It would be no exaggeration to say that this was a stormy year that was challenging for a lot of people on a lot of different levels. When these kinds of times are upon us, music is consistently there to help lift us, unite us, rally us and carry us through. 2016 certainly proved that to be true for me (yet again.) From the first week of January to the waning moments of the December, the albums on this list—along with probably a hundred others—gave me something to continually look forward to. I hope they did the same for you,…
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Sometimes you can tell you’ll like a song from a description in an email, but largely the details and comparisons are so far fetched that they induce eye rolls and head slaps. Other times, the words that come in to entice you to listen to a new track are so bizarre you can’t help but click through. Such is the case with the new single from LA-based, suit rockers Chicano Batman. Described as “four young men in vintage formalwear, playing songs that blend Brazilian Tropicalía with early ’70s psychedelic soul and the romantic pop of bands like Los Ángeles Negros,” there was no way I…
Leave a CommentYou know we love The Digs over here. A couple of weeks ago, they put out a video for one of my own personal favorites of their songs, “Gunslinger.” It’s all old westerns, as you might have guessed – gunfights, fistfights, barfights – but also some foxy babes doing shots or recreationally not wearing shirts. And one gorilla. So, you know, regular Wild West stuff. If you feel like you don’t have enough of the above listed things in your life, although primarily I mean “songs played by The Digs” and doing shots, although I suppose possibly also barfights if you…
Leave a CommentNashville’s queen of outlaw country is back with a brand new video for the title-track off her upcoming album, Highway Queen, due out February 17th, 2017 via New West. This is Nikki Lane’s third album and it follows her critically acclaimed sophomore release, All Or Nothin’, which came out back in the spring of 2014. It is this writer’s opinion that Nikki helped pave the way for the resurgence of country music (and when I say country music I mean REAL COUNTRY MUSIC) that is currently finding a new audience in the indie rock landscape. Many of today’s wonderful musicians, like Sturgill and Margo, have taken…
Leave a CommentI don’t write about dream-pop very often (you’d be forgiven for replying “You don’t write about anything very often,” I know, mea culpa), but this is different. This is Ray & Remora’s latest, “Honey Beware,” and this video was shot in a very sweaty bar in Austin, Texas this year in August. I know this because I was there. Let’s back up. Ray & Remora. From LA, used to be a two-piece but now they’re more (having added keyboards and drums for their new album). The Remora of the name is Amanda Walker and her gorgeous, ethereal voice, and the Ray,…
1 CommentWe are just two weeks away from the release of the new album, Little Seeds, from Shovels & Rope and earlier today the duo premiered their latest tune, “Botched Execution,” accompanied by a super-slick video made to look like a retro comic book. The song is hip-shaking, boot-stomping fun about a man on the run from the law after surviving a poorly executed execution, and the video keeps up the frenetic pace with a Sin City type flare. I bet this is going to be a helluva lot of fun live! Speaking of live, don’t forget Shovels & Rope will be in Boston on…
Leave a CommentThere’s a whole lot of anticipation building for the new album, Little Seeds, and it goes without saying that we are pretty big fans of Shovels & Rope, so it’s my pleasure to be able to share with you the lovely video for the new single, “St. Anne’s Parade,” which premiered over on NPR this morning. The song is a beautiful tribute to life itself, as in you should realize it’s all too brief a moment so make the time you have count. With a gentle mandolin strumming the two sing into an old-timey microphone while images of a wedding march for friends…
Leave a CommentIt might just be my specific vintage, but I feel like the “x was 20 years ago, can you believe it?” stuff is coming fast and furious these days; every day it’s the anniversary of something that seems like just yesterday. Well, It Was Romance is going to go us one better on that. They’ve put out a video for their latest, “Hooking Up With Girls,” and the video is a shot-for-shot remake of Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” video. Not even kidding a little bit. Here’s the original, for proof. And “Criminal” is 20 years old this year. I know. We are…
Leave a CommentThose lovable rock scoundrels The Silks are — thankfully — at it again. A PVD-based southern-rock/blues/country band “that makes you want to go buy a Firebird and drive around with the T-tops off while pumping your fist in the air”(that’s right, I just quoted myself from 2.5 years ago,) The Silks have been making a name for themselves for the past few years by kicking ass and taking names everywhere from Somerville living rooms to The Fillmore. And while nothing will ever compare to seeing these musical magicians in the flesh, we’re all going to have a new official album…
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