Getting a ringing endorsement from the legend that is Jesse Malin is always going to get heads turning around RPM HQ and when you hear Lorne was the gunslinger in Dimestore Halos and the influences of Johnny Thunders stand out then we’re all in.
This is his sophomore album, ‘Blue Love’, released on Spaghetty Town Records. Is an 11-song collection. It’s steeped in the heart and soul of New York City of old and the first glimpse was the single, ‘The Blue Goes On Forever’.
Following up the debut record can be a daunting prospect but not for Lorne The stories on Blue Love are literate and totally in keeping with his surroundings, the ghosts of Lou Reed, Jim Carroll, Johnny, and Sylvain are felt. There’s a live old-school Replacements meets Reid vibe on the opening track ‘So I Think Of You’, especially through the Lalala part I’m thinking lofts in the LES and a ghostly thin and pale Reid chewing on a cigarette reading Kerouac. It’s loose and sparse and carries such a cool carefree vibe. The single follows and that laid-back summer breeze vibe carries on but it’s carried through the ether on a vibrant and uplifting beat and tempo.
‘The Bellevue Song’ has me daydreaming about Johnny Thunders and his sidekick Sylvain. give her a great big kiss man. It’s a story about falling in love while in a mental hospital and why not? ‘Blue Eyes Gone Green’ is an acoustic-driven jam.
Get the ladies in for some shuffling call and reply backbeat smokey barroom balladeering on ‘Barbara’. ‘Ferris Wheel’ is a stomping big chords and funky Bass lines whilst Lorne cuts out some tasty chops that a prime Keith Richards would be proud of. ‘You Don’t Know Me’ gets a little funky with some whistling on the intro. I remember my first visit to NYC and coming out of the Port Authority near Maddison Sq Gardens this song could have been playing in my head as my wide eyes tried to take it all in as I was hit with the horns and balmy summer sunshine daydreaming of Travis Bickle and the Ramones music can do that to you.
The album closes with the brushes shuffle on the snare as the acoustic guitar picks away on the chords as Lorne leaves his mark dovetailing the record where we came in. Totally NYC in the same way Jesse Malin is forever entwined in the city and all its stories and history of Rock and Roll there must be something in the water there to keep churning out super cool records like this. A cool album with plenty of top tunes that will grow old with you and one that will mature like a fine wine. Check it out you won’t be disappointed it’s a grown-up album for people who are still in love with their rock n Roll.
Take a bite of some dirty and catchy rock n’ roll scrapped off of the streets of the Bowery, images come rushing through of Richard Hell and the Voidoids and a whole assortment of legendry names who paved the way for others to absorb and follow dishing up their own tasty treats.
Songs about life, love, loss booze, women what you’ve had and what you want Lorne Behrman has been there and done that and now he’s released his own record stuffed full of rock n roll. Lets take a trip.
LORNE, previously played in The Dimestore Haloes, L.E.S. Stitches, The Dead Tricks and most recently The Sweet Things, This long player follows LORNE’s acclaimed 2021 four-song EP ‘When I Hit The Floor’,
‘A LITTLE MIDNIGHT’ reaks of Noo Yawk cool from the album’s opener through the cocksure strut of ‘Harlem River Serenade’ with its johnny B Goode licks and Lou style narrated vocals on the verse its a real earworm that has you craving more and more.
The story-like delivery of the lyrics is cool and none more so than ‘I Can Burn You Down’ that draws Soprano-like imagery of Lorne driving by the Hudson with a thumping from the trunk of his Cadillac with some nasty punk rock tunes bursting out of the stereo. The bass rumble laying down the groove on top of the solid drum beat it’s a top tune.
‘Monday Morning’ has a keyboard wheeze as the beat skips on with some excellent power pop storytelling its a burst of carefree rock n roll like a throwback to when Rod the mod was Atlantic Crossing but if Lou Reed was doing the vocals. As we reach the midpoint the mood drops to a crawl as the smokey ‘Well, I Can’t Hold You’ punches through as the backing vocals punch you in the guts on this slow burner – a fantastic change of gears and another side of the same coin is flipped.
As we head into side two ‘A Little Midnight’ has us back on the Rock n roll it’s like a slab of dark pop with a underpayed melody right up to the guitar solo and we drop back into the chorus and everything’s ok its hustling and just getting by with a heap of cool and not a single fuck given.
‘You won’t Live In The Past’ is a ballad that got some excellent arranging from the liquid shape-shifting guitar soloing to the hushed vocals and the cool BV’s taking you away to some dreamy place from the past. The record takes a more laid-back approach for a few tunes taking me back to some Green On Red comparisons especially on ‘Black Cars’ which is an epic smoldering journey that paints some great images with the lyrics that worked really well with the whole feel of the song. The album then closes out on a dreamy laid back ‘Further On Down The Road’ I get the same vibes when I heard Lou Reeds ‘New York’ album a great way to end a really enjoyable walk on the wild side where the soundtrack is provided by Lorne Behrman and his pocketbook of Rock n Roll stories. My advice would be to pick this up and enjoy it because songs of redemption and reclamation might be personal, but the messages in Rock n Roll are for everyone and its a universal language we can all understand and appreciate and this is a fantastic soundtrack to help you further on down that rocky road.
the title track, and first single, from Lornes, first-ever solo album, out on Spaghetty Town Records on September 16, 2022.
Coming off his acclaimed 2021 four-song EP When I Hit The Floor–which prompted the esteemed Jesse Malin to praise it as “Real blood and guts rock and roll that bleeds with soul and redemption”–NYC punk rock n’ roll singer-songwriter-guitarist LORNE BEHRMAN today (June 9) shares the video for “A Little Midnight.” It’s the first single (out digitally this Friday, June 10) from his debut album of the same name, available September 16 on Spaghetty Town Records. Watch the video, directed by David J Barron, here and read a new Q&A below. It was premiered yesterday (June 8) by Glide which noted that the song “features a blackened riff howl of punk bands like The Damned and The Gun Club mixed with pop sensibilities of The Replacements. When Behrman sings “A little midnight/ it’s alright/A little midnight/does you right,” listeners get a gracious sense of rock and roll escapism at its most pure form.”
The “A Little Midnight” single is a slice of dirty rock n’ roll scrapped off of the streets of the Bowery with an introspective heart from the artist who previously played in The Dimestore Haloes, L.E.S. Stitches, The Dead Tricks and most recently The Sweet Things. “The moonlight looks on good you/Not darkness just silver blue/A little midnight/it’s alright/A little midnight/does you right,” sings LORNE on the song.
A LITTLE MIDNIGHT is a 10-song collection is a series of New York City vignettes haunted by shadows but guided by light. The words here are literate and lacerating, recalling the street poetics of Lou Reed, Richard Hell, and Television. The songs feature stark and fluid guitar playing in the spirit of The Stooges’ James Williamson, Johnny Thunders, and Lou Reed.
“This album is about struggling to be reborn,” LORNE shares. “Wanting to run back to the arms of toxic people or the patterns of self-destruction. It’s about clawing your way to a new existence while acknowledging all the causalities, and all you’re letting go. You glimpse a new life, but you don’t feel it yet.”
The album’s raw but polished production aesthetic is courtesy of producer Matt Chiaravalle (Warren Zevon, Joe Bonamassa, Spacehog). A LITTLE MIDNIGHT was mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Joe Lambert. Wyldlife bassist Spencer Alexander designed the album artwork, and it is a subtly playful homage to the cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Damn the Torpedoes.
New video for ‘You Shouldn’t Be Lonely on a Saturday Night’ by Diamond Dogs of their album, ‘Slap Bang Blue Rendezvous’. The Duke of Honk comments on the video: “Yes! We still have time to feel good all night with friends! We still have time for rock’n’roll! – Big Love” Facebook Buy the album Here
Finishing off this most Rock n Roll of ‘Rainy Days’ is the new video from the awesome Slyder Smith & The Oblivion Kids. ‘When The Rain Comes’ is taken from their debut album ‘Charm Offensive‘, which will be out on 19th August 2022 through Ray Records on 12” black vinyl, digipak CD and digital, distributed worldwide via Cargo Records You can pre-order this album Here
Poison Boys – ‘Little Speedway Girl’ (Riot Records) gang vocals, twelve bar chords on the chorus, snotty vocals why these Poison Boys spoil us with their Rock n Roll songs. Bring on the album already if this is what it consists of. Love it long time baby.
If someone is saying the Pandemic has killed Rock n Roll needs to go see the ear doctor because this is Rock and Roll as fuck and some. Now go tell yer friends. The huge chorus has had us singing along since the song initially appeared on the b-side to 2017’s ‘Bad Mouth’ single, and the song is finally getting it’s time in the limelight after the band re-recorded for ‘Don’t You Turn on Me’.
The Boys – ‘I’m A Believer’ (Action Records / Revolution Records) This is the 2021 single version of the classic rocker from the band’s last studio album ‘Punk Rock Menopause’ with that classic strumming acoustic guitar holding the rhythm whilst the vocals take it to the next level and more layered gang vocals that are always superb when these gents get hold of em. Housed in a very impressive glossy CD gatefold always bucking trends the boys have only released this on limited edition CD with a lyric insert. The second offering is the superb Honest John sung ‘She’s The Reason’, had this been released by The Ramones music fans would have said it was the last classic track by the bruvvers. For me, the main reason (sorry for the pun) is track three ‘(There Ain’t No) Just One Beer’ with a barnstorming guitar laid down by the one and only Petter Baarli and ably assisted on the ole joanna by Daniel Rossing. Another day another awesome release from the band. Record of the week? I should coco.
The single will be available on all streaming and download platforms also on 3 September. Hit em up here
The Black Halos – ‘Uncommonwealth’ (Cursed Blessing Records) No brainer here. Another new single from the most awesome Black Halos. Backed by a blistering take on the much underrated long-defunct UK indie hipsters Birdland who for any amongst us who ever saw them live embodied that spirit that The Halos have in spades and the superb ‘Fossil Fuel’ that was first released back in 2016 when the band played a few shows in Europe. The Black Halos have stayed true to the music that is coursing through their veins and always release passionate and worthy tunes and this is no exception – a superb three-track EP that’s well worth importing wherever you are. Record of the week? It’s a tie break with the Boys for sure. Now hurry up and deliver my wax please Mr postman I’m getting impatient, oh, there’s an album on the way which is even more exciting news – Buy it Here
Amazing Grave – ‘Dog Chained To Dog’ (Eric’s Cool Records) You want noise? we can deliver plenty of that or rather this Canadian duo can. Coming on like Portishead brought up on some extreme metal and trip-hop meets Royal Blood. Eric must have some pretty cool records if this is the fruit of his work. Check em out here
Lorne Behrman – ‘When I Hit The Floor’ (Spaghetty Town Records) When the vocals kicked in I was instantly reminded of the excellent Pursuit Of Happiness. Some cool guitar licks with some sneered, spoken, cool lyrics delivered in a nonchalant way makes for a really good tune. NYC rocker Lorne, singer-songwriter-guitarist who previously played in The Dimestore Haloes, L.E.S. Stitches, The Dead Tricks, and most recently The Sweet Things goes it alone on this EP released in early October but starts promoting it with this lead track and video.
KING ZEBRA – ‘Hot Cop Lady’ (Crusader Records) New school old school hard rock. ‘Hot Cop Lady’ is a pure 90’s, hard-rock-infused banger of a track that harks back to the glory days when Biff in spandex was no big deal.
Who says you can’t have fun stretching the truth in a rock song? Hot cop lady, leather and chains, misogyny, finger tapping. This fast hard-rocking crowd-pleaser will get you air-guitaring the riffs and chanting the anthemic chorus. From the epicentre of NWOSHM King Zebra raaaaaawk!
IRMANS – ‘Hermano’ (No Front Teeth Records & Dirty Water Records) Unable to play live with their existing bands, Jose Reilly (Le Jonathan Reilly, Caballo Tripode) and Manuel Santos (Lucy & The Rats, Johnny Throttle, Thee Tumbitas, Michael Jackson) decided to put together some ideas and start rehearsing as a two-piece, new wave/punk band, “IRMANS” (“brothers” in Galician).
After two months of writing and rehearsing, they decided to add Francho Wilson as a third member of the band. With a background in electronic music with the act “We Are Not Brothers”, Francho added the synth they didn’t know they needed!
Their first release is a 7” single on the legendary No Front Teeth Records (physical) and Dirty Water Records (digital) entitled, of course, “Hermano” (“brothers” in Spanish).
Available to pre-order both vinyl and digital from https://irmans.bandcamp.com/releases.
Jesse Malin – ‘Tall Black Horses’ (Wicked Cool Records) ‘Tall Black Horses’ is a single from Jesse Malin’s upcoming double album, ‘Sad and Beautiful World’, out September 24 on Wicked Cool Records. Over his 40 year career, Malin has established himself across many genres from hardcore to Americana, and ‘Sad and Beautiful world’ embraces his versatility. Of ‘Tall Black Horses,’ Malin says, “the song is about taking your worst fears and insecurities and owning them, conquering them, riding on through tall and big – being bold without fear and regret. Everybody gets hurt. Everybody gets their heartbroken. It’s part of the journey. Ride on.” He wrote the song on an acoustic guitar, and credits producers Derek Cruz and Geoff Sanoff for, “taking it to a much wider and vivid sonic place that I’ve never been before.” Link
Kurt Baker – ‘Keep It Tight’ (Wicked Cool Records) This is the second installment of Kurt Baker’s series of singles coming out this year, and the only one which will be available as a 7″ on vinyl. The a-side, ‘Keep It Tight,’ was written by Michael Garrett and Gary Alan Holmes, and was originally released by Single Bullet Theory in 1980. Kurt describes hearing the song for the first time as “an electric feeling.” He says, “it’s been an inspiration to us for many years and many albums, but especially on our last full-length album “After Party”. A couple of songs we challenged ourselves to write our own version of “Keep It Tight”, or at least we tried.” Their version of the song was originally recorded during the “After Party” sessions. The b-side, ‘Get Away’ is an outtake from The Kurt Baker Band’s 2020 album, After Party, and was written by Julian Leal. These tracks bring Kurt’s signature power-pop sound to the forefront, as well as honoring his inspirations. Stay tuned for more in this series of singles. Pre Order
The Bloodshots – ‘Bad Moon Rising’ (Golden Robot Records) Canadian rockers THE BLOODSHOTS are back to follow up the success of their single ‘No Way Out’ with a modern, dirtied up version of the classic Credence Clearwater Revival tune, ‘Bad Moon Rising’, and why not? Sure it’s tough to beat the original here but the guys give it a good go and it’s one of those tunes you’d have to try hard to really fuck it up which they don’t. Enjoy!
Recent Comments