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4/18/2024 Slow Parade(from the album Maybe You’ll Come Around, Again
Slow Parade (from the album Maybe You’ll Come Around, Again available on Slow Jam Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Old school Rock’n’Roll is the soundtrack for Maybe You’ll Come Around, Again. Less a melting pot and more a source for Blues, Country, and Roots of all beats and creeds, Slow Parade channel a few decades of sound from the Rock era, donning “Snake Skin Boots” on a swamp boogie and quietly drifting through “Napping on the Job” with a mellowly-medicated rhythm. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Slow Parade is the musical alter-persona of Matthew Pendrick (Pony Bradshaw), who opens Maybe You’ll Come Around, Again looking for a “Quick Buck” on an infectious groove, bordering the track for dreamy flow of album closer “Lovely Moon” Album number three for Slow Parade gathers together cuts from the songwriting of frontman Matthew Pendrick as he cruises behind the wheel of a “Junker in the Fast Lane” and is Rolling Sones proud as he struts across Maybe You’ll Come Around, Again in “Any Dorp Will Do”. A life on the road can be found in the stories of Slow Parade as a full tank spins the tires for “This Old Van” as Matthew Pendrik orders “Last Call for the Band” (by Danny McCloskey) Listen and buy the music of Slow Parade from AMAZON For more information, head to the Slow Parade website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/18/2024 Sarah King (from the album When It All Goes Down
Sarah King (from the album When It All Goes Down available on Ringleader Records) (by Brian Rock)
Blues newcomer Sarah King makes her powerful album debut on When It All Goes Down. Although from Vermont, her musical roots clearly lie in the Mississippi Delta. Combining the power and emotional depth of Bessie Smith and Etta James with the gritty realism of Janiva Magness and KT Tunstall, adding just a touch of ethereal with a Kate Bush tremolo, Sarah King’s voice is instantly captivating and compelling. “Always an Almost” opens the album with a Soul drenched Blues ballad of yearning for what is so near, yet always seems just out of reach. Classic Memphis Stax Soul musical influences drip from every note. Hammond organ and saxophone create the mood as the bass line slowly pushes the story forward. In the background, persistent cymbal taps create a sense of urgency as King moans ‘almost won first place. Almost finished the race. Past mistakes were almost erased’. Recalling missed opportunities and lost shots at glory, Sarah King soon turns her attention to deeper losses as she sings, ‘almost changed the past. Almost made true love last…’ in “Always an Almost”. Sarah King’s voice manages to combine power and vulnerability as she pours out the pain of not just losing; but losing after you almost reached your goal. Finish last, and you know victory was never in the cards for you; finish second, and you spend the rest of your life wondering what small tweak could have propelled you to victory. Whether in sports or career or love, ‘almost is the saddest word there is. Sarah King makes you feel that sorrow down to your soul. Focusing on relationships, King sings the Blues about the ‘almost’ side of love on “The Longest Night”. Capturing the tone and feel of Eilen Jewell, she laments a man who likes ‘having a good woman more than you like trying to be a good man’. “Blame it on the Booze” tackles toxic relationships of a different flavor. With propulsive percussion and haunting background vocals, King warns that there’s nothing ‘more dangerous than a woman pushed to new lows – she’s got nothing left to lose’. A thoroughly modern twist on Blues, the song incorporates theatrical, Lady Gaga style piano to evoke a sense of foreboding throughout. Piano also adds a barrelhouse flair to her cover of Led Zeppelin’s, “Hey Hey What Can I Do”. “The Moth” uses haunting Celtic rhythms to describe the allure and consequence of an unfaithful lover. “You Were Wrong About Me” captures the Blues Rock stylings of KT Tunstall to flip a flying finger of defiance to a controlling ex-lover. Of course, a string of bad relationships takes its toll on a heart. Seeking solace, some turn to the bottle to ease the pain. “Whiskey Thinking” is a tender, piano ballad about the slow descent to the bottom of the bottle. “Pretty Things” takes a darker, Noir Blues look at addiction. Turning to Delta Blues, King faces the demons of addiction on “Devil’s Try”. A slow burning stomp-and-clap beat drive the song as dobro and organ add a haunting background; scattered electric guitar strokes flash like lighting across a midnight sky. Against this dismal setting, Sarah King sings ‘the Devil says he’ll drink with me just as long as I got the tab’. What was once emotional despair has turned into a spiritual crisis. The When It All Goes Down title track marks King’s journey through the long, dark night of the soul. Strident electric guitar introduces the song like an electrode shot to a dying heart. Singing ‘don’t judge another person’s choices till the choices they had are laid out for you’. Sarah King starts to assess her own journey. Like many dealing with addiction, she can only find the way up after she’s reached the very bottom. Acknowledging her bouts of ‘selfish destruction’ she has faced the worst of her demons and is finally ready to fight back. “Lord Take My Soul” is a musical surrender to a higher power; and a first step on the road to recovery. Starting with acoustic Delta Blues, the song soon explodes in electric Blues Gospel tones. Calling out for help, Sarah King cries ‘I’d like to rest my bones, but I cannot change my ways’. When the dawn finally breaks on her darkness, Sarah King discovers that she was “Stronger Than You Ever Knew”. Pedal steel permeates the Bluesy Country/Rock rhythms as she sings ‘take all the time you need’. (by Brian Rock) Listen and buy the music of Sarah King from AMAZON For more information, head to the Sarah King website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/18/2024 Rick Monroe & The Hitmen (from the album Six Gun Soul
Rick Monroe & The Hitmen (from the album Six Gun Soul available on Label Group Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Rick Monroe & The Hitmen claim to have invented a new genre for themselves, one they refer to as ‘Blue Jean Rock’, a style spawned from their rural roots but not necessarily that of a strictly down-home variety. To be sure, there’s no qualification needed as far as their raucous, rollicking approach, but the fact that they also manage to keep a certain country credence makes that descriptive handle all the more incisive. A well-seasoned performer who’s taken the stage in every U.S. state, as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico — not to mention some 17 countries — Monroe and his bandmates — Bobby Perkins (guitar), Alan Beeler (bass), and Jason Bohl (drums) — clearly possess the confidence needed to make the most of a barnstorming sound. They certainly make that clear courtesy of the aptly dubbed Six Gun Soul, allowing for a steady stream of rowdy Rockers well stocked with both verve and volume. The gruff sound of “Moonshine Man”, the steady stomp of the title track, and the dramatic and defiant “Let’s Get Drunk” each possess the edge and intensity that find them to live up to those descriptive song titles. And while certain tracks allow for a momentary respite — a meditative “God’s Ear” and the closing rumination of “Which Way Is Home” — the edge and attitude are intrinsically intact throughout. In essence, Rick Monroe and The Hitmen provide ideal entertainment, especially for those who appreciate a band that can come out with guns a’blazin’ and an ample supply of fully fueled frenzy. It’s attitude that counts, and in this particular case, those edgy efforts are credibly conceived. In some regard, they could be considered an Americana derivative of AC/DC, with so much pomp and prowess included. Ideal entertainment for a booze-fueled, rowdy Saturday night music fest, Six Gun Soul fires on all cylinders. Suffice it to say, a tougher and more tenacious bunch would be hard to actually imagine. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Rick Monroe & The Hitmen from AMAZON For more information head over to the Rick Monroe & The Hitmen website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/18/2024 Pernice Brothers (from the album Who Will You Believe
Pernice Brothers (from the album Who Will You Believe available on New West Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
The Pernice Brothers have always been a formidable duo, but in truth, it’s Joe Pernice that consistently takes the lead, both in terms of his efforts alongside his brother Bob and throughout a career that began with the rustic sounds of the Scud Mountain Boys, continued with a super group called New Mendicants alongside Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake, and beyond through his own solo excursions. Who Will You Believe, the Pernice Brothers’ first album of originals in five years, is no exception. Joe has given the band a smooth and soulful selection of songs, several of which sound like they could have been given birth on pop radio in the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’s a somewhat unexpected turn from their usual Americana motif, but it’s also one that should serve them well in terms of broadening their inherent appeal. Surprisingly, many of these songs were borne from sadder circumstance. In 2019, Joe lost two friends and family member in a single six-month period. He sums up his sentiments with the lovely acoustic strum and massed harmonies of “The Purple Rain”, given a lyric that serves a purposeful plea: ‘Remember me to her sea-bound train. Remember me to her fruited plains. Purple mountains and purple rain won’t always separate the shining seas. The wake is washing over me’. A similar sentiment is shared on the sweet serenade “How Will We Sleep”: ‘Growing old seemed like death to me when I was young, now I want to grow old and I want to belong’. The duet with Neko Case, “I Don’t Think I Need That Anymore”, is irresistibly charming, adding another song to the album’s abundance of tuneful delights. So too, the cheery title track, the bouncy and buoyant “Look Alive”, the effusive “A Man of Means”, and the soulful sway of “Hey, Guitar” all add an upward gaze that defies any hint of a pessimistic perspective. In total, the rich and resilient Who Will You Believe gives its listeners plenty of reason to believe this is, in fact, the Pernice Brothers’ best. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of The Pernice Brothers from AMAZON For more information head over to The Pernice Brothers website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/18/2024 Grandaddy (from the album Blu Wav
Grandaddy (from the album Blu Wav available on Dangerbird Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Grandaddy — the proverbial grandaddy of many of today’s Indie outfits — solidify their standing as masters of melody and mystique courtesy of this, their first new studio release in some seven years. Naturally, that’s a long time to be away, regardless of whether one ranks as a superstar or an Indie icon. Fortunately, then, Blu Wav immediately affirms their penchant for sharing impressionable melodies anointed with breathtaking arrangements, all of which shimmer, sparkle and add a luminescent feel to the surroundings overall. Some five albums on — all in addition to mainstay Jason Lytle’s own individual output — they remain as creative and compelling as ever. That said, they do so without having to relying on the expressed eccentricity that’s often employed by many of their contemporaries. The majority of these songs — “East Yosemite”, “Cabin In My Mind”, “Long As I’m Not the One”, “Watercolor”, and “Let’s Put This Pinto On the Moon” in particular — are captivating and yet calming, given an ethereal sound that’s sweetly surreal and yet delicately defined. The music is lush, and yet laid back, allowing room for Lytle’s dryly precise persona. Synths, pedal steel and a certain psychedelic sensibility pervades the proceedings, and when the instrumental interludes occasionally break the spell, it merely adds to the fact that the band’s committed to creating music that reaches beyond the bounds of whammy be otherwise expected. Lytle claims that Blu Wav was inspired by nature’s overwhelming beauty as well as the more mundane moments that often make for life’s most lingering memories. The title was meant to signify a mash-up of Bluegrass and New Wave but the mediative vibe eschews any notion of either. In truth, it blends the slow sway of a gentle waltz with the atmospheric appeal that nurtures added intrigue. When Lyle sings ‘you’re going to be fine and I’m going to hell’ on the song of the same name, it holds to the soothing confines of the album as a whole, but contradicts the intentions that may have been otherwise implied. Ultimately, Blu Wav is as elusive as it is appealing, and it’s those elements that elevate this well beyond mere wistful repose. Credit this particular Grandaddy with more than earning superior senior status. (By Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Grandaddy from AMAZON For more information head over to the Grandaddy website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/18/2024 Elliot BROOD (from the album Town and Country
Elliot BROOD (from the album Town and Country available on Six-Shooter Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Taking you to southern Ontario, Elliot BROOD head down to “Rose City” on their musical brand of sparkle and stomp to open their latest release Town and Country. For two decades Elliott BROOD have been preaching the gospel of Alt Country, curating a Canadian brew to add to the Americana mix of diversity. A flutter of banjo notes introduces “Evelyn” and her sad story while determined acoustic strums light up the “Dark End of the Road” as a familiar song on the radio does the same for a soul behind the wheel. Distorted electric guitar notes ride shotgun on a Folk Country groove peeking underneath the bridges crossing the Los Angeles River with “Postcard Pretty” as a dark rumble calls out “C’mon Let’s Go” to become a seduction for heading out of town. Twenty years into a career, Elliot BROOD it seem easy to craft a collection of songs that each take a different melodic path while still showing the bloodline to the band driving the words and music. Keeping a fierce loyalty alive for their namesake, the enigmatic Elliot BROOD becomes a guide for every journey, the band making sure he is on board the bus throughout Town and Country as he makes “Stars Align” and closes out the album with a ”French Exit”. Elliot BROOD hit their stride sipping some “Bluebird Wine” and pen a travelogue for the fast-track cruising in “Wind and Snow”. (by Danny McCloskey) Listen and buy the music of Elliot BROOD from their website For more information head over to the Elliot BROOD website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/18/2024 Big Ears Creates Open Minds Through MusicBig Ears Creates Open Minds Through Music
(by Lee Zimmerman) It’s become abundantly clear over the years that The Big Ears Festival, which returned to Knoxville this past March 21st through 24th, remains one of the most eclectic and adventurous music gatherings in the entire world. While its focus is generally on jazz and music of a more experimental variety, it effectively covers all genres while sharing a decidedly progressive posture. The event took over the streets of the city and its Old City sector, making it easy to access all the venues that hosted the shows, among them, the historic Tennessee and Bijou theaters, churches, refurbished warehouse spaces, museums, galleries, and clubs, as well as pop-up events and performances, exhibitions, films, literary readings, workshops, markets, and talks that took place in cafes, bars, hotels, restaurants, in alleyways and other nooks and crannies spread throughout the city. So too, with nearly 200 performances spread across the four days, there was plenty of activity to keep the crowds enticed and in need of making crucial decisions as to which venues to visit next. This year’s performers included Oscar nominee singer composer Jon Baptiste, jazz icons Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, Jason Moran, and Dave Holland, Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, performance art pioneer Laurie Anderson, guitar virtuoso Fred Frith, Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker, Grammy Award-winning Bluegrass picker Molly Tuttle, Hip-Hop legends Digable Planets, and Mexico’s Son Rompe Pera. In addition, 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winner Rhiannon Giddens was in residence, presenting several different programs with three different ensembles. The legacy of NEA Jazz Master and 2016 Pulitzer recipient Henry Threadgill was celebrated by four of his bands; and a 70th birthday celebration for guitarist Marc Ribot took place as well. In addition, the legacy of the influential Nonesuch Records, concurrent with the label’s 60th anniversary was spotlighted through performances by Brad Mehldau, Caroline Shaw, Darcy James Argue, Mary Halvorson, Davóne Tines, Sam Amidon, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Yasmin Williams, Laurie Anderson, Molly Tuttle and a rare live performance by singer/songwriter Robin Holcomb, among others. Taken in tandem. Big Ears brings together iconic trailblazers and young iconoclasts from throughout the world, performing both classical and contemporary compositions. ‘The programming for Big Ears is the culmination of actively listening to music, all year long, year after year, for decades’ said Founder and Artistic Director Ashley Capps. ‘It’s a product of the many conversations and discussions about music and ideas that emerge from that — between ourselves and our peers and often in discussions initiated by artists themselves. Obviously, if an artist has new music that has been released, that can be an influential factor, but not always. Of course, the festival’s uniqueness and character is also about the diversity of music presented — so we work to strike a balance between rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, classical, hip-hop, and avant-garde. And we seek to draw from different cultures as well. There are many factors that play into the booking of the festival’. In that regard, Capps sees Big Ears Festival as something more than simply an expansive array of gifts talent. ‘I think of Big Ears as an idea fest, one where the ideas are cloaked in music’ he added. ‘That reflects the vast melting pot that we call ‘American’ music in particular, the way Africans brought drums, singing, and instruments like the banjo to the New World — mostly involuntarily — and blended with European and indigenous influences. From that emerged Jazz, Blues, Country music, Bluegrass and, of course, Rock ’n’Roll. That melting pot is still alive and Big Ears strives to celebrate that vitality’. The strategy appears to be working. After growing steadily at about 15 to 20 percent each year before COVID, the festival returned in 2022 doubling the attendance it attained in its last pre-pandemic gathering in 2019. Capps and company’s efforts have been consistently rewarded by the accolades they’ve received from the international community. ‘The feedback has been amazing’ he said. ‘The festival has grown steadily every year from the beginning. Initially, it was quite small, but it still attracted a national and international audience and grew organically about 15 - 20% each year. There is a unique character to the festival that is central to it being in Knoxville, courtesy of the beautiful array of venues like the Tennessee and the Bijou, St. John’s Cathedral, the Mill & Mine, the Old City Performing Arts Center, and the walkability within Knoxville’s historic downtown. The history of our region plays into it, but the programming is also unique. There’s nothing quite like it, and each year more people from all over the USA and the world come to be part of the experience’. This year was no exception, and given the diversity and expectations, it did not disappoint. As always, the headliners attracted the most interest, and with John Paul Jones among them, it likely attracted even more interest than usual. Nevertheless, those expecting a replay of Led Zeppelin were best advised to attend his first performance which found him replaying classic Zeppelin licks on his bass guitar. His Sunday show with Thurston Moore was substantially more jarring, with the two riffing extemporaneously to benefit the noise factor. Many of the bands followed a similar route of free expression, often incorporating elements of psychedelia and cosmic cacophony. Aiofe O’Donovan’s performance with the Knoxville Symphony provided a melodic quotient and added some soothing sentiments that were sometimes missing in the more freewheeling expositions. Still, the highlight by most counts came by way of Jon Baptiste, who offered an exuberant and imaginative combination of sheer showmanship, jazz and classic R&B. Baptiste may have sharpened his skills while serving as music director for Stephen Colbert, but let loose one is own, he proved to be a thoroughly engaging entertainer, putting on moves that would have made James Brown or Little Richard green with envy. Veering from keyboards to guitar to a giant deejay console, he wore a smile that illuminated the whole hall and had the crowd on its feet responding to his demonstrative dance moves and upbeat exhortations. If any proof was needed that Big Ears Festival can be marketed as mainstream, this was obviously it. (by Lee Zimmerman) For more information, head to the Big Ears Festival website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/12/2024 Phillip Lammonds (from the album Cowboy Things
Phillip Lammonds (from the album Cowboy Things available on Freestone Records) (by Stephen David Austin)
Phillip Lammonds says his primary influences are the ‘Big Three’ of Randy Newman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Bill Monroe. That was enough motivation for me to give him a listen. I’m glad I did. Cowboy Things marks the first commercial release of Lammonds performing his own songs, and if the production isn’t as slick as a typical Nashville release, all the better. I’ve found that most songwriters—assuming they can sing--give the most visceral interpretations of their own songs. Cowboy Things is no exception. Paradoxically, these compositions—if left to mainstream artists--might have eluded my ears, given my steadfast avoidance of mainstream Country radio – it's not that it's all bad, but to my ears, most of it still sounds like Def Leppard with a fiddle. Cowboy Things was produced by Country megastar Lee Brice, who has charted as a performer on many Lammonds compositions over the years. Recorded in Brice’s home recording space, Pumphouse Studio, in just two days, all songs started with Lammonds’ vocal and guitar tracks. Additional tracks were layered in full takes without comps or click tracks. By using this no-frills approach, the songs retain a soulful quality that could have been lost to overproduction. The best cuts have sparse instrumentation, incorporating elements of acoustic guitar, dobro, fiddle, cigar box percussion, harmonica, and Hammond B3 organ. I wasn’t able to find a list of the musicians involved in the project, but they’re pretty damn good. The album’s opening track, “Love is Love”, features guest vocalist Darius Rucker. The cut is an all-inclusive love song for the new millennium. It features layered vocals and crunchy electric guitars offset by a subtle banjo track and nice use of dynamics. Co-written by Lammonds, Hannah Dasher, and Tiffany Goss, it brings to mind the Lammonds-penned “One Love,” a hit for Hootie and the Blowfish in 1998. "Supposed to Fall in Love" stands out as a poignant ballad, echoing the golden era of duets. While the female singer is uncredited, the chemistry between the voices is undeniable. It's easy to imagine this track becoming a future duet sensation, possibly in the hands of a country power couple like Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. "Coffee Black" brings a contagious toe-tapping groove, seamlessly blending acoustic guitar, Hammond B3 organ, and distinctive cigar-box percussion. Originally titled "Fried Bologna Mustard Only," this earworm promises to be a future CMA favorite, capturing the essence of good ol' boys and their admirers. “I’d Give Anything” is a is a nice acoustic love song that opens with finger-picked guitar and fiddle, again with the cigar-box percussion, building instrumentation and vocal harmony gradually without overdoing it. It’s reminiscent of JJ Cale. “What I’d Pay to Do” is a reflection on Lammonds’ life as a successful songwriter. The irresistible chorus invokes the ghost of Harlan Howard in a variation his immortal line, “three chords and the truth”: “Cowboy Things,” the album’s title track, reminds us that Phillip Lammonds is first and foremost a storyteller. He said the title came to him through “pure, divine intervention.” One night when tucking his young son into bed, his little buckaroo looked up at him and said “Dad, the coolest things are cowboy things.” The song tells of an aging cowboy looking back on life as he faces the last roundup, with the hook, “Then he closes his eyes and dreams of cowboy things.” The sparse arrangement of acoustic guitar and fiddle gives the lyric plenty of room to breathe and makes it a standout on an album full of standout tracks. Don’t be surprised when this one shows up on “Yellowstone” or one of its franchises. (by Stephen David Austin) Reviewed by Stephen David Austin for RootsMusicUnderground.com Original post on RootsMusicUnderground found here Listen and buy the music of Phillip Lammonds from AMAZON For more information, head to the Phillip Lammonds website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/12/2024 The HawtThorns (from the album Zero Gravity
The HawtThorns (from the album Zero Gravity on Red Parlor Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Like Lucy and Desi, Sonny and Cher, and — we suppose — Bonnie and Clyde, The HawtThorns offer proof that married couples can maintain both a personal and professional relationship. Never mind the fact that things didn’t turn out all that well for the aforementioned duos. Given that this East Nashville-based husband and wife — vocalist and guitarist KP Hawthorn and guitarist/vocalist Johnny Hawthorn — have now added a third album to their collective resume says something about their staying power. Indeed, they create a vibrant sound, flush with ringing guitars, shimmering harmonies, and the rich arrangements contributed by an all-star team of studio pros, including keyboardist and percussionist Jano Rix, bassist and producer Ted Pecchio, drummer Nick Buda, guitarist Chris Condon, and harmony singer Alice Wallace. So too, the HawtThorns have their own individual expertise — KP co-founded the L.A. Americana group Calico the Band while Johnny not only fronted his own outfit, but also toured with Toad the Wet Sprocket and Everclear. To a certain extent, those early influences show up here — particularly in the upbeat and effusive opening track, ”Nothing but A Shadow”, the giddy groove of “Hands on a Clock”, the rousing repast of “Faking It”, and the rocking revelry that informs “Save This One”. Yet nowhere is that infectious approach more evident than in the album’s sole non-original — an exuberant and infectious take on the Everly Brothers standard, “When Will I Be Loved”. While the original intent may have been to convey a sense of pining and pessimism, KP’s celebratory singing conveys an opposite effect. While most of Zero Gravity (the name obviously implies both a boundless energy and an upward gaze) maintains that utter exhilaration, there are songs that opt for more comfort and caress. The ethereal strains of the title track, the easy sway given “Long Game”, and the meditative musings of “Save This One” are the most obvious examples. Still, as its title suggests, Zero Gravity conveys a consistently buoyant attitude from its first track to its last, underscoring The HawtThorns’ harmonious connection both between themselves and the world as well. That in itself is reason enough for listeners to gravitate towards all it has to offer. (By Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of The HawtThorns from AMAZON For more information, head to The HawtThorns website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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4/12/2024 JJRev & The Needs (from the album The Bleed Sessions
JJRev & The Needs (from the album The Bleed Sessions available on Melody Lane Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Hitting the ground already in motion, JJRev & The Needs blast in to The Bleed Sessions with “Way to Go”, setting the standard for the most recent release from the band. Slide guitar notes are the trumpet call for “The Last Days of Summer” while the semi-title track picks a black crow for a muse in “Bleed”. A heavy-handed backbeat keeps the raggedy Rock ’n’ Roll of JJRev & The Needs in line as the guitar work of James Eliot Jones runs loops around the tales, accenting the life guide to better days “Live to Love” as his six-strings add a touch of twang for “”If These Walls Could Talk”. Based in Twentynine Palms, California JJRev & The Needs pay hometown homage as they gaze on “Sunset on 29” with a cast of characters that share Hi Desert living. Whether leaning towards Country or Rock in the tunes on The Bleed Sessions, a Blues history informs each chord bend and string slide. ‘It’s only Rock ’n’ Roll baby dear, that’s how it goes around here’ is the truism that begins the story as JJRev & The Needs are “Chasing Down the Blues”. Plucked acoustic notes quietly open “Waimanolo Blues” before The Bleed Sessions heads for the highway to greet the dawn singing an exit for the album. (by Danny McCloskey) Listen and buy the music of JJRev & The Needs from AMAZON For more information, head to the JJRev & The Needs website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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