Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Albums Released This Week (April 26, 2019)

In what might be the best release Friday of the year Bruce puts out a new single, George Benson pays tribute to Bo Diddley, Walker Lukens releases a very Adult album, and The Cranberries pay tribute to their late singer. Here are Five Cool Ones that have caught some of our ear time.

Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks

Superbly backed by Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit, this record just might be Ritter’s best yet, easily his best in several releases. Every song is a cracker with Josh easing into each song like a hand in a glove.

Nils Lofgren – Blue With Lou

The E-Street sideman has released a set of songs 5 of which were part of a collaboration dating back to the late 70’s with Lou Reed. The album has a laid back Lou Reed meets JJ Cale Vibe. “Attitude City” is pure Lou Reed. And, the title track is a love song to a hero along the lines of “Keith Don’t Go.”

Foxygen – Seeing Other People

Inching forward a bit from a 60’s and 70’s vibe to a 70’s and 80’s sound Foxygen’s Sam France and Jonathan Rado seem to be getting a lot more serious in their lives and in their music. In what might be their Rock and Roll record, “The Thing Is” shares DNA with Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart,” and “Flag At Half Mast” rolls along like Tattoo You era Rolling Stones.

BAILEN – Thrilled To Be Here

If you are a fan of the Laurel Canyon multiple harmony sound and groups like The Milk Carton Kids or the new Cactus Blossoms record then Thrilled To Be Here will be your new jam. Featuring fraternal twins Daniel and David Bailen along with their younger sister Julia , there is a First Aid Kit meets Dawes aura going on here with this impeccably produced record. There is even a dusting of Fleetwood Mac on “I Was Wrong.”

Randy Rogers Band – Hellbent

The Randy Rogers Band is Country in all the best senses of the word, still rolling with the original line-up 20 some odd years down the road. No new red dirt is broken here, just good old Texas Roadhouse Country Rock and Soul.

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Albums Released This Week (April 19, 2019)

Don’t adjust your ears just because The O’Jays and Bananarama both release two albums in the same day doesn’t mean it’s 1994 all over again. Cage The Elephant also stages a welcome return, and The Cranberries release “In The End” in anticipation of their latest record. So, let’s get to it.

Dianne Coffee – Internet Arms

If Prince and David Bowie had a love child he probably would sound like Foxygen drummer Shaun Fleming and his swaggering odd ball alter ego Dianne Coffee. Mining the the same Glam Psychedelic territory that he favors with his main gig, Internet Arms feature mostly mid-tempo synth numbers with “Stuck In Your Saturday Night” a real banger, and “Like A Child Does” turning of the beats a bit on a thoughtful dance tune. This record is one to put on when you are ready to go out on a Saturday Night.

Joyous Wolf – Place In Time

All you really need to know to understand the vibe coming through from these L.A. rockers is that their first single available for public consumption was Mountains guitar epic “Mississippi Queen.” Full of riffage and swagger this one will be up for Rock Album of the year on a lot of year end lists.

Jade Bird – Jade Bird

One of the British shining stars on the Americana Folk scene, on her debut record there are soaring pop epics the likes of “Side Effects,” introspective slow burners with “My Beauty” where she sounds like Melissa Etheridge in her prime, and on the low and slow “Does Anybody Know” her songwriting talents really shine. This one will be on heavy rotation for quite a long time.

The Yawpers – Human Question

If you could only listen to artists from one single record label then Bloodshot Records should be your jam, and The Yawpers are right up there as show horses in their stable. A little more on the Rock and Roll Side than their last album, “Earn Your Heaven” will Rock your ears off and on “Dancing on My Knees” the rhythm section shows the musicianship and energy worthy of Stevie Ray’s Double Trouble.

Will Kimbrough – I Like It Down Here

When you are working with the likes of Shemekia Copeland, Mary Gauthier, and Hayes Carll just to name a few collaborators Will Kimbrough has had over the last couple of years, it is no surprise that his own career has been put on the back burner. Now, he is front and center with this great bluesy, swampy, purely honest record. This somewhat short set of 10 songs portrays an artist at the peak of his writing career.