22/08/2022
August affairs at The Roolz...
Everyone claims to have the best music mix in town, so we won't do that. We'll just settle for being different, unfettered by commercial interests, RAJAR surveys or any of that nonsense.
New tunes include a track from Alex Jordan, originally a member of the San Francisco band Midnight North who has struck out on his own with the solo offering 'Blue'. The clue is in the title. One of my very favourite groups, Death Cab for Cutie, have released a new single called 'Here to Forever'. The band borrowed its name from a song written by the deeply lamented Neil Innes & Vivian Stanshall which appeared on the Bonzos' first album, 'Gorilla'.
Now to Roy Shakked - working out of LA and Tel Aviv Roy has written theme music for dozens of television shows over the years. Like my friend David Mindel, he has written and produced music for multiple advertisements and trailers and has composed scores and contributed songs to a host of films. 'Play On' seems an apt title. 
Home grown now. Sam Redmore is a DJ and remixer from Birmingham. On 'Just Can't Wait' he teams up with fellow Brummie  Lumi HD on vocals. It's a blast.
One of the many qualities I admire about Sir EJ is his interest in and encouragement of new talent. Yard Act are a British rock band from Leeds. Their debut album 'The Overload' was released in January this year and entered the UK Album Chart at #2. Now we offer you 'I00% Endurance' - darkly comical with minimal intervention from Sir Elton.
I'm listening as I type this and I'm really enjoying the music. 
I'm not blushing either. There is much more new stuff, but long Facebook posts are boring.


19/05/2022
Well, we officially launched the summer music a couple of weeks ago, but it was only a sprinkling of the lawn. The good stuff starts now... and where do I begin? I simply dont understand how I have only just caught up with The Band Lawrence, because they have been performing since 2016 when they were barely out of nappies. Basically, the band consists of New York siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence, augmented by half a dozen friends. So they play as a soul/funk 8-piece and boy, what a sound! Clyde is still only 24 and Gracie, 21. Watch them fly and hear them on The Roolz.
Wilco have long been a fave indie band and they return to their country roots on the album ‘Cruel Country’. ‘Tired of Taking It Out On You’ is terrific. Next, to Whole Damn Mess a quartet from Laurel Canyon. Why the name? Love is messy. Life is messy. And if you dig deep enough to really get past the bullshit you will find the meaning of their name. Beautiful and weird and scary and sweet. Complex and simple. Not just ‘Some Big Something’. All of it.
I willl mention two more new songs: ‘Compliance’ by Muse (which will light my friend Stewart is fire) and ‘Calm Down’ from Rema. ‘Calm Down’ is the No. 1 song on Shazams French website this week, and it is not hard to hear why. Rema (real name Divine Ikibor) is a Nigerian musician who has, for sure, nailed one of the hottest dance tracks of the summer. 
There are many other additions, too (including some splendid new French tracks) but something is telling me that you are bored of reading this… so you will just have to listen.

10/05/2022
All set to step into summer, which arrived early this year in the south of France. I hope you will enjoy the new mix. Recent additions include the gangbuster 'Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)' from Canadian band Arcade Fire... basically a husband & wife team. It is better than excellent. Staying in Canada (yes, there's an international feel here) we move on with 'Only Ones' by a guy called Art d'Ecco. That's all I know - the rest is shrouded in mystery. I guess he thinks he is David Bowie.
A wee way south to Minnesota now. Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) arrived there via Houston and Detroit and has made quite a name for herself in hip hop and rap: neither of which makes an appearance in 'About Damn Time' [mercifully]. The track actually sounds as though it could have been produced by Nile Rogers of Chic. We'll stay in Minneapolis for 'Rosary' from The Scarlet Goodbye - a gentle, summery song perfect for wine soaked afternoons.
Home now for 'Seine de la Vie Parisienne' from the Paris Combo. No-one does authentic swing like the French. I guess it's a Django thing. Lead singer Belle du Berry sadly passed away a couple of years ago, but the band plays on.
Play on, yourself... and carry The Roolz where'eer ye go.


15/04/22
Some late spring cleaning at The Roolz... more tracks have been added from Bruce Springsteen's new album. There's also a wicked new tune from the appropriately named Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs. It's called 'Wicked Mind'. The monicker may be unfamiliar, but Mike used to be a guitarist in Tom Petty's Heartbreakers and, in fact, co-wrote some of Tom's most memorable songs. J Balvin (the J is code for Jose) teams up with Ed Everywhere on 'Forever My Love' where Jose does the Spanish stuff while Ed (who recently won his copyright court case) sticks to English. Fine song.
You'll also hear, amongst others, new tracks from Amos Lee and The Record Company. Finally, Father John Misty kisses the blues goodbye, as I trust you will too this Easter.
I hope it's a dag, as they say in New Zealand.


01/04/22
The world is awake after the long winter sleep. There's a bunch of fine new music out there... 
It seems right to start with Regina Spektor. Born in Moscow, she must be grateful she got out during the period of Perestroika. Regina's Jewish parents decided to emigrate because of the racial, ethnic, and political discrimination of that time. It doesn't appear to have melted any. The Spektor family was admitted to the United States as refugees with the assistance of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. I've been a fan of Regina for ages and regulars will probably be familiar with 'Laughing With' and 'Folding Chair'. But her new one, 'Becoming All Alone', is a masterpiece. She's not alone - she's sharing a beer with God - and the orchestration on the track is truly divine.
What else? I've lost count of Ed Sheeran's collaborations: J Balvin sneaks under Ed's bed with 'Forever My Love'. That guy certainly has a talent for a tune. Bruce Springsteen teams up with John Mellencamp on 'Did You Say Such a Thing', there's hot stuff from St Paul & The Broken Bones, the Zac Brown Band and a cracking country song from Cody Johnson called 'Til You Can't'.
There's a ton of other stuff, including some brilliant new French songs. So please make sure you can... you know it makes sense.

03/03/22
Well, well...
So much has happened since last I wrote. I have added some new releases for March, which has gone as mad as Lewis Carroll prophetically forecast. But by May, Carroll said, it won't be raving mad – at least not so mad as it was in March. Remember, the hare finally addresses the court with an opening statement that more or less vindicates the accused, before turning his accusing eye upon the court itself. 
I've shaken things up a lot at The Roolz - now programmed to reflect sombre times whilst making an attempt to rise above them. I am of an age where my father fought in the Second World War and both my grandfathers in the First. Stupidly we have stumbled into another nightmare - partially, it has to be admitted, of our own making. Appeasement of bullies never works. If we were the only ones to suffer, perhaps that would be justice enough. But it is the women and children of Ukrainian cities who suffer for us, and the refugees who will number in their millions. It is heartbreaking. 
Please lend an ear... music does have charms to sooth the savage breast.

02/02/22
February update: not a lot going on so far this month, but it's only two days old! The Beeb is playing a lot of rhubarb (Boris's latest catchword). I've added some cool new French tunes; aside from which there are offerings from Charlie Hickey, Jeremy & The Harlequins, The Shout Out Louds & Yelawolf & Shooter Jennings. Charlie is from LA, the Shout Outs hail from Sweden and Yelawolf is best known as a Tennessee rapper (but keeps it to a merciful minimum on 'Make Me a Believer'). I'll edit it later; otherwise, all good... 
Jeremy's mob are worthy of a special mention. They are a frat band from New York and 'It Won't Be Love' sounds as though it was recorded 60 years ago. It wasn't - it's brand new, but it'll take you right back to the Temptations. Clever, that.

15/01/22
So here we go again with the latest update. On Monday (17/01) we're moving our server and we'll be down for about fifteen minutes - infuriating, I know, but we're much more stable now that we have switched to Orange fibre optic. Some new tunes are playing, too...
...there's a truly international flavour and a more 'poppy' feel about the latest releases. Coeur de Pirate is the stage name of Beatrice Martin, a francophone from Montreal, and she has released a new album called Impossible a Aimer. Listen out for 'On s'Aimera Toujours'. Speaking of Canada, one of its biggest stars - The Weeknd - has managed to keep his work sharp & contemporary without pissing off older listeners: no mean feat, that. His new one, 'Sacrifice', is bound to be a biggie. Add to the list actor-turned-singer Sam Fender with 'Seventeen Going Under' and the pop feel continues... it's a great tune.
Lastly, a few words in praise of NIKI. She's an Indonesian based in the U.S. - a child prodigy who opened a Taylor Swift tour at the age of 15. 'Every Summertime' is not pop, it is pure FUNK, and it was recorded live in a single take. Be sure not to miss it.
Music for a hazy shade of winter at The Roolz