New music: The Record Company, Loveland Duren, Lizard Music

Eagerly-awaited returns from a trio of greats are out now.

Artist: The Record Company

Title: Play Loud (Concord Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Greta Van Fleet, Dirty Honey, The Record Company, Beck

Tell me more: The Record Company is back with another fantastic album, the genre-blending Play Loud. The Los Angeles trio's previous two albums were strongly rooted in blues and classic rock. This time Chris Vos (guitar, lead vocals), Alex Stiff (bass, backing vocals) and Marc Cazorla (drums, backing vocals) are boldly fusing new styles into that signature mix. Funk and soul are a key element in the intoxicating "Never Leave You," as well as the infectious single "How High" and aptly-titled "Get Up and Dance!" Other tracks more firmly mine blues and blues rock territory, including the memorable "Gotta Be Movin'," slide guitar-adorned "Awake" and shining "Midnight Moon." Modern and indie rock fans will find plenty to love in the muscular "Out Of My Head," inspired piano-anchored "Live As One" and enthralling album closer "Ain't Going Home." Information: TheRecordCompany.net.

Artist: Loveland Duren

Title: Any Such Thing (Edgewood Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: The Empty Hearts, Bright Blue Gorilla, The Jayhawks

Tell me more: Following the release of Loveland Duren's Bloody Cupid (2013) and "Next" (2016), the musical duo of Vicki Loveland and Van Duren has returned with the marvelous "Any Such Thing." This superb disc came in the wake of the duo's string of performances in 2019 in support of the documentary "Waiting: The Van Duren Story." The ear candy opener "Tumbledown Hearts" is positively melodic and is enhanced but the duo's glorious harmonies. Loveland's lead vocals soar on the horns rich "A Place Of No Place," a Memphis soul gem that grows in power with every measure. The soul ballad "Within Crying Distance," joyful "Ain't It Pretty To Think So" with Loveland and Duren's vocals locked in across its run and spellbinding "Skywriting (Tasmania)" are among early standouts on "Any Such Thing." A Baroque pop soundscape surrounds Loveland as she artfully addresses an unfaithful partner in the literate "Funny Way of Showing It." The tuneful countrified delight "Bridges I Had To Burn," observational "Everyone Is Out Of Tune" and gentle closer "Ending Again" further define the wide-ranging Any Such Thing. Information: lovelandduren.com. 

Artist: Lizard Music

Title: Arizone! (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: dada, Jellyfish, Fastball, classic rock

Tell me more: An absolutely sensational listen, Lizard Music's long-awaited return Arizone! marks the first new release from the New Jersey quartet in more than 25 years. Lizard Music (Mikael Jorgensen, Chris Apple, Craig Smith and Erik Paparozzi) released two LPs and toured the U.S. and U.K. during their initial run between 1989 and 1997; the COVID-19 pandemic afforded a period where the four members reconnected and unanimously agreed to begin exchanging ideas and songs beginning in summer 2020. The result is Arizone! — the album is a truly outstanding creative statement spanning the length of the 15-track audio CD (the album is also currently available via digital formats and will be released as a 2LP vinyl edition on Dec. 10, 2021). The mix of material spans from the artful rocker "The Crow Flies," straight-edged "The Mixtape," and experimental title track to the magical indie gem "Comes And Goes" and dreamscape sweep "Better Believe." The audio CD version (reviewed here) also includes the bonus track "Naked In Las Vegas," a lovely acoustic track that serves as a perfect closer on the album. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com and lizardmusic.net. 

Robert Kinsler

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The Bootheels' '1988: The Original Demos' features Jakob Dylan and Tobi Miller (Wallflowers), Luther Russell (Those Pretty Wrongs) and Aaron A. Brooks (Moby, Lana Del Rey), due out Sept. 24

Omnivore Recordings continues to release exciting collections including expanded and remastered reissues as well as sets like the forthcoming '1988: The Original Demos' from The Bootheels...Robert Kinsler

Packaging on upcoming Sept. 24, 2021 release includes photos and liner notes from Scott Schinder, including interviews with the band members

The Bootheels L-R: Tobi Miller, Aaron A. Brooks,  Luther Russell, Jakob Dylan LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Bootheels sprang to life for a few glorious months during the first half of 1988. Their brief existence was noted by a fortunate handful of friends and fans who happened to be in the right place and time to experience the youthful L.A. foursome’s meteoric creative surge and their equally swift dissolution. In between, the band developed a raw, distinctive rock ’n’ roll sensibility and a repertoire of catchy, funny, introspective songs that never had a chance to become records.    The Bootheels were composed of frontman/songwriter/bassist Luther Russell, who would later lead the Freewheelers before emerging as a prolific solo artist and half of Those Pretty Wrongs (with Big Star’s Jody Stephens); guitarist Jakob Dylan, who would soon achieve stardom as leader of the Wallflowers; future Wallflowers guitarist Tobi Miller, whose instrumental interplay with Dylan provided one of the Bootheels’ most notable sonic features; and drummer Aaron A. Brooks (who would go on to work with Moby, Lana Del Rey, and others).    These tracks (13 on LP plus three bonus tracks on CD/Digital) provide a glimpse into the origins of teenage musicians who would rise to greater heights than they could ever have imagined. The packaging contains photos and an aural history of the band — with interviews with all four members conducted and assembled by noted writer Scott Schinder. The resultant compilation, 1988: The Original Demos, is due out on CD, LP and Digital via Omnivore Recordings on September 24, 2021.   Russell said of the band’s short tenure, “We only played two shows outside of the garage, bottom-of-the-bill Tuesday night gigs at the Troubadour and at Madame Wong’s West. But otherwise, it was really hard for us to get gigs. That may have been because of our ages, since three of us were under 18. But it was also sketchy just being an unknown band playing this kind of music.”    Jakob Dylan: “The band ended when I moved to New York to attend art college. The Bootheels was really Luther’s band, and I knew I’d eventually need one of my own. But it was truly an incredible beginning to learning all the things a band might include. We had a great one for a really short time.”   Tobi Miller: “I can only imagine how the Bootheels would have evolved had we stayed together. When we formed the band, Luther was already a fully developed singer-songwriter. Although Jakob wasn’t singing in the Bootheels at that time, he was writing songs and already showing signs that he could be a brilliant songwriter as well. So it’s really daunting to think how strong the Bootheels would have been had we given it enough time for all the songwriting talent in the band to develop together.”    Aaron A. Brooks: “Had we stayed together, I think we would have accomplished extremely great things musically. All the pieces were in place. I’ve absolutely no regrets, as we’ve all had amazing careers, but I know it would have been a wonderful trip, had the stars aligned. We didn’t really break up. We just quietly dissipated, like the debris and dust settling after a massive explosion.”    Produced for release by Russell and Grammy®-winner Cheryl Pawelski, it’s not a story of what might have been, but of a powerful one that was. However briefly the Bootheels’ light shined, 1988: The Original Demos shows that it indeed shone bright!    Track list  1. See It in Your Eyes 2. Thing Called Love 3. Empty Wallet, Empty Bottle, Empty Heart  4. The Deal 5. Wasted Dime 6. Interstate 68 Blues 7. Got Me on My Knees 8. Glad It All Worked Out 9. Halfway There 10. B-Line for You 11. Seven Seas 12. Queen of Hearts 13. Too Many People 14. Images of You [Bonus Track] 15. All I Want Is You [Bonus Track] 16. Think Of The Time [Bonus Track] Learn more at: Omnivore Recordings