Best of What’s New

Happy Saturday and welcome to another installment of my weekly new music revue. Once again, I found myself with more songs than I was able to accommodate, a nice problem to have. Following are four I decided to feature, all from albums that came out yesterday (October 7).

Disq/This Time

My first pick are Wisconsin indie rock band Disq, who according to Apple Music were founded by two teenage childhood friends. Here’s more from their profile: The roots of Disq go back to the friendship of Isaac deBroux-Slone and Raina Bock. The two grew up together, and both were surrounded by creative, artistic families. After learning several instruments and exploring pop music foundations laid by bands like the Beatles and alternative rock starting points like Weezer, the two budding songwriters formed Disq when they were still in their early teens. With Bock on bass and backing vocals and deBroux-Slone on guitar and lead vocals, the duo self-produced and released the Disq I EP in 2016. Over the next several years, the band expanded to include additional guitarist Logan Severson, drummer Brendan Manley, and guitarist/keyboardist Shannon Connor. After signing with indie label Saddle Creek, Disq released their full-length debut album Collector in March 2020. This Time, written by DeBroux-Slone, is a track from the group’s sophomore album Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet. Great song!

Indigo Sparke/Pluto

This is the second time I’m including singer-songwriter Indigo Sparke in Best of What’s New after this installment from February 2021. According to a profile on the website of her record label Sacred Bones Records, Sparke writes with a rare and reflective power, creating music that builds and bursts as she examines love, loss, grief, and a newly realized rage. Born in Australia and now based in New York, Indigo worked as an actress before establishing herself in the Sydney music scene with her EP Night Bloom (2016). Over the next few years, she toured and collaborated extensively with Big Thief, released her single, “The Day I Drove the Car Around the Block,” to critical acclaim, had a song featured on the TV show Cloudy River, and performed across Australia and the U.S. Indigo signed with Sacred Bones in early 2021, and made her label debut shortly after with Echo [I previously featured the opener – CMM], which she co-produced with Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief), and Andrew Sarlo (producer of Big Thief, Nick Hakim, Bon Iver, and Hand Habits). This brings me to Hysteria, Sparke’s sophomore release, and Pluto, a beautiful song she wrote together with Aaron Dessner.

Surf Curse/Cathy

Next up is new music by Surf Curse, a music project by Nick Rattigan (drums, vocals) and Jacob Rubeck (guitar). From their AllMusic bio: A gritty and melodic Nevada-bred guitar-and-drum duo who later became a fixture of Los Angeles’ D.I.Y. garage and punk scenes, Surf Curse aligned themselves with the artist-run Danger Collective label where they released albums like 2017’s Nothing Yet and 2019’s Heaven Surrounds You. The sudden viral success of “Freaks,” a song they’d released years earlier, earned them a deal with Atlantic. That label has now issued Surf Curse’s fourth and new album Magic Hour. Here’s Cathy. I like their sound!

The Star Crumbles/Desperately Wanting

Before getting to the last pick, I have to call out fellow bloggers Jeff from Eclectic Music Lover and Marc Schuster from Abnominations, who brought the music project The Star Crumbles on my radar screen with recent posts here and here, respectively. The following is informed by these posts. Marc who is based in Philadelphia is actually a member of the project, which also includes his friend, Denton, Texas-based Brian Lambert. Both are longtime singer-songwriters and musicians. After they had met on Twitter, Lambert reached out to Schuster for some help with one of his songs earlier this year. Recognizing how well they worked with each other, they decided to form The Star Crumbles. Schuster and Lambert, among others, are both into ’80s music and bands like The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, New Order and Ultravox, which you can clearly hear on their first album The Ghost of Dancing Slow. They also came up with a fictitious story behind the band, which they captured in a hilarious mini-documentary. Here’s the remarkable thing from my perspective: While I used to dig much of ’80s music at the time, nowadays, I tend to be lukewarm about it. I definitely can’t say the same about The Star Crumbles and their tune Desperately Wanting, which pretty much grabbed me right away. Once again, this goes to show that at the end of the day, there are only types of music: Music you dig and music that doesn’t speak to you. Check this out!

The following Spotify playlist includes the above and a few additional tracks by the featured artists.

Sources: Wikipedia; Apple Music; Sacred Bones Records website; AllMusic; Eclectic Music Lover blog; Abnominations blog; YouTube; Spotify

Best of What’s New

Happy Saturday and hope your weekend is off to a great start! For many folks in the U.S., with Labor Day coming up on Monday, it’s a three-day stretch off work. And, nope, even though there is this notion, the holiday doesn’t mark the end of summer! In North America, that date is September 22 this year. With that important clarification out of the way, let’s get to new music. All picks are on albums or EPs that appeared yesterday (Sep 2).

Luke Sital-Singh/Can’t Get High

I’d like to kick off this new music revue with Luke Sital-Singh, a Los Angeles-based British indie folk singer-songwriter. Here’s more from his Apple Music profile: Raised in the southwest London suburb of New Malden,…Sital-Singh released his first EP, Fail for You, in late 2012. Produced by veteran Irish producer Iain Archer (Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg), the four songs had a haunting, intimate quality that drew comparisons to Bon Iver and Jeff Buckley, and earned Sital-Singh considerable airplay in the U.K. He released a second EP in the spring of 2013 called Old Flint, which opened the door to several tours and key spots on the U.K. festival circuit, and eventually landed him a deal with British major Parlophone Records. Sital-Singh’s first full-length album The Fire Inside appeared in August 2014. Now, his fourth studio album Dressing Like a Stranger is out. Here’s Can’t Get High, a nice pop rock tune he wrote together with Nashville-based songwriter and frequent collaborator Ben Cramer, better known as Old Sea Brigade.

Mo Troper/I Fall Into Her Arms

Mo Troper is a Portland, Ore.-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. From his AllMusic bio: His music takes listeners on an emotional trip, with the beauty of his classic-style pop melodies facing up against lyrics that ask pointed, sardonic questions about the world around him...Troper’s father was an obsessive Beatles fan, and Mo grew up absorbing the influences of the Fab Four and other ’60s pop acts. At an early age, Troper had developed a passionate interest in music, and in his teens he began making his way into the Portland D.I.Y. music scene. While in high school, Troper and drummer Nate Sonefeld formed the band Your Rival, who specialized in “fun songs about horrible things.” In 2013, they released an album, Here’s to Me, through the local punk label Party Damage Records. The band soon broke up, and Troper worked with the groups TeenSpot and Sancho before he decided it was time to strike out on his own. His solo debut album Beloved was released in April 2016. Fast-forward six and a half years to MTV, Troper’s fifth studio album, and I Fall Into Her Arms. Like all other tracks except for one, the power pop tune was solely penned by Troper.

Rodell Duff/Tell Me Twice

Rodell Duff who originally hails from Trinidad & Tobago is a Texas-based country singer. From his website: He moved to Houston, TX as a kid[, which] has been his home since then. Music has always been a part of his life. From being in the choir during his school years, to now garnering over 7 million plus streams on Spotify with just 5 releases under his belt. Now residing in Kemah, TX, Rodell Duff has been all over Texas performing in front of live crowds. He recently opened up for acts such as The Josh Abbott Band, Michael Ray & Corey Kent, just to name a few. His first official single “Wrecked” was released in 2021 & ended up landing on Spotify’s “Hot Country” playlist. Rodell Duff has now released his first EP, Red Dirt Cursed, and I like what I’m hearing. Check out opener Tell Me Twice, which Duff co-wrote with Dylan Maloney, Eric Dodd and Haley Ganis.

The Front Bottoms/Hello World

Wrapping up my new music picks for this week are The Front Bottoms, an indie rock duo from Woodcliff Lake, N.J. Consisting of Brian Sella (vocals, guitar) and his childhood friend Mat Uychich (drums), The Front Bottoms were formed in 2006. Uychich’s brother Brian Uychich (keyboard, vocals) completed their original line-up, which recorded their first two self-released albums. In September 2011, The Front Bottoms’s eponymous third album appeared, their first released with a record label. Following the departure of Brian Uychich, Ciaran O’Donnell (guitar, trumpet, keyboards) joined as an official member in 2012. After the release of their fourth studio album Going Grey in October 2017, The Front Bottoms became a duo. Their music has been eclectic, blending elements of pop, rock and punk. This brings me to Hello World, a tune from their latest pop rock-oriented EP Theresa.

This post wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist of the above and some additional tunes.

Sources: Wikipedia; Apple Music; AllMusic; Rodell Duff website; YouTube; Spotify

Best of What’s New

While plenty of new music keeps coming week after week, picking songs I like can be tricky. As much as I try to be open-minded, I simply cannot deny my strong ’60s and ’70s influences. During some weeks, this means it can take a long time to identify tunes I sufficiently enjoy. On other occasions, I find myself with more options than I want to feature. This week fell into the latter category – a nice problem to have! All picks appeared yesterday (June 24). Let’s get to it!

Goose/Hungersite

Goose are an American jam band from Norwalk, Conn. They were formed in 2014 by Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass), Jeff Arevalo (vocals, percussion, drums) and Ben Atkind (drums). Following the release of the debut album Moon Cabin in 2016, the group added Peter Anspach (keyboards, guitar, vocals) in late 2017. Wikipedia notes Goose have been compared to jam bands like Phish and Umphrey’s McGee, while the group itself has characterized their music as indie groove. Hungersite, penned by Mitarotonda, is a track from Goose’s third and latest full-length studio album Dripfield – nice tune!

The Warning/Amour

The Warning are a Mexican rock band from Monterrey, Nuevo León, a state in the country’s northeast region. The trio was formed in 2013 by sisters Daniela Villarreal (guitar, lead vocals), Alejandra Villarreal (bass guitar, piano, backing vocals) and Paulina Villarreal (drums, lead vocals, piano). Apple Music describes The Warning as a “familial Mexican hard rock band that blends savvy riffage, fist-pumping beats, and stadium-ready choruses.” Here’s a bit more from their Apple Music profile: The Villarreal sisters began posting videos online around 2014 and soon attracted attention due to the teen siblings’ instrumental precocity as well as a repertory made up of heavy metal covers by Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and AC/DC. Signed by Victoria Records, the Warning issued their first EP, Escape the Mind, in 2015. The band’s debut album, XXI Century Blood, appeared in 2017, and before long the trio was sharing the stage with the likes of Def Leppard and the Killers. This brings me to Amour, a track from the group’s third and new studio album Error. These ladies rock!

Young Guv/Too Far Gone

It’s just been a little over three months since I first featured Young Guv, a solo project of Toronto-based guitarist and vocalist Ben Cook. Cook co-founded Canadian hardcore punk band No Warning, initially formed in 1998 under the name As We Once Were. After the band’s break-up in late 2005, he joined another local hardcore punk group named Fucked Up. In 2015, Cook released his solo debut album Ripe 4 Luv, the first of now five that have appeared to date under the Young Guv moniker, including the latest Guv IV. Cook’s Young Guv music is power pop-oriented and as such very different from his hardcore punk roots. Too Far Gone is a song from the aforementioned Guv IV – catchy tune!

Caamp/Come With Me Now

I first learned about Caamp from fellow blogger Eclectic Music Lover, who included the American folk band from Athens, Ohio in a recent installment of his weekly top 30’s feature. From their Apple Music profile: Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall, founders of the folk band Caamp, met as kids at summer camp and began performing together in parking lots and at charity shows while in high school. After bass player Matt Vinson joined the band, Caamp independently released their 2016 self-titled debut, which features the breakthrough viral hit “Ohio.” Meier, who is Caamp’s guitarist and lead vocalist, said Ray LaMontagne and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon are two of his biggest vocal influences. Caamp’s lineup also includes Joseph Kavalec (keyboards). Apart from an EP, they have released three full-length studio albums, including the latest, Lavender Days. Here’s the pleasant opener Come With Me Now, credited to all four members.

Jack Johnson/Open Mind

Jack Johnson is an American singer-songwriter, filmmaker and former professional surfer. From his AllMusic bio: A professional surfer turned chart-topping rocker, Jack Johnson rose to fame in the 2000s with an easygoing, acoustic singer/songwriter style punctuated by an unassuming voice and a mellow, beach-bum demeanor. The combination proved to be particularly potent on the commercial front, as his first five major-label albums all climbed to platinum status, with his most lauded being 2005’s In Between Dreams. While not as prolific, he continued to find success in the 2010s with well-received efforts including From Here to Now to You (2013) and All the Light Above It Too (2017). A handful of collaborations and singles, including 2020’s “The Captain Is Drunk,” ushered Johnson into the next decade ahead of his eighth album, 2022’s Meet the Moonlight. Here’s Open Mind, the beautiful first track off Meet the Moonlight.

Mary Devlin/Lover’s Hands

For this last pick, I’d like to give a shoutout to fellow blogger Angie from The Diversity of Classic Rock. Angie first covered Lover’s Hand, a great rock-oriented tune by Mary Devlin. From her Spotify profile: New Jersey native Mary Devlin made her first debut as a performer at the age of 14 on the streets of her hometown in Ocean City, and has since been actively pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter. Mary’s music is eclectic, ranging from ’80s inspired synth beats to soft acoustic numbers. Yet all Mary Devlin songs are tied together by similar lyrical themes of youth, love, and learning to navigate the world as a 20 something. Devlin has many inspirations, including but not limited to world defining bands such as The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, legendary figures such as Robert Johnson, contemporary acts such as Lorde, Hozier, Marika Hackman and of course all of the Top Hits of the 80s that her mother has raised her on. Angie noted Lover’s Hand is Devlin’s first professionally recorded single produced and mastered by Brandon Ireland and Tyler Sarfert, respectively – very neat!

Last but not least, here’s a Spotify list of all the above and a few additional tunes:

Sources: Wikipedia; Goose website; Apple Music; AllMusic; The Diversity of Classic Rock; YouTube; Spotify

Best of What’s New

Sometimes it’s funny how things go. Even though my employer observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and, as such, I was officially off on Monday, this week still felt very long. Finally, Saturday and another installment of my weekly new music feature are here. This time, my picks include three artists/bands who are entirely new to me and two I’m familiar with, especially one I’ve known since the ’80s. Except for the last tune, all tracks appeared on albums that were released yesterday (January 21).

Miles Kane/Change the Show

My first pick is Miles Kane, who is known as a solo artist and as a member of English supergroup The Last Shadow Puppets. He also used to be the lead vocalist of English rock band The Rascals, who were active from 2007 until 2009 when Kane decided to launch a solo career. His Apple Music profile describes him as an artist with a “resonant croon and charismatic stage swagger” who is “known for his vintage ’60s- and ’70s-inspired rock sound.” Here’s more from Apple Music: Born in 1986 in Merseyside, Kane was an 18-year-old guitarist when he formed his first band Little Flames with childhood friends vocalist Eva Petersen, guitarist Mat Gregory, bassist Joe Edwards, and drummer Greg Mighall. However, after Petersen and Gregory left the band due to creative differences, Kane and the remaining members formed the Rascals with Kane taking on vocal duties...In 2011, he delivered his full-length solo debut, Colour of the Trap. This brings me to Change the Show, the title track of Kane’s new and fourth solo album. The tune was co-written by him and Jamie Biles – catchy pop/rock with a retro flavor.

Texas Hill/Heaven Down Here

Texas Hill are an alternative country trio founded in 2020. According to their website, Craig Wayne Boyd offers a voice full of gospel-tinged country smoke, Adam Wakefield blends a rootsy bluegrass-and-Americana rasp, and Casey James wraps it with a blue-eyed soul quality and deft blues guitar chops. [Casey James did ring a bell, and it turned out in June 2017, I covered his sophomore solo album Strip It Down.]…The Voice and American Idol worked in creating a fan base for all three...That connection helped forge Texas Hill. James and Boyd, who grew up 60 miles apart on the outskirts of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, ran into one another at a 2019 event in Nashville and dove into conversation…Roughly a month later, Boyd brought Wakefield into the musical conversation, and when the three of them met up, Boyd introduced a song he’d just written. In September 2020, Texas Hill released their eponymous debut EP. Heaven Down There, credited to all three members, is the title track of their first full-length album. Great country rock with beautiful harmony singing – the kind of music that makes me happy!

Keb’ Mo’/Good Strong Woman

Keb’ Mo’ (born Kevin Roosevelt Moore) probably doesn’t need much of an introduction. While typically characterized as a blues artist, the Nashville-based guitarist and singer-songwriter also integrates elements of pop and Americana into his music. I grew fond of Moore when he teamed up with Taj Mahal for their great 2017 “uplifting blues” collaboration album TajMo, which I reviewed here. I also saw the two later that same year during the tour that supported TajMo. Good Strong Woman, which features former Hootie & the Blowfish lead vocalist Darius Rucker, is a track from Keb’ Mo’s new album Good To Be…The soulful, country-flavored tune was co-written by Moore and Jason Gantt. This sounds really sweet! Here’s the official video.

Penny & Sparrow/Voodoo

Penny & Sparrow are an indie folk duo of Texas singer-songwriters Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke. According to their Apple Music profile, they rose out of Austin, Texas, in the early part of the 2010s, combining rich harmonies and a modern sensibility inspired by acts like Bon Iver, the Swell Season, and Mumford & Sons. After honing their sound with a few indie releases, they signed with Southern indie Single Lock Records and issued a trio of well-received albums including 2016’s Let a Lover Drown You and 2019’s Finch. Voodoo is a tune off Penny & Sparrow’s new album Olly Olly. Like all except one of the other 11 tracks on the record, it was co-written by Baxter and Jahnke. Sounds pretty!

Scorpions/Rock Believer

This brings me to my final pick, which comes from Scorpions. When I last featured the German rock/pop metal stalwarts in a Best of What’s New installment in May 2020, I referenced a statement by the group that noted they “are working on lot’s of Hard‘n Heavy Rockers for our new album these days.” That album, Rock Believer, is now in the can and scheduled for February 25. Here’s the title track, which was released on January 14 as the second upfront single of what will be the band’s 19th studio album. Scorpions were formed in 1965 in Hannover, Germany by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who remains with the group to this day. The present line-up also features Klaus Meine (lead vocals, guitar; since 1969), Matthias Jabs (lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals; since 1978), Paweł Mąciwoda (bass, backing vocals; since 2003) and Mikkey Dee (drums; since 2016). Scorpions first entered my radar screen with their immensely successful 1984 album Love at First Sting. In general, I dig their melodic pop metal, though whether I want to listen to it also depends on my mood, which I think applies to most other music as well.

Last but not least, here’s a Spotify list featuring the above tunes.

Sources: Wikipedia; Apple Music; Texas Hill website; Scorpions website; YouTube; Spotify