The Peppermint Kicks - "Shaking Underground"

When I first heard that The Peppermint Kicks were releasing a new single on April Fool's Day, I got a little suspicious. Anything having to do with April 1st always has me on high alert. Who in the heck releases new music on a Wednesday? Was this going to be an elaborate prank? Would April 1st come and there'd be no single but maybe a triple album with all lyrics in Russian? Would it be branded as Peppermint Kicks but actually be some sort of Metal Machine Music type project? Would the new single just be a video recording announcing that the band is retiring from music to prepare for a mission to Mars? Well here we are, and it all seems legit. 

Out on the one-and-only Rum Bar Records, "Shaking Underground" not only sounds like The Peppermint Kicks, but it might also be the biggest smash hit that Dan Kopko and Sal Baglio have ever crafted together in their secret headquarters. Of course it's a power poppin' garage rock 'n' roll stomper, but this is no ordinary radio hit for an alternate universe. This, my friends, is a full-blown ANTHEM and a rousing call to action. It's an unflinching commentary on technology addiction and content oversaturation — and the hapless masses who find themselves manipulated, enslaved, and zombie-fied by all those sinister little devices. The irony that this song is largely being transmitted through devices is probably not lost on the band, but sometimes you've got to wage war with the weapons you've got. "Shaking Underground" is not all gloom and doom. It's a wake-up call, and it proposes a way out of this nightmare. No more fooling around! Joined by dynamo drummer Chuck Ferreira, Kopko and Baglio are in top form on this track. Sometimes it takes an irresistible tune to ensure that the message hits hard, and no doubt "Shaking Underground" will have you shaking and grooving with all you've got. What a freaking tune! Sometimes when all else fails, rock 'n' roll is the answer. There is another way. Let's give 'em hell to pay! 

-L.R.

https://thepeppermintkicks.bandcamp.com/track/shaking-underground
https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/track/shaking-underground
https://open.spotify.com/album/4CXGQR7z7YiNvRvTHD8yr0
https://www.facebook.com/thepeppermintkicks/
https://www.instagram.com/thepeppermintkicks/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords
https://www.instagram.com/rumbarrecords/

The Peppermint Kicks - Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum

The Peppermint Kicks have titled their second album Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum, so of course you can expect a doom metal masterpiece. Just kidding. The sensational super-duo of Dan Kopko (Watts, The Shang Hi Los) and Sal Baglio (Amplifier Heads, The Stompers) is back with ten more tracks of '70s-inspired glam rock and pop that fittingly arrive with several weeks of summer still in front of us. As terrific as the band's 2021 self-titled debut album was, Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum (out today on Rum Bar Records) is at a whole other level. We can debate all day whether it's better to be a singles band or an album band, but The Peppermint Kicks have aspired to make the whole question moot. Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum is essentially a whole album of singles. The duo's sound and identity remain heavily influenced by the pre-punk '70s — think glam rock, bubblegum, early power pop, and big hooky arena rock. One listen to this album will have you fondly recalling a time when you lived for listening to the radio and spending your allowance on LPs at the record store. But the chemistry and shared musical vision between these two fantastic songwriters feel considerably more developed this time out. You can hear elements of their other bands at times, but you can also hear them combining their talents to create something that's uniquely The Peppermint Kicks. 

The best thing about being an indie band making a classic rock record in the 2020s is that you don't have to worry about record label interference, commercial pressures, or unsympathetic producers getting in your way. I am reasonably sure that Malibu Lou didn't lock these guys in a closet and threaten to not let them out until they had written another "When Rock & Roll Met Your Dad." Kopko and Baglio were free to just make the album they wanted to make. And just as the title suggests, this is a great pop record that really rocks. But by no means is it a copy of its predecessor. "Radio Wam Bam Boom" and "Too Sweet (Oh Yeah!)" kick off the album with a 1-2 punch of vintage glam rock pop action. But any fears of every song on the record sounding the same are quickly assuaged. "Number One Record" and "Out Of The Trashcan Into Your Heart" are truly perfect pop songs. "Little Doll (Picolla Pupa)" is a garage-rocking throwback to prime '60s British pop. "Shangri La" is laidback and dreamy — a calming moment in the shade that gives way to the dizzying, Cheap Trick meets The Strokes rush of "Lollipop Girl". "Gigantor," with its classic Bowie vibes, is nicely paired with the upbeat punky power pop of "Speed Racer." "We Did It All For Rock & Roll" is the big arena rock anthem that brings it all to a rousing conclusion. 

It goes without saying that Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum is a perfect record for the summertime. But like any great pop-rock album, it's truly for all seasons. There was never going to be much mystery about what a band called The Peppermint Kicks would sound like. But on this second album, Kopko and Baglio (joined by drummers Kevin Rapillo, Chris Anzalone, and Napoleon Hashimoto) bring a sound that's bigger, hookier, and even more satisfying. Who can't relate to songs about the radio, French girls, British girls, Italian pop stars, Japanese cartoons, and rock 'n' roll itself? And with Danny The K himself mixing and mastering the record, there was no chance that the musical vision would be compromised in the studio. The album sounds both classic and contemporary, and that's absolutely a hallmark of a Kopko production. I can still remember the first time Lou told me that these two guys we working on a record together and thinking, "Holy shit!" Well The Peppermint Kicks have turned out to be everything I hoped they would be and then some. I spent most of this week driving around in 95 degree weather in my non air-conditioned car listening to Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum trying to decide which songs were the "hits." I had no success, but rarely in my life have I enjoyed failing at something that much. This is indeed a whole album of hits!

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pop-rocks-in-my-chewing-gum
https://thepeppermintkicks.bandcamp.com/album/pop-rocks-in-my-chewing-gum
https://open.spotify.com/album/40UWEAYKI6NtEluleKLLdp
https://www.facebook.com/thepeppermintkicks/
https://www.instagram.com/thepeppermintkicks/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords
https://www.instagram.com/rumbarrecords/

The Peppermint Kicks - "Radio Wam Bam Boom"

And they're back! The last time The Peppermint Kicks released new music, we were all walking around wearing masks. It's hard to believe it has been four years since Sal Baglio and Dan Kopko unleashed the supersonic, intergalactic glam rock transmission that had hips shaking and toes tapping from here to MoM-z14. As The Peppermint Kicks prepare for the release of their second long player, they've treated us to an advance single just in time for summer. Out on Rum Bar Records, "Radio Wam Bam Boom" is a tribute to the medium that has always meant the most to rock 'n' roll: the almighty radio! Don't we all have memories of growing up when radio was everything — a magical entity which brought us the hottest sounds from all over the globe and compelled us to gleefully descend upon the nearest record store in search of that magic wax that set our souls on fire? And what I love about "Radio Wam Bam Boom" is that it doesn't just celebrate the heyday of rock 'n' roll radio. It also gives kudos to all the D.J.s and radio programs that continue to fill the world with music via the internet, satellite, and left of the dial stations. How could a song called "Radio Wam Bam Boom" NOT be awesome? It's all big guitars and big hooks — a glam-rocking, power-popping, radio smash earworm launching like a rocket from your headphones or speakers. If you can get through even half of this song without frantically bobbing your head and thrusting your fist in the air, you might want to check yourself for a pulse. And check it out: they got the world's #1 radio personality, Palmyra freaking Delran, to appear on the track as the voice of radio! And that's Kevin Rapillo, who has played with Baglio in The Amplifier Heads, absolutely killing it on drums. I was not sure that the first Peppermint Kicks album could ever be topped, but if "Radio Wam Bam Boom" is any indication, it seems these guys have found another gear. In the immortal words of Hesh Rabkin, "Now that's a hit!"

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/track/radio-wam-bam-boom
https://open.spotify.com/album/4hgLz1Xa1qjkIxGc8lRHXN
https://www.facebook.com/thepeppermintkicks/
https://www.instagram.com/thepeppermintkicks/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

The Shang Hi Los - "Morganatic Panic"

I can say with nearly 100% certainty that The Shang Hi Los are the first band in history to write a power pop song about Edward VIII's abdication of the British throne in the wake of his engagement to divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. But given that it touches on love, passion, scandal, intrigue, and sacrifice, this story is absolutely the perfect subject matter for a three-minute pop song. It's no shock that the Shangs have churned out an indie chart smash in "Morganatic Panic." They are a hit singles machine. The band has never rocked harder, and they're channeling Cheap Trick more than a little on this rollicking earworm. There's enough guitar power on this track to shake a packed stadium. On the toe-tapping scale, this song rates a 12 out of ten. Once that "You'd better run, run Teddy/Run, run Teddy" refrain hits, resistance is futile. You are hooked, and everyone within earshot of you for the next several hours will be too. A constitutional crisis with a whiff of sex is sure to arouse anyone's interests, and the Shangs have given Edward and Wallis an anthem worthy of their world-altering romance. Get this song of the summer contender now from your home of the hits, Rum Bar Records! 

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/track/morganatic-panic
https://theshanghilos.bandcamp.com/track/morganatic-panic
https://open.spotify.com/album/0NaG4ga6tgvVgi0pzMXwGE
https://www.facebook.com/ShangHiLos
https://www.instagram.com/shanghilos/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords
https://www.instagram.com/rumbarrecords/
https://www.youtube.com/@shanghilos863

The Shang Hi Los - "Op-Operator"

Hey kids, are you ready for some perfect pop? The Shang Hi Los have been favorites of mine since releasing their first single in the fall of 2020. Last year's full-length release Aces Eights & Heartbreaks was one of my favorite albums of 2023 and could have passed for a greatest hits collection. It has been well over a year since we've heard new material from The Shang Hi Los, but the band is back with the first in a series of new singles on Rum Bar Records. Just in time for Daylight Saving, "Op-Operator" will spring you out of your winter blahs with its upbeat melodies and earworm chorus. There's just no denying that Dan Kopko and Jen D'Angora as songwriting collaborators and co-lead singers have something special going on. And the band, having added Chad Raleigh (The Rationales, Emily Grogan Band, etc.) on guitar, has never sounded better. "Op-Operator," with its blend of new wave synths and classic pop sensibilities, is a vintage Shang Hi Los number and a surefire indie smash hit. The song puts a clever twist on the "boy meets girl" theme. I've often pondered how vital communications can be when it comes to relationships, and this single's retro cover art drives that point home pretty well. The technology may have changed, but the significance of landing those digits has not. Now what happens after you land those digits is never fully certain! A music video directed by Joan Hathaway will premiere in a couple weeks and illustrate this song's story in quite an amusing way. For now, you can listen to "Op-Operator" and draw your own conclusions! More singles are in the works, and I'll drink to that. The Shang Hi Los: now with more guitars!

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/track/op-operator
https://open.spotify.com/album/41QCg6rGrd91MlGxRJ1Uw7
https://theshanghilos.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ShangHiLos
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

Danny The K - Cigarettes & Silhouettes

Danny The K, a co-author of what is still my #1 ranked album of 2023, is without a doubt one of the best songwriters out there. Oddly enough, he'd never done a solo release — until now! Out today on Rum Bar Records, Cigarettes & Silhouettes finds the Watts/Shang Hi Los/Peppermint Kicks rock superstar devoting himself fully to a pure pop sound. His knack for big hooks and earworm melodies has long been on display in the hard rock, punk, and garage rock songs he's best known for. But on Cigarettes & Silhouettes, he goes all in on pop and creates the ultimate soundtrack to summer. I'm tempted to describe this EP as "AM radio pop," but that reference would be 45 years out of date. Still, a lot of you will probably get what I'm saying. 

Cigarettes & Silhouettes is a solo endeavor in the truest sense. Danny sings all the lead and harmony vocals, plays all the instruments, and even mixes in some keyboards and electronic beats. He recorded and mixed the whole record himself. In a way, these are vintage Dan Kopko songs. In another way, they're unlike anything he's done before. The vibe and the sound of this release are just so smooth. I'm not talking yacht rock smooth; I mean more like Malibu lemonade by the pool smooth. These five songs are built on a foundation of easygoing melodies, silky harmonies, and sweet, sticky hooks. Danny's love for '70s radio is as apparent as ever, but he excels here with a softer touch. I hear these songs and can't help imagining them emanating from the amusement parks, skating rinks, and drive-ins of my youth. Lead single "Roller Derby Girls" seemed like it would be hard to top, but "Sugar Rush" just might be THE hit. If you could bottle everything you loved about summertime and turn it into a song, this would be that song. "The Skateaway" has more of a melancholy feel as it reflects on summer glories coming to an end. That hook has been latched to my noggin for weeks. The title track has a reflective, mellow vibe to it — demonstrating that a pop approach to songwriting doesn't have to mean lightweight. In the hands of a lesser songwriter, a song called "Met You in an Elevator" could have been unbearably cheesy. But Danny the K totally pulls it off, dialing up a gorgeous, stick-in-your-head melody along with lyrics that melt the hearts of the eternal teenagers in all of us. It's also an outlier on this release in the respect that it sounds very much like contemporary pop music. Hopefully some teen star will cover this song and make Danny filthy rich on royalties. 

While Danny the K has been a major creative force in the underground rock and roll world for a long time, Cigarettes & Silhouettes is his first creation that's 100% his baby. The vision and the execution were entirely in his hands, and he knocked it out of the park. This EP is guaranteed to please longtime fans, but it also allows Danny to try things that might never have fit in with his bands. This is a great little pop record from a true craftsman of the style, and your summer will not be complete without it.

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cigarettes-silhouettes
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords
https://watts.bandcamp.com/
https://thepeppermintkicks.bandcamp.com/
https://theshanghilos.bandcamp.com/

Danny The K - "Roller Derby Girl"

 

Danny The K is no stranger to readers of this blog. At least three of his bands (Watts, The Peppermint Kicks, and The Shang Hi Los) have garnered rave reviews from my desk, and it's no stretch to consider him one of the finest songwriters in contemporary rock and roll. When I heard that Dan was doing a solo release, I was excited to hear what he was up to. He's got everything from hooky glam and arena rock to Clashy punk to classic power pop in his bag of tricks. The title of lead single "Roller Derby Girl" had me thinking along the lines of power pop and '70s bubblegum  — something very close to the songs he wrote for The Peppermint Kicks. When I heard the song, I was not disappointed. "Roller Derby Girl" is textbook power pop and a legit song-of-the-summer contender. This, my friends, is classic Dan Kopko: a riff-o-rama earworm laden with silky harmonies and more hooks than The Home Depot. This, along with the rest of the upcoming Cigarettes & Silhouettes EP, is 100% Danny's baby. He wrote, played, and produced every note. But even with complete creative control, he has not strayed from what he does best. Any fan of his bands is guaranteed to dig solo Danny The K as well. If you love power pop or any kind of hooky rock and roll, "Roller Derby Girl" will be heaven to your ears. Cigarettes & Silhouettes releases July 14 on Rum Bar Records!

The Shang Hi Los - "Plymouth Rock"

Just as I was searching for a new song to add to my Thanksgiving playlist, The Shang Hi Los and Rum Bar Records have come through! Okay, so maybe "Plymouth Rock" isn't exactly a Thanksgiving song. It concerns a different kind of pilgrimage from the one they teach in school -- from the puritanical suburbs of the South Shore to the welcoming haven of Boston's music clubs. It's a song about finding acceptance and finding yourself, and it's the latest smash hit from a foursome that is quickly becoming one of my favorite bands out there. Co-written by singer/guitarists Jen D’Angora and Dan Kopko and featuring lyrics and lead vocals by D’Angora, "Plymouth Rock" is probably The Shang Hi Los' most "pop" track yet. And you know I'm not complaining! This is a throwback punky power pop tune that totally hits the sweet spot for me. The guitars pack a serious punch, the melodies are undeniable, and D’Angora totally crushes the vocal! With its sing-along hook "We were young/And didn't belong", this is an anthem that will strike a chord even with folks who have no personal connection to Boston. I'm not denying that I sometimes enjoy this song with a side of pumpkin ale, but "Plymouth Rock" is truly a song for all seasons. It will appear on the Shangs' debut album due out in the spring. Oh man, I can't wait!

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/track/plymouth-rock
https://theshanghilos.bandcamp.com/track/plymouth-rock
https://www.facebook.com/ShangHiLos
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

Watts - Seventeen

Alright! Watts, one of America's finest rock and roll bands, has released maybe its strongest single yet. And it's free! Written by singer/guitarist Dan Kopko, "Seventeen" is Side A of a brand-new digital single available from Rum Bar Records. It's a ripping dive bar rocker that ought to have you dancing in your PJs within seconds. It delivers just about everything you could want from a rock and roll song: a toe-tapping beat, hard bluesy riffs, a killer vocal from Dan, sizzling lead work, a sing-along chorus, and for good measure a whole lot of horns! Watts is definitely treading early '70s Stones territory here - familiar ground for the Boston foursome. And let me tell you: the band rocks out this track like there's no tomorrow! As you can always expect from a Danny the K production, the guitars and drums are absolutely thunderous. Alex Kopko's horns add a cool layer to the band's usual attack. I know horns in rock and roll can be hit or miss, but here they definitely hit. This song is such a scorcher that it just about leaves me breathless! On the B-side, "When The Party Ends" switches things up with a mellow, reflective vibe that again brings peak-era Stones to mind. Dan and guitarist John Blout wrote this one together. It's a true power ballad - showing the thoughtful side of Watts while still packing one hell of a punch. 

Although "Seventeen" is a digital single, I appreciate that it was designed like it was a vinyl record. Watts has given us a pair of songs that are meant to complement each other. You've got one song for the height of the party and another for the contemplative morning after. This record is a perfect example of why I love Watts. Of course these guys can play circles around just about anybody, but it's their ability to write amazing tunes that really sets them apart. Crank up your digital turntable and enjoy a classic rock and roll single like hardly anybody makes anymore. All you need is a Watts poster for your wall!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/seventeen-b-w-when-the-party-ends-free-digital-ep
https://watts.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/wattsrock 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

Watts - Breaking Glass

The best hard rock n' roll band going is back with another digital single to get you juiced up for a new album due this spring! "Breaking Glass" is a free download from Rum Bar Records, and it features Tim McCoy taking a turn on lead vocals. McCoy, who co-wrote this number with Dan Kopko, has a cool raspy voice that perfectly fits the tone of the song. This is definitely what you'd call a riff-driven number, and I've gotta say that that riff is bad-ass! Remember those days of rock yore when a cool riff was every bit as important as a memorable chorus? Watts sure do! And how wicked good is that guitar solo?! Along with "Breaking Glass", this three-song download includes "Queens" and "The Night The Lights Went Down". The former is a riff rocker anthem worthy of '70s KISS. The latter, featuring drummer Johnny Lynch on lead vocals, is arena-sized barroom rock n' roll right out of the Stones/Aerosmith playbook. What's not to love?! The last time Watts made an album, I called it "the greatest classic rock record of the decade". I stand by those remarks but fully expect Watts to outdo themselves with this new full-length coming out on Rum Bar. Blout and Kopko as a guitar tandem and songwriting partners are as good as it gets in rock. But I love hearing the band's incredible rhythm players getting some creative input as well. This is a true band in every sense. A wise man once posed the musical question "Who will save rock n' roll?". Watts just might - or at least die trying!



-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/breaking-glass-queens-the-night-the-lights-went-down 
https://watts.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/wattsrock 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords 

Watts - All Done With Rock n Roll

Today we've got a free single from Watts titled "All Done With Rock n Roll". Thankfully, Watts is most definitely not all done with rock n' roll! Here Watts accept that the glory days of rock n' roll bands packing stadiums and selling millions of records have long since passed. Fittingly, the song brings to mind a time when thundering guitars and a big chorus were the perfect recipe for commercial success. This is up there with the catchiest songs Watts has ever written. That hook is so simple, yet impossible to resist. And I love those Queen-like stacked vocals at the end!

If you love classic rock and lament that music like that isn't being made anymore, treat yourself to this free single from Watts and consider checking out the band's full catalog. Rock n' roll didn't die - it just went underground!



-L.R.

https://watts.bandcamp.com/track/all-done-with-rock-n-roll 
https://www.facebook.com/wattsrock 

The Black Heart Of Rock-N-Roll!

Watts, the best classic rock band going, has finally gone out and made its classic album. It's like the last 25 years in music never happened, and I couldn't be happier!

When I last checked in with Watts, I had high praise for the Boston band's third album Flash of White Light. Now with their new one The Black Heart Of Rock-N-Roll, Watts have taken what they do best and found a way to do it even better. This is still the Watts that you know and love - a band kicking it back to the heyday of the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, and Aerosmith. But it's clear that with this album, the band really set out to hit one out of the park. Here Watts sound like a band that went to every length to write its best songs yet and record them to perfection. Everything about The Black Heart Of Rock-N-Roll just sounds "bigger": the hooks, the guitars, the production, you name it. And out of ten total tracks, I can't name one that wouldn't make a fine single. What we have here is an an album that would be tailor made for radio airplay if the '70s had never ended. And that's exactly what we need more of in 2016.

One thing I like about Watts is that they're a true band. All four members sing, and everyone plays an essential role. John Blout and Dan Kopko are probably my favorite guitar tandem out there - a modern day answer to Keith Richards/Mick Taylor, Joe Perry/Brad Whitford, and the Young brothers. Those thunderous riffs and killer solos hit the sweet spot for me every time. But you can't talk about Watts without also mentioning the phenomenal rhythm section of Johnny Lynch (drums) and Tim McCoy (bass). The Black Heart Of Rock-N-Roll is what you get when hot chops meet monster hooks and straight-up stellar songwriting. It starts out strong with the riff-heavy title track, ends with an old-fashioned arena anthem in "Bring On The Lights", and unleashes a parade of hits in between. My first reaction to "She's So Electric" was to wonder how these guys got Mick Jagger to sing on their record. My second was to note that the Stones haven't sounded this good in 35 years! You hear a lot of bands that can emulate the guitar power of '70s AC/DC, but few can come close to matching the songwriting. Watts are pretty much there on "Strut (Like A Champ)" (and I love the little nod to Angus Young in the solo!). "Stage Fright" has me fondly recalling the days when Aerosmith still made great records, while "Fast & Loose" is forcing me to admit I sometimes like southern rock. And lead single "Up All Night" is vintage Watts - a song built on maximum riff power and a simple but effective hook.

I'm not saying you shouldn't drop a couple hundred bucks on tickets to see AC/DC or KISS this summer. I would merely urge you to also catch Watts live if you ever get the chance. This is a band keeping the fire burning for real rock n' roll in 2016, and it has just turned out the album of its life. Downloads are available now via Rum Bar Records - with CDs arriving next month. And, yes, this is the kind of album that sounds especially great on vinyl. Fear not- LPs are coming in the fall! 

-L.R.

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-heart-of-rock-n-roll-2
https://watts.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wattsrock/
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords

Watts rock!

Flash Of White Light is the third album from Watts - and it's the kind of record that will make you wish you could catch these Boston rock n' rollers live! I love that this album makes zero concessions to the past 35 years of "progress" in popular music. It's exactly what we need more of in today's world - straight-up rock n' roll full of hot licks, high-powered riffs, and superbly-crafted hooks. Imagine if you could edit down your local classic rock station so that it only played the good stuff (Rolling Stones, Faces, AC/DC, early Aerosmith). Watts would fit right in on that channel!

When it comes to the current generation of no-frills rock n' roll, you have your bands with swagger and you have your bands with songs. It's rare to hear a band that's got both, and that's why Watts really stand out. John Blout and Dan Kopko, who tear it up on lead and rhythm guitar like a modern day Mick Taylor and Keith Richards, also excel in the singing and songwriting departments. And with drummer Johnny "Rock" Lynch (Neighborhoods/Dirty Truckers) and bassist Tim McCoy rounding out a phenomenal lineup, it's hard to find a better current rock n' roll band than Watts. Flash Of White Light sounds like it could have been issued in 1978 - not just for stylistic reasons, but also because it recalls a time when there was no shame in aspiring to write a hit song. In the case of Watts, the band has basically aimed for a whole album of hit songs! I would go so far as to say that you could easily slip a track like "Wasted Angels" or "Rocks" in between Cheap Trick and KISS on just about any rock oldies station, and people would be like, "This song is great! Why haven't I heard it before?" But I'm hesitant to use a word like "retro" to describe Watts, because that would imply that their music sounds out of time in the modern age. I prefer the term timeless - especially when you consider that real rock n' roll has never gone away no matter how widely it's been ignored by the mainstream in recent decades. And now more than ever, we need music like this.

Like so many of those great rock albums of yore, Flash Of White Light finds that perfect mix of sing-along rockers (the crackling title track), melodic mid-tempo numbers ("The Mess Is The Makeup"), and genuinely good ballads ("Better [For A Girl Like You]"). Of course the guitar work is electrifying, but it's a credit to the band that it never overshadows the songwriting. This is definitely one of those albums where every song is a little different and not just a rehash of the previous track. And even the deep cuts are gold. "Flying Over With Bombs" is like the "Sweet Child O' Mine" of 2014, while the Stones-y "Sidewinder" brings to mind unsung greats of the recent past like The Dragons and Bash & Pop. And while the band has great fun pointing out the derivative nature of its music on album-closer "Trick", the song itself is a complete triumph and a textbook example of why Watts rule. I've never cared a lick if something I'm listening to is breaking new ground. I just want to rock, ya know?! Watts rock hard, write great tunes, and live for that moment when they get to hit the stage and fill a room with energy. Flash Of White Light is highly recommended not just to classic rock fans but to anyone who craves music that is exciting and vital. Get the CD from Rum Bar Records, and vinyl lovers can still pick up the "Flash Of White Light" 45 while supplies last!



-L.R.

http://kingyumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/flash-of-white-light-cd-koozie-combo 
https://www.facebook.com/wattsrock 
https://www.facebook.com/RumBarRecords