Courtney Barnett: Before You Have To Go
The second single to emerge ahead of the Things Take Time, Take Time album (due in November) is an amicable-breakup song. Stereogum writes that it "is built around a translucent cyclical guitar riff that lends the song both incredible forward momentum and a deep sense of longing. ...As with the prior single ["Rae Street"], there’s some resemblance to Barnett’s former duet partner Kurt Vile — that laconic, lysergic, loosely bluesy kind of folk-rock that might send you into a state of melancholy contemplation."
The Black Sorrows: Revolutionary Blues
Also from Australia, but on a different musical continent, is this blues-rock outfit led by guitarist/saxophonist Joe Camilleri. Hat tip to a listener from that part of the world who turned us on to the band, whose 19th studio album, Saint Georges Road, dropped this month. Says Camilleri: “The band really owns this track. It’s just a lot of fun. Initially, I had a different concept, but we took it into a country/blues/gospel sound. And lyrically, it could be about any time – there could be a revolution brewing somewhere."
Maybe May: Better
This Toronto-area trio is billed as using the fundamental r&r combination of guitar-bass-drum to blend "heavy instrumentation with graceful melodies which provide a rich tapestry for delivering messages of love, loss and betrayal." This song has a message of helping one another through difficult times: "Together, we will be better." It was inspired by the suicide of a friend, and the marketing effort for the single promotes the Canada Suicide Prevention Service.
Raging Sons: Square One
This quartet from Limerick, Ireland, sets out to merge "gritty, alternative rock with modern, dark
synth-pop." The lineup of Fint Tynan (vocals), Colum Kelly (guitar), Damien Ruddy (bass) and Adam Reeves (drums) has been together since 2018. They began releasing singles in recent months ahead of their pandemic-delayed debut LP, 20:20, now slated for October release. Of this song, Reeves says: "This is the sound we were striving for, all through the process recording of our album.”
Paul Carrack: I Miss You So
This veteran singer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist has been making records since the 1970s with bands including Ace, Roxy Music, Squeeze and Mike + The Mechanics, as a session and touring musician and as a solo artist. His new album, One on One, is the product of 18 months of riding out the pandemic in his home studio. And this song was inspired by the experience of having a new granddaughter and being unable to visit her initially.