TV Party Tonight! Returns to Make Your Life Better. Or at Least Help You Kill Time. - by Colin Gawel

Let’s be honest. There really isn’t much going on this time of year. Sure, the sports talk shows will keep saying “Lots to get into today” but unless you are into the Australian Open or mind-numbing Super Bowl hype, that’s not exactly true. Down at Colin’s Coffee I could ask a hundred people “What you got going on this weekend?” and almost everyone would say “nuthin.”

So what to do to ease the boredom? We have a solution. Find a comfy chair, crack a cold one and take a deep dive down the YouTube rabbit hole. TV Party Tonight! is our yearly winter series where we share our rabbit holes with the Pencilstorm community. At the very least it’s a good way to kick-start your own deep dive. TV Party Tonight! is posted every Saturday night until Spring arrives.

To find old episodes just google the words: TV Party Tonight! Pencilstorm

My personal favorite is Andy Kaufman vs Jerry Lawler.

Or hit this link below to get started. Lots of great stuff. See you down the rabbit hole. - Colin G.

Click here for a recap of TV Party Tonight! Season One Episodes 1 -10.

Fast Start: The First Great Records of 2020 Are Here - by JCE

It seems like I just posted my picks for the best records of 2019 on my Facebook page (The Neighborhoods, Starcrawler, The Hangmen, Dave Hause, and Foxhall Stacks, by the way), but now I’m already excited about 2020. The first great full-length record of the year - by Beach Slang - is already here, and based on a single that dropped January 10th, there’s another great one coming. Here’s what I’m talking about:

Let’s start with this single by Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts called “What Kinda Love.”

Tuk Smith was the driving force behind the Atlanta band called THE BITERS. The Biters are easily in my top ten favorite bands of all time. They called it quits in 2018 (“indefinite hiatus,” they said) after about nine years and a bunch of superb records. Tuk started this new project, and if this single is any indication, he is picking up right where The Biters left off. His songs are all rock n roll anthems; part metal, part punk, with a huge dose of big 1970’s sound. It’s not retro, it’s fresh and it’s great, trust me. His new record was produced by Rob Cavallo, who has worked with Green Day and many other big name bands. Amazingly, it has just been announced that Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts will be going on the full stadium mega-tour this summer with Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett. Good for Tuk, he deserves some big-time exposure. The video for this single is highly entertaining as well…….

I took this shot of Tuk at a Biters show a few years ago.

Next up – “The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City” by BEACH SLANG. This one is a full-length, 11 songs. It’s too early to tell, but I won’t be surprised if I declare this to be one of the best two or three records of 2020. Beach Slang has been around since 2013 and they have some nice records. They are led by a kid named James Alex who is dripping with talent and takes that “wearing your heart on your sleeve” thing to the absolute extreme. His new record is spectacular. The most important thing you should know, and he will readily admit to it, is that this record has the influence of The Replacements all over it.

One of the best songs is even called “Tommy in the 80’s” and features Tommy Stinson on bass. It’s about listening to Stinson in the 1980’s and it is a rocking song that should make the ‘Mats proud. The vocals on the slower songs sound like Paul Westerberg to me. Check out “Nobody Say Nothing.” The track “Kicking Over Bottles” is another rocker that is just awesome. Those three songs I have mentioned are enough to make this record be important to me, but it is strong start to finish. If you like The Replacements, you really should listen to this from beginning to end, a few times. You won’t regret it.

James Alex of Beach Slang, thank you for this record.

Happy listening in 2020! We are off to a great start.

RUSH/Neil Peart and Nerd Fandom at Its Finest, Including a Homemade "Outdoor Drama" - by Kevin Montavon

Music fans worldwide were devastated this week to learn of the passing of a man who many consider not only the greatest rock drummer of all time, but also a lyricist par excellence as well; Neil Peart of Rush. For me, as I am sure it was for thousands, if not millions of Rush fans, it felt like I lost a dear friend.

Rush was the first band that I became a fan of after a stretch of 5 or 6 years of listening to nothing but Kiss. I still remember the day at Boy Scout summer camp when I heard the crazy long-haired older kid from down the street playing this amazing band on his jambox. There was this long thundering intro that built up to a driving metal soundscape before crashing out into a soft voice that was singing...a Bible quote? What was this? Some Christian band? But wait, then this thunderous roar began again and the most high-pitched voice I had ever heard started singing a song about priests (I was a Catholic, so these words intrigued me) of some Temple named Syrinx. Then there was this song about a guitar, and how these priests flipped out over the discovery of said guitar, and how it was going to ruin the world like it did the world of “ancient man,” then there was a song with this guy dying by a waterfall, and finally a song about an alien force conquering the planet. I was HOOKED. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. From that moment I became a fan.

Rush fans are notorious for being nerds and geeks, whatever those words actually mean in the year 2020. It seems they are a badge of honor today, but trust me, not so in the 1980's. Rush fans were the original fanboys. Hell, go watch the movie that is called Fanboys where Rush fandom is portrayed as nerd-culture chic alongside the main storyline of the movie, which deals with Star Wars worship. As I was reminiscing about my early love for Rush, I realized that I may indeed be a candidate for the ultimate Rush geek. Because let me tell you, at that young impressionable age, this whole storyline concept thing that I was hearing on 2112 really fascinated me. And the wheels in my head started to turn.

Here's where the story takes a side turn for a brief moment. Gotta set the stage here...pun intended. Growing up in Ohio, we have this thing here called an “outdoor drama” in Chillicothe, Ohio. It's called Tecumseh, and it's a play that is presented in an outdoor amphitheater in a gorgeous natural setting, that depicts the life of the legendary Shawnee leader. Around the time I first heard 2112, my older sister had taken me to see Tecumseh. Also around this same time, I had been on vacation with my Dad and brother in Cherokee, North Carolina, where the three of us had watched another outdoor drama called Unto These Hills. This one depicted the history of the Cherokee Indian Tribe. I was very much a fan of both of these presentations, and I had a great idea to do something similar in my own back yard…..literally.

I rounded up the neighborhood gang, consisting of my younger brother, and the three kids who lived across the street. All five of us were within just a few years of each other in age. At this time, I was the only real rock music fan in the group, but I was quite the ambassador already. Through my skills of persuasion I managed to talk the other kids into the acting out of 2112 as our own outdoor drama, in front of our parents. It was on. This was no small presentation either. We had stage sets – a stone barbecue with a Rubik's cube placed on top of it served as the “Great Computer” of our Temple Of Syrinx, and after a quick set change the same stone structure served as the cave where the protagonist dies.

We had choreographed battle scenes when the aliens attacked, complete with live ammunition in the form of firecrackers and smoke bombs (this was the early 80's...safety concerns not quite being what they are today). My brother and the neighbor boy were in charge of the effects. They went a little overboard, placing a couple of smoke bombs right under the chairs of a few parents. I even wrote a libretto (which I wish I still had today), explaining the storyline of the album. It was neighborhood Broadway theater at its...finest? Unfortunately, or fortunately as the case may be, no photos or any kind of permanent record exists of this performance. I don't think any of the parents snapped any Polaroids (and if they did, I've never seen any), and there was definitely no social media then. So you're just going to have to take my word for it that this display of nerdiness actually happened.

The outdoor drama wasn't the only way I overindulged on Rush as a youth. The live album All The World's A Stage, coincidentally recorded on the 2112 tour, became the soundtrack whenever I wanted to play “rock band.” At one point I actually had my entire room converted into a “stage” where I “performed” that album, along with selections from Kiss Alive I & II “in concert” on a daily basis. I even recruited my Dad's assistance in this endeavor, making use of his carpentry skills to help me create air-guitars of the highest quality. I had Les Paul copies, Stratocaster copies, and of course I had a Rickenbacker Geddy Lee-style bass. None of these guitars had actual strings on them, or actually worked. If only I had put as much effort into learning to play a real instrument as I did in posing and rocking out with my models, I might have actually accomplished something as an adult musician.

I was fortunate enough when I got older to actually see the real Rush in concert. I eventually saw them 18 times over the years. I never missed a show in whatever locality I was living. And every time I saw them, I became that same little kid, acting out his fantasies in front of a large mirror and dreaming of the day I could set foot on that stage myself.

I am deeply saddened over the death of Neil Peart, but I will choose to reflect on all of the joy that he brought to my life, beginning in those storied days of youth, when anything seemed possible. - Kevin M.

Mike Parks: Guitar Slinger, continued 2020 - by Ricki C. (and Jim Johnson)

The world of rock & roll and the planet in general lost Mike Parks two years ago today; January 7th, 2018. (For the uninitiated, Mike Parks was the lead guitarist of Colin’s band The League Bowlers and – in my humble opinion – the GREATEST lead guitar player in the history of Columbus rock & roll. You can read much more about that in my original Mike Parks: Guitar Slinger Pencilstorm blog from 2014, linked here.)

Last week my lovely wife Debbie & I were driving home from New Year’s Eve dinner when The Blues Magoos’ “We Ain’t Got Nothin’ yet” came on my Sirius/XM car radio courtesy of The Underground Garage channel. Right at that moment I missed Mike more than I had in a long, long time. There’s no reason most of the Pencilstorm readership would know that tune by The Blues Magoos (or indeed, even know or remember WHO The Blues Magoos WERE) but Mike & I used to talk about them – and many more of their mid-1960’s rock & roll brethren – A LOT back in our tenure in Willie Phoenix’s True Soul Rockers in the early 1990’s. (Mike was the 2nd lead guitarist & resident bad-ass of The True Soul Rockers, I was a roadie.)

I originally wrote a whole other blog to run here, but that one was sad, and kinda contemplative, and I decided this morning in the shower, “Fuck that, Mike would HATE sad and kinda contemplative.” So instead, I decided that I would attempt to preach and spread the True Gospel of The Rock & Roll Rama-Lama by gathering up a few 60’s videos that I know for a fact Mike would have loved and deliver the message, “Fuck Donald Trump; fuck the board president of Nissan in Japan fleeing to Lebanon to escape prosecution; fuck the fact that the super-rich don’t even have to PRETEND to respect the law anymore; fuck wildfires in Australia; fuck the Golden Globe Awards, I just WANNA HEAR SOME ROCK & ROLL!”

Mike, I raise a glass to you today………

THE BLUES MAGOOS / “WE AIN’T GOT NOTHIN’ YET”

THE MUSIC MACHINE / “TALK TALK”

THE YARDBIRDS / “HAPPENINGS TEN YEARS TIME AGO”

THE MC5 / “KICK OUT THE JAMS”

MOTT THE HOOPLE / “AT THE CROSSROADS”

I’m including this video because if Mike told me once in The League Bowlers days, he told me 20 times, “I’m gonna work up the Mott The Hoople version of “At The Crossroads” as my first lead vocal in the Bowlers.” “That’d be great,” I’d reply, “you should run it by Colin, I know he’d go for it.” To my knowledge, in all the years Colin, Mike, Dan Cochran and Jim Johnson shared stages, Mike never once brought it up.

I bet it would’ve been great.

For a different commemorative slant on Mike, check out this blog entry by Jim Johnson from January, 2018:

Jim Johnson -  I guess it's time to post my thoughts. I lost one of my best friends yesterday. Mike Parks passed away peacefully yesterday, with his wife, Danya Linehan, and his cats by his side. Mike had a lot of cats. More than one household really needed, but Mike loved his cats. He had this thing, a sort of telepathy with cats. If you know anything about cats, you know cats don't trust anyone. Cats trusted Mike. They knew he was one of them, and they loved him as much as he loved his cats. It really was amazing to see.

I first met Mike, back in the "Sugar Shack" days. I think he was playing in Flasher, and I was playing in Lizzy Borden. I used to watch Mike play, and he would do this thing, with a violin bow and an echoplex. It was amazing. Every bit as good as Jimmy Page, but I didn't have to go to Madison Square Garden to see it. I could stand 5 feet away, at the Shack, and then walk home. Those were amazing days. I thought to myself, "I hope I get to play in a band with this guy someday." My wish came true. Mike and I played in three bands together: The Retreads, Willie Phoenix & the True Soul Rockers, and The League Bowlers. All cool bands, and it was a pleasure to share the stage with Mike. The Retreads used to play at Bernies, and we had a gig the day Mike's first child was born. We weren't sure if he would make it to the gig. After all, his kid was being born. Mike showed up 5 minutes before we were supposed to go on, dressed in full Operating Room scrubs, including surgeon's mask, and played the gig. I wish there were pictures. That's the Mike I remember. There are some tapes of the True Soul Rockers playing the High Beck Tavern in 1992 floating around in cyberspace. The band was really at its best in those days, and if you ever get to hear that music, you'll hear Mike and Willie Phoenix, tearing it up. Those two together, man, it was magic. That's the Mike I remember.

After the TSR's broke up, Mike quit playing for a while. I used to call him, and he'd say, "Man, I'm retired. I'll do my sculpting. I got other stuff I can do." I said "We'll see." I went on to join The League Bowlers, and when we needed a guitar player, I suggested Mike. I said "Come down & jam, and if you hate it, you can go back to your sculpting." Long story short, Mike had a new rock & roll home. Colin Gawel had some cool songs, we recorded them with Rick Kinsinger and Some Balls was born. Rick reminded me of a story about Mike not long ago. Mike was having a little trouble coming up with a lead for a song, so I told him, "Play it like Chuck Berry would, if he was in a surf band." Needless to say, Mike NAILED it. He had an amazing amount of Rock & Roll Knowledge. After all, he lived with the MC5 for a while. That's the Mike I remember.

Some Balls Deluxe is finished now, and Mike left some great guitar playing for us to remember him by. Colin said not long ago, "There are a lot of guitar players that are artists. Mike is an artist that plays guitar." There's a difference. The world lost a gifted human being yesterday. I'm lucky to have known him, to have him in my life, and I have some great memories. That's the Mike I remember. - Jim Johnson

Rock N Roll Through The Eyes Of A Teenage Daughter - by JCE

ROCK N ROLL THROUGH THE EYES OF A TEENAGE DAUGHTER - by JCE

I live and breathe music 24/7. In my house, music almost never stops playing. Every plan we make seems to have music as a central theme. I can’t so much as take a run, relax on my patio or even drive to the store without making a good playlist. I spend far more time listening to music than I do watching TV, that’s for sure. This is how my daughter grew up, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say.

Naturally, my daughter has formulated her own musical tastes from a young age, preferring not to latch on to “Dad’s music.” I will say we do love quite a bit of the same music, because we both have pretty wide-ranging musical tastes, and we love to share new musical discoveries with each other. We also love to go to shows.

My daughter, who is now 19 years old, reads all of my Pencilstorm ramblings as well as the journal I keep of all the shows I go to see. So when she suggested I write something about my favorite shows that we have gone to see that were “her bands” I thought it was a cool idea. My daughter’s first concert was the Jonas Brothers when she was seven years old. That one isn’t going on my list. Neither is 5 Seconds of Summer (twice), Big Time Rush, Florida Georgia Line or even Billie Eilish, who was cool. Every one of those shows and lots of others were great simply because I was there with my daughter and we never fail to have great musical adventures together. We have also seen tons of shows that I absolutely wanted to see that my daughter also wanted to see—Bully, Starcrawler, The Struts, Halestorm, Cilver, The Pretty Reckless, Jade Jackson and many others, but this blog is about shows with my daughter that I never would have been at if she hadn’t asked me to take her. These were her bands, her choices, over a number of years. So here’s the best of the bunch, in no particular order:

BIG & RICH w/ GRETCHEN WILSON at Celebrate Virginia in Fredericksburg, VA

I am not a country music fan. My daughter, however, does enjoy certain country artists. I don’t think she has listened to these guys in years, but here’s the story; Big Kenny is from the county I live in. I knew him before he moved to Nashville and made it big. So, when my 10-year old professed that she liked Big & Rich, I used some contacts and got her a signed photo and a signed book for her birthday. That’s all I needed, but Big Kenny also came through with concert tickets including VIP seating and backstage passes. We all had a blast and my kid cried tears of joy. That was many years ago, however. The rest of these will be more current.

Big Kenny being very nice to a star struck kid

ROYAL THUNDER at The Camel Club in Richmond, VA

I took my daughter to some shows that typical young teenage girls love, but as her musical tastes started to get a little more refined, my daughter decided she wanted to start going to see some club shows. Luckily, unlike when I was a kid, most shows these days are all-ages. So when she happened upon a hard-rocking outfit called Royal Thunder and asked if we could go see them at a little club called The Camel in Richmond, VA, I agreed and we went to see her first club show. Talk about a nice surprise. They played a killer set, gave a shout out to my daughter - who was about the only underage kid there - and we had a great time. It was my first time at The Camel, but I have been back several times since then.

Mlny Parsonz, vocals and bass for ROYAL THUNDER, also made time for a picture and a brief conversation with my daughter.

FALLING IN REVERSE / MOTIONLESS IN WHITE (THE END IS HERE TOUR) at The National in Richmond, VA

My daughter went through a period of time where she was mostly listening to very heavy metal. I’m not talking about hair bands, I’m talking darker stuff. I wouldn’t put Falling In Reverse into the scream-o category, but this tour featuring five bands was heavy, and I really wasn’t looking forward to it. Nevertheless, we headed for Richmond, stopping at Starbucks for coffee and later grabbing a meal. I am a Dad who has been lucky enough to spend some quality time with my daughter, just the two of us, going on a bunch of rock n roll adventures. We parked and got in line and once in, quickly realized that my 5’3” daughter wasn’t going to see much from the floor, which promised to be a full-tilt mosh pit anyway. Instead, we went up to the balcony and got front row seats. The first few bands were hit & miss, mostly miss. But then came Motionless in White. I learned a lesson in being open- minded that night. The band was visually spectacular, hard rocking, and yes they screamed a lot, but it was damn good. Their song called “A-M-E-R-I-C-A” was the one that sold me. Falling In Reverse was pure energy and also a sight to behold. It was a great night.

ANDY BLACK at The Norva in Norfolk, VA

We drove over three hours to make this one happen. Andy Black, who is best known for the band he fronts called Black Veil Brides, was an absolute must for my daughter, so we booked a hotel and bought tickets. The first solo record by Andy Black is pretty decent, so I knew I would enjoy the music. The show stands out as one to remember mostly because my daughter loved it, and the trip in general holds good memories.

The marquee at The Norva

Andy Black onstage

ALL TIME LOW / SWMRS / WATERPARKS / THE WRECKS at Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD

At some point, my kid latched onto punk-pop-emo-indie stuff and we took her to D.C. to see All Time Low and Sleeping With Sirens. That show left me unimpressed. This later show with a bunch of great bands is probably my favorite one in this blog.

The Wrecks opened the show and they were spectacular. I knew a few songs of theirs already and they were great, but they broke out a new tune called “James Dean” that got me pumped up early. Look that one up. Next was Waterparks. All I need to say about this was that we had not heard much of their stuff, if any, beforehand. They are now, a few years and a couple of albums later, my daughter’s very favorite band. So that alone made this a special show. She has raved about Waterparks since that night. Next was SWMRS. For me, they were the highlight of the evening. Their guitar player was wearing a skirt and as he bounced and wobbled all over the stage all I could think of was Captain Sensible from The Damned. I really like SWMRS now, but this was the first I’d ever heard of them. All Time Low were the headliners, and while I will admit their songs are good and their set was good and they deserved to be headliners, I had more fun discovering the new stuff.

The only thing that wasn’t perfect about this show was that my daughter and her friend who came along went to the floor, while my wife and I took a spot in the balcony. That seems proper when you have two parents and two teenage girls, but I did miss talking about all the finer points of what we liked and didn’t like during the show. No worries though, we broke it all down afterwards. We can talk music for days.

SWMRS – My view from the balcony, my kid is somewhere in that swarm below.

ALL THINGS GO FESTIVAL at the Union Market in Washington, D.C.

So far you have discovered that my kid likes punk, metal, and even country. Well she likes pop, too. That’s one thing I love about her, she is open to everything, and she likes what she likes. So when she asked me to go to this festival in D.C. I was not surprised. It’s a two-day festival featuring mostly female artists. The main goal was to see Carlie Hanson on Sunday so we opted for single day tickets. We got to the market a little before gate-time and once inside the fences (this was outdoors) we took a spot on the front rail. In order we saw: Shenna, Teamarr, Carlie Hanson, Allie X, Olivia O’Brien, Leon, Betty Who and Melanie Martinez. My daughter liked Olivia O’Brien. I thought Allie X was interesting, but none of this was up my alley. So why did it make my list of good shows? Because of Carlie Hanson. She was highly engaging and entertaining, she played more songs than a lot of the others and most importantly, she was the reason we were there and my daughter loved her. She rocked a lot more live than her records might suggest. This was a very long day: we arrived at 11:30 a.m. and left at 11:30 p.m., plus the drive was two hours each way. And yet my kid and I had so much fun critiquing artists, people-watching and just spending time together that I was very happy to be there the whole time. (My aging back started achin’ a bit toward the end there, though.) The coolest thing that happened was that an hour or so after Carlie Hanson played, we spotted her and her bandmates heading for the food vendors, or the exit, I’m not sure which. We were able to catch up with them and my daughter got to meet another hero.

We had the front rail for the artist we came to see.

Carlie Hanson (right) and band surrounding JCE’s daughter.

VANS WARPED TOUR at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD

Perhaps my favorite day spent with my daughter bonding over music was the Vans Warped Tour in 2018. I won’t recount that one here because I wrote about it previously. If you have time, go back and check out this previous piece here on Pencilstorm:

http://pencilstorm.com/blog/2018/the-vans-warped-tour-2018-my-experience-by-jce?rq=jce

I’m lucky to have a daughter who shares my greatest passion, music.

Favorite Albums of the Decade - by Nick Jezierny

I am not qualified to publish a list of the decade’s best albums. I did not purchase – or listen to – enough albums to be comfortable to say what’s the best. I also realize that Wikipedia’s yearly lists of album releases are hardly complete. Many of the CD’s I did buy are not listed.

So what I offer today is a list of 10 of my favorite albums from the decade. They are listed chronologically by release date.

2010

Accept / “Blood of the Nations”

Accept has been a guilty pleasure of mine since high school when a friend made me a mixed tape that included “Fast As A Shark.” From there, I became an Accept completist, gathering their first seven releases. They were a soundtrack to my long- distance runs during my years of competing in cross-country and track.

I got to see Accept live a handful of times, including my first club show back in 1986, when Accept headlined the Hartford Agora with support acts Helix and Keel.

So when I say “Blood of the Nations” is the band’s best work, I think I am qualified to make that bold statement. “Teutonic Terror” is the signature tune, but there’s not a bad track on this disc. Vocalist Mark Tornillo makes it easy to forget Udo Dirkschneider, and Accept always has been about driving guitars and heaviness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=req-oDf2ZRc

Zac Brown Band / “Pass The Jar”

I wasn’t too familiar with Zac Brown when I first saw – yes, saw – a concert DVD that was filmed during the recording of this record. I was at a friend’s vacation home in the mountains of McCall, Idaho. That was my introduction to this recording, and this video routinely played as we partied at a cabin affectionately known as Morning Wood.

This was a a benefit concert that features Zac and his band with a many special guests (Kid Rock, Aslyn Mitchell, Shawn Mullins to name a few). I had always perceived Zac Brown as a country artist, but this concert moves him from the country genre to more of a rock band with a country tinge.

I got to see Zac Brown perform live here in Boise, and it’s a heck of a show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QchAohQLfYI

2011

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones / “The Magic of Youth”

Over the years, the Bosstones have become one of my favorite bands. Our wedding photo album is titled “Pictures to Prove It,” a song I first heard on CD-101 in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio back in 1994. My Instagram photo is one of me and Dicky Barrett, the lead singer of the band, taken at the Warped Tour stop in Nampa, Idaho, back in 2002.

I own every Bosstones release and can say with a straight face and confidence that their newer material is as good or better than its prime in the mid- to late-90’s. I had a hard time choosing between this CD and the most recent “While We’re At It.”

The “Magic of Youth” showcases the band at its best, from the driving opening track “The Daylights” and continuing through all 37 minutes. The title track also stands out on a disc that encompasses what you’d expect from the Bosstones: ska guitar and horns, punk attitude and great lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGh3cclk2ck

2012

Watershed / “Brick and Mortar”

If Watershed had an album that didn’t sound like Watershed, this is it. From the ridiculously clever “American Muscle” to kicking Jerry Garcia in the balls in “Manifesto (What I Like to Do),” you get more than typical Watershed pop gems.

I wore this CD out back in 2012 (as well as all Watershed material) after reading “Hitless Wonder.” After nearly eight years, this record stands the test of time. Seeing the band live for the first time the next year in Raleigh was what sealed the deal in making Watershed my favorite band.

“Broken” is my favorite track, but there’s a lot in versatility packed into these 32 minutes. “Don’t Be Honest” is another winner, as are most songs on this album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXG9zbIkrnI

The Gaslight Anthem “Handwritten”

I’d heard of The Gaslight Anthem, but I hadn’t really heard them until Pandora kept playing their songs on my Watershed radio station. I’m grateful that happened.

I found this disc in the used bin at The Record Exchange, and it’s spectacular. I probably should have been in on these guys a few years earlier, but I have a history of being late to the party on bands (see The Replacements, Watershed).

The opener “45” sets the tone and this record is filled with good stuff, including the title track, “Too Much Blood,” “Here Comes My Man” and “Desire.” This is a top-to-bottom great listen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oST77VRHXt0

2016

Two Cow Garage / “Brand New Flag”

I was relatively unfamiliar with Two Cow Garage until around the time this album was released. I heard “Ain’t No Shame” on a playlist that Joe Oestreich put together for a “Hitless Wonder” interview, but that was it untiI I met drummer David Murphy through his girlfriend, a longtime friend.

When TCG came to Boise, I had a pre-show dinner with David and a couple of the guys and saw their show at The Olympic, one of my favorite venues here. I purchased this CD that night and was blown away. It’s chock full of songs with attitude, melodies and stories. Plus, I really seem to gravitate to bands where different members sing (see Kiss, Watershed).

While the single “Let the Boys Be Girls” is catchy and memorable, the highlight is “This Little Light,” a story about a scary incident at a gas station in Houston that is a powerful piece of songwriting that is award worthy. “Beauty in the Futility” is another gem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vJCny5leTI

2017

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers / “Native Heart”

One of my favorite acts dating back to his days leading The Refreshments. Roger puts on a solid show (I’ve seen him eight or nine times), mixing songs from his major-label days to his numerous releases with the Peacemakers, who formed in 1999 after The Refreshments opted out of their record deal to go it alone. Here’s a little history.

“Native Heart” is a 10-song, 38-minute listen of Clyne’s brand of rock. The opening song “Flowerin’” is an uppity tone setter that puts you in a good mood. “Sunday Drivin’” and “Barons to Break” are other highlights.

“Fun” comes across as autobiographical for Roger. “I got a few strings left on this guitar / we’re all crammed in this dingy bar,” lyrics that sum up the RCPM experience nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7zHrTux1-U

2018

The Regrettes / “Attention Seeker” (ep)

Boise has a music festival -Treefort - each March, right after South by Southwest that attracts hundreds of “emerging” artists, most of whom I’ve never heard of. It’s become one of my favorite five days of the year.

Each year, I come away with a favorite. In 2018, it was The Regrettes. I popped into the all-ages venue (a vacant retail space outfitted with a stage) and was blown away by the energy, attitude and presentation of this group. I sensed a cross between the GoGo’s with the singer morphing between Madonna. Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani throughout the set.

We also were in San Diego last year and The Regrettes just happened to be playing the House of Blues that night on the closing night of SiriusXM’s AltNation Advanced Placement Tour. The band was just as good. This little five song EP is a showcase for what they’re about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmABv_iwVL8

2019

The French Tips / “It’s the Tips”

This Boise-based band’s debut record is strong. My wife and Angela (the drummer) work out at the same gym, and that’s how I learned of them. They did an in-store performance at our cool local Record Exchange to release this CD.

I purchased it that night and was pleasantly surprised. “Burn It Down” is a powerful and catchy anthem, and “Buzzkill” probably best defines this all-female trio’s signature sound.

The band killed their set at last year’s Treefort Music Festival, and I was glad to see they were selected again to play this year. Check this out – I think you’ll enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwPo8Ko7eE

Chicos de Nazca / “Since You Got It”

Every Sunday, I watch the New York football Giants lose while sitting at Clairvoyant Brewing. The perk I get is the bartender is a DJ on our local NPR radio station who plays all kinds of music at the bar instead of the annoying announcers.

I use the Shazam app to find out who the artists and songs are, and this was definitely a standout. With a little research, I learned this band is from Santiago, Chile, but formed in Germany. I think they sound a lot like The Church.

“Stuck by Your Fire” is my favorite of the nine songs, but the other eight have a similar groove and feel that makes for an enjoyable listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgFZR6AZLUI