Five Cool Ones: Five New (ish) Artists That Should Be On Your Radar

Here are five new artists who are in heavy rotation in the halls of Rock is the New Roll H.Q.

John R. Miller

Cutting his teeth playing with guitar bands in the Shenandoah Valley, John R. Miller soon added the fiddle to his oeuvre which started his Americana journey. His grit, storytelling acumen, and countrified sensibilities are on full display on his latest record, The Great Unknowning.

These Wicked Rivers

Shades of Deep Purple, these Derby-based riff machines deliver a swagger that is palpable. Their upcoming record, Fire and Folklore., should be a scorcher. Coming from an ethos just before grunge scorched the earth, consider them living proof that the guitar solo in rock bands is alive and well.

Ghosthounds

The rustling of the leaves that you are hearing is the buzz surrounding this band of newcomers that combine an outlaw heft with a lead singer with soulful pipes that brings to the mind’s ear the devil child of Darius Rucker and Sam Cooke. The new record, Justified, comes out in August.

Zac Schulze Gang

Their cover of Tony Dowler’s Robert Johnson inspired “Hellbounds On My Trail” tells you all you need to know about this band and their reason for living. Brash, swinging hard and chest out is the way they go about their business.

Sam Elmore

Once a fixture on the D.C. punk scene, Sam Elmore turned his skills to a more eclectic Americana, Roots Rock bent. Think The Hold Steady with a side order of the Waterboys with some serious songwriting chops.

His latest long player, It’s All On Fire, is out now.

Five Cool Ones: Some Rock With A Little Bit of Roll

Buckcherry – Gun

From Buckcherry’s ninth record Hellbound, the band is starting to take themselves more seriously. The killer harmonica intro and the Aerosmith-worthy grooves make this one a hip-shaking groover.

Houndmouth – Make It Midnight

The first single released from their upcoming record, Good For You, this one takes things low and slow on this Americana-tinged late-nite noir beauty.

Blurred Vision – Dear John

Released in support of the John Lennon War Child charity, “Dear John” features the UK/Canadian/Iranian prog-rockers alongside Peter Frampton and Mollie Mariott. This one evokes the spirit of John Lennon with more love than any we have heard in quite some time.

Starbenders – No One Listened

Carrying the torch for new wave glam rock, Starbenders are out with a new single and artistically cool video in advance of a proper release late in the year. Frontward Kimi Shelter puts her best Marc Bolan Ziggy Stadust foot forward on this one.

Ghost Hounds – Between Me and the Devil

Blending Blues, Soul, and Rock and Roll, Pittsburgh rockers Blues Hounds are as good as it gets. Just ask The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top, both bands inviting them out on the road in 2019.