Celebrating International Women’s Day
The list of iconic and influential women in music stretches well past the horizon and grows longer each and every day. The spirt of rock-n-roll would be extinguished without the contributions of women creating music today from the hard rocking metal of Halestorm to the electric lady with a dirty computer, Janelle Monáe. Artists like Kacey Musgraves and Lady Gaga are breathing fresh ideas and sounds into music on the biggest stages while bands such as The Regrettes, Lily & Madeleine, and Bang Bang Romeo are putting in long drives on lonely highways to play club shows for growing audiences who are finding hope and inspiration in the songs. The tone deaf awards shows might have asked women to “step-up” but serious music fans know that women are at the heart of rock-n-roll today, yesterday, and tomorrow. Here is some of the best of 2019 so far:
Lily & Madeleine – “Can’t Help The Way I Feel”
The sisters released their new album Canterbury Girls last week and “Can’t Help The Way I Feel” is one of the many highlights. A timeless song with perfect harmonies and an arrangement that would make Carole King jealous, Lily & Madeleine have grown into a formidable songwriting force. The beautiful album will be getting a lot of attention this year.
Bang Bang Romeo – “Bag Of Bones”
Their debut album cannot arrive fast enough. Singer Anastasia Walker tears down the walls of a misogynist world with a hurricane force personality. Confident and brave, Walker offers a message of empowerment to anyone who society might overlook as a bag of bones while the band delivers their music with such energy and passion that resistance is futile.
Sunflower Bean – “Come For Me”
Blondie created the template for cool and Sunflower Bean wear it well. Nothing Blondie did was more subversive than bringing the underground world of disco into rock-n-roll. On their latest single, Sunflower Bean revisit that intersection deep within the underbelly of New York City.
The Regrettes – “Pumpkin”
You have to move fast to keep up with the prolific Lydia Night and her band. It seems like every few weeks a new, instantly memorable single appears on Spotify. The nostalgic pop nugget “Pumpkin” deconstructs and then embraces the artifice of love presented to us in books and film. Falling hopelessly in love has never sounded more fun.