Title: Colorado (Reprise)
You might like if you enjoy: Neil Young, Pearl Jam
Tell me more: Listening to the eagerly-awaited return from Neil Young with Crazy Horse (Colorado) is akin to catching up with a beloved old friend. From the gentle melodies and approach on the aptly-pegged "Olden Days," wistful "Milky Way" and tender "Eternity" to the blistering "Shut It Down" and "Help Me Loose My Mind," the album finds Young, guitarist-keyboardist Nils Lofgren, bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina locked in and firing on all cylinders. Colorado is the troupe's first effort since 2012's stellar Psychedelic Pill, and the release is often focused squarely on the plight of planet Earth, notably the aforementioned "Green Is Blue" and "Shut It Down." Young's keen observations are told with an urgency that proves he has lost none of his celebrated mettle over the past 50+ years. The 13-minute "She Showed Me Love" revisits the territory of some his most potent rockers with Crazy Horse while the acoustic gems "I Do" and "Think Of Me" recall the quiet Americana-swept beauty displayed across his classic 1992 Harvest Moon album. Information: NeilYoung.com.
Title: What's My Name? (UMe)
You might like if you enjoy: The Beatles, Ringo Starr
Tell me more: It is hard to believe that What's My Name? is Ringo Starr's 20th solo album. But anyone who has seen Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band in recent years knows the former Beatle and world's most famous purveyor of "peace and love" continues to release fun and spirited albums featuring his winning signature rock 'n' roll sound. Starr's new album has plenty to celebrate, from the celebratory "Life is Good" and "Thank God for Music" to the shimmering "Magic" (bolstered by Steve Lukather's artful and flashy guitar work) and scintillating "Send Love Spread Peace" to the genuinely funky "Gotta Get Up to Get Down" (featuring Joe Walsh on vocals and guitar). This writer's favorite track is the soulful rocker "Better Days"; that track features some of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's best-ever lead vocals amidst a soundscape that actually draws comparisons with some of Duran Duran's best-known modern rockers. There are several classics covered here, the best being a tender take on John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me" featuring Paul McCartney on bass and backing vocals. The album closes out with the exuberant Colin Hay-penned title cut, the perfect way to wrap up the disc. High-profile guests abound across What's My Name? including bassist Nathan East (Fourplay), keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and guitarist Dave Stewart (the Eurythmics). Information: RingoStarr.com.
Title: Continuous Pleasures (Arevarc Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Ride, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Mazzy Star, Blondie
Tell me more: When Disturbed Furniture reunited two years ago to perform and record new music it marked the return of an important player from New York's early 1980s underground music scene. Now the band's five-song EP Continuous Pleasures is available and is re-introducing the art rockers' timeless approach to a new generation of savvy listeners. The vibe and sound here recalls groundbreaking bands such as Ride and Mazzy Star, but with the unique approach of singer Alexa Hunter, guitarist Jorge Arevalo Mateus, drummer Mick Oakleaf and bassist Shin Sakaino adding something special to the mix. A blend of indie rock, poetic spoken word and world music tinges, the five-song disc will hopefully serve as fire for the creation of a full-length LP from the band soon. The range of emotions and sounds probed range from the post-punk push of "Hit or a Miss" and dreamy sheen of "Halo of Pain" to the Latin-tinged feel of "Angel of Losses," the latter a beautiful showcase for Hunter's dynamic soprano and Mateus' nuanced guitar textures. Information: www.DisturbedFurniture.com.
Title: Cypress Grove (Easy Eye Sound Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Marcus King, Otis Taylor
Tell me more: The Dan Auerbach-produced Cypress Grove is truly a celebration of the otherworldly talents of bluesman Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, a 72-year-old great whose sound connects listeners with the Delta blues of the early 20th century. On the newly-issued Cypress Grove, Holmes is joined by a parade of notable guests including guitarist Marcus King, drummer Sam Bacco, bassist Eric Deaton and aforementioned Auerbach who collectively recreate the experience of dropping by Holmes' Blue Front Cafe in Bentonia, Mississippi on a Saturday night. The sound here is not confined to the past, but rather serves as a time tunnel that blends past and present as the freewheeling Holmes often defies rigid and repeating chord progressions in favor of hypnotic grooves (just listen to "Goin' Away Baby," "Little Red Rooster" and "All Night Long"). Other standouts on the excellent album include "Hard Times" (where Holmes tackles Skip James' song to the lone accompaniment of his own guitar), the rough-and-tumble acoustics of "Devil Got My Woman" and his confessional "Gonna Get Old Someday." Information: EasyEyeSound.com.
Title: Daylight (Fantasy)
You might like if you enjoy: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Beth Hart
Tell me more: Grace Potter's Daylight marks a strong return for the singer/multi-instrumentalist, whose last album Midnight was released back in 2015. This time around Potter continues her mostly-successful quest to blend rock, soul, blues and Americana in creative and artful ways. The soulful blues of "Love Is Love," loose retro rocker "On My Way," rootsy acoustic nugget "Shout It Out" and Motown-mining "Back To Me" (the latter featuring the contributions of Lucius) will hit home for fans of the songstress who has always impressed me in concert. The shining gem on the disc is the stunning ballad "Release," an affecting turn about letting go of someone you love; it doesn't hurt that Potter delivers some of the most emotive singing of her career on that track and across the disc. Information: GracePotter.com.
Robert Kinsler
No comments:
Post a Comment