Mid-Summer 2022 Music Update

Posted on 07/30/2022 in misc

I haven’t written about music for a while, so I'll fix that right now.

A few weeks ago, the Dan Baird account on Facebook was promoting a Warner Hodges tour in the UK this fall with an opening act named Ryan Hamilton. I had never heard of Ryan Hamilton, but if he was opening for Warner Hodges, it was highly likely I would be into it.

“Into it” does not really do my reaction justice. Ryan’s music hits that perfect sweet spot of rockier power pop where Watershed or Butch Walker lives. Being from Texas, Ryan absolutely knows how to work a little twang into his tunes too, which is never a bad thing. I spent that particular day streaming his catalog as I worked, and after a couple more days of earning him fractional pennies on Pandora I went ahead and bought 3 album downloads, as I knew he would be in permanent heavy rotation for a while.

Ryan Hamilton - Do the Damage

Ryan Hamilton - Be Kind, Rewind

Also, this summer Righteous Fool released the album they finished in 2012. Righteous Fool was a project with Reed Mullins and Mike Dean from Corrosion of Conformity, with a former coworker/ friend on lead guitar. So, I had owned several MP3s off the album since way back, but for whatever reason, they never released the record, even though it was done 10 years ago at the same time as the CoC “reunion” album. Righteous Fool is not power pop. It’s doom metal or sludge metal or whatever. It’s metal, and it’s good.

Righteous Fool - Edit of Worms

This week, Butch Walker was promoting the new Matt Nathanson record, which apparently he produced back before the pandemic started. Matt is a singer / songwriter and the record is very chill and cool.

Matt Nathanson - Sway

And speaking of Butch Walker, he announced a new album and tour this week. The closest to Richmond that he is coming is Raleigh. We have tickets. The new album is due out at the end of August. The first single is Holy Water Hangover, which has a strong 70s Elton John / Billy Joel vibe to it.

Also, Drivin' n Cryin' are playing Richmond this week. I was planning on attending, and still might. I tested positive for COVID on Monday, felt like I had a cold on Tuesday, a mild flu on Wednesday, then started improving. I'm feeling 90% today, so if I don't backtrack I should be reasonably safe from BA.5, right? I haven't found any data regarding BA.5 reinfections from itself. Probably just play it by ear and see how I'm feeling on Thursday. It's DnC on a weeknight in Richmond, there will be maybe 150 people at the show, 80 of which the band knows personally.

What good stuff have you been listening to?

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