New Music Revue – 10.7.18

Written by Jim S.

Here’s a bunch of new tunes for ya that I think you might enjoy. This New Music Revue is a little bluesier than most of the recent ones I’ve done but, well, that’s what I’m hearing that I like currently.Β 

Brandi and the Alexanders list themselves asΒ ‘A Brooklyn Soul Queen And Her Rock & Roll Band.’ From their press kit: “As the ass-kicking powerhouse vocalist for Brandi & TheΒ Alexanders, Brandi Thompson’s diva-level range and soulful melodies hit the listener right in the gut.

Backed by The Alexanders, a funk and soul influenced rock band, Brandi walks a tightrope between classic rock drive and R&B grit.Β Like fusing the Jackie Brown soundtrack, with The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, and Music From Big Pink together, (!)Β Brandi & the Alexanders have a sound that is slick, big, and instantly classic.” They remind me somewhat of the band Rufus with Chaka Khan.

I would also add in there’s a little bit of that ’70’s wonka-wonka sound. Here they are doing the funky, funky title track from their album How Do You Like It.

SoundCloud link

Spotify link

Is that gentleman – you’re doubtless saying to yourself – pictured on top of the post Graham Parker? Indeed it is. Someone (Christian?) recently told me Parker had a new album. And lo and behold this next song showed up on Spotify.

For those who, unlike me, are not old and decrepit, know that Graham Parker – who deserves his own post – with his band the Rumour was a force in mid-70’s rock and is compared often to artists such as Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello. Joe’s still kicking around and I believe was even touring recently.

I found this song, “Girl in Need,” from his new album Cloud Symbols to be the catchiest thing I’ve heard in some time:

Spotify link

From Blues Blast magazine: “At age 16 in 1986 with a newly-minted driver’s license in his wallet, Doug Deming drove downtown across the traditional cultural, racial and psychological dividing line of Eight Mile Road from the suburbs in East Detroit to the recently-renovated Fox Theatre on Woodlawn Avenue downtown to see a blues revue that featured Denise LaSalle, Bobby β€œBlue” Bland, B.B. King and Albert King.

This show was the β€œlive blues gateway experience” that propelled Doug toward a more traditional, jump blues approach and away from Stevie Ray Vaughn’s raucous reinvention of contemporary blues.”

His press kit says, “Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones play traditional blues, West Coast and Texas swing, and early 50s roots rock. This is real deal rocking’ rhythm & blues! ” Amen, brother.

Here’s Doug and the boys doing “Complicated Mess” from the album of the same name. The guys play quite a bit in the Florida area so if you’re down there …

SoundCloud link

Now, not everything ME listens to is soulful or poppy or bluesy. Sometimes it’s loud and heavy, sometimes it’s punky. I’m going for the latter on this tune “Spray” by an upstate NY band named Candy Ambulance who in fact refer to themselves as punk grunge.

“Vocalist Caitlin Barker shared, “Choosing ‘Spray’ for the first video off our latest EP was a no-brainer. I was very agitated when I wrote the song. I started to see the narrative play out in my mind every time we rehearsed it; a sweaty drink glass, rubber dish gloves, smoking at the record player. It felt like a song I could see.”Β Never one to be shy, the bandΒ said their aim is toΒ “make the viewer itch a little” – with a montage of scenariosΒ throughout.”

You gotta watch this video. She cleans the FUCK out of the floor. I’ll tell you what. You bring her in to clean, that whole house might be filthy but you are gonna have one clean spot on that floor.

Spotify link

Wikipedia:Β Rosie FloresΒ is aΒ rockabillyΒ andΒ country musicΒ artist. Her music blendsΒ rockabilly,Β honky-tonk,Β jazz, andΒ Western swingΒ along with traditional influences from her Tex-Mex heritage. She currently resides inΒ Austin,Β Texas, where August 31 was declared Rosie Flores Day by the Austin City Council in 2006.

Yes, another locally famous person that You May Not Have Heard Of. Hell, I only heard about her recently. She has a hell of a discography going all the way back to 1987 and toured as a member of Asleep at the Wheel for a while.

This song “Drive, Drive, Drive” is a single she released from her upcoming album Simple Case of the Blues. I’m hearing some Bonnie Raitt as well as Lucinda Williams. And I dig that harp!

Spotify link

 

 

37 thoughts on “New Music Revue – 10.7.18”

  1. Thanks Jim! Varied in styles as usual – love it. Looking forward to getting more into Graham Parker, Candy Ambulance and Rosie Flores esp.

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    1. CA is a new band, near as I can tell. Parker and Flores are not – as we say – spring chickens and have been around roughly forever. Parker’s well-known on the rock world, Flores I think not very well at all. I stumbled on her and she’s a nice find.

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  2. Great stuff, Jim. And, yes, I believe it was indeed me who mentioned that new Graham Parker album.

    Based on my first impression, I think I’m mostly excited about Brandi and the Alexanders; in fact, I already listened to a good deal of the album “How Do You Like It?” and, well, I like it! Good vocals and a great soulful and funky sound.

    I’m also impressed with the Rosie Flores tune. Candy Ambulance sounds like more of an acquired taste. The Graham Parker tune, one the other hand, is yet another reminder that I should take a deeper dive into the music of that artist.

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    1. I kinda figured you’d dig Brandi and crew. As a bonus, here they are at the (incredibly small) PASTE studios in NYC.

      Yes, as to Candy Alexander, they are a throwback to a certain kind of punk sound you either like or you don’t. I dig the pissed-off female energy in this one. As to Graham Parker, that song is atypical of what he sounded like in the ’70’s. A litte more hard-edged back then. Here’s a song that was pretty popular back in the day. Love it.

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      1. That’s another great tune by Brandi and the Alexanders. They excite me similar to Southern Avenue, and I’d go see them in the same small East Village venue where I saw the Memphis soul band.

        I also like the Graham Parker tune. The video is kind of hilarious.

        As for Candy Alexander, she can come any day to clean my house – with two dogs and three cats, not to speak of the other inhabitants, she can knock herself out!🀣

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        1. I’ll join you in the Village! As to Graham Parker, he’s overdue for a post. And watch out for that gal in Candy Alexander. She may well clean your house but you are gonna get a ton of punk attitude! πŸ™‚

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  3. Again, so good stuff here. Rosie Flores and Parker appealing most. Definitely some good vibes there. The new Parker is encouraging me to check out old Parker; I like when that happens.

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  4. OK I’ll weigh in (of course I will). Great set Doc. Brandi and the boys are doing some good stuff (will throw that on the player right now). Like Candy’s swing. She’s feeling it.
    OK again I was listening to Rosie the other day. I have a couple of her records from way back but I got to tell you Doc I’m digging this new style a lot more (She was country to start).
    And the last OK Doc, GP is up there with some of my faves (you just checked out Forbert who is one). I probably listen to him as much or more than most the music I have (other than Jazz). His live performances were some of the best I’ve seen. Await your take on him. Why is he not more well know? (There’s that question again)

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    1. If you haven’t already, check out my response to Christian’s comment. Some “live” Brandi along with one of my favorite Parker tunes. As to Rosie, you win the friggin’ prize. I’ve only learned of her recently. Back to Parker, I think his heyday was the ’70’s and he just fell by the wayside, whether by design or by fate. Some guys just check out. The music business is tough.

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      1. I can remember getting ‘Squeezing Out Sparks’ (along with Hunters ‘Schizophrenic’ album). Local girls is great. Plus he had one of the best bands going in the Rumour. Springsteen kind of sold me on GP back when. His first few albums have a horn section (Docs style). Sparks didn’t have them. Huge fan. I like Elvis but listen to Graham more. Last I heard Parker was living up in the Woodstock area. I think he was hanging with Danko before he slipped away.
        Nice to hear Rosie is still kicking and moving her music into new areas. Great stuff.

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    1. Sorry, dude. You wound up in the spam box, don’t know why. But I check it every day and I salvaged it. BTW, we talked about the dearth of clubs here in Beantown these days. And while the scene isn’t as (relatively) wild these days, a host of clubs have sprung up to take their place, mostly in far-flung towns. The crowd is older but the spirit is willing. I frequent the Bull Run in Shirley, MA and Tupelo Music Hall in Derry, NH. There’s also a good venue in Fall River as well as Natick. And the Wilbur theater in Boston while focusing largely on comedy has good rock shows. I saw Robin Trower there. In fact, putting aside the arena stuff, there’s so many good bands coming through town I have neither time nor money to see them all.

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