Upcoming Releases (all dates subject to change):

Date:	Title-Artist(s):
NOTES:	Dio box of last four studio albums coming on 9/22! Dirty Honey announces "Can't Find The Brakes," out on 11/3! GNR release new 7-inch single from "Chinese Democracy" sessions on 10/26! Green Day to release 30th Anniversary CD and/or vinyl "Dookie" boxes on 9/29! Black Oak Arkansas covers album, "The Devil's Jukebox" arrives on 9/22! Wolves At The Gate release "Lost In Translation" covers album on 9/22! Within Temptation "Bleed Out" on 10/20! Michael Franti & Spearhead release "Big BIg Love" on 11/3! Neil Young to re-release "Harvest Moon" on 11/2!
NOW ON SALE:	Road-Alice Cooper Realms-Cindy Wilson (B-52's) Jubilee-Old Crow Medicine Show Come On Over-Shania Twain (expanded 3CD Super Deluxe, 3LP Super Deluxe, 3LP International Super Deluxe, 2LP Deluxe, 2CD Deluxe, and Digital) Unreal Earth-Hozier Struggler-Genesis Owusu End Of World-Public Image Ltd. The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons-The Hives The Dark-The Band Camino Chrome Dreams-Neil Young (unreleased 1977 album) Mammoth II-Mammoth WVH Automatic-Rick Springfield Rocket Power-Quavo
9/1/23:	Relentless-The Pretenders Kings Of The Asylum-Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons Yellowjackets Soundtrack (Season 2)-Various Artists Complete Recordings-TV Eye (duran duran before simon lebon)
9/8/23:	End Of The Day-Courtney Barnett Playing Robots Into Heaven-James Blake Guts-Olivia Rodrigo Back To The Water Below-Royal Blood Bird Machine-Sparklehorse Or That Beautiful Feeling-Chemical Brothers Hello Nasty (4CD boxed set)-Beastie Boys A Song For Leon-Various Artists (leon russell tribute album)
9/15/23:	POST HUMAN: NeX GEn-Bring Me The Horizon CMF2-Corey Taylor Revamped-Demi Lovato End-Explosions In The Sky MONO-k.flay It's The End Of The World, But It's A Beautiful Day-Thirty Seconds To Mars NEEDTOBREATHE-CAVES Bluegrass-Willie Nelson Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton-Steve Hackett (2CD + blu-ray/ 2CD + 2DVD/ 4LP vinyl) Who's Next/ Lifehouse-The Who In Flight-Barenaked Ladies
9/22/23:	Chaos Horrific-Cannibal Corpse Flying Wig-Devendra Banhart Tension-Kylie Minogue Nothing Lasts Forever-Teenage Fanclub The Devil's Jukebox-Black Oak Arkansas (covers album) The Studio Albums 1996-2002-Dio (limited edition, 180g-vinyl, boxed-set) Lost In Translation-Wolves At The Gate
09/23/23:	Carlos, The Santana documentary, premiere's.  General theatric release on 9/29.
9/29/23:	Isn't It Now-Animal Collective Screamin' At The Sky-Black Stone Cherry Sit Down For Dinner-Blonde Redhead Cousin-Wilco Dookie-Green Day (30th anniversary Deluxe version 4CD box and/or 6LP box) Aja-Steely Dan (180-gram vinyl album/ 200-gram UHQV 45's)
10/6/23	Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees-Dogstar Are We There Yet?-Rick Astley
10/13/23:	Rewind Forward (EP)-Ringo Starr FYFTY-Lynyrd Skynyrd (4CD box) Formentera II-Metric Tomorrow's Fire-Squirrel Flower
10/20/23:	LIGHTBRINGER-Rival Sons Bleed Out-Within Temptation Lighthouse-Duff McKagan Lost At Sea-Chris Shifflett My Big Day-Bombay Bicycle Club
10/26/23:	Perhaps/ The General-Guns N' Roses (vinyl 7-inch single)
10/27/23:	1989 (Taylor's Version)-Taylor Swift Heaven Comes Down-Dokken History Books-The Gaslight Anthem Diamonds And Pearls-Prince & The New  Power Generation (deluxe re-release, including two hours of live performances, 2CD/4LP and/or a super-deluxe 7CD/12LP/blu-ray edition w/ 75 remixes, B-sides, alternative versions, songs given away to other artists, a 120-page book, etc.)
11/3/23:	Can't Find The Brakes-Dirty Honey Pretty Vicious-The Struts Little Bit Of Sun-Semisonic Orange Head-Black Grape Big Big Love-Michael Franti & Spearhead Harvest Moon-Neil Young (3-sided, clear-vinyl 25th anniversary re-release.)
11/10/23:	Higher-Chris Stapleton
11/17/23:	Rockstar-Dolly Parton Pink Friday 2-Nicki Minaj

History Of Local Releases from Binghamton Area Artists:

…got an album by a Binghamton area artist to add?  Please send your submission to: Info@Radio2Point0.com. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Nowhere But Down-Woodshed Prophets

---If The Woodshed Prophets self-titled debut was their shot at proving themselves to be a viable recording entity, and not just a cover band, then “Nowhere But Down,” sees the band getting more comfortable with the place they’ve carved out. 

----They refer to their style as “Power Twang,” so with that in mind this album is a little more twang and a little less power, while their first disc was a little more power.  That’s not such a bad thing.  The songs are still strong, but while they rock a bit less, they are still celebratory.  This is closer to a good time party album.  It gets a bit mellow at the end, but what party doesn’t? 

---“Nowhere But Down” opens with the raucous, party anthem “Moonshiners Ball,” but from that high, descends into an almost happy, but not quite “let’s get drunk to forget our broken hearts” ballad, that would make Jimmy Buffett proud.  Also, this song has something that you would think more of the “Prophets” songs would have had…steel guitar.

---“Dancing In The Kitchen” is sentimental, but not sappy, with a hook that radio and DJ’s in particular should love.  It’s an Alabama style ballad, with a little boogie at the end. Too bad it’s corporate managers that make the decisions these days.  This has a chance to be a legitimate hit.

---“Can’t Take It” gives a bouyant voice to bubbling-under frustration.  This mid-to-uptempo melody, driving harmonica and vocal harmonies almost make frustration seem like a good thing, but the desperate vocals betray the songs good time feel, and echo it’s true intent.

---“Jesus Saves” gives voice to beer-goggles mentality by putting us in a car with a stoned, cigarette smoking and drunk driver, more worried about being busted by the cops than dying in a car crash on the highway, because he knows he’ll go to heaven in the crash.  The song doesn’t mock this mindset, or attempt to judge it, but it is scary because most people know someone just like this guy.

---Musically “Sandy” brings together The Eagles and Bruce Springsteen-esque riffs that make for an excellent piece of working man’s rock.  The opening alone melds an “Already Gone” style riff, with the E-Street Band’s signature chugging rhythm section’s style, while paying tribute to a barmaid who stays cool. 

---“Bottle Of Whiskey” finds the band breaking out the steel guitar again, in a jamming piece of country rock during verses, that morphs into rockin’ country during the chorus, it not only works, but it has one of the best sing-along choruses of the whole disc. 

---“Ladybug” isn’t about a bug at all, but a woman who needs to “fly on home,” ‘cause her husbands out drinkin,’ messing around and her kids are alone, sung from the perspective of friend that maybe wants to be something more.  It’s a bit sad, but lovely, too.

---“My Front Door,” is an ode to those who can’t stop their mind from racing, featuring Eagles-like harmonies.  It’s a great hangover recovery song.

---“Two Steps Closer” is a rousing anthem for trailer trash in a bad relationship.

---“Lorraine” is little bit of Texas boogie and blues that sounds like it was written for Z.Z. Top.

---I suppose that a band that plays as many country bars as The Woodshed Prophets, had to record a song like the album’s finale, “Land Of The Fourth Of July.”  It is a smoldering, minimalistic piece…just keyboards, piano and two part harmony.  No percussion whatsoever, but doesn’t the opening piano part remind you of “Strange Magic,” by ELO? 

---“Nowhere But Down” shows the “Prophets” a little more mature, a little more comfortable, but still a lot of fun.  It’s a great ride for country rockers of any age!

---Dr. Dave 10/12/13

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ALBUM REVIEW: Ten Metaphors For Love-Brenna Swanger:

---At age 15, most teenagers are trying to keep up with their homework, school sports or the latest trends on YouTube.  Not Brenna Swanger.  At age 15 she’s  made an album, and surprise, it’s a credible album.  Now let’s put this in perspective…this is an album that features songs from the point-of-view of a teenage girl, by a teenage girl for teenage girls.  There are songs about love, losing at love, victimized by love, love fantasies, etc.  That being said, this is a well crafted pop album.  Swanger didn’t overstep her abilities…she kept things simple.  Most songs feature her vocals (overdubs for harmony and/ or effect here and there.) either a keyboard or guitar, or both, and electronic drums, but she wrote all the lyrics, contributed on the music and of course sang on everything.  Some songs feature some violins and there are a few guest appearances, for example a smokin’ guitar solo, by her guitar teacher and Rooster & the Roadhouse Horns guitarist, Paul Knapik on “It’s You,” and even a somewhat out of place verse of rap over the bridge of “A Million Lies,” by Joey C.  Mary Falvo also plays lead guitar on “Victim Of Your Love.” 

Overall, this album reminds me of Tiffany.  I know I’m dating myself, but this sounds like an album that Tiffany could have made back in the late ‘80’s.  Maybe Brenna should start singing in malls.  That Swanger accomplished this at her age and contributed as much as she did is amazing.  It speaks to her abilities not just as a singer, but a songwriter, too.  Most artists at this level are performing songs by other artists.  That she already has ten originals on an album is nothing short of incredible.  Let’s not sell her strong, clear vocals and decent vocal range short either.  

My favs on this album are the ballad, “Lullaby,” followed by “Be There,” “Invisible Love,” anyone of which could be a single, but “Lullaby” in particular, is the most mature and broadly appealing song in this package.

Can’t wait to hear how her abilities grow on her next album.

---Dr. Dave 9/28/13.

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CD REVIEW: Obscuriosity-Stephen Lawrenson

Lawrensons third album is another collection of smart, jangly alt-pop, that will remind you at times of ELO, or John Lennon’s post-Beatles solo work.  The opening track, “Your Karma,” is especially Jeff Lynne-esque with it’s heavy reverb and harmonies.  The title track is bouncy and you’ll find yourself amazed at how many words actually rhyme with “Obscuriosity.”  “Edge Of The World” features a more laid back groove that owes a lot to The Beatles, as does “Words To Say,” and “Small White House.”  Lawrenson obviously wears his influences on his sleeve.

“2^nd Time Around” sees the production value and the reverb stripped back a bit revealing a sound closer to Toad The Wet Sprocket, than ELO and perhaps a lot closer to the real Stephen Lawrenson.  The songs remain irresistibly pop and extremely catchy.

On “Ordinary” the production value is upped a little on what is possibly the second best song on the album. 

“Forever And A Day” is a straight forward love song, which features some nice mandolin and/or banjo work.  The drumming is minimized with emphasis on picking and lyrics with harmonies for accent.  This could be a hit pop song.

The production value comes roaring back on “Thank You,” and on the albums conclusion, “Pale Yellow,” which reminds me of the way that ELO ended their landmark album, “Out Of The Blue”…with a soft yet bombastic goodbye. 

The songs are extremely catchy and excessive listening could lead to whistling, or even singing along.  Lawrenson is clearly one guy who can write a hook. 

Originally published: 9/21/13

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Album Review:

Band: Esquela

Album name: “Are We Rolling?” 

Release Date: 6/14/13

Esquela is a band that plays country rock…which always strikes me odd, because with a name like Esquela, it seems like they should be a mariachi band, but forget the name for a moment, forget that it’s really just a nickname for the bands founder and get into their sound.  This is a country rock band, with a blistering female singer, who sounds like a cross between Dale Krantz Rossington and Linda Ronstadt, and musically the band is tight, with a sound that recalls some of Rolling Stones best country rockers, but the songs on “Are We Rolling?” seem written right out of a conservative right-wing playbook that would make Dick Cheney proud, denouncing welfare on “Free Bird,” (which was replaced over a decade ago by President Clinton’s workfare program), Union corruption (on “Too Far Left”—as if the left are the only ones capable of abusing power.), and the sin of laziness on “My Friend.”  There are some songs on the album that strike a more broad appeal, like “Free Beer,” which addresses religious intolerance…”Frozen Chosin” heralds Korean War vets…”Phone Home” gives a cheater the heave-ho…”Genesee Fever” references the Loomis Gang in the 1800’s and is one of only two songs on the album that don’t seem to have a political agenda…and the closing track (the other track that is not political) is the classic “Tossin’ And Turnin’” originally made popular in the 60’s by Bobby Lewis. 

This band was built to be a good time rockin’ blues band, and the songs are uptempo and jangly, but the lyrics just appeal to a narrow audience.  It’ll probably play well in small town conservative bars and pubs, but it may have a hard time finding a wider audience.  Too bad, because this band can play and given the right songs, they could break out nationally.  Singing about religion and politics usually doesn’t help, in fact that’s why the best songwriters try to write songs so that they’re open to interpretation, so that they’ll appeal to listeners across the country and around the world.  So, consider this album a lesson in writing lyrics.  I’m hoping that on the next album, the lyrics will live up to the band, because this band really can play…they just need songs that live up to the caliber of these fine musicians.  They need their own, “Honky Tonk Woman,” for example.  Not that they need to cover that particular song, they just need a song that will do for them, what that song did for The Stones.  They just need songs that reflect the attitude that this band evokes…a good rockin’ good drinkin’ good time, and when they find those kinds of songs, I hope they’ll let me review that album, too.  In fact, I’m looking forward to it. 

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