Out now: The Pretenders' special LP reissue of 'Learning to Crawl' for 40th Anniversary

With The Pretenders winding down its current U.S. tour (as headliner and special guest at select Foo Fighters stadium dates) this month, it’s a good time to remind fans about the new LP reissue of Learning to Crawl.

Released via Rhino/Warners to mark its 40th anniversary, the new edition is available in crystal clear and standard black variants HERE. This pressing features the 2018 remastered audio by original producer Chris Thomas on vinyl for the first time. The album jacket has concert shots on the front and back.

The rock band’s third full-length studio effort, Learning to Crawl is one of its best, emerging after the untimely 1982-83 deaths of co-founding guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon.

Singer/guitarist Chrissie Hynde and drummer Martin Chambers were joined by guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster, who would soon join the group. Guests included Tony Butler of Big Country on bass, Squeeze/Ace keyboardist Paul Carrack, Billy Bremner of Rockpile and others.

A smashing success in America, Learning to Crawl went to #5 on the Billboard 200 chart (the band's highest chart placing to date) and was certified platinum here. Hit singles on the magazine’s Hot 100 tally included “Back on the Chain Gang” (#5), “Middle of the Road” (#19) and “Show Me” (#28). Meanwhile, major Album Oriented Rock radio airplay greeted those tunes as well as “My City Was Gone” and “Thumbelina.”

As for the music, five of the 10 tracks are still a regular part of the band’s live set, which is fairly rare these days. The album opens with the frantic harmonica-fueled classic “Middle of the Road” and some pointed Hynde lyrics such as “When you own a big chunk of the bloody Third World/The babies just come with the scenery” and “I can’t get from the cab to the curb without some little jerk on my back.”

Other standouts include “Back on the Chain Gang,” a wistful song dedicated to Honeyman-Scott, complete with hammer sounds and a gang chant in a nod to Sam Cooke’s 1960 hit “Chain Gang”; “Show Me,” the loving midtempo ode to Hynde’s newborn daughter, with memorable chiming guitars; the chugging, bluesy rocker “My City Was Gone,” inspired by a trip Hynde took to her native Akron, Ohio after living in London for years and being shocked at the deterioration; a gorgeous cover of R&B vocal group The Persuaders’ 1971 song “Thin Line Between Love and Hate” and what became a Christmas perennial appearing on countless holiday album compilations, “2000 Miles.”

Finneas says 'For Cryin' Out Loud' in October

Multiple GRAMMY® and Academy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer, Finneas - who has performed at Coachella - announced “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” It it both the title of his single [OUT NOW] and forthcoming studio album, set for release via Interscope Records on October 4 [PRE-SAVE].

Finneas' self-produced second solo studio album was created out of a series of live studio sessions in Los Angeles, bringing together some of his closest friends and peers into one room.

In contrast to his debut album Optimist, which featured instrumentals written and performed solely by the artist himself, this time, For Cryin’ Out Loud! sees him steering things away from the bedroom producer mentality and to a classic studio/band environment. 

"For Cryin’ Out Loud!” the single comes with an official music video written and directed by Isaac Ravishankara. Watch HERE.

For Cryin’ Out Loud! follows the collaboration on sister Billie Eilish’s recent third studio album.  Earlier this year, Finneas won his second Academy Award for “What Was I Made For” which he co-wrote and produced for the "Barbie" soundtrack. He is also making his television scoring debut on the upcoming Apple TV+ limited series Disclaimer. The show is written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón and stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, among others. 

“For Cryin’ Out Loud!” the single is out everywhere now
For Cryin’ Out Loud! the album is out October 4 – pre-order/add/save HERE

Track listing: 

1. Starf*****


2. What’s It Gonna Take To Break Your Heart?

3. Cleats

4. Little Window

5. 2001

6. Same Old Story 

7. Sweet Cherries

8. For Cryin’ Out Loud!

9. Family Feud

10. Lotus Eater

Photo: High Rise PR

Fleetwood Mac live album from 1982 set for September

In September 1982, Fleetwood Mac embarked on a 31-city U.S. tour in support of Mirage, the band’s fourth consecutive multi-platinum album and third No. 1 in America. At that point, first single "Hold Me" had gone top 5 on the pop charts. "Gypsy" would follow it into the top 10 soon after. 

Both shows at The Forum in Inglewood were recorded, and MIRAGE TOUR ‘82 - due Sept. 20 via Rhino - combines songs from both into a single concert experience. The live collection features six unreleased recordings from the October 21, 1982 show, including “Landslide,” “Don’t Stop,” and “Never Going Back Again.” Formats include 2CD and 3LP.

Music journalist and songwriter Bill DeMain writes in the liner notes that the live collection is a reminder of a time when rock shows “were platforms to expand and reinvent songs for the stage, to let them breathe, to unleash different, wilder sides of a band.”

Disc One

1. “Second Hand News”

2. “The Chain”
3. “Don’t Stop” *
4. “Dreams” *
5. “Oh Well” *
6. “Rhiannon”
7. “Brown Eyes”
8. “Eyes Of The World”
9. “Gypsy”
10.“Love In Store”
11.“Not That Funny”

Disc Two

1. “Never Going Back Again” *
2. “Landslide” *
3. “Tusk”
4. “Sara” *
5. “Hold Me”
6. “You Make Loving Fun”
7. “I’m So Afraid”
8. “Go Your Own Way”
9. “Blue Letter”
10.“Sisters Of The Moon”
11.“Songbird”

* Previously Unreleased

Album review: 'Smoke & Fiction' by X

X

Smoke & Fiction

(Fat Possum)

When X released Alphabetland in 2020, it was the influential LA punk rock band’s first new studio album in more than a quarter century. Now a mere four years later, fans can revel in the excellent follow-up effort Smoke & Fiction. But it comes with a tinge of sadness because singer Exene Cervenka, singer/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer DJ Bonebrake have confirmed Smoke & Fiction is their ninth and final album (with an accompanying national farewell tour).

Clocking in at just under a half hour, Smoke & Fiction - out now via Fat Possum Records – saw X team up again with producer Rob Schnapf (Beck, Guided by Voices). Some of the quintessential L.A. songs were road tested last year. Basic tracks were recorded in three days on the self-funded project. The album rocks in the way longtime X enthusiasts have come to expect. No sonic detours, just good old melodic punk rock that’s instantly identifiably X from the get-go.

“Big Black X” refers to the group’s logo on a marquee and deftly paints a picture of band’s early history. Here Cervenka sings about the old Masque club, a then-deteriorating Hollywood sign, Errol Flynn’s abandoned mansion, bikers on the 101, and more. The hard-charging title track, led by Zoom’s taut guitar work, delves into the state of the world and recalls past X classics like “The Unheard Music” and “In This House That I Call Home.” Odd noises crop up during the eerie, midtempo “Face in the Moon” which references “this tin can city” and heading down the Hollywood freeway.  

Other standouts include fast and furious album opener “Ruby Church,” with Doe and Cervenka’s distinct harmonies and Zoom’s ripping solo; the pile-driving “Sweet ‘Til the Bitter End”; a moody “The Way it Is,” where the singers frankly recall how “we did what we did to get along.” Bonebrake’s drums thrash in all the right places, while Zoom’s frequent tremelo effects are enthralling. All told, Smoke & Fiction is a solid swan song. Highly recommended. 

Concert review: Stray Cats in Costa Mesa, Calif. (Night 1)

photo: Bob Steshetz

Stray Cats were a few songs into their 21-song set on Thursday night at the Pacific Amphitheatre when lead singer/guitarist Brian Setzer mentioned that the band last played there six years ago. “I think we sound better now,” he said proudly.

Indeed. The veteran New York rockabilly trio came across tighter than ever amid an exhilarating 80-minute concert for the OC Fair Summer Concert Series.

Several fans decked out in old school rock ‘n’ roll attire populated the audience (one guy and gal could easily have been extras in some cast of “Grease”).

Setzer has put out two solo albums (The Devil Always Collects, Gotta Have the Rumble) since Stray Cats released the solid studio effort 40 in 2019. A Stray Cats live album, Rocked This Town: From LA to London, arrived the following year. Bassist/vocalist Lee Rocker and drummer/backing vocalist Slim Jim Phantom also had new solo album projects appear during the intervening period.

In the first of two Costa Mesa shows, Stray Cats appropriately took the stage to Eddie Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody.” The band opened with a rousing “Too Hip, Gotta Go,” from 1983’s US gold-certified album Rant ‘n’ Rave with the Stray Cats. It was the first of many examples of Setzer’s dexterous work on his Gretsch guitars. Lee Rocker vigorously thumped away on a cowhide painted upright bass, among three he would use. Phantom did cool drumstick twirls.

Before the twangy, sinister vibe of “Runaway Boys,” Setzer noted how it was the first song they ever did. For the uninitiated, the tune was an international hit single (UK #9, 1980) before America took notice.

photo: Bob Steshetz

A snappy “Three Time’s a Charm” off 40, fit well alongside the older material. The OC crowd sang along loudly to a fun “Stray Cat Strut,” the group’s biggest domestic hit (US #3, 1981). The latter is its most streamed song on Spotify, currently at 37 million, and was recently featured in the Hulu series “The Great” starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.

All three guys gathered at a microphone stand to sing the opening line of Gene Vincent’s “Be-Bop-a-Lula,” which figures prominently in the jaunty Vincent/Cochran tribute “Gene and Eddie.” Setzer’s lightning guitar solo here was a wonder.

Rocker, a Laguna Beach resident, said he was pleased to play a hometown gig before taking lead vocal duties on the song he penned for 40, “When Nothing’s Going Right.” And Phantom, recalling Stray Cats’ early days, said the Pacific Amphitheatre was a better place than NYC’s once infamous, tiny and dingy music club CBGB (talk about an understatement!).

Other standouts came fast and furious in the set’s back half, including a fiery “(She’s) Sexy+17,” where Rocker and Phantom sang the main chorus; the hyperkinetic “Blast Off!” with its humorous outer space lyrics; a cover of Cochran’s “Summertime Blues” (dedicated to Fifties/Sixties guitar pioneer Duane Eddy, who died last April); Setzer’s low croon and the group harmonies on the effusive “Bring it Back Again” and signature hit “Rock This Town,” where Setzer ventured to the sides of the stage as he did throughout the evening.

On select songs, Rocker dragged his heavy bass around to be in closer proximity to his bandmates. Stray Cats finished the show with a thunderous “Rumble in Brighton” and the lean “Built for Speed” – a title that still describes the musicians too.

Tour dates:

8/5 Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City

8/6 Mission Ballroom, Denver

8/8 Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheater, Moorhead, MN

8/9 Ledge Amphitheater, Waite Park, MN

8/10 Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, Gary, IN

8/12 Rose Music Center at the Heights, Huber Heights, OH

8/13 Artpark Amphitheater, Lewiston, NY

8/15 Rooftop at Pier 17, New York, NY

8/16 Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City, NJ

8/17 Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater, Bridgeport, CT

straycats.com 

Photos from Pacific Amphitheatre Night 2 by Bob Steshetz/Bob by Request, courtesy Surfdog Records.

In stores now: 'Stampede' by Orville Peck

Country singer Orville Peck released his duets album 'Stampede' today. Previous singles have included “Midnight Ride” with Kylie Minogue & Diplo and “Death Valley High” alongside Beck. Listen HERE.

Among the other tracks are “Cowboys Are Frequently Fond of Each Other,” a cover of queer anthem featuring vocals from Willie Nelson, the ballad “How Far Will We Take It” with Noah Cyrus, “Chemical Sunset” with Allison Russell, and “Rhinestone Cowboy” alongside fellow gay artists TJ Osborne, Waylon Payne and Fancy Hagood. 

“This project has always been something I’ve fantasized about, so to see it finally come to fruition really is a dream come true,” says Peck.

Last May, Peck was honored at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards in New York City with the Vito Russo Award, which is presented to a LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in accelerating LGBTQ acceptance.

Peck’s Stampede Tour is underway now across North America.

'Stampede' track listing:

1. Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other [with Willie Nelson]
2. The Hurtin' Kind [with Midland]
3. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) [with Elton John]
4. Back At Your Door [with Debbii Dawson]
5. Chemical Sunset [with Allison Russell]
6. Death Valley High [with Beck]
7. How Far Will We Take It? [with Noah Cyrus]
8. Miénteme [with Bu Cuaron]
9. Papa Was a Rodeo [with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway]
10. Midnight Ride [with Kylie Minogue and Diplo]
11. Ever You're Gone [with Teddy Swims]
12. You're an Asshole, I Can't Stand You (and I Want a Divorce) [with Margo Price]
13. Where Are We Now? [with Mickey Guyton]
14. Conquer The Heart [with Nathaniel Rateliff]
15. Rhinestone Cowboy [with TJ Osborne, Waylon Payne and Fancy Hagood]

Tour Dates:

8/3 — Omaha, NE — The Admiral ~%
8/5 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Jones Assembly ~%
8/6 — Santa Fe, NM — Santa Fe Brewing Company ~%
8/8 — Denver, CO — Fillmore Auditorium ~%
8/9 — Salt Lake City, UT — Union Event Center %
8/23 — Nashville, TN — Orville Peck’s 6th Annual Rodeo Kickoff Party
8/24 — Nashville, TN — Orville Peck’s 6th Annual Rodeo
8/25 — Nashville, TN — Orville Peck’s 6th Annual Rodeo Closing Party
9/24 — Bend, OR — Hayden Homes Amphitheater @!
9/25 — Woodinville, WA — Chateau Ste. Michelle @!
9/27 — San Francisco, CA — Bill Graham Civic Auditorium @!
9/28 — Los Angeles, CA — Hollywood Palladium @!
9/29 — Los Angeles, CA — Hollywood Palladium @!
10/1 — San Diego, CA — Cal Coast Credit Union - Open Air Theatre @!
10/2 — Phoenix, AZ — Mesa Amphitheatre @!
10/6 — Austin, TX — Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/7 — Dallas, TX — House of Blues Dallas @ – JUST ADDED
10/8 — Houston, TX — House of Blues Houston @ – JUST ADDED
10/11 — Tulsa, OK — Tulsa Theater @ – JUST ADDED
10/13 — Austin, TX — Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/16 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall @&
10/18 — Philadelphia, PA — MET Opera House @&
10/19 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Paramount @&
10/20 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Paramount @&

~ With Jaime Wyatt
% With Gold Star
@ With Nikki Lane
! With Emily Nenni
& With Vincent Neil Emerson

photo: Ben Prince

Cher curates 'Forever,' a new career retrospective with some rarities slated for September

Warner Records will put out 'Forever,' a collection of 21 remastered Cher songs on Sept. 20 that she curated. Pre-Orders are open now at CherForever.net. The double vinyl package will be printed on silver foil board with crystal clear translucent vinyl. A single CD configuration will also be available.

The Forever Fan Edition digital release available on all streaming outlets on the same date, adds 19 additional tunes ranging from early Cher hits like “The Beat Goes On” and “I Got You Babe” to additional hits from her 80’s era to a live recording of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” which opened her Farewell Tour.

Cher fans will have the chance to enjoy the full-length version of “Take Me Home”, as well as her other favorites like “Welcome To Burlesque,” dance floor hits like “Dov’e L’Amore” and “Woman’s World,” and the Diane Warren song “You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me.”

There are also fan-requested songs like “A Woman’s Story” - remastered and available on digital for the first time now - after only being previously released on a 45” single in 1974. Other rarities include “Still” from her highly collectable self-released album, which was released only on cher.com in 2000.

A full list of songs on the vinyl package and the digital release of Forever is listed below.

Cher will formally be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame on October 19 and recently announced the release of her autobiography, CHER: The Memoir, Part One, on sale November 19. https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/cher

Forever vinyl track listing:

1. Believe
2. If I Could Turn Back Time
3. Walking In Memphis
4. Song For The Lonely
5. Strong Enough
6. The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)
7. SOS
8. I Found Someone
9. Save Up All Your Tears
10. One By One
11. After All (Love Theme From Chances Are)
12. Heart Of Stone
13. The Way Of Love
14. I Hope You Find It
15. Take Me Home
16. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
17. Woman's World
18. Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves
19. Dark Lady
20. You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me
21. DJ Play A Christmas Song

Forever Fan Edition (Digital Release):

22. A Woman's Story
23. Love And Understanding
24. All Or Nothing
25. Different Kind Of Love Song
26. Just Like Jesse James
27. We All Sleep Alone
28. The Music's No Good Without You
29. Dov'e L'Amore
30. Still
31. Welcome To Burlesque
32. One Of Us
33. I'd Rather Believe In You
34. Move Me (Cher & Gregg Allman)
35. I Paralyze
36. The Beat Goes On
37. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
38. Baby Don't Go
39. I Got You Babe
40. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Live from The Farewell Tour)