Tag: Quaker City Nighthawks

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

 

As the page turns from one year to another, and in this case one decade to the next, it is never to soon to ponder about the future of Rock and Roll. You know, real guitars, amplifiers, drums, and Rock and Roll. Here are five more Rock bands that should be prominent in the next decade.

The Hu

Who knew that one of the more exciting innovative bands of the new decade would come out of Mongolia. These guys blend the traditional music of their homeland with hooky Western sensibilities. If the members of Pink Floyd were from Mongolia they may have sounded like these guys. Their 2019 record, The Gereg, is a game-changer and the clear winner for the Mongolian album of the year for 2019.

Crown Lands

If Rush and Led Zeppelin had a bastard love-child the proud parents would have likely named the baby Crown Lands. This Rock and Roll duo from Ontario, Canada seems to be riding just beneath the surface of the more famous saviors of Rock and Roll the likes of Rival Sons and Wolfmother. But, on their own, they are definitely a band worth watching as they prepare a new record in 2020. If you like Black Sabbath and The White Stripes, this band should be your jam.

Quaker City Night Hawks

These Texans walk the road that flows from ZZ Top to Lynyrd Skynyrd all the way to contemporaries Blackberry Smoke. No strangers to the pages of Rock is the New Roll, their 2019 record QCNH was one of the best albums of the year way back in 2019, any genre.

Bishop Gunn

Another next-big-thing-in-Southern Rock candidate, Bishop Gunn delivers on all fronts even walking over to the Soul side like they do on their Otis Redding evoking tune “Shine” from their 2018 release Natchez. Look for another record from this diverse band in early 2020.

Amyl and the Snifters

This high octane Aussie Punk band is not for everyone, but damn do they pack a punch. Led by Debbie Harry by way of Courtney Love on her worst days whirling dervish of a front-woman Amy Taylor, this band will set your hair on fire.

 

 

 

Rock is the New Roll: The Top 100 Albums of 2019 (80-71)

Here it is, the long-awaited list of the best albums of 2019. It has been a really great year for music. We heard from a couple of deceased legends in Harry Nilsson and Leonard Cohen, were treated with new records from Texas Honky Tonk legends Jack Ingram, Corb Lund, and Dale Watson, and bright lights shone for the first time with a bevy of new artists to discover including the one name wonders Lizzo and Yola.

Rock is not dead with White Reaper, Drugdealer and Balck Country Communion all inviting us to a party like it’s 1979. And of course, the singer-songwriter is back. The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, is back and better than ever and Rock is the New Roll favorite Tom Russell gave us a history lesson in 11 songs with October in the Railroad Earth.

This year we will be releasing our top 100 list 10 tasty gems at a time, so sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy the ear-pleasing top 100 records of the year.

80. The Black Keys – Let’s Rock

After spending time apart from each other going back to 2014 Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are reunited and it feels so good. Blues, Garage, and Old Soul are still at the core of their sound, but this time around there is a Joie-de-vie amplification that seems to have the band re-energized.

79. The Magpie Salute – High Water II

High Water II, the appropriately titled sequel to High Water I, comes so close to sounding like vintage Black Crowes it might as well be a reunion record. And no, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Heavy on rockers and blues-boogie with an occasional acoustic interlude thrown in for good measure with Rich Robinson providing the guitar riffage. In the battle of the brothers Robinson for world domination, Chris definitely has some catching up to do.

78. Flying Colors – Love Letter

A Progressive Rock supergroup channeling their inner Beatles and ELO, Mike Portnoy, Steve Morse, and Neal Morse join singer Carey McPherson in a harmony drizzled dose of Sunshine Pop. The song “Love Letter” is definitely worth the price of admission alone.

77. Quaker City Nighthawks – Quaker City Nighthawks

Formed in Forth Worth in 2012, the Quaker City Night Hawks are constantly and consistently refining their sound. On their latest self-titled record, they mix funky rockers with piano-led ballads. On “Suit In The Back” they look back to when they were pulled over and arrested for the possession of marijuana concentrate.

76. Allison Moorer – Blood

You will be hard-pressed to listen to a more poignant record this year as Mrs. Hayes Carll presents a biographical record in conjunction with a book release later in the year. Having been raised by her sister Shelby Lynne after her father killed her mother and turned the gun on himself, the album, as well as the book, will take you on an emotional journey that will make you feel alive.

75. Goodbye June – Community Inn

Nashville’s favorite sons Goodbye June finally deliver what should be their breakout album. Full of anthemic Southern Blues Rock with more hooks than a season of Dangerous Catch, this just might be the Rock and Roll record of the year.

74. Miranda Lambert – Wildcard

With her latest album, Wildcard, Miranda Lambert seems to be walking on the wild side after a much-publicized public divorce. Ditching her old producer in favor of Jay Joyce who twirled the knobs for Brothers Osbourne, Brandy Clark, and Ashley McBryde, there seems to be a bounce in her step that wasn’t there before. There is a bit of Swamp Funk on “Holy Water,” and 80’s Rock on “Mess With My Head.” This is a diverse and textured record that will reward multiple listens.

73. Lucille Furs – Another Land

With a Magical Mystery Tour as your tour guide, Lucille Furs and Another Land will time warp you back to superspy Austin Powers groovy bachelor pad at the blink of a mellotron.

72. Jade Bird – Jade Bird

One of the British shining stars on the Americana Folk scene, on her debut record there are soaring pop epics the likes of “Side Effects,” introspective slow burners with “My Beauty” where she sounds like Melissa Etheridge in her prime, and on the low and slow “Does Anybody Know” her songwriting talents really shine. This one will be on heavy rotation for quite a long time.

71. Black Star Riders – Another State of Grace

With a more than solid follow up to 2017’s album Heavy Fire, this band born from the ashes of Thin Lizzy continues to place themselves on the mount Rushmore of bands that are saving Rock and Roll. The song “Don’t Let Me Down” is a distant cousin to Lizzy’s “Dancing In The Moonlight and is worth the price of admission alone.” The title track is Thin Lizzy meets Dropkick Murphy’s.

Five Cool Ones: Five (More) Reasons That Rock is not Dead

Diesel Park West – Golden Mile

This Leicester band blazed on our radar way back in 1989 with their glorious debut album Shakespeare Alabama, and have never really left. On their latest record, Let It Melt, they continue to impress with their melodic riff-tastic anthems.

Quaker City Night Hawks – Suit In The Back

Formed in Forth Worth in 2012, the Quaker City Night Hawks are constantly and consistently refining their sound. On their latest self-title record they mix funky rockers with piano-led ballads. On “Suit In The Back” they look back to when they were pulled over and arrested for the possession of marijuana concentrate.

Goodbye June – Switchblade Heart

Owing a heavy debt ZZ Top and Creedence Clearwater, Breakout Nashville rockers Goodbye June, drawing on their religious upbringing, take the performance aspects of a Pentecostal revival to the Rock and Roll stage with their fiery live shows.

Flying Colors – Love Letter

A Progressive Rock supergroup channeling their inner Beatles and ELO, Mike Portnoy, Steve Morse and Neal Morse join singer Carey McPherson in a harmony drizzled dose of Sunshine Pop.

Black Stone Cherry – Me & The Devil Blues

Kentucky rockers Black Stone Cherry really drill down deep into the blues with this Robert Johnson cover from their second Blues tribute album Back to the Blues 2.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (March 1, 2019)

The year keeps rambling along with some real nice records released this week. The Flamin’ Groovies have the reiissue of the year in the bag already with a new pressing of Gonna Rock Tonight! The Complete Recordings 1969 to 1971. Royal Trux finally puts out a proper album on Fat Possum Records, and Art Rockers Japanese House released Good at Falling.

Here are five really excellent records that have caught our ear-tention.

Cats in Space – Day Trip to Narnia

Cats in Space would have fit in quite nicely in your late 70’s into the early album collection right up next to Toto, Foreigner, there are even shades of Boston and early era Journey on this one. Don’t sleep on the Rock opus “The Story of Johnny Rocket I to VII. There is a lot of Kansas on that epic song cycle.

Dee White – Southern Gentlemen

It is hard to believe that this Southern Gentleman is only 20 years old. Another really excellent find from the Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound, Dee White has a vintage songwriters ear for a melody. His smooth delivery and vintage old school production, complete with strings in just the right places, will bring you back to early Glen Campbell and Roy Orbison.

Quaker City Nighthawks – QCNH

Combining the greasy strut of 70’s Rock with Texas Blues and you get the Quaker City Nighthawks. A diverse listen that gets more compelling with each listen it is hard to tell if these guys are more influenced by Creedence Clearwater, Neil Young, or Tom Waits. If Blackberry Smoke were only a bit less country they would sound like these guys.

Durand Jones & The Indications – American Love Call

A vintage 70’s R&B sound with a modern day political bent. With dual vocals Durand Jones and drummer Aaron Frazer, Jackie Wilson along with Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions will be an immediate comparison. This a a terrific record and would have been made by Marvin Gaye if he was still alive.

The Cactus Blossoms – Easy Way

A male version of First Aid Kit, these Minneapolis siblings carry on the singing duo tradition handed down from Simon and Garfunkel, and most notably, The Everly Brothers. With their gorgeous harmonies the brothers create a timeless sound. This is a record you will like at first listen and grow to love after 3 or more.