Monday, February 10, 2025

Diamonds and Guns



Making Cash For Heartless Crooks is the debut EP from the Swedish punkrockers Diamonds and Guns. I’m always happy to hear new punkrock in English coming out from Swedish bands, it seems like it’s not as common nowadays as it was during the late 90’s-early 00’s. The single So Long, Chicago is also the opening track (not counting the intro) on the EP. It sounds a bit like Hot Water Music mixed with a little Irish-inspired punkrock. I really like the mix of the laid back verse going into the HWM-esque chorus. Nevertheless continues in the same style, and it’s nice to hear that the band doesn’t feel the need to put the pedal to the metal, but instead letting the songs breath in more mid-tempo. I get a little Rancid mixed with Madcap (if anyone remembers them) feeling. September also has that So-Cal laid back punk vibe in the sound. Lyrically it’s really solid as well, not political but rather more towards rock-themes. A story of a Chicago girl having to leave her hometown because of an alcoholic father, reminiscing about meeting that girl during ones teenage years and drunk nights in California. Although the band themselves says that this is a bit happier in the tone than previous releases, it feels like there’s a melancholic theme in those first three songs, and I really like it. The songs definitively got a bit of an nostalgic shimmer as well. It’s all really pleasant to listen to, much thanks to the frontmans voice that has the perfect amount of growl without any sharp edges, also adding to the melancholy and almost a bit of longing. On top of that the rest of the band does a good job of adding the background vocals to fill up the choruses nicely. In the closer the band leans even more toward rock rather than punk, adding a discreet piano to the sound. It also goes away from the overall theme bit, adding a bit more optimistic vibe, and perhaps that’s why it feels a bit off for me. It’s not my favourite track on the EP and it goes a bit long in my opinion. I was about to write that Diamonds and Guns is a breath of fresh air on the scene with Making Cash For Heartless Crooks, bit that isn’t completely true as they’re not inventing the wheel here. But I haven’t heard this sound from a Swedish band in a long time, and it’s a welcome contribution. It’s a nice listen most of the way through and it got that perfect end of summer/beginning of autumn-soundtrack feeling. If they were to make an full-length album I would like to see some variations in tempo and style, but for an EP that’s not much of an issue. I’m gonna be looking out for future stuff from these guys.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Johnny Burgin


Johnny had a bang-up year in ’23, earning a BMA Nomination for Best Traditional Blues Artist and playing 200 dates across the US, Mexico, Japan and Europe.  But if you’d told him this would be his career when he was in High School,  he wouldn’t have belived you.  Johnny grew up in Misssissippi and South Carolina and went to University of Chicago with the intention of becoming a writer.  When a friend took him out to a West Side ghetto club to hear the blues singer Tail Dragger, it was a conversion moment.  The blues came to life for Johnny and he fell headfirst into the vibrant Chicago blues scene.  Choosing the blues clubs over the library, Johnny eagerly absorbed the lessons from the blues masters who practiced their craft nightly.  By persistence and practice, Johnny gained a spot in Tail Dragger, and started gigging and recording with  traditional blues veterans like Sam Lay, Billy Boy Arnold, and Pinetop Perkins.   By the late 90s, Johnny was working regularly in Chicagoland blues clubs under his own name.  Johnny started a Monday night residency at The Smoke Daddy in Wicker Park, featuring vocalist Jimmy Burns.  The band featured other future blues notables who were also at beginning of their careers, such as Kenny Smith on drums and Martin Lang on harp, and they created quite a buzz.  They packed the club every Monday with a younger, hip crowd, as well as blues veterans stopping by to sit in such as Dave Meyers, Jesse Fortune, Barkin’ Bill, etc.  Their success led to a record deal with Delmark and the first of several European tours. The shangri-la of being “King of Division Street” eventually ran its course.  In the early aughts, Johnny dropped off the scene entirely to raise a daughter.   When the music eventually called Johnny back, his comeback was noted by The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Blues Guide, and the Dutch blues magazine BLOCK.  As noted blues producer Dick Shurman wrote, “Johnny’s skills, passion and committment were undiminished.”   


His move to the Bay Area in 2016 led to a creative burst and his most notable recordings.  In a few short years, Johnny cranked out the Cali/Chicago blues mashups Greetings from Greaseland,  Neoprene Fedora, the Howlin’ Wolf tribute Howlin’ at Greaseland (nominated for a BMA for Best Traditional Blues Recording) and Johnny Burgin Live, which featured blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and was nominated for a Blues Blast Best Live Recording Award for 2019.   Johnny had always done road work, but during this time, he grew into the role of the constantly touring road warrior he’s known as today. Johnny’s produced eleven CDs as a leader to his credit (including “Ramblin’ from Coast to Coast, street date 03.10.24 on the Danish Straight Shooter label), and dozens more as a sideman.  He’s recorded with veterans like Johnny Sansone,  Paul DeLay, Bob Corritore, and Jimmy Burns as well as up and comers like Aki Kumar, Joel Astley, and Ben Levin.  

Johnny’s developed from a young guitar slinger and local blues hero to a matured bluesman, fully fledged singer and the confident and engaging bandleader.  In recent years, he has been a resident instructor at the Pinetop Perkins Foundation and the Chicago Blues Guitar Workshop and has developed a loyal following on YouTube channel for his weekly looks at the blues guitar greats.   Johnny’s recordings have evolved from being very Chicago-centric, to a fusion of West Coast and Chicago styles, and finally,to a more inclusive, international approach.  His latest CD, No Border Blues Japan, is the first American compilation of the underground Japanese blues scene.

http://www.johnnyburgin.com/

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Melody Alex. Patrick




Patrick is a multi-talented French artist. With a background in cinematography and a Master's degree from the University of Montreal (Canada) and the University of Paris III, Sorbonne-Nouvelle, her first passion has always been music, but she escaped into photographic art, writing and cinema. 

The years 2018 and 2019 marked a major turning point in her artistic life: with director and producer Nicole Baron, she signed two film soundtracks (Le Choc and Derrière les oreilles) and played the lead role in the latter, that of a young autistic girl. Still in 2019, a song, "Redemption I'm Crying," earned her a place on the SACEM's list of sociétaires, and she, who has always struggled to combat a pervasive stage fright, rediscovered the freedom to express herself through song. Like all artists, she stopped her activities during the pandemic and became the leader of a company. Her vision of dematerialized education to serve the neuro-divergent is noticed. 

In 2022, she was received at the Elysée Palace for her project, and that same year also became LGBT+ Role Model in the "Leaders" category. In 2023, she ceased all activity to devote herself to music and its production. She has 20 years' worth of hidden songs, mostly in English, which will gradually see the light of day from September 2024.

https://www.m-a-patrick.com/

Saturday, February 1, 2025

The Boxcar Sessions by Mary Simon


Introducing "The Boxcar Sessions", the latest sultry bluesy rock EP from the incomparable Mary Simon. Crafted amidst the solitude of the pandemic, Simon's raw talent shines through as she collaborates with a select group of musician friends, resulting in a collection of tracks that resonate with authenticity and emotion.

From the infectious energy of "Heart Sing" to the empowering anthem of "You're Not Worthy", each song on this EP tells a story of love, resilience, and self-discovery. "Number One" delves into the depths of personal strength, while "Play Me" captures the bittersweet essence of unrequited love. Closing with the poignant "If You Wanna", Simon's powerful vocals and evocative lyrics leave a lasting impression.

https://www.marysimon.com/


Thursday, January 30, 2025

Sluka


The second single from the forthcoming album "Cautionary Yell". The song is a reflection of the polarization in the USA and all over the world. We used to just ignore people who would rant and scream nonsense. But now they can become leaders of their countries. We've seen this repeat on and on and on... throughout history. But hey... let's have fun anyway!


https://www.sluka.com/

Monday, January 27, 2025

Brian Keith Mooney




"True Stories of Rock and Roll" is a fun song paying homage to local musicians everywhere, to the people that deal with everything from shady agents to last minute cancellations while driving to the gig, yet they take it in stride because the thing that makes it all good is when you are on stage playing and the magic happens and it all just feels so right 'you would not trade one second of it all, not for a million dollars'.

https://briankeithmooney.hearnow.com/true-stories-of-rock-and-roll

Friday, January 24, 2025

Tison Duni



Tison Duni is the Swedish guitarist with the sweet melodies, mostly known for the single "The Quiet Courage of Those Left at Home" (2021) and the album "Poets & Adventurers" (2022). The releases generated both thousands of streams and hundreds of fans, radio airplay and great reviews; such as in Rock Hard nr 424: 'it shows a fine hand for melodies and will be appreciated by friends of early Joe Satriani'.


Now he's back with the first song ever released featuring vocals, "Raft Survivors". It's a bitter sweet dueling story and a melodic sensation, based on true events about a ship accident in 1983 in the Gulf of Mexico. It is musically inspired by Mark Knopfler and Pink Floyd. Tison Duni tells a deep and inspiring story in a beautiful way.

https://www.facebook.com/people/Tison-Duni/100064150295452/
https://music.apple.com/se/artist/tison-duni/1436409030
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