Rock Is The New Roll

The weather may be cold, but the music is hot this week as many artists are scrambling to give us a morsel of singles in advance of a proper release.

Blackberry Smoke shows that they can go mellow low and slow when they are not putting out barn stompers with “Azalea.”

Circles Around The Sun delivers on a psychic Laurel Canyon mushroom cloud with “After Sunrise.”

And, Joe Bonamassa and Peter Frampton burn the house down with their version of Humble Pie’s “Four Day Creep.”

But wait, don’t put up those winter jackets just yet. Here are five records to keep you warm this week.

Ty Segall – Three Bells

Ty Segall, renaissance man, Swiss army knife, and bell weather cow of the indie rock scene is out with Three Bells, another monstrous record by a monstrous artist.

Song after song our ears are treated to the sonic wizardry that is Ty Segall. Not known to be especially user-friendly to the ears, oftentimes bathing in a foggy haze of fuzz, this time out he delivers a one-hour set of intricate guitar chords, Jimi Hendrix-worthy riffage, and Seagall-ist production that is not only accessible, but also provides a texture to the proceedings that is both refreshing and sorely missed in today’s musical landscape.

If this record was a Jazz album it would be John Coltrane’s Giant Steps record with the melodic frenzy of “Giant Steps” morphing with the tempo-changing “Countdown.”

Impressive accomplishments, indeed.

Gurf Morlix – Melt Into You

The first thing that will hit you between the speakers is that Gurf Morlix, on his latest record, Melt Into You, sounds an awful lot like Ray Wylie Hubbard which makes perfect sense since he has been twirling the knobs for both Ray Wylie and Lucinda Wiians for the last several years.

Morlix tackles old age and lonely travels on “Melt Into You,” as well as the self-reflecting “Last Days of the Dinosaur,” wrapping things up with a sentiment all of us experience at one time or another on “A Meaningless Life.”

Stop at three shots of bourbon if you listening to this one in one sitting.

Sarah Jarosz – Polaroid Lovers

With the essence of 80’s ladies and Garth Brooks-era country, this Sarah Jarosz gem of an album covers all of the touchstones.

With her deft songwriting and classic Americana-centric vocal stylings the multi-instrumentalist, multi-Grammy winner apples her trade like a slightly less cool Jenny Lewis.

The opener, “Jealous Moon” could have been a K.T. Oslin hit from back in the day, closer “Mezcal and Lime” is a last-call woozy sort of affair, and “Runaway Train” will transport you back to a simpler era when the women ruled the country radio dial.

Katy Kirby – Blue Raspberry

With this, her sophomore record, Katy Kirby comes out strong chronicling new discoveries and first-time lesbian experiences on the exquisitely cool, Blue Raspberry.

The crystalline vocals pushed forwar in the mix means you will not need to consult a lyric sheet to ascertain the lyrics that highlight the little things women recognize in other women.

Listening to this record in total within the confines of a serious listen lends itself to a revelatory stroll in a forest of reflection as it surely does in the string-subtle “Party of the Century.”

You will be a better person for listening to this record.

The Umbrellas – Fairweather Friend

The Umbrellas, an Indie Pop band that brings to the minds-ear the classic sounds of bands like The Go-Betweens, The Bats, or even The Cranberries.

With jangle guitars and layered harmonized vocals, each song has a nostalgic feel to it that scantily varies throughout the song set. The lyrics, poetic in their simplicity, along with the alternating vocals are delivered with the honesty that should serve the band well as they continue on the path to critical acclaim and more.