CD Review: Keith Munslow’s Tiny Destroyer

Rhode Island celebrity Keith Munslow is easily one of the most talented musicians in our community. Not only does he entertain audiences with his New Orleans blues band Superchief Trio, teach musical improv and host the Empire Revue, he has devoted his time to a career as a children’s performer for more than 15 years. Known for his storytelling and lightning fast cartooning, two-time Parents Choice Award winner Keith Munslow has done it again by releasing his seventh children’s album, Tiny Destroyer. Tiny Destroyer, partly fueled by the new perspective Keith attained as a first-time parent to his 2-year-old son Luc, aka, the tiny destroyer, teaches the lessons of family living.

I am a child at heart, but still felt it imperative to consult someone of Keith’s target audience to get their opinion. I called upon my 6-year-old nephew Benjamin. Ben’s first reaction to this CD was that he loved the illustration on the front. The cover art depicts a toddler stomping through the rubble of a messy house, with slime on the destroyer’s hand and just about everything else. I’m sure all parents can relate. My nephew giggled wildly when he looked inside the wallet style case and noticed an image of a cheese block with crayons stabbed into it at all angles. No doubt a stunt pulled by the child depicted on the front. We put the CD in the player and listened as we read along with each song’s little description included in the case. What stood out to me was how varied the album is; each track takes on a different genre. This album is perfect for children of all ages because it introduces them to styles that they may not have heard before and gives them a chance to explore their taste. The tracks vary from polka to rumba to ’50s doo-wop — sometimes the style changes in the middle of a song! Keith’s album also includes multiple vocabulary-building songs that teach kids and adults alike new words. Keith notes in the case that he captured his son’s giggle for the title track by dangling him in front of the microphone of their home recording studio; my nephew thought that sounded fun.

Hands down, Benjamin’s favorite song was “The Last Chicken Wing,” a beautifully silly love song about really wanting the last chicken wing on the plate. It is hard to say which is my favorite track. I listen to “Princess Pepper’s Story” often; it reminds me of when I was a kid and how much I loved to listen to stories of dragons and princesses. “Magic Bike” makes my imagination run wild, taking in all the magic around us through a dreamer’s eyes on a bike ride. “Dad Is Taking A Nap” is unlike anything I’ve ever heard and drives home the age-old lesson of not waking the sleeping giant. However, “I Can Still Say ‘I Love You’” sticks out to me as one of Keith’s more personal songs; this beautiful track tells the story of the unconditional love parents will always have for their children.

Containing 10 songs and two stories, Keith Munslow’s signature humor and imagination shine brighter in this new album then ever before. Benjamin and I both give it two thumbs up. This album is good fun for every family!

For more information, check out Keith’s website at keithmunslow.com. Pick up your own copy of Tiny Destroyer at one of Keith Munslows CD release parties

April 3 at 10:30am; Needham Public Library, 1139 Highland Ave, Needham, Mass.

April 20 at 10:30am; Weaver Library, 41 Grove Ave, East Providence.

Also keep your ears open and your radios tuned in to hear Keith do a live performance on Sirius XM Kids Place Live (channel 78) on April 24 at 11am. CD Review: Modest Mouse’s Strangers to Ourselves

Even if you don’t care for Modest Mouse, it would be difficult to argue that they’re not one of the most original-sounding bands of their era. As far as world-famous indie acts go, they’ve had a very non-traditional path; one song (“Float On”) blasted them into the stratosphere of superstardom years after their most critically revered albums. That song has probably bought them all large homes and allowed them to do whatever they want musically, including waiting eight years in between records.

Their latest effort, Strangers to Ourselves, clocks in at just under an hour and, pound-for-pound, is of similar quality to their last two albums, where their sound became more produced and polished compared to their work in the ‘90s. Frontman Isaac Brock’s abrasive vocals still push through the often- sensitive instrumentation. Fans first heard “Lampshades on Fire,” this album’s “Dashboard,” with a catchy chorus and the perfect BPM for WBRU.

“The Ground Walks, With Time In A Box” is a good example of the band retaining the sound they’ve cultivated on their more recent albums. It has a semi-disco dance beat with a jarring, treble-y riff on top of it. But the lyrics provide the kind of vague, caustic imagery that only Isaac Brock can produce, reminiscent of early classics like “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine”: “The world composes with his shirt tails wrinkled hanging out / Bang us together to see what sort of sounds we make right now / The world plays music, playing skin in teeth inside of the mouth.” It’s cryptic poetry like this that makes Modest Mouse stand out, and it’s what keeps me intrigued even after waiting eight years.

On Strangers, Brock proves he can also make a more specific emotional statement. “Ansel” is about the disappearance of a main character’s brother and eerily captures how you can never know if it’s the last time you’ll ever see someone. “Coyotes,” the album’s musical highlight, is a folky waltz protesting American exceptionalism and the desecration of our land (a reoccurring theme in the band’s back catalog).

There are a few songs that don’t really make an impact whatsoever; “Of Course We Know,” the closing track, chugs along to nowhere and “Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)” is the kind of jumbled, indulgent “Wtf?” track that shouldn’t make it past the demo stage.

Strangers probably won’t be an instant classic, but it’s probably the breath of fresh air their legions of fans have been waiting for. It doesn’t recapture the youthful rawness of the ’90s that so many fans yearn for, but maybe it was their youth that made that possible in the first place. If you enjoy the Modest Mouse of the past decade, you’ll want to give this a try as well. There’s still no one that sounds quite like them.

Album Of The Week: Newish Star’s How Soon We Forget

With ripping guitars and fast rhythms mixed with a melancholy vibe, Buffalo’s Newish Star have that classic punk sound mixed with a pop sensibility that keeps them walking the fine line between being a blast from the past and the best new kickass band you’ve ever heard of. They have a new album out, How Soon We Forget, that is a huge force to be reckoned with. If you’re looking for a band that’ll flat out impress you and have you wanting more, look no further than Newish Star and their new album.

In classic punk fashion mirroring the early styles of The Ramones and The Clash, How Soon We Forget doesn’t have a track that goes beyond the 3-minute mark. For anyone who has ADD, this album is definitely what you’ve been looking for. Full of fury and energy while keeping things genuinely real, Newish Star has an honest side to their songwriting that doesn’t sugarcoat anything. With unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll that hits your senses like a freight train, this band has a no-frills approach to their music that makes listening to them extremely enjoyable.

Finally February is over! I don’t know about you, but February 2015 really sucked for nearly everyone in New England. A great example of things that don’t suck are my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week. Think of them as a dose of anti-February.

With a weird intro that has a girl expressing her individuality, “Casino Run” shreds with blistering guitars and feverish drums that make for the ultimate headbanger. Another shredder is “Salt Water Tank,” a guaranteed mosh pit starter. Concluding the album in a heart-on-sleeve fashion, “Feeling Good” keeps it short and simple while blazing through a riff fest that is amazingly electrifying.

Newish Star will be part of what should be a pretty insane show with The Atom Age, Richie Ramone & The Queers at Mohawk Place in Buffalo on April 1. Until they come to Providence, grab a copy of How Soon We Forget from Newish Star. They’ll be your new favorite band.

Newish Star: newishstar.bandcamp.com

Album Of The Week: Torche’s Restarter

There’s lots happening in Florida. But it’s usually a naked homeless guy running through the streets and biting a lady’s ear off, a woman getting into a car accident because she was shaving her privates while driving, or a backwoods hick throwing miscellaneous objects at cars driving by while he’s sitting on his porch. There’s also a band that calls The Sunshine State home, and they have an amazingly powerful sound. Miami sludge metalheads Torche have a new album out, Restarter, and it could be their most seismic release yet with thunderous beats and rhythms abundant throughout the album.

With a pop aesthetic mixed with raw, crushing metal tones, Restarter takes Torche’s sound to new heights and will put listeners in full headbanging mode from start to finish. The bass from Jonathan Nunez latches out and grabs you, becoming the main weapon for a juggernaut of a band to destroy anything in their path. The vigorous structure with each song on Restarter guarantees that you won’t be able to put the album down. It’s that time again where I give you a few suggestions while you undergo a certain listening experience. In order words, dive into my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week:

What really gets me while listening to “Loose Men” are the drumming skills of Rick Smith. On this track he takes things to another level with a flurry of raucous beats. Kicking it off with that trademark distorted bass from Nunez, “Undone” is absolutely electrifying with driving rhythms and skull-crushing tones. Another scorcher is “Blasted,” which has an epic amount of force and vigor that hits you like a ton of bricks in glorious fashion.

On March 25, Torche will rip apart Great Scott in Allston, Mass., with Doomriders and Wrong for what should be a time that no one who loves their music loud should miss. Torche are a must-see live band, and they are definitely worth the price of admission. While you’re at the show, grab a copy of Restarter. It’s sludge, spice and everything nice.

2015 Motif Music Awards Nominees

VOTING is Closed For this Year.

The list of nominees is out for the 2015 Motif Music Awards, celebrating the best in local music. Nominees are selected mathematically from the suggestions by over 75 local booking agents, labels, radio stations, and over a dozen of our music writers.You decide the winners. Voting closes at Midnight on Monday, May 11. The Music Awards show is free and open to the public on Tue, May 19 at The Met, 1001 Main St, Pawtucket, RI

[AMERICANA] BEST ACT Cannibal Ramblers Consuelo’s Revenge Dylan Sevey and the Gentlemen Flav Martin Longshot Voodoo

SINGER/SONGWRITER Allysen Callery Dan Dodd Joanne Lurgio John Faraone Kris Hansen Travis Colby

FEMALE VOCALIST Allysen Callery Amanda Salemi (Consuelo’s Revenge) Joyce Katzberg Kayla Farnham Malyssa BellaRosa

MALE VOCALIST Dylan Sevey (Dylan Sevey and the Gentlemen) Elwood Donnelly (Atwater-Donnelly) Keith Munslow (Superchief Trio) Mike Martinelli Will Houlihan (Haunt the House)

BLUEGRASS Barley Hoppers Blackstone Valley Bluegrass The Kropp Dusters The Pegheads The Rank Strangers

BREAKTHROUGH ACT Cardboard Ox The Dust Ruffles Eastern Medicine Singers The Horse-Eyed Men The Quahogs

BLUES ACT Cannibal Ramblers Sugar Ray & the Bluetones Superchief Trio Wolf & The Jam Daddies Band Young Neal and the Vipers

CHORAL ACT Chorus of Westerly North Kingstown Community Chorus Quahog Quire Schubert Chor Sync or Swim

FOLK ACT Becky Chace Band Cardboard Ox Haunt the House The Sugar Honey Iced Tea The Slackwater String Band

JAZZ / R&B ACT Bohemian Quartet Brass Attack The John Allmark Jazz Band Miss Wensday & the Cotillions Occidental Gypsy

WORLD MUSIC Alpenblumen Schuhplattlers Atwater-Donnelly The Gnomes Kathleen Conneely Pendragon Tom Lanigan Band

BEST OPEN MIC Greenwich Hotel The Mediator Stage The Parlour Sandywoods Wood River Inn

ALBUM Haunt The House – “Jack Rabbit Jones” The Horse-Eyed Men – “Grave Country” Kala Farnham – “Anahata: Wake Up Your Heart” Tammy LaForest – “Copper” [ALTERNATIVE] BEST BAND Bloodpheasant Happiness Ravi Shavi The Silks Smith&Weeden Whore Paint

LIVE ACT The Copacetics Jay Berndt & The Orphans Ravi Shavi Satellites Fall The Viennagram

REGGAE/SKA Boo City Chachi & The International Players The Copacetics Natural Element Band Truth in Soul

JAM BAND Fungus Amungus Phamily Sgt Baker & The Clones Viral Sound

POP PUNK ACT The October Account Que Sera Royal Street Senior Discount Trophy Wives

PUNK ACT Gavage Good Lord Gymshorts Tony Jones & The Cretin 3 The Worried

HARDCORE / METAL ACT Church Burn Extinction Machine Reason To Fight Super Limit Weak Teeth

FEMALE VOCALIST Connie (Pyramid) Erica Sutherland(Littlefoot) Jess Moroney (Nymphidels) Ruth Marie (Sexcoffee) Roz Raskin (Roz and the Rice Cakes)

MALE VOCALIST Bill Keough Jay Berndt (Jay Berndt & The Orphans) Mark Cutler (Mark Cutler and Men of Great Courage) Matt DiChiara (The Copacetics) Pip/Paul Everett (Hope Anchor) Tony Jones (Tony Jones & The Cretin 3)

BREAKTHROUGH ACT Beta Motel Jetty Less than a felony Teezer Twin Foxes

ALBUM Bill Keough – “The Big Let Down” The Copacetics – self titled Roz and the Rice Cakes – “Need to Feed” SexCoffee – “Nothing Personal” Steve Volkmann – “The Plant”

TRIBUTE BAND Dirty Deeds (AC/DC) J (X) K19 (Steely Dan) Monkey Wrench (Foo Fighters) Violin River (The Grateful Dead)

[ELECTRONIC] HIP-HOP ACT B. Dolan DirtyDurdie Meta P Symmetry Zumo Kollie

BEST EDM DJ DJ Zydrate DJ Dublin Jackie Treehorn Michael Savant Unb4lanced

BEST CLUB DJ Dank Coma DJ Nook Dox Pauly Danger Ty Jesso

Thank you for voting and supporting great music!

Album Of The Week: The Battery Electric’s The Heart and The Thrill

Imagine a sound that combines the intensity and fury of Danzig-era Misfits with that classic cool of acts like Led Zeppelin and ’70s Aerosmith and you have an infectious band from Asbury Park, NJ, called The Battery Electric. Loud, energetic and always down to have a good time, this fearsome foursome have their third full length, The Heart and The Thrill, coming out and it’s quite a rock ‘n’ roll treasure to behold. With a groove that’ll make you move and riffs that’ll make you bang your head, The Battery Electric’s new release absolutely shows impeccable quality from track to track.

A mix of motown soul and no holds barred rock really makes The Battery Electric’s sound absolutely timeless. Shitty jobs, manipulative women and drowning it all with a bottle are abundant in the lyrics and rhythmic feel. The genuity of The Battery Electric’s new release really shows a band that takes pride in telling it like it is with their music.

It’s still cold, and it will be for a while. Warm up while snuggling up to the top tracks off of my Album Of The Week. Let your speakers light the fire. “Heathen,” the first track, gets things off to a raucous start with driving riffs and thunderous drums. For anyone who hates their job, “Get Me Outta Here” is your anthem — it’s an absolute headbanger to say the least. The party anthem of the year, “Key Party,” tells you why you should have a good time and why you shouldn’t stop.

The Battery Electric will celebrate the release of The Heart and The Thrill on Feb 21 at Asbury Lanes with Deal Casino, Black Wall, The Von Mons & Frankenstein 3000, and they’ll also hit the Providence area at the beginning of summer, so keep your eyes peeled. When they blow the roof off your friendly neighborhood music venue, make sure you grab a copy of The Heart and The Thrill from The Battery Electric. It’ll bring shocks up your spine that are more than genuine.

The Battery Electric’s Facebook: facebook.com/TheBatteryElectric

Father Jon Misty Embraces The L Word

A musician quitting one of indie music’s biggest bands at their peak seemed like a weird move at the time, but for former Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman, it seems to have paid off. Tillman recorded a slew of albums throughout his 20s, and as a way of taking himself less seriously, he created the Father John Misty character, a kind of druggy drifter-type. But while his 2012 debut, Fear Fun, in large part poked fun at his newfound L.A. lifestyle, his new album, I Love You, Honey Bear, tackles something else entirely.

What makes Father John Misty unique is that it’s impossible to remove the man from the songs, since he draws so heavily from his personality (which is ironic considering the pseudonym). Each song plays like an esoteric inside joke that’s ripped directly from the headlines of his own life, with titles like “The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment” and “Nothing Good Ever Happens at the Goddamn Thirsty Crow” from Honey Bear.

If you’ve read interviews with Father John Misty, it’s hard not to notice a bit of grandiosity. He tends to mythologize his past. On the new album, he rips into a white girl for an annoying “soulful affectation” in her singing voice, but what’s that we hear in the verses of “Thirsty Crow”? And get a load of his album preview: “My ambition, aside from making an indulgent, soulful and epic sound worthy of the subject matter, was to address the sensuality of fear, the terrifying force of love, the unutterable pleasures of true intimacy, and the destruction of emotional and intellectual prisons in my own voice.”

But if you can get past the fact that this reads like some kind of cultural theory masters thesis, Honey Bear is an album of great ambition. In it, Tillman has done something that some songwriters strive for their entire lives: He’s written about falling in love in ways that are true to himself and never for a moment clichéd … kind of like he said he would.

“Chateau Lobby 4 (in C for Two Virgins)” shows how a simple connection can have profound results: “I haven’t hated / all the same things as somebody else / since I can remember.” In “The Ideal Husband,” Misty describes the moment he falls recklessly into the abyss, and the kind of rash thinking that it usually leads to: “I showed up at seven in the morning / I said baby, I’m finally succumbing / Said something dumb like I’m tired of running / Wouldn’t I make the ideal husband?”

“I Went to the Store One Day” is a folky rumination about the chance meeting that can set the blueprint for your entire existence. He imagines the rest of his life with the girl he just met at the store, all the way until he’s on his deathbed, and perfectly illustrates how your mind can’t help but scramble toward the future when you’re with someone you love.

But it’s not all about the lovey-dovey; “Bored in the USA” is a mournful balled lamenting the lack of feeling in our consumer culture and “True Affection” is about the difficulty to connect through so many different layers of technology.

The album also made musical strides. While his first release was straight-ahead Beatles-style pop, this one proves he’s really emptying the coffers at Sub Pop with great results. It’s chock full of beautiful orchestral flourishes that add a whole new dimension. And just as with the subject matter, it seems that he’s embracing the sappier side of things.

Criticizing consumer America or questioning our reliance on technology has been done many times, but finding an original way to say how you feel about a significant other is a creative achievement. Despite his pretentions, Father John Misty has really accomplished something great with I Love You, Honeybear.

Ed Sweeney & Friends Passing Through Years ago I met Ed Sweeney at a Rhode Island Songwriters Association event. He handed me his CD, Inside Fezziwigs’. Many years later, that CD has become a holiday favorite. And much like Dickens’ Fezziwig character, Ed has a generous way – smiling, gracious and happy to chat and catch up when you see him.

Ed has spent his entire career studying people and the history behind their music. He is a fabulous steel string finger-style player and Passing Through is a fine collection highlighting 35 years of work – practice, learning, playing, traveling abroad and teaching. He has studied with and performed alongside many top professionals in the field of traditional music, and his work has appeared in Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony, a documentary by Ken Burns. Most recently he performed in Taiwan alongside Pipa master Yang Wei.

Much like the man, the music he chooses to record is friendly and warm-hearted. Passing Through, a 25-tune instrumental collection of traditional music, features some of Ed’s finest picking – five-string and fretless banjo and six and 12-string guitars.

Ed’s banjo and guitar playing lead you to the heart of a young gal waiting for her true love to return from the Revolution in “Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier.” In “The Battle Cry of Freedom” you’ll hear soldiers rooting for the Union cause. “Free America,” a grand Revolutionary War number featuring Sally McNight, hammer dulcimer; Jeff Davis, fiddle and mandolin; and Mark Roberts, Irish wood flute; will muster up the patriot in you.

This collection is rooted in tradition, yet you will never feel you have to know the history behind each tune to enjoy the music. Delicately crafted arrangements invite the listener to create their own storyline. You may experience moments of joy listening to the Welsh hymn “Hyfrydol” (accompanied by Sally McKnight on hammer dulcimer and Catherine Hawkes playing recorder) or moments of sadness in his solo guitar rendition of “Talk About Suffering.” A background chorus and a solemnly played guitar on “When Jesus Wept” deliver a memorable rendition of the patriotic Revolutionary War composition written in the 1700s by William Billings.

On “My Old Kentucky Home,” Ed has invited home an old Rhode Island favorite, Stephen Snyder, to join him on piano; add in a violin solo by Karl Dennis and you’ll pine away and yearn for the comforts of home and those you love and miss. Another Rhode Island favorite, Dan Moretti sneaks in a breathy clarinet part on “Blue Bell.” Joining Ed on guitar and Karl on violin, Mance Grady strikes the bones on the American fiddle tune “West Fork Girls” – a tune sure to move you to dance.

The banjo can be a true audial assault if not tuned or played properly. Ed will transform your thinking about this traditional American instrument. “The Glendy Burke” and the “Mole in the Ground” are fine examples of his skill on fretless banjo. He plays clawhammer (or frailing) style banjo. Frailing and fretless banjo are two uniquely traditional American instruments and Ed has studied and mastered both.

Many of the songs Ed chose to record exemplify the place he has carved for himself in American folk tradition. His website notes his “music entertains as well as educates. He uses his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge and wonderful sense of humor to help listeners come to understand the motivations, stories and culture that have made us what we are today.” If you had just one song to purchase from this collection, this reviewer would select the first cut, “A Land of Rest.”

Learn more about Ed and the complete listing of friends on this recording at edsweeneymusic.com

Album Of The Week: Dirty Dishes’ Guilty

At times they are fuzzy, at times they are emphatic, and you can’t deny the brilliance of the Los Angeles via Boston shoegaze act Dirty Dishes. Jenny Tuite and Alex Molini combine to up the ante of their debut full-length, Guilty. A lot of force throughout each track, heavy amounts of reverb and distortion are all over the album like icing on a layer cake. With a haunting vibe is absolutely chaotic at certain instances, Dirty Dishes are back and louder than ever with a sound that breaks down barriers of all shapes and sizes.

Their first release since moving to The City Of Angels in 2013, one thing that’s interesting about Dirty Dishes’ new release is that Tuite & Molini employed a few drummers on a few tracks — Zach Fierman, Brian Levy and Marc Slutsky. Bassist Doug Wartman joined in on a couple of them as well. You’ll notice on Guilty a variety of rhythms that please different tastes, which gives the album a unique character that impresses the senses. The originality of Dirty Dishes has progressed at a steady pace since hitting the Boston music scene with their self-titled EP back in 2010, and Guilty is a testament to that. Get the bread and milk — there’s probably 2 feet of snow outside your house if you’re in the New England area. If you’re reading this on the West Coast, some of us in the Northeast are a tad envious of you while others around here are thinking that you’re just plain soft. Don’t take offense, it’s just the cold getting to us and we’re in serious need of some chowder. Whether it’s chilly or sunny where you are, dive in to my top tracks off of my Album Of The Week. Hitting you like a punch in the face, “Thank You Come Again” shreds with Tuite’s cryptic vocals and raging riffs on guitar bringing the noise. Another noisemaker is “Red Roulette.” The bass from Molini is a fuzzy cloud of rhythm that keeps this head-ripper afloat. Acoustically pleasing and vocally melancholy, “Androgynous Love Song” is one of those tracks that sticks with you by having strong lyrical emotion and just the right clash of sounds. Dirty Dishes don’t have any shows happening imminently, but expect them to hit up their old stomping grounds in Boston or perhaps grace Providence with their presence by the end of the year. Until they blow the roof off your friendly neighborhood music venue, I highly suggest you get yourself a copy of Guilty. If you like it loud, distorted and fuzzy, it’ll be exactly what you’ve been looking for. Dirty Dishes’ website: dirtydirtydishes.com

Album Of The Week: The New Highway Hymnal’s Reverb Room With a whole lot of fuzzy distortion, infectious rhythms and a psychedelic vibe that’s as cool as the other side of the pillow, it’s difficult to pick another band that’s bound for a bigger year than The New Highway Hymnal from the north shore of Massachusetts. Their second full-length album, Reverb Room, is out and it’s a rip-roaring gem. It’s as if the ghost of Lou Reed came back to haunt us while exuding the styles of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club & The Jesus and Mary Chain. You can make all of the rock ‘n’ roll comparisons you want, but once you press play on this you can’t deny The New Highway Hymnal’s original spin on things.

Hints of surf, shoegaze, blues and garage rock are all over Reverb Room, and it’s perfect for anyone who likes it loud. It has a groove that’ll make you move, harking back to late ’50s rock ‘n’ roll dance parties when people would boogie down at a hop. Frontman Hadden Stemp gets sensual with his lyrics while bringing an intensity that’s rivaled by few. Reverb Room will make the ladies strut while hitting the guys straight in the gut. Good music can give you a buzz like a shot of espresso, keeping you up for hours on end. Wanna get rhythmically caffeinated? Take a sip from my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week and enjoy. The best song I’ve heard so far this year has to be “Isolation.” The riffs on this anthem for the introverted are simple and beautiful. “Television” will make you dance like a lunatic. The doo-wop joint vocals and the howling really go well with a bass-heavy sound that is an absolute hip shaker. The surf rock of “By The Pool” would make Dick Dale jealous; stupendous drum playing serves as the backbone for this one to create energetic rhythms. The New Highway Hymnal don’t have any shows planned, but expect big things from them in 2015. Grab a copy of Reverb Room now; it’s bound to be on a lot of people’s best-of lists by year’s end. It’s a rocker with the power to crush brick walls with authority. Stream of Reverb Room: soundcloud.com/the-new-highway-hymnal/reverb-room