Rock 'n' Roll Truth

New music: The Rolling Stones, Charley Crockett, 'American Cosmic Revival, Vol. 2'

2026-07-19T15:43:11.358-07:00

In this column, I celebrate the latest returns from The Rolling Stones, Charley Crockett and an essential tribute to "Cosmic American Music" spearheaded by alt country champion Christian Parker.

Artist: The Rolling Stones
Title: Foreign Tongues (Capitol)
You might like if you enjoy: The Rolling Stones

Tell me more: Against all odds — and time itself — The Rolling Stones are back. More than 60 years after emerging from the early '60s London music scene, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers returned on July 10 with their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues. Produced by Andrew Watt, the new star-studded followup to the band's 2023 album Hackney Diamonds features musical contributions from the illustrious likes of Cure frontman Robert Smith (vocals, guitar), Steve Winwood, keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Bruno Mars, Sir Paul McCartney and more. The album even features a track recorded with the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts just prior to his death in 2021! Is this a top-tier return from the English band featuring Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood? Definitely. The 14-track album is loaded with the band's signature brand of blues-influenced rock and roll. Just listen to the rowdy "Mr. Charm" featuring Jagger's rapid-fire vocals, the rousing blues-rock gem "Rough And Twisted" adorned with some killer blues harmonica, the shimmering instant classic "In The Stars," R&B-flavored "Jealous Lover" (the latter showcasing Jagger's terrific falsetto vocals) or countrified "Ringing Hollow" to feel the spirit of the so-called "greatest rock and roll band in the world" rear their glorious head in 2026. Other terrific cuts on the LP include the propulsive '80s-tinged rocker "Never Wanna Lose You" featuring backing vocals from Smith, the tender "Covered In You" and "Back In Your Life," and infectious dance-fueled "Side Effects." The album closes out with a delightfully raw slide guitar heavy reading of Chuck Berry's 1958 classic "Beautiful Delilah." Information: rollingstones.com.

Artist: Charley Crockett
Title: Clovis (Atlantic Outpost)
You might like if you enjoy: Hank Williams, Michael Ubaldini, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard

Tell me more: Originally released on April 28, 2026 — and then pulled from all streaming services because of record company-related legal issues on May 7 — Charley Crockett's 17th studio album Clovis was re-released by Atlantic Outpost on July 3 in time for America's 250th Birthday. The 14-track LP is a true return to form for the Texas native. Recorded in a mere six days in Clovis, New Mexico (March 21-26, 2026) while Crockett, his entire band and album producer Shooter Jennings were sick with COVID-19, the album is a true celebration of Crockett's neotraditional country approach. The album is outstanding, bolstered by a parade of winning originals spanning from the driving opener "The Hallelujah Trail" (co-written by Jennings and Crockett) to the outlaw country-mining closer "Waylon Rides Again." Among this writer's favorite tracks on the disc are the Waylon Jennings-flavored "Down by Law," the soulful romance-themed "Image of a Woman," rowdy country rocker "Eagle and the Crow," autobiographical "Country Music," tender "Last Night at the Alamo" and deeply affecting cover of Johnny Cash's 1958 original "Don't Take Your Guns to Town." Information: charleycrockett.com.

Artists: Christian Parker, Earl Poole Ball, Patrick Cleary, Jay Dee Maness
Title: American Cosmic Revival Vol. 2: Miles From Nowhere (Subcat Records / Edgewater Music Group)
You might like if you enjoy: Gram Parsons, Michael Ubaldini, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Merle Haggard, Gene Clark, Bob Dylan

Tell me more: In the late 1960s and early '70s, Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman were among the principal artists who crafted music that blended country, folk and rock music into what would soon be dubbed "Cosmic American Music." Indeed, that movement influenced a number of other music icons including The Eagles, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Poco, Michael Ubaldini, First Aid Kit and even The Rolling Stones. Now New York-based singer-guitarist Christian Parker has released an ambitious tribute to the beloved musical tradition with an illustrious cast of players including pianist Earl Poole Ball (whose career includes work with Parsons, Johnny Cash, The Byrds and the International Submarine Band) and pedal steel guitar player Jay Dee Maness (a founding member of the International Submarine Band and later a member of the Desert Rose Band). The mix of wonderful selections include a bewitching take on the Parsons-Hillman composition "Wheels," an emotive reading of the countrified ballad "She Once Lived Here," wistful Americana take of the Gene Clark-Bernie Leadon co-write "Train Leaves Here This Morning," soaring version of the Everly Brothers' beautiful "So Sad," and touching rendition of Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December." Closing out the fantastic collection is a touching rendering of The Rolling Stones' classic "Wild Horses." Information: christianparker.com or subcat.net.

Robert Kinsler

Brandon Flowers released new single "Paradise"

2026-07-17T12:40:12.819-07:00

Listen to Brandon Flowers' compelling new track "Paradise" and learn more about his upcoming album Thrasher...Robert Kinsler

BRANDON FLOWERS

RELEASES NEW SINGLE

“PARADISE”

FIRST SOLO ALBUM IN OVER A DECADE

THRASHER SET FOR RELEASE VIA ISLAND RECORDS

ON AUGUST 21, 2026

Paradise artwork

Today, The Killers’ Brandon Flowers - one of the most influential songwriters of the modern era - shares new single “Paradise,” the latest offering from his upcoming solo record THRASHER, out Aug. 21, 2026 via Island Records.

“Paradise” is an upbeat country track that pulls from Flowers’ extended family working and aging in the casino ecosystem of Vegas. The release comes with a special live performance video “Paradise (Live From Historic RCA Studio A)”, filmed at Nashville’s Historic RCA Studio A, where he also made the album.

Alongside the release, Blood Records will offer an exclusive THRASHER translucent orange rust LP with black and white splatter, limited to 5,000 copies and hand-numbered, available for pre-order now.

LISTEN TO “PARADISE” HERE

WATCH “PARADISE (LIVE FROM HISTORIC RCA STUDIO A)” HERE

WATCH THE THRASHER TRAILER HERE

PRE-ORDER THRASHER HERE

THRASHER is Flowers’ first solo album in over a decade. Recorded in Nashville with longtime producers Shawn Everett and Jonathan Rado, THRASHER features many of Music City’s most renowned players, including longtime Gillian Welch collaborator David Rawlings on guitar, prolific and influential pedal steel player Bruce Bouton, and 85-year-old Charlie McCoy, the legendary harmonica player whose signature playing graces all four of Bob Dylan’s iconic Nashville records. Rooted in his formative childhood years in the small town of Nephi, Utah, the timeless sonic approach proves to be the ideal home for Flowers’ most personal and vulnerable songwriting yet.

THRASHER track listing:

Does It Ever Cross Your Mind?
One Of Us
Tiger’s Blood
Plans
Paradise
Miss America
Angel
The Red Ground
In A Heartbeat
An American Dream

Brandon has also revealed touring plans for September and October in support of THRASHER. The upcoming tour will span dates in North America, the UK and Ireland. General on-sale starts today at 10am local time. For ticketing info please visit https://shop.brandonflowersmusic.com/pages/tour. All dates below.

Photo credit: Chris Phelps

ALL UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

September 1st - The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ

September 4th - John Anson Ford Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

September 5th - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA

September 7th - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR

September 8th - Vogue Theatre - Vancouver, BC

September 9th - Showbox - Seattle, WA

September 11th - Red Butte - Salt Lake City, UT

September 12th - Ogden - Denver, CO

September 15th - Palace Theatre - St Paul, MN

September 16th - The Riviera Theatre - Chicago, IL

September 18th - Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY

September 20th - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC

September 21st - Franklin Music Hall - Philadelphia, PA

September 23rd - Roadrunner - Boston, MA

September 24th - HISTORY - Toronto, ON

October 2nd - Austin City Limits - Austin, TX

October 6th - Wynn Encore Theater - Las Vegas, NV

October 14th - Bournemouth O2 Academy - Bournemouth, UK

October 15th - Royal Albert Hall - London, UK

October 17th - Bristol Beacon - Bristol, UK

October 18th - Nottingham Rock City - Nottingham, UK

October 20th - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, UK

October 21st - Barbican - York, UK

October 23rd - O2 Academy Glasgow - Glasgow, UK

October 24th - O2 Academy Birmingham - Birmingham, UK

October 27th - Olympia Theatre - Dublin, Ireland

Keep up with Brandon Flowers:

Instagram | Facebook

Adam Chaffins counts his blessings on infectious single “Lucky Me”

2026-07-17T12:08:31.809-07:00

More new music from rising singer-songwriter Adam Chaffins. I am a really big fan of his advance tracks, particularly "King of Coal Dust County" that you can catch via the official music video HERE... Robert Kinsler

Adam Chaffins Counts His Blessings On
Infectious Single “Lucky Me”

Celebrating August 21 Release Of New Album
'Trailer Trash: Doublewide'
With Grand Ole Opry Debut on August 28

Photographer Credit: Natia Cinco

July 17, 2026: Today, Nashville-by-way-of-Kentucky singer/songwriter Adam Chaffins shares his new single “Lucky Me,” a feel-good anthem about counting your blessings, embracing gratitude and choosing positivity no matter what life throws your way. Co-written with his wife Brit Taylor and Adam Landry (Hayes Carll, Deer Tick), this is the latest offering from Chaffins' upcoming album Trailer Trash: Doublewide, which releases August 21 via Spirit Nashville Recordings / Fluid Music Revolution. Chaffins will celebrate the new album with his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on August 28.

Stream “Lucky Me”

Watch the “Lucky Me” Video

Pre-order/pre-save Trailer Trash: Doublewide

“‘Lucky Me’ is about counting your blessings, even when you’re running on fumes,” says Chaffins. “I wrote this song with my wife, Brit Taylor, over Zoom with our friend Adam Landry during Covid times. You can choose gratitude, or you can choose grief. When my mind gets stuck in the mud, I have to remind myself I’m the ‘luckiest duck in the pond.’ Play this song for your pessimistic friend—try and show em’ a way out…”

Trailer Trash: Doublewide has already garnered praise from The Bluegrass Situation, Holler and All Country News with earlier singles "Sugarcoat It" and "King of Coal Dust County," which just debuted on the Mainstream Country Chart and broke into the Top 10 on the True Indie Country Chart. Co-produced with hitmaker Frank Rogers – who’s helmed over 40 number ones – along with Derek Wells, Mike Fiorentino and Chaffins himself, the record tells stories of American life told from a distinctly Appalachian perspective. Chaffins sings about his home state of Kentucky with equal parts admiration and irreverence, honoring the doublewide trailer he grew up in while also understanding that nowhere is perfect.

A full-length expansion of the Trailer Trash world introduced on his 5-song EP last summer, the new album showcases Chaffins' knack for blending razor-sharp wit with real-world reflections on current events, without ever cheapening the lessons that lurk beneath. It was this quality that led legendary producer Frank Rogers to offer him a publishing deal on the spot — just the third songwriter in Rogers’ career to receive such an offer, after Chris Stapleton and Josh Turner. When Chaffins first went in to meet with Rogers, he had years under his belt as an instrumentalist for the likes of Billy Strings, Lee Ann Womack, Kendell Marvel and Jake Owen.

After a busy last year that included producing the newest LP for Brit Taylor, celebrating the birth of their first child and getting 10M+ views on a video of his ornery goat Memphis, Chaffins is refocusing the spotlight on his own craft. Now, he’s turning his life story — a childhood in Kentucky, where he was raised by a former coal miner who once sold used trailers for a living, and an obsession with music that would soon take him all over the world — into a country album that swoons, swaggers, and stuns.

Tour Dates:
July 27 – Nashville, TN – Bobby’s Idle Hour
August 7 – Cayce, SC – Steel Hands Brewing
August 21 – Nashville, TN – Bobby’s Idle Hour (Album Release Show)
August 22 – Richmond, KY – Bourbon Jam Music Festival
August 28 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry

Trailer Trash: Doublewide Tracklist
1. Living Til My Dying Day (Adam Chaffins/Bryan Simpson)
2. Trailer Trash (Adam Chaffins/Adam Wright)
3. Dive Bar Moses (Adam Chaffins/Bobby Hamrick)
4. Kentucky Girl (Adam Chaffins/Adam Wright)
5. Lucky Me (Adam Chaffins/Brit Taylor/Adam Landry)
6. Flea Market (Adam Chaffins/Bobby Hamrick)
7. King of Coal Dust County (Adam Chaffins/Brit Taylor/Billy Montana)
8. Hard To Reach (Adam Chaffins/Darrell Scott)
9. Stepped Over The Pieces (Adam Chaffins/Frank Rogers)
10. You Get Drunk, I’ll Get High (Adam Chaffins/Brit Taylor/Adam Wright)
11. Sugarcoat It (Adam Chaffins/Adam Wright)
12. Get Rich (Adam Chaffins/Jay Knowles)
13. Easy Love (Adam Chaffins)
14. Little Bit At A Time (Adam Chaffins/Adam Wright)

Adam Chaffins:
Website - Facebook - Instagram - TikTok - YouTube

Rock 'n' Roll Truth

New music: The Rolling Stones, Charley Crockett, 'American Cosmic Revival, Vol. 2'

Brandon Flowers released new single "Paradise"

Adam Chaffins counts his blessings on infectious single “Lucky Me”

Adam Chaffins Counts His Blessings OnInfectious Single “Lucky Me” Celebrating August 21 Release Of New Album'Trailer Trash: Doublewide'With Grand Ole Opry Debut on August 28

Adam Chaffins Counts His Blessings On
Infectious Single “Lucky Me”

Celebrating August 21 Release Of New Album
'Trailer Trash: Doublewide'
With Grand Ole Opry Debut on August 28