The Mighty Songwriting Partnership of Carole King & Gerry Goffin

Long before Carole King launched her solo career in 1970, she was part of one of the most successful songwriting partnerships in pop music history with lyricist Gerry Goffin. The two met in New York’s Queens College in 1959 where Carole Klein (her birth name) had begun writing songs as Carole King. They started collaborating soon thereafter, with Carole composing music and Gerry writing lyrics.

The songwriting partnership quickly led to romance, pregnancy and marriage in August 1959. King was 17 years old while Goffin was 20. That same year, she composed Oh Neil for her high school friend Neil Sedaka who recorded the tune as a single. He co-wrote the lyrics with Howard Greenfield and Goffin. The B-side A Very Special Boy was a Goffin-King composition.

Don Kirshner, Carole King and Gerry Goffin

The single flopped. But it resulted in professional contracts for King and Goffin with Aldon Music, a Manhattan-based music publishing company founded by Don Kirshner and a significant force in what became known as the Brill Building sound.

Goffin-King’s breakthrough occurred in 1960 with Will You Love Me Tomorrow, which was recorded by The Shirelles and came out in November that year. The tune climbed all the way to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first no. 1 in the U.S. by an African American all-girl group. King would later record a version of the song for her iconic Tapestry album.

The next big Goffin-King hit is another ’60s classic: Take Good Care of My Baby, recorded by Bobby Vee and released in July 1961. It became the second no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for the young songwriting couple.

Another great ’60s tune written by Goffin-King is The Loco-Motion, which was first recorded with Little Eva (born Eva Narcissus Boyd) and came out in June 1962. Boyd was Goffin’s and King’s babysitter. Originally, the song had been written for R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp who turned it down. The tune has been covered by many other artists, including Grand Funk Railroad (1974), who like Little Eva took it to no. 1, as well as King herself on her 1980 album Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King.

And the hits kept coming for Goffin-King. In May 1963, it was One Fine Day by the The Chiffons. The tune peaked at no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it’s yet another song King recorded herself many years later, in 1980, giving her a no. 12 on the U.S. mainstream chart.

I’m Into Somethin’ Good is another of my favorite ’60s pop tunes. The best known version is by Herman’s Hermits, who released the song as their debut single I’m Into Something Good in August 1964. It topped the UK Singles Chart and reached no. 13 in the U.S. The tune was first recorded earlier that year by Earl-Jean. Her original climbed to no. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100, not too shabby either.

Let’s do three more Goffin-King compositions. First up: Don’t Bring Me Down released by The Animals in May 1966. While it gave the British band a hit in the UK and the U.S. where it reached no. 6 and no. 16, respectively, they preferred a more straightforward R&B sound and as such were lukewarm about it.

No Goffin-King post would be complete without Pleasant Valley Sunday, which became an international hit for The Monkees in 1967, reaching no. 1, no. 2, no. 3 and no. 10 in Canada, New Zealand, the U.S. and Australia, respectively.

The last tune I’d like to highlight is (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. Aretha Franklin first recorded and released this gem in September 1967. The song was inspired by Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler who received a co-credit. It’s yet another tune King also recorded herself for the Tapestry album.

While the Goffin-King songwriting partnership lasted for 10 years and yielded remarkable success throughout that period, their personal relationship hit the rocks in 1964 when Goffin fathered a daughter with above singer Earl-Jean (full name: Earl-Jean Reavis, née McCrea). King and Goffin remained together until their divorce in 1969.

King went on to launch a successful solo career and released her debut album Writer in May 1970, followed by the career-defining Tapestry in February 1971. Goffin began working with other composers and also had a solo album in 1973, though it did not become successful. In 1987, Goffin and King were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1990. Goffin passed away in June 2014 in Los Angeles at the age of 75.

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube

Best of What’s New

It’s hard to believe another week has flown by. I’m happy to present my latest picks of newly released music. This time, the collection features red dirt country (yes, apparently that’s a music genre), a beautiful melodic acoustic tune by a New York rock band, an indie rock artist from New Zealand, a longtime singer-songwriter taking on an iconic Steely Dan tune, as well as an artist who has been associated with various genres like new wave, post-punk, R&B, rap and indie rock – or is it perhaps music folks trying to slap a label on him? Let’s get to it!

Zach Bryan/Quiet, Heavy Dreams

Zach Bryan is a young singer-songwriter hailing from Oklahoma. An artist profile on Apple Music calls him a plaintive, quivering country troubadour indebted to the literary side of Red Dirt Country. According to Wikipedia, red dirt is a music genre named after the color of soil found in Oklahoma, which includes elements of Americana, folk, alt-country and a few other genres. Soon after receiving his first guitar as a 14-year-old, Bryan learned how to play and started writing songs. Later he followed in the footsteps of his family and enlisted in the Navy. But he didn’t give up music, and during a break in Jacksonville, Fla., Bryan and his friends spontaneously decided to record some tunes that would become his 2019 debut album DeAnn. Encouraged by a favorable reception among red dirt fans, he recorded his follow-on Elisabeth that appeared in May this year. Quiet, Heavy Dreams is the title track of Bryan’s new EP released today (November 27). His voice and the bare bones approach drew me in.

Bayside/Light Me Up

Bayside are a rock band named after the neighborhood in Queens, New York, where they were founded in October 2000 by lead vocalist Anthony Raneri and his childhood friend Mike Kozak (drums). Kozak left the following year to form his own group. Bayside released their debut album Sirens and Condolences in January 2004. The eponymous sophomore album from August 2005 was the band’s first to chart in the U.S., peaking at no. 153 on the Billboard 200. They have since released six additional full-length albums. Their catalog also features a live album and 10 EPs. The band’s line-up has changed various times over the years and currently includes Jack O’Shea (lead guitar, backing vocals), Nick Ghanbarian (bass, backing vocals) and Chris Guglielmo (drums, percussion), along with Raneri, the only remaining original member. Light Me Up is a single credited to all members of the band, released on November 20. It’s from Bayside’s upcoming 11th EP Acoustic Volume Three, which is scheduled for December 11. Check out the melodic sound of this tune and the harmony singing – love it!

KennyHoopla/Estella (feat. Travis Barker)

KennyHoopla is a 23-year-old Milwaukee-based singer-songwriter who was born as Kenneth La’ron in Cleveland. According to his Apple Music artist profile, he emerged out of the midwestern underground in the latter years of the 2010s with a series of buzz-worthy singles that merged aspects of new wave, post-punk, and R&B...Hoopla began making music at a young age, influenced by acts like Funeral Suits, Passion Pit, and the Drums…His early tracks were loosely labeled rap, though his dark-toned, guitar-based songs and aching contemplative vocals had more in common with indie rock and alt-R&B. He gained traction both regionally and online with 2017’s “Waves//” single and its 2018 follow-up, “Sickness.” Admittedly, I had never of heard of these tunes or KennyHoopla before. With so many genres flying around in the above profile, it also appears to be tricky to characterize his music. I’ve said it before and say it again: It all comes down to whether music speaks to you, not the genre. And there’s something about Hoopla’s new single Estella, which came out on November 20, featuring Travis Barker, drummer of American pop rock band Blink-182. At just under two minutes, it could almost be a contemporary version of a Ramones tune.

Emily Edrosa/Drinking During the Day

Emily Edrosa is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Auckland, New Zealand. According to a bio on the website of her record label Park The Van, Edrosa had fronted New Zealand indie rock band Street Chant for 10 years before she decided to relocate to Los Angeles in 2016 and start over. While living there, she continued to work on songs that ended up on her new solo record Another Wave Is Coming released November 20. Edrosa wrote the parts for all instruments. Except for the drums, which were provided by Bosh Rothman (U.S.) and New Zealand peers Alex Freer and Liz Stokes, she also played all instruments by herself. A review of the album in No Depression notes Edrosa recently returned to New Zealand. Here’s Drinking During the Day. Check out the neat transition from mid tempo to a slower pace starting at around 2:24 minutes with a somewhat Beatle-esque guitar part – pretty cool!

Bill Callahan/Deacon Blues (feat. Bill Mackay)

Let me preface this last clip by saying that Steely Dan are one of my all-time favorite bands and their album Aja from September 1977 is music perfection to my ears. As such, I think covering Deacon Blues, one of the album’s tracks that also happens to be my favorite Dan tune, does take a good deal of self-confidence. American singer-songwriter and guitarist Bill Callahan, who has been around for three decades, not only decided to take on the challenge but turn the jazz pop-oriented original co-written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker into a stripped back acoustic version. In addition to Callahan, this cover only features composer and guitarist Bill MacKay and Bonnie “Prince” Billy, the adopted artist name of American singer-songwriter Joseph Will Oldham. With no horns and most other instruments that are on Steely Dan’s original and Callahan’s voice sounding much closer to Yusuf/Cat Stevens than Donald Fagen, this is quite different. I imagine not all Dan fans may be with me here, but I think Callahan did an amazing job, making an iconic tune truly his own.

Sources: Wikipedia; Apple Music; Park The Van website; No Depression; YouTube

On This Day in Rock & Roll History: November 26

After more than three months, I felt it was time for another installment of my recurring music history feature I started shortly after launching the blog in June 2016. While I previously did a post about music happenings on Thanksgiving (with different dates over the years), I had not specifically covered November 26. Yes, looking at a certain date is kind of arbitrary, but I continue to find it interesting what comes up. And in theory I still have many other dates to cover to make up the full year – 310 to be precise! 🙂

1962: The Beatles recorded their second single Please Please Me during a three-hour session at Abbey Road studio two. The tune was written by John Lennon but credited to him and Paul McCartney, as usually. After capturing 18 takes, George Martin was, well, pleased, telling John, Paul, George and Ringo, “Congratulations, gentlemen, you’ve just made your first number one.” It’s all documented on The Beatles Bible, which may not be quite as popular as Jesus but is the ultimate source of truth about The Fab Four! Please Please Me topped the lists of Melody Maker and New Musical Express and Disc and rose to no. 2 in the Record Retailer chart. When the song was released on January 11, 1963, the UK didn’t have a standard singles chart yet. By the time The Beatles‘ third single From Me to You came out, things had changed, and that tune ended up being their first no. 1 on what became the official UK Singles Chart.

1968: Cream played their final farewell concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the second of two sold out gigs at the venue. Both concerts were captured for a BBC documentary and released on video as Farewell Concert in early January 1969. While the two concerts received more attention than other Cream concerts, supposedly, they didn’t show the band at their best. “It wasn’t a good gig,” stated Ginger Baker, according to Wikipedia. “Cream was better than that…We knew it was all over. We knew we were just finishing it off, getting it over with.” Here’s an excerpt from the film featuring Sunshine of Your Love. Co-written by Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton, the tune first appeared on Cream’s sophomore album Disraeli Gears from November 1967. Frankly, if this was Cream “sucking”, just imagine how amazing they must have been when they were at their best.

1969: The Band’s eponymous second album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, which means it had reached one million sold copies in only just a little over two months after its release. Also known as The Brown Album, The Band features gems like Rag Mama Rag, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Up on Cripple Creek. The album peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard 200 and has been on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, reaching no. 57 in the most recent update from September this year. Here’s one of my all-time favorites, Up on Cripple Creek, written by Robbie Robertson. The tune was also released as a single on November 29, 1969 and climbed to no. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

1976: The Sex Pistols released their debut single Anarchy in the U.K. Credited to all of the British punk rock band’s original members John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten (lead vocals), Steve Jones (guitar), Glen Matlock (bass) and Paul Cook (drums), the song caused controversy in England over its lyrics some viewed as advocating violence against the government. The tune was also included on the band’s only studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols – and part of the reason it almost took one year for that record to appear in October 1977. The controversy didn’t do much damage to the song. It peaked at no. 38 on the official UK Singles Chart, came in at no. 53 on Rolling Stone’s 2004 list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Sources: Wikipedia; The Beatles Bible; This Day In Music.com; Songfacts Music History Calendar; This Day In Rock.com; YouTube

Clips & Pix: Arlo Guthrie/Alice’s Restaurant Massacree

I can’t believe it’s taken me more than four years to dedicate a post to one of the most hilarious songs I can think of: Alice’s Restaurant Massacree, better known as Alice’s Restaurant, by folk singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie. And what better time to do so than on the eve of Thanksgiving.

Alice’s Restaurant, the title track of Guthrie’s debut album from October 1967, is a largely spoken satirical protest song against the Vietnam War draft. It’s based on a true though exaggerated story that started on Thanksgiving 1965 when Guthrie and his friend Ray Brock were arrested by the local police of Stockbridge, Mass. for illegally dumping trash. Guthrie’s resulting criminal record from the incident later contributed to his rejection by the draft board.

At 18 minutes and 34 seconds, Alice’s Restaurant can easily compete with some Pink Floyd tunes, except it’s much more upbeat. Because of its length, the track is rarely heard on the radio, except on Thanksgiving when many stations play it in its entirety. This includes Q104.3, the New York classic rock station I mentioned in a recent previous post, which trigged this piece.

Perhaps not surprisingly given Guthrie’s cinematic story-telling, Alice’s Restaurant also inspired a 1969 comedy film with the same name, starring Guthrie as himself. It was directed by Arthur Penn who among others is known as director of the 1967 classic biographical crime picture Bonnie and Clyde.

Commenting on what became his signature tune, Guthrie said, “I never expected it to be so popular,” as quoted by Songfacts. “An 18-minute song doesn’t get airplay. You can’t expect that. So the fact that it became a hit was absurd on the face of it. It wasn’t part of the calculation.” Well, whether intentional or not, I’m sure it helped Guthrie pay some bills.

Last but not least, to all folks who celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving and be safe!

Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; YouTube

Clips & Pix: Los Lobos/The Road to Gila Bend

Today, my music provider served up a “Chill Mix” that included a tune by Los Lobos titled The Town. It’s from their 12th studio album The Town and the City, which was released in September 2006. Earlier this evening, I sampled some other songs from this record and came across the fantastic The Road to Gila Bend.

I just love that rugged guitar sound. Rolling Stone hit the nail on the head when they called it “a hurricane of Neil Young-like guitar.” That’s probably why I dig it so much. The catchy tune was co-written by David Hildago and Louis Pérez, two of the founding members of Los Lobos who were formed in East Los Angeles in 1973.

According to Wikipedia, The Town and the City explores themes of longing, disillusionment, and loneliness in the Mexican-American immigration experience, and was well received when it came out. Rolling Stone called it their best album since Colossal Head from March 1996. I really need to further explore Los Lobos who remain active to this day.

Sources: Wikipedia; Rolling Stone; YouTube

It’s That Time of the Year Again for a Rock Marathon

Next Wednesday morning, right before Thanksgiving, classic rock radio station Q104.3 starts their annual marathon of counting down the “Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs Of All Time.” The list, which takes a broad definition that goes beyond classic rock in the traditional sense, is based on listener submissions of their top 10 favorite songs.

Playing the entire list from song no. 1,043 all the way down to no. 1 will take from Wednesday, November 25, 9:00 a.m. (EST) until Sunday, November 29, sometime in the evening, usually between 9:00 – 10:00 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day at noon, the countdown is interrupted for Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant.

This year marks the 20th time of Q104.3’s holiday tradition. Each year, Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven has been the eternal no. 1. While the station doesn’t disclose actual vote counts, each year I’ve listened they said Stairway won by a substantial margin.

Rigged voting? I don’t think so. Q104.3 plays plenty of Zep as part of their regular rotation. One of their DJs, Carol Miller, who has been on the air since 1973, is a huge Led Zeppelin fan, and hosts the long running segment Get the Led Out. As such, I think it’s safe to assume many folks who listen to Q104.3 dig Zeppelin. And, honestly, if I could only choose one classic rock song, I also would go with Stairway.

Admittedly, the entire exercise is a bit nerdy but quite appealing to a music nut like myself. BTW, each submission is weighted equally, so the order of the picks doesn’t matter. But think about it, when can you ever hear 1,043 different songs in a row on the radio? Most stations tend to play a limited set of tracks over and over again.

Above is an image of my picks for this year and below are clips of the corresponding tunes. While I still dig all of my picks from last year, this time, I deliberately decided to shake things up and submit an entirely new list. And it doesn’t even include two of my favorite bands of all time, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, not to mention Led Zeppelin. Here are my choices without further explanation, other than these are all songs I dig, though they aren’t necessarily my all-time favorites.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze (non-album single, March 1967)

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Born on the Bayou (Bayou Country, January 1969)

The Allman Brothers Band – Black Hearted Woman (The Allman Brothers Band, November 1969)

The Who – The Seeker (non-album single, March 1970)

Bruce Springsteen – Bobby Jean (Born in the U.S.A., June 1984)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Mary Jane’s Last Dance (Greatest Hits, November 1993)

Lenny Kravitz – Rock and Roll Is Dead (Circus, September 1995)

Sheryl Crow – If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow, September 1996)

Pretenders – Hate for Sale (Hate for Sale, July 2020)

AC/DC – Shot in the Dark (Power Up, November 2020)

Sources: Wikipedia; Q104.3 website; YouTube

Best of What’s New

My weekly quest to uncover new music continues. This latest Best of What’s New installment features another diverse collection of music genres/styles, all of which was released yesterday (November 20). It includes country rock, grungy pop punk, alternative and, yes, more African-rooted music. Let’s kick it off with the latter.

Ausecuma Beats/Yelena

Ausecuma Beats is named after the countries/ geographic regions of their members: Australia, Senegambia, Cuba and Mali. According to their profile on Bandcamp, they are more than just a band, they are a philosophy. Led by master djembe player [an African drum], Boubacar Gaye [from Senegal], the nine-strong ensemble, demonstrate artists coming together based on an idea – the idea of place, of transplanting cultural heritage into a contemporary city. Ausecuma Beats is people from all corners of the world finding themselves together in new environments, as a community. Their website also calls out the following additional members: Yusupha Ngum (lead vocals; from Gambia); Rodolfo Hechavarria, known as “Panga” (congas; Cuba); Ed Crocker (drums; Australia); Bassidi Koné (balafon, an African wooden xylophone-like instrument; Mali); and Adam Halliwell (electric guitar; Australia). While I haven’t been able to find when the band was formed, the tune Yelena appears on their eponymous debut album. This is music radiating joy with an infectious groove. I take this any day, especially during these unreal times we are currently witnessing!

Ward Davis/Ain’t Gonna be Today

Ward Davis, originally hailing from Monticello, Ark., is a country singer-songwriter who has been based in Nashville since 2000. According to his artist profile on Apple Music, Davis first gained attention in Nashville as a songwriter, placing songs on albums by Trace Adkins, Wade Hayes, Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson, and Cody Jinks. The latter was a pivotal connection for Davis. After he co-wrote three songs for Jinks’ 2018 album Lifers, Jinks chose to go out on tour with the like-minded Davis, thereby raising the profile of this practitioner of lean, literary neo-outlaw country...Davis spent his first decade attempting to fit into the commercial confines of Nashville, but success took a while to materialize. His first break arrived in 2011, when he placed “My Kind of Crowd” on Premium Country from David Adam Byrnes. In 2014, he released an EP, No Bridges. His debut album 15 Years in a 10 Year Town followed in 2015. Ain’t Gonna be Today is the opener of Davis’ sophomore album Black Cats and Crows. Co-written by Davis and Kendell Marvel, the country rocker features nice harmony guitar and pedal steel action.

I Am the Avalanche/Better Days

I Am the Avalanche are a punk rock band from Brooklyn, N.Y., founded in 2004. ‘Fugetaboutit’, used to be my kneejerk reaction when it comes to punk. But over the years, I’ve come to realize not all punk is created equal, and there’s actually some I like to listen to, at least occasionally. Since I rarely can lose my pop instinct entirely, a tune generally needs to have some melody to appeal, not just be noise. Based on their new studio album Dive, I Am the Avalanche seems to fit the bill. The band features Vinnie Caruana (lead vocals, guitar), Brandon Swanson (guitar), Michael Ireland (guitar), Kellen Robson (bass) and Brett “The Ratt” Romnes (drums). Their eponymous studio debut came out in September 2005. Better Days, co-written by Ireland and Caruana, is the opener of the new album, the band’s fourth studio album. The grungy pop rocker reminds me a bit of Green Day.

Anna McClellan/Feel You

According to her Facebook page, Anna McClellan began performing original songs in her hometown of Omaha, NE at the age of seventeen and has been actively recording and touring ever since. Her debut, Fire Flames [2015], earned her an opening slot on a Frankie Cosmos tour. Through the doors that tour opened, McClellan eventually met Father/Daughter Records which led to the release of her second full-length record, Yes and No, in 2018. After a stint in NYC, several subsequent tours and meandering, Anna returned to Omaha and recorded I saw first light, her latest effort for Father/Daughter. The album was recorded over two weeks with a multitude of local cohorts, and it documents Anna’s journey from the Midwest to the east coast and back again, probing both the roots of her creative impetus and her ongoing commitment to social issues. Here’s Feel You from McClellan’s new album I Saw First Light.

Sources: Wikipedia; Bandcamp; Ausecuma Beats website; Apple Music; Facebook; YouTube

The Dirty Knobs Release Long Awaited Debut Album Wreckless Abandon

Mike Campbell’s band The Dirty Knobs finally released their debut album yesterday (November 20). Originally, Wreckless Adandon had been scheduled for March 20 but was pushed back after Campbell announced in early March he had to deal with “some health issues, which, while fully treatable, need to be addressed” and that “I’m going to be just fine,” as reported by Ultimate Classic Rock at the time. In a way, the eight-month delay was relatively minor, considering the band has been around for some 20 years.

Campbell formed The Dirty Knobs in the early 2000s as a side project to Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. In August 2001, he told Rolling Stone he had recruited original Heartbreakers bassist Ron Blair and the band’s drummer at the time Steve Ferrone, together with guitarist Jason Sinay. Apart from Campbell and Sinay, the Knobs’ current lineup includes Lance Morrison (bass) and Matt Laug (drums). “It’s rougher-edged [than the Heartbreakers],” Campbell described their music at the time. “It’s slightly over-driven, less polished, lots of Sixties influence — the Kinks, Zeppelin, the Animals. It’s something I probably should have done a long time ago, but I didn’t ’cause I was wrapped up in the Heartbreakers.”

The Dirty Knobs were active in-between Heartbreakers tours and studio projects. They played small venues and did some recordings but weren’t looking for a record deal. “We would go and play clubs and do some recordings and it just got better and better,” Campbell said during a recent interview with Cleveland.com. “I always had in the back of my mind it would be a great project to do if the Heartbreakers ever took a hiatus or whatever. So now here we are, and I’m all fired up to do this band.” Of course, Campbell had also been pretty busy working with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Johnny Cash and many other artists and since September 2018 as an official new member of Fleetwood Mac.

The Dirty Knobs (from left): Jason Sinay, Mike Campbell, Lance Morrison and Matt Laug

While Reckless Abandon isn’t meant to sound like a Heartbreakers album, perhaps inevitably, you find yourself looking for similarities, and there are definitely some influences. After all, Campbell and Petty had a long songwriting partnership, and it’s not a coincidence Campbell earned co-writing credits for two to three songs on many Heartbreakers albums and two of Petty’s solo records.

At times, even their voices sound a bit similar. “In the beginning I realized I had a lot of Tom’s nuances in my delivery ‘cause we grew up together, so I focused hard on trying to filter that out as much as possible and find my own voice and personality,” Campbell explained to Cleveland.com. “I don’t want to sound like Tom, of course, but I do from time to time ‘cause we have the same accents and this and that. But I think I found my own self.”

Time for some music. Here’s the opener and title track that had previously been released as the album’s lead single back in January. Like all other except for two songs, it was written by Campbell. Great tune – dig Campbell’s Rickenbacker sound. Frankly, this track could be a Heartbreakers song. One difference is there are no keyboards.

Pistol Packin’ Mama features Chris Stapleton on vocals. Stapleton also contributed a tune, Fuck That Guy. Likewise, Campbell was a guest on and co-wrote two songs for Stapleton’s new album Starting Over released on November 13. “He’s a great writer, a great artist, so I’m fortunate to be able to work with him,” Campbell told Cleveland.com. “I met Chris the first time just in passing; The Heartbreakers were headlining at (Chicago’s) Wrigley Field, and he was opening. He was going to take (Dirty Knobs) out to open for him in the summer.”

Next up: Southern Boy, another nice bluesy rocker. Again, I could also picture Tom Petty singing that tune.

On Irish Girl, The Dirty Knobs take it down a few notches. Released as the album’s most recent single on November 16, it’s among the tracks I like the best so far. “Irish Girl is my favorite lyric on the record,” Campbell told American Songwriter. “It’s whimsical and more poetic than most of the Knobs’ songs. I was inspired to write it driving home late one-night listening to Van Morrison on the radio. When I got home, the song just came to me. It’s very simple musically and I love the sound of the record. It reminds me of Ireland.” Here’s the official video.

Let’s wrap it up with one more bluesy rocker: Aw Honey. Ex-Heartbreaker Benmont Tench contributes piano.

Asked by Cleveland.com whether he feels a sense of mission to continue the legacy he had with Tom Petty, Campbell said, “Well, maybe subconsciously. I don’t perceive myself as on a mission, per se; my only mission is to have fun, really, and try to make great music and try to get better. He’s not here, obviously, so now it’s up to me, and I’ve got to carry on making music the best I can. I have a legacy to live up to. I hope the stuff that I do going forward holds up against that stuff. It’s kind of a high bar, but my only mission is just to enjoy myself and keep making music. That’s what keeps this alive.”

In addition to the album, The Dirty Knobs also postponed their supporting tour. It’s now scheduled to kick off in San Bernardino, Calif on June 5, 2021 and wrap up in New Orleans on November 2. Some of the other gigs include Denver (June 25 & 26), Chicago (July 17), Gainesville, Fla. (September 10 & 11), Nashville, Tenn. (September 14), Asbury Park, N.J. (September 18), Boston (September 23 & 24), Indianapolis (October 2 & 3), San Francisco (October 15 & 16) and Austin, Texas (October 30 & 31). The full schedule is available here.

Sources: Wikipedia; Ultimate Classic Rock; Rolling Stone; Cleveland.com; American Songwriter; The Dirty Knobs website; YouTube

Clips & Pix: Neil Young/Deep Forbidden Lake

My streaming music provider served up this beautiful tune by Neil Young. Even though I dig the Decade compilation, on which Deep Forbidden Lake first appeared in October 1977, I had to look up the song. I guess it’s fair to call it a deep cut.

Originally, Young had recorded the track for Homegrown, an album he had intended to release in 1975. But in good ole’ Neil fashion he dropped it at the last minute and instead put out Tonight’s the Night in June that year, another previously completed but unreleased album.

Homegrown finally appeared in June this year sans Deep Forbidden Lake. It’s a nice mellow tune that’s perfect for a Sunday morning.

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube

Best of What’s New

It’s that time of the week again where I’d like to take a peek at newly released music. All of the selections in this Best of What’s New installment are truly new. They were all released yesterday. I’m also pleased the collection features a good deal of variety, including indie pop grunge, alternative pop, country rock, heavy rock and even some African music. Most importantly, no matter what you call it, it’s all great music, so let’s get to it!

Viji/Are You in My Head

Are You in My Head is the title track of what appears to be the debut EP by Viji. Unfortunately, there is very little publicly available information on this young artist. According to her Spotify profile, Viji is the moniker of Austrian-Brazilian, London-based singer-songwriter Vanilla Jenner. She creates imaginative and original music that crosses the worlds of alternative pop and lo-fi indie weirdness. A review by Dork Magazine includes some commentary from the artist on the song and the EP. “The song ‘Are You In My Head’ is about the internal struggle of relationships. Especially how little things can blow up in your head if you’re in a bad mood…The EP is the first body of work that I’ve ever brought out. I finished writing all the songs for it around this time last year, and then took a few months to record it…The sound is very raw, and we kept a lot of my tracks from the demos. It’s pop melodies over lofi indie chords.” While the music falls outside my core wheelhouse, I can’t deny there’s something charming about it.

Shenandoah/High Class Hillbillies (featuring Cody Johnson)

How about a nice country rocker with the lovely title High Class Hillbillies? This is from the new album Every Road by Shenandoah, a country music band founded in Muscle Shoals, Ala. in 1984. Their eponymous debut album appeared in September 1987. According to Billboard, Every Road is a collaboration album “featuring some of today’s top hitmakers” and the band’s first album in 26 years with all new music. One of the collaborators is country singer-songwriter Cody Johnson, who contributes vocals on High Class Hillbillies. The tune was co-written by Marty Raybon (lead vocals, guitar) and Mike McGuire (drums, backing vocals), the band’s two remaining original members, together with songwriters Jim Collins and Wade Kirby.

Benee/Happen to Me

Benee (born Stella Rose Bennett) is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Auckland, New Zealand. According to Apple Music’s artist profile, With her introspective lyrics and smoky, stylized vocals, BENEE combines the sophisticated R&B of artists like Sade and Corinne Bailey Rae with the atmospheric, head-voice electronics of Billie Eilish. In 2017, during her final year in high school, Benee began posting music covers to Soundcloud. Her debut single Tough Guy appeared later that year. This was followed by her debut EP Fire on Marzz from June 2019, which included the lead single Soaked that climbed to no. 14 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart. Supalonely featuring American singer Gus Dapperton, a single from Benee’s second EP Stella & Steve, gained her international popularity. Happen to Me is the opener of Hey u, x, Benee’s first full-length album. Again, it’s not the kind of music I typically listen to, but there’s just something to it.

Chris Stapleton/Arkansas

Arkansas is another great country rocker. It appears on the fourth studio album Starting Over by Chris Stapleton. The singer-songwriter, who has been active since the early 2000s, released his debut studio in May 2015. It was well received, earned Stapleton several awards and remains his most successful record to date. Billboard is pretty upbeat about his latest release: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better country album this year than Starting Over…From Stapleton’s ragged, soulful vocals to Dave Cobb’s feral production, Starting Over is all untamed emotion. What triggered my attention in part is the involvement of two former members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers I dig: Guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboarder Benmont Tench. Arkansas is one of two tunes on the album Stapleton co-wrote with Campbell who has an album with his own band The Dirty Knobs set for release on November 20.

Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons/We’re the Bastards

Let’s crank it up a notch with a crunchy rocker by Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons: We’re the Bastards. This Welsh band was formed in 2016 by Campbell, longtime guitarist of Motörhead, following the death of frontman Ian Fraser Kilmister, better known as Lemmy. We’re the Bastards is the title track of the band’s new album, the second full-length record after 2018’s The Age of Absurdity. The band’s remaining members include Phil’s three sons Todd Campbell (guitar, harmonica), Tyla Campbell (bass) and Dane Campbell (drums), along with lead vocalist Neil Starr. Take it away, boys!

Star Feminine Band/Femme Africaine

I almost would have skipped over this last group, but how many all-girl female bands from Africa you know? According to The Vinyl Factory, the members of Star Feminine Band from the West African country Benin range from 10 to 17 years. The line-up inclides Angélique Balaguemon (drums, vocals), Julienne Sayi (bass guitar), Marguerite Kpetekout (drums), Grâce Marina Balaguemon (keyboard, vocals), Anne Sayi (electric guitar), Urrice Borikapei (percussion, vocals) and Sandrine Ouei (keyboard). The group came together after they responded to a local radio station’s advert inviting girls to participate in a series of free music training sessions. Femme Africaine is from their eponymous debut album, which The Vinyl Factory notes incorporates elements of highlife, garage rock, Congolese rumba, Beninese sato, and psychedelia as they address themes of equality, empowerment and female genital mutilation. Check out this video, which is such a joy to watch!

Sources: Wikipedia; Spotify; Dork Magazine; Billboard; Apple Music; The Vinyl Factory; YouTube