- DEVIL – Two Feet (3)
- CAN WE GO BACK – The Frontier (1)
- WELCOME TO THE PARTY – Jack Droppers & the Best Intentions (2)
- WE ARE BETWEEN – Modest Mouse (4)
- MARTYR – Oli Barton & the Movement (5)
- MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X (6)
- STARGAZING – The Neighbourhood (9)
- LIKE I USED TO – Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen (10)
- SOLAR POWER – Lorde (14)
- SINNER – Young Decades (7)
- MISSING PIECE – Vance Joy (16)
- BED HEAD – Manchester Orchestra (8)
- FOLLOW YOU – Imagine Dragons (11)
- SATURDAY – twenty øne piløts (23)
- NOTHING2 – Strange Souvenirs (15)
- STOP MAKING IT HURT – Bleachers (17)
- STICKY – The Maine (18)
- EVERY WINDOW IS A MIRROR – Joywave (19)
- ENNUI – Dawning (20)
- TRANSPARENTSOUL – WILLOW featuring Travis Barker (24)
- ZITTI E BUONI – Måneskin (12)
- CRAWLING KINGSNAKE – The Black Keys (13)
- LAST TRAIN HOME – John Mayer (28)
- HIGHER POWER – Coldplay (25)
- BE A WOMAN – DeLaurentis (30)
- FLATLINE – Two Feet (21)
- BETTER – Michigander (22)
- BAD DREAM – Cannons (N)
- WHAT YOU SAY – Cold War Kids (N)
- TAKE THE L – Roadkeeper (N)
THE PETAL FALLS – Single Review: “I Won’t Be There”
British rock act The Petal Falls has had a frustrating history since its beginnings in the mid 1990s. The brain child of singer-songwriter Keith Leahy, the band was originally formed to provide a performance platform for his music, and ultimately consisted of Leahy and four other musicians: Robert Harpum (guitar), Dave Richards (guitar), Marius Ryndziewicz (bass) and Robin Tucker (drums).. Based on their early success, they signed with a mid-tier music label, thinking it would lead to even greater success, but instead, it only resulted in their ultimate undoing. The label ended up stifling their creativity and stalling their career for several years, which led to a great deal of frustration among band members and their eventual demise, without ever having been given the opportunity to publicly release any of their prodigious output of songs.
Thankfully, a few years ago their music catalog once again became available for release, and Keith jumped at the opportunity to re-master the original recordings by the original The Petal Falls lineup into four albums, with help of his friend and producer/engineer/drummer John King. The first of those albums, Workin All Night Workin All Day, was released a year ago, on July 31, 2020. Public and critical response to the album has been pretty phenomenal for an act that had long ago been given up for dead, and collectively, the album’s ten tracks have garnered over 430,000 streams on Spotify alone. The album’s success has inspired Keith to resurrect The Petal Falls as a solo project, recording and releasing new music in collaboration with King, who has vast experience both as a producer/engineer and as a drummer with such bands as Legacy, White Lightning, Tru Blues, Bad Habbits and Colonel Kurtz.
Now Keith is set to release his second album All These Years on September 3rd. In advance of the album, he dropped the first single “Liberated” on July 2nd, and now follows today, August 6th, with the second single “I Won’t Be There“. The song is a re-mastered version of the original recording by the full band, with added keyboards by Duncan Lowe and backing vocals by Sharon Wallace. The song is a powerful kiss-off to someone who’s hurt and disappointed you far too many times. Keith’s vocals are spine-tingling as he passionately rails “I can feel the poison, ripping me apart. Self pity overwhelming me, and creeping through my heart. You gonna need me. Gonna come a time gonna come a day when you need me. All you gotta do all you gotta say is you need you need me. Gonna come a time gonna come a day,
and I won’t be there, I won’t be there.”
Musically, “I Won’t Be There” is a beautiful and intense, melodic rocker, with an exuberant driving beat, lush synths, sharp percussion, and layer upon layer of intricate guitars, all building into an intoxicating wall of sound. The guitar work is spectacular, from the grinding buzz-saw riffs that continue throughout the track, to the lovely little chiming guitar notes, to the wailing burst of distortion in the bridge. I love Keith’s deep, resonant vocals, which remind me a little of Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale. In fact, the song has a discernable 80s rock feel, which is fine with me, as I love a lot of music from that period. Both it and “Liberated” are superb songs, and I’m certain All These Years will be another solid album.
Connect with The Petal Falls: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music: Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
EML’s Favorite Songs – “I Only Have Eyes For You” by The Flamingos
One of the most romantic love songs ever written has to be “I Only Have Eyes For You”. The song was written by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin for the 1934 film Dames, starring Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler and Joan Blondell. Powell sang it in the film and several artists also recorded their own versions of the song in 1934, including bandleader Ben Selvin, (with vocals by Howard Phillips), pianist Eddy Duchin, and singer Jane Froman. But the version released in 1959 by R&B/doo wop band The Flamingos is without question the most captivating of them all. It’s among the earliest songs I ever remember hearing as a very young boy, and I’ve loved it my entire life.
The song was the biggest hit for the Flamingos, reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #3 on the Hot R&B Songs chart, but it should have been #1 in my opinion. Their version has endured over the years and is recognized as an important work. The song has been included in numerous ‘best-of’ lists, and in 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #158 on their list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. It was also featured in the 1973 film American Graffiti.
The song is perfection from start to finish, with a dreamy arrangement and that sultry doo wop groove that’s so damned enchanting. I love the repetitive piano riff that establishes the mesmerizing percussive rhythm for the song, as well as those tasty little guitar notes sprinkled throughout. Then there are the fabulous silky vocals by Nate Nelson, backed by echoed vocal harmonies of the rest of the band that almost have the effect of another instrument in themselves. God, what a magnificent song it is!
My love must be a kind of blind love
I can't see anyone but you
Are the stars out tonight?
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
I only have eyes for you, dear
The moon may be high
But I can't see a thing in the sky
I only have eyes for you.
I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here, and so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you
Other versions of the song were later recorded by numerous artists, including Frank Sinatra in 1962, The Lettermen in 1966, Art Garfunkel in 1975 (who’s version went to #1 in the UK), Carly Simon in 2005, and Michael Buble in 2018. But the best will always remain the one by the Flamingos.
New Song of the Week – PHILIP MORGAN LEWIS: “I.O.U.”
British singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Philip Morgan Lewis is one of the most creative and prolific artists I’ve come across in my six years as a music blogger. He’s become a favorite of this blog, and this is the fifth time I’ve featured him since November 2017. Drawing upon a wide range of genres and influences, including alternative rock, blues, R&B, garage rock, folk and EDM, the London East Ender crafts his own unique style of blues-soaked rock that’s perfect for his distinctive raspy vocals. His singing voice sounds like no one else, making him one of those artists you immediately recognize upon hearing his songs.
Over the past decade, Philip has released an impressive amount of music, including his superb 2017 album Grief Harbour (which I reviewed), two EPs and scores of singles. Among those I’ve written about was “Come Find Me Back”, which I premiered this past April along with its wonderful accompanying video. The hauntingly beautiful song spent 10 weeks on my Weekly Top 30. He quickly followed with two more singles and an EP Lost Soul Sessions, and now returns with yet another new single “I.O.U.“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week.
Released via Tx2 Records, “I.O.U.” is his second collaboration with Belgium producer Orfeo Brigande, who co-wrote and co-produced the track. Philip played guitar and sang all vocals on the track, Orfeo programmed the beat and synths, and Karl Velsch played additional guitar. The track will be included on his upcoming EP NOW + THEN, to be released September 1st.
One of the many things I like about Philip’s music is its unpredictability, and that no two songs ever sound alike. With every release, we’re treated to an entirely different sound and vibe than the song before, and “I.O.U.” is no exception. The song has a slow, sensuous vibe, with Orfeo’s moody synths and keyboards creating a sultry, almost cinematic groove, over which Philip and Karl layer a marvelous blend of funky and distorted guitar notes. As always, Philip’s raspy emotive vocals are soulful and evocative, conveying his ardor in a way that’s soothing, but also smoldering with a white-hot desire.
The lyrics speak to someone who brings so much joy and love into your life that you feel an intense love for them in return, along with a grateful feeling of indebtedness – expressed by the initials “I.O.U.” In them, you’ve found someone so perfect, you need look no further for anyone who could possibly be better.
Ain’t gonna dig down deeper
There ain’t nobody like you
Ain’t gonna look no further
I want somebody like you
For the love you’ve given me
Is hard and dirty babe
And I.O.U.
Ain’t gonna dig it down
Don’t want nobody but you
Connect with Philip: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music: Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
Purchase: Amazon / Deezer / Bandcamp
Top 30 Songs for August 1-7, 2021
- CAN WE GO BACK – The Frontier (3)
- WELCOME TO THE PARTY – Jack Droppers & the Best Intentions (1)
- DEVIL – Two Feet (8)
- WE ARE BETWEEN – Modest Mouse (2)
- MARTYR – Oli Barton & the Movement (5)
- MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X (7)
- SINNER – Young Decades (6)
- BED HEAD – Manchester Orchestra (4)
- STARGAZING – The Neighbourhood (13)
- LIKE I USED TO – Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen (14)
- FOLLOW YOU – Imagine Dragons (9)
- ZITTI E BUONI – Måneskin (10)
- CRAWLING KINGSNAKE – The Black Keys (12)
- SOLAR POWER – Lorde (20)
- NOTHING2 – Strange Souvenirs (18)
- MISSING PIECE – Vance Joy (23)
- STOP MAKING IT HURT – Bleachers (21)
- STICKY – The Maine (22)
- EVERY WINDOW IS A MIRROR – Joywave (24)
- ENNUI – Dawning (25)
- FLATLINE – Two Feet (11)
- BETTER – Michigander (16)
- SATURDAY – twenty øne piløts (30)
- TRANSPARENTSOUL – WILLOW featuring Travis Barker (N)
- HIGHER POWER – Coldplay (26)
- YOUR POWER – Billie Eilish (15)
- ALL YOU EVER WANTED – Rag’n’Bone Man (17)
- LAST TRAIN HOME – John Mayer (N)
- METRONOME – Polarizer (19) 20th week on list
- BE A WOMAN – DeLaurentis (N)
The Foo Fighters cover the Bee Gees/Andy Gibb on their latest album “Hail Satin” and I love it!
Who in their wildest dreams would have ever imagined that legendary rock band the Foo Fighters would one day record covers of some of the iconic classics by the Bee Gees and Andy Gibb? I certainly didn’t see it coming, but I gotta say that I absolutely love them! I was a huge Bee Gees & Andy Gibb fan back in the 70s, and loved most of their hit songs.
As their disco alter-ego the Dee Gees, Dave Grohl and company have recorded covers of four Bee Gees and one Andy Gibb hits for their latest album Hail Satin (officially titled Dee Gees / Hail Satin – Foo Fighers / Live), along with live performances of five songs from their February album release Medicine At Midnight. The Bee Gees/Andy Gibb covers comprise Side A, and the live performances of the five Medicine At Midnight tracks make up Side B of the vinyl release.
The Foo Fighters do an amazing job with all five covers, but my favorite is “Shadow Dancing”, with marvelous vocals sung by band drummer Taylor Hawkins, backed by Grohl’s terrific falsetto that does great justice to Barry Gibb. Also, having female back-up singers adds some wonderful texture to the vocals. I think I actually like this cover even better than the original, and it makes me love the Foos more than ever!
The album is a wonderful tribute to the Bee Gees’ rich and enduring legacy, and confirms that us geeks who loved them back in the day were actually hipper than we were led to believe!
CAITLIN LAVAGNA – Single Review: “How Not To Start a Fight”
Caitlin Lavagna is a singer-songwriter and musician from South Wales, and she’s just released her terrific debut single “How Not To Start a Fight“, which dropped July 30th. It’s a catchy, upbeat pop song about a break-up, specifically, how to end a relationship with as little drama as possible.
Growing up in the Rhondda Valley, Caitlin’s long had music and the arts in her blood, with a special love for singing, dancing and drumming. While in college, she was one half of indie folk duo Only The Reign, who released two self-recorded albums and spent two years busking and gigging, earning a strong local following. She later studied at the prestigious Rose Bruford College, in their Actor Musicianship BA honors degree program, and while there, formed a band called Big Wednesday, for which she plays drums. They busked and played gigs around London as time permitted, also recording a self-titled three-track EP. All three recordings are still available on all major music streaming platforms.
Her passion for strong rhythms is clearly evident on the track, the marvelous throbbing bass and galloping drumbeats driving the melody forward with unbridled energy. I don’t know the identities of her fellow musicians who played some of the instruments on the track, but they all do a masterful job. There are so many great touches, like the strummed acoustic and electric guitars, deliciously funky bass notes and lovely piano keys. But the highlight for me are Caitlin’s beautiful, emotive vocals that go from a soothing croon in the verses to commanding defiance in the choruses as she announces that she’s done with the relationship, while accepting partial responsibility for its failure, and now moving on.
Cross my fingers, hope to die Before you find out, before I hit the ground Party's over, it's goodnight Word is going around I am working out how not to start a fight How to say goodbye How to tell you why, how to make it right Cause slowly over time, my bark turned into bite It's no one's fault but mine
“How Not To Start a Fight” is a wonderful song, and a stellar debut effort from this talented young artist. I look forward to hearing what Caitlin comes up with next.
Connect with Caitlin: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream her song: Spotify / Apple Music
GRANFALLOON – Single Review: “Working On Your Own”
Granfalloon is the music project of Manchester, England-based singer-songwriter, producer and guitarist Richard Lomax. Using acoustic guitars, synthesizers and unusual instruments such as vintage Omnichords and drum loops, he creates his own unique and pleasing style of music that’s a hybrid of lo-fi alternative folk, experimental and electronica. His warm, soothing vocals are wonderful, reminding me at times of U2 front man Bono. We’ve followed each other on Twitter for several years, but I’ve been remiss by never having featured him on this blog. I’m now remedying that sorry situation on the occasion of the release of his new single “Working On Your Own“.
According to bio info provided on his website, Lomax became a musician later than most, and when he did, in 2003, it felt, in his words “like opening a door from a world of black and white to a universe bathed in a spectrum of mesmerising colour.” He took an avant-garde music course, and after honing his skills fronting surf rock bands and the psychedelic folk-pop collective Johnny5thWheel&thecowards, he relocated to Manchester in 2013. Granfalloon was born in 2017 after an operation temporarily left him with limited mobility. While in recovery, he recorded his debut album Down There For Dancing. He performed most of the music using his acoustic guitar, Omnichord and lo-fi drum machines, although he was assisted by a few musicians on added guitar, bass and percussion on some tracks. It’s a lovely work, and I strongly encourage my readers to check it out on one of the music platforms listed at the end of this post.
He released his beautiful second album RGB in 2019, this time with assistance from a greater number of musicians to help him produce larger, more fully-realized soundscapes. He also began touring the UK and Europe as a full band, as well as performing at Bluedot Festival. RGB‘s singles garnered airplay on BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music.
He’s now set to release this third album Positive Songs in August, featuring 11 tracks produced for The Positive Song Project, which was launched by Lomax and his friend Lobelia Lawson during the first lockdown of 2020. He invited songwriters to create new music, challenging themselves to focus on positive aspects and feelings. Lomax elaborates: “The idea formed from a conversation I was having with Lobelia Lawson, the co-founder of PSP, about how a lot of inspiration for our songs comes from a place of introspection or melancholia, anger or pain. We thought we would challenge ourselves & other musicians to focus on positive songwriting. Maybe it began as a way of managing anxiety or as a refusal to let the cancellation of gigs completely take music away but it soon become this weird positive energy… this propulsive force which grew into something very special.” Thus far, the project has resulted in the creation of over 300 tracks by artists from around the world.
“Working On Your Own” is the second single from Positive Songs, following the first single “Who You Are”, which was released in June. Lomax states the song “had such a strange journey, starting off as an intensely personal one about the loneliness of shift work, and then when Lockdown started it became perversely relatable.” For the recording of the track, Lomax played guitar and sang vocals, Daz Woodcock played bass, synths and sang backing vocals, Thirds played guitar, piano and sang backing vocals, Richard Jupp played drums, Andy Lyth played percussion and Maya McCourt played cello.
The song has a mellow, easy listening vibe, with touches of folk and jazz that make for a calm, yet compelling groove. Each of the instruments are allowed to shine, from the gentle acoustic guitar notes, subtle bassline and jazzy drums to the charming baby piano keys, cool percussion and lovely cello. Lomax’s smooth vocals are sublime, with a sophisticated air that’s still accessible and comforting as he earnestly sings about our human need for connection, and the loneliness of working the late shift where there’s no one to talk to or engage with. Woodcock’s and Thirds’ backing harmonies are really nice too.
Shift workers of the world unite And bathe yourself in Picadilly's multicolored lights When the human touch that means so much Is a phantom limb on social crutches Keep a little kind in your heart When you're working on your own On the edge, on the edges of civilization Saturday night is the loneliest night of the week
If you download the song on Bandcamp, you’ll also receive an exclusive free bonus download of Granfalloon’s cover of the Zombies’ song “Care Of Cell 44”.
Catch Granfalloon at one of these upcoming shows:
Aug 27 – The Yard Manchester, Manchester, UK
Aug 29 – EBGBS. Liverpool, UK
Aug 30 – Bolton Food & Drink Festival, Bolton, UK
Follow Granfalloon: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music: Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
Purchase: Bandcamp
New Song of the Week – EXPRESS OFFICE PORTICO: “Mishmesh”
Six months ago, I reviewed the marvelous debut single “I Like It Weird” by British synth-pop band Express Office Portico (which you can read here). Formed in early 2020 and named after the entrance to an old newspaper distribution office in the center of Nottingham, Express Office Portico consists of Tara Freeman (lead vocals, keyboards), Billy Townsend (lead vocals, keyboards), Reuben Tobolewski (guitar), Ben Phipps (bass) and Olly Walton (drums). Now the talented five-piece are back with a gorgeous new single “Mishmesh“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week.
The band states “Mishmesh” (whose title means a collection or mixture of unrelated things) explores the dangers of alcohol dependency, and how our coping mechanisms and compulsive tendencies can manifest themselves in toxic habits. To drive home their message, the band starts with a rapid, pulsating synth line, then adds deep bass and punchy drumbeats to produce a powerful hypnotic groove that quickly draws us in. Soon, the song expands with lush swirling synths and gorgeous layers of chiming and jangly guitars, creating a hauntingly beautiful backdrop for Tara and Billy’s stunning vocal harmonies. The song is really breathtaking, and I’m blown away by the bandmembers’ exceptional musicianship.
Barring any last-minute changes, those of you in the UK can catch Express Office Portico at one of these upcoming shows:
Friday, August 6 - Chameleon Arts Cafe, Nottingham, w/Oliver Marson & Ben Bickley Thursday, August 12 - The Lexington, London, w/Oliver Marson & Conspirators Thursday, August 28 - The Bodega, Nottingham, w/Swim School, Scuttlers & Grayce
Follow Express Office Portico: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream I Like it Weird on Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
Purchase on Amazon
VICIOUS ROOSTER – Single Review: “About A Revolution”
Vicious Rooster is the music project of Argentine-born and now Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, musician and producer Juan Abella. Drawing inspiration from some of his favorite bands like Led Zeppelin, The Black Crowes, Guns’n’Roses and Alice in Chains, his music is a rousing blend of classic and Southern rock, folk, blues and grunge. Both his guitar playing and vocals sound like he’s from Nashville or Austin, rather than Argentina.
Juan’s had a love of music since his childhood growing up in Argentina, where he began learning to play guitar at the age of ten. In 2016, he left his business career behind and relocated to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a musician and study music business at the renowned Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Using songs he’d previously written about his experiences of feeling lost during the transition from his past life to his move to L.A., as well as some new compositions, he released his debut album The Darkest Light in 2017, an ambitious and impressive work featuring 12 tracks and running over an hour in length. After a three-year hiatus, he returned in August 2020 with a darkly beautiful Southern rock single “The Moon is Dancing”, then followed three months later with the powerful bluesy rocker “Something Goin’ On”. (You can read my reviews of both singles by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.)
Now Vicious Rooster returns with a new single “About A Revolution“, which he describes as “a cosmic introspective ride that encourages listeners to reinvent themselves and gather the strength to achieve their dreams.” He further elaborates: “Just like for many people, the pandemic allowed me to reconnect with songs and emotions that had remained dormant. There were no excuses for not paying attention to them and the time has come to give them the shine they deserve. ‘About A Revolution’ was part of a group of songs that I recorded in 2015 that had never seen the light until now.”
The song is a rousing Southern Rock banger, and once again, Vicious Rooster lives up to his moniker, delivering an electrifying barrage of scorching bluesy riffs guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. He’s an amazing guitarist, coaxing an intricate array of lush and powerful sounds from his six-string that are truly mind-blowing. Also worth noting are the wonderful organ at the beginning of the song, as well as the outstanding percussion throughout. Juan’s colorful, emotive vocals are great too, rising and falling in perfect sync with the intensity of the instrumentals.
The lyrics essentially describe his own personal life-changing decision to leave his past life in Argentina behind and pursue his music dreams in L.A.:
Break your chains and start again You know how hard it can be When you feel nothing is real Find a way to keep you strong Your constant effort will pay off It'll take some time to see But in the end you'll get where you want to be You've moved on, you're leaving your past behind Don't look back, there's nothing there worth to find Just focus on the way you want to go And stay away from things that hurt your soul Keep reaching for the dream you're fighting for
“About A Revolution” is a great song, and another superb single that further establishes Vicious Rooster as a rock star on the rise.
Follow Vicious Rooster on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music: Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 