Gary Louris Jump For JoySham/Thirty Tigers [2021] As befits this year of the pandemic lockdown, Jayhawks’ leader and main songwriter Gary Louris has delivered his second solo album, Jump For Joy, a more intimate project where he wrote, sang, played all the instruments, and produced. The Jayhawks album released last year, XOXO, was more of … Read more
Montreal band SUUNS – comprised of Ben Shemie, Joe Yarmush, and Liam O’Neill – announce their new album and Joyful Noise Recordings debut, The Witness, out September 3rd, and share the lead single/video, “Witness Protection.” The Witness marks a shrewdly offbeat left turn, and shows SUUNS in their most comfortable, candid state. Self-recorded and self-produced … Read more
Chrissie Hynde Standing In The Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob DylanBMG [2021] Chrissie Hynde was fresh from the release of another very good Pretenders’ album, Hate For Sale, when everyone was reckoning with the fact that the pandemic wasn’t a passing thing, and tours and concerts were going to be on hold for another year. … Read more
Durand Jones & The Indications have just released a new single/video, “Love Will Work It Out,” from their forthcoming album, Private Space, out July 30th on Dead Oceans in association with Colemine Records. Anchored by the high-low harmonies of Aaron Frazer (drums/vocals) and Durand Jones (vocals), and rounded out by Blake Rhein (guitar), Steve Okonski … Read more
The Routes MesmerisedAction Weekend / Bickerton Records [2021] The Routes are exactly why the quote “rock n’ roll can never die” exists. Mesmerised represents the eighth long-player to date from the Japan based group and it is a blast of sixties-influenced garage beat rock that has a DIY approach with its brashness, high octane energy … Read more
We already told you about the fantastic new Headphone Approved album from Mdou Moctar titled Afrique Victime. If you missed it make sure you circle back around to the review but only after you watch the second video from the album “Taliat’” The video follows Moctar through his town and also shows the English translation … Read more
From their 1996 debut album Come Find Yourself, Fun Lovin’ Criminals put together one of the best caper videos to date! The track is still catchy today.
Lambchop ShowtunesMerge Records [2021] Lambchop is a loosely defined collaborative focused by the artistic vision and voice of Kurt Wagner, who has defined this latest project as “Showtunes for people who don’t like showtunes.” While we tend to think of showtunes as up-tempo, focused by catchy melodies that move along the narrative toward some happy … Read more
Australian folk psych band The Babe Rainbow, released their fourth album Changing Colours, via Eureka Music/AWAL/Flightless Records on May 14th. Here is the video for the latest single “Ready For Tomorrow” that was made by Jordan Malane and the Babe Rainbow and filmed at the Eltham Hotel. Just over six years ago the three core … Read more
One of my first introductions to Elliott Smith. “Coming Up Roses” is from his self-titled record that was released in 1994 via Kill Rock Stars.
“Sit still, sit still or I’ll cut ya!” is the key line to this single from Spider Virus’ debut album Electric Erection in 1997 on Ng Records.
This is the first single off The Figgs debut album, Lo-Fi at Society High, that was released in 1994.
STÖNERJoshua Tree, CA Desert rock and stoner rock have long since been a part of my musical tastes. From the moment I heard Queens of the Stone Age I was hooked. That raw desert crunch that burned through the amps, there’s nothing like it. That’s why when I heard that Nick Oliveri (Kyuss and Queens … Read more
Australian rock band The Murlocs have unveiled the title track from their upcoming new album Bittersweet Demons. The track catalyzed the album’s entire concept, with its moody piano tones and softly sprawling arrangement, the song took shape soon after the 2019 death of frontman’s Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s dear friend Keegan Walker. Says Kenny-Smith, “I was messing … Read more
After Uncle Tupelo disbanded in 1994, Son Volt released their fantastic debut, Trace, driven by “Drown” in 1995.
James All The Colours Of YouVirgin Music [2021] In 1993 when Manchester, England band James had a break-out single with “Laid,” no doubt as much for all of its talk of “passionate love,” and that “she only comes when she’s on top,” the band was on their fifth album and had previous British radio hits … Read more
“It was a black man in open, conscious resistance of the power that was trying to keep him enslaved—that was me…At last I had a chance to say what I believed in my deepest heart about politics, slavery, and about the genocide of Indians.”—Eugene McDaniels aka the left rev mc d. talking about his album, … Read more
Modest Mouse has shared the official video for “We Are Between,” the first single off their forthcoming new album The Golden Casket which is out June 25th via Epic Records. Directed by Kyle Thrash, the video features lead singer Isaac Brock stranded amongst a field of cars, with various characters, some real and some not, … Read more
Reigning Sound A Little More Time With Reigning SoundMerge Records [2021] Reigning Sound’s singer/songwriter Greg Cartwright has returned to Memphis to record a collection of power-pop tracks that get back to basics. After working in the studio with Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach for 5 tracks on 2011’s EP, “Abdication… For Your Love,” and the R&B … Read more
Founded in Orange County before rising to greater prominence in Los Angeles, Media Jeweler are a band who have long pushed to the outer edges of the art rock scene they’ve been a fixture of for going on half a decade. From their early days sharing stages with artists like Palberta, Palm, Yonatan Gat and … Read more
Spike Jonze’s classic music video for San Jose rockers “Wax”. One of the most creative videos from his early career. The song rocks too!
Mdou MoctarAfrique VictimeMatador Records [2021] If I was asked to name a stand out guitarist on the indie scene today I would absolutely and confidently say Mdou Moctar. This name for sure would get blank stares from many and I would follow up my answer with something like “C’mon, you don’t know the Tuareg guitarist … Read more
Islands’ new LP Islomania is set to release on June 11th on Royal Mountain Records. “Carpenter” is the final preview of the LP. “Carpenter” is the third and final single from the indie band’s first album back after retiring in 2016, and follows the previously released “(We Like To) Do It With The Lights On” … Read more
