Two for Thursday, 3/22/12

The Brixton Riot-Palace Amusements. These Jersey rockers are back with their full-length debut after 2008's fine Sudden Fiction EP, and they serve up more of the Replacements-meet-Smithereens rock that we enjoyed then. "Signal to Noise" lets you know right off the bat that they can seriously rock, and its "keep my head down/'til I hear that sound" refrain will stay in your head. "Canvas Shoes" channels the 'Mats, and "Hipster Turns 30" might be the album's best track with its mix of wry lyrics and a clever melody. With apologies to Nick Lowe, this is pure rock for now people.

CD Baby | Bandcamp | iTunes



The Honey Wilders-Singles for Singles. We keep the amps cranked up to 11 with San Jose's The Honey Wilders, who bring the classic rock on their debut disc. Drawing from Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, Thin Lizzy and other 70s icons they craft some fine tunes here, including the opener "Summertime in the Suburbs" which is catchy as all get-out. "Life in Stereo" has an Exile-era Stones swagger, while "Geneva Ave." comes off as a more rocking Gin Blossoms. Elsewhere, "Sweet Alice" sounds like a lost arena rock classic, and the piano-based "Light of Day" has a Queen-like theatricality to it. So if your local classic rock station actually played new songs, it might sound something like Singles for Singles.

CD Baby | iTunes

Listen to all tracks on YouTube