New Music Musings

Happy Saturday and welcome to my latest picks on the new music front. Except for the final track, which is a single that came out on Thursday (May 9), all highlighted songs are included on albums that were released yesterday (May 10).

Pokey LaFarge/So Long Chicago

Pokey LaFarge (born Andrew Heissler) is a singer-songwriter currently based in Maine. AllMusic describes his style as Americana, blending blues, country, and Western swing into his own unique style. LaFarge independently released his debut album Marmalade in 2006. His eighth and latest album Rhumba Country was inspired by his recent experience of working 12-hour days on a local farm. The songs came to him while farming, his Bandcamp page notes, as well as the kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. Here’s So Long Chicago, co-written by Addie Hamilton, Elliott Bergman and LaFarge. Something about this song drew me in right away – not exactly sure why, I just find it cool!

Hot Water Music/Chewing On Broken Glass

Hot Water Music are a post-hardcore group from Florida, formed in 1994. During their initial run until late 2005, they released six albums. For the next six years, they were largely on hiatus before reforming in 2012. Since 2017, Hot Water Music’s line-up has included their four original members Chuck Ragan (guitar, vocals), Chris Wollard (guitar, vocals), Jason Black (bass) and George Rebelo (drums), as well as Chris Creswell (guitar, vocals). Their latest album Vows coincides with the group’s 30th anniversary. Here’s Chewing On Broken Glass, credited to the entire band. Nice melodic rock!

Villagers/I Want What I Don’t Need

Villagers are an Irish indie folk band and music project by Dublin-based singer-songwriter Conor J O’Brien who has been their sole constant member. He formed the group in 2008 after his previous band The Immediate had disbanded. Starting with their May 2010 debut album Becoming a Jackal, Villagers enjoyed immediate chart success in their home country, where their first three albums topped the charts. They also have charted in Belgium, France, Germany and The Netherlands. Off Villagers‘ sixth and latest studio album That Golden Time, here’s the pleasant I Want What I Don’t Need.

Jackie West/End of the World

Jackie West who was born in Boston and grew in St. Louis is a singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut single Amelia appeared in January 2022, followed by EP Find Indigo the following month. West is now out with her first full-length album Close to the Mystery, which her Bandcamp page overall characterizes as baroque pop. Here’s the opener End of the World. West’s vocals sound intriguing, which is what caught my attention initially.

The Sonic Dawn/Nothing Can Live Here

The Sonic Dawn are a Danish acid rock band formed in Copenhagen in 2013 by childhood friends Emil Bureau (guitar, vocals), Niels ‘Bird’ Fuglede (bass) and Jonas Waaben (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Since their 2015 debut Perception, they have fused genres from sitar pop to heavy psych. On their fifth and new album Phantom they are joined by long-time collaborator Erik ‘Errka’ Petersson on organ and keyboards. Here’s Nothing Can Live Here, with both lyrics and the music credited to Bureau, Fuglede and Waaben. Alternating between fairly melodic, mellow parts and full-blown psychedelic rock, I think the song makes for an interesting listening experience!

The Cold Stares/Coming Home

Wrapping up this weekly new music review are blues and roots rock-oriented The Cold Stares. Formed as a duo in 2010 by guitarist and vocalist Chris Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins, starting with 2014’s A Cold Wet Night, they released five albums in that configuration. In 2022, they added bassist Bryce Klueh and released their first album as a trio, Voices, in 2023. Here’s their new single Coming Home, which appeared on May 9. It’s the second upfront track released this year from their next album The Southern, slated for September 6.

Sources: Wikipedia; Consequence; AllMusic; Pokey LaFrage Bandcamp page; Jackie West Bandcamp page; The Sonic Dawn website; The Cold Stares website; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

It’s Sunday and hard to believe another week has flown by. On the upside, this means the time has come again to embark on a little imaginary music time travel excursion. As always, the itinerary includes six stops in six different decades with music in different flavors.

Lester Young/I Can’t Get Started

This first pick, which takes us back to 1956, was inspired by fellow blogger and jazz connoisseur Cincinnati Babyhead, aka. CB, who the other reminded me of Lester Young. Nicknamed The President, the tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist was active between 1933 and 1959. Young first gained prominence as a member of Count Basie’s orchestra. I Can’t Get Started, initially a 1936 composition by Vernon Duke with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, was included on Young’s 1956 album The President Plays With the Oscar Peterson Trio. This smooth music is perfect to ease us into the trip!

Ramones/Blitzkrieg Bop

Hey! Ho! Let’s go! To April 1976, which saw the eponymous debut album by New York punk rockers Ramones. They had formed two years earlier in the Queens neighborhood of Forest Hills. The band originally featured lead vocalist Jeffrey Hyman (Joey Ramone), guitarist and backing vocalist John Cummings (Johnny Ramone), bassist and backing vocalist Douglas Colvin (Dee Dee Ramone) and drummer Thomas Erdelyi (Tommy Ramone). Blitzkrieg Bop, co-written by Tommy and Dee Dee, was the band’s debut single. This fun music is my kind of punk rock. One, two, three, four!

Gary Moore/Story of the Blues

Time for some blistering electric blues with a nice soul touch by Gary Moore. Prior to releasing his solo debut Back on the Streets in 1978, the Northern Irish guitarist played with Irish bands Skid Row and Thin Lizzy. By the time he released his ninth solo album After Hours in March 1992, Moore had comfortably settled on blues and blues rock, which remained his main musical focus until his untimely death from a heart attack at age 58 in February 2011. Here’s Story of the Blues, a song he wrote.

Gregg Allman/Black Muddy River

Our next stop takes us down south and to the present century. In March 2016, Gregg Allman recorded what would become his final album Southern Blood. Initially, the Allman Brothers co-founder had planned a sequel to his 2011 solo album Low Country Blues with original songs. But Allman who had been diagnosed with liver cancer in 2012 was running short of time, so he worked with his manager Michael Lehman to pick “meaningful” songs to cover. Southern Blood was recorded over just nine days at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala. The album was released in September 2017, four months after his death. Speaking of the Allmans, on Thursday, Dickey Betts passed away from cancer and COPD, leaving drummer Jaimoe (John Lee Johnson) as the former group’s only surviving co-founding member. Here’s Allman’s incredible rendition of the Grateful Dead’s Black Muddy River, co-written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter.

The Hollies/Bus Stop

I always get weirdly emotional when listening to music from Southern Blood, so my next proposition is more upbeat. Enter a catchy ’60s song with sweet harmony vocals: Bus Stop by The Hollies. Initially formed in the late ’50s as duo comprised of Allan Clarke (vocals, guitar) and Graham Nash (vocals, guitar), they became The Hollies in December 1962, together with Vic Steele (lead guitar), Eric Haydock (bass) and Don Rathbone (drums). Bus Stop, released in June 1966 and penned by future 10cc member Graham Gouldman, was one of the group’s biggest hit singles and was also the title track of their fourth U.S. album. The Hollies exist to this day as a touring act and most recently were on the road in the UK last year. Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott, who played guitar and drums, respectively, on Bus Stop, are part of the current line-up.

Scorpions/Bad Boys Running Wild

And just as this trip is in full swing, we need to wrap up again. Let’s push the pedal to the metal with Scorpions and the great opener of March 1984’s Love at First Sting. The German metal band’s ninth studio album cemented their status as an internationally popular act. With approximately 3.5 million sold units worldwide, Love at First Sting became their second-highest seller after Crazy World (November 1990). Initially were formed in 1965, Scorpiona continue to rock on and are currently on the road. Here’s Bad Boys Running Wild, with music composed by guitarist and co-founder Rudolf Schenker and lyrics written by lead vocalist Klaus Meine and then-drummer Herman Rarebell.

Of course, I wouldn’t leave you without a Spotify playlist of the above track. Hope sometimes tickles your fancy and that you’ll be back for more!

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Second Helping Hits the Big 50

Today, another classic ’70s rock gem turns 50. On April 15, 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd released their sophomore album Second Helping. To the casual listener, it’s best known for Sweet Home Alabama, which became the group’s biggest hit single. While it hasn’t exactly suffered from obscurity on radio waves and I still enjoy it, there’s more to the album than its defining song, so let’s take a closer look!

Since I’d like to do this celebratory post in the order of the tracks, ironically, we’re right back to Sweet Home Alabama, the album’s opener. It was co-written by Skynyrd guitarists Ed King and Gary Rossington with lyrics by lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, none of whom were from Alabama. The song was a response to Neil Young’s Southern Man, which they felt unfairly had characterized all Southerners as rednecks. Ol’ Neil in subsequent interviews agreed, and despite the public dissing, they remained good friends. Turn it up!

With one of Skynyrd’s signature songs out of the way (the other one being Free Bird), let’s highlight some of other great great tracks on the album. Don’t Ask Me No Questions, a fun boogie rocker and the album’s first single, was co-written by Van Zant and Rossington. Unlike Sweet Home Alabama, it missed the charts altogether, which is a shame. Yeah, it’s a simple riff and in that sense perhaps less sophisticated than Alabama but rock doesn’t need to be complicated to be neat!

Closing out Side one is Workin’ for MCA. Co-written by King and Van Zant, the song recalls Skynyrd’s signing with the record label. The “Yankee slicker” is Al Kooper, the man who discovered and signed the band, and who produced their first three albums. The reference to “seven years of hard luck” acknowledges Skynyrd’s early period from 1966 to 1973 when they didn’t have a label deal. They also went through a series of names before becoming Leonard Skinnerd in 1969, which subsequently was changed to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

This brings us to Side two and the great The Ballad of Curtis Loew. Co-written by co-founder and Skynyrd’s third guitarist Allen Collins and Van Zant, the song is about a composite of different people, including Skynyrd lead guitarist Ricky Medlocke‘s grandfather, Shorty Medlocke, according to Songfacts. Medlocke wasn’t part of Skynyrd’s line-up at the time they recorded it. “The original version of the band only played ‘Curtis Loew’ one time on stage,” recalled Ed King. “We were playing in a basement in some hotel and thought we’d try it. We never played it again until the Tribute Tour with Johnny Van Zant.”

The lyrics of The Needle and the Spoon, a deep cut penned by Collins and Van Zant, leave no doubt what the song is about. Van Zant who was struggling with addictions to heroin and cocaine himself knew what he was writing about. Songfacts notes, In 2015, Guitar World honored guitarist Allen Collins’ solo, and his use of the wah-wah pedal to inject the Southern rock song with a hit of ’70s psychedelia, by ranking it at #19 on the magazine’s list of greatest wah solos of all time.

This leaves us with one more track, Skynyrd’s great rendition of J.J. Cale’s Call Me the Breeze. Cale included the song on his October 1971 debut album Naturally. Songfacts explains, When Lynyrd Skynyrd covered this song, it once again financed Cale’s lifestyle, allowing him to release albums in a leisurely fashion and without concern for hit potential. Another key supporter was Eric Clapton, who not only helped Cale get his first record deal but who also covered some of the Oklahoma guitarist’s songs, most notably After Midnight.

While reviews of Second Helping at the time of its were mixed, contemporary assessments are more favorable. The album climbed to no. 12 in the U.S. on the Billboard 200 and no. 9 in Canada. It also quickly reached Gold status (500,000 certified sold units) in the U.S. by September 1974 and hit 2x Platinum (2 million certified sold units) in July 1987. As such, ranks among Skynyrd’s most successful albums.

Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; RIAA website; YouTube; Spotify

The Black Keys Broaden Sound On Upbeat “Ohio Players”

Last Friday, April 5, The Black Keys released their latest studio album Ohio Players. While the pop and rap influences evidently didn’t only surprise me and have led to mixed reviews, overall, I’m intrigued with what Dan Auerbach and his collaborator for 20-plus years Patrick Carney have delivered.

Based on the hill country blues covers album Delta Kream, which brought The Black Keys on my radar screen in 2021, and a handful of other songs, I had associated the duo with a fuzzy DIY style sound, drawing from garage, blues and psychedelic rock. On Ohio Players, their traditional raw sound has evolved, thanks to prominent guests, mostly notably the genre defying Beck, Brit pop stalwart Noel Gallagher, as well as rap artists Juicy J. and Lil Noid.

The album title is a play on Auerbach’s and Carney’s Akron, Ohio roots and ’70s funk and R&B band Ohio Players. “We’ve been doing these record hangs, where we play 45s at pop-up parties and invite friends to join us, so one of the guest DJs threw on an Ohio Players 45 and it was like, ‘ahhh’,” explained Carney in a recent interview with USA Today.

Dan Auerbach (right) and Patrick Carney met in high school, began jamming together in 1986, and eventually formed The Black Keys in 2001

Ohio Players, the 12th studio album by The Black Keys, follows May 2022’s Dropout Boogie, which in turn came after the aforementioned Delta Kream. That album was preceded by Let’s Rock, their first after a four-year hiatus, during which Auerbach and Carney pursued other projects. Let’s take a closer look at the music on Ohio Players.

Since I featured the pop rock opener This Is Nowhere in my most recent weekly new music review, I’m skipping it here and go directly the second track Don’t Let Me Go. Like This Is Nowhere, it is part of the seven songs Beck co-wrote with Auerbach and Carney. The Black Keys’ relationship with him dates back to 2003 when they opened for him during his Sea Change Tour. Don’t Let Me Go is also credited to Gary Crockett, Dominic Glover and Daniel Nakamura, aka. Dan the Automator – yes, definitely more pop-oriented than previous Black Keys songs but heck, it’s bloody catchy!

On the Game is one of three songs Auerbach and Carney co-wrote with Noel Gallagher. Additionally, the track’s credits include songwriter, producer and record executive Leon Michels. Gallagher also played guitar and sang backing vocals, while Michels contributed guitar and organ. “Dan wanted to work with Noel and we’re both fans, so we kept reaching out and hearing he doesn’t have time,” Carney told USA Today. “My neighbor I golf with used to be Oasis’ booking agent for 20 years, so I asked him, “Maybe Noel will be interested?” That’s when Noel got back to us and gave us a window of four days in January (2023) in London.” Sometimes, persistence pays off!

Candy and Her Friends, co-written by Auerbach and Carney, features Lil Noid. “I was getting into underground Memphis rap from the 1990s and early 2000s, cassette tape stuff really only available on YouTube and like Three Six Mafia and Juicy J,” Auerbach explained to USA Today. “There was the “Paranoid Funk” album Lil Noid made and even being a lifelong rap fan, I’d never heard this stuff. Every time we got in the car after a record hang we’d put on his “Riding in the Chevy” and be like man, it would be fun to work with Lil Noid. He came up to Nashville and he was really cool, a total character.”

The soulful ballad I Forgot to Be Your Lover is the only cover on the album. Co-written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones, it originally appeared in 1968 as a single by Bell. A remake by Billy Idol, which he titled To Be a Lover and included on his 1986 studio album Whiplash Smile, became an international hit. The Black Keys stay close to the original.

The final track I’d like to call out is the closer Every Time You Leave, another song Auerbach and Carney wrote with Beck, as well as Greg Kurstin. The multi-instrumentalist and award-winning producer also provided backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion and synthesizer. Again, Beck’s pop influence shines through. At the same time, the song includes elements of The Black Keys’ traditional sound.

“No matter who we work with, it never feels like we’re sacrificing who we are,” Auerbach said in a press statement. “It only feels like it adds some special flavor. We just expanded that palette with people we wanted to work with. We were there to support them and their ideas, to do whatever we could to see that moment flourish. But when it came time to finish the album, it was just Pat and me.”

Added Carney: “What we wanted to accomplish with this record was make something that was fun. And something that most bands 20 years into their career don’t make, which is an approachable, fun record that is also cool.”

Ohio Players appears on Auerbach’s label Easy Eye Sound and is distributed by Nonesuch Records. Last week, The Black Keys announced a North American headline tour to support the album. The 31-date International Players Tour will kick off in Tulsa on September 17 and also include other cities across the U.S., such as Austin, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as Toronto, Canada. The full schedule is here.

Sources: Wikipedia; USA Today; Nonesuch Records website; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

Once again it’s Sunday and time for another installment of my weekly imaginary music time travel feature, which visits six different tracks from six different decades and in different flavors. Before getting underway, I’d like to announce a short hiatus of the blog. In a couple of hours, my family is leaving for a mini-vacation to experience the solar eclipse. I’ll resume posting and commenting on Wednesday.

Wayne Shorter/Blues A La Carte

Today, our zig-zag excursion starts in August 1960, which saw the release of Introducing Wayne Shorter, the debut album by the jazz saxophone great as band leader. It was the first of more than 20 additional albums Wayne Shorter recorded in that role. He also played as a sideman with the likes of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet. In 1970, Shorter became a co-founder of jazz fusion band Weather Report. He passed away in March 2023 at age 89. Let’s listen to the neat Shorter composition Blues A La Carte, the opener of his aforementioned debut as band leader.

Gianna Nannini/Latin Lover

On to Italian pop and rock singer-songwriter Gianna Nannini who enjoyed a good deal of popularity in Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland from the late ’70s until the mid-’80s. Including her 1976 eponymous debut, Nannini has released close to 30 albums. In 1979, she scored her first hit with America, a song off her sophomore album California. Nannini entered my radar screen in 1982 with the title track of her fifth album Latin Lover, a catchy pop rocker featuring her characteristic raspy vocals.

Dirty Honey/Won’t Take Me Alive

Let’s jump back to the present with some sweet classic style rock by Los Angeles band Dirty Honey. Founded in 2017, they are reminiscent of groups like Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and The Black Crowes. Dirty Honey consist of co-founders Marc Labelle (vocals), John Notto (guitar) and Justin Smolian (bass), along with Jaydon Bean who last year replaced original drummer Corey Coverstone. Off their second and most recent studio album Can’t Find the Brakes, released in November 2023, here’s Won’t Take Me Alive, credited to Notto, Smolian and Labelle. This r.o.c.k.s.!!!

Big Joe Turner/Shake, Rattle and Roll

Time for a dose of ’50s rock & roll! To get it we shall go back 70 years to April 1954. That’s when American blues shouter Big Joe Turner released his single Shake, Rattle and Roll, which became his second to top Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart. The song was written by R&B musician and songwriter Jess Stone under the pseudonym Charles Calhoun. In June of the same year, Bill Haley & His Comets released a cover of the song, scoring their second hit after Rock Around the Clock. Feel free to snip along!

Janis Joplin/Cry Baby

Our next stop takes us to January 1971 and the second solo album by the incredible Janis Joplin. Best known for her cover of Kris Kristofferson’s Me and Bobby McGee, the album Pearl appeared three months after her death in October 1970 at age 27. Here’s Cry Baby, another gem from that album. Co-written by Bert Berns and Jerry Ragovoy, the song was first recorded in 1963 by Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters. Joplin’s kicked up the intensity level a few notches – damn!

Crash Test Dummies/Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

And this brings us to our sixth and final stop. For this let’s head to April 1993 and God Shuffled His Feet, the sophomore album by Canadian alternative rock band Crash Test Dummies. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm became the album’s first single and the group’s biggest hit to date. It was written by lead vocalist Brad Roberts, who with his distinctive bass-baritone voice largely defines the band’s sound. The group exists to this day as a touring act.

This post wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist. Hope there’s something here that tickles your fancy. See you when I’m back on Wednesday!

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify

Catching Up: Short Takes On New Music I Missed

With so much new music coming out, it’s time for another catch-up post on some I missed in my most recent weekly reviews. Unless noted noted, picks were released last Friday, March 29.

Big Head Todd and The Monsters/Thunderbird

Colorado rock band Big Head and The Monsters were formed in 1986. Including their 1989 debut Another Mayberry, they have released 11 full-length studio albums to date. Their members are Todd Park Mohr (vocals, guitar, keyboards, sax, harmonica), Jeremy Lawton (guitar, keyboard, vocals, steel guitar), Rob Squires (bass, vocals) and Brian Nevin (drums, percussion). Thunderbird is an upfront single from their upcoming 12th album Her Way Out, scheduled for May 31.

The Mavericks/Live Close By (Visit Often) (feat. Nicole Atkins)

Miami-based The Mavericks blend country with rock, pop and Latin flavors. They came together in 1989 and had an initial run until 2000. A 2003-2004 reunion was followed by another break-up and a second reunion in 2012. The group’s current line-up features co-founders Raul Malo (vocals, guitar, bass) and Paul Deakin (drums), together with Jerry Dale McFadden (keyboards, vocals) and Eddie Perez (lead guitar, vocals). Live Close By (Visit Often), which features singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins on vocals, is track from their forthcoming 13th studio album Moon & Stars set for release on May 17.

Alejandro Escovedo/Bury Me

Alejandro Escovedo is an eclectic rock musician and singer-songwriter. The son of a Mexican immigrant to Texas and a Texas native has been recording and touring since the late ’70s. He played in various bands, such as punk groups The Nuns and Judy Nylon’s band, as well as country rock formation Rank and File, before releasing his 1992 solo debut Gravity, an alternative country and heartland rock-oriented outing. His latest album Echo Dancing is a career-spanning collection of reinvented songs. Here’s Bury Me, which first appeared on Escovedo’s above-mentioned debut Gravity.

The Church/Manifesto

Since 1980, Aussie group The Church have created a cinematic and atmospheric blend of indie rock, shimmering post-punk, icy dreampop and psychedelic post-rock. In February 1988, they scored an internal hit with their stunning single Under the Milky Way, off their excellent fifth studio album Starfish. On their new 27th studio album Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars, which comes just a little over a year after the predecessor The Hypnogogue, they still mistakably sound like The Church. What’s perhaps missing compared to Starfish are standout songs with easy-to-remember melodies. In addition to the only remaining original member Steve Kilbey (lead vocals, bass, keyboards, guitar), the group includes Jeffrey Cain (guitar, bass keyboards, backing vocals), Ian Haug (guitar, backing vocals), Ashley Naylor (guitar, backing vocals) and Tim Powles (drums, percussion, guitar, backing vocals). Here’s Manifesto.

Lee Aaron/Tattoo

Lee Aaron is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has released albums since the early ’80s. Her website notes, She was one of the very first women writing and performing hard rock, releasing her first album (The Lee Aaron Project) at the age of only nineteen. Her sophomore release, 1984’s Metal Queen, solidified Aaron as a trailblazer for women in rock in the ’80s with the title track – an anthem of feminine empowerment and shout-out against the sexism toward women in the genre – garnering her respect and legions of rock fans around the globe. Aaron is rocking on with her latest single Tattoo, released on March 15. The cool banger with a Stonesy vibe is the title track of her forthcoming album scheduled for April 26.

Joanne Shaw Taylor/Someone Like You

Wrapping up this post is the most recent single by English blues rock singer-songwriter Joanne Shaw Taylor. Discovered in 2001 by Dave Stewart of Eurhythmics at the age of 16, Taylor has been a performing artists for more than 20 years, yet just turned 39. She won Best Female Vocalist at the 2010 and 2011 British Blues Awards and Songwriter of the Year at the latter. Here’s her latest single Someone Like You. The great ballad, which dropped on March 15, is on her upcoming studio album Heavy Soul slated for June 7. She sounds dynamite!

Sources: Wikipedia; Alejandro Escovedo website; Lee Aaron website; YouTube; Spotify

The Black Crowes Are Flying Again

Ray Davies and Dave Davies. John Fogerty and Tom Fogerty. Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher. Oftentimes, it appears rock & roll and brotherly relationships just don’t mix well. Some inflict wounds too deep to heal. Only few manage to overcome their differences. The latter apparently include Chris Robinson (57) and his younger brother Rich Robinson (54), who after they had not spoken to each other for eight years decided to revive The Black Crowes for the third time in late 2019. They are now out with Happiness Bastards, their first new album of original music in 15 years.

One could be forgiven to think that after a successful tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their 1990 debut album, the two brothers wanted to continue to shake their money maker. In addition to the new album, The Black Crowes are launching their international Happiness Bastards Tour on April 2 in Nashville, Tenn. Whatever might drive the Robinson brothers, this much is clear: not only has the new album, released last Friday (March 15), received mostly positive reviews, but the music surely sounds great.

Chris Robinson (left) and Rich Robinson

From the official album release statement: Serving as a salute to their past and a celebration of the present and future, the new album…includes 10 new tracks, with a very special feature from GRAMMY-winning country superstar Lainey Wilson on “Wilted Rose.” Produced by GRAMMY Award-Winning producer Jay Joyce, the project emphasizes The Black Crowes’ influence as one of the most vital rock bands of this generation. Following decades marked by sex, drugs, fights, breakups, and divorce, Happiness Bastards finds the brothers leaving their bullshit behind and leaning into their creative common ground to deliver their most compelling work to date.

While I feel sorry the Robinson brothers’ past toxic woes resulted in missed birthdays, health crises, birth of children, marriages and divorces, as noted by Billboard, I have limited patience for what largely looks like self-inflicted rock & roll drama. I’d say it’s time to check out some music!

Here’s the great opener Bedside Manners. Like all other tracks on the album, it’s credited to both brothers. The lyrics are about the unforgiving music industry’s ruthless game, explains the official album release statement. Rich told Billboard the song came together in 5 minutes, similar to what had happened 30 years ago with She Talks to Angels, one of their most popular songs. “This one f-king plopped out and it was so great, Chris and I were both right there with it,” he said. The result sounds mighty sweet!

Most tracks on the album are up-tempo, “loud” blues rockers from start to finish. Cross Your Fingers sets a bit of a contrast with a quieter acoustic start, before picking the intensity level about 40 seconds into the song. Like the next track, Wanting and Waiting, which I’m skipping here since I included it in my most recent weekly new music review, Cross Your Fingers first appeared as a single.

This brings me to the aforementioned Wilted Rose featuring Lainey Wilson. Billboard points out the country singer-songwriter has frequently worked with producer Jay Joyce. The soulful country song about the journey of a man, who has lost both, love and his way, marks the band’s first-ever collaboration. “It’s an honor to wail on this record with these legendary, pioneering rockstars,” Wilson said. Wilted Rose, a mostly acoustic track that remains on the slower side throughout, also first appeared as a single, two days ahead of the album.

On the great Stonesy rocker Dirty Cold Sun the intensity picks up again. The song bites back against a toxic relationship with the confidence of someone thriving even when faced with the frost of a former flame, the official album release statement points out.

Let’s do one more: Kindred Friend, characterized as a piano-tinged ballad about making the most of the present and moving on from the past. The album’s closer could be viewed as an olive branch from Chris to Rich. Not only is Chris the group’s vocalist, but he also pens the lyrics for their songs, while Rich composes the music. Billboard calls the ballad “Beatlesque.” I’m more reminded of Bob Dylan.

“These guys came to town like a freight train. Ready to lay it down, no bullshit. Old school real, live and raw,” said Jay Joyce. The songwriter and session musician has also produced for the likes of The Wallflowers, Tim Finn, Emmylou Harris and Eric Church. “They brought the OG magic of their early albums along with some young punk spirit. I was honored to have captured it.”

As far as the members of The Black Crowes are concerned, the official album release statement only notes the Robinson brothers, leaving no doubt who is in charge. ‘Who else is in the group?’ you might wonder. Sven Pipien (bass, backing vocals) is the third core member. He first joined the band in 1997. Additional musicians on the album include Nico Bereciartua (guitars), Erik Deutsch (keyboards) and Brian Griffin (drums), as well as backing vocalists Vicki Hampton, Joanna Cotton and Robert Kearns (backing vocals). Jay Joyce also contributed additional guitars and keyboards.

“Happiness Bastards is our love letter to rock n’ roll,” Chris summed up, as reported by Rock Cellar. “Rich and I are always writing and creating music; that has never stopped for us, and it is always where we find harmony together.” Added Rich: “This album is a continuation of our story as a band. Our years of experience writing and making music and touring the world are represented in this record, and we were brilliantly guided by one of the best producers in the business, Jay Joyce. I am incredibly proud of what we put together.”

Sounds like brothers in full harmony? One really would hope so after their eventful past. That said, Billboard noted Chris and Rich spoke to the publication separately instead of giving a joint interview. They also keep their own dressing rooms on the road. Perhaps maintaining a certain distance works out better for the two.

Sources: Wikipedia; The Black Crowes website; Billboard; Rock Cellar; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

Happy Saturday and welcome to my weekly new music review. All featured picks can be found on albums that were released yesterday (March 15)

Beans/Dreaming Daisy

First up are Australian psychedelic garage rock group Beans from Melbourne. An announcement on the website of their label Fuzz Club Records notes the band is fronted by Matt Blach, drummer of rock band The Murlocs who also hail from Melbourne. Boots N Cats is Beans’ third full-length album after All Together Now (2020) and Babble (2018). Boots N Cats “bounces between organ-driven garage-rock wig-outs, breezy psych-pop and groovy funk instrumentals.” Here’s Dreaming Daisy.

Scott Stapp/Deadman’s Trigger

Scott Stapp is best known as lead vocalist and lyricist of post-grunge rockers Creed who he co-founded in Tallahassee, Fla. in 1994. After Creed had disbanded in 2004, Stapp released his first solo album, The Great Divide, in November 2005. During the hiatus of Creed who had reunited in 2009, Stapp resumed his solo career and is now out with his fourth and latest album Higher Power. Meanwhile, Creed emerged from hiatus in July 2023 and will tour the U.S. and Canada starting in April. Here’s Deadman’s Trigger co-written by Stapp, Blair Daly, Marti Frederiksen, Scott Stevens and Zac Maloy.

Potato Beach/Please Waste Your Time

Potato Beach are another psychedelic garage rock band, from Vienna, Austria, who were formed in 2020. From their Bandcamp profile: Anja, Peter, Sven, Lili and Jannik try to make everything sound like the 60s, even though they live in 2022. Because they are not cool enough to move to L.A., they are trying to bring the seductive sound of bands such as The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Allah-Las and La Luz to Austria. Off their first full-length album Dip In, here’s Please Waste Your Time – that cool retro grabbed me right away!

Cory Wells/Natural Disaster

Cory Wells, not to be confused with the former Three Dog Night member of the same name, is a California singer-songwriter who AllMusic notes blends acoustic EMO and cathartic power folk. Initially, Wells focused on metal and hardcore and was a touring member of post-hardcore band Movements before shifting to a quieter style and releasing his 2018 debut EP How to Tear Apart the Ones You Love. His second and latest full-length album is titled Harboring the Hurt I’ve Caused. Here’s Natural Disaster, co-written by Wells, Anton DeLost and Sarah Thompson.

James Clarke Five/Ghost

James Clarke Five is the solo project of British power pop artist James Hughes. He was a co-founder and the keyboarder of ’80s English new wave band The Cherry Boys. After their breakup in 1984, he also co-founded indie pop outfit Exhibit B whose 1988 album Playing Dead became a cult classic. Hughes launched James Clarke Five in the early 2000s. His latest album under that moniker, Zoom and The Gadflies, has “a common theme inspired by the music that excited me as a child,” Hughes explained in a statement, “people like Adam and The Ants, and also the likes of T. Rex and the ‘production style’ of the Glam Rock era.” Here’s Ghost, a song about bittersweet reflections on childhood and the passing of time with a neat harpsichord-driven sound!

The Black Crowes/Wanting and Waiting

Rounding out this post is music from the new album by The Black Crowes, the group’s first since their third reunion in 2019. Initially formed in Atlanta, Ga. as Mr. Crowe’s Garden in 1984, the band around brothers Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson has seen numerous line-up changes and much drama, especially between the brothers. In late 2019, they told Howard Stern they had resolved their differences. The group conducted a 2022 tour around the 30th anniversary of their Shake Your Money Maker debut album. Off their new studio project Happiness Bastards, here’s the great Wanting and Waiting. The Black Crowes are touring behind the album starting in early April.

Sources: Wikipedia; Fuzz Club Records website; Potato Beach Bandcamp page; AllMusic; Shameless Promotion PR press kit; YouTube; Spotify

The Wizards of Vision and Sound

Dan Auerbach first entered my radar screen in April 2020 when I reviewed southern guitarist Marcus King’s soulful debut album El Dorado, which was produced by Auerbach. At the time, I didn’t realize yet how prolific the now 44-year-old musician, singer-songwriter and producer is. Between two solo albums, his involvement in The Black Keys and various side projects, as well as his record engineering and production work, Auerbach has had his fingerprints on more than 90 albums to date! In this post, I’d like to primarily focus on his activity as a producer.

Dan Auerbach (born Daniel Quine Auerbach, May 14, 1979) was born in Ohio and grew up in a family who exposed him to a variety of music during his childhood. Reportedly, his first concert experience was a Whitney Houston show where his mother took him; his second a Grateful Dead concert, thanks to his dad who also got the boy hooked to the blues via his vinyl collection. Auerbach’s uncles liked bluegrass.

Dan Auerbach (left) and Patrick Carney ca. 2005

Around the age of 9, Auerbach started playing guitar. While attending high school in Akron, Ohio, he became friends with his future Black Keys partner and drummer Patrick Carney. The two had first met when there were 8 or 9 and lived in the same neighborhood. In 1986, they began jamming together. Eventually, this led to the formation of The Black Keys after both had dropped out of college.

During college, Auerbach was heavily influenced by blues guitarist Junior Kimbrough, leading him to drop out, so he could focus on his guitar-playing. Other major influences include the likes of Robert Johnson, R.L. Burnside and Hound Dog Taylor, as well as artists outside the blues, such as bluegrass and country singer Clarence White and rapper RZA.

The Black Keys released their debut album The Big Come Up in 2002, but it wasn’t until 2004 and their third album Rubber Factory that they were started to get noticed. A couple of years later, Auerbach began recording, engineering and producing for other artists, using downtime from The Black Keys. He also opened his own recording studio in Akron.

By the time The Black Keys hit their commercial breakthrough in 2010 with their sixth album Brothers, Auerbach had already worked on more than 15 albums for other artists. Some of his projects during this period included garage punk band SSM, blues rock musician Patrick Sweany and garage rock revival band The Ettes. In 2009, Auerbach also launched The Fast Five, a side project with Carney and members from the bands Hacienda and My Morning Jacket. Somehow, Auerbach also managed to release his debut album Keep It Hid in February 2009!

Dan Auerbach (second from left) with The Arcs in 2015

After Auerbach moved to Nashville in 2010, he established Easy Eye Sound studio there. In 2015, he launched garage rock band The Arcs, another side project. They released their debut album Yours, Dreamily in September of the same year. And, he also co-produced it, together with band member and multi-instrumentalist Leon Michels. Two years later, Auerbach founded his own label in Nashville, naming it after his recording studio. The first album that appeared on Easy Eye Sound was Auerbach’s second solo effort, Waiting On a Song, in June 2017.

This may be hard to believe. I’m in the eighth paragraph of this post, and I feel I’ve only provided a topline summary of Auerbach’s extensive bio. I wonder whether he ever sleeps or takes any other breaks! Let’s take a closer look at some of his work as a producer.

Black Diamond Heavies, a blues rock band from Nashville, turned to Auerbach for their sophomore album A Touch of Someone Else’s Class, released in June 2008. It was recorded at his studio in Akron, and he also served as producer. Here’s Bidin’ My Time featuring Auerbach’s Black Keys partner Patrick Carney on drums.

In April 2012, New Orleans R&B artist Dr. John released Locked Down, a well received studio album produced by Auerbach, which won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Blues Album. It was mixed by him and recorded at Easy Eye Sound studio. Auerbach also co-wrote the songs and played guitar. Here’s Getaway.

In May 2014, outlaw country singer-songwriter Nikki Lane released her sophomore album All or Nothin’. It was recorded at Easy Eye Sound and produced by Auerbach who also co-wrote five of the 12 tracks, and shared vocals with Lane on one of them. “Working with Dan and his professionalism on top of his creative capabilities is so great,” Lane told Billboard in July 2014. “To watch him bring together such a wide variety of artists – legends like Kenny Vaughan, who is such a guitar bad ass, and Russ Pahl [pedal steel guitar – CMM]. Just watching him work with all those people, is such an inspirational experience.” Here’s the opener Right Time.

In 2016, Auerbach worked with Chrissie Hynde on what became the 10th studio album by Pretenders. At that time, the English-American rock group had become a project of Hynde with her as the sole member. Appropriately titled Alone, the album was recorded at Easy Eye Sound and produced by Auerbach. The session musicians, among others, included Arcs members Leon Michels (keyboards) and Richard Swift (drums). Auerbach also co-wrote two songs and provided guitar, keyboards and backing vocals. Hynde was very complimentary about Auerbach, telling the Akron Beacon Journal, “He’s very involved and dedicated to it, and he has just stellar ideas and his instincts are good.” Here’s the title track.

Next I’d like to turn to British singer-songwriter Yola, who blends vintage country, soul and R&B with contemporary pop, and her compelling debut album Walk Through Fire, which I reviewed here. It was recorded at Easy Eye Sound, produced by Auerbach and released on his label (with distribution by Nonsuch Records). He was also involved in the writing of most songs and assembled an impressive cast of session musicians and guests. The latter included Vince Gill and Molly Tuttle who contributed vocals. Here’s the tasty Love All Night (Work All Day).

I’d like to wrap it up with Black Bayou, the fourth full-length album by blues and soul singer-songwriter and guitarist Robert Finley, released in October 2023 on Auerbach’s label and produced by him. Finley and Auerbach had first met in 2017 when they worked together and released an original soundtrack for the graphic novel Murder Ballads. Auerbach had also produced Finley’s two albums that preceded Black Bayou. Once again, Auerbach played a key role in the songwriting on Finley’s latest album, which was well received by critics. Let’s listen to What Goes Around (Comes Around).

To date, Easy Eye Sound has released more than 20 albums that have received 16 Grammy nominations, according to a short profile on the website of Concord Records, which entered into a joint venture with Auerbach’s label in 2021. The profile also quotes Auerbach: “Because I’ve lived many aspects of a musician’s life, I have a unique connection to my artists, and I channel that into this label and studio to record and share with musicians that inspire me. I look for honest and overlooked voices and stories and try to shine some light on them.”

Well, Auerbach certainly has a long and impressive track record, especially when considering he’s only 44 years! Following is a Spotify playlist that features the above songs and others produced by Auerbach except for music he produced for himself, The Black Keys or any of his side projects.

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Billboard; Akron Beacon Journal; Concord Records website; YouTube; Spotify

Walter Trout Returns And Sounds As Compelling As Ever

To say Walter Trout has had ups and downs over his 50-year-plus career would be an understatement. A traumatic childhood, the horrors of drug addiction that culminated in a liver transplant to save his life at the last moment and a manager who tried to rip him off are the things that come to my mind in this context. But while as such the 72-old blues rock veteran can surely relate to feeling broken, Trout is charging full steam ahead and sounds as compelling as ever on his new album Broken, released last Friday (March 1).

Coming only about 1.5 years after predecessor Ride, which I covered here at the time, Broken is Trout’s 31st studio album. While as you might imagine Trout has recorded with many other artists, his latest project includes three first-time collaborators: Blues rock peer Beth Hart, young British harmonica virtuoso Will Wilde and perhaps an unexpected guest: Heavy metal vocalist Dee Snider, best known for previously fronting Twisted Sister.

Walter Trout official press photo

From the official press release: All of us are broken. But no one is beyond repair. It’s a philosophy that Walter Trout has lived by during seven volatile decades at the heart of America’s society and blues-rock scene. Even now, with the world more fractured than ever – by politics, economics, social media and culture wars – the fabled US bluesman’s latest album, Broken, chronicles the bitter schisms of modern life but refuses to succumb to them. “I’ve always tried to write positive songs, and this album is not quite that,” Trout explained. “But I always hold on to hope. I think that’s why I wrote this album.”

The powerful opener and title track featuring Beth Hart undoubtedly is one of the highlights. “I thought my friend Beth Hart could relate to the title track, Broken,” Trout said. “With that song, I was looking at the world – especially what’s going on in the United States – but also thinking about my recovery from the things that happened to me. I had the first verse…But it was almost too much for me to go back into that shit. So my wife, Marie, was able to help me with the lyrics – and she nailed it. The guitar solo, that’s maybe my favourite on the record. I tracked it with the band, one take. I wanted to see if I could beat it – but they wouldn’t let me!”

Courage In the Dark is another cut I immediately dug. It well illustrates Trout’s lyrical approach. While things can be really bad, we can make it through tough times by lightening a candle to give us a little courage in the dark. Trout recalled he wrote that song in no more than 10 minutes after the initial spark had come to him. “I was actually reading a book of poetry in the van, and the line was something like, ‘In a world of darkness, it’s a necessity that you hold on to your courage’,” he said.

While I already highlighted Bleed in my most recent new music review, I just couldn’t skip this gem here. “Bleed came about when we were pretty much done [with the album – CMM],” Trout pointed out. “My drummer Michael Leasure said to me, ‘Hey, Walter, you played with John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat, this is your 31st album and you’ve never played a boogie. What’s the deal?’ So I said, ‘OK, fuck it, let’s do a boogie’. I can kinda play harmonica, but I thought, ‘Let’s elevate this thing’. There’s a young harmonica player in England who’s the best I’ve ever heard, Will Wilde. He has the soul and the power of Paul Butterfield, but couples that with blinding virtuoso technique.” Damn, this just sizzles!

Talkin’ To Myself was inspired by music Trout listened to on the radio while growing up. The cut also features his first attempt to play a vintage electric sitar – pretty cool! “Y’know, it’s ’66, you’re riding in your car, and Paul Revere and The Raiders comes on,” Trout mused. “I wanted this song to sound like that.”

In case you haven’t already checked it out yourself, I imagine those of you still reading wonder about Trout’s aforementioned third first-time collaboration. “Dee Snider from Twisted Sister put up a live cut of me on his Twitter and said: ‘Listen to this fucking guitar hero’,” Trout recalled. “We started talking, became friends, he came into the studio and I knew I had to write him a song. So I’m thinking, ‘Well, he did ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’. So I wrote I’ve Had Enough. And it’s rockin’, big time” – sure as heck is!

Broken was recorded at Kingsize Soundlabs in Los Angeles, the same studio where Trout made 2019’s Survivor Blues, the covers album that got him on my radar screen. And just like that gem other previous albums, Broken was produced by Eric Corne. “This is our 15th album together,” Trout noted. “Eric and I just have a way of working, man. A friend who came into the studio and watched us and said, ‘Man, you guys are like a machine’. It’s unspoken.”

Hey, you don’t need to fix what ain’t broken!

Sources: Wikipedia; Mascot Label press release;