The best new rock songs you need to hear right now
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Despite the typically international nature of Tracks Of The Week, last week’s battle ended up being a distinctly British affair, as Portsmouth’s Brave Rival beat out extremely colourful combo The Hot Damn! and Killing Joke spinoff Light Of Eternity in a fracas that was as see-saw as it was exciting. So well done to all of them.
This week it’s another multi-national celebration, with bands from Mexico and NZ joining the usual suspects from the British and American Isles. But first, here’s Brave Rival again, with their now-classic song Fairytale.
Below are this week’s choices, and they’re all looking rather lovely.
Terrorvision – Lucifer
Fantastic Cat – So Glad You Made It
There’s a lot of love for the feline community on the Classic Rock team, so we were intrigued by the prospect of a ‘fantastic’ one. Turns out it’s a band from New York City, comprising a bunch of seasoned rock/folk/Americana pros (including Hollis Brown singer Mike Montali) who came together in 2019 to make sweet music without the pressures of their previous gigs. Counting Crows man Adam Duritz guests on this new one, all ultra-smooth, heartwarming pop melody and gauzy early 70s folk rock feels. Oh, and the video has so many affably corny, self-aware little gags (without trying too hard) you’ll want to hang out with them after the show.
Joanne Shaw Taylor – Drowning In A Sea Of Love
This is one of our favourites from Joanne’s album, Heavy Soul, so we’re happy to see it getting the video treatment. You can hear the work she’s done with her friend Joe Bonamassa (Heavy Soul was produced by longstanding JB collaborator Kevin Shirley, and released on Joe’s label), in a really good way. Blending smooth, unctuous rhythm n’ blues with Motown-y textures and a super-sweet, minor key earworm of a melody, Drowning In A Sea Of Love is the sound of a great guitarist and singer hitting her stride as a songwriter – relaxing into the music and having a brilliant time with it. Classy stuff.
Those Damn Crows – Let’s Go Psycho!
Bridgend’s finest are back with a brand new single, following last year’s game-raising Inhale/Exhale record. Packing a snappy, beefy punch with American heavyweight notes of Alter Bridge and Shinedown (though we were pleased to find that singer Shane Greenhall still sounds dead Welsh in the spoken-word bit at the three-minute marker) and a whiff of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start The Fire in the chorus, it’s a strong omen for their next album, which they’re working on as we speak. Watch this space.
Laura Jane Grace – I’m Not A Cop
Laura Jane Grace finds a fun, cheerfully spiky sonic place between Jonathan Richman and The Gaslight Anthem on this slice of her new album, Hole In My Head – complete with Reno 911-esque music video starring LJG and her wife, Paris Campbell Grace, masquerading as renegade police officials on the streets of Chicago. Think blue-collar Americana storytelling with punk in its veins, set to a toe-tapping, almost surfy rock’n’roll beat. Nice.
Myles Kennedy – Say What You Will
Where previous solo Myles tracks have often found him embracing his acoustically minded, Chris Whitley-loving side, on Say What You Will the Alter Bridge frontman is all about the rock with a capital ‘R’, and it sounds great – pummelling through the speakers in a rollicking, gnarly fashion that suggests he’s having fun. Also, he actually goofs around in the video! Not that this is wholly out of keeping with his character in general, but it is a change from his more typical brooding, none-more-black, tall n’ cool denim stage persona.
Earth Tongue – Nightmare
The Warning – Burnout
The Warning parody themselves in the video for Burnout, which finds the Mexican all-sister trio exhausted but resolving to replace themselves via an X-Factor-style talent show in which they appear as judges. It’s a big song with a big riff, big verses and an even bigger chorus, and a small section of the band’s devout following is rewarded for their loyalty by starring as potential replacements for their idols. Lovely stuff all round.
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