Here at Classic Rock Towers, we think we need bands like The Struts. And so do you, apparently, if last week's Tracks Of The Week competition is anything to go by. The Derbyshire dandies took home a well-deserved first place prize for new single Fallin' With Me, and it's truly great to have them back.
Following closely in The Struts' glitter-dusted footsteps were The Hu's Black Thunder (Part 2) and Clutch's Slaughter Beach, both further evidence of rock's current rude health. And this week it won't be any different - just don't forget to vote.
Zach Person - Nothing To Lose
There’s a whisper of Dan Auerbach in Zach’s vocals on this super-cool flourish of contemporary blues rock – recorded at Tyler Bryant’s studio in Nashville, Tennessee. Driving, distorted and smokily wreathed in soul, it manages to feel cavernous and intimate at the same time; the sort of music you’d rock out to with equal willingness in a huge theatre, festival or low-ceilinged dive bar. One of today’s rising stars bringing the blues to a new generation.
Larkin Poe - Georgia Off My Mind
The Lovell sisters take a trip to the country – and back to their home state – on this cut from new album Blood Harmony. All peachy, sun-soaked slide guitar and harmonies that make us imagine Blackberry Smoke jamming with Sheryl Crow, it’s a sweet n’ sharp homage to their hometowns past and present. “Like 99 percent of my songs, that song came into being at my kitchen table late in the evening,” says Rebecca. “My husband and I stumbled into that line at the chorus – 'Tennessee keep Georgia off my mind’ – and it turned into a love song for the stretch of I-24 that connects Atlanta and Nashville, which is a drive we’ve made thousands of times now.”
IOTA - Sometimes
“This song was written about a loved one after a freak accident that I witnessed,” says singer Jodie Robinson, of the Bristolian group’s moody, arresting new dose of alt rock that slices and soars with driven intent. “It really put everything into perspective and threw me into a realm of gratitude with a whole new found respect for having that person in my life. It's a love letter to this person and a reminder to appreciate what you have before it's too late.”
Gaupa - Diametrical Enchantress
A bluesy curveball in these Swedes’ proggy, psychedelic new album Myriad (out in November), Diametrical Enchantress was the last song written and, as such, stands out from their core vibe. Happily it’s a highly satisfying diversion. Built on a thick, swaggering guitar hook that lends them a little Rage Against The Machine-esque bite, it’s the sort of thing we’d very gladly hear more of from them, if they felt inclined to dip into such grooviness again.
Jack J Hutchinson - Days Of Thunder
When Brit blueser-turned-rock dude Jack J Hutchinson found out he had the chance to have another track mixed by Kevin ‘Caveman’/Joe Bonamassa/Iron Maiden/Rush/Journey/all-the-big-bands Shirley, he jumped at it. The only problem? He didn’t have a new track ready, and was due to go on tour in two days. A frantic few hours later, the galloping, juicy Days Of Thunder was born. Wanna hear the results for yourself? Catch him on tour in the UK in October and November.
Ginger & The Sinners - Six Years Gone
One of two cover versions to appear on the upcoming debut album by Ginger & The Sinners (the other is Status Quo's Dirty Water), Six Years Gone is a largely faithful cover of the Georgia Satellites classic (it's very slightly faster than the original), and it's a special song for frontman Ginger Wildheart. "I became a bit obsessed with the song while in LA for Lemmy’s funeral," says Ginger, "and carried it around in my heart from then until we all congregated at the studio.”
Gerry Jablonski Band - Hard Road
From upcoming album 105 - due for release in November – the Gerry Jablonski Band's ominous Hard Road is a thrilling exercise in restraint, slowly building to a climax that's all the more effective for the time taken to get there. Like Wales's Cardinal Black, they're proof that modern blues rock doesn't have to be all about big riffs and bluster, and there's a reason for that. "We walked into the studio on the morning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," say the band. "The terrifying events of the unfolding war started shaping the vibe and the sounds we were creating."
Ayron Jones - Filthy
With a chorus that sounds like a scuzzed-up version of the Super Furry Animals' The Man Don't Give A Fuck and therefore also a scuzzed-up version of Steely Dan's Showbiz Kids, Ayron Jones' Filthy is a fierce beast indeed, a thrilling blast of techno-grunge wrapped around a bass riff that's as grubby as they come. Filthy by name, filthy by nature, and stunning proof that there's still rich musical life amidst the murk of Puget Sound.
