Upcoming Releases (all dates subject to change):

UPCOMING ALBUM RELEASES 021924:

NOTES:
Knopfler's "One Deep River" flows on 4/12.
The Black Crowes are "Happiness Bastards" on 3/15!
Sheryl Crow's "Evolution" set for March!
Ace Frehley releases 10,000 Volts in February!
Stones "Live At The Wiltern" drops in March!
5FDP's digital deluxe edition of "Afterlife," to be released on 2/9!
Kula Shaker harness "Natural Magick" on 1/26!
Mayday Parade collab with Less Gravity for "Lofi" EP on 3/8/24!
Ash expand "Race The Night" on 4/14/24!
Cooper expands "Billion Dollar Babies" on 3/8/24!

NOW ON SALE:
The Circus & The Nightwhale--Steve Hackett (genesis)
Be Right Here-Blackberry Smoke
This Is Me...Now-Jennifer Lopez
Blu Wav-grandaddy
Hole In My Head-Laura Jane Grace (solo album from against me! singer)
Coming Home-Usher
Race The Night-Ash (expanded 20th anniversary edition)
INNERSTANDING-Dhani Harrison
Part Time Believer-The Strumbella's
A Hopeful Sign-Yellowcard w/ Hammrock
Afterlife-Five Finger Death Punch (digital deluxe expanded edition)
Band On The Run-Paul McCartney & Wings (expanded 50th anniversary edition)
What Now-Brittany Howard (alabama shakes)
What Do We Do Now-J Mascis
...And Justice For All-Metallica (limited edition 180-gram green colored vinyl)
Blood Hair & Eyeballs-Alkaline Trio
Unbroken-New Model Army
Three Bells-Ty Segall
People Who Aren't There Anymore-Future Islands
Natural Magick-Kula Shaker
The Strangest Things-Longwave (20th Anniversary Edition)

RECENT RELEASES:
Saviors-Green Day
Little Rope-Sleater-Kinney
On Purpose, With Purpose-Ghetts
Master Of Puppets-Metallica (limited edition 180-gram battery brick colored vinyl)
Medusa-Jack Russell (great white)/ Tracii Guns (l.a. guns)
POST HUMAN NeX GEn-Bring Me The Horizon
Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations-The Vacinnes
G. Love & Special Sauce-G. Love & Special Sauce (expanded 30th Anniversary edition)

UPCOMING RELEASES:

2/23/24:________________________________________________________________________________
MGMT-Loss Of Life
10,000 Volts-Ace Frehley
Mick Mars-The Other Side Of Mars (former motley crue)

3/1/24:_________________________________________________________________________________
Metallica-Metallica (limited edition 180-gram marbled colored vinyl)
The Mandrake Project-Bruce Dickenson
Liam Gallagher & John Squire-Liam Gallagher & John Squire-Liam Gallagher & John Squire
Blue Lips-ScHoolboy Q
Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album-Kaiser Chiefs
I Got Heaven-Mannequinn Pussy
HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES-Ministry
Where's My Utopia?-Yard Act

3/8/24:________________________________________________________________________________
Eternal Sunshine-Ariana Grande
Bleachers-Bleachers
Invincible Shield-Judas Priest
Glasgow Eyes-The Jesus And Mary Chain
The Collective-Kim Gordon (sonic youth)
Visions-Nora Jones
All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade-The Libertines
Lofi (EP)-Mayday Parade w/ Less Gravity
Girlfriends-Dion
Live At The Wiltern-The Rolling Stones (CD/DVD/blue-ray/vinyl)
Billion Dollar Babies-Alice Cooper (3LP/ 2CD-Trillion Dollar" Deluxe Edition).

3/15/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
Everything I Thought I Was-Justin Timberlake
Happiness Bastards-The Black Crowes
Blue Electric Light-Lenny Kravitz
Higher Power-Scott Stapp (solo project from creed singer)
Warp Speed Warriors-DragonForce
Rockmaker-The Dandy Warhols

3/22/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
JPEG Raw-Gary Clark Jr.
Cinquanta-Maynard James Keenan (tool)
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran-Shakira

3/29/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
Act II-Beyonce
Evolution-Sheryl Crow
Heaven :x: Hell-Sum 41 (farewell album)
Interplay-Ride
The Hill-Aaron Lewis (staind singers solo country project)
Machine Head-Deep Purple (Super Deluxe Edition)

4/5/24:________________________________________________________________________________
Only God Was Above Us-Vampire Weekend
Mood Swings-Marcus King

4/12/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
Ghost Stories-Blue Oyster Cult

4/19/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
Tortured Poets Department-Taylor Swift
Dark Matter-Pearl Jam
Tarantula Heart-Melvins
Dark Side Of The Moon-Pink Floyd (180-gram 2LP collector's edition on crystal clear vinyl w/ UV Prism Spectrum
artwork printed on non-grooved side)
FU##IN' UP-Neil Young & Crazy Horse (vinyl version live album release date 4/20)

4/26/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
Light Verse-Iron & Wine
Nonetheless-Pet Shop Boys
FU##IN' UP-Neil Young & Crazy Horse ( CD version live album)

5/10/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
Vows-Hot Water Music

5/17/24:_______________________________________________________________________________
From Hell I Rise-Kerry King (slayer)
Lives Outgrown-Beth Gibbons (portishead singer)

History Of Local Releases from Binghamton Area Artists:

Date:

Title-Artist(s):

2014:

Honest Company-Zarni de Wet

My Story-Marv Williams

Vertigo-Mobday

The Age Of Entitlement-Lo-Fi Resistance

RevelationNow-RevelationNow

Ashley Lux-Ashley Lux (EP)

The Art Of Feeling-Jilly May

Castrofate-Castrofate

Do Bad Things-Peaches And Crime

Looking Back: Our American Irish Souls-The Burns Sisters

Binghamton Music, Vol. #1-Various Artists

2013:

No More Dream-Chad J. Dean

Are We Rollin’-Esquela

Obscuriosity-Stephen Lawrenson

10 Metaphors For Love-Brenna Swanger

Nowhere But Down-Woodshed Prophets

Milkweed EP-Milkweed

Driftwood-Driftwood

Light Up The World-Lila Ignite

2012:

Chalk Lines-Lo-Fi Resistance

Zarni (ep)-Zarni de Wet

Erratica-Anubis Spire

The Hills Of Ithaca-The Burns Sisters

Inside (ep)-Red Spring (randy mcstine & michael wu side project)

Live At Black Bear Winery-Randy McStine (Vol. #1 of the official Randy McStine bootleg series)

2011:

The Woodshed Prophets-The Woodshed Prophets

Go Dutch-The Benjamin Raubinsons

Feel The Beat-Gary Wilson

Forgotten Lovers-Gary Wilson (vinyl only version of 2003 CD)

Live At The Belmar-Yolk (live DVD from reunion show)

Systematic Suicide-Castrofate

2010:

Intelligent Design-Monkeys Typing

A Deeper Breathe-Lo-Fi Resistance

Friday Night Lights-Zarni de Wet

The Beginning, Pt. II-Mobday

Diagonal-Lukus Wells

Meridian Voice-Meridian Voice (feat. Randy McStine)

Electric Endicott-Gary Wilson

2009:

Somewhere Else-Stephen Lawrenson (formerly of “Beard of Bees”)

Graveyard Shift (ep)-try.fail.repeat

Mirror-Dena

The Owl Has Landed-Esquela (not sure of exact release date)?

2008:

Beyond The Gray-Jared Campbell

Lisa Wants To Talk To You-Gary Wilson

Enough (ep) -Adri Young

Lost Discoveries 1998-2008-Anubis Spire

2007:

Got A Good Thing Goin’-The Blue J’s

2006:

The Way You Look At Me (ep)-Dena

Children Of A Foreign Faith-Anubis Spire

2005:

Hoboin’-Pinecone Fletcher

Anderson And I-Jared Campbell (live)

Guitarizm-Randy McStine

2004:

Rest Out-Jared Campbell

Mary Had Brown Hair-Gary Wilson

Back To Abydos-Anubis Spire

2003:

Direction-Audrey’s Stone

Where It All Begins-Jared Campbell

Forgotten Lovers-Gary Wilson

Direction-Audrey’s Stone

2002:

You Think You Really Know Me-Gary Wilson (reissue)

Second Shot-Randy McStine

2001:

Free Little Bird-Marie Burns

Somewhere Near Itaska-Dirt Farm

2000:

OLD LIONS (in the world of snarling sheep)-Anubis Spire (debut)

1999:

Shredding Skin-Randy McStine (?-not sure of correct year)

1998:

Baby To Baby-Jimmyjohn McCabe (yolk)

1997:

Just What The Doctor Ordered-Frostbit Blue

Individually Twisted-Yolk

In This World-The Burns Sisters

1996:

Tradition: Holiday Songs Old And New-The Burns Sisters

1995:

Caution: Social Prescription May Cause Side Effects-Yolk

Ice Breaker-Frostbit Blue

Close To Home-The Burns Sisters

1993:

Yolk-Yolk

Songs From The Heart-The Burns Sisters

1989:

Endangered Species-The Burns Sisters

1986:

The Burns Sisters-The Burns Sisters

1977:

You Think You Really Know Me-Gary Wilson

…got an album by a Binghamton area artist to add?  Please send your submission to: Info@Radio2Point0.com. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Nowhere But Down-Woodshed Prophets

---If The Woodshed Prophets self-titled debut was their shot at proving themselves to be a viable recording entity, and not just a cover band, then “Nowhere But Down,” sees the band getting more comfortable with the place they’ve carved out. 

----They refer to their style as “Power Twang,” so with that in mind this album is a little more twang and a little less power, while their first disc was a little more power.  That’s not such a bad thing.  The songs are still strong, but while they rock a bit less, they are still celebratory.  This is closer to a good time party album.  It gets a bit mellow at the end, but what party doesn’t? 

---“Nowhere But Down” opens with the raucous, party anthem “Moonshiners Ball,” but from that high, descends into an almost happy, but not quite “let’s get drunk to forget our broken hearts” ballad, that would make Jimmy Buffett proud.  Also, this song has something that you would think more of the “Prophets” songs would have had…steel guitar.

---“Dancing In The Kitchen” is sentimental, but not sappy, with a hook that radio and DJ’s in particular should love.  It’s an Alabama style ballad, with a little boogie at the end. Too bad it’s corporate managers that make the decisions these days.  This has a chance to be a legitimate hit.

---“Can’t Take It” gives a bouyant voice to bubbling-under frustration.  This mid-to-uptempo melody, driving harmonica and vocal harmonies almost make frustration seem like a good thing, but the desperate vocals betray the songs good time feel, and echo it’s true intent.

---“Jesus Saves” gives voice to beer-goggles mentality by putting us in a car with a stoned, cigarette smoking and drunk driver, more worried about being busted by the cops than dying in a car crash on the highway, because he knows he’ll go to heaven in the crash.  The song doesn’t mock this mindset, or attempt to judge it, but it is scary because most people know someone just like this guy.

---Musically “Sandy” brings together The Eagles and Bruce Springsteen-esque riffs that make for an excellent piece of working man’s rock.  The opening alone melds an “Already Gone” style riff, with the E-Street Band’s signature chugging rhythm section’s style, while paying tribute to a barmaid who stays cool. 

---“Bottle Of Whiskey” finds the band breaking out the steel guitar again, in a jamming piece of country rock during verses, that morphs into rockin’ country during the chorus, it not only works, but it has one of the best sing-along choruses of the whole disc. 

---“Ladybug” isn’t about a bug at all, but a woman who needs to “fly on home,” ‘cause her husbands out drinkin,’ messing around and her kids are alone, sung from the perspective of friend that maybe wants to be something more.  It’s a bit sad, but lovely, too.

---“My Front Door,” is an ode to those who can’t stop their mind from racing, featuring Eagles-like harmonies.  It’s a great hangover recovery song.

---“Two Steps Closer” is a rousing anthem for trailer trash in a bad relationship.

---“Lorraine” is little bit of Texas boogie and blues that sounds like it was written for Z.Z. Top.

---I suppose that a band that plays as many country bars as The Woodshed Prophets, had to record a song like the album’s finale, “Land Of The Fourth Of July.”  It is a smoldering, minimalistic piece…just keyboards, piano and two part harmony.  No percussion whatsoever, but doesn’t the opening piano part remind you of “Strange Magic,” by ELO? 

---“Nowhere But Down” shows the “Prophets” a little more mature, a little more comfortable, but still a lot of fun.  It’s a great ride for country rockers of any age!

---Dr. Dave 10/12/13

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ALBUM REVIEW: Ten Metaphors For Love-Brenna Swanger:

---At age 15, most teenagers are trying to keep up with their homework, school sports or the latest trends on YouTube.  Not Brenna Swanger.  At age 15 she’s  made an album, and surprise, it’s a credible album.  Now let’s put this in perspective…this is an album that features songs from the point-of-view of a teenage girl, by a teenage girl for teenage girls.  There are songs about love, losing at love, victimized by love, love fantasies, etc.  That being said, this is a well crafted pop album.  Swanger didn’t overstep her abilities…she kept things simple.  Most songs feature her vocals (overdubs for harmony and/ or effect here and there.) either a keyboard or guitar, or both, and electronic drums, but she wrote all the lyrics, contributed on the music and of course sang on everything.  Some songs feature some violins and there are a few guest appearances, for example a smokin’ guitar solo, by her guitar teacher and Rooster & the Roadhouse Horns guitarist, Paul Knapik on “It’s You,” and even a somewhat out of place verse of rap over the bridge of “A Million Lies,” by Joey C.  Mary Falvo also plays lead guitar on “Victim Of Your Love.” 

Overall, this album reminds me of Tiffany.  I know I’m dating myself, but this sounds like an album that Tiffany could have made back in the late ‘80’s.  Maybe Brenna should start singing in malls.  That Swanger accomplished this at her age and contributed as much as she did is amazing.  It speaks to her abilities not just as a singer, but a songwriter, too.  Most artists at this level are performing songs by other artists.  That she already has ten originals on an album is nothing short of incredible.  Let’s not sell her strong, clear vocals and decent vocal range short either.  

My favs on this album are the ballad, “Lullaby,” followed by “Be There,” “Invisible Love,” anyone of which could be a single, but “Lullaby” in particular, is the most mature and broadly appealing song in this package.

Can’t wait to hear how her abilities grow on her next album.

---Dr. Dave 9/28/13.

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CD REVIEW: Obscuriosity-Stephen Lawrenson

Lawrensons third album is another collection of smart, jangly alt-pop, that will remind you at times of ELO, or John Lennon’s post-Beatles solo work.  The opening track, “Your Karma,” is especially Jeff Lynne-esque with it’s heavy reverb and harmonies.  The title track is bouncy and you’ll find yourself amazed at how many words actually rhyme with “Obscuriosity.”  Edge Of The World” features a more laid back groove that owes a lot to The Beatles, as does “Words To Say,” and “Small White House.”  Lawrenson obviously wears his influences on his sleeve.

2nd Time Around” sees the production value and the reverb stripped back a bit revealing a sound closer to Toad The Wet Sprocket, than ELO and perhaps a lot closer to the real Stephen Lawrenson.  The songs remain irresistibly pop and extremely catchy.

On “Ordinary” the production value is upped a little on what is possibly the second best song on the album. 

Forever And A Day” is a straight forward love song, which features some nice mandolin and/or banjo work.  The drumming is minimized with emphasis on picking and lyrics with harmonies for accent.  This could be a hit pop song.

The production value comes roaring back on “Thank You,” and on the albums conclusion, “Pale Yellow,” which reminds me of the way that ELO ended their landmark album, “Out Of The Blue”…with a soft yet bombastic goodbye. 

The songs are extremely catchy and excessive listening could lead to whistling, or even singing along.  Lawrenson is clearly one guy who can write a hook. 

Originally published: 9/21/13

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Album Review:

Band: Esquela

Album name: Are We Rolling? 

Release Date: 6/14/13

Esquela is a band that plays country rock…which always strikes me odd, because with a name like Esquela, it seems like they should be a mariachi band, but forget the name for a moment, forget that it’s really just a nickname for the bands founder and get into their sound.  This is a country rock band, with a blistering female singer, who sounds like a cross between Dale Krantz Rossington and Linda Ronstadt, and musically the band is tight, with a sound that recalls some of Rolling Stones best country rockers, but the songs on “Are We Rolling?” seem written right out of a conservative right-wing playbook that would make Dick Cheney proud, denouncing welfare on “Free Bird,” (which was replaced over a decade ago by President Clinton’s workfare program), Union corruption (on “Too Far Left”—as if the left are the only ones capable of abusing power.), and the sin of laziness on “My Friend.”  There are some songs on the album that strike a more broad appeal, like “Free Beer,” which addresses religious intolerance…”Frozen Chosin” heralds Korean War vets…”Phone Home” gives a cheater the heave-ho…”Genesee Fever” references the Loomis Gang in the 1800’s and is one of only two songs on the album that don’t seem to have a political agenda…and the closing track (the other track that is not political) is the classic “Tossin’ And Turnin’” originally made popular in the 60’s by Bobby Lewis. 

This band was built to be a good time rockin’ blues band, and the songs are uptempo and jangly, but the lyrics just appeal to a narrow audience.  It’ll probably play well in small town conservative bars and pubs, but it may have a hard time finding a wider audience.  Too bad, because this band can play and given the right songs, they could break out nationally.  Singing about religion and politics usually doesn’t help, in fact that’s why the best songwriters try to write songs so that they’re open to interpretation, so that they’ll appeal to listeners across the country and around the world.  So, consider this album a lesson in writing lyrics.  I’m hoping that on the next album, the lyrics will live up to the band, because this band really can play…they just need songs that live up to the caliber of these fine musicians.  They need their own, “Honky Tonk Woman,” for example.  Not that they need to cover that particular song, they just need a song that will do for them, what that song did for The Stones.  They just need songs that reflect the attitude that this band evokes…a good rockin’ good drinkin’ good time, and when they find those kinds of songs, I hope they’ll let me review that album, too.  In fact, I’m looking forward to it. 

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