New Music: Collective Soul, Orianthi, Thundermother, Nick Frater, Goo Goo Dolls

American rock troupe Collective Soul, singer-guitar great Orianthi, Swedish rockers Thundermother, singer-songwriter Nick Frater and alt rock favorites Goo Goo Dolls are all back with essential new recordings worth adding to your music library.

Artist: Collective Soul

Title: Vibrating (Fuzzy-Flex Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Collective Soul, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Psychic Rain

Tell me more: Nearly 30 years after their outstanding debut Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid introduced their fully original mix of melodic alternative rock and post-grunge to the world, Collective Soul continues to chart their own course with albums rooted in stellar songcraft, creative arrangements and inspired performances. "Cut The Cord" opens the album, a searing hard rocker bolstered by loads of crunchy guitar and a driving beat; the propulsive "Reason" enhanced by an especially melodic chorus follows. The energy on the 10-track album is palpable, with singer-guitarist Ed Roland, lead guitarist Jesse Triplett, rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin and drummer Johnny Rabb each adding sophisticated magic to the proceedings. Other highlights on the excellent album include the enticing "Take" with its hypnotic mix of '60s jangle garage rock and mellifluous musical layers, the shining "Undone," symphonic-tinged gem "Rule No. 1," genre-defying delight "Looking Around" and the ambitious romance-mining "Where Do I Go." My favorite track is the undeniably captivating "All Our Pieces," a soaring anthem with singer Ed Roland's expressive vocals bringing an emotional heft to the euphonious cut. Information: CollectiveSoul.com.

Artist: Orianthi

Title: Live From Hollywood (Frontiers Music Srl)

You might like if you enjoy: Orianthi, Nita Strauss, Michael Jackson's "This Is It" documentary

Tell me more: Singer-songwriter/guitar hero Orianthi is back with Live From Hollywood, a sharp 11-track set of hard-hitting melodic rock captured on Jan. 8, 2022 at the Bourbon Room in Hollywood, CA.  The release — available on audio CD/DVD and Blu-ray — sees the guitarist and her excellent five-member backing band playing songs from the Australia native's most recent release O (notably the hard rocking lead-off track "Contagious," soulful "Sinners Hymn" and edgy "Impulsive") and audience favorites like the kiss-off "What's It Gonna Be?" and stirring romantic cut "Blues Won't Leave Me Alone." Additional highlights include the AC/DC-styled "Think Like A Man," undeniable ear candy hit "According To You" and blues rock-mining album closer "How Do You Sleep?" Orianthi has a winning soprano and her astonishing guitar work impresses at every turn. Information: Facebook.com/Orianthi. 

Artist: Thundermother

Title: Black and Gold (AFM Records)

You might like if you enjoy: AC/DC, Scorpions

Tell me more: Tapping into the take-no-prisoners rock assault of AC/DC, Sweden's all-female rock outfit Thundermother delivers a dozen head banging tracks on Black and Gold (available via AFM Records on Aug. 19). Experts at fusing Guernica Mancini's signature lead vocals with riff rock, big choruses, guitar crunch and infectious rhythms, there is plenty for hard rock fans to celebrate across the band's fourth full-length release. The high voltage opener "The Light In The Sky," anthemic title track (featuring marvelous lead guitar from Filippa Nässil), bluesy power ballad "Hot Mess," driving rocker "Watch Out," snappy "Loud and Free" and explosive "Stratosphere" fully deliver on Thundermother's moniker. Thundermother will be on tour with Scorpions and Whitesnake beginning with a date in Toronto on Aug. 21. The trio of bands will perform at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA on Oct. 4. Information: thundermother.com. 

Artist: Nick Frater

Title: Aerodrome Motel (Big Stir Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Squeeze, XTC, Nick Frater's 2021 album "Earworms" 

Tell me more: Armed with a wonderful tenor voice as well as a sharp knack for crafting literate and tuneful power pop, Croydon, England-based singer/multi-instrumentalist Nick Frater's myriad of talents are displayed in full across his forthcoming album Aerodrome Motel (coming to audio CD and via streaming platforms worldwide on Friday, Aug. 19 via Big Stir Records). Frater's last several albums (2021's Earworms and 2020's Fast & Loose) were critically acclaimed and the artist's latest effort continues that strong streak with a disc imbued with melody and musical hooks that grab the listener and (thankfully) don't let go. The stellar Aerodrome track listing includes the exuberant opener "The Pleasure Is Mine," driving "Love Heist," the harmonies-adorned "Stuck In My Ways," Americana-tinged ballad "No Hard Feelings." The last half of the disc continues to deliver in sonic spades via the intoxicating "Rough & Tumble," baroque pop sortie "Dear Modern Times," charmed single "Dancing With A Gertrude" and wistful "White Courtesy Telephone." Information: BigStirRecords.com. 

Artist: Goo Goo Dolls

Title: Chaos in Bloom (Warner Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Goo Goo Dolls, Fastball 

Tell me more: Modern rock heroes Goo Goo Dolls are back with a tuneful and infectious collection of 10 songs on their latest album Chaos in Bloom, the veteran outfit's first-ever album produced by frontman John Rzeznik. There is a lyrical depth and range of topics tackled by Rzeznik and Robby Takac across the album that was developed in the midst of the global pandemic. The driving opener "Yeah, I Like You" is a tuneful and uptempo delight. "War" is a more reflective take on relationships, the dynamics of the track creatively building with each measure as Rzeznik's signature vocals soar. Other outstanding tracks on the disc include the shimmering "Loving Life," inward-looking rocker "Going Crazy," magnetic "Day After Day" and poignant "Superstar." Information: GooGooDolls.com. 

Robert Kinsler

New Music Roundup: Garbage, Holsapple & Stamey, The Bablers, 'Big Stir Singles'

June 2021 is proving to be especially rich in terms of new music releases. Here are four highly-recommended titles worth a listen...

Artist: Garbage

Title: No Gods No Masters (Infectious Music)

You might like if you enjoy: Garbage, The Pretenders

Tell me more: Garbage has returned with a deluxe two-disc album Go Gods No Masters, the band's seventh studio album and first full-length effort since 2016's Strange Little Birds. This is an album that finds singer Shirley Manson, co-producer/drummer/guitarist Butch Vig, guitarist Duke Erikson and guitarist Steve Marker tackling hot topics with a no-holds-barred assault. Indeed, the opening sortie "The Men Who Rule The World," electro-goth graced "Waiting For God," dance floor-ready "Godhead" and the title track are especially powerful songs that resonate in the here and now.  From the release of the band's groundbreaking self-titled debut in August 1995, Garbage was celebrated as a unique artist able to artfully blend synth and alt rock sounds with grace and force (a style sometimes referred to by the band as "sci-fi pop"); the new track "Wolves" continues in the tradition as Manson sings "Which one of my two wolves will I give my attention to tonight? Which one will I decide to feed? Which one will I decide to fight?" –  "The Creeps," "Uncomfortably Me" and New Order-mining "Flipping the Bird" are also immersed in that intoxicating fusion of disparate genres. The second disc of the special edition is loaded with bonus tracks that are terrific. My favorites include their 2017 standalone original "No Horses," a brilliant reworking of David Bowie's “Starman”, an inspired take on the Bruce Springsteen/Patti Smith nugget “Because the Night” (featuring Screaming Females) and “Destroying Angels,” the latter a 2018 single with Exene Cervenka and John Doe of the legendary Los Angeles punk band X. Information: garbage.com.

Artists: Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey

Title: Our Back Pages (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: The dB's, The Finn Brothers, Alex Chilton, The Continental Drifters

Tell me more: Released as a special vinyl edition on Record Store Day on June 12, the wonderful full-length album Our Back Pages featuring Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey will be released on audio CD and on digital on June 18. Our Back Pages is a 13-track collection where Holsapple & Stamey revisit songs they helped craft while in the dB's as acoustic-styled versions that are simply spectacular. Along with their stellar lead and harmony vocals, the two artists used acoustic guitars, toy piano, a ukulele, a banjo, a harmonium and other instruments in the creation of the revisited songs recorded for the self-produced set. The two artists – who began playing music together while in grade school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in the 1960s – found fame when they formed the dB's in 1978. It's almost criminal to celebrate one track on the collection without failing to acknowledge another. The rootsy "Today Could Be The Day," lovely "From a Window to a Screen," shimmering "Black and White," melodic "Picture Sleeve," opulent "Nothing Is Wrong" and wistful "Darby Hall" are among the great songs on "Our Back Pages." Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: The Bablers

Title: Psychadilly Circus (Big Stir Records)

You might like if you enjoy: The Beatles, Badfinger, Crowded House

Tell me more: The Beatles have influenced countless artists over the past 60 years and continue to cast a huge stamp on popular music. Look (and listen) no further than Finland-based quartet The Bablers whose new album Psychadilly Circus is a bona fide celebration of the glorious sonic universe created by John, Paul, George and Ringo. The songs display their magic quickly, from the stirring "Love Is Everything," harmonies-rich "Psychadilly Circus" and expansive "Queen Of Yesterday" to the Lennon-esque "All Because Of You," celebratory "Walking On Sunny Beach" and acoustic "Child Of War." Singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Arto Tamminen, guitarist Hannu Pikkarainen, bassist-keyboardist Pekka Gröhn and drummer Janne Haavisto are recognized as "the Finnish Supergroup of Pop," with all four members each holding at least one Finnish Grammy for their work outside of the band. Information: BigStirRecords.com.

Artists: Various artists

Title: Big Stir Singles: The Tenth Wave (Big Stir Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Pop rock, melodic rock, indie rock

Tell me more: Nothing like going out with a melodic bang. Burbank, CA-based Big Stir Records has just issued Big Stir Singles: The Tenth Wave, the final installment in the label's current series of audio CDs collecting their tuneful weekly singles campaign. Loaded with 22 (!) tracks, a diverse field of 11 artists are heard via their A- and B-sides issued in October and November 2020. The set kicks off with the mylittlebrother nugget "Howl" and the hard charging Nick Frater original "California Waits." The momentum and range of material remains strong to be sure; my favorite A sides on the long set also include the splendid take on John Cale's 1973 classic "October Surprise" from October Surprise, D.F.E.'s "I Sy We Take Off And Nuke The Site From Orbit" (which recalls the brilliant style and sound of Bright Blue Gorilla), a lovely version of the 1970 soul classic "O-o-h Child" courtesy of the Popdudes and sing-along "No Weapon But Love" from Icecream Hands. Great B sides featured on The Tenth Wave include Frater's melancholy foray "The Afterparty," Whelligan's sharp "Anyone Who Never Had A Heart," D.F.E.'s joyful "Yellow River," The Speed Of Sound's rousing "No Kicks" and shining Anton Barbeau & Allyson Records track "Octagon." The disc closes out with Icecream Hands' beautiful original "Can You Feel My Love." The Tenth Wave is a great introduction to the Big Stir label and its talented field of talent. Information: BigStirRecords.com.

Robert Kinsler