Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (June 25, 2021)

The year is now officially half over, and the only thing we have to say here at Rock is the New Roll is that keep your ears strapped on it’s about to get loud. Tours are starting to get announced and cranked up as many musicians have spent the downtime reflecting and writing new music and are eager to share their music with the masses. And we, of course, can’t wait to see what the six months have to offer. 

The mighty Night Ranger is back with a boffo new single and video in advance of a record coming out later in the year.

The virtual one-man bad himself Pokey LaFarge is announcing his new record scheduled for release on September 10th with the single “Get It ‘For It’s Gone.” 

And, the blazing rock duo The Picturebooks team up with the guys from Monster Truck on a single that will bring to the ear the essence of Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky.”

But wait, there’s more. Here are five records that we are grooving to this week here in the halls of Rock is the New Roll.

Hiss Golden Messenger – Quietly Blowing It

In these days of online singles released in dribs and drabs in advance of a proper record release, the anticipation of a proper full-length sometimes builds up to an unbearable frenzy. And, for our ears, this is one of those highly anticipated gems. After initially being introduced to the record via the Laurel Canyon-inspired song “Sanctuary,” it was as clear as the ears on our head that we were in store for an exciting listen when the proper record was released.

Holing up in his North Carolina basement at the start of the pandemic, MC Taylor used the current state of affairs as a mood-setter in an attempt to get under the covers of some of the deeper issues behind all of the turmoil swirling around him. With a certain Bob Dylan quality, the record lays bare the fragility of the moment with the gospel-tinged “It Will If We Let It.” “Glory Strums (Of The Long Distance Runner),” a song that could be the distance cousin of a classic Fleetwood Mac tune, and “Mighty Dollar,” telling it like it is. The poor man loses, the rich man wins.

Don’t sleep on this record. This one has lived up to the hype and more and is destined to take up residence in the top ten once the end of the year rolls around.

Vincent Neil Emerson – Vincent Neil Emerson

A quick listen to some of his world-weary lyrics, most notably on “Debtor’s Blues,” there is a sense that if Vincent Neil Emerson was not able to come to grips with his past through the catharsis of his songs he probably would not be alive.

“I spent my whole life/Wonderin’ why I’m down,” Vincent Neil Emerson sings, not long into his new, self-titled sophomore album. “I don’t feel easy if the blues don’t come around/And my face don’t look right without a frown.”

With life seemingly lived in the verses of a country song after enduring his father’s suicide, alcoholism, a brother’s death in a house fire, and homelessness, there is hope rather than despair prevalent with this excellent sophomore release. “Texas Moon” could have been a John Prine Song, “Learnin’ to Drown” is a sparse piano-led stunner that details the singer’s forlorn days sleeping in his car and lays out his life in under 5:00 of reflective and emotional storytelling that would make Townes Van Zant blush.

Produced by his mentor Rodney Crowell, this deservingly break-out record should cement a place for Vincent Neil Emerson in the pantheon of great contemporary Texas singer-songwriters to be mentioned in the same breath as Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and Lyle Lovett.

Amythyst Kiah – Wary + Strange

For virginal ears not familiar with Amythst Kiah one listen to her latest song “Hangover Blues” will have your ears clamoring for more. Somewhat of a genre-bending artist with a voice that floats somewhere between Nina Simone and Tracey Chapman, as a member of the Rhiannon Giddens collective her latest is a highly empowering life-affirming record that doesn’t shy away from addressing the issues of the day most notably on the powerful “Black Myself” and the topic of suicide on “Wild Turkey” that deals with her mother’s suicide.

“Hangover Blues” is as devasting of a back-end of a drinking binge anthem you will find this side of “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” the song “Sleepy Queen” has a bit of a Bill Withers tilt to it, and “Ballad of the Lost” is a gut-wrenching ballad that deals with issues of abandonment head-on.

There is beauty in diversity, and this is a beautiful genre-defying record. Deep Blues meld with Rock, R&B, and Appalachian bluegrass to create an awe-inspiring textured masterpiece. If you listen to only one album this year, it should be this one.

Grateful Dead – Grateful Dead (Skull and Roses)

Mostly worthy of mention here simply because it is one of the best live records ever committed to vinyl, this 50th anniversary remastered edition captures The Grateful Dead at their accessible best.

Known for the lack of sparsity of Grateful Dead songs in favor of some choice covers, the production value on this one is pristine, the vocals are mixed perfectly, and the crowd energy is palpable but does not overwhelm the mix. Highlights include Mighty Merle’s “Mama Tried” and the extended “Sing Me Back Home,” “Johnny B. Good,” and a next-level version of “Me and Bobby McGee.”

Put the headphones on and absorb yourself in this one.

Pom Pom Squad – Death of a Cheerleader.

As fine a debut record as our ears have had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time, you can pretty much get where the band is coming from when Mia Berrin sings “You should ask your mother what she means, she says Stay away from girls like me.”

Outcast odes aside this is an up-tempo roller coaster ride of on-point songwriting, peppy festival-ready anthems, and highly accessible Indie Rock arrangements from the vantage point of an outsider that has seen what life is on the inside, and is perfectly happy living life on the fringes.

The song “Head Cheerleader” almost has an ’80s fornicating under the football bleachers John Hughes feel about it, and the Joan Jett inspired “Drunk Voicemail” is worth the price of admission alone. 

Come to experience the angst, but stay for the Tommy James meets the white rabbit rendering of “Crimson and Clover”

The 100 Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)

(099) Little Hat – Wine, Whiskey, & Wimmen

This ’50s channeling trio from Holland pays tribute in their songs and style to relatively obscure bluesmen the likes of Lazy Lester, Titus Turner, and Isaiah Ross. You will need to listen closely to really tell that this tightly constructed set of songs was not recorded by Sam Phillips in the Sun Records studio. The opener “Clema” could have been a Fats Domino special, “Cat Squirrel” a Chuck Berry ditty, and the title song “Wine, Wimmen, Whiskey” is, of course, pure John Lee Hooker. “Boogie in the Park” is a stomper that could be played anywhere in Mississippi.

Preferring not to be labelled as retro-rockers, this multi-generational (one member is 20 something, another is his 30’s and the third is in his 70’s) band doesn’t try to revive the spirit of their heroes exactly, rather they built on the momentum and create a sound and spirit uniquely their own.

The 100 Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)

(100) Caper Clowns – Abdicate The Throne

With a whiff of Madness here, some ELO there The Danish band Caper Clowns combine Power Pop, straight ahead and even a bit of Roll into a formula that is as diverse as it is intoxicating. On Be There (The Ever Changing Tome) the band channels their best 10cc impersonation and there is more than a little Rock as well as Roll on the infectious “In Your Kaleidoscope.”

With Styx, ELO and 10cc as touchstones this record has something for everyone. If you are a fan of tightly crafted Pop nuggets, your ship has come in.

Five Cool Ones – Five New Records Released This Week (June 18, 2021)

The year is pretty much half over and while the team here at Rock is the New Roll is diligently pouring over all of the fine records released so far we still found time to secure for you some really fine new records that your ears should be excited about.

In the meantime, the highly underrated and below-the-radar Rich Ragany & The Digressions release their inner Tom Petty Meets Elvis Costello on “Heartbreakers Don’t Try.”

The Daybreakers are banging out the Blues Rock in the Sabbath and Uriah Heep mold, and that is never a bad thing.

And, Hanson, yes the “MMMMMM Bop” Hanson’s, is back with a nice slice of Cheap Trick evoking Power Pop. with a tune that features Rick Nielson on the track and also on the video. Our ears are tuned for more to come from this camp.

And, on top of all of that here are five new albums that are rocking our world this week.

Kings of Convenience – Peace Or Love

Even though they never really went away, individually they have been playing on a lot of other people’s projects, the Norwegian acoustic duo Kings of Convenience has not released a proper record in about 12 years. And, musically, as well as aesthetically nary a beat was skipped with the release of Peace Or Love.

Sophisticated harmonies, lush intricate guitar interplay, and wistful Indie Pop is the order of the day. The two songs that feature a guest turn from Feist are perfectly complementary to the nuances of the album as a whole with “Love is A Lonely” thing as sparse as you might think given the song title.

This is a good gentle mood setting of a record that would serve nicely as an afternoon-listen precursor to kicking out the jams later in the evening. If you are a fan of the new Brothers Brother record or the latest from Catus Blossoms, then The Kings of Convenience is your new mellow jam.

Husband – Cut The Light

There is not an awful lot to be found in terms of an on-line presence regarding this U.K.-based band that seems to specialize in stylistic anthems with a lead singer that floats somewhere between Bono and Iggy Pop. The songwriting is smart and evocative and the arrangements are sometimes brood-ridden and pulsating, often in the same song.

Cut The Light is their debut record, yet it sounds like the product of a band that has spent many years honing their craft. Introduce yourself with a first-listen of “What A World,” a song that has a bit of a mid-era Bowie quality to it, and work your way through “Cages,” an epic crescendo of a song that will take you on a journey in a taut, brilliantly constructed 3:04 that will leave you wanting to learn more about this enigmatic band.

Styx – Crash of the Crown

Crash of the Crown is the 17th proper Styx studio album and even after all these years under the bridge the band still sounds like Styx. And, that is a very good thing. With the core of the OG band, James Young, Tommy Shaw, and Chuck Pannoza present and accounted for going strong and sounding great, and the gang vocals led by Dennis DeYoung’s extremely able replacement Lawrence Gowen are Stirling vintage Styx.

“Our Wonderful Lives” could have been from the Grand Illusion sessions, “Reveries” has a bit of a rock savoir-faire inherent in the song that would have fit in nicely on Pieces of Eight, and “Monster” could have even come from the Equinox days.

Starting from the Queen sounding opener “The Flight of Our Lives” to the closing refrains of “Stream” This a great record by a once, now, and future great band.

The Tremelo Beer Gut – You Can’t Handle …. The Tremelo Beer Gut

Sort of the Danish version of Los Straitjackets, the capsule bio of the band that declares “If you were to listen to just one Danish instrumental, Spaghetti Western, surf band influenced by Dick Dale, Duane Eddy and Ennio Morricone, who has been intermittently making music since 1998, make it The Tremolo Beer Gut” pretty much tells you all you need to know about these Surf-Noir rockers.

This new release coming 13 years after their last proper long-player is another rousing slab of retro rockers that are tight, surf-inspired originals that stand on the shoulders of Dick and Duane but also maintain a personality all their of their own thanks to the bobbing and weaving of the textures with different nuances exposed song to song. The relaxed swing of the bluesy “Date at the Slow Club” would be among the slower songs in the set with the Spy-Noir of “Codename Tremstar” ramping up the Austin Powers vibe several notches.

With Jon Spencer along with his wife Cristina making an appearance on the Surf-Western influenced “Hey Hello,” The stage is set to light up the Tiki torches, crank up The Mai Tais, and party like it’s 1959.

Amy Helm – What the Flood Leaves Behind

Returning to her dad’s studio built in Levon’s Woodstock home, Amy Helm delivers a set of gospel-tinged beauties that bring the funk with “Breathing,” plays it forward with Dad’s mandolin on “Are We Running Out of Love,” and professes true love on “Terminal B.”

With every song ringing true and honest with clear vocals in the Mary Chapin Carpenter mold along with a set of songs that seem to embrace the past while at the same time setting the dials towards an optimistic future. 

“Sweet Mama” may be one of the best songs that your ears enjoy all year.