The first weekend of summer has arrived and with it has come the unbearable heat associated with this cursed season. The only thing about summer that is redeeming in the fact that music sounds great moving through thick humid air. This week featured a few new releases, all of which surprised me either for better or worse, but the fact that at this point in my life I can still be surprised is something I'm glad for. I don't have a agenda for next week just yet, so I don't know what the week ahead is going to bring as far as my musical enjoyment. I guess we'll all have to wait and see. Until then, find something you like and enjoy.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway: I wouldn't call myself a die-hard RHCP's fan, though I've enjoyed their music for the past 25 years. As a loyalist, I always check out new output from bands that have entertained me in the past. So while their last album, 2011's I'm With You, was a real disappointment with the exception of a few songs, I still wanted to hear this. After "Dark Necessities" was released a few weeks ago, the radio started playing it and I really dug it, increasing my anticipation for this. This is leaps and bounds better than the last album, and their best since By the Way. They've finally adapted to John Frusciante's departure and created a fun record. Very traditional RHCP, no real surprises, but solid all the way through.
Mudcrutch - 2: Eight years after their first album, the Tom Petty collaborate band released their follow-up. This is another album where the debut single has been on heavy rotation and has been stuck in my head. Normally I wouldn't show must interest in a Tom Petty release, but "Trailor" is an exceptional song that made me seek this out. I was pleasantly surprised by this country rock album. There isn't really a bad song on here. It feels like Traveling Wilburys era Tom Petty, and very Dylan influenced. Definitely worth checking out.
Rapidfire - Ready to Rumble: If that singer on the cover looks familiar, it's because he is. This is Axl Rose's pre-Hollywood Rose band. This five song demo EP had long been buried, but the guitar player, and songwriter, released them a few years back. I'd been looking for a copy of this for awhile and finally found one. This is more AC/DC meets NWOBHM than anything Axl has done since. Singing in the lower register, these songs are all about getting chicks. Nothing terribly special about this except from a historical and completest point of view. Still, "On the Run" is pretty bitchin'.
Misfits - Friday the 13th: It's been a long time since I've checked out any new music from one of my favorite bands from my teenage years. Partially because they haven't put out much music since the early '80s and partly because it's far from the same band with Danzig on vocals. But I did give this new EP a few listens and it's okay. The songs are based on '80s horror movies, and for the most part they are enjoyable even if they are not particularly memorable. A fun listen, but certainly nothing essential.
Jake Bugg - On My One: The third album from the British singer songwriter was released last week and I'd been meaning to check him out for some time. I'd read a lot of promising things about him, but have to admit that I found this album to pretty unlistenable. I found his voice somewhat annoying, and musically pretty pedestrian. I got through the whole album, though there were many times where I wanted to switch it off. I'm sure it would appeal to people with more a pop sensibility, or fans of Ed Sheeran.
The Charlie Daniels Band - High Lonesome: In the '70s, Southern Rock hit the mainstream thanks to bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers. One of the bands on the next tier of that movement was The Charlie Daniels Band which brought a little more of the traditional country sound into their blend of Southern rock. Released in '76, at the peak of their career, this record is near perfect blend of those two genre. This is one I found in the $1 crate and it's well worth the price of admission.
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