Now Hear This! – June 2019

Since our first cafe opened in London on June 14, 1971, music has been our differentiator. Each and every Founder’s Day, we celebrate with our friends around the world. Today’s celebration is made even better with the arrival of incredible new music from two iconic legends as well some rising stars that are destined to be talked about for years to come. To every music fan who has ever come to Hard Rock and requested their favorite song, we salute you. Here is another installment of Now Hear This!

 

Pinky Pinky – Mr. Sunday

The band’s first full-length album is a wild ride that celebrates all things rock-n-roll from girl-group harmonies of the 50s to bratty surf punk and everything in-between. The infectious basslines weave around your hips while Anastasia Sanchez’s commanding voice belies her youth. Pinky Pinky’s Turkey Dinner is a summer album full of California sunshine that isn’t afraid to get a little dirty.

 

Bang Bang Romeo – What’s Up

Ok, ok, we just wrote about the soon-to-explode Bang Bang Romeo earlier this month but then they go and drop this ridiculously addictive version of 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up” on us for Pride Month. With Linda Perry’s blessing, the band shakes the grunge off the original and transports us to a dancefloor full of glitter and love. The message of the song feels more relevant than ever and singer Anastasia Walker’s voice simply soars above the hate and fear. If you’re headed to the new Hard Rock Cafe in London, be sure to look for a recent donation from Walker!

 

Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars

What if The Boss had kept driving out of Atlantic City until he hit the dusty highways that lead to Bakersfield, California? All these years later, Springsteen answers that question and more on Western Stars. A road trip of an album, Springsteen continues to embody the oft-overlooked characters who live life on the fringes. Much like Nebraska and his poignant “The Wrestler”, Springsteen gets the details just right. The swelling strings and pedal steel take him into new musical territory that suits his aging voice well. Bold statements about the American dream are set aside for some of his most personal songs since The Rising. Here is hoping the E Street Band gets their hands on a few of these for the next big tour!

 

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Sail On

The more adventurous of the two brothers, Gallagher’s latest single would, actually, make a pretty good Bruce Springsteen song. The buoyant melody floats along like a summer breeze. There is a sense of reflection in Noel Gallagher’s writing that teases us with enough calm to keep hope burning for an Oasis reunion. Even if that never happens, the combined output from the two brothers continues to give us tiny blessings.

 

Madonna – Dark Ballet

With her Madame X persona taking on a life of its own, the lead-up to Madonna’s new album created some old-school excitement. Today’s album release feels like an event. It has been years, and several albums, since Madonna has sounded so relevant to popular music. Once applauded for bringing the best of the underground to the mainstream, there is no world for such an artist today. The underground is the overground in the world of YouTube and Spotify. Nothing is hidden from view for long. Enter Madame X. Incorporating musical trends from all over the world, Madonna covers a lot of ground on the new album but songs like “Dark Ballet” are the sort of over-the-top productions that only Madonna can pull off. She continues to find new ways to entertain and provoke us.