NOW HEAR THIS
Best new music right now includes releases by Brad Brooks, Pool Holograph and Psycho 44
Here’s a sampling of a few new albums that sneaked their way into release in the fall.
With the usual early-year lull in album releases, now is a good time to catch up on several from the fall season with plenty of excellent album drops.
‘God Save The City
Brad Brooks
It’s been eight years since we last heard from Brooks, who battled throat cancer during that period. He immediately announces that he is back in top form on “God Save The City,” coming out of the gate rocking out on the urgent title track.
Showing a bit more of a soul influence and a slightly leaner, more live production approach than on his earlier albums, Brooks keeps things rolling from there. “Strange Fruit Numb” has some funk mixed in with soul and rock, while “Feel The Might” recalls the soul/ pop of Hall & Oates, and “Why Do You Hurt” has some classic
Memphis soul in its horn-laced sound. Several other songs (“The Chance,” Heartbreak of Fools” and “Do The Same For Me”) reaffirm that Brooks has a real talent for crafting pretty ballads, while “Scared I Was” is a stark piano ballad that calls for love, humanity and unity,
reaching what has become an even more timely conclusion that “we are better than this.” This isn’t the only topical song on the album, as Brooks also examines current day issues such as gentrification and urban decay, racial justice and greed. In a year when we lost more than our share of talented artists from COVID and other illnesses, it’s nice to welcome back Brooks with this impressive album.
‘Moon Shot’ The Lees of Memory
You may remember the Lees of Memory guitarist Brandon Fisher and multi-instrumentalist John Davis from the alt-rock band Superdrag. Since forming the Lees of Memory seven years ago, this band has been making the loss of Superdrag a lot more palatable by continuing that band’s tradition of writing excellent crunchy pop-rock songs. “Crocodile Tears,” “The Wheel” and “Wrong” are rocking tracks from “Moon Shot” that fit that style, each boasting strong vocal melodies complemented with lots of guitar. “Live Without” adds a bit of the Foo Fighters’ rock fury to go with an equally powerful vocal melody. Several other songs have more of a mid-tempo melancholy feel, but retain the likable pop melodies and a full guitar-centric sound. Superdrag wasn’t able to sustain some early success, but maybe the Lees of Memory will find a larger audience. Their music is more than good enough to have wide appeal.
‘Love Touched Time & Time Began To Sweat’
Pool Holograph
Put together some Television, early Talking Heads and a little Feelies and you start to get an idea of what to expect on this sixth full-length album from Pool Holograph. That’s not to say Pool Holograph sounds that much like any of these groups, but something about the way the group constructs angular guitar lines on songs like “Deliverance,”
“Medieval Heart” and “Italics” recalls what Television did 40 years ago. The slightly skewed pop sense and insistent drum patterns of “Figure and Ground” and “For Years,” meanwhile, have some similarities to the first two Talking Heads albums, the Velvet Underground and the Feelies. Despite such references, there’s a good deal of inventiveness happening on “Love Touched Time & Time Began To Sweat.” There’s also a good amount of variety in the album, and with a distinctive sound and the ambition that is apparent in this group, Pool Holograph looks primed to make a bigger impression on the indie rock scene before long.
‘After Party’ Kurt Baker
The lead track on Baker’s latest album is called “New Direction.” But fans of his many earlier albums (both with the band the Leftovers and fronting his own groups) don’t have to worry that Baker is trying
his hand at a different kind of music. On “After Party,” Baker is sticking with the upbeat power-pop sound that has long been his signature. And as usual, Baker’s latest batch of songs come with agreeable vocal melodies and plenty of instrumental hooks. In other words, “After Party” is another well rounded, well crafted album from one of pop’s most reliable tunesmiths.
‘Unreality’ Psycho 44
This Belgian band is a true melding of modern and old-school rock influences, as synthesizers and electronic sounds meet raw garage rockish guitars and programmed beats blend with big drums. On “Girl Talk” shards of highpitched synthetic tones pair nicely with some fairly crushing guitars. “Tastemaker” opens on a decidedly electronic note before drums and guitars kick in and amp up this concise and catchy track. The treated tones on “Perfect Blue” mesh with sharp guitar lines that bring much of the melody to this bashing rocker. What also ties things together is Psycho 44’s pop sense. The vocals often have a nice melodic flow and guitar riffs and other instrumental parts add hooks galore to an album whose inventive sound should appeal to fans of alt-rock, classic rock and even heavy metal.
killings and assaults. First-person interviews, archival footage
THEATER
4 p.m., 7 p.m. See Fri.
VIRTUAL EVENTS
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: Virtual weeklong celebration includes screening of “King in the Wilderness” (today); tour of “Pints and Protest, 1960-1970” exhibit, screening of “Art and Activism through Prints and
Protest” and “King of the Wilderness” (Sun.); screening of previous Martin Luther
King Jr. celebrations (Mon.); live conversations “Unsung Suffragists: Leaders of Color in the Fight for the Vote” (6-7:15 p.m. Tues.) and Museums and Their Role in Fostering Equitable and Inclusive Communities (6-7:15 p.m. Jan. 21); closing ceremony (5:30-6 p.m. Jan. 22); local hero spotlights, family art activities, more. Through Fri. Allentown Art Museum. Free. 610-432-4333. allentownartmuseum.org.
Virtual Pennsylvania Farm Show: See Thurs.
Sunday ART
ArtVentures: Printing Protest: Create collages using newspaper and magazine images to explore the revolution in printmaking. noon-4 p.m. Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown. Free. 610-432-4333. allentownartmuseum.org.
KIDS & FAMILY
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Fri.
OTHER
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Valley Winter Restaurant Week: Through Jan. 23. Hellertown Lower-Saucon, Hellertown. Free. hellertownborough.org.
Holiday Train Display: noon-3 p.m. See Fri.
Old Bethlehem Walking Tour: 1-2:30 p.m., 3-4:30 p.m. See Sat.
VIRTUAL EVENTS
Imagine a Story!: Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild presents storyteller Ingrid Bohn. Thes virtual and pre-recorded program will be available for all-day viewing. Registration required. Virtual Event. $5, suggested donation. 609-807-8238. lvstorytelling.org/calendar/ family-storytelling-series/.
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: See Sat.
Monday
Allentown Band Live Stream Concert: Live stream concert includes performances by three quartets — Woodwind, Saxophone and Trombone, consisting of members of the Allentown Band performed in Allentown’s Christ Lutheran Church, with no live audience in attendance. The program includes a wide variety of music including Gabrieli, Haydn, Holst, SaintSaens, Sousa, Joplin, McCartney and several African-American Spirituals. The Trombone
Quartet will be joined by Christ Church Organist, Michael Krentz on Gabrieli’s “Canzon Septimi
Toni a 8” and Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Part of
Christ Church’s Concert Series and the Music Performance
Trust Fund administered by the Allentown Musicians’ Association, Local 45 AFM, produced by Hesse Creative. 7-8 p.m. Virtual. Free. facebook.com/ MusicPerformanceTrustFund/ live/.
Dr. Martin Luther King Day (Virtual): Students, educators, artists and activists read and discuss Dr. King’s landmark text “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and share music, poetry and art inspired by Dr. King’s legacy. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern State Penitentiary. Free. 215-236-3300. easternstate.org/visit/events/drmartin-luther-king-day-virtual.
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Sat.
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Valley Winter Restaurant Week:See Sun.
Martin Luther King Day Celebration: Welcome from YWCA Bethlehem, a shared viewing experience of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, discussion in a small group breakout session, and a reading of YWCA USA’s Stand Against Racism Pledge. Registration required.
10-11 a.m. Virtual Event. Free. ywcabethlehem.org/.
Martin Luther King, Jr., Tribute Concert Online: The Philadelphia
Orchestra program led by Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., through music and interviews with prominent Philadelphians who are continuing Dr. King’s work today. Registration required. 7 p.m. Virtual Event. Free. philorch.org.
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: See Sat.
SouthSide Bethlehem Arts District Winter Restaurant Week: Restaurants include
Bonn Place Brewing Company, Cafe the Lodge, Christmas City Cluckery, The Colony Meadery, Deja Brew Coffeehouse & Deli, Dinky’s Ice Cream Parlor & Grill, El Jefe’s Taqueria, The Flying V Poutinerie, General Zapata, Hi Pot Bethlehem, Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub, Playa Bowls, Randy’s Pizzeria, Roasted, Social Still, Tulum, ZEST bar+grille, more.Through Jan. 24. Southside Arts District, Bethlehem. Free. southsideartsdistrict.com/.
Tuesday
Bach at Noon Virtual Concert: Music from Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach, with soloists Charles Holdeman, bassoon, and soprano Rosa Lamoreaux. Taped performance presented on the Bach Choir’s YouTube channel, Facebook page or website. noon-1 p.m. Free. 610866-4382. bach.org.
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Sat.
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Valley Winter Restaurant Week: See Sun.
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: See Sat.
SouthSide Bethlehem Arts District Winter Restaurant Week: See Mon.
Wednesday
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Sat.
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Valley Winter Restaurant Week: (See Sun.
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: See Sat.
SouthSide Bethlehem Arts District Winter Restaurant Week: See Mon.
Thursday, Jan. 21
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Sat.
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Valley Winter Restaurant Week: See Sun.
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: See Sat.
Open Mike with Phil Stahl: 7 p.m. Bowers Hotel, 298 Bowers Road, Mertztown. Free. 610-899-0183.
SouthSide Bethlehem Arts District Winter Restaurant Week: See Mon.
Friday, Jan. 22
Fore! The Planet: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. See Sat.
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Valley Winter Restaurant Week: See Sun.
Holiday Train Display: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. See Fri.
James Supra & Sarah Ayers Band: 7:30 p.m. Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem. $30-$70. 610-332-3378. steelstacks.org.
Lucky Lindy’s No So Lucky Landing: 7 p.m. See Fri.
Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Celebration: See Sat.
“New Day/New World” Virtual Opening Reception: Juried fine art exhibit in all media on display through March 21. 5-8 p.m. Studio B Fine Art Gallery, 39A E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown. 484-332-2757. studiobbb.org.
SouthSide Bethlehem Arts District Winter Restaurant Week: See Mon.
Deadline for submissions is noon Wednesday, eight days before publication. Email goguide@ mcall.com.; Mail: Calendar, Go Guide, The Morning Call, P.O. Box 1260, Allentown PA 18105-1260. Submit online: themorningcall. com/submitevent. Log in to your themorningcall.com account. If you don’t have one, click on “Create an Account.”