This is written in the Classic Rock offices as removal men rush to-and-fro, transporting our worldly goods to a new base across town. We’ve found some amazing tat while piling through more than a decade’s desk detritus: a War Of The Worlds mug, a pencil sharpener in the shape of a skull (with a hinged jaw), and an electronic device of some sort that no-one recognises and everyone’s afraid to plug in. Next week, we’ll be in new offices, and a new collection will begin, but the Rock won’t stop. Just like it didn’t stop this week.
Beth Hart - Trouble Rollin’, smokin’, foot-stompin’, rootin’ tootin’ highlight from Ms Hart’s latest solo record. A bluesy, soulful, good-time brand of trouble - we like.
Fred Abbott - Funny How Good It Feels We’ll be honest: our world wasn’t too shaken when Noah And The Whale announced their split t’other week. The future of their guitarist Fred, however, could prove a little more earth-quaking – if this sun-soaked, Americana-laced pop rocker is anything to go by. It is indeed ‘funny how good it feels’… Lovely stuff.
Preacher - Jupiter To Mars Frontman Martin Murphy suffered a stroke seven years ago, and this inspired him to put the album together. Now finally complete, Preacher (the only unsigned band to headline Glasgow’s ABC1 O2, it says here) make the kind of epic, sweeping prog that Pink Floyd might make if they were still around to make it.
Heartless Bastards - Gates Of Dawn A band discovered by The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney more than a decade ago, Heartless Bastards are back with a new album recorded on a pecan orchard. Gates Of Dawn is the taster, and is a gently psychedelic chunk of power pop with some rough-around-the-edges axe sonics.
Brant Bjork and the Low Desert Punk Band - Boogie Woogie On Your Brain Former Kyuss man Brant Bjork’s latest peyote monster bares all the hallmarks of his past work: doomy bass, fuzzed up guitar, and a selection of riffs so ferocious they could strip the cuticle from a cactus.
Tom Keifer - It’s Not Enough “We’ve been compiling footage from our shows throughout the tour,” says former Cinderella frontman Tom, “with the idea of making a video that would sum up the energy of the entire project to date and give the feeling of being on tour with my solo band. We have really become a family with this band, on stage and off.” Awwww, bless. With so much bickering in Rock, that’s very nice to hear.
Lightning Bolt - The Metal East Lightning bolts and metal, how could we resist? It’s very us - getting your ears shredded by the aggro-art rock Rhode Island duo, while watching the already LSD-drenched Yellow Submarine goes through the Bolt animation kaleidoscope. Loud, and trippy.
Nothing But Thieves - Itch We expect big things from this young Southend quintet, who clearly have penchant for Muse and Jeff Buckley. Well, that’s lucky, cos so do we. And this is an Itch we’re delighted to scratch…
