Holy crap! Did someone resurrect Freddy Mercury? No, that’s just the sound of Eric Nally, the charismatic lead vocalist of Foxy Shazam – the band that just unleashed an excellent brand new LP The Church of Rock and Roll produced by the Darkness’s Justin Hawkins. The record borrows from 80s pop-rock and 70s glam and tastefully adapts them into a modern setting. The album opens with a virtual rock and roll blitzkrieg going from the epic head-banging opener “Welcome to the Church of Rock and Roll” into their super-catchy single “I Like It” with this its sassy chorus of “that’s the biggest black ass I’ve ever seen and I like it” following that with the Queentastic “Holy Touch” and Pat Benatarish “Last Chance at Love”! The pace slows with “Forever Together” and “(It’s) Too Late Baby” allowing listeners to catch their collective breaths, before they are hit with another barrage of glamtastic awesomeness that includes highlights like “I Wanna Be Yours”, “Wasted Feelings”, “The Temple” and the funky “The Streets” and closes with the power ballad “Freedom”.

The Church of Rock and Roll is ambitious album that delivers the goods. From front to back it’s one fun good time. Foxy Shazam have arrived and on behalf of the Rolling Clone Blogazine, I like it.

Essential tracks are “I Like It”, “Holy Touch”, “Last Chance at Love” “Wasted Feelings” and “I Wanna Be Yours”. (Yes, I know it’s half of the album.)

When Ben Kweller was writing his new album, Go Fly A Kite, he was definitely mad at someone. This is not to say that the songs have to be autobiographical, but the lyrical themes of anger, loss, betrayal and, at the end of the record, resolution are not hidden. After 2009’s country-tinged Changing Horses, he has returned to the 1970s-influenced brand of indie power-pop of his first three albums. Country Kweller has its charm, but it’s nice to have him return to his classic sound. What makes Ben Kweller’s records interesting is that he doesn’t write just one style of song. With Go Fly A Kite, he writes rockers, ballads, waltzes and folky-influenced mid-tempo tunes, yet each song fits well musically next to the other.

The album opens with a kick in the teeth with the rockin’ “Mean To Me” with its gritty guitar tones and driving drums. The song “Jealous Girl” sounds like the cousin of Kweller’s 2006 jem “Penny On A Train Track” with its triumphant sounding piano intro and big sing-along-inducing chorus. The following track “Gossip” has the feel of something off of John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band album with it’s simple waltzing piano and no frills drumming, also the way Kweller delivers the word “dowhahahown” is very Lennonesque. The next song “Free” has some sweet 1970s country-rock harmonies in its chorus and a groovin’ guitar solo, before switching into a more pop-folk vein for “Full Circle”. However, the best song on the record is “Time Will Save The Day” which rips to life sounding like the power-pop love child of Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain. The rhyme structure of the choruses is very tight and drive the song along while the chorus opens up very melodically making the song a lot of fun. Lastly, the album comes to satisfying and bouncy up-tempo conclusion with “You Can Count On Me”. The track brings in more rich 1970s folk-rock harmonies while Kweller delivers a message of optimism and comfort with: “When your lost and you need new eyes to see, you can count on me”.

In the end, Go Fly A Kite doesn’t let Kweller fans down. It’s more complex than what listeners might hear the first time they give it a spin. As of now, it is the best record I’ve heard in 2012. I think buying the whole album is a worthy investment, but if you’re a single-song buyer, the essentials are: “Time Will Save The Day”, “Jealous Girl” “Mean To Me” and “Free”.

This month, the Virginia-based Jim Ivins Band released their new EP Everything We Wanted. It’s an 8-song collection of very accessible acoustic-driven pop-rock tunes reminiscent of a blend between the Goo Goo Dolls, John Mayer’s Room For Squares and Sherwood’s A Different Light. Although a few of these songs such as “Run” and “Rollercoaster” appeared on Ivins' 2007 solo album 99 Cent Dreams, the versions on Everything We Wanted sound more polished. Overall, the EP's production is great and the songs are filled with hooks that explode into large radio-ready choruses. Highlights are the title track as well as the openers “Run” and “The Sight of Fire”. The lyrics are heartfelt without being sappy, in “The Sight of Fire” Ivins sings: “You burn your bridges, because you like the sight of fire” – who hasn’t met that person? Anyway, Everything We Wanted is a very likeable record ideal for a long drive on sunny day.

Here you have it . . .  

1. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

1.) The reunion of Dave Grohl with Nirvana’s Nevermind producer, Butch Vig plus a guest appearance by Chris Novoselic didn’t hurt this record’s chances. More importantly, this record is made up of great songs from start to finish. Wasting Light is definitely the best album the Foo Fighters have made in the last ten years if not their career.


2. The Kills – Blood Pressures

2.) Check of the RCB review here. Blood Pressures is a great dirty rock n roll record that doesn’t let up.

3. Wild Flag- Wild Flag

3.) Wild Flag’s debut is a fun post-punk meets pop album. Think of Blondie’s Parallel Lines with more girl-power bite!





4. The Black Keys – El Camino 4.) See the full review here. The Black Keys continue to grow and explore new musical avenues without losing track of their identity. This record is solid all the way through and includes the gem “Little Black Submarine” which is probably one of the best songs released this year.



5. Blink-182 – Neighborhoods

5. The first new album from the reunited Blink-182 is in itself a reason for celebration. The fact that this album is also excellent is just icing on the cake. The album picks up where the band left off in 2003, but moves forward with great songs like “Ghost On The Dancefloor” and keeps old fans happy with throwbacks like “After Midnight.”



The 2011 Honorable Mentions:
6. Sleeper Agent – Celebrasion

6.) Sleeper Agent’s debut album is a refreshing breath of fun. The songs are power-pop and each track flows nicely into next without the record getting boring. Trust me, it’s solid. Check out great party jams like “Be My Monster” and “Shuga Cane.”



7. Angels & Airwaves – Love Pt. 2

7.) See my full review here. The second great album from Tom DeLonge this year!


8. Cage The Elephant – Thank You Happy Birthday

8.) The magic wasn’t just in the radio singles like “Shake Me Down” and “Aberdeen”. Cage The Elephant's sophomore album is filled with a lot of 1990’s throwback glory with tracks like “2024” and “It’s Always Something”. 


9. Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You

9.) See the full review here. Despite a shift in personnel, the Red Hot Chili Peppers carry on and gracefully find a new groove with their latest record, I’m With You. They also are going to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012!

10. The Strokes – Angles

10.) The return of the Strokes! Need I say more . . . Check out “Under Cover of Darkness”, “Machu Picchu”, “Taken For A Fool” and “Life Is Simple In The Moonlight”!

I can't wait to see what 2012 has to offer!

The boys from Akron are back. This month, the Black Keys unveiled their follow up to their 2010 critically acclaimed Brothers. It’s called El Camino and it’s awesome. This time around, the Keys reteam with Danger Mouse, their producer on 2008’s Attack & Release as well as their 2010 hit single “Tighten Up”. Where as Brothers was a darker soul/blues album, its successor is much poppier and upbeat while the guitar tones have more of that Jack White “Icky Thump”-era bite.

Die-hard Black Keys "fans" might be turned off by the slickness of El Camino’s production, but haters can go jump off a bridge. The Black Keys are no longer that little band playing clubs and recording on analog tape machines in their basements. As they head off on their first headlining arena tour, they are deservedly one of the biggest and best bands in America. On El Camino, the band experiments with new things like multi-layered harmonies, bells and a greater usage of organs and synths. However, the Black Keys sound has always been defined by Dan Auerbach howling blues vocals, dirty-garage guitar and Patrick Carney’s straightforward, but hard-hitting drumming. These elements are still at the record’s core. Therefore, the Black Keys signature sound is still there as the band explores new territory.

As to the essential tracks: the opening song “Lonely Boy” is classic Black Keys and one of the catchiest things they’ve ever written. “Gold On The Ceiling” and “Money Maker” are a lot of fun too. However, the biggest gem of El Camino is “Little Black Submarine”. It’s starts off as a quiet unassuming folk song and blows up into garage-blues ecstasy. It’s their answer to “Stairway To Heaven” and the guitar solo will smoke your eyelids off and leave your speakers steaming.

Sorry Justin Bieber - of the Christmas records out this year I recommend checking out She & Him’s A Very She & Him Christmas. Unlike many other competing seasonal albums, this one doesn’t suffer from over-production. The vibe is one where you are relaxing by the fire, drinking eggnog while your friends Matt Ward and Zooey Deschanel serenade you with some of their favorite holiday tunes. The instrumentation stays tastefully understated: sparse guitars, light percussion and some BrianWilson-inspired harmonies thrown in for accents. The mood remains warm as Zooey’s honey sweet voice croons out some of the best tunes in the Christmas canon, “The Christmas Waltz,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” and so on. They even dig out an obscure Beach Boys holiday gem, “Christmas Day” as well as their better-known “Little Saint Nick” – although, the latter doesn’t compete the original. A minor problem is that the record stays very chilled-out and doesn’t really change gears very often. However, She & Him’s solid takes on “Sleigh Ride” and on Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” provide nice momentary changes in tempos and are the record’s peppiest songs.

All in all, A Very She & Him Christmas is a very pleasant holiday album. Essential tracks to add to your seasonal playlist are the album’s opener, “The Christmas Waltz” and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” as well as Matt and Zooey’s vocal duets on “Sleigh Ride” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”.

Props to Tom DeLonge! He has been a busy dude. A month after releasing the excellent new Blink-182 album (see the RCB review of their single “Up All Night” here), he presents listeners with a solid new Angels & Airwaves album, Love Pt. 2. If you didn’t get last year’s free download of Love Pt. 1, both parts are packaged together if you buy the physical CD.

With Love Pt. 2, the bottom line is if you like Angels & Airwaves, you’ll be pleased with this record. In some respects, Angels & Airwaves are like AC/DC where listeners can expect a very consistent sound from record to record. Angels & Airwaves’ music continues to fuse 1980’s U2-ish musical soundscapes with synthesizers and punk rock. And like AC/DC, some albums are better than others. Love Pt. 2 is one of the Angels & Airwaves best records and is probably their best record since their fabulous 2006 debut, We Don’t Need To Whisper. 2007’s I-Empire had some standout songs, but the disc was ultimately weighed down by the long extended techno-beat synth intros that killed the record’s momentum at points. Love Pt. 1 was a strong album, but Love Pt. 2 is better. There is more “meat” to the music. DeLonge and co. keep the synthy intros in check and the album rocks harder. DeLonge and guitarist David Kennedy pull tricks from their experience in Box Car Racer and make the guitars a little heavier with a punkish punch, enhancing the records momentum without distracting from the bands key identifying sonic elements. The track “Inertia” is a prime example of this. Also, there is an overall sense of romantic optimism in the album’s lyrics, making Love Pt. 2 more uplifting than its predecessor.

Overall, Angel’s & Airwaves fall into the category of an “albums band” versus a “singles band.” Each track flows into the next to create one complete listening experience. Therefore, the best way to appreciate the band is to listen to their records all the way through (not on shuffle!). However, for you single song purchasers, the biggest highlights are the opening three songs “Saturday Love”, “Surrender” and the Muse-like single “Anxiety” as well as “Behold A Pale Horse.” Check this record out; it’s in the running for being one of Rolling Clone Blogazine’s top five records for 2011.

For those kids who wish My Chemical Romance would write a sequel to 2006’s The Black Parade, check out Alice Cooper’s new disc, Welcome 2 My Nightmare. It’s the sequel to his 1975 album Welcome To My Nightmare (yes – a very clever title indeed). One must listen to the record having a sense of humor and appreciate Alice Cooper’s very tongue-in-cheek lyrics about ghouls (“Ghouls Gone Wild”) and why disco still sucks thirty years later (“Disco Blood Bath Boogie Fever”). The album is for the most part pretty good, not great. It’s funny, cheesy and over-the-top. If you go in with the right frame of mind, you’ll probably enjoy it. The best songs are “I’ll Bite Your Face Off”, “I Gotta Get Outta Here” and the ballad “Something To Remember Me By”. I’m not sure how I feel about his duet with Ke$ha, “What Baby Wants”. It might be so bad it’s good or a sign of the Apocalypse. You pick. In the meantime, rock on Alice!

Power-pop lovers are in for a treat. Last month, Cleveland rockers Attack Cat (a.k.a. Rachel Hoskins and Dave Douglas) dropped their new EP, Dandy Outlaws. It sounds so sweet that you’ll probably get a sugar high just listening to it. Dandy Outlaws picks up where Attack Cat’s debut EP When The Moon Was Big left off, but moves into new territory. The record sounds bigger, the production cleaner and the hooks catchier. The EP has a Cobra Starship vibe, only Attack Cat are better. Get the whole EP, but biggest highlights are “Tricks,” “RCA” and the lead single, “You Want Me Crazy” (which was actually mixed by the legendary Chris Lord-Alge). Check it out! Eat your heart out Gabe Saporta!

Five years have passed since we last heard new music from the RHCP. Things have changed, for one they have a new lead guitarist, Josh Klinghoffer, taking the place of virtuoso John Frusciante. The new album, I’m With You, sounds like the RHCP, but overall the vibe is more laid back. It is not as daring a work as it’s predecessor, the double-disc Stadium Arcadium, but it is consistently quality work from start to finish. Veteran RHCP producer and musical guru, Rick Rubin is back at the helm, guiding the band as it redefines old chemistries and creates new ones with Klinghoffer. Klinghoffer is not Frusciante and does not try to be. The guitar work has certainly been downplayed. The member that really shines on this album is drummer, Chad Smith. His beats are fun and the drum’s production quality is great. He’s never sounded better. Frontman Anthony Kiedis for the most part has given up on rapping his lyrics and continues to grow as a singer. Lastly, there is Flea, the sold backbone behind the RHCP’s signature groove.

If I were to describe I’m With You in one word, it would be “pleasant.” This is the RHCP’s in transition, but still making quality music. Essential tracks are opening track “Monarchy of Roses” with its Blondie-esque disco synth, the understatedly beautiful “Police Station” and then the single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie.”