Five Cool Ones: Five New Albums Released This Week (April 4, 2025)

With summer just a few fortnights away, the music scene is already warming up.

Sadly, the far less superior Taking It To The Streets era lineup was chosen for the Doobie Brothers reboot.

The airport 77’s have a new platter scheduled for April 30 with an advance single in “If It’s On, I’m In.”

And, Rock is the New Roll new faves Strawberry Moon are banging us in the eardrums with “Polly Pocket World.”

But, you know the drill by now, here are five new savory nuggets for your ear massage this week.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile – Who Believes In Angels

No stranger to collaborations going back to the Kiki Dee days, Elton John, this time, has teamed up with Brandi Carlile to produce a likable album of pop gems that remind us how great and for-the-times that these respective artists are.

The lead-off single takes the title from Elton’s 2024 documentary Never Too Late, and with standout tracks like “The Rose Of Laura Nyro” and “Little Richards Bible” as well as the Saturday Night swagger of “Swing For The Fences,” it is clear that Sir Elton, even semi-retired, still has an awful lot in his musical tank.

Pug Johnson – El Cabron

El Cabron, the latest from Pug Johnson, one of the lesser known members of the outlaw country movement, draws inspiration from Townes Van Zandt and Terry Allen in creating a deviant landscape that includes gringos, saloon girls, and malcontents all doing business on a bed of Cajun, Texas Swimg, and honky-tonk.

We meet our hero, or villian depending on your point of view, with a thing for Singapore Slings courtesy of the title track as he heads to Mexico to cantinas full of women and song, all the way to last call with “Last Call (With Apologies To Terry Allen) with a side trip to the cathouse with the Doug Sahm worthy “Thanks To The Cathluse (I’m In The Doghouse With You.”)

This one is quite possibly the best outlaw story record since Terry Allen’s Juarez.

Lily Seabird – Trash Mountain

Named after a decommissioned landfill site where she lives with a collective of artists, Vermont’s own Lily Seabird applies her wares on Trash Mountain with an early-era Lucinda Williams esthetic.

The songs on the new record reflect her emergence coming out the other end of dark times following the suicide of her best friend and the travails of an extensive touring schedule.

“Albany” is a remuneration on a broken society, “How Far Away” is the song that directly addresses her grief, and “The Fight” is a piano-based wonderment that puts her Joni Mitchell influences on full display.

Lily Seabird, through her music as well as her ecology-forward agenda, is clearly an artist who is here to make a difference in this world.

The Waterboys – Life, Death, and Dennis Hopper

Having written a song called “Aftermath” in the 80’s that was loosely based on the life of Dennis Hopper, The Waterboys are out with a proper long-player tribute with Life, Death, And Dennis Hopper.

Inspired by the life and ethos of the iconic actor, Mike Scott, drawing from Hopper’s acting as well as his photography, has created a series of conceptual vignettes with a bevy of collaborators including Steve Earle, Fiona Apple, and Bruce Springsteen.

Released on the venerable Sun Records label featuring a song for each of Hopper’s ex-wives, the record is a sprawling 60’s psychedelic era wonderment that should stand the test of time when the end-of-the-year awards season rolls around.

West 22nd – Nowhere To Be

Coming to you from the musical hotbed of Austin, TX, and the West campus at the University of Texas, West 22nd is an Indie Folk group in the Mumford and Sons mold with the occasional bombast of the Lumineers.

From the opener, “Can’t Help It” a song with a certain Fountains of Wayne appeal, to the Wilco-esque “Laugh It All” the band clearly demonstrates that they have the songwriting chops to quickly go from playing frat parties to the stages of SXSW in the very near future.

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

With summer only a couple of fortnights away, the time is right for dancing in the streets.

Be very careful putting the pedal to the metal on this high-octane barn burner from Josh Todd and the Buckcherry boys.

De’Wayne is a newcomer on the scene and an artist to watch out for. The vibe here is Prince fronting the killers. Never before has Indie Rock and Classic rock blended so seamlessly.

And, finally, Rock is the New roll favorite, Luke Spiller is prepping for his April 25 release, Women Will Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine.

And if this rock and roll splendor doesn’t tickle your fancy enough, here are five new morsels for your ears to digest this week

Dawn Brothers – Cry Alone

All the way from the Dutch city of Rotterdam, The Dawn Brothers produce a refreshing blend of Rock, Americana, and Memphis Soul. Sort of like Hall and Oates teaming up with the Travelling Wilburys. If you did not know the band’s origin, with just one door-to-ceiling listen of their new record, Cry Alone, you would be hard-pressed to tell if they were from Rotterdam, Memphis, or Los Angeles.

The opener, “Do Me Wrong” sets the hook with a funk-driven backbeat and a Memphis Soul Stew vibe, “Can’t Let You In, Can’t Let You Out” is perfect Travelling Wilburys fare, and “I Cry Alone” would have been a perfect addition to the Hall and Oates Abandoned Luncheonette record.

Much like The Little River Band from back in the day, there is a timeless appeal to this record that will soothe the soul.

The Darkness – Dreams On Toast

For those not previously in the know, The Darkness, with their flamboyant frontman Justin Hawkins, is a U.K.-based rock and roll band that combines the over-the-topness of Sheer Heart Attack era Queen, Jellyfish, and for a more recent vintage touchpoint, Luke Spiller and the Struts. Glam energy, bombast, glass-breaking falsetto’s and more is the order of the day.

From the opening blast-off of “Rock and Roll Party Cowboy” the DNA of the band’s eighth album, Dreams On Toast is on full display. No-holds barred party like its 1975, good time, rock and roll played like its meant to be played, loud and proud.

Lead-off single “Longest Kiss” is pure Jellyfish vibing, and “Hot On My Tail” is the Darkness’ version of Queen’s “Seaside Rendevous,” deliciously operatic and bombastic with a bit of whimsey thrown in for good measure.

A welcome addition to the canon of one of the best rock and roll bands to come around in the last decade.

Lucy Dacus – Forever Is A Feeling

As one-third of the indie rock supergroup that includes Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and an album that was rewarded with three Grammys, lucy Dacus steps out on her own with an understated record of hushed harmonies, warm shades, and gentle, close-to-shoegaze, instrumentation.

“Ankles” has Laura Nyro in its DNA, “Talk” is a slow-burn pastoral epic, and “Limerence” could have done well in the hands of Karen Carpenter, if she was just a little hipper.

This one belongs on your Sunday chill playlist as if that’s such a bad thing.

W.E.T. – Apex

If AOR-adjacent, 80’s rock in the Def Leppard and Night Ranger mold is what you are into, then W.E.T.’s latest, Apex, is going to be your jam.

“Where Are The Heroes Now” is pure peak-era Bon Jovi, “This House Is On Fire” is Journey by way of The Scorpions, and “The Believer” is a stadium-ready anthem.

Don’t think with this one, just listen.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Bobby Rush – Young Old Fashioned Ways

You can feel the feel the energy and the chemistry bursting from the speakers on this old-school meets younger gun collaboration between Bobby Rush and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Giving a respectful nod to Rush, his vocals and his harp throughout, Rush provides the vocals as well as a killer harp on all ten of these tracks. Holed up in a Memphis studio, the pair launches into a stripped-down set that leans into the blues half of their respective blues-rock resumes.

4 of the songs displayed here are Bobby Rush tunes with an additional 5 co-penned, with a Willie Dixon song thrown in for good measure.

Whether the pair goes low and slow like they do on “G-String,” or the alligator stomp of “Hey Baby) What Are We Gonna Do),” the playful comradery between the two is infectious and palbable.

Rush sings with the vigor of a singer half his age and Shepherd delivers one of the best performances of his career.

The leader in the clubhouse for blues album of the year, for sure.