Rachael Yamagata
Having nearly funded her upcoming 2015 album via PledgeMusic (http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/yamagatatightropewalker)
the singer-songwriter celebrates the 10th anniversary of her first
album “Happenstance” and reveals new material reminiscent of Mazzy Star and Cat
Power.
Sturgill Simpson
The former leader of Sunday Valley has drawn widespread acclaim
for his sophomore album, “Metamodern Sounds in Country Music” and its
ode-to-psychedelics first single “Turtles All the Way Down,” but even more is his trippy, dead-on rendering of `70s outlaw country delivered with a deep
Waylon Jennings-style baritone and lyrical depth.
Chrissie Hynde
It may come as a surprise that at 63 the Pretenders frontwoman
is just now getting around to her first solo album, but the resulting
“Stockholm” - recorded with Peter, Bjorn and John’s Bjorn Yttling and featuring
Neil Young and John McEnroe - is a smart, hip modern rock collection worthy of
her past work.
Winger
Twenty-five years since “Seventeen” rocketed up the charts thanks
to a hummable pop-metal hook and good looking frontman, Winger remains an
impressive hard rock act that proves its mettle on the new album, “Better Days
Comin’.” It’s garnered critical praise for its consistency and composition and
charted not far from the last slot it occupied in 1993.
Reverend Horton Heat
Released earlier this year, the simply titled “REV” marks a
return to form after a few stylistic segues for the smoking guitar trio who
carved out a niche in the `90s with ripping psychobilly and an evangelical
frontman that proudly sung of hot rods, hot broads, and other wild and
fantastic rock n’ roll traditions.
Carbon Leaf
A regional fixture sprouted from the same Virginian waters as
Dave Matthews and Pat McGee, this Richmond-based act continues to marry
Celtic-flavored pop with roots rock bite 23 years later. It recently released a
rerecording of its 2004 breakthrough as “Indian Summer Revisited.”
Brief Lives
Before returning with his other band Valient Thorr in December,
intergalactic rock n’ roller (and Lincolnton native) Valient Himself leads the
Richmond-based post hardcore punk quartet who weave Van Halen-esque guitar,
methodical riffing, and math rock on its new limited four-track cassette(!) release
(that’s also available as a Bandcamp download).
Buddy Guy
At age 78 - along with B.B. King - the influential Chicago blues
guitarist and live showman is one of the of the last of the blues giants left
touring. The guitar great’s shows remain one of the more fun live experiences
out there proving age hasn’t slowed him down as a player or mellowed his
charisma.
DJ QBert
The groundbreaking DJ who helped make scratching an artform
released two albums (a double album of sorts) this summer, the otherworldly
“Extraterrestria” and “GalaXXXian” as the long, long-awaited follow-up to
1999’s “Wave Twisters.” He brings the Extraterrestrium: The Guided Space Tour
to town with Jeremy Ellis.
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