BEEN ALL AROUND THE WORLD: Athens blues guitarist John McDonald just released a new album, in collaboration with engineer and musician Mark Maxwell, named Touched By The Blues. The band on here is an assortment of known crack players that includes Mindy Towe (saxophone), Mason Towe (drums), Russ Bell (Hammond organ), Glyn Denham (harmonica) and Jason Fuller (piano). McDonald runs through a full 12 songs here, each composed by legitimate legends, including Slim Harpo, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Lemon Jefferson, BB King and Leonard Cohen. His take on the traditional “House Of The Rising Sun” simmers with an appropriately bubbled-under energy that continues the song’s tradition of despair and capitulation. Also of note is his version of “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,” which choogles right along at a mid-tempo pace that is just sprightly enough to forget the song’s subject—or, at least, ignore it. Find this on all major streaming services as well as johnmcdonald1.bandcamp.com. For more information, please see johnmcdonaldbluesamericana.com.
MAYBE HE’S BORN WITH IT: The cuddliest goth band on the planet has a new album coming out Oct. 11, and you can preorder a digital copy now. That’s right, folks, Vision Video will release its new LP Haunted Hours in only a couple of months. Currently, fans can preview two tracks, and either should be convincing enough to help you decide one way or the other. The two songs—“Beautiful Way To Die” and “Promises”—are each thoroughly imbued with a specific blend of U2, Big Country, Echo & The Bunnymen, really big guitars and large-chamber-1980s-style production. None of that, taken individually, seems very goth at all, right? Somehow they sprinkle the right magic dust on all this, and everything’s coming up black roses. Check this out at visionvideo.bandcamp.com, and follow the action at facebook.com/visionvideoband.
CHANGE UP: The already spectacular lineup of this year’s Wildwood Revival just got a little more so. While it’s unfortunate that the previously announced and anticipated appearance by Black Pumas was canceled, attendees will be well edified by an appearance by Drive-By Truckers occupying that slot.
Also on this year’s bill, if you haven’t heard yet, are Jenny Lewis, John Moreland, The Wood Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, Suzanne Santo, Early James, The Bones of J.R. Jones, The Heavy Heavy, The Packway Handle Band, Zach Person, J. P. Harris, The Pink Stones and Leon III. Passes for the three-day festival are now running low, but a limited number are left for $106 plus taxes and fees each. VIP passes are $485, plus taxes and fees. There are no single day passes. The 2022 Wildwood Revival happens Sept. 30–Oct. 2. For more information, please see wildwoodrevival.com.
THE PERFECT PRESCRIPTION: Heavy psych-punk hitters McQQeen will celebrate the tape release of the full-length album McQQeen-II Saturday, Aug. 20 at the 40 Watt. Also on this stacked bill tonight are Upchuck, Vincas, Nag and ConSec. Stylistically, the new album isn’t a terrible stretch from the band’s debut—albeit with a slightly different lineup—but whereas the first album (self-titled, 2019) was the sound of a band reaching, McQQeen-II is the sound of a band grasping. The album runs a mere 10 songs, but by the middle of each perfect jam, the listener is tempted to begin anticipating the next one. And, invariably on this album, there’s never a disappointment. Although fully clothed in all the sonic drapery of psych informed by punk, hardcore and a huge swatch of the American indie underground, there’s still an optimism and buoyancy to this that might be unexpected. Top tracks here include “Peace Officer,” “Mexico Will Pay” and the nearly seven-and-a-half minute long “Fill My Heart.” Find this courtesy of Lovettsville, VA label Big Neck Records at bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com, and find the band’s first album at mcqqeen.bandcamp.com.
THANKS FOR THE MEME-ORIES: Philip Brantley (Modern Skirts, Palace Doctor) will release his third EP under the Terminally Phil moniker he hung on himself a couple of years ago. This new one comes out Aug. 23 and is named Time is Tight, Dude. It arrives courtesy of creative resource firm Super Canoe. The first track, “Heaven,” features Brantley’s old bandmate from Modern Skirts, Jay Gulley. This is such a groovy, single-riff song that skips, not plods, through its paces in such a way that it’s practically dripping in mellow gold. The rest of the three songs explore Brantley’s own strength as a pop songwriter, and his talents are particularly on display in “Maudlin.” On that track, he manages to capture an epic-sized feeling in a mere two minutes or so. The folks at Super Canoe told me that we should anticipate a full-length release by the end of the year. Also, each of these EPs were recorded via Garage Band on Brantley’s phone, but they promise that the full length was recorded in an actual studio with engineer Matt Martin. Find this on all streaming services and at terminallyphil.bandcamp.com.
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