Welcome to Seven in Seven, where each week we typically take a look at shows coming to the region over the next week. And while venue doors are slowly opening again, due to the current pandemic they aren’t quite there yet. That doesn’t mean the music stops, and new releases are coming out weekly from artists you know and love and some waiting to be discovered. Each week we’ll be looking at some of the best hitting shelves and streaming services and a couple of can’t miss shows in the region.
Whether your musical tastes are rock and roll, jazz, heavy metal, R&B, singer-songwriter or indie, there’ll always be something to check out. Here’s what’s on the docket for the upcomign week:
Shows of the week
The Metal Tour of the Year — BB&T Pavilion — Sept. 15
Lamb of God propelled heavy metal into the new millennium two decades ago with the prophetically titled “New American Gospel.” Now, they find themselves on a co-headlining tour with one of the all-time iconic metal outfits in Megadeth and have just dropped a digital reissue celebrating the 15th anniversary of their fourth album, “Sarcarment,” complete with a behind-the-scenes look at how it came together. To round out appropriately titled “Metal Tour of the Year,” support comes from Trivium and Hatebreed, making it hard to find a heavier bill around right about now.
Alice Cooper — Ovation Hall, Atlantic City — Sept. 17
For those not quite ready to let go of summer and weekend trips to the shore, Alice Cooper kicks off his fall tour at Ovation Hall at Oceans Resort Casino in Atlantic City. Considered the architect of shock rock, in both the original Alice Cooper band and as a solo artist, Alice has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie. Unfortunately for rock fans, ex-KISS guitarist Ace Frehley doesn’t join this tour as opener until the next night in New Hampshire, but truth be told, the theatrical explosion Cooper puts on is worth the price of admission alone.
New releases
José González — “Local Valley”
Singer-songwriter/guitarist José González is in a class by himself — there’s really no other way to put it. His warm, intimate voice and tender harmonies, underlined by a dexterously plucked Spanish guitar and muted percussion, deliver profoundly thoughtful lyrics largely revolving around ideas of civilization, humanism and solidarity. A sincere, artful performer whose singular approach to songwriting and sonics sets him worlds apart, it’s been a bit of a wait for “Local Valley,” his first new studio recording in more than five years, but it was well worth it.
The Ronnie Wood Band — “Mr. Luck — A Tribute to Jimmy Reed: Live at the Royal Albert Hall”
Ronnie Wood and his band return to the blues with the second installment from the Stones’ guitarist of his live album trilogy in “Mr. Luck — A Tribute to Jimmy Reed: Live at the Royal Albert Hall.” The 18-track album features the Ronnie Wood Band, including Mick Taylor, with incredible special guests like Bobby Womack, Mick Hucknall and Paul Weller, while paying tribute to one of Wood’s musical heroes and major influences, the Mississippi electric blues pioneer Jimmy Reed. The album was recorded live on a memorable night at the Royal Albert Hall on Nov. 1, 2013 and features stunning tracks including “Good Lover” and “Ghost of a Man.”
Buena Vista Social Club — “Buena Vista Social Club: 25th Anniversary Edition”
It was clear from the atmosphere of the recording sessions that something very special was taking place, but no one could have predicted that Buena Vista Social Club would become a worldwide phenomenon — awarded a Grammy in 1997 and, at 8 million copies, outselling any other record in the same genre. The impact of those sessions is still felt 25 years later, and the vibrance and seductive allure of Cuba’s rich history and culture shines as brightly as ever in these definitive recordings. This new edition includes tracks that were recorded during that famous week in 1996 but never released; some intended as repertoire suggestions, some off-the-cuff improvisations and some fully formed gems that are the equal of anything on the original album. There are also alternate takes of some of the now famous and most well-loved songs from the album
Cold Beat — “War Garden”
The name of San Francisco-based band Cold Beat’s new album, “War Garden,” is both a reference and a revelation. Although it gets its name from the self-sufficiency of World War II civilians to plant and grow their own food, in a more metaphorical sense it sprouted from a sense of connection, during a time where it was physically impossible to do so. The distance caused by the pandemic strengthened the bond between bandmembers, resulting in an album that’s a remarkable leap from their earlier guitar-forward work. Now, they openly embrace a synthesized landscape with rich harmonies and ’80s pop flourishes, all while maintaining a complex emotional depth.
Alicia Walter — “I Am Alicia”
Alicia Walter, the former leader of Chicago-based art-rock outfit Oshwa, sees the release of her debut solo LP, “I Am Alicia.” The album is a bold retelling of her self-discovery that encourages the listener’s own story to take root in its universal truths. Embracing influences spanning from jazz and the classic composition of American standards to hip-hop and new wave to build her own brand of eclectic-pop, the album serves as a bit of duality, driven by her want to experience who she is inside and what she does on the outside.
Soundcheck
• Lamb of God, “Walk With Me in Hell”
• Megadeth, “Tornado of Souls”
• Alice Cooper, “Feed My Frankenstein”
• José González, “Head On”
• The Ronnie Wood Band, “Ghost of a Man”
• Buena Vista Social Club, “La Pluma”
• Cold Beat, “See You Again”
• Alicia Walter, “Prelude”
