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

Chris & Max Pick …songs from 1999

Happy Thursday with the next installment of a song series that initially was started by fellow blogger Max from PowerPop in June 2023 and spanned the years 1955 to 1995. This continuation picked up from where he left off, aiming to cover the remaining years up to 2024. Max picks one and I pick the remaining five songs. Let’s close out the last century with a look at 1999.

Tal Bachman/She’s So High

This time, we’re starting with one of my picks by Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Tal Bachman. He’s also the son of Randy Bachman and a member of the current incarnation of Bachman-Turner Overdrive who Randy revived in June 2023. Tal Bachman is best known for his debut single She’s So High, a power pop song released in February 1999. While I bet it may draw mixed reactions, I’ve loved this song right away. It immediately made me get Bachman’s self-titled debut album, on which it appeared. Yes, the lyrics aren’t exactly Shakespeare, but damn, it’s such a catchy song, and I also dig that jangly guitar sound.

Smash Mouth/All Star

California alternative rock band Smash Mouth were formed in San Jose in 1994. After their July 1997 debut album Fush Yu Mang, which included their first and to date highest-charting hit single Walkin’ on the Sun, they released their sophomore album Astro Lounge in June 1999. It yielded another hit that became the group’s best-selling single: All Star. In the U.S. alone, it has sold more than 3 million copies as of May 2020. All Star, Max’s nice pick, was written by the band’s co-founder and guitarist Greg Camp who is no longer part of their current line-up.

Red Hot Chili Peppers/Californication

For this next pick we stay in California with Los Angeles funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. While my knowledge of their music is limited, I’ve always dug the title track of their seventh studio album Californication, which came out in June 1999. It marked the return of guitarist John Frusciante who first had joined the Peppers in 1988 and played on their August 1989 breakthrough album Mother’s Milk. Overwhelmed by the success of the follow-on, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, he quit in 1992. Frusciante released two solo albums and went through drug rehab for heroin addiction before rejoining the Peppers. He co-wrote Californication with the group’s other members, Anthony Kiedis (lead vocals), Flea (bass) and Chad Smith (drums), which is their line-up to this day.

Santana/Smooth

While Carlos Santana had been recognized as one of the best guitarists for decades, by the time he released his 18th studio album Supernatural in June 1999, he hadn’t enjoyed any significant chart or commercial success since 1981’s Zebop! Adopting a more pop-oriented, radio-friendly sound and collaborating with prominent contemporary artists like Rob Thomas, Lauryn Hill and Ceelo Green gave Santana his most successful album to date. With an estimated 30 million sold copies worldwide, Supernatural is also one of the best-selling albums of all time. Undoubtedly, the smash hit single Smooth featuring Matchbox Twenty lead vocalist Rob Thomas played a key role. Thomas also co-wrote the song with Itaal Shur.

John Mellencamp/Under the Boardwalk

This next pick may come as a bit of a surprise, given it’s a cover of a song that first released by doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group The Drifters in 1964. Well, nobody said covers would be off-limits. More importantly, this rendition by John Mellencamp is one of my absolute favorite covers. Co-written by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick, Under the Boardwalk was included on Mellencamp’s 16th studio album Rough Harvest. This collection of alternate, acoustic arrangements of his favorite tracks was released in August 1999. I’ve come to love it, and it’s among my top 3 favorite Mellencamp albums today.

Foo Fighters/Learn to Fly

And this brings me to the final song pick in this post: Learn to Fly, a track off the third studio album by Foo Fighters, There Is Nothing Left to Lose, which came out in November 1999. For the longest time, I ignored Dave Grohl’s post Nirvana rock band he initially founded as a one-man project in 1994. By 1995, Foo Fighters had become a full-fledged band. Today, apart from Grohl (lead vocals, guitar, drums), their core line-up includes Chris Shiflett (lead guitar), Pat Smear (guitar), Rami Jaffe (keyboards) and Nate Mendel (bass). Learn to Fly was credited to the band’s members at the time: Grohl, Mendel and their original drummer Taylor Hawkins who passed away in March 2022 during a Foos tour in South America.

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify

Song Musings

Happy Hump Day and hope you’re in the mood for taking another deeper dive into a song I’ve only mentioned in passing or haven’t covered at all to date. It’s a real goodie: What’d I Say by Ray Charles.

The classic R&B song, written by Charles, first appeared as a single in June 1959. The single was divided with What’d I Say Part 1 as the A-side, backed by What I’d Say Part 2. The song also became the opener and title track of Charles’ sixth studio album released in October of the same year.

What’d I Say reached no. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. After significant success on the R&B chart, including a series of number 1 singles, What I’d Say marked Charles’s breakthrough on the pop chart. It also earned him his first Gold record and is considered to be one of the most influential songs in R&B and rock & roll history.

Wikipedia notes the song itself sparked a new subgenre of R&B titled soul, finally putting together all the elements that Charles had been creating since he recorded “I Got a Woman” in 1954. The gospel and rhumba influences combined with the sexual innuendo in the song made it not only widely popular but very controversial to both white and black audiences. Here’s a great live version captured in 1963 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

What’d I Say evolved from a spontaneous improvisation. At a concert in Brownsville, Pa. December 1958, there was some time left to fill after Charles and his orchestra had finished their set. Charles told his female backing vocalists The Raelettes, “Listen, I’m going to fool around and y’all just follow me.” Essentially, he played on his electric piano what came to his mind. When audience members at the end of the show asked him where they could buy the record, he knew he had something there. Charles and his orchestra played the new song at various subsequent concerts and got the same positive reaction.

Charles called Jerry Wexler at his label Atlantic Records to tell him he had a new song to record. The session happened in February 1959. Charles (piano, Wurlitzer electronic piano, lead vocals) was backed by David Newman (tenor and alto saxophone), Bennie Crawford (alto and baritone saxophone), Edgar Willis (double bass), Milt Turner (drums) and The Raelettes (backing vocals). While it only took a few takes to record What’d I Say, the problem was its original length of more than seven and a half minutes – far longer than the usual two and a half minutes radio stations typically played.

Recording engineer Tom Dowd came up with the idea to remove some parts and split the song into two three-and-a-half-minute parts. He divided the parts with a false ending where the orchestra stops and The Raelettes and orchestra members beg Charles to continue, which he does in Part 2. Moreover, while the lyrics were not obscene, the sounds Charles and The Raelettes made in their calls and responses during the song worried Dowd and the producers. Dowd ended up removing some call-outs of “shake that thing.”

What’d I Say was covered by many other artists in many different styles, such as Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton, Rare Earth, Nancy Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr SecondHandSongs lists more than 270 versions. Here’s a sizzling rock rendition Rare Earth included on their June 1971 album One World.

Following are some additional insights from Songfacts:

Charles said he got the idea for this song from “The sweet sounds of love.”

The call-and-response style was inspired by church music Charles grew up with. When the preacher said something, the congregation shouted it back. “What’d I Say” stands as the epitome of call-and-response in secular music.

Although he first made his mark with “I Got a Woman,” this established Charles as a front-line star. Its success at the end of his contract with Atlantic Records enabled him to sign a lucrative one with ABC-Paramount. The hits came quickly and furiously soon afterwards.

Along with “Be-Bop-a-Lula” by Gene Vincent, this is mentioned in the first line of the Dire Straits song, “Walk Of Life.” The line is: “Here comes Johnny singing oldies goldies, Be-Bop-a-Lula baby What’d I Say.”

In 1975, John Belushi did a skit on Saturday Night Live where he plays Beethoven at a piano, but ends up rocking out to this. He was a big fan of soul music, and performed as The Blues Brothers with with fellow cast member Dan Aykroyd.

Charles released a new version on his 2002 album Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again that incorporated hip-hop elements and synthesizers. This rendition met with resistance: the Chicago Tribune called it a “dead, depressing version” in their review of the album.

Sources: Wikipedia; SecondHandSongs; Songfacts; YouTube

The Sunday Six

Happy Sunday, and hard to believe we’ve made it through another week. To all moms out there, Happy Mother’s Day and hope your families also appreciate you on all other days of the year! Welcome to another mini-excursion that once again will take us to music with different flavors from six different decades. The imaginary music time machine is ready to take off, so hop on board to join the fun!

Weather Report/Birdland

Today, our journey starts in March 1977 with Weather Report. While in general jazz fusion continues to be an acquired taste to me, I’ve come to dig this group co-founded in 1970 by Austrian keyboarder Joe Zawinul, one of the creators of jazz fusion, and saxophone great Wayne Shorter. By the time they released their seventh studio album Heavy Weather, the group also featured fretless bass maestro Jaco Pastorius, as well as Alex Acuña (drums) and Manolo Badrena (percussion). Here’s the neat Birdland, composed by Zawinul as a tribute to the Birdland nightclub in New York City.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins/I Put a Spell On You

Next, we shall jump back two decades to October 1956 and a single that became the signature song of soul, R&B and rock & roll vocalist Screamin’ Jay Hawkins: I Put a Spell On You, which I first heard by Creedence Clearwater Revival who covered it on their July 1968 eponymous debut album. When Hawkins who co-wrote I Put a Spell On You with Herb Slotkin first released it as a single, it didn’t make the Billboard pop or R&B charts. But over time, it became a cult song, not only because of his unusual vocals, but also his wild live performances that included his emergence from a coffin on stage, wearing a long cape and featuring props like rubber snakes and smoking skull pieces – kind of like an early version of Alice Cooper.

Ozzy Osborne/Crazy Train

While it’s difficult to follow an eccentric performer like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, I figured Ozzy Osborne could pull it off. In September 1980, the heavy metal singer released his solo debut Blizzard of Ozz after he had been fired from Black Sabbath by guitarist Tony Iommi. Crazy Train, co-written by Osborne, guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Bob Daisley, became Osborne’s solo debut and the album’s lead single. While it just made the top 50 in the UK (no. 49), Crazy Train also would turn out to be Osborne’s best-selling single over time. In the U.S., it reached 4X Platinum status (4 million certified sold units) as of September 2020. This is probably as much ear candy as you can get with metal. All aboard! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ay!

Shinyribs/Dark Cloud

Okay, I suppose time for a little breather with Shinyribs. In case that name doesn’t ring a bell, you’re likely not alone. I only came across the Texas band a few months ago. They were initially formed in 2007 as a solo side project of singer and guitarist Kevin Russell who at the time still was a member of alternative country band The Gourds. After that group went on hiatus in 2013, Shinyribs became Russell’s primary focus. Today, the band is an eight-piece who in addition to roots rock incorporates Texas blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn-driven Memphis soul, big band swing and other genres into what their website calls a sonic melting pot. Dark Cloud is a track from Shinyribs’ most recent album Transit Damage released in July 2023. This is rich stuff I hope you dig it as much as I do!

The Allman Brothers Band/Whipping Post

I trust y’all have heard of The Allman Brothers. The epic Whipping Post, written by co-founder Gregg Allman, takes us back to the group’s eponymous debut album that came out in November 1969. Apart from Gregg (organ, lead vocals), the group still had their short-lived original line-up featuring Gregg’s older brother and bandleader Duane Allman (slide and lead guitar), Dickey Betts (lead guitar), Berry Oakley (bass, backing vocals), as well as Butch Trucks (drums, percussion) and Jai Johanny Johanson (drums, congas). Sadly, the death of Betts last month at age 80 leaves Johanson (79) as the band’s only surviving member.

The La’s/There She Goes

Reaching our sixth stop once again means it’s time to wrap another trip. After jazz fusion, R&B, pop metal, rich roots rock and southern rock-plus, my final proposition is some jangle pop. In October 1990, British band The La’s released what would become their sole and self-titled studio album. It included their best-known song There She Goes, penned by the group’s frontman Lee Mavers. Founded in Liverpool in 1983, they were initially active until 1992, followed by a few reunions, mostly recently in 2011.

Of course, our little music excursion wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist of the above tracks. Hope there’s something you dig and that you’ll be back for more music travel next Sunday. So long!

Sources: Wikipedia; Shinyribs website; YouTube; Spotify

New Music Musings

Happy Saturday and welcome to my latest weekly new music review. Today, I’d like to offer songs that come from a mix of studio albums and EPs, which were all released yesterday (April 26).

Liz Brasher/Be in California

Memphis, Tenn.-based Liz Brasher is a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose style AllMusic characterizes as eclectic retro soul with elements of adult pop, rock, blues, and gospel. Here’s more from her AllMusic bio: Brasher sang in her church choir as a child and eventually found influence in The Beatles, the Delta blues, and Southern soul. She delved into American music history, learning the works of songwriters ranging from Stephen Foster to Lead Belly, and later Bob Dylan and The Staple Singers, as a college student in Chicago. She soon taught herself guitar and began writing songs. Her debut album Painted Imagine appeared in January 2019. Be in California is a great-sounding track off her second and latest album Baby Damn.

Billy Tibbals/Dream Away

Billy Tibbals is a Los Angeles-based alternative rock artist I first featured in April 2023. Originally hailing from London, Tibbals has lived in L.A. since 2014. During his childhood he became obsessed with British rock & roll – not a bad obsession, as far as I’m concerned! His debut EP Teenage, which offered a mix of power pop, glam rock and, of course, rock & roll, appeared in April 2023. Tibbals who optically reminds me a bit of Marc Bolan is now out with his second EP Nightlife Stories. Like the predecessor it was produced by Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes. Here’s the closer Dream Away, a neat power ballad with a cool retro vibe.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong/My Own Way

Maryland psychedelic funk band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong win this week’s prize for best name. They also sound really good! The quartet of Greg Ormont (vocals, guitar), Jeremy Schon (guitar, vocals), Ben (bass, vocals) and Alex Petropulos (drums, vocals) came together in college 15 years ago. Day in Time is the group’s seventh full-length album since July 2014′ Psychology. Here’s My Own Way. This is groovy stuff!

Gramercy Arms/Never Say Anything (Acoustic)

Gramercy Arms are a revolving New York-based collective of musicians and artists led by songwriter and producer Dave Derby, who I first included in a new music review in February. 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. Off their latest album The Making of The Making Of, here’s Never Say Anything (Acoustic), an alternate version of a song the group first included on their March 2023 predecessor Deleted Scenes – pleasant indie pop!

Anders Osborne/To Live

I’m pleased to highlight more new music by versatile New Orleans-based singer-songwriter and ace guitarist Anders Osborne, who I featured in a catching up on new music post 10 days ago. Osborne was born in 1966 in Uddevalla, Sweden and has lived in New Orleans since 1990. He blends multiple genres, such as funk, soul, rock, blues and R&B, into a tasty gumbo. Since his 1989 debut Doin’ Fine, Osborne has released more than 20 studio and live albums. His latest album Picasso’s Villa is now out. Here’s the rootsy To Live – love Osborne’s guitar work!

Ringo Starr/Gonna Need Someone

If you read my aforementioned catching up on new music post, you won’t be surprised this week’s picks include Ringo Starr, whose new EP Crooked Boy has now been released as well. His fifth EP since March 2021 comes six months after Rewind Forward, from which I covered the title track at the time. A marble vinyl limited edition of Crooked Boy was first released on Record Store Day on Saturday, April 20, followed by yesterday’s digital release. Here’s the upbeat Gonna Need Someone, which like the three remaining tracks was written specifically for Starr by Linda Perry who also produced the EP – I just love the man!

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Pigeons Playing Ping Pong website; Ringo Starr website; YouTube; Spotify

On This Day In Rock & Roll History: April 23

Time for another installment for my long running irregular music history feature. I still find it interesting to tackle this by taking a look at select events that happened on a specific date throughout the decades.

1964: Additional footage was captured for the Can’t Buy Me Love sequence for The Beatles’ first movie A Hard Day’s Night. The Beatles Bible notes, Filming took place on Thornbury Playing Fields in Isleworth, south London. A fake helipad was constructed, and The Beatles were filmed running around and acting up. The film was released in July of the same year.

1971: The Rolling Stones released Sticky Fingers, which most fans regard as one of their best albums. It marked their first studio album without Brian Jones who had passed away in July 1969 and the second full-length recording after their live album Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!, which featured guitarist Mick Taylor. Sticky Fingers, which was the band’s first to top the UK and the U.S. albums charts, became one of their best-selling, including more than 3 million sold units in the U.S. alone. Here’s the first single Brown Sugar, written primarily by Mick Jagger and, as usual, credited to him and Keith Richards.

1976: New York punk rock band Ramones released their eponymous debut album. While it became their best-selling album and eventually was certified Gold in the U.S. in April 2014 (500,000 certified sold units), it only reached no. 111 on the Billboard 200. Its two singles Blitzkrieg Bop and I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend missed the charts altogether. None of that changed the fact that the album is now regarded as their most accoladed and iconic release. Here’s the second single, which was written by drummer Thomas Erdelyi, known as Tommy Ramone.

1977: Soul and disco vocalist Thelma Houston hit no. in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 with her rendition of Don’t Leave Me This Way. Co-written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert, the song was first released in 1975 by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass. Houston’s cover also enjoyed significant chart success in other countries and became her biggest hit.

1983: British band Dexys Midnight Runners reached no. 1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 with the upbeat song Come On Eileen. The single, off their sophomore album Too-Rye-Ay, became their sole chart-topper in the U.S. Their biggest hit also topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Ireland and Switzerland. The group who continues to exist and fronted by Kevin Rowland is now known as Dexys. Come On Eileen was co-written by Rowland (bass, guitar, piano, vocals); Jim Paterson (trombone) who continues to be part of the current line-up; and Billy Adams (banjo, guitar, backing vocals).

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; Songfacts History Calendar; Recording Industry Association of America website; YouTube

Catching Up: Short Takes On New Music I Missed

I realize I’m starting to sound like a broken record. While I’m taking a fresh look each week, there’s way more decent new music coming out than I can track. Once again, Spotify’s Release Radar comes to the rescue. Following is some good stuff that appeared over the past four weeks I missed.

The Reds, Pinks & Purples/What’s Going On With Ordinary People

The Reds, Pinks & Purples is an indie pop project launched in 2015 by San Francisco-based musician, singer-songwriter and producer Glenn Donaldson, who I first featured in March 2023. Their Bandcamp page notes six albums, several EPs and many singles they have released over the past five years, citing The Go-Betweens, The Smiths, Magnetic Fields and Felt as inspirations. Off their latest album Unwishing Well, which dropped on April 12, here’s the great-sounding What’s Going On With Ordinary People.

Ringo Starr/February Sky

Bless Ringo Starr who continues to release new music and keeps touring! February Sky, which came out on April 12, is the first single off his upcoming EP Crooked Boy scheduled for April 26. It comes six months after his previous EP Rewind Forward and is his fifth in a row since March 2021. Like the remaining three tracks on Crooked Boy, February Sky was written and produced by Linda Perry. “February Sky is great – very moody,” Starr said. “But since Linda wrote these specifically for me – it of course has to have a positive peace & love element.” Pretty decent pop rock song!

Lions in the Street/Down in the Hole

Lions in the Street are a cool ’70s style rock & roll band from Vancouver, Canada, who only entered my radar screen a few months ago when I featured them in another Catching Up post. Formed in 2000 as The Years, they changed their name to Lions in the Street in 2006 after a label deal to release an album had gone sour. With their latest single Down in the Hole, released on April 8, they deliver more of that kickass style rock & roll. Check out that neat b-b-b-b-bad to the bone slide guitar action!

James Bone/Left Side Right Side

Speaking of bone, here’s the new single by James Bone, a British singer-songwriter who strangely has a website and an online store but no posted bio! According to this review I found in Louder Than War, Bone released his debut album in April 2023. “I played in bands for years but they all fell by the wayside as is often the case,” he’s quoted in the review. “Then I wrote/directed a short film about a boxer which kept the creativity bubbling, but I knew I had to get my ass in gear and make a record, then Covid happened and it seemed like the time was ripe!” Here’s Bone’s new single Left Side Right Side – neat song! The next step I’d humbly suggest is to throw us a bone and post a bio.

Stewart Forgey/Look For the Truth

Stewart Forgey is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist and member of Pacific Range, a country-oriented jam band formed in 2013. Look For the Truth appeared on March 26 as an upfront single to Forgey’s solo debut album Nature of the Universe, set to drop on April 24. This is a gorgeous song with a neat West Coast vibe that reminds me a bit of America. It follows Starry Dream, another nice-sounding track from the forthcoming album. Looking forward to hearing the rest of it!

Anders Osborne/Reckless Heart

I’m thrilled to wrap up this post with new music by Anders Osborne, a versatile singer-songwriter and guitarist who my longtime German music buddy Gerd first brought to my attention many years ago. Osborne was born in 1966 in Uddevalla, Sweden and has lived in New Orleans since 1990. He blends multiple genres, such as funk, soul, rock, blues and R&B, into a tasty gumbo. Since his 1989 debut Doin’ Fine, Osborne has released more than 20 studio and live albums. The great roots rock-flavored Reckless Heart is from his upcoming album Picasso’s Villa scheduled for April 26. The song first appeared as an upfront single on March 21.

Sources: Wikipedia; AllMusic; The Reds, Pinks & Purples Bandcamp page; Ringo Starr website; Lions in the Street website; Louder Than War; 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

The Wanderer Continues to March On And Sounds As Great As Ever

Dion DiMucci, better known as Dion, is back with his third new album in less than four years. Girl Friends, which dropped last Friday (March 8), continues the impressive late-career streak of the soon-to-be-85-year-young wanderer. Like its two predecessors Stomping Ground (2021) and Blues With Friends, it features collaborations with high-profile artists with a twist: All are women or as Dion playfully calls them ‘my girl friends.’

While at first sight it may appear Dion follows an old playbook where a mature artist packs their album with popular peers, he always remains a true equal and is never outgunned by his collaborators, both musically and vocally. It’s also noteworthy Dion co-wrote all of the 12 original tracks, as stated in the official press release: 11 with Mike Aquilina with whom also wrote most of the tracks on Stomping Ground, and one with the late Scott Kempner. Girl Friends is Dion’s third consecutive album to appear on Joe Bonamassa’s label Keeping the Blues Alive Records.

Time for some music. Let’s start with the amazing opener Soul Force, featuring Susan Tedeschi who is best known as Derek Trucks’ partner in crime in Tedeschi Trucks Band. They’ve also been married since December 2001. “It’s amazing that someone so unassuming can play with such grit,” opined Dion. Spot on, IMHO – here are the goods to prove it!

Since I just included I Aim to Please (feat. Danielle Nicole) in my most recent new music review, I’m skipping it here and go right to Stop Drop and Roll. For this song Dion teamed up with Valerie Tyson who fronts the Valerie Tyson Band and has been lauded for her “flamethrower vocals.” I love the soul and gospel vibe Tyson brings to the song. “I call her up when I have a tune that’s 100% fun,” Dion recalled. “This kind of groove requires that kind of company and it’s why I got into this business in the first place.” Smart pick!

An American Hero is a beautiful country-flavored ballad featuring Carlene Carter, who first entered my radar screen in 2017 when John Mellencamp collaborated with her on the excellent Sad Clowns & Hillbillies album. “Carlene’s voice can turn your head, and it can break your heart,” stated Dion – yep!

Hey Suzy is a tasty country-flavored blues. Dion’s great partner in crime here is Canadian blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Sue Foley. “It’s a dream come true to work with her,” Dion said, adding, “I felt like I was one of the Everly Brothers.” That’s a really sharp observation – check it out!

I’d like to close with another highlight on the album: Mama Said, featuring the amazing Shemekia Copeland. “One conversation with Shemekia Copeland you fall in love with her,” Dion gushed. “And this girl can sing! Girl’s got the blues in her blood.” Evidently, the admiration is mutual. “Dion is so special to me; it’s an honor and thrill to have been asked to collaborate with him,” Copeland said. “I mean, what woman wouldn’t want to sing with Dion?” The playful lyrics are fun, but it’s Copeland’s incredible vocals that take the song to a different level – damn!

In case you’re wondering why making an album with female artists, here’s what Dion had to say about it. “I write about my preoccupations, and I know no better preoccupation than the female of the species. A friend of mine is a philosopher, and he talks often about ‘the feminine genius’ — the undeniable difference that’s in women and the difference that they make in the world. I’m grateful to my friend for giving it a name because the fact has always been plain to me, but I could never put it into words.”

“I’ve noticed that men play a different tune when there are women in the room — and it’s a different kind of jam when women are in the mix. I don’t know why this is so, but it is. Maybe we men, at some primitive level, are competing for their attention. As I said, I don’t know why or how. I do know it makes better music and we’re all better for it.”

Sources: Wikipedia; Girl Friends press release; YouTube; Spotify

The Sunday Six

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night – regardless in which time zone you are, I hope you’re feeling great. If you live in a U.S. state that observes daylight savings time and forgot to adjust your watch, don’t worry, you didn’t miss the departure of the magical music time machine that once again will take us to six different tracks from six different decades and in different flavors.

Michael Brecker/Midnight Mood

For our first stop today, we’ll stay in the current century with soothing jazz by saxophone great Michael Brecker. Between 1969 until his untimely death in 2007 at the age of 57, he collaborated with many music artists outside the pure jazz realm, such as Steely Dan, Dire Straits, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon. While Brecker’s recording career as a sideman started in 1969, his solo eponymous debut album didn’t appear until 1987.  Midnight Mood, composed by Austrian jazz fusion keyboarder and Weather Report co-founder Joe Zawinul, is from Brecker’s June 2002 studio album Nearness of You: The Ballad Book.

The Replacements/Can’t Hardly Wait

Next we shall head to July 1987, which saw the release of the fifth studio album by The Replacements, arguably one of the best and most influential rock & roll bands of the ’80s despite repeated acts of self-sabotage that hindered their success in the music industry. Pleased to Meet Me, the only album recorded by group as a trio, was well received by critics. In addition to its punk roots, the band got into other genres like soul and jazz. A case in point is Can’t Hardly Wait, penned by Paul Westerberg and featuring ex-Box Tops and Big Star vocalist Alex Chilton on guitar.

Hank Williams/Honky Tonk Blues

Our next stop takes us all the way back to September 1952 and Moanin’ the Blues, the sophomore album by Hank Williams. Like his November 1961 debut Hank Williams Sings, it featured songs that all had been previously released as singles, including the hits Lovesick Blues, Long Gone Lonesome Blues and Honky Tonk Blues. Apparently, Honky Tonk Blues took various attempts to record between August 1947 and December 1951, making it one of the most challenging track for Williams to record. In the end, things worked out well and Honky Tonk Blues peaked at no. 2 on the U.S. Country charts.

Deep Purple/Speed King

Time to push the pedal to the metal with Deep Purple and a hard rock song with some of the coolest lyrics. Speed King, credited to all members of the group – Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Ian Gillan (vocals), Jon Lord (organ), Roger Glover (bass) and Ian Paice (drums), was on the British group’s fourth studio album Deep Purple in Rock released in June 1970. The song, which is made of lyrical bits of rock & roll hits by Little Richard, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, also became the albums lead single in May of the same year. Hang on to your seats – ha ha ha ha!

Sting/Shape of My Heart

After some charging high-speed hard rock & roll, I think this would be an opportune moment to slow things down. For this we shall travel to March 1993 and Sting’s fourth solo studio album. Ten Summoner’s Tales is the ex-Police frontman’s Mount Rushmore, in my humble opinion. Here’s the beautiful Shape of My Heart, which Sting co-wrote with guitarist and his long-term sideman Dominic Miller. The song also became the album’s fifth single in August 1993.

The Beatles/Back In the U.S.S.R.

Once again, we’re reaching the final stop of another music excursion, which I hope you’ve enjoyed. Let’s make it count with a song by my all-time favorite band The Beatles from their self-titled November 1968 studio album, aka. The White Album: Back in the U.S.S.R.. The album’s opener was written by Paul McCartney and, as usual, credited to him and John Lennon. The song is a parody of the patriotic sentiments about the U.S. expressed in Chuck Berry’s Back in the U.S.A. and The Beach Boys’ California Girls. Take it away, lads!

Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without a Spotify playlist featuring the above tracks. So long and see you next time!

Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube; Spotify