What We’re Listening To Sunday (October 11, 2020)

The wheels are turning and the tunes are spinning sometimes faster than we can keep up. So many great bands, so little time. Here are some of the bands and artists we have been checking out this week.

Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts

Ever since his band broke up over record company legal wrangling ex Biters frontman Tuk Smith has been plotting his return to the big time with the formation of his new band The Restless Hearts. Luckily, we are treated with a few little breadcrumbs in the form of some sweet singles as an appetizer to the main course to be delivered early 2021.

Christopher Shayne – Pour the Bottle

Sort of a devil hybrid of Guns ‘N’ Roses and ZZ Top, this guy throws down hard-edged Southern Rock with an edge that would make Blackberry Smoke blush.

Carla Bruni – Rien Que L’extase

Translated from French as “Nothing But Extasy we would say that description is pretty spot-on in describing this va-voom live video from chanteuse Carla Bruni’s latest record, Carla Bruni. Just to see the sleeves cut-off Harley T she is sporting is worth the price of admission alone on this one.

Haybaby – Get Down

Sort of Grunge Pop this slow build anthem to being comfortable in your own skin reaches deep into the soul and stays there for a while.

Goat Girl – Sad Cowboy

This lose yourself swirling Techno-Pop beauty is in advance of a new record, On All Fours, coming out later in the year.

 

Five Cool Ones: Five (More) Reasons Rock Is Not Dead

Proving once again that Rock is not dead, you just have to look a bit harder to find it, here are five artists that are waiving the Rock and Roll flag.

JJ Wilde – Ruthless

At the tender age of 26, rocker JJ Wilde quit the three jobs she was working and sold her soul for Rock and Roll. Self-describing her style as raw, rough, and full of honesty her latest record Ruthless shimmers, smolders, and burns like a female Jack White.

The Glorious Sons – A War On Everything

Already an arena-ready band when they first hit our ear-waves, The Glorious Sons is a timeless, taut slice of Rock and Roll heaven. Meandering from straight-ahead Rock and Roll one moment to low and slow-burning in the Bad Company mold the next, with songs as tight as “Spirit To Break” along with the gloriousness of the title track from 2019’s A War On Everything it’s a real wonder why these guys are not more well known.

The Luka State – Rooms On Fire

There may not be a better-monikered album in 2020 than The Luka States latest record, Rooms on Fire. Hailing from Chesire, England these young cats are announcing themselves quite nicely with their mini-album, 7 songs clocking in at just under 22 minutes. There is no time to rest here as each song seems to build on the last with the intensity and bombast increasing incrementally. From the stunning “[Insert Girls Name Here]” to the euphoric “Feel It” if this one doesn’t make you feel alive there is something wrong with you.

The Blue Stones – Let It Ride

The Blue Stones, essentially Tarak Jafar on lead vocals and guitar along with Justin Tessier (drums and backing vocals). are slow-walking their first proper record to be released later in the year with a succession of highly listenable Rock and Roll Nuggets leaving us most definitely wanting more. “Let It Ride” is a Black Keys style rocker, and “Careless” has more of an R&B flair to it.

The Blinders – Fantasies of A Stay At Home Psychopath

Already scorching the earth as one of the bands that should restore your faith in Rock and Roll, The Blinders have already taken over their adopted home town of Manchester and are poised to take over the rest of the world. With a visceral Post-Punk attitude their unique approach to their craft almost deserves its own genre, Punk-Adelic would pretty much fit the bill.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (October 9, 2020)

What the selections lack in quantity this week they are more than making things up with the subtle nuances inherent in many of the releases. Given that the Christmas release blackout period is right around the corner lets try to savor some gems while we can.

If you were asking yourself if we needed another Elton John greatest hits re-packaging like we are getting in his latest hits-fest, Diamonds, the answer would be a resounding “heck no, enough already.” But, if living with this excess means we get to hear the psychedelic splendor of a never before released John/Taupin composition called “Regimental Sgt. Zippo,” color us all in.

And, if that is not cool enough for your delicate ears, AC/DC is back with the prodigal son Brian Johnson returning to the fold in fine vocal form. Their new record, Power Up, will blast your ears off in November.

And, if you are looking for a little more musical diversity, there’s always room on the Jazz train and the Big Band of Brothers celebration of all things Allman Brothers.

Here are five particular cool nuggets our ears were hip to this week.

Blue Oyster Cult – The Symbol Remains

Even though they never really have stopped touring, Blue Oyster Cult’s latest record The Symbol Remains is the band’s first proper record since 2001’s Curse of the Hidden Mirror. And, what a record this one is. With only two members remaining from the classic lineup in Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom, there is still a lot of rock in the roll energy exuded on virtually every track. Careening between classic hard rock, blues boogie, AOR, stadium anthems, and even rootsy garage rockers, the album is almost a track by track historical tour of the band’s entire career.

The lead-off single “That Was Me” could have easily snuggled in there on Agents of Fortune right there between “True Confessionals” and “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Box In My Head” is a perfect complement that belongs in the Secret Treaties era, and “Stand and Fight” is a perfectly framed biker anthem. Favorites include the Jon Lord organ inflected “The Return of St. Cecile” that has sort of a “Boy’s Are Back In Town” vibe, and “Train True (Lennie’s Song) is a high-stepping rockabilly rave-up.

Recorded and mixed mostly during a pandemic the production value is first-rate, the mixing polished as tight as the skin on an apple, and the sequencing and tempo changes are as ear-pleasing as you can get. I am not sure if Blue Oyster Cult has anything left in the tank after this magnificent effort, but unlike some of their ’70s rock peers including recently Tesla, Def Leppard, and Black Oak Arkansas, all releasing tepid album versions of their former selves, this new record rivals some of the bands best work, era be damned.

Bahamas – Sad Hunk

Sad Hunk is the fifth studio record that Afie Jurnaven has recorded under his moniker Bahamas making us glad that this Canadian artist has stepped out from backing the likes of Feist and Jason Collett to wander into his own space. Flowing like a bit more amped up Jack Johnson there is even a bit of the spirit of Prince in the two opening songs “Trick To Happy” and “Own Alone.” There is a spirited ’70s Folk-Rock soul on “Done Me No Good” and “Can’t” complain evokes the ghost of Cat Stevens. The song “Less Than Love” would have fit in quite nicely on Boz’ Silk Degrees. This one is the sorely needed escapist chill vibing beautiful noise you need in your life right now.

The Budos Band – Long in the Tooth

As referenced in the album title itself, this Staten Island-based horn-centric band has been around a long time, and yet still seem to be as vibrant as ever. Blending African rhythms, N.O. style second-line horns, funky organs, and psychedelic swirls into an eclectic mix of groovy soundscapes. The song “Sixth Hammer” has a baritone sax solo that will rattle your skeleton, “Snake Hawk” could have been used as the soundtrack for any ’60s science fiction movie, and “Dusterado” is a classic spaghetti Western gunfight in the middle of main street fare. Brevity is the order of the day on this record with no song exceeding 4:00 and most of them in the 3:00 or less range giving less room for expanded riffing and provides for a more textured and varied listen.

Garcia Peoples – Nightcap at Wits End

When a jam band decides to focus a bit more and write songs for those of us that don’t have the attention span to listen to 18-minute open-ended twin-guitar wranglings the results can be pretty ear-pleasing. Here, New Jersey’s own Garcia Peoples have distilled their sound into a less is more set of tunes that provides the listener with a perfect representation of the band in 12 songs weighing in at just under 49 minutes.

The through-line stretching out from from the  Prog-lite of “Altered Times,” the Grateful Dead-inspired psychedelic inspiration of “Painting a Vision That Carries,” along with the Jefferson Airplane by way of Krautrock drone of “A Reckoning” will give you a glimpse of an immensely talented band that certainly will garner more ears into the fold with this set of highly digestible and enormously addicting tunes.

Brothers Osborne – Skeleton

As much as I have been really trying not to like Brothers Osborne with the Nashville hits-factory stench we rightly or wrongly associate with brothers John and T.J. Osborne, my ears won’t fail me now and with their latest long-player, Skeleton, they have suckered me back in. Here, on their third album the Rock and Boogie is amped up a bit more and the Honky Tonk vibe takes on more of an Outlaw Country flavor with a bit of Rock and a little bit of Roll thrown in for good measure. The opener “Lighten Up” is an out and out rocker and should be a terrific festival anthem, “All Night” is a bit of Bro-Country, but when done this earnestly that is not such a bad thing, and the spirit of Mighty Merle even joins the party on “Back on the Bottle.”

Throw in “Dead Man’s Curve,” definitely no relation to the Jan and Dean song, a burning tune of redemption as long as you make it through dead man’s curve, along with the gentle glide of “High Note” and what you have here is a band that blends Country, Pop, Rock, and Americana better than pretty much anyone in the business. And that is a beautiful thing and a feast for the ears.

 

Album of the Day: Born Ruffians – Squeeze

Born Ruffians – Squeeze (4 out of 5)

It’s not often, and actually, it’s pretty cool when a band will deliver two extremely listenable Power Pop gems a scant 6 months from each other and deliver this strongly on both fronts. And, Power Pop mavens Born Ruffians have done just that. After having put together enough material for multiple records, at the bare minimum a double album, the band chose to follow up their April release Juice with this October digital-only follow-up effort, Squeeze. 

From the opening track, “Sentimental Saddle,” a song that takes you on a semi-psychedelic journey swirling left-turns aplenty with Crazy Horse worthy harmonica escapades, swirling keyboards, and layered harmonies topped off with Beach Boys Holland influences on the back-end, the trip that lies ahead can be nothing but groovy. And It Is.

“30th Century War” has sort of a Kinks by way of The Talking Heads feel to it, the song “Waylaid” features Hannah Georgas on vocals is a solid bass line driven Indie Rock song, and “Sinking Ships” is anthemic in all the right places and is a centerpiece of the record.

There is a pure Pop super-sheen on the earworm-worthy “Rainbow Superfriends” that will stick with you long after your first listen, and the festival-ready “Noodle Soup” goes a bit deeper in understanding the need to take care of each other.

This record is everything you would want in an album that provides a solid listen. Songs with a message, pop-hooks abounding, and enough varied textures and turns to make you want to go to the listening well more deeply with each subsequent listen.

 

Album of the Day: Blitzen Trapper – Holy Smokes Future Jokes

Blitzen Trapper – Holy Smokes Future Jokes (4 out of 5)

The overall inspiration for Holy Smokes Future Jokes, the latest record from Indie Rock band Blitzen Trapper centers around the concept of Bardo, that transitional period between death and rebirth. existential stuff, for sure. There’s even a lyric that references smoking dope with Lincoln in a Chrysler on a hill on “Dead Billie Jean” that emphasizes the concept. But, dismiss this record as hippy-dippy nonsense at your own peril. The album has a real comforting ’60s folk fell instrumentally with a distinct George Harrison penned Beatles vibe, most notably on the title track. “Masonic Temple Microdose #1” is prime “Loser” era Beck, and “Sons and Unwed Mothers” is poignantly beautiful.

The melodies are varied and the harmonies are as tight as the skin on an apple. The lyrics may take a bit of headphone time to absorb properly, but the ear-time effort is well worth it. The best way to enjoy this one is to give it a couple of solid runs allowing the record to envelop your senses. Then go back to it, maybe after giving it a couple hours rest, and focus on the lyrics. The experience will be not quite life-changing, but close.

 

 

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (10/2/2020)

The gems are out there this week, for sure, but you just need to dig a bit deeper. Bon Jovi is out with yet another record, The Drive-By Truckers show up, and there’s even a hint of Brian Johnson making a comeback with AC/DC. Rock is the New Roll favorite Glen Hughes and his band The Dead Daisies are out with yet another single from the new record, c’mon boys, release the album already.

Orianthi is proving she does her best work without her ball and chain Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora.

And, Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown are returning us to Rock and Roll sanity with their new Covic-19 burst of energy.

 

And, if that’s not enough, here are five records our ears have been hipped to this week.

Dawes – Good Luck With Whatever

Dawes is one of those bands that is a bit like your favorite sweater. It has been around a while, is supremely comfortable, and you know just where to find it when you need a little warmth in your life. And, Good Luck With Whatever the seventh album from Laurel Canyon rockers Dawes is pretty much what everybody needs right about now. Never straying too far from the Dawes California cool by way of Jackson Browne vibe there are nuggets everywhere to enjoy. “Still Feel Like a Kid” provides the health advice that it is ok to age but try not to get old, “St. Augustine At Night” celebrates the simple life and the simple joys and familiarity one’s home-town, and “Who Do You Think You’re Talking To” breezes along in a “Somebody’s Baby” sort of way Jackson Browne way. Recorded at the historic RCA studios in Nashville and produced by super knob-twirler Dave Cobb, this is Dawes at the absolute height of their powers.

The Nude Party – Midnight Manor

Over the last couple of years, Rock and Roll bands like Rookie, White Reaper, and Massive Wagons have announced themselves as one of the torch-bearers of good old-fashioned feel-good Rock and Roll. And, the boys in Nude Party with their latest record Midnight Manor as exhibit A, certainly deserve to be mentioned in that Pantheon. It is not often that a sophomore record can outshine a stellar debut, but here, in this case, the band has definitely stepped their game up several musical notches. Sure there are touch-points plenty, The Rolling Stones, Velvet Underground, T-Rex, just to name a trio of them, but make no mistake, this band is their own unique animal. The opener, “Lonely Heather” shares some DNA with Mott’s “All The Way From Memphis,” “Shine Your Light” will bring to mind Todd Rundgren, and “Thirsty Drinking Blues” is epic-era Jagger and the Stones. “Pardon Me Satan” even has a bit of a Latin tinge to it to add even more diversity to a record that satisfies at every turn. Don’t be surprised if this one gets some best album votes when the end of the year rolls around.

 

Queen + Adam Lambert – Live Around the World

Putting aside that there will be those that will not give this record, or this version of the band, the ear-time of day, here at Rock is the New Roll we have always felt that putting Freddie’s Olympian vocal prowess aside, Queen was always been about the masterful songwriting and the next-level musicianship courtesy mostly of guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. And here, Queen fans get to experience the absolute power of a fully formed Queen concert in front of their very ears. On this set, concert footage from all parts of the globe including Brazil, England, Australia, and beyond has been compiled into a greatest hits package that will blow your ears away and soothe your rock and roll soul. Personal highlights are the scorched-earth version of “Hammer to Fall,” the now-iconic recreation of the Live-Aid performance of “Radio Ga Ga,” and the anthemic “We Will Rock You”/”We Are The Champions” that fittingly brings the record to a climactic conclusion.

Hello Forever – Whatever It Is

Pay close attention to this band. In an era where it seems to be cool to jump in the studio, cut 12 songs in 3 days, and release a record to the unsuspecting public, this Psych-Pop group tracked their debut record, Hello Forever, over 200 individual recording sessions, time very much well spent based on the pristine production and attention to detail that is on full display on virtually every song of this fine album. The Brian Wilson soaring and background harmony influence is definitely a call-out here as is Vampire Weekend and Electric Light Orchestra. And, the elongated vocal runs courtesy of lead singer and songwriter Samuel Joseph are definitely Freddie Mercurian. If you like Doo-Wop, Soul, Arena Rock, or even West Coast Folk-Rock, then this highly polished record is your go-to jam.

The Jaded Hearts Club – You’ve Always Been There

What do you get when putting together a band that consists of front-men from two different bands, Miles Kane (Last Shadow Puppets) and Nic Cester (Jet), along with various members of Blur, Muse, and The Zutons? One hell of a covers, and more band, that’s what. Chock full of semi-obscure Motown covers and semi-known rock classics you will know by ear if not by name, this record will take you on a drive down nostalgia avenue in a convertible with the roof down. Most of these tunes fully stick the landing, most notably the version of The Four Tops “Reach Out “I’ll Be There” and Screaming Jay’s “I Put A Spell On You.” But, speaking truth to power, “Fever” is best left unheard and Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again” that starts things out as a sort of introduction weighing in at just under one minute could have easily been left out. And realistically, does anyone want to hear any rendition of “Money, That’s What I Want” in this day and age?