five Cool Ones: Five (More) Reasons Rock Is Not Dead

 

As the page turns from one year to another, and in this case one decade to the next, it is never to soon to ponder about the future of Rock and Roll. You know, real guitars, amplifiers, drums, and Rock and Roll. Here are five more Rock bands that should be prominent in the next decade.

The Hu

Who knew that one of the more exciting innovative bands of the new decade would come out of Mongolia. These guys blend the traditional music of their homeland with hooky Western sensibilities. If the members of Pink Floyd were from Mongolia they may have sounded like these guys. Their 2019 record, The Gereg, is a game-changer and the clear winner for the Mongolian album of the year for 2019.

Crown Lands

If Rush and Led Zeppelin had a bastard love-child the proud parents would have likely named the baby Crown Lands. This Rock and Roll duo from Ontario, Canada seems to be riding just beneath the surface of the more famous saviors of Rock and Roll the likes of Rival Sons and Wolfmother. But, on their own, they are definitely a band worth watching as they prepare a new record in 2020. If you like Black Sabbath and The White Stripes, this band should be your jam.

Quaker City Night Hawks

These Texans walk the road that flows from ZZ Top to Lynyrd Skynyrd all the way to contemporaries Blackberry Smoke. No strangers to the pages of Rock is the New Roll, their 2019 record QCNH was one of the best albums of the year way back in 2019, any genre.

Bishop Gunn

Another next-big-thing-in-Southern Rock candidate, Bishop Gunn delivers on all fronts even walking over to the Soul side like they do on their Otis Redding evoking tune “Shine” from their 2018 release Natchez. Look for another record from this diverse band in early 2020.

Amyl and the Snifters

This high octane Aussie Punk band is not for everyone, but damn do they pack a punch. Led by Debbie Harry by way of Courtney Love on her worst days whirling dervish of a front-woman Amy Taylor, this band will set your hair on fire.