Title: Afterlife (Bar/None Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Beck, The Kinks, Brian Wilson
Tell me more: Indie hero R. Stevie Moore has followed up his stellar 2017 LP Make It Be (a collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter/guitarist/producer Jason Falkner) with the fantastic Afterlife. The new album is a freewheeling affair that finds the Nashville-based DIY artist exploring all of the corners of his peerless pallet including power pop, lo-fi rock, post-punk, spoken word and alternative folk. The snappy "Come My Way" finds Moore joining forces again with Falkner for a Kinks-flavored rocker bolstered by Ariel Pink's lead vocals. The exuberant folk nugget "The Winner," tuneful rocker "What Should I Do With The Rest Of My Life?" art damage foray "Another Day Slips Away" and baroque rock entry "Love Is The Way To My Heart" are among the exceptional cuts on the outstanding album. The original material on "Afterlife" is weighted in favor of some of Moore's favorite recordings made over the past 15 years; the artist has now re-recorded them with producer Irwin Chusid to give them a more fully-produced studio sound. Information: RStevieMoore.com.
Title: Impossible Blue (Rootball Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Sonny Landreth, Mark Knopfler, Billy F Gibbons
Tell me more: Singer-songwriter/guitar great Gurf Morlix has that rare gift of letting his songs breathe. Like Mark Knopfler and Nils Lofgren, Morlix is able to use virtuoso guitar work in the service of authentic and fully-original songcraft. On the Austin, Texas-based artist's new album Impossible Blue all nine terrific songs rooted in amidst Texas blues and American roots music expand beyond the mere boundaries of any genre markers thanks to lyrical lines and articulated tales that draw the listener into each track. All the more impressive is that Impossible Blue was produced, engineered and mixed by Morlix! The range of material extends from the lovely "2 Hearts Beating in Time" and blues-mining "Spinnin' Planet Blues" to the wry "Sliver of Light" and moodscape of complete loss painted in "Bottom of the Musquash River." The album closes out with "Backbeat of the Dispossessed," a poignant tribute to Morlix's late life-long friend and band mate, drummer Michael Bannister; that song – like the others on this great album – unfolds like an intimate conversation and the perfect listen. Information: GurfMorlix.com.
Title: Travelin' Shoes (Sage Arts)
You might like if you enjoy: Greensky Bluegrass, Old Crow Medicine Show
Tell me more: The joyful and rousing spirit that shines across Marley's Ghost's new album Travelin' Shoes is palpable, with the six-member West Coast ensemble's stellar musicianship and incredible vocal harmonies impressing across the 12-track disc. On this set Marley's Ghost revisits a number of traditional gospel-flavored selections, making each classic their own. The Louisiana-styled take on "Run Come See Jerusalem," undeniable sing-along "When Trouble's In My Home" and "A Beautiful Life," and reflective heaven-looking "Sweet Hour Of Prayer" reflect Marley's Ghost's ability to fuse a number of authentic styles into their buoyant and exuberant approach. Information: MarleysGhost.com.
Title: Diana Dors (ZIP Records)
You might like if you enjoy: The Kinks, Shoes
Tell me more: The debut disc from Ed Rogers and Steve Butler (the four-song EP Diana Dors) is sure to appeal to lovers of melodic rock and power pop. With their top-tier songwriting talents, convincing tandem lead vocals and excellent musical support of a great group of players including drummer Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) and bassist Sal Maida (Roxy Music, Sparks) the disc proves to be a solid introduction to Rogers & Butler. The infectious "Diana Dors," instantly-catchy "Possibilities and "Seven Hour Man" and folk-oriented "Witness Tree" make an excellent case for a future full-length LP from the New York City-based Rogers & Butler. Information: ziprecords.com.
Robert Kinsler
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