Former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell’s third album with his band the Dirty Knobs is more of the same rootsy rock ‘n’ roll he’s been digging since the mid-’70s. “Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits” doesn’t rewrite any rules; often it pays tribute to its heroes – from the Byrds to ’60s electric blues to, yes, Petty – without getting too complicated. In their simplicity, Campbell and the Knobs achieve nirvana.
After decades of serving as Tom Petty’s right-hand man, former Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell has spent his past three solo albums finding his own voice as a singer and bandleader. He sounds confident in his new role on “Dare to Dream,” a languid, quasi-psychedelic rocker full of droning guitar licks and Campbell’s nasally sneer, which sounds more than a little bit like his late partner’s. A guest vocal from Graham Nash further solidifies the song’s ’60s pop-rock bonafides.
New album ‘Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits’ available now
A predictably fiery epitaph for the incendiary Detroit proto-punk quintet, this significantly belated Bob Ezrin-produced third studio set perfectly captures the revolutionary spirit of the original 5.
Tragically, both guitarist/prime mover Wayne Kramer and drummer Dennis Thompson ultimately predeceased “Heavy Lifting’s” release, but the album (largely co-written by Kramer and vocalist BradBrooks) is positively livid with vitality, as big-hitter guests (Slash, Tom Morello, Vernon Reid) bring contemporary metal heft. And the jams? Kicked out.
MC5 posthumously released “Heavy Lifting” a whopping 53 years after their sophomore album, 1971’s “High Time”. That massive gap explains why Wayne Kramer’s latest star-studded endeavor often bears little resemblance to the band’s glory days. Nevertheless, the late bandleader sounds invigorated across the project, especially the Tom Morello-assisted title track, a raucous slab of metallic funk that evokes the sound and fury of both collaborators’ heydays. A fitting farewell to one of rock’s undisputed heavyweights.
‘Heavy Lifting’ is the new studio album by Detroit’s punk rock pioneers, MC5. Led by MC5 founding member Wayne Kramer and produced by the iconic Bob Ezrin, ‘Heavy Lifting’ signifies a momentous occasion – the release of new MC5 music, a staggering 53 years since their last album in 1971. ‘Heavy Lifting’ features an all-star lineup of guest musicians including Slash, Tom Morello, William DuVall (Alice in Chains), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Tim McIlrath (Rise Against), and many more. Bonus CD & LP: Disc 2 / LP 2 contains previously unreleased live recordings from the MC50 tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of ‘Kick Out The Jams’.
Little Feat’s swampy rendition of Muddy Waters’ blues staple is a combination of the familiar and the novel. The band extends its decades-long history of collaborations with Bonnie Raitt, who duets evocatively with classic-era percussionist Sam Clayton in his first-ever vocal turn. You’d never know it from his confident, gravelly, talk-sung performance — which, when combined with Scott Sharrard’s sizzling slide guitar, makes for a modern blues masterclass.
The veteran band’s first album in a dozen years is a record of blues covers made at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis. As such, “Sam’s Place” takes comfort in the past, with Bonnie Raitt assisting and the songbooks of Willie Dixon, Little Walter and Muddy Waters tapped for maximum impact. Little Feat draws more inspiration from classic blues than their self-made musical stew, but the rewards here are plentiful.
Little Feat have composed an album that’s their love letter to the blues entitled, ‘Sam’s Place.’ “Long Distance Call” plus many other blues classics are on this album.
“Long Distance Call” was written by blues legend, Muddy Waters. It has Sam Clayton and Bonnie Raitt on vocals, Scott Sharrard on Dobro, Fred Tackett on acoustic guitar, Tony Leone on drums, and Michael “The Bull” LoBue on harmonica. The album also features Bill Payne on piano and Kenny Gradney on bass.
The ‘Sam’s Place’ album has Sam on lead vocals for the entire record. The album was recorded in Memphis, TN at Sam Phillip’s Studio. It’s got classic blues songs by legends such as Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon, plus a new original song called “Milkman” that was written by Sam, Fred and Scott.
“I’ve always loved Little Feat and this new incarnation of the band is bringing some serious heat, cred and new blood to their enduring legacy. Every Feat fan loves us some Sam. I’m so glad he’s now gotten a chance to step out front and center and put his spin on these wonderful blues songs. I loved singing “Long Distance Call” with him, always one of my favourites, and Scott slayed on slide. Know you’ll enjoy hanging out with us at Sam’s Place!” — Bonnie Raitt
Punchlove centers itself around an electrifying and buzzy sound that is always in motion: flexing, contorting, sauntering and sprinting throughout the tracklist of their debut album, “Channels“. They sing of the tumultuous journey into coming of age with a slow-burning agency; the journey of Punchlove as a band mirrors that of the genre itself, starting from a small and condensed bedroom project featuring only Olesen and Williams to an immense, sweeping sonic force. The transitions between songs on the album flicker and crackle like watching someone flip through TV channels at lightning speed, creating an enthralling and transitory kaleidoscope of varied sound that evokes the eclectic nature of early Sonic Youth. The throbbing ending measures of “Birdsong” mutates into a scattered and frantic beat that shifts into “Guilt” without hesitation.
Despite the sonic contrasts between these sections, the transition is breathtaking. The seamlessness helps to create an incredibly cohesive and uniform album with a pervading fluidity and tightness in its quick pacing. Tracks like “Apartment,” “Dead Lands” and “Elapse” continue to showcase Punchlove’s penchant for playing with texture and space. “Apartment” is adorned with twinkling guitar riffs laced with floating, feathery vocals that expand into a ragged yet grandiose cacophony of blooming, contorted instrumentation.
The massive and looming intensity of the percussion pushes and shoves the track to its ending. “Dead Lands” alternates between sparse and dense passages enriched by delicate vocal harmonies and a ringing guitar solo, while “Elapse” is a bit heavier in its warped, grungy sequence that curves and snakes its way through tight, condensed phrases.
What’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding? Laughing are a Montreal-based rock n’ rollers who take cues from some of the greatest pop songwriters of the past five decades. Four unique voices from across the Canadian expanse. Cross-stitched material and temporary ego sublimation serve them well in their pursuit of the holy grail: a perfect song. Their debut album “Because It’s True” is an honest attempt at inviting you in on the cosmic joke. Packing their debut album with power-pop harmonies, country-rock twang and rambling riffs, Laughing’s 11 songs are as sonically tasty as a slice of André Charles Thériault’s pie. However, while “Because It’s True” ,the band’s lyrics continually circle back to emotional topics such as heartbreak, loss of self-esteem, and longing for friendship. Josh Salter’s “Bruised” is one of the catchiest woe-is-me anthems to hit the underground charts in ages, with a charming VHS video to match its head-sticking hooks. The twangy “Don’t Care” with Laura Jeffery on lead vocals, should appeal to fans of contemporary indie-country acts like Dougie Poole or the Courtneys side-project Big Rig, while “Pebble” might be the best song Big Star never wrote.
For fans of slacker-rock with guitar solos, Laughing should appeal to fans of Pavement, Dinosaur Jr, and Built to Spill. They might even remind your parents of their favourite Neil Young and Crazy Horse records.
Released June 28th, 2024
Laura Jeffery: Drums and Vocals Josh Salter: Guitar, Bass and Vocals André Charles Thériault: Guitar, Bass and Vocals Cole Woods: Guitar, Bass and Vocals
“Wild Guess” is a gorgeous assembly of curiosity, with tracks like “Sea or War” propelling doggedly forward like a six-foot wave of anticipation, and the funky undulating intrigue of “Backup Plan” flecked with Will Krulak’s biting riffs accenting a uniquely asymmetrical drum pattern from Zack James. “Dial Tone” lives in the realm of punky noise rock while maintaining a healthy amount of eccentricity from the unsettling wailing guitar to Nina Cates’s persistently frustrated tone venting about chasing connections. The playful “How We Ball” brings a bit of Blondie into the mix and, even in Cates’s delivery, some Le Tigre but it maintains that Robber Robber individuality with its zoomed-out, unpredictable song structure.
Naming their debut “Wild Guess” is an expert way to categorize their sound. It’s not stuck in a generic box but instead is an experiment in blending noises that feel correct in the world of Robber Robber. The chaos is the formula. Similar to how they named themselves, Robber Robber’s music follows a similar impulse-driven energy—Cate and James looking for things that excites them and pushes their shared musical expertise forward.
The aptly titled “Wild Guess” is an enthralling exercise of tension and release driven, first and foremost, by the pair’s interest in playing around with what it means to relieve that tension and what happens when you don’t.
Icelandic art-pop artist Sunna Margrét’s released her debut album “Finger on Tongue” a singular tapestry woven with ghostly synths, heavy beats and whispered vocals. Margrét self-produced the record, which she released via her own Switzerland-based label, No Salad Records. Her eclectic, verging-on-avant-garde sound draws from such influences as CAN, The Space Lady and Suzanne Ciani. Margrét’s haunting delivery, would be right at home in a Twin Peaks dream sequence. The subtle electronica of the track “Chocolate” veers into Frou Frou territory at times, while “Come with Me” feels like it’s backed by a misbehaving dial tone and an insistent club beat.
Thanks to Margrét’s keen songwriting, “Finger on Tongue” proves bizarre to the point of being otherworldly, yet remains firmly rooted in the human experience.
Sprints’ debut album ‘Letter to Self’ embodies their substantial evolution over the past 3 years. Transforming pain into truth, passion into purpose and perseverance into strength, the Dublin four-piece have steadily grown in stature, releasing two acclaimed EPs and building a fearsome live reputation. ‘Letter to Self’ is the sound of Sprints consolidating and levelling up. Exhibiting their most vulnerable moments and imbuing their visceral garage-punk with a palpable sense of catharsis that we can all benefit from.
The band see opener “Ticking” and the following track “Heavy” as sister songs, with the former as “the start of the spiral and the panic in your chest, and ‘Heavy’ is when that panic has fully hit, when you’re in bed at six a.m. and you haven’t slept.” “Heavy,” meanwhile, draws inspiration from gothic rockers Bauhaus. The song invokes the headrush of fear after a night out, when you arrive home just as everyone else is going to work and question what you’re even doing with your life. The emotional crux of the album arrives in the form of “Shadow of a Doubt,” all about suicidal ideation and deep, distressing loneliness. After the gravity of a track like that, “Can’t Get Enough of It” is a breath of fresh air to start off the B-side. Sam McCann briefly moved in with Karla Chubb during COVID, and this was one of the first songs they wrote together, drunk in her spare room.
The album’s penultimate track, “Up and Comer,” asks that question that haunts many bands: When do you stop being the hot new group on the scene and start just being known for your sheer talent? It’s a conundrum for Sprints that they hope is solved by the release of their debut, which hopefully situates them as a mainstay of Ireland’s bursting music scene. Chubb’s delivery drips with sarcasm as she sing-screams, “They say she’s good for an up and comer.” Finally, we arrive at the title track, when Chubb answers her initial cry of “Am I alive?” on “Ticking” with a definite, “But I am alive.” “Letter to Self” the album is laden with doom, but “Letter to Self” the song is when the listener comes full circle, ultimately finding an inner peace—even if the soundtrack to that peace is anything but serene.
Tapping into drone-y and noisy elements were key to creating the anxious, sweat-drenched atmosphere Sprints wanted on “Letter to Self”
Geese frontman Cameron Winter released his debut solo album ‘Heavy Metal’ with Partisan Records on December 6th.
On ‘Heavy Metal,’ Winter unravels his eclectic influences into a surreal mosaic of modern songwriting. Rumored to have been composed in abandoned basements, taxi back seats, and in impromptu jam sessions in public spaces, ‘Heavy Metal’ draws on both the chaos of the road and Winter’s greater sense of existential dread. ‘Heavy Metal’ teeters between the grounded and the hallucinatory, pulsing with immediacy, fragility, and the sly humor of a storyteller who’s never afraid to blur the lines between fact and fiction.
It’s an unpredictable journey through Winter’s self-reflection, revealing the frontman as a master of reinvention. “Heavy Metal” possesses limitless concepts, stories, journeys and fables rolled into one. “Nausicaä (Love Will Be Revealed)” is profound and somewhat prophetic, as Cameron Winter voices his need to see and be seen, to hear and be heard, to know that someone is here and for someone to know that he is here.
from the album “Heavy Metal”, out now on Partisan Records/Play It Again Sam:
The Fat Angel Sings 