It’s kind of a Styx reunion for these social distancing times – as one current and one former member have released some new music – separately of course!
I have just added 9 newly released classic rock tracks into high rotation on the playlist. Four of the songs are from the following newly released albums:
Dennis DeYoung – 26 East: Volume 1
Dennis DeYoung – 26 East: Volume 1 … The former Styx keyboardist/vocalist has released a new album that sounds very Styx-like. He sat down and wrote enough songs for two albums (hence the Volume 1 in the record title) – so we can look forward to a Volume 2 sometime! Listen for the tracks With All Due Respect and A Kingdom Ablaze. Read the review here.
FM – Synchronized … This is the 12th album from the UK institution that has been together for 36 years, and the band sounds as good as ever. Listen for the songs Superstar and Broken. Read the review here.
New Singles
The other 5 songs are all recently released singles:
Neil Finn (with Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie) – Find Your Way Back Home … the three members of Fleetwood Mac got together to record this charity single – with all proceeds going to the Finn’s home country charity – Auckland City Mission (New Zealand).
Eric Clapton & B.B. King – Rollin’ And Tumblin’ … this song is a bonus track from the expanded re-release of the duo’s 2000 release – Ridin’ With The King, which is due for release on June 26th, 2020.
Yusef – Where Do The Childen Play … the man formerly known as Cat Stevens is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his breakthrough album Tea For the Tillerman – by recording a re-imagined version of the album – with the original producer Paul Samwell-Smith onboard to assist. Listen to this track for a preview of what’s to come when the album is released on September 18th, 2020.
Tommy Shaw – Going To California … the Styx guitarist/singer/songwriter could not sit still during this pandemic social distancing – so he recorded this version of the Led Zeppelin classic.
Alison Solo – Chiron … this is another song from the Canadian multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter. It can be found on her latest album, Plutonian, which is only available digitally right now. Click here to hear more.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
Classic rock artists are starting to write and record new songs that address this once-in-a-lifetime situation the world finds itself in. Choice Classic Rock is adding them all into high rotation on our playlist. A new Rolling Stones track was added into rotation a while ago, and now joining it are these four songs that are all intended to help us get through the social isolation we are all experiencing in “these strangest of times”. The following tracks say “don’t give up”, “we got this” and “we’ll get through this Pandemic Schmandemic if we all work together!”:
Alice Cooper – Don’t Give Up
Alice Cooper – Don’t Give Up … Alice addresses us directly with spoken words and a killer track in this new release. Don’t give up – we are all in this together … all 7 billion of us.
Queen & Adam Lambert – You Are The Champions … the iconic group and their sometimes singer join together for a reworking of one of the band’s most classic songs – and give it a slightly different title.
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo – Together … A song that lets us know that we are truly in this “together”.
The Scorpions – Sign Of Hope … A song that looks to the future and says “keep your chin up”.
The other five songs added into high rotation are all singles from upcoming albums by classic rock artists. Listen for:
Deep Purple – Man Alive … This is the 2nd single released from the band’s upcoming album Whoosh – which is scheduled for release on June 12th, 2020.
Dion – Big Bam Boom … This is the first single from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer’s upcoming new album which is called Blues With Friends. The album features guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck and on this track he is assisted by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. It is scheduled to be released on June 5th, 2020.
Jackson Browne – Downhill From Everywhere … This latest track from the singer-songwriter dropped on Earth Day, and will be included in his next album – which is scheduled for release in October of 2020.
Kansas – Memories Down the Line … This is the second song released from the band’s next album – The Absence of Presence – which is scheduled for release to the public on June 26th, 2020.
Bob Dylan – False Prophet … This is the third song released from the iconic singer-songwriter’s next album – Rough and Rowdy Ways – which is due for release on June 19th, 2020.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
I have just added 10 new tracks of classic rock into high rotation in the playlist (including The Rolling Stones recently released brand new song). Three of the songs are from the following newly-released classic rock album:
Soul Asylum – Hurry Up and Wait … Dave Pirner is the only original member of the band left – but this is a nice album “full of harmonious vocals and life-experience, easy-going sing-song melodies and interesting varied styles.” And there’s nothing wrong with that! Listen for the tracks Got It Pretty Good, Social Butterfly and If I Told You. Read the review here.
New Singles
The other 7 songs are all recently released singles:
The Rolling Stones – Living In A Ghost Town
The Rolling Stones – Living In A Ghost Town … According to Mick Jagger this song was written last year but was adjusted to reflect life during the coronavirus pandemic. The song has gone to number 1 on iTunes in over 20 countries already. Click here to watch the video.
The Pretenders – You Can’t Hurt A Fool … this song is the 2nd single from the band’s new album, Hate For Sale – which is due for release May 1st, 2020.
Kansas – Throwing Mountains … this song is the 1st single from the band’s upcoming album, The Absence of Presence – which is scheduled for release on June 26th, 2020.
Whitesnake – Always The Same … this track is an unreleased gem that will be featured on their next release – The Rock Album – which will feature revisited, remixed and remastered versions of the group’s best rock songs. It is scheduled for release on June 19th, 2020.
Bob Dylan – I Contain Multitudes … this is the second song of new material that the folk/rock icon has released in this past month – his first new material since 2012’s album Tempest. The title of the song is taken from the poem Song of Myself by Walt Whitman.
The Dead Daisies – Unspoken … this rock juggernaut, newly fronted by rock vocalist Glenn Hughes, has dropped the first single from their next album – Holy Ground. No release date has been scheduled yet.
Alison Solo – Last One Standing … this is a new song from a Canadian multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter. It can be found on her latest album, Plutonian, which is only available digitally right now. Click here to hear more.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
I have just loaded 15 new tracks of (virus free!) classic rock into high rotation in the playlist. Eleven of the songs are from the following newly-released classic rock albums:
Pearl Jam – Gigaton
Pearl Jam – Gigaton … Eddie Vedder and the band return with their first studio album since 2013 sounding engaged and excited, giving us one of their strongest efforts in quite some time. Let’s hope we get to see their postponed tour when things return to normal. Listen for the tracks Superblood Wolfmoon and Never Destination. Read the review here.
Joe Satriani – Shapeshifting … The guitar virtuoso’s 18th studio album features 13 tracks that cover a wide musical spectrum. Aided by co-producer Jim Scott, bassist Chris Chaney, keyboardist Eric Caudieux, and drummer Kenny Aronoff he delivers a very special instrumental record. Listen for the tracks Shapeshifting and Nineteen Eighty. Read the review here.
David Clayton-Thomas – Say Somethin’ … The iconic Canadian vocalist – who fronted Blood, Sweat & Tears – returns with a topical album of songs about climate change, immigration, politics, the justice system, and gun control – delivered as only he can. Listen for the songs The System, Never Again and Player. Read the review here.
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Naked Garden … Willie Nelson‘s son and his band return with the companion to their 2019 album Turn Off The News (Build A Garden). This natural-sounding collection of 15 songs is wonderfully relaxed, and yet maintains a progressive heart and soul. Listen for the songs Entirely Different Stars and Civilized Hell (Alternate Version). Read the review here.
The Strokes – The New Abnormal … The band returns with their first studio album since 2013, and I must admit it recaptures some of the sound of the 80’s – but with an attitude that only the band can deliver. Well worth a hearing! Listen for the track The Adults Are Talking. Read the review here.
The Monkees – The Mike & Micky Show … Are The Monkees without two of their members really The Monkees? The two surviving members of the band – Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith – take the stage on this live album for renditions of 25 pop classics and little known gems from their distant history. A trip down memory lane. Listen for the song (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone. Read the review here.
New Singles
The other 4 songs are all recently released singles:
Jackson Browne – A Little Too Soon To Say … this song is from the singer-songwriters next album (still untitled), due for release next fall.
FM – Synchronized … this is the first single, and title track, from the UK band’s next album – which is due for release on April 10, 2020.
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Last Of the Street Survivors … this track, released in early April, is the first new song from the band in nearly eight years. Let’s hope there’s an album to come! Read an article about the song here.
Bob Dylan – Murder Most Foul … the 78 year old rock icon achieved his very first #1 solo single on the Billboard chart with this almost 17 minute song about the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Read an article about the song here.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
I honestly never thought I would be programming a radio station during a global pandemic – but here we are. Keep safe and wash your hands! I have just loaded 23 new tracks of new (virus free) classic rock into high rotation in the playlist. Nineteen of the songs are from the following newly released classic rock albums:
Boomtown Rats – Citizens Of Boomtown
Boomtown Rats – Citizens Of Boomtown … The Rats return with their first album in 36 years, and it finds Bob Geldorf and the band going places they have never gone before – and sounding all the better for it! Part punk, part garage-band, part rock-band – all of it interesting! An unexpected pleasure indeed! Listen for the tracks Here’s A Postcard, Get A Grip and Trash Glam Baby. Read the review here.
Def Leppard – The Early Years 79-81 … This 5 CD boxed was created to celebrate the fast-approaching 40-year milestone of the band’s first two albums On Through The Night and High ‘N Dry. The set includes the original albums remastered, B-sides, rarities and re-mix versions, Radio One sessions, a live recording from the band’s Reading Festival performance, and the first ever appearance of an unreleased and newly mixed show from Oxford in 1980. Listen for early versions of the songs Rock Brigade and Glad I’m Alive. Read the review here.
Blue Oyster Cult – 40th Anniversary: Agents Of Fortune Live 2016 … Recorded on April 18, 2016 for the Audience Music Network at Red Studios in Hollywood, the band took a turn at performing their classic and most popular album for an intimate audience – with spectacular results. Listen for live versions of (Don’t Fear) The Reaper and E.T.I. Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Read the review here.
Outlaws – Dixie Highway … The band returns with a straightforward and uncomplicated album of southern rock. Twins guitars and good ole’ boy songs and solos – guaranteed to keep your toes tapping! Listen for the tracks Dixie Highway and Southern Rock Will Never Die. Read the review here.
Rory Gallagher – Check Shirt Wizard: Live In ’77 … This album is a compilation of four European shows, and serves as a strong reminder of just what made this Irish guitar player so great. Scorching blues-based electric songs and delightful acoustic number keeps the legacy alive. Listen for the songs Calling Card and Jack-Knife Beat. Read the review here.
Gordon Lightfoot – Solo … The 81 year old iconic Canadian folk-singer returns with his first studio album since 2004. Most of the songs on the album were written and first recorded — and then totally forgotten — not long before he suffered a debilitating abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2002. They were rediscovered and the decision was made to reinterpret them on his own with just his guitar. Intimate and enduring. Listen for the tracks Why Not Give It A Try and Oh So Sweet. Read the review here.
Robert Cray – That’s What I Heard … The legendary blues guitar player returns with an album of gratitude to his soul, gospel, blues, and R&B inspirations. The album features covers of songs by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Curtis Mayfield, The Sensational Nightingales and others, but also features four new original songs. Listen for the tracks Anything You Want and Hot. Read the review here.
Eric Johnson – EJ Vol II … The Texas guitar wizard moves a step closer to the singer-songwriter spotlight in his latest album. If you are looking for instrumental tunes showcasing Johnson’s fluid chops, this album is probably not for you. Instead, you’ll find introspective songs – filled with fluid, tasteful guitar licks. And that’s not bad at all! Listen for the song Waterwheel. Read the review here.
Sass Jordan – Rebel Moon Blues … This Canadian singer is a long time pioneer of powerful, gritty female-fronted rock, and has worked alongside fellow greats like Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and Van Halen, among many more, but her love for the blues has never been stronger. Featuring blues harp master Steve Marriner, this album showcases the singer’s gritty, raspy voice as she covers several blues standards. Listen for the tracks One Way Out and Leaving Trunk. Read the review here.
New Singles
The other 4 songs comes from upcoming classic rock releases:
The Killers – Caution (featuring Lindsay Buckingham) … this track features guitar work from Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac and is the 1st single from the band’s new album, Imploding The Mirage – which is due for release May 29, 2020.
The Pretenders – Buzz … this song is the 1st single from the band’s new album, Hate For Sale – which is due for release May 1, 2020.
Dennis DeYoung – East Of Midnight and To The Good Old Days (featuring Julian Lennon) … these songs are the news singles from the former Styx front-man’s new album 26 East: Volume 1 – which is due for release April 10, 2020 (but word is out that is may be delayed).
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
I have just added 10 new songs into high rotation in the playlist. Nine of the songs are from the following newly released classic rock albums:
Wishbone Ash – Coat Of Arms
Wishbone Ash – Coat Of Arms … This UK band that started way back in the 1960s is still rockin’! Original member and lead vocalist/guitarist Andy Powell is the force behind the band. This album delivers another excellent album of progressive, melodic rock that embraces their past but leans towards the future. Listen for the tracks Empty Man, Back In the Day and We Stand As One. Read the review here.
James Taylor – American Standard … On this album, the iconic American singer/songwriter sits down with his acoustic guitar and pays tribute to the music he grew up on. Listen for the song It’s Only A Paper Moon. Read the review here.
Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man … The former Black Sabbath vocalist’s 12th solo album delivers exactly what he is known for and cements his place in rock and metal music. He is joined on the album by guests Slash, Post Malone and Elton John. Listen for the track Scary Little Green Men. Read the review here.
Pendragon – Love Over Fear … The band celebrates its recent 40th anniversary with the release of an excellent album of progressive rock. Great, varied songwriting and top-notch playing make this album a joy to listen to. Listen for the track Who Really Are We?. Read the review here.
The Allman Brothers Band – Trouble No More: 50th Anniversary Collection … This 5 CD boxed set focuses on the entire spectrum of the band’s career and delivers not only a solid overview of the amazing music they created, but also some never-heard-before rarities as a bonus. Listen for a live version of the song Blue Sky and the original demo version of the song Trouble No More. Read the review here.
Nektar – The Other Side … A resurrected version of this progressive rock band that started over 50 years ago returns with a nice collection of original material. Listen for the track Skywriter. Read the review here.
New Single
The other song comes from an upcoming release:
Bon Jovi – Limitless … this track is the 2nd single, and title track, from the band’s new album, Limitless – which is due for release May 15, 2020.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
I have just added 3 new songs into high rotation in the playlist from the following newly released classic rock albums:
Bryan Ferry – Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974
Bryan Ferry – Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974 … This album captures a live concert from the Roxy Music lead vocalist’s first solo tour in 1974. Given how old the session is – the recording is of excellent quality and the musicianship and performance are second to none. Listen for the tracks A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall and a cover the of The Rolling Stone‘s song Sympathy For the Devil. Read the review here.
Huey Lewis & The News – Weather … This album has only 7 tracks on it – but it is a refreshing charge of power pop from a band that released their first album 40 years ago. With the recent news of Huey Lewis’s throat/voice troubles – this could quite possibly be the bands last hurrah. Listen for the song Hurry Back Baby. Read the review here.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
To celebrate the New Year – I have just added 20 new songs into high rotation in the playlist. Eighteen of the songs are from the following newly released classic rock albums:
The Who – WHO
The Who – WHO … Roger Daltrey has called this new release the “best album since Quadrophenia“, and I am hard pressed to dispute this claim. Pete Townshend has crafted some incredible songs with great topical lyrics that are beautifully delivered by a team of crack musicians. Listen for the tracks I Don’t Wanna Get Wise, Hero Ground Zero, This Gun Will Misfire, Rockin’ In Rage and Break The News. Read the review here.
Jimi Hendrix – Songs For Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts … This box set captures Hendrix live with the Band Of Gypsys in all his guitar wielding glory. Running approximately five hours, the album boasts forty-three tracks, restored in sequence from Wally Heider’s original recordings over 2 nights. Over two dozen of these tracks have never before been released commercially (or have been newly pressed and newly remixed). Listen for the tracks Fire, Hey Joe and Lover Man. Read the review here.
Pink Floyd – The Later Years … This box set captures the David Gilmour led incarnation of the band, and features remixes of their albums from Momentary Lapse Of Reason onward, as well as remixed and reedited versions of concert films, unreleased footage from various tours, Division Bell outtakes, rehearsals, and more. Listen for a live version of Run Like Hell recorded in Atlanta in 1987, as well as a couple of 1994 instrumental studio outtakes – Marooned Jam and Nervana. Read the review here.
Grateful Dead – Ready Or Not … This new album contains live versions of the six tracks included on the band’s So Many Roads album, plus a further three live songs from the Vince Welnick era. Listen for the track Samba In the Rain. Read the review here.
Gary Numan & The Skaparis Orchestra – When the Sky Came Down … This album was recorded live in Bridgewater Hall in Manchester England with a full orchestra. Numan himself called the experience “one of the highlights of my career”. Listen for the songs Ghost Nation and Everything Comes Down To This. Read the review here.
Marillion – With Friends From the Orchestra … The band has rerecorded some of their extended opuses and lesser known album tracks with a string quartet, flautist and a French Horn player. The album captures the band on a creative high, confident and comfortable in what they’re about and – after all these years – still wanting to push the boundaries and do something new. Listen for the track Seasons End. Read the review here.
Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live at the Royal Festival Hall … The former Genesis guitar player also teams up with an orchestra on this live album, on which he covers classics from his earlier solo career, his more recent releases, and a Genesis set list which includes a track from every album he contributed to (skipping The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway). Listen for the song El Nino. Read the review here.
Harry Nilsson – Losst And Founnd … This album is the first posthumous release from the artist. Original producer Mark Hudson has taken the recordings from Nilsson‘s last unfinished recording sessions, spiffed up and completed the tracks, enlisting a number of the artist’s old friends along the way (such as Jimmy Webb, Van Dyke Parks, Jim Keltner, as well as son Kiefo Nilsson). Listen for the track High Heel Sneakers/Rescue Boy Medley. Read the review here.
Molly Hatchet – Battleground … This live album is a well-balanced and all-encompassing taste of the charm that the band has carried with them through the decades, balancing the flair of old-school rockstars with a tasteful twang in both voices and instrumentals. Listen for a live version of their classic Dreams I’ll Never See. Read the review here.
New Singles
The other 2 songs are currently released as singles:
Huey Lewis & The News – While We’re Young … this is the second single from the band’s new album, Weather – which is due for release on February 14th, 2020.
U2 with A. R. Rahman – Ahimsa … this song was released a while ago – but I recently discovered it. U2 wrote the song with Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman. The title of the song is a Sanskrit word for “non-violence”.
Choice Classic Rock – classic rock radio like you’ve never heard it before!
