No Man’s Valley, Owen Stewart, Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge, Grumpster, GospelbeacH and Deep Purple
With April now in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take another look at new music that escaped my attention when putting together my weekly posts last month. At the rate new music keeps coming out, I’m under no illusion these additional picks only represent the tip of the iceberg of good stuff I missed but, hey, better some encore and none!
No Man’s Valley/Orange Juice
I’d like to kick things off with No Man’s Valley who based on their Bandcamppage are a psychedelic post punk group from The Netherlands. The five-piece of Jasper Hesselink (vocals), Christian Keijsers (guitar), Ruud van de Munckhof (keyboards), Rob Perree (bass) and Dinand Claessens (drums) calls out The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Gun Club and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds as influences. The group’s latest studio album Chrononaut Cocktailbar/Flight of the Sloths, apparently their third, dropped on April 19 and definitely is a psych rock affair. Here’s Orange Juice, a cool song that grabbed me right away, especially the vocals that sound like a psychedelic Eric Burdon.
Owen Stewart/Nobody Needs to Know
Owen Stewart is a Philadelphia-based artist whose music his Spotify profile characterizes as “groovy, gravelly, soulful and enormous.” It also notes Stewart “was born into rock at a young age,” adding his father Tommy Stewart was the drummer and lead vocalist of a late ’70s band called Cats who apparently opened for Van Halen, Blue Öyster Cult and others. On April 19, Owen Stewart released a great single, which the below YouTube clip imdicates is the first from his debut album Done and Dusted. Unfortunately, this seems to be all publicly available information on Stewart. Perhaps he prefers it that way. His new song is titled Nobody Needs to Know. You can’t make this stuff up!
Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge/Tell Me Why U Do That
Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge are fronted by Nashville, Tenn.-based 17-year-old guitarist Grace Bowers. A recent feature in Guitar World reveals Bowers started playing guitar as a 9-year-old after she had seen Guns N’ Roses’Slash on YouTube, playing Welcome to the Jungle. She since discovered the blues and now also listens to lots of soul and funk, calling out Mountain, Buddy Miles, Shuggie Otis and Sly & The Family Stone. Apparently, her talent hasn’t gone unnoticed, and Bowers has been name-checked by the likes of Devon Allman, Margo Price, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Susan Tedeschi. Here’s the smoking hot Tell Me Why U Do That, the first single from her yet-to-be-named debut EP, scheduled for sometime this summer. Check this out – damn!
Grumpster/Waste
Grumpster are a pop punk band from Oakland, Calif. According to their profile on the website of their label Noise Records, the group’s origins date back a few years when Donnie Walsh (bass, vocals) met Lalo Gonzalez Deetz (guitar). They subsequently added Noel Agtane (drums). Following the release of their second album Fever Dreams in June 2022, Alex Hernandez (guitar) joined, completing their current line-up. Waste is the neat closer of Grumpster’s third and new self-titled album, which has been out since April 26. It’s evident Walsh had Green Day’sDookie on heavy rotation while growing up.
GospelbeacH/Nothin’ But a Fool
GospelbeacH are a band from Los Angeles, who were formed in 2014 around vocalist and guitarist Brent Rademakar. He first had gained prominence in the ’90s and 2000s as a member of the groups Beachwood Sparks, Further and The Tyde. GospelbeacH’s record label Curation Recordsnotes their sound harks back to several eras of California music, from folk-rock and sunshine pop to country-rock and the Paisley Underground. Off their fifth and latest album Wiggle Your Your Fingers, which dropped on April 26, here’s the opener Nothin’ But a Fool. I dig the song’s relaxed vibe, which to me has summer and California written all over it.
Deep Purple/Portable Door
I trust Deep Purple need no introduction. To say I’m excited to write about new music by my all-time favorite hard rock band would be an understatement. On April 30, they dropped Portable Door, the lead single of their upcoming album =1, slated for Jul 19. Based on Wikipedia, it should be their 23rd. Having had their March 1972 Machine Head on heavy rotation during my early teenage years, I immediately noticed the song’s guitar riff has a tiny similarity to Pictures of Home. While expecting another Machine Head would be unrealistic, Deep Purple still unmistakably sound like the group I came love, with their dual attack of electric guitar and that mighty Hammond. Co-founder Ian Paice (drums) and longtime members Ian Gillan (lead vocals), Roger Glover (bass) and Don Airey (keyboards) remain part of their current lineup. Simon McBride (guitar) replaced Steve Morse who departed in July 2022 to care for his ill wife. Earlier in April, Deep Purpleannounced a North American summer tour with Yes.
Sources: Wikipedia; No Man’s Valley Bandcamp page; Grace Bowers website; Guitar World; Noise Records website; Curation Records website; Deep Purple website
Whitelands, Blaze Bayley, Gramercy Arms, Elephant Stone, Royal Tusk and Ghost Funk Orchestra
It’s Saturday and I’d like to welcome you to my latest weekly look at developments on the new music front. Five of the six featured songs are from studio albums that appeared yesterday (February 23). The sixth pick is a single that dropped on Wednesday
Whitelands/The Prophet & I
Kicking things off today are Whitelands, a UK shoegaze and dream pop group from London. According to NME, the four-piece includes Etienne Quartey-Papafio (vocals, guitar), Michael Adelaja (guitar),Vanessa Govinden (bass) and Jagun Meseorisa (drums). The Prophet & I, credited to all members of the band, is a track from their debut studio album Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind to the Day. While shoegaze and dream pop are outside my core wheelhouse, the song’s amazing sound drew me in immediately!
Blaze Bayley/Mind Reader
Blaze Bayley is an English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. Before launching his solo career in 1999, Bayley co-founded British heavy metal band Wolfsbane in 1984 and had a 5-year stint as lead vocalist of Iron Maiden from 1994 to 1999, replacing Bruce Dickson. Wolfsbane who had disbanded after Bayley’s departure reunited in 2010, with Bayley back in the fold. From Bayley’s new solo album Circle of Stone, here’s the opener Mind Reader – another great example how heavy rock and a decent melody aren’t mutually exclusive!
Gramercy Arms/After the After Party
Next up is neat power pop ear candy by Gramercy Arms who their website notes are a revolving New York-based collective of musicians and artists led by songwriter and producer Dave Derby. Prior to Gramercy Arms’ eponymous 2008 debut album. Derby co-founded indie rock band The Dambuilders and lo-fi home recording project Brilliantine; released two solo albums; and composed and produced some music for film and TV. After the After Party, released on Wednesday (February 21), is the catchy lead single from Gramercy Arms’ fourth studio album The Making Of the Marking Of, scheduled for April 26. It’s got a nice Marshall Crenshaw vibe!
Elephant Stone/Lost In a Dream
Canadian psych-pop band Elephant Stone were formed in Montreal in 2009 by Rishi Dhir (lead vocals, bass, sitar) after his departure from local indie rock group The High Dials. Elephant Stone’s other members include Robbie MacArthur (guitar, backing vocals), Jason Kent (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals) and Miles Dupire-Gagnon (drums, backing vocals). Starting with their 2009 debut, they have released six studio albums to date, including their latest, Back Into the Dream. Here’s the neat-sounding opener Lost In a Dream, penned by Dhir.
Royal Tusk/Hated
Also hailing from Canada are Edmonton-based hard rock group Royal Tusk, who according to their AllMusicbio draw from post-grunge, progressive rock, punk, and groove-laden stoner metal. They were formed in 2013 by Daniel Carriere (vocals) and Sandy MacKinnon (bass) and currently also include Quinn Cyrankiewicz (lead guitar, backing vocals). From their third and latest full-length album Altruistic, here’s Hated.
Ghost Funk Orchestra/Again
Ghost Funk Orchestra describe their music as “a sonic kaleidoscope that defies genre specification, but draws heavy influence from the worlds of soul, psych rock, salsa, and beyond.” The New York-based band started in the late 2010’s as a solo experimental recording project by composer and multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum. GFO’sBandcamppage notes their new concept album A Trip to the Moon features real recorded transmissions from the Apollo moon missions – a remarkable coincidence, given Thursday’s moon landing of a U.S.-built spacecraft, the first in half a century. Here’s Again, a fitting title. This is kind of wild!
Welcome to the second installment of my new recurring feature on prominent music producers and sound engineers. The inaugural post about George Martin is here. Of course, I had to kick off the series in early January with a personality closely associated with The Beatles. A second close to my favorite band of all time are The Rolling Stones, which brings me to my pick for this post: Jimmy Miller.
I suspect this “everyday man-sounding” name may be less familiar than George Martin. But it’s also safe to assume that most folks have heard of Stones gems like Beggars Banquet, Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main St. Or how about The Second Album (The Spencer Davis Group), Mr. Fantasy (Traffic) and Overkill (Motörhead) to name a few other albums that were produced or co-produced by Miller?
Jimmy Miller (center) with Keith Richards (left) and Mick Jagger
The American record producer and musician, who was born James Miller on March 23, 1942, started getting into music as an 8-year-old, picking up the drums and beginning to write music. I suspect his surroundings played a role. His dad Bill Miller served as entertainment director for several large Las Vegas casinos from the ’50s to the ’70s, booking top acts like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and, yes, Elvis Presley.
Miller’s intro to the music business happened under record executive Stanley Borden who introduced him to Jamaican-British record producer and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. Blackwell brought Miller to the UK where his first job was to remix Gimme Some Lovin’, a single by The Spencer Davis Group, who Blackwell had signed to Island in 1964. Miller’s remix not only broke the band in the U.S. with their first top 10 hit but also started his relationship with Steve Winwood.
Miller’s production of albums by Traffic and Blind Faith was followed by the first two Spooky Tooth records, as well as the March 1970 Delaney & Bonnie live album On Tour with Eric Clapton, which he co-produced with Delaney Bramlett. And let’s not forget the Stones who first came into the picture in the spring of 1968 with the aforementioned Beggars Banquet, the first of five Stones albums Miller produced in a row.
In the late 70s, Miller collaborated with Motörhead and produced their albums Overkill (March 1979) and Bomber (October 1979). He continued to work as a producer in the ’80s and early ’90s until his untimely death from liver failure in October 1994 at age 52. Let’s take a closer look at some of Miller’s work.
The Spencer Davis Group/Gimme Some Lovin’ (1966)
Gimme Some Lovin’, written by Winwood and released in October 1966, became the U.S. breakthrough single for The Spencer Davis Group, climbing to no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. SongfactsnotesGimme Some Lovin’ was written with the goal to make it appealing for the U.S. market. Miller added percussion and a female chorus.
The Rolling Stones/You Can’t Always Get What You Want (1969)
Not only did Jimmy Miller produce for The Rolling Stones, but in some cases he also contributed as a musician. One example is You Can’t Always Get What You Want, which features Miller on drums. Songfactsexplains the line, I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy/And man, did he look pretty ill, may be a reference to Miller, adding it might refer to Jimmy Hutmaker, a local character who wandered the business district in Excelsior, Minnesota. Songfacts also notes Charlie Wattsdid not play on this track for the simple reason he was technically unable to figure out the beat for this unusual groove and rhythm. Credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the closer of the Let It Bleed album also appeared separately as a B-side to non-album single Honky Tonk Women.
Blind Faith/Can’t Find My Way Home (1969)
Can’t Find My Way Home is a gem written by Steve Winwood, off the sole self-titled studio album by Blind Faith. In addition to Winwood (vocals, keyboards, guitar), the short-lived English super-group featured Eric Clapton (guitar), Ric Grech (bass) and Ginger Baker (drums). In contrast to Cream and Clapton’s electric guitar god status – something he wanted to get away from – he played acoustic guitar on this track.
Delaney & Bonnie/Where’s a Will There’s a Way (1970)
Where There’s A Will There’s A Way as a great soulful song co-written by Bonnie Bramlett, Delaney Bramlett and Bobby Whitlock. It appears on the aforementioned Delaney & Bonnie live album On Tour with Eric Clapton, which came out in March 1970 and was co-produced by Miller and Bramlett. Miller also produced Whitlock’s second solo album Raw Velvet released in November 1972.
Motörhead/Stay Clean (1979)
Overkill, Motörhead’s sophomore release from March 1979, was the first of two consecutive albums produced by Miller. One track, Tear Ya Down, lists Neil Richmond as producer. Stay Clean was credited to the group’s three members Ian Fraser Kilmister (Lemmy), Eddie Clarke (“Fast” Eddie Clarke) and Phil Taylor (Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor). Bomber, the second album produced by Miller, came out only seven months after Overkill.
Primal Scream/Movin’ On Up
The final song I’d like to call out is Movin’ On Up, one of two tracks produced by Miller for Screamadelica, the third studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream, which appeared in September 1991. It was co-written by the group’s lead vocalist Bobby Gillespie and guitarists Andrew Innes and Robert Young – great song! The album credits also list Miller for mixing.
Last but not least, here’s a Spotify playlist of the above and additional tracks produced or co-produced by Jimmy Miller.
Feral Family, Lizzie No, CobraKill, Eddie Berman, Packs and Green Day
Happy Saturday and welcome to my weekly new music review. All picks are from albums that dropped yesterday (January 19).
Feral Family/Sold
Let’s kick things off with British post-punk band Feral Family and music from their debut album Without Motion. The trio features Jamie Lowe (vocals, bass), Oscar Woods (guitar) and Aidan Riby (drums). A statement notes the album is about growing-up and getting-by in a seaside town long-forgotten by the tourists but one overrun with complex characters and even more complex relationships. Here’s Sold co-written by Lowe (lyrics) and Woods (music). “Sold is based on life being taken over by work, it quickly gets to a point in your day to day where working to live becomes living to work, and I think it’s one that many people can relate to,” Lowe explained. It’s got a pretty cool haunting vibe.
Lizzie No/The Heartbreak Store
Lizzie No is a New York-based singer-songwriter, harpist and guitarist. From her bio: You could say that Lizze No makes “Americana” music, in that her work pulls from the rhythms and traditions of Blues, Folk, and Country — not unlike the artists to whom she’s most often compared: Allison Russell, Rhiannon Giddens and Adia Victoria — but her collaborations with Brian Dunne, Pom Pom Squad and Domino Kirke display an undeniable Indie influence that allows No to move frequently and seamlessly between overlapping musical circles. No’sdebut album Hard Won appeared in March 2017. From her third and latest album Halfsies, here’s The Heartbreak Store. I love No’s beautiful vocals and the song’s warm sound!
CobraKill/Razor Blade
CobraKill are a hard rock and heavy metal band from Augustdorf, a small town in the West German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Formed by lead guitarist Randy White in 2020, the group recorded their first album Cobratör in the summer of 2021 in Dortmund, Germany. They name Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., Ratt and Mötley Crüe as influences. Apart from White, the current line-up includes Nick Adams (vocals), Tommy Gun (rhythm guitar), Crippler Ramirez (bass) and Toby Ventura (drums). Off their new sophomore album Serpent’s Kiss, let’s listen to Razor Blade. This is melodic and rocks nicely – the kind of heavy metal I find very accessible.
Eddie Berman/Heartbroken
Eddie Berman is a folk singer-songwriter whose rugged tonality is tempered by warm introspection, according to his Apple Musicprofile. He built a solid D.I.Y. career in the front half of the 2010s, self-releasing a pair of albums and touring throughout the U.S. and Europe. In addition to his own material, the Portland-based musician gained recognition for his stripped down acoustic covers of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and others. Here’s Heartbroken, a song from Berman’s new album Signal Fire. Vocally, it reminds me a bit of present day Steve Forbert – really like this!
Packs/Missy
Packs is the moniker of Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Madeline Link. After her 2018 debut album Ouch + B-Sides, Link turned Packs into a band who since May 2021 have released four albums. The indie rock group currently features Link (vocals, guitar), Dexter Nash (lead guitar), Noah O’Neil (bass) and Shane Hopper (drums, percussion). Missy, credited to all four members, is a track from Packs’ fifth and latest album Melt the Honey, which was recorded in Mexico. The Spanish vocals were provided by Lupita Rico. The song’s upbeat vibe drew me in.
Green Day/Strange Days Are Here to Stay
After the fifth upfront single Bobby Sox, which appeared on January 18, Green Day’s long-awaited new album Saviors is finally out. Their 14th studio project, which follows the cheerfully titled Father of All Motherfuckers from February 2020, seems to stick to the group’s style of combining grungy, primarily up-tempo rock with pop-oriented melodies, based on my initial impression. All lyrics were written by Billie Joe Armstrong (lead vocals, guitars), while the music is credited to all three members who in addition to Armstrong include Mike Dirnt (bass, backing vocals) and Tré Cool (drums, percussion). My pick Strange Days Are Here to Stay is a song that could have appeared on Green Day’s 1994 breakthrough album Dookie.
Sources: Wikipedia; Feral Family Bandcamp page; Lizzie No website; CobraKill website; Apple Music; Packs Bandcamp page; YouTube; Spotify
Celebrating music with six random tracks at a time
Happy Sunday and welcome to a new time travel excursion that will take us to music in different flavors from six different decades. The magical music time machine is fueled up and ready to take off. Hop on board, and let’s have some fun together!
Lou Donaldson/Autumn Nocturne
Today, our trip begins in 1958 with some relaxing jazz by Lou Donaldson. The alto saxophonist who last November turned 97 years officially retired in 2017 after a 64-year career as an active performer. From his web bio: Jazz critics agree that “Sweet Poppa Lou” Donaldson is one of the greatest alto saxophonists of all time. He began his career as a bandleader with Blue Note Records in 1952 and, already at age 25, had found his sound, though it would continue to sweeten over the years — earning him his famed nickname –“Sweet Poppa Lou.” He made a series of classic records for Blue Note Records in the 50’s and takes pride in having showcased many musicians who made their first records as sidemen for him. This brings me to Autumn Nocturne, by Josef Myrow and Kim Gannon, off Donaldson’s July 1958 album Blues Walk. He was backed by Herman Foster (piano), Peck Morrison (bass), Ray Barretto (congas) and Dave Bailey (drums). This is just beautiful!
Rainbow/Stone Cold
Our next stop takes us to April 1982 and the sixth studio album by Rainbow. The British American group was formed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975 after his first departure from Deep Purple. With killer lead vocalist Ronnie James Dio, they started out as a hard rock band. But after their great 1978 Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll album, Blackmore wanted a more mainstream sound. Dio disagreed and left or was fired. By the time Straight Between the Eyes came out, Joe Lynn Turner was the band’s lead vocalist, while Blackmore’s ex-Deep Purple mate Roger Glover had joined on bass. Here’s Stone Cold, which may describe how some listeners felt about Rainbow’s more commercial sound, though evidently rock fans in the U.S. dug it. The catchy song became the band’s only single to top the Mainstream Rock chart.
Otis Redding/Try a Little Tenderness
Time for some sweet soul music Stax style. For that, we shall head to Memphis, Tenn. and November 1966. That’s when Otis Redding’s rendition of Try a Little Tenderness appeared and scored his 7th top 10 hit on the Hot R&B Singles chart. Written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry Woods and first recorded in December 1932 as a big band jazz ballad by the Ray Noble Orchestra featuring vocalist Val Rosing, Try a Little Tenderness was rearranged by Stax staff producer Isaac Hayes. Redding didn’t want the song, but label executives and friends finally wore him down. He even tried sabotaging the recording by singing with a pleading voice, thinking Stax wouldn’t release it. He was wrong. Not only did it become Redding’s signature song but also his biggest seller before his untimely death at age 26 in a plane crash in December 1967.
Nick Lowe/Cracking Up
Our next stop takes us to June 1979 and the second solo album by Nick Lowe, Labour of Lust. Apart from producing and releasing his own music, the English singer-songwriter and musician is equally known for his production work with Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, John Hiatt and other artists. Lowe also was a co-founder of English pub rock band Brinsley Schwarz and played on all of their six studio albums until they disbanded in March 1975. Labour of Lust, which includes Lowe’s biggest solo hit Cruel to be Kind, became one of his best-performing albums. Here’s the lead single Cracking Up.
Norah Jones/Thinking About You
Let’s return to the current century with some music by singer-songwriter and pianist Norah Jones. Jones, the daughter of Indian sitarist and composer Ravi Shankar, launched her recording career in February 2002 with the highly successful album Come Away with Me, which won five Grammy awards. Most of her subsequent albums were also well received, and to date Jones has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. Thinking About You, co-written by Jones and İlhan Erşahin, first appeared in December 2006 as the lead single of her third album Not Too Late, released in January 2007. Great soulful song!
Jackson Browne/Looking East
Once again we’re reaching our sixth and final stop. This takes us back to January 1996 and Looking East, the 11th studio album by Jackson Browne, one of my long-time favorite music artists. Let’s listen to the dynamite opener and title track. Co-written by Browne, Luis Conte and Mark Goldenberg, it features ace backing musicians, including Goldenberg (guitar), Waddy Wachtel(guitar), Scott Thurston (guitar), Benmont Tench (Hammond organ), Kevin McCormick (bass) and Mauricio Lewak (drums). Love that Stonesy vibe!
Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist of the above tracks. Hope there’s something you dig!
Bill Ryder-Jones, The Vaccines, Nailah Hunter, Harrison Storm, Magnum and Holler Choir
We’re half way into January, and releases on the new music front have picked up – happy Saturday and welcome to my latest weekly review! All picks are included on brand new albums that dropped yesterday (January 12).
Bill Ryder-Jones/If Tomorrow Starts Without Me
Starting us off today is English singer-songwriter Bill-Ryder Jones, who co-founded British rock band The Coral in 1996 and was their lead guitarist until 2008. He has since launched a solo career, releasing his own albums, writing film scores and producing other artists, such as English rock bands The Wytches, Milburn and Our Girl. If Tomorrow Starts Without Me, written by Ryder-Jones, is from his fifth studio album Iechyd Da, which his website calls his “most ambitious record to date.” The strings give the song a bit of a chamber pop vibe.
The Vaccines/Love to Walk Away
English indie rock band The Vaccines were formed in West London in 2010. Their March 2011 debut album What Did You Expect from the Vaccines? was the best-selling debut of the year in the UK. The group currently includes co-founders Justin Young (lead vocals, guitar) and Árni Árnason (bass, backing vocals), along with Timothy Lanham (keyboards, guitar, percussion, backing vocals) and Yoann Intonti (drums, percussion). Off their sixth studio album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations, here’s Love to Walk Away. Credited to producer Andrew Wells, Anthony Rossomando and all four band members, the song first appeared as a single on December 8 – catchy stuff!
Nailah Hunter/Strange Delights
This brings me to Nailah Hunter, an LA-based multi-instrumentalist and composer who her website states has been recording mystical folk and ambient-inspired music since she shared her debut single “Apple, Maple, Willow” in 2019…As the daughter of a Belizean pastor, Hunter began her musical journey in the church where she played drums, guitar and sang in the choir. She continued on to study music at CalArts, where she studied vocal performance and was given her first harp lesson. Strange Delights, penned by Hunter, is the opener of her first full-length album Lovegaze. Her neat sound drew me in right away!
Harrison Storm/Tomorrow
Harrison Storm is an Australian singer-songwriter. From his website: Storm’s musical journey was a heartfelt escape from a culture of toxic masculinity. Influenced by artists like City and Colour, Angus Stone, and Jeff Buckley, music became his solace. Busking in Melbourne in 2015, he funded his debut EP, “Sense of Home.”A record deal with Nettwerk followed, leading to four EPs: “Change It All” (2017), “Falling Down” (2019), “Be Slow” (2020), and “Under Dusk” (2022) with Enna Blake. Here’s Tomorrow, written by Storm, from what appears to be his first full-length album Wonder, Won’t You? Nice!
Magnum/The Seventh Darkness
Magnum are an English hard rock and AOR group around songwriter and guitarist Tony Clarkin and vocalist Bob Catley. Formed in 1972 in Birmingham, they started out as house band at a local night club. During the group’s initial run until 1995, they released 11 studio albums. Magnum reunited in 2001 and have since issued 12 additional albums, including their latest, Here Comes the Rain. While they have had various changes in their line-up over time, Clarkin and Catley have remained as core members. Off their new album, here’s The Seventh Darkness. Hearing horn action in a hard rock song isn’t common, but it’s an intriguing feature that I think works well. Sadly, Clarkin passed away on January 7 at age 77, prompting Magnum to cancel a planned spring tour.
Holler Choir/Ain’t Too Soon
My last pick for this week is new music from Americana group Holler Choir, who have been around since 2022 and are led by singer, guitarist, and songwriter Clint Roberts. According to their website, the distinctly Appalachian, old-time sound of Asheville’s Holler Choir combines haunting harmonies, stirring string compositions, and heart-wrenching ballads, yet hardly conforms to a stereotypical genre. The band came together when Roberts recorded his 2022 solo EP Mountain Air. Off Holler Choir’s debut album Songs Before They Write Themselves, here’s Ain’t Too Soon. Love that warm sound!
Note: This post was updated on January 13, 2023 to reflect the death of Magnum co-founder Tony Clarkin at age 77.
Celebrating music with six random tracks at a time
It’s Sunday and I’d like to welcome you to the first music time travel trip of 2024! I hope everybody had a good start into the new year. As always, our itinerary includes six stops in different decades, featuring music in different flavors. Let’s do it!
Red Garland Trio/Blue Red
Our first stop takes us to June 1957 and Red Garland’s debut album as a leader, A Garland of Red. The modern jazz pianist helped popularize the so-called block chord style of playing piano in jazz. He first gained prominence when joining the Miles Davis Quintet in 1954. In addition to Davis (trumpet), it featured John Coltrane (saxophone), Paul Chambers (bass) and Philly Joe Jones (drums). By the time Garland recorded A Garland of Red, he still was a member of Davis’ quintet, though their relationship had started to become strained. Davis eventually fired him. On A Garland of Red, Garland was backed by Quintet mate Chambers (bass), as well as Art Taylor (drums). Let’s listen to the album’s closer and sole Garland composition Blue Red. One could be forgiven to think it was written by Chambers, but trust me, eventually you’ll hear more than just upright bass! Plus, did I ever mention bassists are cool? 🙂
The Subdudes/(You’ll Be) Satisfied
New Orleans band The Subdudes blend folk, swamp pop, R&B, Louisiana blues, country, cajun, zydeco, funk, soul and gospel into a tasty musical gumbo. They have been around since 1987 with breaks from 1996-2002 and 2011-2014. Since their eponymous debut from June 1989, The Subdudes have released nine additional studio and two live albums. (You’ll Be) Satisfied, a tip from my dear German music buddy Gerd, is from the third studio album Annunciation that came out in March 1994. The song was written by the band’s bass player at the time, Johnny Ray Allen. This is great stuff!
Quinn Sullivan/Salvation (Make Me Wanna Pray)
For our next stop, we shall travel back to the present and the most recent single by Quinn Sullivan, a dynamite 24-year-old blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was discovered in 2007 at the age of 7 by Buddy Guy who became his mentor. Sullivan also was a guest on Guy’s 2008 album Skin Deep and has toured various times with him and also performed with B.B. King. Since 2011, Sullivan has released four albums. His most recent single Salvation (Make Me Wanna Pray), released in November 2023, blends contemporary elements with a neat retro sound that reminds me a bit of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Damn, this is so good!
Coney Hatch/Don’t Say Make Me
Our next destination was inspired by fellow blogger Deke from DeKe’s Vinyl Reviews & More and The Distortion Den, so you can all blame him! It was on his YouTube channel that I was reminded of Coney Hatch, a Canadian hard rock band I had known by name only. They were formed in 1981 and are still rockin’. In August last year, they released a live album, Postcard from Germany. Of course, any music artist who performs in my country of birth gets my attention! Don’t Say Make Me takes us back to 1983 and the band’s sophomore album Outa Hand – a great opener that reminds me a bit of early Foreigner.
Steve Miller Band/My Dark Hour
We’re reaching our second-to-final stop, so it’s about time to pay a visit to the ’60s. My Dark Hour by Steve Miller Band is the closer of their third studio album Brave New World, which appeared in June 1969. Written by Steve Miller, it was also released separately as a single but only reached a measly no. 126 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100. Even if you don’t know the song, you probably recognize the distinct guitar riff that starts at around 13 seconds into the track. Miller would recycle that riff for his major August 1976 hit single Fly Like an Eagle.My Dark Hour also had a special guest: Paul McCartney (credited as Paul Ramon) who contributed backing vocals, drums, guitar and bass!
Outlaws/Stick Around For Rock & Roll
Time to wrap up our first music excursion of 2024 with a great proposition by southern rockers Outlaws. Stick Around For Rock & Roll is the final track of their third studio album Lady In Waiting, released in May 1976. It was written by Outlaws co-founder, guitarist and vocalist Hughie Thomasson. Later on, from 1996 to 2005, Thomasson who passed away in 2007 would also play with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Outlaws are still around, though no original member remains in their current line-up. That said, Henry Paul, who was part of the band when they recorded Lady In Waiting, remains a member to this day. This definitely rocks and reminds me a bit of The Doobie Brothers.
Last but not least, here’s a Spotify playlist featuring all of the above tracks. Hope you enjoyed the trip and will be back for more!
A new year is bringing some ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. I hope you’re all off to a great start of 2024 and would like to welcome you to the inaugural post of a new feature I decided to call The Wizards of Vision and Sound. In a nutshell, the idea is to profile prominent music producers and sound engineers, with a focus on highlighting some of their actual work.
Producers and sound engineers is a topic I’ve had on my mind for some time. While the title implies a series, I’m not sure yet about frequency, given I already have multiple recurring features, and there’s only so much time I can devote to blogging – I’m thinking perhaps monthly or every other month.
First, I’d like to briefly address the roles of music producer and sound engineer. In general, a producer manages the process of recording music, which includes helping develop a record’s overall vision, identifying and booking studios and additional session musicians, assisting with song collection and order, and advising on musical arrangements. A sound engineer primarily focuses on the technical aspects of operating recording equipment and helping the artist realize and in some cases shape the sound they envision.
Oftentimes, the above roles become blurry, especially nowadays. Music artists frequently serve as their own producers and sound engineers. Much of that is enabled by technology, which has made home recording and production of music feasible. A dedicated producer may also take on sound engineering roles, while a sound engineer may go beyond operating recording equipment and take on a more active role in shaping an album. In some cases, functions may be further split, for example between an executive producer and a “regular” producer.
With that said, let’s get to our first wizard: George Martin. Of course, I had to kick off the series with somebody related to my all-time favorite band The Beatles! But while Martin undoubtedly is best known for his work with the four lads from Liverpool and wasn’t called “the fifth Beatle” for nothing, there’s more to the English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor and musician.
George Martin (center) with (from left) John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney
George Henry Martin, who became Sir George Martin in 1996 in recognition of his services to the music industry and popular culture, was born on January 3, 1926. His initial interest in music was sparked at the age of six when his family got a piano. While the lessons he started to take as an eight-year-old stopped after only six over a disagreement between his mother and the piano teacher, Martin continued exploring the instrument on his own and created his first composition the age of eight.
After a four-year career in the British navy, Martin studied piano, oboe, music composition and orchestration at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Following his graduation in 1950, he started working for the BBC’s classical music department while playing oboe in local bands on the side. In November 1950, Martin joined EMI and became assistant to the head of EMI’sParlophone label. His focus continued to be classical music. He signed English conductor and composer Ron Goodwin and produced his first record, an instrumental cover of Charlie Chaplin’s theme from Limelight.
When his boss retired in 1955, Martin took over the Parlophone label. Before he started working with The Beatles and other pop artists in the early ’60s, Martin produced novelty and comedy records. According to The Beatles Bible, artists included The Goons, Rolf Harris, Flanders and Swann and, most successfully, the Beyond the Fringe show, starring Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller.
George Martin (left) with Shirley Bassey and audio engineer Stuart Eltham
In 1965, Martin left EMI over compensation disagreements and together with staffers from EMI and Decca formed his own production company, Associated Independent Recording (AIR). In addition to music, Martin’s more-than-six-decade career also included composing, arranging and production work for film and television. His final project, Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music, was an eight-part documentary series for TV about sound recording and music production. Martin passed away on March 8, 2016 at the age of 90, six days prior to the premier of Soundbreaking at South by Southwest.
While it is impossible to give full justice to Martin’s bio in just four paragraphs, this shall suffice for the purposes of this post. As noted the outset, I’d like to focus this series on music the featured wizard touched. With that, let’s take a look at some examples for Martin.
Gerry And The Pacemakers/How Do You Do It? (1963)
How Do You Do It? was penned by British songwriter Mitch Murray. When his publisher Dick James presented the song to Martin, he initially wanted The Beatles to record it. They reluctantly did but insisted to go with their own Love Me Do – not a bad decision, in my completely unbiased opinion! :-) Martin agreed, but he continued to see the song’s hit potential and he was right. He gave it to Gerry And The Pacemakers, after the Liverpool group had been signed to EMI’sColumbia label. Produced by Martin and released in March 1963, the song became their debut single and ended up topping the UK charts for three weeks. The Beatles’ recording eventually appeared in 1995 on the Anthology 1 collection.
Shirley Bassey/Goldfinger (1964)
Martin, George Martin! Composed by John Barry and with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the magnificent title song of the 1964 James Bond film was performed by Shirley Bassey. According to the website of Abbey Road Studios, where the gem was recorded, The vocal session tape was created on 7 September 1964, with the engineers listed as Malcolm Addey and Ron Pender, with George Martin producing in Studio Two. Additional fun fact: Jimmy Page, then a session musician, played on Goldfinger as part of the John Barry Orchestra.
The Beatles/Eleanor Rigby (1966)
While I purposely chose to highlight Martin’s work beyond The Beatles, I couldn’t leave out Eleanor Rigby, which I think features one of his finest moments with them: The writing of the string score for Eleanor Rigby. The Beatles Biblenotes this gem was inspired by the music written by Bernard Herrmann for the Truffaut film Farenheit 451. The string octet was recorded in 14 takes. Paul McCartney subsequently overdubbed his lead vocals. None of The Beatles played on the recording. Apart from appearing on the Revolver album, Eleanor Rigby was released in August 1966 as a double A-side single with Yellow Submarine.
Mahavishnu Orchestra/Wings of Karma (1974)
In March 1974, Martin worked with Mahavishnu Orchestra at his AIR Studios in London to record their third studio album Apocalypse, which came out the following month. It also featured the London Symphony Orchestra, which to me made Martin look like a perfect man for the job. In his cleverly titled 1979 memoir All You Need Is Ears, he called Apocalypse “one of the best records ever made.” Here’s Wings of Karma composed by John McLaughlin.
America/Sister Golden Hair (1975)
In 1974, folk rock trio America started working with Martin who ended up producing their next five albums. Sister Golden Hair was included on the second of the series, Hearts, which came out in March 1975. Written by Gerry Beckley, the song also became the album’s first single and one of America’s biggest hits, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. Songfactspoints out it marked Martin’s 20th no.1 U.S. single as a producer, and his first post-Beatles.
UFO/Lettin’ Go (1980)
That one came as a surprise! Martin produced UFO’s eighth studio album No Place to Run, though he later regretted his decision. Released in January 1980, it was recorded at Martin’s studio on Montserrat, known as AIR Montserrat, which had been built on the Caribbean island in 1979. In a 2016 interview with Louder, then-former UFO bassist Pete Way noted friction between the band and Martin over different work and life styles. While calling No Place to Run not bad and “well put together”, he said the group felt Martin’s mix was “a bit low-key.” The same story quotes a 1994 interview with Martin during which he said, “I once had a flirtation with heavy metal, and I regretted it very much. It [the genre] didn’t seem to have any sense.” Here’s the perhaps ironically titled Lettin’ Go, co-written by Way and UFO vocalist Phil Mogg.
Little River Band/The Night Owls (1981)
Martin’s production work wasn’t limited to British and American artists. In 1981, he worked with Aussie pop rock group Little River Band, who recorded their sixth studio album Time Exposure at AIR Montserrat. Released in September that year, it peaked at no. 9 in Australia and reached no. 21 in the U.S. on the Billboard 200. The first single The Night Owls, written by LRB co-founder and guitarist Graeham Goble, climbed to no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the group’s highest charting songs on the U.S. pop chart. In an April 2021 YouTubeinterview with Rock History Music, Goble and LBR’s second guitarist Beeb Birtles spoke very highly of Martin and working with him.
Andy Leek/Say Something (1988)
The last example of Martin’s work I’d like to call out is his production of Say Something, a 1988 album by Andy Leek. The British singer-songwriter, musician and poet first gained prominence as an early member of Dexys Midnight Runners before launching a solo career in 1980. Say Something was recorded at AIR Studios in London with impressive guest musicians, such as Steve Howe (Yes), Clem Clempson (Colosseum, Humble Pie) and Alan Murphy (Level 42). Martin said Leek “was one of the greatest artists he had ever produced”.
Over his long career, Martin produced 30 no. 1 singles in the UK and 23 no. 1 hits in the U.S. He won six Grammy Awards, including two in 1967 for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Best Contemporary Album and Album of the Year); 1973 for arranging the soundtrack of Bond movie Live and Let Die (Best Arrangement, Accompanying Vocalist(s)); 1993 for Best Musical Show Album (as producer of The Who’s Tommy); and 2007 as producer for The Beatles’ Love soundtrack remix album for the Cirque du Soleil show Love (Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media), together with his son Giles Martin. Martin also contributed to numerous charitable causes, including The Prince’s Trust and Montserrat.
Following is a Spotify playlist of the above and select other songs produced by George Martin.
Note: The post was updated on January 13, 2024 with the above Spotify playlist
Sources: Wikipedia; Abbey Road Studios website; The Beatles Bible; Songfacts; Louder; Rock History Music; YouTube; Spotify
Aaron Skiles, Worriers, Bahamas, Will Johnson, Danko Jones and Stephen Marley
Happy Saturday! Time to take another look at new music releases. All six picks this week are from albums released yesterday (September 15).
Aaron Skiles/Keep Me
Aaron Skiles is an Oakland, Calif.-based indie rock-oriented singer-songwriter. Until earlier this year, he fronted indie rock/alt. country band Bourbon Therapy, together with his wife Rebecca. Since 2014 Skiles has also released three solo albums. Off his latest, titled Whistle Past the Grave, here’s the closer Keep Me. “It’s based on an ancient Jewish meditation for mourners,” Skiles explains. “It talks about the fact that when someone is gone, the love they left behind, remains. And rather than mourn their loss, pass that remaining love onto others.” Melodic tune with a crunchy sound!
Worriers/Cloudy and 55
Worriers are from Brooklyn, New York, playing melodic punk. It’s largely a music project formed in 2011 by guitarist, singer and songwriter Lauren Denitzio who has played with a rotating line-up of touring musicians and in-studio contributors. To date four studio albums have appeared under the Worriers name. This includes the latest, Trust Your Gut, which remarkably is the second full-length studio release this year. Here’s Cloudy and 55.
Bahamas/I’m Still
Bahamas is the moniker of Canadian music artist Afie Jurvanen who is of Finnish ancestry. Jurvanen taught himself guitar and has worked with a variety of other artists, such as The Lumineers, Jack Johnson and The Weather Station. His solo debut album Pink Strat appeared in July 2009. From his sixth studio album Bootcut, here’s I’m Still, a bouncy, groovy track with a catchy melody. Also, check out that great guitar solo starting at around 3:27 minutes – a beautiful late summer tune!
Will Johnson/Sinker, Sinking
Will Johnson is a musician, singer-songwriter, author and painter who has been called “one of the most prolific artists in American indie rock.” From his bio: For more than three decades, Johnson has been a steady, prolific presence in the Texas music scene. In 1991, he broke out with alternative rock band Funland, and was the leader of beloved indie-rock act Centro-matic and alt-country outfit South San Gabriel. He’s also worked with…Jay Farrar, Bob Mould, Jason Isbell, John Moreland and many other iconic American songwriters. Additionally, Johnson has released a series of solos albums since 2002. Off his latest, No Ordinary Crown, here’s Sinker, Sinking.
Danko Jones/Get High?
Danko Jones are a hard rock trio formed in Toronto in 1996 by Danko Jones (vocals, guitar), John ‘JC’ Calabrese (bass) and Michael Caricari (drums). Following a succession of various drummers that started in 1999, the band’s line-up has been stable since 2013 when Rick Knox joined. Danko Jones are now out with their 11th studio album Electric Sounds, from which I previously featuredGuess Who’s Back. Here’s another nice rocker, Get High?
Stephen Marley/Cool As the Breeze
Stephen Marley is a Jamaican-American musician and the second eldest son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He started singing professionally as a 7-year-old with his elder siblings Ziggy Marley, Sharon Marley and Cedella Marley in Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. Stephen and Ziggy also performed alongside Bob Marley and the Wailers in the late ’70s and 1980. In addition to backing his brother Ziggy, Stephen worked as a producer before launching his own solo career in 2007. His latest solo album Old Soul, according to Jambands, features numerous prominent guests, such as Eric Clapton, Bob Weir, Jack Johnson and Ziggy Marley. Here’s Cool As the Breeze, a beautiful acoustic tune that based on the lyrics could be about Stephen’s father!
Sources: Wikipedia; Aaron Skiles website; Worriers website; Bahamas website; Will Johnson website; Danko Jones website; Stephen Marley website; Jambands; YouTube; Spotify
Celebrating music with six random tracks at a time
Can you believe we already hit the last Sunday in July? It’s insane how time flies! Speaking of time, Sunday of course is the day on this blog when I’d like to take my readers on a special trip through space and time to visit some great music of the past and the present. Let’s do it!
Bobby Jaspar/Early Wake
The start of today’s journey takes us back to October 1954 into a studio in Paris, France, where Bobby Jaspar and other great jazz musicians recorded a groovy piece called Early Wake. The Belgian cool jazz and hard bop saxophonist, flutist and composer’s recording career only lasted from 1954 until February 1963 when his life was cut short by a heart attack at age 37. In 1956, he went to America and worked with the likes of J. J. Johnson, Kenny Burrell, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. On the above recording, Jaspar (tenor saxophone) was backed by Jean Aldegon (alto saxophone), Armand Migiani (baritone saxophone), Pat Neck (trombone), Roger Guérin (trumpet), Sadi (vibraphone), Pierre Michelot (bass) and Dave Pochonet (drums).
Sinéad O’Connor/Nothing Compares 2 U
On Wednesday, news broke that Sinéad O’Connor had passed away at age 56. No cause of death was provided. The Irish singer-songwriter and political activist is best remembered for tearing up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on U.S. live late-night television to protest child abuse by the Catholic Church and her incredible rendition of Prince’sNothing Compares 2 U. While I suppose one can have different opinions over the form of her protest, sadly, O’Connor was proven right. Thirty years later, former Pope Benedict XVI apologized to sex abuse victims though denied any cover-up allegations. Nothing Compares 2 U, one of the most powerful ballads I know, appeared on O’Connor’s sophomore album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, released in March 1990. This song still gives me chills.
Moby Grape/Mr. Blues
Let’s next head to San Francisco and June 1967, which saw the release of multi-genre psychedelic-flavored rock band Moby Grape’s great eponymous debut album. Their September 1966 formation in the City by the Bay was instigated by guitarist Skip Spence and manager Matthew Katz, who both had been associated with Jefferson Airplane. The band’s first incarnation ended in 1969, though they reformed multiple times and continue to perform occasionally to this day. Mr. Blues was written by Moby Grape bassist and vocalist Bob Mosley, one of three original members who remain part of the group.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts/I Hate Myself For Loving You
Time for a stop-over in the ’80s. In May 1988, American rockers Joan Jett and the Blackhearts issued their sixth studio album, Up Your Alley. I guess a good deal of music fans shared the title’s sentiment. Up Your Alley became Jett’s second most successful album, climbing to no. 19 in the U.S. on the Billboard 200 and reaching Platinum status in February 1989 (meaning 1 million certified sold copies). Undoubtedly, the album’s appeal had something to do with its first single I Hate Myself For Loving You. The tune was penned by Jett together with album co-producer Desmond Child. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts still love rock & roll and are currently touring in the U.S.
Joslyn & The Sweet Compression/Honey Bee
For this next pick, we’ll time-travel back to the present and a cool smooth funk and soul band I saw live on Wednesday evening during a free summer concert-in-the-park-type event: Joslyn & The Sweet Compression. The group was formed in the late 2010s by great Kentucky vocalist Joslyn Hampton, who sounds a bit like Beyoncé, and her stepfather Marty Charters, a touring guitarist whose performing credits include Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and Van Morrison. Off their eponymous May 2019 debut album, here’s the groovy Honey Bee, which has a neat Nile Rodgers vibe – my kind of dance music! Their sophomore album Bona Fide is scheduled to come out on August 25.
Bad Company/Good Lovin’ Gone Bad
Once again we’re hitting the point where we need to wrap up our trip. This final tune takes us back to April 1975 and Straight Shooter, the sophomore studio album by Bad Company. The English rock “supergroup” was formed in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers (formerly of Free), one of the great vocalists in rock; guitarist Mick Ralphs (formerly of Mott the Hoople); bassist Boz Burrell (formerly of King Crimson); and Rodgers’ former Free bandmate Simon Kirke (drums). During their initial 9-year run, Bad Company released six studio albums. They’ve since reunited several times and toured in various incarnations. Off Straight Shooter, here’s Good Lovin’ Gone Bad, written by Ralphs.
What’s missing? Of course, the Spotify playlist! Hope there’s something you dig!
Sources: Wikipedia; Joslyn & The Sweet Compression website; YouTube; Spotify
Christian's Music Musings 