New Music Friday - 9/24/2021

Welcome to New Music Friday and my picks of the week – a song and an album that have caught my attention and something I think you’ll want to listen to this weekend. Here’s what’s good…

Today’s featured single is “I Don’t Love You” by Jamie and the Guarded Heart

The band from Conshohocken have a classic, gritty rock-n-roll sound and I dig it! It’s working-class rock – Like they should be from Asbury Park instead. Think The Gaslight Anthem or some guy named Springsteen. I love discovering new music and passing it on and that’s just what happened here. All hail rock-n-roll and the classic feel from Jamie and the Guarded Heart.

Today’s featured album is Steadman’s Wake by The Connells

I first heard The Connells back in 1989 and first saw them live in 1991 (on my 21st birthday). Their jangly-southern rock was always a favorite year after year. It’s been a while (20 years to be exact) but we’re finally being treated to a new album from the North Carolina natives. It’s about being grown up, aging and what the world is like around us. The songwriting is solid and Doug MacMillan’s voice is still beautiful. If you’ve missed Byrd-influenced southern rock, here’s your chance to relive it. It’s tough to pick a favorite song, but I’ll go with “Song for Duncan”.