New music: KARNEY, The Waymores, Ole Lonesome, Tracy Nelson

KARNEY, The Waymores, Ole Lonesome and Tracy Nelson are back with essential new albums.

Artist: KARNEY
Title: Creatures In The Garden (Music and Sounds)
You might like if you enjoy: Joni Mitchell, Carol Martini, Santana
Tell me more: KARNEY — the moniker for Bay Area singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Anna Karney — has just released the impressive full-length album Creatures In The Garden. The album features 10 songs that collectively tap into the sonic and lyrical spirit of late '60s / early '70s recordings completed by the legendary likes of Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. Among the enticing tracks on Creatures In The Garden are the hypnotic "Across The Planet (remix)" featuring the trumpet playing of Bill Ortiz (the latter a member of Santana), the psychedelic goth rocker "Creatures In The Garden," an emotional cover of Ronnie James Dio's "Rainbow in the Dark," the heavy rocker "Eternity (remix)" and world music-flavored "Wildfire." Information: karney.org. 

Artist: The Waymores
Title: Greener Pastures (Chicken Ranch Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Buck Owens & Susan Raye, Dwight Yoakam, Alice Wallace
Tell me more: Fans of the Bakersfield sound, traditional honky tonk and Americana will want to get a listen to the Waymores' wonderful third album Greener Pastures, a disc bound by the strength of the songs, top-tier musicianship and work of legendary producer Shel Talmy (The Who, The Kinks, David Bowie, Manfred Mann). The track listing for the duo's 10-track album kicks off with an infectious take on the Buck Owens favorite "Under Your Spell Again," with Kira Annalise and Willie Heath Neal showcasing their solo and harmony vocals. They turn on a dime to deliver the Americana original "Flashbacks of a Fool" and a freewheeling Cajun-styled take on John Prince's 1991 classic "You Got Gold." Other standouts on Greener Pastures include the countrified sing-along "Time to Ramble," honky tonk title track and harmonies-adorned closer "Tavern Time." Annalise and Neal also showcase their formidable talents as singers on a moving cover of Marty Robbins' 1961 ballad "Don't Worry." Information: Website thewaymores.com. 

Artist: Ole Lonesome
Title: Tejas Motel (Gulf Coast Records)
You might like if you enjoy: ZZ Top, Moreland & Arbuckle, Billy F Gibbons, The Record Company
Tell me more: Beaumont, Texas-spawned Southern blues rock outfit Ole Lonesome has released the hard-hitting album Tejas Motel. The quintet showcases a palpable punch in fusing its own brand of Southern fried blues and roots rock together. Zachary Feemster (vocals, guitar), J. Wesley Hardin (bass), Gregory Mosley (keys), Jimmy Devers (drums) and Greg Chord (guitar) have created a concept album, inspired when spying an old sign that read "Tejas Motel" and then creating a parade of songs "to describe this place with the titles and lyrics" (Feemster notes in the press notes). Indeed, the album fully delivers on that promise, unleashing a swampy blues rock brew that never sounds less than inspired and authentic. The hard blues rocker "Yvette," rousing "Steady Mistreater," driving blues gem "Momma's Worry," edgy "Easy Street," wonderfully introspective "The Fool" and immersive closing title track are among the killer cuts on the album. Information: olelonesome.com. 

Artist: Tracy Nelson
Title: Life Don't Miss Nobody (BMG)
You might like if you enjoy: Etta James, Willie Nelson, Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball
Tell me more: Tracy Nelson's 2023 album Life Don't Miss Nobody marks the wonderful singer's first new album in more than 10 years. Her Roger Alan Nichols-produced return includes a slew of celebrated names who join her across the album including Willie Nelson, Charlie Musselwhite, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball and Jontavious Willis. There is a joyful quality across the collection, with Nelson kicking off the track listing with a buoyant take on the traditional spiritual "Strange Things Happening Every Day." The wide range of great tracks includes the New Orleans-flavored "There Is Always One More Time" (featuring harmonica great Mickey Raphael), the jazzy title track, a spirited version of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Your Funeral and My Trial" feature the guest vocals and resonator guitar of Willis, and two potent versions of the beloved traditional "Hard Times." Late album highlights include Willie Nelson joining Tracy Nelson for a colorful run through Hank Williams' "Honky Tonkin'," Delta blues take on Willie Dixon's "It Don't Make Sense" featuring blues harp master Musselwhite, and playful guest-packed reading of Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man." Information: TracyNelsonMusic.com. 

Robert Kinsler

New Music: Aimee Mann, Ruthie Foster, The Creation, Night Ranger

Whether listeners are seeking out artful folk and pop rock, blues and soul, '60s garage rock or '80s-styled hard rock, there are outstanding new titles that will appeal to fans hungry for great new music.

Artist: Aimee Mann
Title: Mental Illness (SuperEgo Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Aimee Mann, The Shins, The Both
Tell me more: Every time singer-songwriter Aimee Mann releases a new album it marks another reason to celebrate her exceptional and rare legacy. On her latest masterwork Mental Illness (the ninth solo album of her distinguished career, not counting her contributions to 1999's "Magnolia" and her role in the duo dubbed The Both co-starring Ted Leo), Mann scales back the more sweeping Beatlesque sonic textures of Bachelor No. 2 and Lost In Space in favor of a more sparse delivery in the service of her bewitching songcraft. Mental Illness finds an expanse where her introspective songs continue to be bolstered by an almost otherworldly touch festooned with melodic lines ensuring that even downcast themes shimmer and charm. On the baroque folk-flavored "Goose Snow Cone," Mann sings "Even birds of a feather find it hard to fly." Later on during the enticing folk rocker "Patient Zero," she sardonically sings "Life is grand / And wouldn't you like to have it go as planned." Even on the relatively straightforward "You Never Loved Me," there is a nuanced touch and emotional weight that fully lures the listener. An outstanding album (Editor's Note: Mental Illness is slated for release on Friday, March 31, 2017).
Information: aimeemann.com.

Artist: Ruthie Foster
Title: Joy Comes Back (Blue Corn Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi
Tell me more: Songstress Ruthie Foster's Joy Comes Back showcases the Austin, Texas-based artist's mighty touch via performances that masterfully blend soul, gospel and blues material. In addition to featuring an original song (the soul-stirring R&B ballad "Open Sky"), Joy Comes Back offers up a diverse mix of songwriters represented across its 10-track run. Gospel choruses are given their welcome due via an uplifting take of Sean Staples' "Joy Comes Back" (featuring some hot slide guitar from Derek Trucks) and a sweet take on Stevie Wonder's "Loving You is Sweeter Than Ever," while a reworked interpretation of Black Sabbath's epic "War Pigs" erupts as a heavy Chicago blues-styled firestorm. Elsewhere there is a seamless mix of soul and blues, notably on a wonderful version of Chris Stapleton's "What Are You Listening To." Foster is one of modern music's greatest singers, in large part, because she thankfully never resorts to overwrought or contrived pop excess. Joy Comes Back is a fantastic showcase of Foster's supernatural powers. Information: RuthieFoster.com.

Artist: The Creation
Title: Action Painting (Numero Group)
You might like if you enjoy: Early Who, early Kinks, the Jam, the Zombies
Tell me more: Originally recorded between 1965 and 1968, The Creation's Action Painting collection of amazing songs has been remastered from the original tapes by Shel Talmy and bring the English quartet's complete studio catalog (including four tracks by The Mark Four, a forerunner of The Creation) to audio CD. The recordings here leap across time and explode with youthful energy and garage rock grandeur. Rollicking rockers ("Making Time," "Biff Bang Pow," "How Does It Feel to Feel"), melodic power pop ("Try and Stop Me," "Tom Tom") and psychedelic rock ("Painter Man," "Nightmares," "Through My Eyes") are delivered with stylish perfection. The two-disc set comes in a beautiful package that includes an 80-page hard cover book (CD version) with a slew of unseen photographs, colorful images of original discography artwork and a historical essay penned by Dean Rudland. Information: NumeroGroup.com.

Artist: Night Ranger
Title: Don't Let Up (Frontiers Music SRL)
You might like if you enjoy: Damn Yankees, Journey
Tell me more: Fans of melodic hard rock will want to grab a copy of Don't Let Up, the 12th studio album from Night Ranger. The San Francisco-spawned rock quintet unleash plenty of hard-charging rockers in celebration of the band's 35th anniversary. In fact, this writer is certain that every track on the disc will please the faithful. The blend of driving hard rock rhythms, soaring vocal choruses and impressive guitar work featuring the tandem fast-fingered talents of Brad Gillis and Keri Kelli continues to be a surefire formula. Singer-bassist Jack Blades and singer-drummer Kelly Keagy continue to provide a strong rhythm section. The infectious "Somehow Someway," guitar-centered "Running Out of Time" and "Say What You Want," and decidedly melodic title track "Don't Let Up" are among the standouts on the 11-song LP. A deluxe edition of the album includes an additional track and a bonus DVD.  Information: NightRanger.com.

Robert Kinsler