New Rock Instrumentals: 5 Songs You Need To Hear
Perhaps the most crucial spice in the stew of rock n roll is the instrumental. Imagine that wonderful art form without the beautiful added flavors of Booker T. and the MGs, The Ventures, Link Wray or even Santo and Johnny. Despite what some may think, however, the instrumental is not dead. Not by a long-shot. New rock instrumentals are all around!
I have looked and I have found. There’s great stuff out there and I’m here to list some of my favorites. All debuted after 2020 except for one older release that is truly deserving of your attention. Instrumentals live!
==================
Two Heads
DEUX TETES (March 2022) — Uniquely based on a guitar-and-vibes sound, Two Heads is actually four heads: X drummer DJ Bonebrake, guitar player John Moremen (Matthew Sweet, Half Japanese, Orange Peels), bassist Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, The Third Mind, Eyelids) and keyboardist Willie Aron (Leonard Cohen, Wild Honey Orchestra, Balancing Act). A brand new assemblage, one album (so far) and mondo cred. Indeed.
Having known each other since the 90s, Bonebrake and Moreman — both drummers, with Moremen doubling here on guitar — have finally found the opportunity for a mutual project. The band is a wonderfully Zappa-esque concoction: says Krummenacher, “It’s kind of Frank meets the Ventures meets TV soundtrack music.” Aron describes the sound as being “like the Ventures meets Thelonious Monk on the beach in space.” “Some of it is really oddball,” says Bonebrake, “but it’s also very melodic and always rocking!”
- Suggested Tracks: Outside Off, Back To The Bag and Next Question
The Third Mind
THE THIRD MIND (June 2020) — One day in late 2019, perhaps Americana’s best artist, Dave Alvin, decided to get really, really groovy… and this one-off is the result: a psychedelic collection he created along with friends Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Monks of Doom), David Immergluck (Counting Crows, Monks of Doom, John Hiatt), and Michael Jerome (Richard Thompson, Better Than Ezra).
This is a collection of jams based on cover songs, plus one original, exploring every conceivable musical possibility. The musicians undertook their process sans rehearsals and charts. Just song titles and a chosen key… then off they flew. Covid blew up an April 2020 Troubadour tour date in West Hollywood and I’m still bummed. These busy guys may not return to tour for this project but I hope they do. FWIW, use headphones for these tracks. You’ll thank me.
- Suggested Tracks: Claudia Cardinale, Morning Dew, East West
James Wilsey
EL DORADO (February 2008) — In terms of “new rock instrumentals,” this one might have some hair on it but is definitely a ray of hope for modern instrumentals. He is known as “The King Of Slow.” If you like any early Chris Isaac songs, what you may actually like are Wilsey’s leads played in Isaac’s band Silvertone. HIs emotional-yet-sublimely-economical riff that opens Wicked Game alone should have gotten him into the RRHOF as a player but what do I know?
Wilsey’s story was indeed a sad one. Starting as a notable San Francisco guitarist in the punk band The Avengers, he joined Isaac and together they created a fury of sound. Their falling out eventually left Wilsey at loose ends, resulting in only a single solo album, El Dorado, before his untimely death from addiction in 2018 at 61. Channeling Duane Eddy, The Shadows, James Burton and Link Wray through a ’65 Stratocaster in an almost mystical way, Wilsey created a master work. I won’t even list suggested songs. Just hear El Dorado. I hope his music strikes you as deeply and movingly as it does me.
- Suggested Tracks: all of it
Moon Goose
THE WAX MONSTER LIVES BEHIND THE FIRST ROW OF TREES (September 2020) — Rocking, psychedelic, progressive… what a stew. These guys from Wales took my breath away with their first album Source Code back in 2020, the album that first caused me to wonder, “Why aren’t these guys on LA rock radio and are there other bands I should make noise about, too?” All instrumental (mostly) with spacey keyboards, atomic guitars, theremins and a totally, utterly insistent beat, they are doing Dick Dale and Jorma Kaukonen proud. Two studio albums and a live release are already out and new stuff is promised in 2022. Dig this. Just… dig it. All of it.
- Suggested Tracks: Shiny Man, Edible Druid, 10,000 Đồng
LOS STRAITJACKETS (various) — Are these guys the quintessential back-up band? Ask Nick Lowe, who’ll be touring with them (again) this summer. Surfy, latin-influenced, Nashville-bred, rocking and always wearing “lucha libre” wrestling masks, the Jackets are the strongest ray of hope yet for new instrumental rock music. They totally rearrange classics and craft mind-bending originals, so with 15+ albums — including the coolest Christmas album ever — and wonderfully subversive tours to their credit, you can take a gloriously deep dive. Don’t worry. It ALL feels good.
- Suggested Tracks: Funk #49, What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding and Space Junket
JVA/Jim Walker
FOREGROUND APPLICATIONS V5 (February 2022) — Jim is an old friend and has been on this site before. To tell the truth, this collection surprised me. During the course of a conversation for his post a while back, the topic of instrumental rock came up. He asked if I’d heard his recent release that was all instrumental, crunchy guitar songs. After we chatted, after the interview posted, I found some time and gave Foreground Apps V5 a listen. It totally sucked me in. It flows perfectly with the other artists listed here. Loud, crunchy, quirky and truly fun, this album is another ray of hope for instrumental rock music. Influences range from Zappa to Kraftwerk, Phil Manzanara to Martian sea chanteys. It’s sumpin’ different, all right. Highly endorsed.
- Suggested Tracks: You Of All People, The Puzzle Factory, What Did I Ever Do To You?
# # #
This doesn’t even begin to address bands like the Surfragettes, Brian J. Ramos or even Brian Eno who also deserve tons of attention. Do you have a fave current instrumental that deserves attention? Write it into the comments section below.
Close Your Eyes. Open Your Mind. Trust Your Ears.
Like the artwork? Check out HipTherapyMusic.Com’s poster gallery!