More New & Notable

Just some more great music that’s been released over the last few months that deserve more widespread exposure. Check ’em out!

Saints of Gibraltar – Self Titled

A band out of Raleigh, North Carolina made up of veteran musicians bring the big rock sound that you don’t hear much anymore: a bit of ’90s grunge mixed with a dab of quirky funk, Rush-tinged prog, and a dash of acoustic folk filtered through a modern lens. The hooks stick from the very first seconds (“Stay Calm”) and stay with you through highlights such as the acoustic, effervescent “Princes and Castles,” the Headhunters-era Herbie Hancock vibe of “The Elephant on a Vine,” the chugging propulsion of “Escape,” and the driving “Superman Is Through.” Vocalist Matt O’Connor has the pipes to float atop the nimble bass and guitars of Chris Lee and Patrick Hayes and the virtuosic drumming of Joey Beckham. Think Alice In Chains, but more enjoyable.

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Andy Sneed – Pack It Up

Oxford, NC native Andy Sneed started out in high school (when he went by “Fudd”) in a punk group with songs called “B.Y.M.H.I.” and “Mediterranean Barge.” They were a reflection of what was happening in the mid-1980s, especially on the NC State radio station, WKNC-FM’s Night Wave show. Part Butthole Surfers, part early Replacements, part early R.E.M. Almost thirty-five years later, the sound has matured but the quirkiness remains, thank goodness. Songs like the opening, “Everybody’s Going to California” and “Another Day At the KFC” will make you nostalgic for 120 Minutes but won’t make your head hurt. It’s Black Flag for suburban dads that now are more likely to listen to Americana.

William Woltz – “You Don’t Have To Cry”

Equally at home playing singer-songwriter folk, Carolina Beach Music, jazz and classical guitar, Beatlesque pop, blues, or country, Will Woltz is also a gifted songwriter. Here, taped at the “virtual” Carrboro Music Festival earlier this year with Angela DiPaolo, Woltz gives us a sweet little ditty, complete with Luther Perkins-style guitar, to close out this post and leave us with a smile.