THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME (NEW RELEASES) By Michael McDowell

DON'T COUNT DOWN:  After a brief foray outside of his established vision brought him a most welcome signature single in 2024 in the form of Good News, composer and vocalist SHABOOZEY returns to form with his adventurous and all new double album, The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales.  Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People Editor / Publisher Michael McDowell saddles up for the ride. (Click on above image to enlarge).

CDs AND VINYL - NEW RELEASES

(REVIEWS ARE POSTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY ARTIST)

DAUGHTER FROM H*LL - 

Gracie Abrams (Rainstorm)

How far is too far?

In his 2011 Fifteen Minutes album, composer and vocalist Barry Manilow issued a number of hard hitting warnings to fellow artists about avoiding falling victim to the trappings of success. While generally universal in nature, those caveats took on a whole new meaning when a certain prominent artist succumbed to such pitfalls shortly after the album's release.

This is not to say that every artist is steps away from the proverbial rabbit hole. Many have walked close to the edge in the studio, yet have managed to distance themselves accordingly. 

One artist who has excelled at walking that fine line on record while keeping their focus intact is composer, vocalist and Los Angeles native, Gracie Madigan Abrams. For this, her third studio album (and fourth overall, counting her acclaimed 2025 live album), Abrams primarily sings cautionary tales from the perspective of first hand experience. 

In tandem with Abrams' thinking outside of the box approach, the prerequisite data inigenous to album packaging is kept to a minimum, making it incumbent upon the listener to investigate more diligently than usual to fully appreciate the results. While a lavish string background avails itself upon occasion, it provides only minimum distraction from the mission statement. Closer investigation finds discernment borne of experience availing itself most prominently in Cold Goodbyes, The Knife, the single Look At My Life, and Humming (with its savvy hook line, "What a way to feel in your 20s").

The remainder of the material runs the gamut of emotions, from less assertive (the ballad Mews) to the somewhat flippant and relatively uptempo Minibar, which was composed in tandem with Audrey Hobert. 

"Where is it written that every album I make has to sound like the last one?" Rock and roll legend Dave Edmunds once asked that question in response to an inquiry about a perceived change in direction. 

In turn, while the endearing naievete that graced much of the material on her 2024 The Secret Of Us album has given way to an atmosphere of greater candor, suffice to say that the creative process herein assures that any well intended cautionary caveats have already been heeded or are a work in progress. Job well done.

ODD NUMB3RS AND

SLANTED RHYMES - 

Gary Calamar (Big Stir)

IThere are several attributes which mark the success of an effective lyricist. 

First and foremost among them is vivid imagery. This distinction does not necessarily apply to the methodology of the more poetically inclined composers (such as Hank Williams, William "Smokey" Robinson or Bob Dylan), who tend to emote, inspire and convict from an abundance of resoures in terms of a turn of phrase.  Rather, it suggests a center stage presence of universal benchmarks that combine to evoke solidarity among the faithful. 

Also indigenous to the proceedings would be judicious use of geography. Almost every artist who performs in a live setting is well aware of the value of greeting the rank and file with a spirited, "Hey Detroit!" or "How's it goin', Miami?" That many a song makes such references a seeming prerequisite (the Easybeats' Saint Louis, Nancy Adams' Ypsilanti, Kenny Price's Biloxi, the Clash's London Calling) underscores the point.

Product placement: The stakes were raised to the degree of earning a BBC ban for the Playmates in 1958, when their tale of a drag race between a limousine and a little bubble car generated no small amount of incredulity when presented as a face off between a Cadillac and a Nash Rambler. Carly Simon found herself in similar circumstances in 1971, when her Anticipation single for Elektra (originally intended to depict a meeting with fellow composer and vocalist Steven Demetre "Cat Stevens" Georgiu) became a celebration of the speed (or lack of same) with which the contents of a bottle of Heinz catsup availed itself. 

In the case of renowned composer, vocalist and lyricist Gary Calamar, all of these attributes and more factor into this highly anticipated collection of seventeen originals. Depicting his journey from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica (in reality, a trek of little more than an hour that perhaps has a parallel in a sojourn across Essex County, Ontario from Windsor to Leamington) as having earned him the title of The Prince Of Pico Boulevard, Calamar paints a matter of fact picture of his surroundings in a healthy variety of such settings.

Those settings would range rom the second generation garage rock-inspired, crisp, keyboard-heavy, execution of Back Door Man and the perhaps not so much cautionary as celebratory She's So Mid-Century  to the mid-destination diversion of Little Tokyo and the reality check of Looking For A Job, Calamar most assuredly did not come by this abundance of lyrical acumen lightly. 

A long time fixture in the Southern California music industry, he is aware of his limitations ("I play guitar about as good as I did in high school, but I rock those chords"), as well as the attributes of industry peers who can contribute at maximum level.

To that effect, long time Calamar colleague and advocate Willie Aron provides key sweetening herein on backing vocals, harmonica and melodica, as well as keen insights into Calamar's mission statement.

"As Gary's long time friend and some time musical collaborator, I marvel at his journey from record store manager to manager of the Balancing Act to well respected music supervisor", Aron said.

"Gary sharpened his considerable skills as a singer / songwriter. His songs have wit, humor, heart and soul and rock and roll, to quote his semi-autobiographical, The Prince Of Pico Boulevard.

"It has been my pleasure and honor to appear on this great album."

To be certain, Odd Numb3rs And Slanted Rhymes is an engaging collection, in which Calamar matter of factly addresses any perceived Rough Patch and assesses Who Are We Gonna Be Today?  Even the rank and file observer is certain to be Giddy as a result.

MY VOICE -

Laura Chavez (Ruf)

During the so-called Golden Age of Instrumentals, it was often noted that many a musician learned to play guitar by studying the instructional albums produced by the Ventures and the Kingston Trio.

Prior to running its course, that movement began to diversify. Lavishly orchestrated singles began to take center stage, as typified by classic singles from Raymond LeFevre, Nick DeCaro, Hugo Montenegro and Paul Mauriat.

Although she draws her inspiration from a variety of sources, the San Diego, California based composer and guitarist Laura Chavez is most assuredly a firebrand whose mission statement stands in solidarity (however unintentionally) with that of the Ventures. To that effect, My Voice showcases a variety of original and cover material to underscore the point.

In the latter category, My Voice opens with a faithful reading of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Born On The Bayou. Dedicated to her father Tony (a self-professed devotee of the former Golliwogs' work), Chavez's rendition is at once faithful to the original while reflecting her own inspiration. 

In turn, Southern California's beloved Blasters are saluted with a spirited take on their stage favorite, So Long Baby Goodbye. Therein, Chavez does a remarkable job of instrumentally simulating the trademark intense and passionate vocal delivery of Phil Alvin, complete with a healthy dose of Bob Bogle-inspired power chords and a bit of Dave "Baby" Cortez-like keyboard flourishes from Lea Worms to bring the mission statement full circle. The mid-tempo take on Booker T. And The M.G.s' Chinese Checkers follows suit impeccably.

Perhaps the only anomaly within the proceedings is the slow blues take on the traditional La Llorona. Included at the insistence of label head Thomas Ruf (in part keeping with the label's overall mission statement), Chavez rallied to the cause only after a pause for reflection to make certain that she was in solidarity with the results. 

Thankfully, original material such as Mind Your Step, Wanderer and Mamba Negra brings a much welcome element of diversity to the proceedings; an attribute that is often in short supply within those circles. 

"I had to find a way, with my guitar as the primary voice to communicate the same things my favorite singers were able to communicate through true songs with hooks, melodies, and most importantly, my own voice and personality", Chavez said.

To that effect, with My Voice, Chavez's words ring loud and clear.

BLUES NOW -

GA-20 With

Charlie Musselwhite

(New West)

Sometimes Word Of Mouth can go a long way.

In the case of Winnipeg, Manitoba bassist and vocalist Robert Neilson "Neil Merryweather" Lillie, that Word Of Mouth was conveyed via a 1969 double album on the Capitol label that ultimately served as a showcase for some of the most promising like minded artists around. They included Barry Goldberg, Dave Mason, Steve Miller, Ed Roth and the Koslusco, Mississippi-based harmonica virtuoso Charles Douglas "Charlie" Musselwhite.

In the wake of that ambitious project, Musselwhite wasted little time in cementing his own formidable legacy, as evidenced in a series of acclaimed albums for Arhoolie, Paramount, Together and other labels. Herein, he joins forces with the ambitious GA-20 for a ten track triumph that celebrates the best that the genre has to offer, and without the stopgaps that often sidetrack such proceedings.

To that effect, Blues Now falls in line straight out of the gate with Big Stars Falling, a twelve-bar motif based on the prototypical Baby What You Want Me To Do template championed by Jimmy Reed. Likewise, I'll Change My Style builds upon the sublime drama found in James "Slim Harpo" Moore's Raining In My Heart. 

In turn the instrumental romp, Universal Rock revisits the Chicken Pickin' fervor of Lonnie Mack. The proceedings draw to a conclusion in Cristo Redentor, in which Musselwhite is afforded not so much a forum in which to work out; rather, one that enables him to spotlight the basics in matter of fact manner.

In his aforementioned Word Of Mouth project, Neil Merryweather sang of savoring success by licking the spoon. To be certain, the sonic gravy evidenced herein would make such a gesture anything but an exercise in futility.

THE GREAT DIVIDE -

Noah Kahan (Mercury)

Noah Kahan knows of which he sings.

In the vivid imagery of this double album (his fourth), the composer, vocalist and Stafford, Vermont native (however unintentionally) showcases his mission statement on multiple fronts. In terms of the material itself, Kahan presents himself as an itinerant chronicler of matters both personal and cultural. 

The presentation varies at will from a full band setting (when proclaiming developments of particular concern) to acoustic (occasionally serving as interludes to draw attention to situations which provide subtle stepping stones). The former approach works particularly well on the emotionally charged Deny Deny Deny, the introspective Doors and the title track (with its instant classic key line, "I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich"); the latter which has already enjoyed major acclaim as a hit single (as has the album itself).

Nonetheless, with that comes a variation in intent on the title. It speaks volumes about a curious dichotomy that persists within certain factions of those who envision themselves as keepers of the flame. 

To wit, a number of those keepers found themselves somewhat disenfranchised during the protracted aesthetic slump that dogged music during the so-called AM/FM wars of slightly more than a half century ago. Relief finally came in the form of the indie movement at mid-decade, which brought a sense of roots-conscious vision that countered the self-indulgent elitism at play within the mainstream.

Slightly more than a half century after the fact, much needed additional respite from what the late, great Michael Nesmith once astutely termed The Grand Ennui has again come in the form of a highly promising singer/songwriter movement among up and coming artists, of which Kahan is an integral part. Yet the response from the aforementioned keepers has otten been one of resistance or (at best) indifference, based on the same periphery (chronology, genre myopia, et al) that characterized their perceived nemesis of a half century ago. 

In all fairness, one caveat persists that perhaps warrants additional consideration between all concerned. While many of the front line artists of the current singer/songwriter movement (Kahan included) have proven themselves to be most capable and clever lyricists, many of them also come from a perspective that does not harbor particular concerns regarding what was considerered coarse language by their forerunners. Among them, such verbiage has fallen into common, everyday usage (and indeed avails itself occasionally within this project), which continues to provide an impasse between the two camps. 

For the moment, the best course of action seems to be to take the high road by highlighting and encouraging the common ground. Or as Kahan astutely put it herein, "I'll pray for you, be in pain for you, I'll leave the Porch Light on". 

STARS -

The Morning Line (Big Stir)

"It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero".

So sang Taylor Swift in the third track from her 2022 Midnights album. As outlined in the remaining lyrics, the broad counter-punch afforded Swift on that subjective issue enabled her to respond with a relatively altruistic perspective. 

Such selflessness almost seems to fly in the face of the bigger picture that availed itself in music in the wake of the so-called punk/new wave indie movement of a half century ago. It often asserts itself as an albatross that defines the mission statements of many an aspirant. However, it can do so to the degree that it also serves as an exercise in futility for both creator and listener. 

In the case of the Bay Area quartet the Morning Line, the twenty-one selections in Stars have had twenty-two years to state their case. Recorded between 2004 and 2026, the majority of the numbers lean towards the early 1980s "angry young man" perspective quite well. 

But in the quest for achieving the purist perspective, sometimes crucial details can be overlooked. The result can impact the outcome in ways that even the artists themselves may not have anticipated.

To wit, a common practice during the so-called indie era was to at least create the impression that the project at hand was conceived under the most rudimentary conditions. The assumption was that the universal appeal quotient would be impacted accordingly. Yet many of those recordings were nonetheless done in state of the art studio settings. 

Even so, one such byproduct of that methodology was a generally inadvertent  relegation of the project's lead vocalist to secondary status. This was done by burying them in the mix to the point that any sort of prerequisite emoting on their part was lost in a cacophony of lead percussion and twelve-string guitar swirls. 

With regards to the latter point, take Roger McGuinn out of the Byrds and the result is Starry Eyed And Laughing. In turn, take twenty-one examples of well intended indignancy about the general state of affairs and obfuscate the mouthpiece, and the result is not that far removed from the glut of twelve-inch club mix singles that emphasized the rhythm track to the point where the featured artist only marginally factored into the results. 

Thankfully, there is simple resolution. Revisit the basic music bed at hand. But give it the boost in the mix that it needs to make the point; be it something along the lines of Armed Forces-era Elvis Costello or the clumsy (yet well intended) bravado of the late Tom Petty's "Break-DAYOWN" (sic).

Otherwise (and again, offered from the hard earned perspective of altruism and encouragement), Taylor Swift's "I'm the problem, it's me" maxim will inevitably avail itself if left unchecked. A well intended work in progress.

THE OUTLAW CHERIE LEE

& OTHER WESTERN TALES -

Shaboozey (American Dogwood)

No doubt many would concur that a little more Good News would be more than welcome.

Although such relentless optimism on a grandiose scale has largely eluded civilization from the onset, the world of music at least had a taste of Good News in the closing weeks of 2024 via the instant monster classic of the same name. The artist behind that most inspiring work was composer, vocalist and Woodbridge, Virginia native, Collins Obinna Chibueze; professionally known as Shaboozey.

Not surprisingly, Shaboozey's 2024 signature single was embraced by the faithful who concurrently stood in solidarity with music's most ambitious front runners. Their ranks would include Ed Sheeran, Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone, Taylor Swift, AJR, Alex Warren, Doechii, Teddy Swims, Gracie Abrams and their like minded colleagues. 

However, for the artist himself, Good News was a bit of an anomaly. An ardent devotee of country music with a somewhat purist perspective, Shaboozey has frequently sung the praises of such inspirations as Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, as well as a cadre of related artists that would include Lead Belly, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. 

With The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales, Shaboozey has once again prioritized the particulars that have largely motivated him since the release of his debut album, Lady Wrangler in 2018. But as a result, his musical activities have somewhat fallen under the radar of the rank and file that comprises much of the collective audience of his aforementioned contemporaries. 

With input in various capacities from Jamie Foxx, Teyana Taylor, Leon Bridges and others, The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales draws thematically from the late Marty Robbins' "Tales Of The Old West" phase, as evidenced in his Gunfighter Ballads and More Gunfighter Ballads albums for Columbia.

Moreover, Shaboozey ramps up the tension in the proceedings (which flows like a multi-act stage production) by increasing the drama level in a manner not unlike that found in Garth Brooks' The Thunder Rolls. The latter attribute is particularly evident in Sweet Revenge, one of this collection's highlights.

At the time Good News made its debut, country music had not yet availed itself to a significant degree among that single's target demographic. However, the subsequent massive successes within those circles of the likes of Ella Langley's Choosin' Texas and Stella Lefty's Boston suggests that Shaboozey's post-Good News phase may well reinvigorate and retain his momentum.

KISS ALL THE TIME.

DISCO, OCCASIONALLY -

Harry Styles (Erskine / Columbia)

Flourishing in a solo career after a protracted season as part of a successful group is not always a given. 

Some artists managed to sustain their momentum, such as Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys or David Ruffin of the Temptations. On the other hand, the best intentions of Highway 101's Paulette Carlson or William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys did not quite live up to their earlier group endeavors.

In the case of Harry Edward Styles, both he and fellow One Direction alumnus Niall James Horan have managed to flourish as solo artists since the quintet called it a day in 2016. Not content to rest on their respective laurels, Horan and Styles have both made a concerted effort to produce first rate solo material. 

Styles' most recent outing finds him increasingly diversifying his portfolio of inspirations. To wit, the album's opener, Aperture (a term occasionally invoked in music circles in reference to the proper positioning of the mouthpiece of a horn) underscores the cerebral nature of the project, augmented by a backdrop straight from the Kraftwerk catalog. 

In turn, American Girls draws from the classic template of a Sunrays or Hondells slice of relentles optimism. It is then rendered with deliberate understatement to underscore the point for a target demographic that may not yet be familiar with those inspirations. 

Indeed, the Redditch, Worcestershire native is part of a growing contingent of front line artists who are reaching out in solidarity to their inspirations. Their numbers are arguably led by composer, vocalist and avid record collector Sabrina Carpenter, although that inspiration can also be found in abundance in the recent works of Sienna Spiro, Bruno Mars, Olivia Dean and others. 

Styles runs the gamut of revisionist history throughout the remainder of the proceedings, Highlights include the dramatic semi-narrative Are You Listening Yet? (complete with a Pink Floyd-tinged interlude), the new wave vibe of Taste Back and the rollicking Pop. 

To be certain, a veteran musicologist and / or record collector would do well to investigate. In the words of one of Styles' earlier triumphs, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally is but a Fine Line between the two camps.

ANTONE'S 50TH PRESENTS

CHICAGO BOUND -

Various Artists (Select-O-Hits)

"The blues is so big, that no one person could ever learn it in a lifetime".

Some have begged to differ.

The above observation, made by Austin's late Home Of The Blues founder, Clifford Antone, has (in certain circles) often been countered with a variation to the likes of, "The genre is so monolithic, that there is far too much rich diversity out there to warrant not devoting an entire lifetime to it".

In reality, the answer lies somewhere between those two extremes. Stating the case for the defense are the artists gathered within this sampler.

Rightfully so, the defense draws from the inspiration of one of its most cherished founders, composer, vocalist, guitarist and Chess Records alumnus, McKinley "Muddy Waters" Morganfield. With such venerable visionaries as Little Walter Jacobs on harmonica and Otis Spann on keyboards as fixtures in his entourage, Morganfield stated the case for the charismatic aspects of the genre as well as could have been expected.

"All well and good", according to many of the dissenters. But their enthusiasm began to wane exponentially as the albums by those who inspired them began to showcase a disproportionately high percentage of that material as relatively pedestrian cover fodder.

For the dissenters, relief came when the aspiring artists began to compose their own material. Material that largely stood far above the herd in terms of its richly diverse verse, chorus and bridge structures.

Paradoxical circumstances indeed. In part, the methodology behind the mission statement is underscored by the level of the various visionaries involved. In this collection, the case is stated by no less than the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood (in tandem with Ivan Neville, C.C. Adcock and Jimmie Vaughan) in One Step At A Time, as well as Moving Sidewalks founder and lone survivor of the classic ZZ Top lineup, Billy Gibbons via Hangin' On A Cliff, and brought home by the Fabulous Thunderbirds in I'm Not Ashamed. Convincing arguments are rounded out through presentations by John Primer, Anson Funderburgh, Lavelle White and others.

As the dust resettles, there of course are those who will remain resolute that the likes of the Moving Sidewalks' 99th Floor and the Rolling Stones' Aftermath album continue to provide relief for those running from the Grand Ennui. But as John Primer and his colleagues reassert in this collection's finale, the notion of having one's mojo working  continues to get the job done.

WILD CHILD -

Alex Warren (Atlantic)

There never was a time when Atlantic Records was not ahead of the curve.

Co-founded in October 1947 by the late Ahmet Ertegun, Atlantic Records has consistently flourished as a leader among labels. Its vaunted artist roster has included such giants as Ray Charles, the Clovers, John Coltrane, LaVerne Baker, Ornette Coleman, the Drifters, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Led Zeppelin, Crosby Stills And Nash, Bette Midler, Yes, Laura Branigan, Mott The Hoople, Debbie Gibson and Bobby Darin, to name but a few. 

As it celebrates its seventy-ninth anniversary, Atlantic continues to soar with a world class artist roster that features Rose', Bruno Mars, Ravyn Lenae, Ed Sheeran and this visionary composer, vocalist and Carlsbad, California native. One of the most ambitious artists of the decade to date, Alexander Warren "Alex Warren" Hughes has firmly established himself as one of the premier exponents of the burgeoning singer/songwriter movement via such uncompromising originals as A Message To My Younger Self, Ordinary and his superb Bloodline duet with labelmate Jason Bradley "Jelly Roll" DeFord.

With Wild Child, Warren dives into even deeper dramatic territory. To wit, the opening track, the relatively optimistic Emerald Eyes suggests as much with such poignant observations as, "Stole my heart enough to make a man a martyr". Likewise, the tongue in cheek Are You Having Fun Alex?  takes expectations a step further by equating his songwriting acumen with Christmas, birthday celebrations and the Fourth Of July. 

Conversely, the high drama inferred in his Summer 2026 hit single, Fever Dream (included here) avails itself to an even greater degree in Fine Place To Die ("Fiction is fact, and a storm's always on the horizon") and Rescuer ("Took all of the last of the strength I had to collapse right at your door"). But in these and other cases throughout the proceedings (particularly Cry Wolf and I Won't Go Back Again), Warren finds a tangible (if not ideal) solution just before reaching the point of no return. 

Indeed, Warren's stark observations have served as both a reality check and motivator among his many faithful. To bring full circle a couple of benchmarks from his 2024 You'll Be Alright Kid album, Warren in his unique brand of altruism hopes to Save You A Seat as he navigates Troubled Waters.