New Music: Peter Frampton Band, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Chris Church, Peggy Lee

Legendary names and rising newcomers are showcased via a fistful of terrific new releases.

Artist: Peter Frampton Band

Title: Frampton Forgets The Words (Universal Music Enterprises)

You might like if you enjoy: Peter Frampton's 2007 album "Fingerprints," Steve Lukather, Craig Chaquico

Tell me more: The Peter Frampton Band's long-awaited album Frampton Forgets The Words arrives on April 23 and the disc was well worth the wait. The 10 instrumental versions simultaneously showcase the masterful craft of the songwriters who created the original iconic versions while shining a bright light on Peter Frampton's stellar guitar work along with the top-tier talents of his four-man band. Among the instruments used by Frampton on the collection is the artist's beloved 1954 Les Paul Phenix — which was lost in a plane crash in 1980 and recovered more than 30 years later. Frampton's fret work is expressive, no matter whether he is engaged in moments of blazing speed or measures of relative calm when his sparse finger work enhances the tender elements of a specific arrangement. Among my favorites of Frampton's interpretations is an amazing six-minute take on Radiohead's "Reckoner," his guitar playing totally locked in with the rich soundscape created by his band mates (keyboardist-guitarist Rob Arthur, bassist Steve Mackey, drummer Dan Wonciechowski, guitarist Adam Lester); just listen to the impressive build and sudden chilling ebb of the track's potent close. These same lofty heights are achieved on an ambitious reading of the David Bowie classic "Loving The Alien," a decidedly-original rendition of the Sly and the Family Stone 1973 hit single "If You Want Me to Stay" and subtle sonic exploration of the 1982 Roxy Music gem "Avalon." Elsewhere Frampton and company rework classic tracks from George Harrison, Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder and others. Co-produced by Chuck Ainlay and Frampton, Frampton Forgets The Words is a true celebration of the artist's legacy as one of rock's all-time great guitar masters. Information: Frampton.com.

Artist: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

Title: Dance Songs for Hard Times (Thirty Tigers)

You might like if you enjoy: Moreland & Arbuckle, The Record Company

Tell me more: The challenging and unprecedented era of COVID-19 has yielded a growing number of top-flight musical releases. Add to that list the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band's aptly-titled Dance Songs for Hard Times. Indeed, the hard-charging country blues trio created and recorded the wonderful album amidst a number of challenges chronicled with candor across the 11-track LP including financial hardship ("Ways and Means," "Dirty Hustlin'"), human connections in an age of quarantine (the trance blues nugget "No Tellin' When" and rollicking "Nothing's Easy But You and Me") and an end to hard times (the uplifting "Come Down Angels"). Fiery and raucous at every turn, the rapid-fire "Rattle Can," exhilarating "I'll Pick You Up," rockabilly-styled "Too Cool To Dance" and searing blues cut "Sad Songs" are other must hears on the album. Information: BigDamnBand.com. 

Artist: Chris Church

Title: Game Dirt (Big Stir Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Big Star, Neil Young, Band of Horses, Michael Gurley

Tell me more: The new Chris Church album Game Dirt isn't just good, it's great. The Lenoir, North Carolina-based indie hero produced and wrote all 13 tracks on the disc; what's more he plays all the instruments on Game Dirt too. The songs have a palpable depth and real world feel that extends from the effusive melodies and arrangements to the intense lyrics and Church's dynamic vocal powers. The parade of winning songs kicks off with the catchy countrified opener "Learn" and soars via subsequent jewels like the reflective rocker "Fall," alt country mining "Lost" and "Smile," spellbinding "Trying" (my favorite track on the LP), exhilarating indie rocker "Hang" and lovely "Sunrise." Information: chrischurch1.bandcamp.com.

Artist: Peggy Lee

Title: Something Wonderful: Peggy Lee Sings The Great American Songbook (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Peggy Lee, Johnny Mercer, Doris Day

Tell me more: Peggy Lee, born in May 1920, was an exceptional singer, songwriter and actress who enjoyed a long career spanning from 1936 to 1995. Her vocals were subtle and ideally suited to the recording studio as well as the intimacy afforded by radio broadcasts. The new compilation Something Wonderful: Peggy Lee Sings The Great American Songbook is a two-CD, 40-song collection that includes dozens of previously unissued performances from the singer's 1951-1952 radio program. On the new collection Lee uses her signature soprano to deliver a number of Great American Songbook classics; the wistful "Come Rain Or Come Shine," lively "That Old Black Magic," haunting "My Funny Valentine" and zesty version of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" shine on disc one. Disc two features Lee singing some of her own originals, (the cheerful "It's a Good Day" and playful "Whee Baby" are particularly memorable), the gorgeous "Skylark," extraordinary "Unforgettable," wondrous "All Of Me" and other classics. There are plenty of terrific duets too featuring some of the 20th century's greatest songwriters; the buoyant "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" with Johnny Mercer, a wide-ranging medley with Matt Dennis ("We Belong Together/Angel Eyes/Let's Get Away From It All"), an extended medley with Hoagy Carmichael that includes "Georgia On My Mind" and mini-set with Frank Loesser that includes "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" all add to the magic of this marvelous collection. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Robert Kinsler

Rockin' Gift Guide: AC/DC, Jesse Colin Young, John Lennon, Peggy Lee, Gypsy Soul, Chris Hillman

Here is a crop of terrific releases including spectacular classic rock returns, an essential autobiography from a rock and roll great, as well as several fantastic new holiday music titles in tune with the season.

Artist: AC/DC

Title: Power Up (Columbia Records Group)

You might like if you enjoy: AC/DC, Deep Purple's 2020 "Whoosh!" 

Tell me more: Few bands have faced their demons and battled back with the kind of aplomb displayed by AC/DC. This is band that was seemingly doomed from the time founding lead singer Bon Scott died in February 1980. Major hearing issues for long-time vocalist Brian Johnson that led him to being temporarily replaced by Axl Rose in 2016, the death of founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017 and legal issues aplenty for drummer Phil Rudd were somehow overcome as evidenced on the hard rockers' brilliant return Power Up. Those worrying the Australia-spawned Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have lost a step fear not; this album rocks as hard as anything in their storied discography. My favorite tracks are the head-banging "Shot In The Dark" and "Systems Down," catchy instant-classic "Witch's Spell," bluesy "Kick You When You're Down" and "No Man's Land," and probing "Through The Mists Of Time." Truth be told, every cut on the album rocks. No wonder within a week of its official release, Power Up had reached the #1 spot on charts across the globe. 

Power Up is available in multiple configurations that will excite collectors and die-hard fans alike, including digital, CD, and deluxe versions. The limited edition, one-of-a-kind deluxe Power Up box is the ultimate fan package. Hit the button on the side of the box and watch the flashing neon AC/DC logo light up while the opening bars of “Shot In The Dark” blast out of the built-in speaker. Inside the box is the full CD package in a soft-pack with a 20-page booklet that features exclusive photos and USB charging cable allowing the box to remain powered up and on display. The vinyl LP is pressed on 180 gram vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket.  Information: acdc.com.

Artist: Jesse Colin Young

Title: Highway Troubadour (BMG)

You might like if you enjoy: The Youngbloods, Jesse Colin Young, Bruce Cockburn 

Tell me more: Singer-songwriter/guitarist Jesse Colin Young has just returned with Highway Troubadour, his 22nd solo album (but first truly solo acoustic record since his 1964 debut The Soul of a City Boy). Beloved for his work as lead singer for The Youngbloods in the late 1960s and early '70s, Young went on to establish an equally successful career thanks to strong albums such as Song for Juli (1972), Songbird (1975) and On the Road (1976). Now 79, Young's signature vocals and virtuoso finger style guitar work shine across Highway Troubadour. A true survivor, Young put his recording career on hiatus in 2012 when he was diagnosed with Lyme disease. He returned to the ring with his highly-acclaimed February 2019 release Dreamers and is now back with a disc full of compositions pulled from across his catalog; the sessions were recorded with two two AEA A440 ribbon microphones — one for his voice and one for his Taylor 910 CE guitar. Highlights abound; an intoxicating "Cast a Stone" from last year's Dreamers, intimate "Song for Juli" and potent "Darkness, Darkness." He also revisits several Youngbloods classics, including offering up a reworked bluesy take on the Americana rocker "Sugar Babe" and George Remaily's "Euphoria." Information: JesseColinYoung.com.

Artist: John Lennon

Title: Gimme Some Truth (Capitol Records)

You might like if you enjoy: John Lennon, The Beatles

Tell me more: In celebration of what would have been John Lennon's 80th birthday, Capitol/UMe released Gimme Some Truth on Oct. 9, 2020. Released via several configurations (including a Deluxe 2CD/Blu-ray edition that includes a 124-page book and much more), the 2CD version I have revisits three dozen of the artist's most beloved solo songs, all upgraded via the work of engineer Paul Hicks, engineer Sam Gannon and mastering pro Alex Wharton at Abbey Road Studios. Listening to these glorious new mixes is to be swept up again by Lennon's monumental talent as a singer-songwriter able to address love, loss, social justice, marriage, world peace, racism, feminism and a myriad of other topics with a brutal honesty that rings true long after his tragic death in December 1980. The range of songs astound even today; the timeless rocker "Instant Karma!," sparse "Working Class Hero," intimate "Love," adored "Imagine," stirring "Oh My Love" and timely "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" are among this writer's favorites. Gimme Some Truth is available as a 19-track CD or 2LP, a 36-track 2CD, or 4 LP, the aforementioned Deluxe edition, and several digital versions for download and streaming including in 24 bit/96 KHz audio and hi-res Dolby Atmos. Information: JohnLennon.com.

CHRISTMAS COLLECTIONS

Artist: Peggy Lee

Title: Ultimate Christmas (Capitol Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Peggy Lee, traditional holiday music 

Tell me more: With 2020 marking the 100th birthday of the late jazz and popular music singer Peggy Lee, the yuletide set Ultimate Christmas features 22 holiday favorites including "Winter Wonderland," "The Christmas Song," "Happy Holiday," "The Christmas Waltz," Winter Wonderland" and the rare "Peace on Earth." Several of the selections were written by Lee, including the cheerful "Christmas Carousel" (the title track from her 1960 holiday album), sparkling "Don't Forget to Feed the Reindeer," radiant "The Tree" and poignant "My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year)." Lee's signature top-tier vocals and the wonderful orchestral arrangements captured between 1949 and 1968 on audio CD are bolstered by a colorful booklet filled with historical Christmastime photos of Lee and detailed liner notes and information on each of the memorable tracks. Information: umgcatalog.com.

Artist: Gypsy Soul

Title: Comfort and Joy (Off The Beaten Track Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Gypsy Soul, Clannad

Tell me more: Talented Oregon-based duo Gypsy Soul is back with a new holiday-minded album, Comfort and Joy. Released Nov. 27, the album features six new recordings; all other tracks on the 14-track disc have been remastered. Cilette Swann's expressive vocals (which spans four octaves) and Roman Morykit's skills on a multiple of instruments are able to musically deliver the warmth and jubilation of the season to be sure, including their jazz-meets-world music versions of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "We Three Kings of Orient Are," "The First Noel" and other traditional favorites. Other standouts include "Little Drummer Boy" and "Away In A Manger." Their own "The Snow, The Sea" is a welcome addition on the set. Many modern-day Christmas music collections are stuffed with an excess of bombast and artificial sweetening; Gypsy Soul's Comfort and Joy is a genuinely beautiful and touching tribute to the holiday season. Information: GypsySoul.com.

ROCK 'N' ROLL READ

Title: Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond

Author: Chris Hillman

Publisher: BMG Books

Hardcover: 315 pages

Tell me more: In his moving "Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond," Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Chris Hillman provides a compelling and fascinating look at his life and singular career. A founding member of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band and the Desert Rose Band, Hillman reflects on the ups and downs of a life spent in the music world but mines equal depth with his reflections on love, family, faith and the loss of so many of his musical mates. He writes in a straightforward way, completely immersing the reader in a wide-ranging life spanning legendary gigs, recording sessions, band breakups, overcoming seemingly-fatal health scares and — his biggest joys — his wife Connie and their children. His relationships with greats ranging from Gram Parsons and David Crosby to Roger McGuinn, Richie Furay and Tom Petty come alive in the wonderful autobiography. Country great Dwight Yoakam pens the foreword. Information: bmg.com.

Robert Kinsler