If It's Too Loud...

This summer is undeniably horrible, but one thing we can look forward to every week is Colemine Records's Brighter Days Ahead singles series. Thanks to this series we've discovered some great neo-soul bands we had never heard of, like Dojo Cuts, The Harlem Gospel Travelers, and Thee Sinseers. Last week's single was from a band we do know: Boston's GA-20. Since GA-20 throw back to traditional blues, it's quite fitting that they're covering Jimmy Reed's classic "I Ain't Got You." How faithful is GA-20's version? Jimmy Reed's original is two minutes, sixteen seconds. GA-20's is two minutes, seventeen seconds. This isn't so much a cover as a loving tribute. It's the kind of cover that will make you immediately go check out the original and then fall into a Jimmy Reed wormhole for an afternoon. And, yes, I'm speaking from personal experience. You can listen to GA-20's version of "I Ain't Got You" below. ...

Based on what we write about on here, you most likely wouldn't guess that either one of us would be obsessed with Sam Black Church. Hardcore typically isn't my thing, but they just do this bizarre, unhinged version of it that has always resonated with me. Plus, if you were coming of age in central Massachusetts in the early to mid 90's, Sam Black Church stickers covered virtually every road sign, drive-thru menu, etc. It was viral marketing before there was such a thing. Even odder is this first solo offering from J.R. Roach, Sam Black Church's drummer. (He also drums for Goddamn Draculas.) It's a cover of the Jimmy Reed 1961 classic blues song "Bright Lights, Big City." It's a pretty standard cover while being amped up just slightly. It avoids the middle aged white guy doing the blues thing you'll hear at your local BBQ and Blues fest this summer, and maybe it's just my assumptions based on who Reed is, but the guitar licks have just the t...