Sunday, April 26, 2020

Pokey LaFarge
Rock Bottom Rhapsody
(New West Records)




Through sensitive arrangements, deftly interpreted by top-drawer accompanists, a common man of intellect and weathered heart shines spectacularly. 

Recommended: "Lucky Sometimes," "Bluebird," "End Of My Rope," "Fuck Me Up," "Fallen Angel," "Ain't Comin' Home," "Lost In the Crowd."

Videos: 

"Lucky Sometimes"
"Bluebird"
"Fuck Me Up"
"Fallen Angel" (Audio only)

Facebook page

Bandcamp page

New West ordering

Amazon ordering (12" LP)



Johnny Jetson
Make Your Move
(MinnieApple)



That Glam icons' imprints are manifest is okay, because they're splendid paragons. And they inform unobtrusively while ceding significant creative real estate to Jetson's own gripping flights. And soar aloft, songs do. Directness, melodicism, and vibrancy of which one never tires.

Recommended: "Knocked Out," "Love Me For My Car," "Mouth Made For Rock 'n' Roll," "Hang Around With You,"  "My Baby Likes To Rock," "Get High Rock Steady," "Make Your Move."

Videos: 

"Love Me For My Car"
"Make Your Move"
"My Baby Likes To Rock"

Facebook page

Bandcamp page

Spotify page

Atomic Leopards
20's Rockabilly
5-track EP
(self)




In crisply fashionable raiment, familiar stylings shout evergreen relevance.

Recommended: "Girl In Black," "I Just Wanna Stay With You," "Aquesta Nit," "Put Your Lips," "Rockin' Fix."

Videos:

Album preview "Girl In Black"
"I Just Wanna Stay With You"


Facebook page

Apple music

Spotify



McKinley James
"Who Will the Next Fool Be?"
"Thunderbolt"
singles
(fun-guy records)



Hip-beyond-years 16 year-old impressively stokes eternal flame. 


"Who Will the Next Fool Be?"
"Thunderbird"

Facebook page

fun-guy Facebook page


Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Left Hand Black 
s/t  (Wolverine)



Ramones-fleet horrorpunk redolent of era when stylists leveraged actual hooks into grisliness. Shares with Forest Hills brudders addictive fun/storm song constructions.

Recommended: "Behind the Green Door," "Let's Scare Jessica To Death,"  "Army of Darkness," "Murder On My Mind," "28 Days Later," "Devil In Miss Jones," "Jaws," "Long Live the New Flesh."

Videos: 

"Behind the Green Door"

"Let's Scare Jessica To Death"

"Murder On My Mind"


Band site

Facebook page

Bandcamp page

Wolverine Records


Red Hot Riot
Lady Of the Night
MP3 single
(self)




Lighthearted Cockney effervescence scarcely glimpsed since Tim and the lads made a circuit. RHR recently signed with Western Star; a full-length effort can be expected.

Video "Lady Of the Night" 


Facebook page

Merch ordering page

Amazon MP3 ordering page


Justine's Black Threads
Cheap Vacation
(self/Run Bar Records)



It's reassuring to know that, despite howlin' winds' buffeting, a disc like this unassuming country trio one waits with promised comfort.

Recommended: "He Never Reminds Me of You," "He Stopped Laughing At My Jokes," "You and Me Against You and Me."

Videos: 

"He Never Reminds Me of You"
"You and Me Against You and Me"

Facebook page

CD Baby 

iHeart.com


The Confusionaires
From the Headache To the Heartache
(self)




"Many Miles" makes much of its cool-and-hot-passages interplay. The rest is equally solid, though with diverse realizations. And the beat cannot be resisted.

Recommended: "Many Miles To Go-Go," "Blue Enough For Two," "I Ain't Goin' Home With You," "Sour Mash," "Graveyard Shift At the Rumour Mill," "I Got a Heart."

Videos: 

"Many Miles To Go-Go"

"Sour Mash"


Band site

Bandcamp page

Facebook page

Spotify page


Thursday, April 2, 2020

Meteors
Original Albums Collection:
5CD Clamshell Box Set Edition
(Anagram / Cherry Red)




Breathes there a soul among us who knoweth not the acronym OTMAPP, and that it be so?

Recommended: "Cecil Drives a Combine Harvester," "Little Red Riding Hood" (disc one), "Ain't Gonna Bring Me Down," "Ring of the Bell" (disc two), "Return of Ethel Merman," "I Bury the Living (disc three), "Go Buddy Go," "Corpse Grinder" (disc four), "Sidewalk Psycho," "Meet Me At the Morgue" (disc five).

Videos: 

"Cecil Drives a Combine Harvester"
"Ain't Gonna Bring Me Down" (live)
"Return of Ethel Merman"
"Corpse Grinder"
"Sidewalk Psycho"


Facebook page

Yendor71 (Official home)

Amazon ordering


V/A
Give 'Em a Slap! Vol 2
(Diablo Records)



Some of the most skeleton-shaking fun available above plot.

Recommended: "Karolitve" (Gorilla), "Fight" (Hola Ghost), "Eye Spy" (Moonshine Stalkers), "Los Cuernos del Diablo" (The Machetes),  "The Mong In Black" (Guitar Slingers), "Take Me Home" (Screamers and Sinners), "High Octane Rock N Roll" (The Silver Shine), "One More Jack" (Dead Bollox), "Come On" (Cenobites), "Knuckles" (Alcoholic Alien).

Videos: 

"Fight" (Hola Ghost)
"One More Jack" (Dead Bollox)


Diablo bandcamp page

Diablo Facebook page
Guitar Slingers
Live In Hamburg
(Diablo)



Unsurprisingly, Diablo has sold out of this 2016 disc, in which  Doyley and his flabbergasting guitar lead an amazingly limber rocker assemblage. Unless you are among the already star-favored, prowl used wax shops. Immediately isn't too soon.

Recommended: "Guns of Diablo," "Geraldine," "The Invaders," "Never Steal the Devil's Wheels," "Hang 'em High," "Bop A Lena," "Like a Rocket," "Johnny Dangerously," "The Fly With the X-Ray Eyes."

Videos: 

"Geraldine" (live)
"Hang 'em High"
"Bop A Lena" (live)
"Johnny Dangerously" (live)

Facebook page




Skizoyds
Psychobilly Never Die! 
single
(Nilson Jose da Silva / Schizoyds)



The grinding wheel turns slowly, inexorably. Layers of bone dust cover the stone floor. A growl, pounding, and schizzing guitars rage as splenetic soundtrack.

Video: "Psychobilly Never Die!"


Facebook page

CD Baby clip