Danny Echo - Rock Bottoms Up (2010)

Danny Echo are back (in black), having dropped most of the Oasis influence in favor of AC/DC with some serious hair metal attitude. They sound like a band out to have a good time and ROCK in a way that seems almost anachronistic. You can practically hear them strut across the stage on "Right Place Right Time". While there are still plenty of bands making rock n' roll, Danny Echo sound more suited for the stadium than the garage. It's a fun album, packed with hooks and fist pumping sing-along choruses. In particular, I like the wiry guitar riffs and propulsive smash of rock drums on "Powder Your Nose" and the addition of horns on "Things I Never Had". The mix of snarl and sass on "Better You Than Me" reminds me of Mötley Crüe. They've also included "Tomorrow Today" from their self-titled debut, which still reminds me a of (What's The Story) Morning Glory? B-side. Here's the newly released video:

Free Energy - Stuck On Nothin' (2010)

When one of Free Energy's songs randomly comes up on shuffle I immediately smile, turn it up, and try to rate it higher than I already have. That is probably close to the definition of a "feel good hit". These songs stand out from the rest of the classic rock cribbing crowd in part because the band allows the songs room to breathe, preferring to strut rather than sprint. The solos are restrained and administered sparsely. "Dream City" kicks off with a T.Rex groove before down shifting to almost a ballad, even incorporating a little E Street saxophone at the end. I've loved the summer anthems "Hope Child" and "Free Energy" since when I first heard them last year, but the charging "Light Love" and the simple and catchy "Bang Pop" aren't far behind.

.357 Lover - Diorama Of The Golden Lion (2009)

Whoa. This is one of those albums that kind of blows your mind. Imagine if Grease starred David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust instead of John Travolta. How much cooler would the transformation scene at the end be if Danny Zuko turned into a androgynous space alien? And while that isn't exactly the storyline, that may be my best change describing the overall experience. .357 Lover move from Queen's arena rock to Supergrass glam to show tunes and then into whatever Meatloaf was. Suffice to say this a weird, exciting, and epic rock opera (I think), along the lines of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The mood changes along with the music styles, incorporating playful, serious, and sinister images into the lyrics, but it's all too over-the-top to be anything but tongue-in-cheek. I'm kind of bummed I am only hearing about lead singer/songwriter Corn Mo now. Check out "Nighttime School" or "Event Horizon" for a little taste.