This week, Nelson Kelly, WTSR assistant music director, highlights some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.
Band Name: Baby Jesus
Album Name: “Baby Jesus”
Hailing From: Halland County, Sweden
Genre: Psychedelic Garage Punk
Label: Yippee Ki Yay
Baby Jesus’s debut is a huge sendup to all things garage and all things ’60s. Imagine a Ty Segall album with the organ riff from “I’m a Believer” droning away in the background. Now, promptly pinch yourself to ensure that you are not, in fact, having the best dream ever. These presumably Swedish dudes sound like a Steppenwolf tribute band that writes original music that doesn’t suck, which is saying something. Filled with huge, distorted guitars, crashing drums, droning organ and snarling vocals, Baby Jesus throws back to the roots of rock and roll with fast-paced, catchy songs with giant choruses and triumphant guitar solos. Every song sounds similar, but this band’s sound is so cool, you won’t even mind.
Must Hear: “Nothing’s For Me,” “Trembling Away,” “Haven’t Seen the Light,” “Don’t Want You,” “Cry, Cry, Cry” and “Deep Blue Delay”
Band Name: Soft Skulls
Album Name: “Soft Skulls EP”
Hailing From: Denver, Co.
Genre: Rock
Label: Self-released
With a sound that’s equal parts Tom Petty and Cracker, it’s hard not to enjoy Soft Skulls’s heavy yet melodic tunes. For a band just over a year old, Jim McTurnan (vox, git-box), Tyler Campo (bass, git-box) and siblings Madison (skins) and Robin Lucas (lead git-box) have already made considerable progress. A year of gigging and recording comes to fruition in the form of this EP, a mere taste of what Soft Skulls has in store for us. Smooth vocals over distorted guitar are a shoo-in to please fans of classic rock and modern rock alike.
Must Hear: “Let’s Roll,” “Can’t Sleep” and “Alone in the River”
