The College Crowd Digs Me

"Mystery Ride" - Bay Station (2026) (CD front and back)      Sometimes Bay Station strolls up to the house through the front gate.  Other times they come around to the back door, like familiar company often will do.  Led by alt-country singer-songwriters Deborah Crooks and Kwame Copeland , Bay Station's latest offering, "Mystery Ride," is a collection of songs that are Americana-warm with an almost progressive root-rock dusting.  Hailing from Alameda, California, Bay Station  makes for good company.      There's a lot of good stuff to be found here.  "And I remember the road that went on for miles. We were laughing so hard, we were leaping turnstiles." ~ "Missed Exit" is a wonderfully sweet memory of once-upon-a-time love.  "Such stillness down the canyon, just water in motion." ~ "57 Crows" ...about having one of those rare, amazing mind-rushes that hit you like a personal, private gift...in this case, catchin...

"71Spiders" - Spider Fingers (2017) (CD front and back)       "71Spiders" is a pretty tasty piece of guitar-driven crankage that bangs out in various directions with a mid-70s hard rock flair. The influences are numerous on this 11-song collection and ring out from coolly familiar yet oddly different places.  And it's this curious chasm that draws you in and creates unexpected flashes of awareness, making for a fun spin.  One you'll want to crank up.       Spider Fingers  is a founding member of both  The Flying Sixty Nine  and  Electric Monster.    Spider  is responsible for all the music and lyrics on this, his solo debut album, and is a chameleon of sorts, being whatever is necessary.  There are a couple of traffic cones on this square, but most of the songs work, maintaining a cool tone that often carries an enjoyable and unexpected edginess.  If you like your 70s guitar churn-and-burn c...