Tag: Joanne Shaw Taylor

Five Cool Ones: Five New Rock Songs On Our Turntable Now

It might just be our ears playing tricks on us, but suddenly, 2021 is shaping up to be a banner year for rock as well as roll.

On that front, here are five rock and rollers we are listening to this week in the offices of Rock is the New Roll.

Samantha Fish – Twisted Ambition

The latest incarnation of Samantha Fish has her shedding her pure Blues gills in favor of a more Blues-Rock Bonnie Raitt style. If her song “Twisted Ambition,” a single released in anticipation of a proper full-length record later in the year, is any indication, it should be a scorcher.

Gorilla Riot – Drowned

This band from Manchester walks the dangerous Grunge Rock streets with aplomb as they channel their inner Pearl Jam as well as the softer corners of Soundgarden’s oeuvre.

The Picturebooks – Catch Me If You Can

This boot stomper of a track features Blackstone Cherry frontman Chris Robertson on a loose-limbed scorcher that goes down like a cocktail served by The MC-5 with Lenny Kravitz ready to buy the next round.

Georgia Thunderbolts – Be Good To Yourself

The young bucks in the Georgia Thunderbolts maintain all of the soul inherent in the Frankie Miller original while adding just enough rock and roll swagger to make this one a contemporary yet timeless classic. The new record, Can I Get a Witness, comes out on October 15.

Joanne Shaw Taylor – If That Ain’t a Reason

With his recent move to Nashville, around the corner from the Ryman, serving to inspire his creative muse, here, he handles the knob-twirling duties as a producer on this sterling true-to-form Joanne Shaw Taylor cover version of the Little Milton tune. Look for some more killer blues-influenced cuts set for release later in the year.

The Top Songs of 2019 (45-41)

There have been a lot of really great songs released in 2019. This year, we will be revealing our top 100 songs five tunes at a time all the way to number one. Here are our picks for 45-41.

45. Joanne Shaw Taylor – Reckless Heart

“Reckless Heart” the title track from her latest release is a clear step up in weight class for a Blues Rock Singer that combines the vocal prowess of Bonnie Raitt and the guitar chops of Susan Tedeschi.

44. Peter Bjorn and John – Reason To Be Reasonable

From the boys that brought you “Young Folks,” one of the top earworms of the last 20 years, they once again burrow their way into your ears with the anti-breakup song of the year. It is refreshing to hear a message that promotes trying to work things out instead of fleeing the scene when the first bit of adversity comes your way.

43. Brent Cowles – High To Low

L.A. Songwriter Brent Cowles decided full-force to write a song that wasn’t sad or negative. For this one, he decided he wanted to pen a tune that would make people dance and smile. With “High and Low” he has succeeded on all fronts in advance of a new record due early in 2020.

42. Trash Cat – Straw Girl

Trash Cat is one of those quirky bands that you will find very hard not to like once you give them a chance. The group features Mary Claxton playing the electric ukelele, Brian, her beardy jazz instructor husband, and, for good measure, you have a mohawked sax player. Hailing from Greely, Co,, this band of gypsies does not take themselves over-seriously but make no mistake, this is one talented trio as demonstrated on “Straw Girl” the lead-off single from their 2019 record, Welcome To Trash City.

41. Rufus Wainwright – Trouble In Paradise

If you are not on the Rufus Wainright bandwagon, jump on in. The water’s fine. As the son of musicians Louden Wainright III (The dead skunk in the road guy) and Kate McGarrigle, his own music is as eclectic as you can get including 7 albums and a note for note record rendition of Judy at Carnegie Hall. Here, Rufus demonstrates his Pop-Centric chops on “Trouble in Paradise” from his new record set to be released very soon.