Brad Marino - Almost Here

Brad Marino has been releasing new music way faster than I can keep up with it! Since my review of Four Track Attack back in June, Brad has released another four digital singles and now a brand-new Christmas EP! It's like every time I blink, I miss another essential track! So I decided to put my time off this week to good use and play some catch-up! Almost Here features two Marino originals along with a cover of "Blue Christmas". The title track hits so close to home for me. It has that wonderfully festive feel right down to the sleigh bells, but ultimately it celebrates a quiet Christmas spent with your significant other. The lines "But this year it will be only you and me/Because we don't need gifts under our tree" describes my own Christmas experience to a T! If you prefer more traditional holiday sentiment, "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year" is a perfect combination of every happy Christmas song ever written. It's an instant classic in my book, and you know how suspicious I am of any Christmas song written after 1970! The "Blue Christmas" cover is terrific - but would you expect anything less from Brad Marino?!

I suppose, given my tardiness on the Brad Marino front, I ought to say a few words on the recent digital singles. Here are my words: go buy them! "Broken Clocks" and "It's Not Right" are Marino originals, while "Fit To Be Tied" and "Don't Do The Crime" were written by Michael Chaney. Brad plays guitar, bass, and drums on all of these tracks with Kris Rodgers joining in on keyboards. I'm especially partial to the rocker "Don't Do The Time". With great lyrics from Chaney about a drug smuggler done dirty by his lady, this one has a definite New Trocaderos feel. "It's Not Right" is another highlight for me. It sounds like something Joey Ramone might have written, and you know I'm a sucker for that sort of perfect pop!

Given that The Connection Christmas album is one of my go-tos at this time of the year, it's no surprise that I'd be into a Brad Marino Christmas release. While sometimes I'll use the word "free" to describe a "name your price" download at Bandcamp, I will highly encourage paying for this one. Brad is donating all proceeds to St. Jude Children's Hospital. Now that is the true spirit of Christmas.



-L.R.

https://bradmarino.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/bradmarinomusic 

Brad Marino - Four Track Attack

I've been teasing it for a while, and now it's finally here! Out on Beluga Records, Four Track Attack is the debut solo release from Connection singer/guitarist Brad Marino. Naturally I was enthused to receive new music from one of my favorite singers. And the bonus is that two of these songs were contributed by New Trocaderos songwriter Michael Chaney! 

Four Track Attack is a solo effort in the truest sense: all instruments and vocals are by Brad Marino. With Marino breaking out on his own for this EP, there was always the possibility of him doing something way different from The Connection. I would have been perfectly okay with that, but at least on this release Marino is keeping it in his wheelhouse. If you've loved all of the Connection and New Trocaderos records, you'll love Four Track Attack as well. "Should've Known" hits that sweet spot where power pop intersects with good old rock n' roll. It's got it all: a great hook in the chorus, stellar backing vocals (imagine: an army of Brad Marinos!), and a fade-out ending tailor made for radio. Chaney wrote "Hey Girl" especially for this project, so it's no surprise that this Stonesy number suits Marino's talents so well. Marino absolutely rips it on guitar - recalling Keith Richards AND Mick Taylor all at once! Lyrics about a fellow finally giving the heave-ho to his shamelessly unfaithful lady are timeless in a way that we've come to expect from Michael Chaney. This song could easily have been written by a blues man 60 years ago, yet it's no less relevant today. "On The Brink" hints at a Ramones influence, but really it's vintage Brad Marino hard-driving rock n' roll. That "things are changin', and I'm on the brink" refrain is gonna be stuck in my head for weeks! To finish, the Chaney-penned "Special Friend" has that Dave Edmunds type feel that should appeal to any fan of Marino's bands. Again, that guitar work is smokin'!

What I'll say about this four track attack is that none of 'em are throwaways! All four of these songs are top-notch rockers. And serving as his own rhythm section, Marino more than holds his own. Even when you already play in the best band in the world, I think it has to be super fun to go into the studio and make a record that's entirely yours. I was definitely keen on the idea of a Brad Marino solo record, and Four Track Attack does not disappoint. I dare Mick Jagger to make a solo record this good! 



-L.R.

https://bradmarino.bandcamp.com/album/four-track-attack 
https://www.facebook.com/bradmarinomusic 
http://punkrecords.se/ 

Introducing Nicky Fingers & The Motor City Lobsters!

Oh boy! As a huge fan of both The New Trocaderos and Nick Piunti, I was blown away to discover that the two have joined forces to release a brand-new digital single that's now available from The New Trocs' Bandcamp. How did I not know this was happening? It's like Christmas in June! Fresh off of releasing my third-ranked album of 2016, Piunti has teamed up with New Trocs songwriter Michael Chaney and keyboardist extraordinaire Kris "Fingers" Rodgers to form Nicky Fingers & The Motor City Lobsters. Also on board are Andy Reed and Donny Brown from Piunti's stellar backing band. The band's debut song is called "One More Chance", and it does not disappoint. It would not sound out of place on any of Piunti's solo albums, while the songwriting has Chaney's signature all over it. And when you add the contributions of the always amazing Rodgers on piano and organ, you really have something special. Don't let the cover art fool you into thinking this is some kind of death metal type deal. This is pure pop all the way - and what a melody! The recording of this track has been a labor of love going all the way back to 2015. Chaney wrote the song and shared it with Piunti, who proceeded to demo it. And here they are now with a finished product and a new branch added to The New Trocaderos family tree!

From my very first encounter with The New Trocaderos, I've always been impressed by the way Michael Chaney tells a story and his knack for writing about timeless themes. "One More Chance" combines both of those qualities, and Piunti does a beautiful job of his giving his words a voice. As with most songs about longing and lost love, this one is incredibly sad. It's a credit to both Chaney and Piunti that although the song's narrator is clearly at fault for everything that went wrong, I still can't help rooting for him. If this were a movie, I'd be crossing my fingers for a happy ending.

"One More Chance" ought to delight fans of both Nick Piunti and The New Trocaderos. Where else are you going to get this much satisfaction for one measly dollar? So far, this is the only song to be recorded by Nicky Fingers & The Motor City Lobsters. Let's hope that there will be much more to come!

 
-L.R.

https://thenewtrocaderos.bandcamp.com/track/one-more-chance 
https://www.facebook.com/thenewtrocaderos/ 

New one from Tommy and The Rockets!

At this very moment, I can look out the window and witness the full wrath of Winter Storm Stella. In a few hours, I will have the rare pleasure of shoveling 18 inches of snow. But there's no convincing me that summer isn't right around the corner. And with that we get THE summertime record of 2017 from Tommy and The Rockets! This intercontinental supergroup featuring Danish singer/guitarist Thomas Stubgaard (The Lingertones, The Hitchcocks) and New Trocaderos songwriter Michael Chaney released a terrific debut album last year that was warmly received by fans of early Beach Boys and classic era Ramones. It was a really tough act to follow, but Tommy and The Rockets have definitely topped it with a brand-new EP called Rock 'n' Roll Wrecking Machine. This is the band's best stuff yet- and the upbeat, goodtime vibe is a surefire prescription for any lingering winter blahs that might ail you.

With its hopped-up beat, nifty backing vocals, and smoking lead guitar, "Rock 'n' Roll Wrecking Machine" more than lives up to its title. I'm telling ya, it's a stone cold smash hit! You will play it on repeat! "Hey Daisy" is pure, bubbly pop for all of us who are eternally 16 and girl-crazed. "Get Ready" makes me wanna climb in my car and drive real fast with no obvious destination besides a really great time (I might need to wait a few days before attempting such an adventure). And "Gonna Be Alright", a duet teaming Tommy with Julie Jean, is the perfect way to bring this 7" slab of joy to a close. The odes to wistful longing and broken hearts will surely return, but with this record it's all about the high hopes of new love and the unlimited possibilities of youth! Isn't that what rock n' roll is all about? If you love Ramones albums like Rocket To Russia and Road To Ruin, that's precisely the sweet spot that Tommy and The Rockets hit with this release. Once again, Brad Marino and Kris "Fingers" Rodgers rip it up as "session" players. And kudos to Christian Jakobsen for the killer guitar solos! Download is available today, with a vinyl release from Europeans labels Ghost Highway, KOTJ, and Beluga Records due at the end of the week. This review arrived right on time courtesy of me getting a snow day!



-L.R.

https://tommyandtherockets.bandcamp.com/album/rock-n-roll-wrecking-machine 
https://www.facebook.com/tommyandtherockets 
http://www.ghosthighwayshop.com/es/ 
http://oscarkotj.blogspot.com/p/kotj-records.html 
http://punkrecords.se/ 

Introducing Tommy and The Rockets!

An annual joy for me is the appearance of the first great summer album of the year. There always seems to be that one release that heralds summer's imminent arrival - our sweet reward from the music gods for surviving another miserable winter. This year that honor unquestionably goes to Beer and Fun and Rock 'n' Roll - the wonderful debut album from Tommy and The Rockets. A collaboration between Danish scene veteran Thomas Stubgaard (The Lingertones, The Hitchcocks) and rock n' roll songwriter extraordinaire Michael Chaney (The New Trocaderos), Tommy and The Rockets kick up an infectious mix of bubblegum, surf, power pop, punk, and good old rock n' roll. Imagine the '64-'65 Beach Boys time traveling to meet The Ramones in 1978 and stepping through a portal to the 21st Century!

Stubgaard, who was born on the very day the first Ramones album was released, was clearly destined to start a band like Tommy and The Rockets. A huge fan of The New Trocaderos, Stubgaard contacted Chaney last year about collaborating on a song. That one song quickly turned into ten, and just like that a new band was born! With additional involvement from Connection/New Trocaderos principles Brad Marino (drums), Geoff Palmer (drum tracking/mixing), and Kris Rodgers (keyboards), Tommy and The Rockets are a veritable supergroup of power poppin' rock n' roll! And their debut album does not disappoint. Laden with harmonies to die for, melodies you'll be whistling all day, and great lyrics celebrating young love and good times, Beer and Fun and Rock 'n' Roll is an album made for sunny days with the windows down in your car. Even with occasional turns to bittersweet subject matter (because sometimes, you know, love will break your heart), this is the feelgood record of the year. Whether you're headed to the beach or just driving to your lousy job, this is an album that will have you singing along, bobbing your head, and feeling generally great about being alive. The hooks never stop!

In addition to playing guitar and bass, Stubgaard handles lead and backing vocals on Beer and Fun and Rock 'n' Roll. He's a formidable talent, and Chaney was the perfect individual to put words to his melodies. Chaney's previous co-writes with Geoff Palmer (like "Dream Girl" and "Like An Angel") have shown him to be a master of the timeless love song, and he captures the same kind of magic with Stubgaard. This is definitely the album for those of us who treasure nothing in life more than a huge stack of rock n' roll records and the love of that one special girl. And given Chaney's undeniable flair for storytelling, it's no surprise that Beer and Fun and Rock 'n' Roll introduces us to a number of memorable characters. What could possibly compel a womanizing rocker to give up his carefree ways? How do you decide which of two twin sisters you should date? What could be the only thing worse than waking up to discover that the gal you just hooked up with has run off with all of your possessions? These are some of life's burning questions, and this album has the answers!

Beer and Fun and Rock 'n' Roll is a shot of sonic sunshine arriving just in time for summer. It's your soundtrack to the glorious days and fun-filled nights that lie ahead! Digital downloads are available now ahead of a CD release coming this month and a LP release scheduled for June. The band is self-releasing the CD, and Ghost Highway Recordings out of Spain is putting out the vinyl. All of the necessary ordering info has been posted at the group's Bandcamp, so check it out and enjoy the tunes!



-L.R. 

http://tommyandtherockets.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/tommyandtherockets
https://thenewtrocaderos.bandcamp.com/ 

The New Trocaderos make an album!

Last month I stopped just short of handing album of the year to The Connection. Truthfully, it was hard for me to fathom an album better than the spectacular Labor Of Love. But still I had my suspicions that those Connection guys were going to get edged out - by themselves! And that's exactly what has happened. The New Trocaderos were formed in 2013 by Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer from The Connection along with international heartthrob Kurt Baker. I've been raving about these guys for over a year and a half, and I long envisioned their debut album blowing me away. Now that the album has arrived, I am delighted to report that it's everything I was expecting and then some! Thrills & Chills - featuring a lineup rounded out by The Connection's Rick Orcutt and Kris Rodgers - is a lock for album of the year. Hell, let's just call it album of the decade! Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Thrills & Chills delivers 12 more outstanding tracks from songwriter Michael Chaney. It's all new material: no covers and no re-recordings of songs from previous EPs. As always, The New Trocaderos put their fresh twist on the timeless rock n' roll of the 1960s. But over the course of a full album, you get a real appreciation for the range of this band's talents and the variety of its repertoire. Certainly it doesn't hurt to have three great lead singers with three distinct styles. And this album adds new dimensions to the band's sound with the inclusion of harmonica, slide guitar, sax, trumpet, and guest backing vocals from the all-star trio of Kim Shattuck, Palmyra Delran, and Line Cecilie Dahlmann. Of course you can expect nods to Dave Edmunds ("What The Hell Did I Do?"), the Rolling Stones ("I'm So Bad"), and Beatles ("Crazy Little Fool") right out of the gate. If you loved "Money Talks" and "Dream Girl" from the earlier singles, you'll go wild for the sing-along raver "By The Balls" and the British Invasion inspired pop gem "She Don't Know". But Thrills & Chills proves that there's more than just two sides to The New Trocaderos. From the Elvis-y doo-wop of "Love Anymore" to the 12-bar blues of "Business To Tend To" to the country-tinged jangle of "Like An Angel", the new ground covered on this album is considerable. And every time this band tries something new, it totally works! "Midnight Creep", featuring a standout vocal from Baker, is moody and mysterious and completely unlike anything the New Trocs have done before. If I were forced at gunpoint to name the best song on the album, "Midnight Creep" would be it.

Thrills & Chills is an album in the truest sense - a diverse collection of songs inspired by the classic LPs of the Beatles, Stones, and Kinks. No doubt, the songs all sound fantastic in isolation. But when they're put together in this specific order, the whole becomes even greater than the sum of its parts. I love how the ass-kicking rockers and the pretty little pop songs complement each other so perfectly. At no point on this album will you feel like you've heard the same song twice. As the title suggests, this is a record made to be enjoyed. It's full of fun and humor and melodies that will be stuck in your head for weeks. Chaney has a real talent for combining a killer hook with clever and instantly memorable lyrics. He mixes storytelling reminiscent of Ray Davies with more traditional odes to teenage romance, heartbreak, and bad boys living for trouble. And for sure, a songwriter could not ask for a better band to bring his visions to life. The boys tear into these tunes with confidence and enthusiasm - Marino, Palmer, and Baker putting on a clinic in rock n' roll guitar while Rodgers channels a young Jerry Lee Lewis on the keys. And with Shattuck, Delran, and Dahlmann knocking those harmonies out of the park, this album definitely brings a little something extra compared to the singles. Straight up, Thrills & Chills is the classic record I knew The New Trocaderos had in 'em. Almost any band would kill to come up with 12 songs this good in a lifetime. Whether you're 8, 80, or any age in between, this album will have you smiling and singing along and reaching for the repeat button again and again. CD and downloads release tomorrow on Uncle Mike's RnR. Vinyl is coming this fall on Ghost Highway Recordings and KOTJ Records out of Spain!



-L.R.
 
http://thenewtrocaderos.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thenewtrocaderos

New from The New Trocaderos!

Is it weird that my favorite new release of the year is a compilation of songs I've already heard? I don't think it is! Even in this high-tech world of digital downloads and streaming music, I still have a personal need for recordings on compact disc. Essentially that's because my car is equipped with state of the art 2004 audio technology: a CD player! I can't think of a greater tradition in American society than listening to rock n' roll while you're driving. And I can't think of a better band to listen to while you're driving than The New Trocaderos!

Frenzy In The Hips compiles both singles from The New Trocaderos - the rock n' roll super group comprised of Kurt Baker, Geoff and Brad from The Connection, and songwriter/producer Michael Chaney. It adds a brand-new song called "Luckiest Man In The World" for a total of six tracks - the perfect length for my daily commute. But even if you're not in your car, listening to this disc is guaranteed to make your day more awesome. If you've been wanting to buy some of this band's music but have never gotten around to it, this is your chance to own all of it for one low price! Even though I was already familiar with these songs, there's just something super cool about having them all together on one disc. It's neat to listen with fresh ears to songs I hadn't heard in a while and be able to re-affirm my original rave reviews! I'm convinced that "Dream Girl" - featuring Geoff Palmer on lead vocals - has to be a long-lost classic pop song from the '60s. Apparently Little Steven feels the same way, since he chose to debut it as his Coolest Song In The World on a radio program that was otherwise devoted to all-time great tracks from The Beatles and Paul McCartney. Every detail - from the gorgeous harmonies to that majestic bridge to Kris Rodgers's knockout keyboard solo - is flawlessly executed. And yet it's the straight-ahead rocker "Money Talks" that has become my favorite New Trocs song. I don't think a catchier tune exists in this world, and that lead guitar work is hot! Chaney ought to be immediately inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame for coming up with that "The money key opens every lock" line.

Tipping its cap to everyone from Carl Perkins to the Rolling Stones to The Ramones to Rockpile, Frenzy In The Hips condenses 60 years of amazing rock n' roll into 16 minutes of hook-laden fun. You get the complete package: a classic sound, amazing songs, and three great singers. If you were raised on traditional rock n' roll and have become disenchanted with the direction popular music has taken in recent decades, The New Trocaderos will restore your faith in new bands. But I also envision the reverse happening: younger people digging this band and then working their way back to the British Invasion and '50s rock n' roll. If you already own the first two singles, the lure here is the fantastic "Luckiest Man In The World" - which sounds like a song the Beach Boys might have recorded with Keith Richards and Mick Taylor sitting in on guitar. Why not splurge on the whole disc?! Get it exclusively through Kool Kat Musik!



-L.R. 

http://thenewtrocaderos.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheConnectionKickAss

Return of The New Trocaderos!

Check it out! It's not even November yet, and I'm already making a final call on EP of the Year. You can start carving the trophy. As far as I'm concerned, The New Trocaderos have got it locked up! I first proclaimed this band's greatness on the second day of this year - and my big hope was that this would be more than just a one-off project. Well, to my utter delight, this super-group is back with a second helping of rock n' roll/pop/garage goodness that ought to have the entire world dancing and singing along! The New Trocaderos are Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer of the almighty Connection along with the king of power pop, Kurt Baker. Once again, these three have collaborated with L.A. songwriter Michael Chaney - and they've somehow managed to top their sensational debut single "Money Talks"/"The Kids" (a fixture this year on Little Steven's Underground Garage).

The new record is called Kick Your Ass, and it builds off the energy of "Money Talks" without coming off like a carbon copy. This time around, all three New Trocaderos take turns singing lead. And each track has its own distinct feel. Kurt's up first with "Real Gone Kitty" - a high energy shaker in the style of late '50s rockabilly and rock n' roll. Like The New Trocaderos have been known to do, here they acknowledge influences (Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis) and lyrical themes from rock n' roll's golden age yet find ways to make them sound fresh for a contemporary audience. The red-hot piano work of Kris "Fingers" Rodgers would probably bring The Killer himself to tears of joy, and all in all this song joyfully celebrates youth, fun, and the endless pursuit of pretty girls. Again and again, I'm implored by this number to stop whatever I'm doing and start dancing around like a maniac. I am now banned from taking headphones into Whole Foods.

Next up, Geoff sings "Dream Girl" - a gorgeous '60s pop jangler a la Beatles/Beach Boys/Byrds. Again, it's a fresh take on a classic style - with melodies to die for and a vocal treatment that brings to mind a young Nick Lowe. I will warn you in advance that getting this song unstuck from your head may require professional help of some sort. Oh my god, that bridge! Those harmonies and handclaps really hit the spot, and let's hear it for the lost art of the fade-out ending! This is just perfect pop - and a major step forward for this band in terms of production and musical sophistication.

To close out the EP, Brad takes the mic on "Brain Gone Dead". This is about as flawless of a Ramones homage as you could ever hope to hear - replete with morbid nursery rhyme lyrics you won't be able to resist repeating. There's a neat little guitar hook in there that adds a lot to the song - the kind of minor detail that can separate a great band from a not-so-great band. With Brad's distinct vocal style, of course you're going to be reminded a little of The Connection. But what I like about The New Trocaderos is that these three guys all show something a little different when they record under this name. It's not like someone just put a solo Kurt Baker song and a couple of Connection tunes onto a record and passed it off as a new group. Chaney, essentially the fourth New Trocadero, has found the perfect musicians to bring his creative vision to life. Here you have three equally good singers - each with a keen ear for pop craftsmanship and timeless rock n' roll melodies. And the addition of "session" players Rodgers and drummer Craig Sala (Kurt Baker Group) has only made the band better!

What I love about this record is that I'm completely unable to pick a favorite track. There's not one hit here but rather three of them - each one taking inspiration from a different period of rock n' roll that I personally hold dear. Of course The New Trocaderos "borrow" from all the right influences. But just as importantly, they do their heroes proud by crafting songs good enough to hold up in any era. And that, more than anything else, is the mark of great rock n' roll.



-L.R.

http://thenewtrocaderos.bandcamp.com/

Introducing The New Trocaderos!

Talk about a dream team! The New Trocaderos are Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer from The Connection plus the great Kurt Baker doing power poppin' rock n' roll. That's three of my favorite guys in today's rock scene, playing the kind of music that's nearest and dearest to my heart. They've joined forces on this project to record two all-new songs written and produced by their good friend Michael Chaney. If at this point you'd prefer to stop reading and just go listen to the single, I wouldn't blame you! Knowing who's involved here, you don't need me to tell you it's good!

Marino handles lead vocals on "Money Talks", a revved-up golden oldies rocker with hot guitar licks, a knockout sing-along chorus, and harmonies out the wazoo. Not surprisingly, it sounds like it could be a Connection song (and a good one at that!). In the grand tradition of rhythm & blues and early rock n' roll, the lyrics tell a story - one that's as relatable now as it would have been decades ago. Ahhh, the things a man will do for the love of a woman...

With Baker on lead vocals, "The Kids" is exactly the kind of rockin' pop anthem you'd expect. I'm really moved by Chaney's lyrics - which celebrate the salvation rock n' roll music can be for a young person growing up in this world and struggling to make sense of it all. It's essentially a love letter to all the musical greats who have given us all those good times and kept us sane through the bad times. And since it's a pet peeve of mine when songs about rock n' roll kind of suck, it's so great to hear a song like this that genuinely epitomizes what the lyrics are conveying. This is the kind of tune that would have been playing at full blast while you were out with your friends on one of those magical Friday nights of your youth- rocking your worries away and living for the moment. And because of the timeless sound of The New Trocaderos, you'll relate no matter what your age.

What I really dig about this single is that it recalls a time in rock n' roll when the individuals who produced records were artists in their own right - and there was no shame in finding incredibly talented people to perform the music you wrote. I really hope that this is not the last we hear of The New Trocaderos. I love the concept, and more importantly I love the songs! CD pressing is extremely limited, so hop to it!



-L.R. 

http://thenewtrocaderos.bandcamp.com/