New, Cool Music: June 2018 Playlist

Barry Goldberg In The Groove
Dawes Passwords
Gene Clark Gene Clark Sings For You
Gorillaz The Now Now
Johnny Marr Call The Comet
The Rose Garden A Trip Through The Rose Garden
Simon Love Sincerely, S. Love X

DEEP CUTS:

• The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man (released in June 1965)
• Iain Matthews covers: "Dirty Work", "Spanish Guitar", "Polly", "Tried So Hard"
• Mark Lanegan & Soulsavers "Some Misunderstanding" (Gene Clark cover)
• Timmy Thomas "Why Can't We Live Together"

Barry Goldberg In The Groove

Barry Goldberg is scheduled to play with Electric Flag on July 1, 2018 in Santa Cruz, California. His new album is a delight. His past work with Michael Bloomfield and others is superlative and it's an inspiration to see him continuing at his craft, and so well too...

Dawes Passwords

I mostly know Dawes as Americana-leaning friends of Conor Oberst, so the radio-friendly smooth pop on this album is a bit of a surprise, but a pleasant one.

Gene Clark Gene Clark Sings For You

Gene Clark fans had heard a lot about this album, but few had heard it until this month. The album was recorded at a time that Gene's life and career were at a crossroads: He had quit The Byrds and the direction of his solo career was uncertain. Gene's pal Tom Slocum says: "Another important link in Gene Clark's musically eclectic evolutionary catalog... A must for long-time fans and the fresh young ones curious about this artist's contribution to pop, rock, country, and the music's impact upon its community..."

I've already written about this release extensively here:
18 "New" Songs From 1967 By Byrds Co-Founder Gene Clark: The Holy Grail?

Gorillaz The Now Now

The new one from Gorillaz is cool. Not my kind of music at all, in general, but I've got to give anything from Damon Albarn at least a listen or two. Well worth a listen.

Johnny Marr Call The Comet

The Smith's guitarist is, of course, iconic. He does nothing to diminish his splendor here; only adding to his legacy...

The Rose Garden A Trip Through The Rose Garden

They recorded and released this album in the late 60's. Two Gene Clark songs appear on it, and a new expanded version is being released by Ominvore to coincide with the release of Gene Clark Sings For You. I love the hippie vibe of this album and will be forever grateful to the members of The Rose Garden for preserving the Gene Clark demos they had and which very few people had heard before this month's release of Gene Clark Sings For You.

Simon Love Sincerely, S. Love X

British pop rocker Simon Love's new album is clever, catchy, and sure to be a hit (in the UK). 

I loved his "Madman Across The Water" reference to Trump/Nixon. I've been obsessed lately by the Mick Ronson/Elton John colloboration on the song. Although this song became the title track of Elton John's 1971 album "Madman Across the Water," this first version was recorded during the "Tumbleweed Connection" sessions in 1970, featuring fabulous guitar solos by Mick Ronson of David Bowie's Spiders From Mars. But nobody heard this version of the song at the time. It was not released until 1992 when it appeared on the compilation "Rare Masters." Words & Music by Elton John & Bernie Taupin

BEST MUSICAL NEWS OF THE WEEK: A Kinks Reunion!