Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (October 23, 2020)

Boom Goes the Dynamite, it was a great week for new releases this time around. The Boss is back with a set of comfort food E-Street anthems, the Mothership has landed with a new Bootsy record, and there are tons more golden nuggets to savor on this yellow brick road journey this week.

The mighty Chris Stapleton is out with a burning Country-Rock anthem “Arkansas,” that would be a perfect driving song for taking a pit stop in Little Rock and driving down the road with your COVID hair flowing in the wind. If you haven’t’ heard any of Stapleton’s music other than “Tennessee Whiskey” do your ears a solid and let your freak flag fly.

The great-great-great granddaughters and Rock is the New Roll favorites Larkin Poe perform their Blues Rock magic live from Carter Vintage Guitars.

And, Southern rockers Black Stone Cherry give us a summer anthem in October with their new video for “In Love With the Pain.”

Here are 5 fresh new pieces of fruit we picked for your listening pleasure this week.

Shemekia Copeland – Uncivil War

Nine albums in Shemekia Copeland, daughter of Johnny Copeland, really should be more of a household name than she currently is. Her unique and incendiary  Blues-Rock-Soul style can go belter back of the barroom to Gospel and beyond at the drop of a tonsil. Her newest effort, Uncivil War Puts all of her immense talents on full display, and then some. “Walk Until I Ride” is an update Gospel number, The Opener “Clotilda’s On Fire” featuring guitar licks that would make daddy proud is an anti-slavery anthem for the modern-day that is about the last slave ship to arrive on our shores long after slavery was declared illegal, and the cover of the Stones “Under My Thumb” takes on a completely new meaning from the voice of someone that has endured domestic abuse on her own home front.

I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – Razzmatazz

It is ear-boggling to consider that a band that was trying to break-out and reach a wider audience would give themselves a name that is largely confusing and mostly un-googleable. And, that is exactly what this band, known to insiders as the equally ear-scratching monicker of iDKHOW, have done mostly distracting from the fact that this band from Salt Lake City, Utah is one heck of a diversely talented Alt-Pop/Power Pop band of the highest musical order. Their latest record, Razzmatazz has touchstones embedded within it pretty much covering just about every musical genre you can think of including leanings towards our beloved Jellyfish. From the Devo and Talking Heads by way of The Cars and Duran Duran aura of the opener “Leave Me Alone” to the Rufus Wainright by way of Queen beauty of “Nobody Likes The Opening Band” and on to the Marc Bolan Night at the Opera refrain of the mostly morbid “From The Gallows” there is diversity at every turn that will have you coming back to this one for several more listens.

Kurt Baker – After Party

If Power Pop is your jam, and if it’s not you don’t have enough fun in your life, then the new Kurt Baker opus, After Party, needs to be your new weekend guilty pleasure. Taking a break from the more Garage/Nuggets intensity of his Kurt Baker Combo, a Little Steven’s Underground Garage perennial favorite, for a more Jangle Pop sound that brings to mind Elvis Costello of the current vintage and the later day fare of Greg Kihn, The Raspberries, and maybe even Marshall Crenshaw. “Wandering Eyes” is pure EC “Watching The Detectives” energy, “She Don’t Really Love You” is a little ramshackle in the Replacements mode, and the Closer “Outta Site” even has a unique “Jessie’s Girl” vibe to it. Play this one twice and all of the COVID wax will be blown out of your ears and you will be in a better headspace.

Jeff Tweedy – Love Is The King

If ever there was a record perfectly suited to spinning with your feet up, a fire roaring with a tumbler of fine whiskey firmly in hand, this would be that record in a perfect place at exactly the right time. Recorded at his studio loft in Chicago and written over a span of 14 days in what became one song everyday writing sessions, this Tweedy solo album started out as a Country record that eventually ended up to be a universal balm to help to heal whatever might be troubling you. “Even I Can See” sounds like a long lost Townes Van Zant anthem, “Save It For Me” has a Dylan by way of Bright Eyes pallor to it, and the title track “Love Is King” pretty much says it all. You may not know it just yet, but you really need this record right now in your life.

Bootsy Collins – The Power Of One

Beam down the mother ship Bootsy Collins is back, and it’s like he never left. There is no real re-making of the Funky template here, just some friends sitting in on a stress-free funkadelic late-night jam, and we are all invited to join the party. George Benson jumps on in with the title track, Ellis Hall, also known as The Ambassador of Soul, classes up the joint on “Slide Eazy” while big band Jazz front-man Christian McBride takes you behind the scenes to “Funkship Area-51” and co-conspirator Larry Graham lays down the groove on what might be the cover song of the year on this even more funky, if that’s even possible, version of Sly’s epic song “If You Want Me To Stay.” And, make sure that you don’t sleep on the exquisite saxophone of Branford Marsalis on “Club Funkateers” as a palate cleanser after a fine funky new meal the likes of which you haven’t been able to savor in quite a while.

Friday Night Fever – Five Songs To Rock Your Friday Night World

 

A new feature in Rock is the new Roll. Five groovy singles to rock your Friday Night World.

The Amplifier Heads – Rave Up

A blast of Rock and roll energy that would play perfectly well at CBGB’s.

Small Town Titans – Rufflin’ Feathers

This power trio from York, Pa draw their inspiration from present-day rockers Royal Blood, Foo Fighters, and Deep Purple. Listen to their earth scorching new single “Rufflin’ Feathers.”

Larkin Poe – Fly Away

Larkin Poe, distant relatives to Edgar Alan Poe put heir own blues stomp signature on the classic Lenny Kravitz single.

When Rivers Meet – Battleground

This old-school blues-rock duo consisting of husband and wife team Grace and Aaron Bond is a thumping combination of John Lee Hooker and The White Stripes if Meg did the singing instead of Jack that is. Heady stuff, indeed.

Mason Hill – Against The Wall

This band of Scottish twenty-somethings seems to be in it to win it. Scorching guitars, gang vocals, these boys are right around the corner from hitting the big time.

 

 

What We’re Listening To: October 18, 2020

Daniel Romano’s Outfit – How Ill Thy World Is Ordered

Not sure how he does it in the middle of a pandemic, but this dude, Daniel Romano has released tons of material while the rest of us are just sitting around watching our hair grow. His latest record, the funkily named How Ill Thy World Is Ordered is a belter and should be up for album of the year consideration. The epic tune “A Rat Without A Tail” is Marc Bolan T-Rex and George Harrison inspired perfection.

The Brothers Steve #1

Once you drop the needle down on “We Got The Hits” from The Brother Steves latest record, #1, you will be hooked and be on your way to coolness a-go-go. With a hip ’60s almost girl group vibe these guys, only one of them is called Steve, are fun, quirky, and mojo-groovy. Think David Bowie covering The Monkees and you will have pretty much nailed it.

The Bookends – Calliope

Born only 12 days apart cousins Karen Lynn and Sharon Lee deliver a swirling potion of ’60s Bubblegum Pop, slicing Rickenbacker guitars, cool organ riffs, and Revolver era Beatles ecstasy. “She’s Got It” is a Nuggets worthy Garage Rock stomper, and “Keep Keeping On” has a distinct “Taxman” vibe about it. Heady stuff, indeed.

Rose Abbott – Magnified

The Laura Nyro inspired title track from her upcoming record, Magnified, has our ears doing cartwheels awaiting the proper full-length.

GospelBeacH – Baby (It’s All Your Fault)

GospelbeacH is one of our favorite bands of recent vintage. On this single from an intimate and acoustic performance at London’s famous Betsy Trotwood pub the essence of the band is framed to sublime perfection.

J.D. Simo – Soul of a Man

This scorcher of a song courtesy of the guitar player’s guitarist J.D. Simo steps out from fronting his own band and goes solo. This cover of a Blind Willie Johnson tune lays the ground bare taking no prisoners.

Live Video of the Day: Heart – Stairway To Heaven (Kennedy Center Honors)

This one never gets old. Jason Bonham, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page sitting next to John Paul Jones, Heart along with gospel backing and a full choir, Simply exquisite. Here’s hoping there can be a comeback for events like this one sponsored by the White House.

Five Cool Ones: Five Cool Records Released This Week (October 16, 2020)

Things are kickin’ on the music front this week. Plenty of musicians have released songs into the atmosphere in advance of albums to be released in the next 45 days or so, there are a lot of pandemic-centric tunes hitting the streets, and old favorites are reminding us why they are great.

Sir Elton continues to dribble songs we have not previously heard, this time with “Here’s to the Next Time” a song that was originally written with Bernie Taupin in 1967 from his recently released Jewels E.P.

Lana Del Rey takes things low and mostly slow with her ode to lovemaking with “Love Me Like A Woman.”

And, Rock is the New Roll favorite Dave Alvin is back, front and center with a scorching version of Highway 61 Revisited in his own unique Roots Rock fashion.

Here are five really cool records our ears are getting jiggy with this week.

The Struts – Strange Days

Ears, down our favorite real and true Rock and Roll band in the last five years, Luke Spiller along with his band The Struts are back and as Glam-fastic as ever. Wearing the Queen, Def Leppard, and AC/DC crown with honor, this new record dials down the showmanship and dials up the guitar riffs most noticeably on “Cool” and “Wild Child,” a song that features Tom Morello. This is a band that is maturing before our very ears, heck they even throw in an “Angie” style ballad that is part Rolling Stones and part Black Crowes. Strap your ears on and enjoy. Just start on song number two and skip the title track that features Robbie Williams. But the literal call-in from Def Leppard’s Joe Eliot on “I Hate How Much I Want You” on the chorus is wicked fun.

Low Cut Connie – Private Lives

One of our favorite bands of recent vintage has released one of our favorite records of the year. Becoming known as one of the bands on President Obama’s personal playlist as well as for their incendiary live shows and over the top quarantine sessions, Andrew Weiner and his bandmates are delivering piano rock to the masses the likes of which we haven’t seen since the early Leon Russell days. Favorites are sprinkled all over this thing with standouts that include the title track, the slow burn of “Help Me,” a song we all need to help us hang in there during troubled times, and the almost Dawes evoking “Take A Little Ride Downtown.” This is a terrific set of tunes that deserve to have more ears sent their way.

Herbie Mann: It’s A Funky Thing: The Very Best of Herbie Mann

Taking a walk on the Jazzy side of the fence, the great Flautist Herbie Mann is out with the greatest hits package that is perfect for the Jazz aficionado, lovers of the mojo vibe of the ’60s, or just folks that like great music in general. Spit polished with enhanced quality versions of the classics, every song on this one is a classic must-hear magic carpet ride. Not quite like the originals in some cases, there are several versions and renditions on this that feature vocalists including Tamiko Jones on “A Man and a Woman,” Carmen McRae on “Live For Life,”  and Cissy Houston on Cajun Moon. The song “Push Push Pt. 1” presented here is worth the price of admission alone and “Respect Yourself” is perfectly sublime.

Seaway – Big Vibe

With more hooks than an episode of Dangerous Catch Canadian Pop-Funk outfit Seaway offers up an anthemic brand of Festival Rock that is as exuberant as it is hooky. The ’80’s Power Pop influences are floating around this one for sure, but ’90’s Indie-Punk in the Green Day mold may be a better touchpoint.” Still Blue” is a festival-ready, if festivals ever become a thing again, romper, “Sweet Sugar” takes things a bit slower and even has a scent of The Cars, and “Peach” could easily have been an ’80s Cheap Trick tune. This one is the ’80’s Teen movie soundtrack from a film that was never made.

Joey Molland – Be True To Yourself

As the sole remaining member of Badfinger and 1 of only 2 members of the band that did not commit suicide, Pete Ham died in 1975 and Tom Evans passed away in 1983, Joey Molland is keeping the spirit of one of the best Power Pop Bands ever to strum a chord very much alive in 2020. Lush and Beatlesque to the core, just like Badfinger, this record is a bit of a throw-back with a lot of present-day spit and polish thrown in for good measure. Produced by Mark Hudson, of the Hudson Brothers’ fame along with serving as part of The Boneyard Boys a group of songwriters that wrote a bunch of the latter-day Aerosmith hits, Hudson produced records for Neil Diamond and Ringo Starr among others. An extremely likable listen,  there are elements of Ringo and George Harrison solo efforts here as well as a whiff of Jeff Lynn and Electric Light Orchestra thrown in for good measure. “Better Tomorrow” is a G. Harrison inspired highlight as is the E.L.O. measured tones of “All I Want To Do.”

We certainly can’t have Badfinger Back, but mad props to an artist that had gone through hell and back again for the sake of his art.

 

 

Album of the Day: Dangereens – Tough Luck

Wham glam thank you, ma’am. If you close your eyes while listening to this glam-tastic new release from Montreal’s premier foot-stomping retro band, Dangereens, you might think you have been dropped into a time warp taking you back to 1975.

The influences and touchpoints are pretty straightforward, but that does not make them any less delicious. Marc Bolan, The Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy, Hanoi Rocks, pretty much every Rock and Roll band you hold dear to your ears makes an appearance here. Heck, there even is a steady fragrance of epic-era Kinks on this set of odes to coolness.

Chuck Berry Riffs and T Rex Glam share the stage with older than their years’ songwriting chops, New York Dolls swagger, and blouse wearing torsos. This one has Rock and Roll record of the year written all over it.