New Music Musings

It’s Saturday and I’d like to welcome you to my latest weekly look at the new music front. All picks appear on albums that were released yesterday (May 17).

Ahem/Waterlogged

Ahem are a Minneapolis, Minn. power pop and indie rock trio who were formed in 2015. Comprised of Erik Anderson (guitar), Courtney Berndt (bass) and Alyse Emanuel (drums), they released their debut album Try Again in November 2019. Waterlogged is a song off their new sophomore album Avoider. “We were writing songs in ways we never had before, from various separate basements, and that certainly fed into the song’s feel of breaking out of a malaise, a trapped-ness, a kind of unresolved hope that maybe we can someday break a little loose and get free in whatever ways we need, too,” the band told entertainment outlet Flood Magazine.

Zero Point Energy/Disintegration

The origins of Zero Point Energy date back to 2018, according to a profile on the website of their label Danger Collective Records. That’s when Genesis Edenfield and Ben Jackson, two former members of now-defunct Atlanta indie rock band Warehouse, revived their musical partnership. Over four years, they gradually worked on material they had written separately. The result is their debut album Tilted Planet, which also features Jimmy Sullivan (bass) and Nick Corbo (drums). Here’s Disintegration credited to Edenfield, Jackson and Sullivan.

Worldcub/Grog

Worldcub are a British band from North Wales, who their website notes blend elements of surf guitar music with kraut-rock grooves and psychedelic-flavored harmony vocals. They were formed by Cynyr Hamer (guitar, vocals) and his brother Dion Hamer (drums, vocals) under the name CaStLeS. In November 2016, they self-released Fforesteering, their debut album as Worldcub. Off their latest album Back to the Beginning, here’s Grog. It’s different but it somehow drew me in!

Lightheaded/Bright Happy Girls

Lightheaded are a power pop band from New Jersey, featuring Sara Abdelbarry (lead guitar), Stephen Stec (guitar) and Cynthia Rittenbach (bass, vocals). Their Bandcamp page notes they draw from 60s Brill Building songwriters, later 60s folk/pop and 80s DIY pop. following their October 2023 debut EP Good Good Great, they are now out with their first full-length album Combustible Gems. Here’s Bright Happy Girls – it’s got a bit of a Bangles vibe.

Sid Simons/Dead Ringer

Sid Simons is a New York-based indie rock-oriented singer-songwriter. Initially, he used the now-defunct moniker Girl Skin to produce, release and perform his music, relying on rotating band line-ups. According to a web profile, Simons is influenced by early 2000s rock revival, The Libertines, David Bowie, Motown and Americana. This first album under his name, Shade Is On the Other Side, appeared in April 2020. From his second and latest album, Beneath the Brightest Smiles, here’s the great-sounding Dead Ringer.

The Avett Brothers/Forever Now

My last pick is by The Avett Brothers, a folk rock band I first encountered in July 2018 when they shared a bill with southern jam rockers Gov’t Mule. The band’s origins go back to the late 1990’s when Seth Avett’s high school band combined with his bother Scott Avett’s college rock outfit. Subsequently, Seth and Scott started The Avett Brothers as a side project, which resulted in the release of an EP, The Avett Bros., in 2000. The band’s first full-fledged studio album Country Was appeared in 2002. Fast-forward some 22 years to their self-titled 11th album. Here’s the beautiful and mellow Forever Now, co-written by Scott, Seth and Bob Crawford, who together with Joe Kwon completes the group’s current line-up.

Sources: Wikipedia; Consequence; Ahem Bandcamp page; Flood Magazine; Forged Artifacts website; Danger Collective Records; Worldcub website; Lightheaded Bandcamp page; Slumberland Records website; Stunt Company website; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

It’s Saturday, which is the time of week where I take a fresh look at newly released music. All picks are included on albums that dropped yesterday (April 19).

Valley Lodge/Daylights

Valley Lodge are a power pop band from New York City who released their eponymous debut album in August 2005. Cheap Trick, T. Rex, Big Star, Raspberries, Thin Lizzy, Matthew Sweet, Slade and the Kinks are among their influences. The group’s current lineup includes Dave Hill (vocals, guitar), Phil Costello (vocals, guitar), John Kimbrough (guitar), Eddie Eyeball (bass) and Rob Pfeiffer (drums). Daylights is the fun opener of the group’s fifth and latest album Shadows in Paradise.

Brainstory/Peach Optimo

Brainstory are a Los Angeles-based trio whose sound AllMusic characterizes as smooth and trippy, blending psychedelic jazz and pop. Comprised of Kevin Martin (lead vocals, guitar), his brother Tony Martin (bass, vocals) and Eric Hagstrom (drums), Brainstory debuted in November 2019 with the album Buck, releasing an instrumental version and a version with vocals. They are now out with their second full-length album, Sounds Good, which pretty much sums up the music! Here’s Peach Optimo.

Pillow Queens/Like a Lesson

Irish indie rock band Pillow Queens were formed in Dublin in 2016. Their members are Pamela Connolly (vocals, guitar), Sarah Corcoran (bass, backing vocals, pump organ), Cathy McGuinness (guitar, backing vocals) and Rachel Lyons (drums, backing vocals). After a series of singles, they released their debut album In Waiting in September 2020. Off their third and new album Name Your Sorrow, here’s Like a Lesson.

The Brother Brothers/Brown Dog

New York-based folk duo The Brother Brothers consist of Adam Moss and his identical twin brother David Moss. AllMusic notes their harmony-laden pop draws from Americana and first-generation rock & roll. Initially, Adam learned the fiddle and David picked the cello, and they played in different bands in different locations. It wasn’t until they both lived in Brooklyn that they started their duo. Their first full-length album Some People I Know appeared in October 2018. Their latest is titled The January Album. Here’s Brown Dog. Those vocal harmonies are neat!

Ian Hunter/People

Until February 2023 when I came across Bed of Roses by Ian Hunter from his album Defiance Part 1, I had not realized what an extensive solo career he has had since 1975. The former Mott the Hoople lead vocalist and guitarist who turns 85 in June continues to fire on all cylinders. Like last year’s predecessor, Defiance Part 2: Fiction features collaborations with prominent guests, such as the late Jeff Beck, Lucinda Williams and Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes. Here’s People featuring Cheap Trick (Tom Petersson, Robin Zander & Rick Nielsen) and Def Leppard lead vocalist Joe Elliott.

Pearl Jam/Running

Wrapping up this new music review are Pearl Jam. I’ve yet to more fully explore the Seattle rock band who were formed in 1990. Their present line-up includes co-founders Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar, backing vocals), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Jeff Ament (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), together with Matt Cameron (drums, percussion, backing vocals) who joined in 1998. Running, credited to the band and producer Andrew Watt, is a track from their 12th and latest album Dark Matter. This rocks nicely.

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Pillow Queens Bandcamp page; Ian Hunter website; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

Happy Sunday and welcome to more music time travel. Picking six tracks from six different decades and different genres in a random fashion feels very liberating and is my favorite activity each week. With that said, let’s do it again!

Nat Adderley/Sister Caroline

Today, our little excursion starts in December 1958 with music from Branching Out, an album by jazz cornetist Nat Adderley. After starting to play the trumpet in 1946 as a 15-year-old, Adderley switched to the cornet in 1950. Together with his older brother, saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, he co-founded Cannonball Adderley Quintet in 1956 and frequently played with the group until they disbanded in 1975. Adderley also worked with Kenny Clarke, Wes Montgomery, Walter Booker, Ron Carter and Sonny Fortune, among others, and recorded albums as a leader. Branching Out is an example of the latter. Here’s the great Adderley composition Sister Caroline. He was backed by Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone) and The Three Sounds: Gene Harris (piano), Andy Simpkins (bass) and Bill Dowdy (drums).

Joe Ely/Fingernails

Next we shall kick it up a few notches with some sizzling honky tonk rock & roll by Texas singer-songwriter and guitarist Joe Ely. Fingernails is a neat song fellow blogger Cincinnati Babyhead, aka. CB, recommended to me the other day. Penned by Ely, the track is from his sophomore album Honky Tonk Masquerade, released in February 1978. Ely is generally classified as country, but his music also includes high-energy blues, rockabilly and honky tonk swing. Fingernails sure as heck ain’t no country!

Pretenders/Never Do That

In May 1990, the fifth album by British-American rock group Pretenders came out, and that’s where we’re headed next. Packed! only pictured bandleader Chrissie Hynde on the cover, which was no coincidence. Together with drummer Blair Cunningham, she was the group’s only remaining member. Cunningham had replaced original drummer Martin Chambers in 1986. Chambers returned in 1993 and has played on all subsequent albums except for 2016’s Alone, a Hynde solo effort released under the Pretenders name. From the aforementioned Packed!, here’s the opener Never Do That, written by Hynde. In general, I think it’s great listening to her, and this song is no exception.

Pernice Brothers/Bechamel

Time to pay a visit to the current century with Pernice Brothers. I only learned about this indie rock band last week when I featured a song from their new album Who Will You Believe. The group was formed by Joe Pernice in 1998 after his old group Scud Mountain Boys had broken up. Pernice Brothers who also include Joe’s brother Bob Pernice released their first album Overcome by Happiness in May 1998. Bechamel takes us to the band’s July 2010 album Goodbye, Killer.

Carla Thomas/B-A-B-Y

Now I’m in the mood for some Stax soul and hope so are you. In 1966, the Memphis label released the third album by Carla Thomas. In the summer of 1960, the Queen of Memphis Soul had been the first artist to record a single with her father Rufus Thomas in the new Memphis recording facility of the label, which then was still called Satellite. By the time her third album Carla appeared in 1966, Satellite had changed their name to Stax – the first two letters from the founders’ and siblings’ last names (Jim) Stewart and (Astelle) Axton. The opening track B-A-B-Y, co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, also was released separately as a single in July of that year and became one of Thomas’ hits. My kind of music!

Neil Young/Rockin’ in the Free World

I can’t believe we’re once again at the point where we need to wrap things up. Let’s make it count with a true rock anthem by Neil Young, one of my favorite artists: Rockin’ in the Free World, off his 17th studio album Freedom, which came out in October 1989. Freedom relaunched Young’s career after a largely unsuccessful decade. Undoubtedly, this epic track had something to do with it. I’m talking about the electric version that closes Freedom. An acoustic live version of the same song, which I like as well, opens the album.

Last but not least, here’s a Spotify playlist featuring all of the above tracks, including Neil Young who is back on the platform. As always, I hope there’s something you dig. See ya!

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

New Music Musings

Happy Saturday, and I hope everybody’s weekend is off to a good start. As frequent visitors of this blog know, it’s the time of the week where I take a fresh look at the latest new music releases. All picks are on albums that dropped yesterday (March 29).

Chastity Belt/Chemtrails

My first pick today are Seattle, Wash.-based indie rock band Chastity Belt. They were formed in 2010 by Julia Shapiro (guitar, vocals), Lydia Lund (guitar), Annie Truscott (bass) and Gretchen Grimm (drums). Their AllMusic bio describes them as taking cues from both the politics of the riot grrrl scene and the intricate, moody guitar-based sound of early-’90s Pacific Northwestern indie bands like Sleater-Kinney and Autoclave. Off their fifth and latest album Live Laugh Love, here’s the great-sounding Chemtrails, credited to all members of the group.

VIAL/Apathy

VIAL are an indie punk trio from Minneapolis, Minn. They have been around since mid-2019 and include guitarist KT Branscom, bassist Taylor Kraemer and drummer Katie Fischer. VIAL’s late 2019 debut EP Grow Up was followed by their first full-length album Loudmouth in July 2021. They are now out with their sophomore album Burnout. Let’s listen to the closer Apathy. Nice banger with some dissonant touches!

Holiday Ghosts/Big Congratulations

Holiday Ghosts are an indie rock band from southern England, who I first featured in a new music review last April. From their AllMusic bio: Taking inspiration from vintage garage rock, surf, and bands like Violent Femmes, Holiday Ghosts’ clattering, playful indie tunes emerged in 2017 with the band’s self-titled debut, which also drew on early punk influences. Their line-up includes founder and multi-instrumentalist Sam Stacpoole, Charlie Murphy (guitar, vocals), Ben Woods (bass, vocals) and Katja Rackin (vocals, drums). Big Congratulations is a neat upbeat track from their fifth and new album Coat of Arms.

The Secret Sisters/Paperweight

The Secret Sisters are a Muscle Shoals, Ala.-based Americana duo of siblings Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle (née Rogers). Since their 2010 self-titled debut they have released four additional albums, including their latest Mind, Man, Medicine. Primarily recorded at the storied FAME Studios, the album includes contributions from Alabama Shakes bassist Zac Cockrell and prominent multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell who has worked with the likes of Paul Simon, Willie Nelson and Levon Helm. Here’s Paperweight, which showcases the ladies’ tight harmony singing and features fiddle work from Campbell – neat!

The Rocky Valentines/Stick It Out

The Rocky Valentines is a new indie rock project of Charles Martin. Here’s more from Bandcamp: On their debut LP, “Erase,” Rocky Valentines frontman Charles Martin sings that he feels like “a one-man band.” He’s not specifically singing about the lack of bandmates on “Scream and Shout,” the album credits aren’t exactly littered with other names either. With an assist on bass throughout from Steve Dail (Project 86, Crash Rickshaw), and a recording credit for his father, Jason Martin (Starflyer 59), the younger Martin does the bulk of the work himself across the LP’s eight tracks. Here’s the pleasant pop rocker Stick It Out.

Sheryl Crow/Broken Record

Rounding out this review is new music by Sheryl Crow. When she released predecessor Threads in August 2019, which I reviewed here at the time, Crow said she wasn’t planning any additional full-length albums. Her explanation was sad but understandable: most folks, especially younger people, cherry-pick songs and create their own playlists instead of listening to entire albums. As such, Crow’s announcement of Evolution in early November 2023, together with the first upfront single Alarm Clock, came as a pleasant surprise. Subsequently, three more songs came out prior to the album. Here’s one that didn’t: Broken Record, solely penned by Crow.

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; VIAL website; The Secret Sisters website; The Rocky Valentines Bandcamp page; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

Another week has flown by, and I’d like to welcome you to my latest look at developments on the new music front. All tracks are on albums that came out yesterday (March 22).

Velcros/Starting Now

Velcros are a rock band from Leipzig, Germany. Their Bandcamp page describes the trio’s music as “a fusion of Tom Petty’s undeniable charisma and the raw, unfiltered energy reminiscent of the punk bands such as The Hives or The Wipers.” In July 2023, Velcros released their debut EP Spit Takes. Starting Now is the catchy opener of the group’s first full-length album Strange News From the Vault. The music and lyrics are written and performed by Fabian Bremer, Nicolai Hildebrandt and Manuel Markstein.

Barely Civil/Not Fine

Barely Civil are an American indie rock band from Wisconsin. They formed in 2012 and are influenced by Emo groups like Modern Baseball and Sorority Noise. Their AllMusic bio notes the group released their debut EP Year of the Dog in 2016. Barely Civil are Connor Erickson (vocals, guitar), Alex Larsen (guitar), Eric Doucette (bass, vocals) and Isaac Marquardt (drums). Off their third and latest album I’d Say I’m Not Fine, here’s Not Fine. I’d say it’s not bad!

Waxahatchee/Bored

Waxahatchee is a music project of indie folk and indie rock singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield. Crutchfield formed Waxahatchee in 2012 after the break-up of pop punk band P.S. Eliot she had co-founded in 2007. Starting with 2012’s American Weekend, six albums have appeared to date under the Waxahatchee moniker including the latest, Tigers Blood. Here’s country-flavored Bored, which first appeared as the second upfront single on February 13.

Charlie Parr/Bear Head Lake

Charlie Parr is a rootsy blues and folk singer-songwriter from Minnesota. Since his July 2002 debut Criminals and Sinners, Parr has released more than 15 additional albums. His influences include Charlie Patton, Bukka White, Reverend Gary Davis, Dave Van Ronk, Mississippi John Hurt and “Spider” John Koerner. From his new album Little Sun, here’s Bear Head Lake. And, yes, there are vocals. They start at around 2:23 minutes into the track after a pretty acoustic music intro.

Van Houten/Never Did Come Back

Van Houten are an English psychedelic pop group from Leeds. From their Soundcloud profile: Van Houten’s core is based on life long friendship, an inability to exist without each other, and an obsession with creating a sonic mixing pot of intimate lo-fi rock + cavernous Shoegaze. Their sound envelops the listener, combining upbeat pop melodies and hooks with downbeat lyrics one minute, before full introspection and aural catharsis the next. Off their debut album The Tallest Room, which took seven years to make, here’s Never Did Come Back.

Adrianne Lenker/Free Treasure

Wrapping up this post is new music by indie folk singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker. Lenker is also the lead vocalist, guitarist and main songwriter of indie folk band Big Thief she co-founded in 2015 with Buck Meek (guitar, backing vocals). Lenker wrote her first song as an eight-year-old and released her solo debut album Stages of the Sun in January 2014 when she was only 14. She attended Berklee College of Music on a scholarship provided by Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Lenker’s sixth and latest album is titled Bright Future. Here’s Free Treasure, which like all other songs on the album was written by Lenker. She sounds great!

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Velcros Bandcamp page; Van Houten Soundcloud page; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

It’s Saturday, which means time to take a fresh look at newly released music. All six picks are from albums that came out yesterday (March 8).

Tomato Flower/Harlequin

Tomato Flower are a Baltimore-based group, including Austyn Wohlers (guitar, vocals, synthesizer), Jamison Murphy (guitar, vocals), Ruby Mars (bass) and Mike Alfieri (drums). Their website notes a transition from psych pop on their early (2022) EPs to a “more urgent, raw, emotionally immediate” sound on their debut album No, “the band’s first effort made entirely in person, the first thing tracked in a studio instead of in a bedroom.” Here’s Harlequin credited to all members of the group. The song’s laid back feel drew me in.

The End Machine/Killer of the Night

The End Machine are a hard rock and heavy metal band formed in 2018. Their current lineup features co-founders and ex-Dokken members George Lynch (guitar) and Jeff Pilsen (bass, backing vocals), along with Girish Pradhan (vocals) and Steve Brown (drums). In March 2019, The End Machine released their eponymous debut album. Off their third and latest, The Quantum Phase, here’s Killer of the Night. Heavy but melodic rock and decent vocals sold me!

Ghost Work/Erase the Morning

Ghost Work, according to their Spotify profile, are a new group of current and ex-members of four other bands: Vocalist and guitarist Aaron Stauffer (ex-Seaweed), guitarist Sean Husick (ex-Milemarker), bassist Dustin Perry (Snapcase) and drummer Erin Tate (ex-Minus The Bear). Following their June 2020 debut You’ll Be Buried With, they are now out with their second album Light a Candle for the Lonely. Here’s Erase the Morning. Good driving rock song!

Slow Hollows/Soap

Slow Hollows is a solo recording project of Los Angeles singer-songwriter Austin Feinstein. Initially, Feinstein founded Slow Hollows as an indie rock band in 2013 when he was a teenager. After three albums released between 2015 and 2019, the group disbanded amicably in early 2020. Feinstein, now 26 years old, continued to write songs. The result is a reinvented Slow Hollows and a new album, Bullhead. Here’s Soap.

Norah Jones/Running

It’s hard to believe more than 20 years have passed since Norah Jones launched her recording career. Her highly successful 2002 debut album Come Away With Me won five Grammy awards. Most of the subsequent albums by the singer-songwriter and pianist were also well received. To date, Jones has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. Since her lounge jazz-flavored first album, Jones has evolved, infusing elements of blues, country, folk and pop in her music, demonstrating she’s not a one-trick pony. Off her nineth and latest album Visions, here’s the lead single Running, which first appeared on January 18. Neat pop song with great vocals!

Dion/I Aim to Please (feat. Danielle Nicole)

I’m thrilled to close this post with new music by Dion DiMucci, better known as Dion. At 84 years, the wanderer is marching on and sounds amazing! With Girl Friends, the versatile singer-songwriter continues a streak of tasty blues-flavored collaboration albums, following Stomping Ground (November 2021) and Blues With Friends (June 2020), which I reviewed here and here at the time. Girl Friends showcases female artists, such as Shemekia Copeland, Susan Tedeschi, Sue Foley and Danielle Nicole. Here’s the neat I Aim to Please, featuring Nicole.

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Tomato Flower website; Slow Hollows website; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

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 AllMusic bio 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’s Bandcamp page 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!

Sources: Wikipedia; NME; AllMusic; Gramercy Arms website; Shameless Promotion PR press release; Ghost Funk Orchestra website and Bandcamp page; Spotify; YouTube

New Music Musings

Happy Saturday! I can’t believe it’s already been a week since my last new music review. Without further ado, let’s get to it. All songs are included on albums that came out yesterday (February 16).

Blackberry Smoke/Hammer And the Nail

Kicking things off today are Atlanta-based southern and country rock band Blackberry Smoke, who were formed in 2000. Starting with their 2003 debut Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime, they have released eight albums to date including their latest Be Right Here. The group’s line-up features co-founders Charlie Starr (vocals, guitar), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), Richard Turner (bass, vocals) and Brit Turner (drums), as well as Brandon Still (keyboards), who joined in 2009. Off their new album, here’s Hammer And the Nail, co-written by Starr and Keith Nelson, former guitarist of L.A. hard rock band Buckcherry. Tasty rocker!

Shadow Show/On a Cloud

Detroit female power trio Shadow Show blend ’60s garage psychedelia with contemporary pop rock. Founded in 2018 by Ava East (guitar), Kate Derringer (bass) and Kerrigan Pearce (drums), Shadow Show released their debut album Silhouettes in February 2020. They now return with the follow-on Fantasy Now!, which their website describes as “a huge step forward from their debut LP, reaching a more Sgt. Peppery psychedelic vision that includes swirling pop melodies, fuzz guitar hooks, flutes, tympani, backwards surprise twists, and a magical medieval acapella interlude.” With their neat harmony singing, they remind me a bit of the The Bangles but with a more edgy sound. Here’s On a Cloud – great song with a jangly guitar sound.

Cast/Faraway

Brit-pop band Cast were formed in Liverpool in 1992. Opening for Elvis Costello and Oasis in 1994 put them on the map and resulted in a record deal with Polydor toward the end of the year. Their October 1995 debut album All Change was an instant success, surging to no. 7 in the UK and reaching Platinum certification in May 1996. After their fourth album in 2001, the band split and reunited in 2010. They have since released three additional albums including their latest Love Is the Call. Their current line-up includes original co-founder John Power (guitar, bass, vocals), as well as Liam Tyson (guitar, backing vocals) and Keith O’Neill (drums, backing vocals) who both first joined in 1993. Here’s the catchy Faraway.

San Fermin/Weird Environment

San Fermin is an indie rock collective around Brooklyn-based composer and songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leone. San Fermin combine indie rock, pop and classical elements into lush compositions, drawing on Ludwig-Leone’s educational background in classical music and composition. While still attending college, he worked on several film scores and operas with contemporary classic music composer and arranger Nico Muhly. To date, San Fermin have released five full-length albums. Off their latest, Arms, here’s Weird Environment. The song was co-written by Ludwig-Leone and longtime collaborator and vocalist Allen Tate.

Crawlers/Golden Bridge

Crawlers are a British rock band from Liverpool who have been around since 2018. They were founded by Amy Woodall (guitar), Holly Minto (vocals, lyrics, guitar, trumpet) and Liv May (bass). After Harry Breen joined on drums, they began performing at small venues in Liverpool. After gaining an Internet following and entering the UK charts with their single Come Over (Again) from their self-released October 2021 eponymous debut EP, they got a deal with Polydor records in January 2022. Crawlers are now out with their first full-length album The Mess We Seem to Make. Let’s listen to the pleasant Golden Bridge.

The Immediate Family/Skin In the Game

Wrapping up this weekly review is new music by ace session musician super-group The Immediate Family, formed in 2018 by Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel and Steve Postell (guitar, vocals each), Leland Sklar (bass) and Russ Kunkel (drums). In the ’70s, Kortchmar, Sklar and Kunkel were members of The Section, an instrumental rock and jazz fusion band who individually and collectively worked on albums by the likes of Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Crosby & Nash, Jackson Browne and Warren Zevon. Wachtel was associated with The Section as well. Off The Immediate Family’s second and latest album Skin In the Game, here’s the great title track.

Sources: Wikipedia; Shadow Show website; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

It’s Saturday and time to take a fresh look at newly released music. This week, my first four picks are included on albums that dropped yesterday (February 9), while the last two songs came out before then, as indicated.

Tyler Ramsey/These Ghosts

North Carolina-based singer-songwriter Tyler Ramsey first gained prominence during his stint as lead guitarist in Band of Horses from 2007-2017. Three years earlier, with the release of his self-titled album, Ramsey had launched his solo recording career, which he continued in parallel while playing with the Seattle indie rock group. These Ghosts, penned by Ramsey, is from his latest studio album New Lost Ages. It was produced by Phil Ek who has worked with the likes of Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes and Father John Misty. The great sound of These Ghosts immediately grabbed me!

Itasca/Milk

Behind Itasca is Los Angeles-based guitarist and singer-songwriter Kayla Cohen who has released music under that moniker since 2012. According to a web bio, Cohen who grew up in New York and moved to L.A. in 2011 makes music that isn’t specific to any genre, featuring “both baroque, acid folk-inflected songcraft and deconstructive, textural sonics.” On Imitation of War, her eighth and latest album as Itasca, Cohen advances into rockier terrain. Here’s the opener Milk, written by her – another song that captured my attention because of its neat sound.

David Hedderman/Pokerface

David Hedderman is a visual artist who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and has been based in Berlin, Germany since 2008. From an announcement posted on the website of IMRO, a music licensing and royalty collection nonprofit organization: Over the last twenty years,…Hedderman has cultivated an impressive career as a visual artist with his vibrant style of portraits which often feature beautifully textured and captivating backdrops for his figures to exist within. Hedderman’s striking idiosyncratic style seamlessly translates in his songwriting, as demonstrated in his dynamic and deft debut album, Pulling At The Briars. From that album, which he wrote over 15 years, here’s Pokerface. Based on that great song, you really wouldn’t know music isn’t Hedderman’s original artistic endeavor!

Ducks Ltd./Heavy Bag

Ducks Ltd. are a Canadian indie rock duo from Toronto, formed by Tom McGreevy (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Evan Lewis (lead guitar). They first emerged as Ducks Unlimited in 2019 when they released their debut EP Get Bleak, which was reissued in 2021 after they had signed to U.S. and Canadian independent labels Carpark Records and Royal Mountain Records, respectively. That same year also saw the release of their first full-length studio album Modern Fiction. Ducks Ltd. now return with their sophomore album Harm’s Way. Let’s listen to the pleasant laid back closer Heavy Bag, co-written by Lewis and McGreevy.

Terry Gomes/Eeza Gomes

Terry Gomes is a Canadian composer and guitarist from Ottawa, who mostly writes instrumental music. He taught rock and classical guitar for many years, played in several rock bands, performed regularly in a flute/classical guitar duo, and was an elementary school teacher for 26 years. Since 2006, Gomes has released his own music spanning the singer-songwriter, pop, folk rock and instrumental genres. His latest single, Eeza Gomes, appeared on Wednesday (February 7). Gomes (guitar), who is joined by Ed Lister (trumpet), Alex Mastronardi (bass) and Jeff Asselin (drums), wrote the groovy and upbeat mambo-rock track in memory of his late, beloved Guyanese aunt. When I heard the first few notes by the trumpet, followed by “Gomes”, I immediately knew I love this happy tune!

J Mascis/You Don’t Understand Me

Wrapping up this review is new music by J Mascis, vocalist, guitarist, main songwriter and 1984 co-founder of alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. who I previously featured in April 2021. Mascis has also played drums and guitar in various side projects and issued albums under his own name starting with the 1996 live release Martin + Me. Off his fourth and latest studio solo album What Do We Do Now, which came out on February 2, here’s You Don’t Understand Me. Like all other tracks, it was solely penned by Mascis – love this!

Sources: Wikipedia; Itasca Bandcamp page; Paradise of Bachelors website; David Hedderman website; IMRO website; Terry Gomes website; YouTube; Spotify