Upcoming Releases (all dates subject to change):

Notes:	Bonamassa “Tales Of Time” video package to be released in April! The Pretty Things announce a career spanning boxed set!
Date:	Title-Artist (s)
NOW ON SALE:	Higher Than Heaven-Ellie Goulding Queen Of Me-Shania Twain This Is Why-Paramore GRRR Live!-The Rolling Stones
021723:	Crucial Crue-Motley Crue (boxed set) Trustfall-P!nk Desire Pathway-Screaming Females Cuts & Bruisers-Inhalers
022423:	High Drama-Adam Lambert Bad Magic: Seriously Bad Magic-Motorhead (expanded edition of bands final album) Strange Dance-Phillip Selway Cracker Island-Gorillaz
February 2023:	Bonfire Of Teenagers-Morrissey
031023:	Endless Summer Vacation-Miley Cyrus Moving On Shuffle-Van Morrison Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard?-Lana Del Rey
031723:	Songs Of Surrender-U2 Fantasy-M83 World Gone Cold-World Gone Cold (super group ft. members of Attack Attack!  P.O.D. & Demon Hunter)
032423:	So Much (For) Stardust-Fall Out Boy Higher Than Heaven-Ellie Goulding Memento Mori-Depeche Mode
033123:	The Love Still Held Me Near-City And Colour The Price Of Progress-The Hold Steady Continue As A Guest-The New Pornographers The Complete Studio Albums 1865-2020-The Pretty Things
040723:	Meteora (20th Anniversary Edition)-Linkin Park Plastic Eternity-Mudhoney
041423:	72 Seasons-Metallica
042123:	Atum-Smashing Pumpkins Fuse-Everything But The Girl
042823:	First Two Pages Of Frankenstein-The National
050523:	The Album-Jonas Brothers
051923:	Walk Around The Moon-Dave Matthews Band
060223:	Council Skies-Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Spring 2023:	untitled-Saliva
tba:	untitled-Avenged Sevenfold untitled-blink-182 untitled-Busta Rhymes untitled-Cardi B No Way Out 2-Diddy untitled-Dua Lipa untitled-Ed Sheeran Dark Matter-GZA Black Diamond-Janet Jackson untitled-Kelly Clarkson untitled-Kelsea Ballerini A Reckoning-Kimbra untitled-MC5 untitled-My Bloody Valentine untitled-Phantom Planet untitled-PJ Harvey untitled-Portugal. The Man R9-Rihanna Heaven And Hell-Sum 41 untitled-The Cure untitled-Gaslight Anthem untitled-Toadies untitled-Travis Barker (blink-182) untitled-Zack de la Rocha (rage against the machine)

 

 

 

Notes:	Metallica release 72 Seasons on 4/14/23! Saliva announce new album in Spring 2023!
Date:	Title-Artist (s)
NOW ON SALE:	SZNZ: Winter-Weezer (EP, final set of 4) Lies They Tell Our Children-Anti-Flag Every Loser-Iggy Pop
012023:	Radio Songs-Dave Rowntree (drummer for blur) La La Land-Guided By Voices Mercy-John Cale Rush!-Maneskin
012723:	Gloria-Sam Smith Asking For A Ride-White Reaper Truth Decay-You Me At Six Steppenwolf-The Epic Years 1974-1976 (3CD box)-Steppenwolf One Day-F**ked Up The Elektra Albums: 1983-1987-Dokken
020322:	Higher Than Heaven-Ellie Goulding Queen Of Me-Shania Twain
021023:	This Is Why-Paramore GRRR Live!-The Rolling Stones
021723:	Crucial Crue-Motley Crue (boxed set) Trustfall-P!nk
022423:	Bad Magic: Seriously Bad Magic-Motorhead (expanded edition of bands final album) Cracker Island-Gorillaz
February 2023:	Bonfire Of Teenagers-Morrissey
040923:	72 Seasons-Metallica
042123:	Atum-Smashing Pumpkins
Spring 2023:	untitled-Saliva untitled-Everything But The Girl Memento Mori-Depeche Mode
tba:	untitled-Avenged Sevenfold untitled-blink-182 untitled-Busta Rhymes untitled-Cardi B No Way Out 2-Diddy untitled-Dua Lipa untitled-Ed Sheeran Dark Matter-GZA Black Diamond-Janet Jackson untitled-Kelly Clarkson untitled-Kelsea Ballerini A Reckoning-Kimbra untitled-MC5 untitled-My Bloody Valentine untitled-Phantom Planet untitled-PJ Harvey untitled-Portugal. The Man R9-Rihanna Heaven And Hell-Sum 41 untitled-The Cure untitled-Gaslight Anthem untitled-Toadies untitled-Travis Barker (blink-182) untitled-Zack de la Rocha (rage against the machine)

Indigo-RM (debut album for BTS member RM, aka Rap Monster aka Kim Nam-joon.)

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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