"Music is power, let it flow through your mind" (Richard Ashcroft)
Kokoroko brings the lounge lizard and I can't help but crave a martini when I listen to them. The London outfit's sophomore effort is out and it's fabulous. Tuff Times Never Last is a testament to optimism and that always amazing cocktail vibe.
Opening track...
I've been loving me some NYC indie folks scene lately and, at the top of my list, is Frankie Cosmos. Her latest is called Different Talking. I love the honesty of the whole thing. People are like this, feel this way and think this way.
The best track is...
Slick Rick is his own vibe. The London native continues to dazzle the earth with his latest release, Victory. His brand of paisley hip hop warms my heart.
One of my faves...
Daily Toll is a wonderful band from New Zealand. Their first full length has just dropped and, man oh man, is it wonderful. Some serious chill, vibe and groove on A Profound Non-Event.
Opening track...
Hometown hereos Yonder have their first EP out and it's just what all of us indie/alternative fans need for the rest of the summer. Memento Mori has six tracks of sheer wonder!
Who wants some good ol' classic hard rock? Anaheim's own Buckcherry is just the ticket!! Their latest is called Roar Like Thunder and boy does it ever!
Opening (and title) track...
Holy crap, is YUNGBLUD amazing. His latest is called Idols and it proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, who is the current king of pop. Every track is pure gold and laced with power. He is a colossus!
Opening track...
Holy crap! The new Born Ruffians record is easily their best yet. The Toronto outfit continues to blow me away with their sly and smooth style. Beauty's Pride is their ninth release and clearly their zenith. The album radiates that urban mood laced with amour.
Opening (and my favorite) track...
LA's own Saint Motel keeps turning out magnificent music. A key element of their music is the cinematic quality of it. And that's never been more true than on their latest offering, Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky. The record is a sheer wonder of vision. Check it out!
Opening track...
Soul music is alive and well. Thank god! Leading the charge of soul artists is Bloomington, Indiana's own Durand Jones and the Indications. Their latest masterpiece is called Flowers and is replete with instant soul chestnuts.
Out of the gate...
WITCH is just fucking crazy. This insanely intense band from Zambia just brings the shit, man! Their latest is called SOGOLO and it just cooks...with gas!
Check it out!
It warms my heart immensely to see that bands are keeping the spirt of soul alive. The Psychodelics are such a band and their latest record, Please Keep Off The Grass, is a testament to their deep commitment to the genre. Eight tracks of sheer soul chestnuts!
Opening track...
Is there any band cooler than The Raveonettes? I don't think so. Their latest is called PE'AH II, a sequel to their 2014 record, Pe'ahi. It's a massive wall of cosmic energy infused with echo-y emo!
My fave...
The title of the latest effort from Lightheaded is something we all do. And we do it with the same exclamation mark! Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming is baroque pop at its finest. Grab a romantic partner and listen!!
Opening track...
Hickman, Kentucky's own S.G. Goodman is back with her third record and it's a corker! Planting by the Signs sees new roads taken and amazing adventures to be had by all. Her voice gives me shivers and all sorts of feelings.
Witness!
I was 13 years old and my dad was picking me up for boy scouts in the dead of winter. My parents had just gotten divorced but my dad was really trying to stay involved in my life. He had this old car, it wasn't a Pinto, but it was something shitty like that. His car's heater didn't really work very well but he at least had an AM radio so we could listen to WLS from Chicago. At the time, that station was the only real gateway I had to music and, over the last year or so, the world of tunes had opened up quite massively for me because of it.
That day, as I was shivering over to the other side of town for the troop meeting, the song "Hungry Heart" by Bruce Springsteen came on. It had been a massive hit for the last few months and everyone just loved it. I turned to my dad and smiled at how amazing the song was...the story...the sound...the heartache. He smiled back because he just knew too. He loved the Boss as well and now Springsteen was a superstar.
As he has done many times in the thirty five years since this day, The Boss has, once again, shovel to the head stunned me. He has delved deeply into the vault and produced seven massively awesome records that are guaranteed to knock your socks right on your ass.
Tracks II begins with material from 1983-1984, between Nebraska and Born In The USA. The first track sets the tone...
I'm very happy to see that The Doobie Brothers are still going strong with another fine effort called Walk This Road. Let's please walk with them...
One of my faves...