Category: Rock

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (June 6, 2025)

The heat is on as the summer is in full swing. The planes are circulating and ramping up to land some real rock and roll bombshells over the next couple of months.

Thunder guitarist Luke Morley is prepping for a proper record later in the year with this Mellencamp banger.

Sweet Desire comes to us via a 70’s time machine.

And, believe it or not, there has never been a video for The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer.” until now that is.

The Cold Stares – The Southern Part 2

8 records in, Evansville’s own The Cold Stares have carved out a religion as one of the best Blues Rock outfits in the game today.

There is a whole lot of Johnny Lang by way of ZZ Top buried in the DNA of “Evil Eye,” Stevie Ray ghost haunte the moody “Hurting Side Of Love,” and “Can’t Call That Love” slides into the moody side of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

With this, a follow-up to last year‘s The Southern, it is inspiring to see a band striking while the iron is hot, releasing an album every year with groovy singles in between.

This one will be in the top half of rock record of the year lists when December rolls around.

Jesse Daniel – Son Of San Lorenzo

With a dedication to the Bakersfield sound, this time coming to your ears from San Lorenzo, California, Jesse Daniel weaves a blend of Western Ballads, Bakersfield Swing, Buck Owens swagger, and Merle Haggard songwriting on his latest record, Son of San Lorenzo.

Having been homeless and recovered from addiction Daniel mixes personal reflection, most notably on the title track, ” Son Of San Lorenzo,” ruin and redemption on “One’s Too Many (And A Thousand Ain’t Enough),” along with addiction on “Crankster,” a bit of a rocker that delves into the darker sides of self-destruction.

Finally, with “Jodi,” a love letter to his wife, we get the sense that there is a rainbow at the end of the tunnel, the demons have been exorcised, and we the listeners are all the better for taking the ride with an artist that is not afraid to be vulnerable on what might be a breakout record for Jesse Daniel.

Monkey House – Crash Box

Monkey House, a Canadian band with a name inspired by a Kurt Vonnegut book, plays in the gene pool of Jazz Pop very much in the Steely Dan mold.

With sophisticated jazz rock melodies and a breezy vibe that would make Christopher Cross come back from the sea, the production value along with the musicianship on this record are both best in class.

“Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘em” could have been the B-side of “Dr. Wu,” “Sundaying” is the perfect cure for what ails you on a lazy, breezy weekend, and “Friday Night Jam” is another yacht rock adjacent breezer that displays the tight as the skin of the skin on an apple synchronistic cohesion of the band in fine fashion.

Do your ears a solid and crate dig deep into the back catalogue of this band that has been doing business since 1999.

The Doobie Brothers – Walk This Road

Clearly a money grab to have some new songs to drag out during their supporting act gig with ELO this summer, there is not a real reason for this record to exist.

With this watered down mostly Michael McDonald, (who has ruined more doobies than wet rolling papers) led ensemble the band that brought you the splendor of “China Grove” has somehow morphed into Hootie and the Blowfish and The Little River Band right before our very ears.

Credit should be given for uniting core members Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and John McFee for one last trip around the song, and the title track “Walk With Me,” with an assist from the mighty Mavis staples, would be almost listenable were it not for the previously mentioned Michael McDonald chipping in on vocals.

For those of you that are fans of Toulouse Street era Doobie brothers, your ship has hit an iceberg. For those that are fans of Michael McDonald, seek help.

Pulp – More

Incredibly, More, the last record for Jarvis Cocker and the boys, is Pulps first proper record in 24 years since their breakup in 2002, and it’s a banger.

The opener, “Spike Island” provides a David Bowie background against classic Jarvis Cocker vocals, “Got To Have Love” is a disco treat that comes the closest on this set to rolling out vintage Pulp, “Grown Ups” is a throwback to the Brit Pop glory days, and “My Sex” is Barry White shag-funk.

Sure, Jarvis Cocker’s solo efforts have been good, sometimes great, but what the hell man, where have you been, and welcome back to a band that we didn’t realize we sorely missed. Until now, that is.

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.