Category: Rock

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (March 7, 2025)

Wow, what a week is in store for your ears to enjoy, one week just gets better than the last.

The Baboon Show are percolating their wild vibes with their latest single “Forward In Reverse.”

Aussie legend shares “New Day,” a song that shares DNA with Tom Petty’s “Learning To Fly.”

And, Brian D’Addario, the youngest of The Lemon Twig boys is out with a sublime single ahead of his upcoming full length.

But, don’t push all of your chips to the center of the table just yet. Here are five freshly minted morsels to savor.

Neil Young – Oceanside Countryside

A previously “lost” record that was recorded in an earlier time but took 40 years to see the light of ear, Oceanside Countryside culls songs from Neil’s ‘70s American Stars ‘n Bars era.

Many of the songs represented here were previously released on Rust Never Sleeps, Hawks & Doves, or Comes A Time but in different versions. With two distinct sides, side 1 features only Young and his guitar while side 2 was recorded additional musicians.

Not that we needed a reminder, but listening to the versions here of “Dance Dance Dance” and “Pocahontas” reminds us of what a national treasure Neil Young really is.

Jason Isbell – Foxes In The Snow

Recorded in five days with just voice and guitar in Electric Ladyland studios with this, his tenth solo album, we see Jason Isbell coming out of the other side of the tunnel reflecting on a failed marriage, and the pitfalls of stardom following his brilliant star turn on Killers of the Flower Moon, and his battle with dangerous memories.

Every song presented here is good bordering on great with the elegantly sparse arrangements providing the backdrop to some of the best songwriting in Isbell’s career.

One of the few artists whose solo work is on par with the music that they make with their band, now that he has gotten a few things off his chest, most notably on “Eileen” and “Good While It Lasted,” despite the loneliness that permeates the record, the future looks very bright. Talent always wins the Day.

Sorrows – Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

Self-described by guitarist and front-man Arthur Alexander, Sorrows is an intoxicating blend of The Who, The Kinks and The Easybeats with a touch of early-era Rolling Stones thrown in for good measure. Just listen to the opening bombast of “Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing in the Shadows,” and tell us we’re wrong.

“What A Boy” is pure My Generation with a dose of Elvis Costello, and “Somethin’ Else” could have been an Eddie Cochran monster hit, because, of course, it was.

Mike Farris – The Sound Of Muscle Shoals

Returning to his roots as a rocker and a soil singer, Mike Farris lays down a solid set of Muscle Shoals adjacent songs that resurrect the souls of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and preach on the alter of Al Green.

Chris Stapleton comes to mind on “On The Humble, while “Slow Train” is Al Green Gospel bliss. A solid well crafted listen.

Hotwax – Hot Shot

Meant to be played loud, this Hastings via Brighton post-punk band rocks like some devil hybrid of Deborah Harry fronting Nirvana.

The opener, “She’s Got A Problem” sets the stage for a Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride adventure down a careening bobsled track.

“Dress Our Love” has Chrissie Hind Pretenders on 78 vibes, and “Lights On,” a song that features Stella Mozgawa, is a burner of a gem.

This is the type of band that would headline CB GB’s one night and play Coachella the next without missing a fret.

What We’re Listening To (March 7, 2025)

The halls are buzzing here at Rock is the new Roll Hall with a bevy of new music to savor as we zoom into the year.

The Cynz – Heartbreak Time

Coming to you from Brunswick New Jersey The Cynz will have you feeling Joan Jett vibes courtesy of lead singer Cyndi Dawson. “Heartbreak Time” is a retro-style rocker with plenty of earworms.

Sorrows – Out Of My Head

If you have ever sat around wondering what a band would sound like that was a mind-meld of the Stones, Beatles, and The Who and wasn’t Cheap Trick, hip your ears to Sorrows and the single from their latest record “Out Of My Head.”

Brass Camel – Borrowed Time

This gem from Brass Camel is Sly Stone funky, a bit proggy, with a lot of classic rock influences thrown in for good measue.

Blues Pills – What Has This Life Done To You

A bit of a departure from the more psychedelic side of Blues Pills, “What Has This Life Done To You” would make a terrific Bonnie Raitt cover.

Black Eyed Sons – Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits

A tribute to the glam-glitter bands of yore, most notably Mott The Hoople, “Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits features Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Chip Z’Nuff, and Ryan Roxie.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (February 28, 2025)

A bit of a slow week on the new release front as artists get ready for the pre-summer avalanche, but we do the work so you don’t have to.

Easy Eye Sound is at it again with Little Barrie and his fuzz-toned single from his upcoming release Electric War.

UK Indie-Punk trio Hotwax unleash their much-anticipated new record Hot Shock on March 7.

And, The Speaker Wars, featuring founding Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers member and drummer Stan Lynch has a long player due out on May 30.

But lets not rest on our musical laurels here. There a five really cool releases queued up to tickle your earbuds.

The Devil Makes Three – Spirits

With their first proper record since 2018’s Chains are Broken, The Devil Makes Three trio still apply their trade on the rails of muscular roots rock.

This time out, Spirits features more stripped-down performances with an ear towards an expression of weariness emanating from trying to keep sane in a troubled world with “Hard Times” pretty much telling it like it is.

“It’s hard, hard, hard times

They’ll charge you dollars

While they’re paying you in dimes

When they said it was going to trickle down

You know that they were lying

Mostly made while Cooper McBean was mourning the loss of his mother, brother, and best friend lamenting “How Come we got to take a bigger hit, just to get half as high.” This one is a collaborative listen from a band that wallows in the trenches with the rest of us.

Cimarron 615 – Cimarron 615

It would be auditorially impossible for a band that contains three former members of Poco and one Flying Burrito Brother to be anything but stellar. And, this latest effort, the sophomore record from the supergroup Cimarron 615, is just that, stellar and sublime in every way.

With a nostalgic mellow country-rock vibe that veers dangerously close to yacht rock in some places, as evidenced by “Fallin’,” the entire proceedings are a hot tub time machine that will take you back to simpler times.

“Butte La Rose” could have been a Don Henley single back in the day and “Night At The Radio” resonates like a late-era Eagles B side.

This one deserves more credit than it is likely to get.

Diamond Dogs and Chris Spedding – Macon Georgia Giant

For a group of renaissance rockers that typically do business in the dark alleys of 70’s British rock and roll to pay homage to Little Richard says a lot about The Diamond Dogs and even more about the king of rock and roll.

With a panoply of hits, deep cuts, and band favorites every note on this record is a scorcher. The opener, “The King Of Rock And Roll” starts things off with a bang, and things never let up all the way to the closer “Bama Lama Bama Loo.”

If this record has you scurrying to reintroduce yourself to Little Richard’s back catalog, job well done.

Split Dogs – Here To Destroy

Recklessly careening into your speakers like Ricky Bobby on a bender, Split Dogs are Lita Ford on speed run through a Motorhead filter.

Punk music like it is supposed to sound like “Monster Truck” is an absolute banger and “Precious Stones” would make The Sex Pistols blush.

This one grabs you by the gonads and doesn’t let up until you end up legs akimbo at the bottom of the black diamond slope.

Perfect Plan – Heart Of A Lion

Just wait long enough and what is old will be new again, and what was once considered lame is now being served at the cool kid’s table. And here, with melodic rock mavens Perfect Plan and their latest record Heart Of A Lion your inner ’80s Survivor jones will be satisfied and then some.

“We Are Heros” climbs out of your cable box MTV style, “Turn On Your Radio” sounds like the epic over the top, in a good way, a monster hit that the band Europe wishes they would have released back in the day, and “Little Miss Danger” would have been a Loverboy smash single right up there with “The Kid Is Hot Tonight.”

Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (February 14, 2025)

The year is zooming along with great new releases all over the place.

“Lady On Fire” is the over the top third single from glam-prog rocker Bobbie Dazzle from her latest record Fandabidozi.

Robert Jon and the Wreck are “Sittin’ Pretty with their high-octane single from their upcoming long player.

And, Elton John and Brandi Carlile are set to release a proper great album in April.

But don’t stop there. Here are five really cool albums put forward for your listening pleasure.

Crazy Lixx – Thrill Of The Bite

With a slightly revamped band following the departure of drummer Joel Cirera leaving only one original band member since their debut in 2007, Crazy Lixx is out with their latest long player of unflinching, never wavering Sunset Strip sleaze rock. And it’s glorious.

The opener “Highway Hurricane” is AC/DC on steroids complete witj just the right nuance of cowbell, “Midnight Rebel” could have been a great call and response early era Bon Jovi song, and who can argument with the sentiment expressed on “Who Said Rock And Roll Is Dead”

If you are looking for a less than nuanced guilty pleasure listen that will take you back to the good time freewheeling days, the swinging Swedes in Crazy Lixx will scratch that itch.

Honey Crisp – Yesteryears

Hailing from Helsinki Poland, Honey Crisp draws from the melodic side of the singer-songwriter esthetic that was popular back in the day.

Wandering from a less vocally talented Brian Wilson to a lower register Leo Sayer and a Greg Kihn clone, the record carries a bit of nostalgia about it while still maintaining a certain freshness.

Thankfully, just when the waters are starting to venture into yacht-rock territory the course is triangulated into a smooth ride of 60’s crooner proportions that would make Peter Noone blush.

The Altons – Heartache In Room 14

The Altons, and their latest record Heartache In Room 14, just might be the salve that is needed to cure all of the negativity swirling around the world right now.

With a blend of a Soul and Jazz infusion, it is somewhat incongruous to believe that this record was birthed in 2025 and not in the back of a dimly lit Soho Jazz bar with a drugged-up Niba Simone commanding the smoke-filled room.

The musicianship here is on point. The production is not pristine but is perfectly tuned to the retro vibes that the record is going for.

This one is a refreshing listen meant to be heard in one sitting.

The Delines – Mr. Luck Ms. Doom

The Delines, courtesy of Willy Vlautin, crown prince of the dour, disenfranchised, and the down-and-outers, are back with another set of vignettes that give you a glimpse of what it looks like on the other side of the street. If you don’t already live there that is.

With Amy Boone providing the world-worn vocals, the listener is presented with a woman who is on the lam after robbing a drug operation in “Maureen’s Missing,” a failed criminal and a housekeeper in the title track, and “Nancy & The Pensacola Pimp,” where a woman takes revenge on her pimp.

Listen to this live-affirming set of Raymond Chandler-noir short stories set to music in a leather chair with a good whisky and a cigar.

Spiders – Sharp Objects

There is a freshness about the Swedish rock band Spiders that is contrary to its classic rock roots. Drawing inuences from 80’s Sunset Strip, British New Wave, and Garage rock scenes, their latest record rides the rails with the smoothness of a bullet train.

“What’s Your Game (Miss Insane) could have been an Adam Ant B Side, Opener “Rock ‘n’ Roll Band” has a bit of Faces by way of Boston about it, and “Fun In The Sun,” courtesy of front-woman Anne-Sofie Hoyle’s vocal prowess is The Go Go’s on steroids.

Spanning era’s genres, and styles, this is a band that 13 years in may just be hitting their stride.