This week's round-up: New music from Parker Barrow, Whiskey Myers and Joe Bonamassa

Just what the doctor ordered! To coincide with their July UK tour, Nashville-based, blues-Infused Southern Rockers Parker Barrow release “Novocaine” on Friday July 18.

The new single is available on all streaming platforms HERE, and is also accompanied by a music video on YouTube HERE.

“Novocaine” is the follow-up to “Make It,” released in April, which met to rave reviews. Both songs will appear on Parker Barrow’s upcoming highly anticipated sophomore album.

To coincide with new single, the band is excited to announce a series of July UK tour dates including Maid of Stone Festival on (July 20), plus warm-up shows at Nottingham Bodega (July 18) and London’s The Grace (July 19).

The band are also special guests on The Damn Truth’s Winter 2025 UK Tour which runs from November 12-23.

Tickets are available from www.weareparkerbarrow.com/tour and The Gig Cartel.

“Novocaine came from an idea Alex, our guitarist, had in his back pocket for some time,” says Parker Barrow’s founding member and drummer, Dylan Turner. “At the time he showed it to us I had recently written some lyrics with no real melody or “song structure” in mind, but I immediately realized the riff he brought to us was perfect for the lyrics I had just written.”

“The soft minor intro to the exploding guitars was the perfect combination of soul and heavy! After taking it into the studio our producer, Stephen McKnight had an idea to change the intro riff to a Rhodes style piano and from there we were off to the races. The drum track was played on a beautiful Bucks County drum kit that sounded amazing in the studio! Novocaine is a track full of energy, passion, and power. We hope it will leave the listener anything but numb after listening.”

“Novocaine was derived from an idea I had saved from a jam a few years ago,” explains Parker Barrow’s guitarist, Alex Bender. “It was a swung, sixteenth note chromatic riff that when paired with certain accents from the drums, created a bluesy almost seductive feel that was perfect for a verse. Originally written on guitar, our producer, Stephen McKnight, heard the riff and had the idea to transfer it and feature a Rhodes electric piano. This added even more character to the darker mood of the track. We felt dynamics were very important, so we used different instrumentation to achieve a wide dynamic range.”

“There were acoustic guitars used for rhythmic textures throughout the song. Most of it was tracked on a Gibson Les Paul, doubling any necessary parts with a Gibson SG. The guitar solo for Novocaine, was enjoyable to develop. It was played on a Les Paul that was running into a Wah effects pedal. The Wah allowed me to be even more expressive with the notes and the way I approached the solo. My favourite bit of the song is the chords our producer created to support the riff in the pre-chorus. It has a descending bass line that utilizes some augmented harmonies over top that sneak in and create a moment of dissonance before the eventual resolution in the powerhouse chorus.”

Continues Alex, “Novocaine allowed us to explore new song-writing territories with different feels but in a way that is still Parker Barrow. Soaring vocals, hard-hitting drums and plenty of guitar help to drive this song while still maintaining a level of restraint to let the track breathe when needed. Like a temptation we cannot resist, Novocaine satisfies all the desires we love, without any of the guilt.”

Parker Barrow is a high energy, blues-infused southern rock ‘n’ roll band led by husband-and-wife duo Megan Kane (lead vocals) and Dylan Turner (drums). Their name is taken from Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow; the infamous American bank robbers during the early 1930’s Great Depression.

A chance encounter brought Kane and Turner together in 2019, when Turner was searching for a new singer for his band. The pair immediately hit it off, and within two weeks they were on the road together in full time pursuit of a mutual musical dream. The couple have been riding the highs and lows of rock ’n’ roll road life ever since.

In 2023 Parker Barrow expanded with the full-time inclusion of guitarist and musical director Alex Bender. At the foundation of Parker Barrow’s sound is the heavy-handed groove of Turner’s drumming, with Kane’s soulful and electrifying vocals soaring up over the top. The pair’s dynamics are brilliantly stitched together by Alex’s creative riffs and spirited playing throughout the songs.

Parker Barrow’s compelling vintage sound contains elements of rock, southern rock, blues, and soul; but the band’s brand of music is unmistakably and distinctly their own.

The band commands an impressive mix of old and new influences threaded throughout their distinctive sound, including the Allman Brothers, the Black Crowes, Blackberry Smoke, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, Tedeschi-Trucks, Whiskey Myers, and Led Zeppelin.

Parker Barrow’s 2023 debut album Jukebox Gypsies received rave reviews. “Count Your Dollars” was the first single and video from the album. The official music video for the follow-up single “Back To Birmingham” racked up over a million views on YouTube.

Line-Up

Megan Kane – Vocals

Dylan Turner – Drums

Alex Bender – Guitar

Bo Howard – Bass

Will Tipton – Guitar

Eric Safka – Keyboards

Parker Barrow has become well known for their electrifying, full throttle live shows where no two performances are the same and their songs feature extended jams that move seamlessly through the emotional spectrum.

They have toured the US alongside Robert Jon & the Wreck, Them Dirty Roses, the Kentucky Headhunters, and The Band Feel. Parker Barrow’s shows are legendary. They are a well-oiled rock ’n’ roll machine on stage with a captivating live presence and infectious energy. Don’t miss your chance to catch them live!

As anticipation builds for Whomp Whack Thunder, their first new album in three years, Whiskey Myers continue to peel back the curtain on what’s to come with the release of ‘Midnight Woman’, available everywhere now.

Following the hard-hitting ‘Tailspin’ and fiery lead single ‘Time Bomb’ – currently climbing the Top 40 at Active Rock radio, further solidifying Whiskey Myers’ growing crossover appeal – ‘Midnight Woman’ showcases a different kind of power. The track’s swampy intro explodes into a hard-driving groove laced with classic rock energy. Equal parts grit and seduction, it paints the portrait of a spellbinding force of nature.

“‘Midnight Woman’ is that raw, late-night energy you can’t shake off – part voodoo, part rock ’n’ roll fever dream,” shares lead singer Cody Cannon. “It’s about the kind of woman who doesn’t just walk into your life – she storms in like thunder and leaves you dizzy in her wake.”

The latest release adds to the excitement for Whiskey Myers’ highly anticipated seventh studio album arriving September 26^th via the band’s own Wiggy Thump Records. Born from the piney woods of East Texas and shaped in the soul of Nashville during an immersive three weeks with renowned producer Jay Joyce – known for bringing edge, atmosphere and unpredictability to every project (Eric Church, Cage the Elephant, Halestorm, Lainey Wilson) – Whomp Whack Thunder is a strong statement from the multi-Platinum independent band. 

“We didn’t set out to chase a specific sound – we set out to make a Whiskey Myers record,” reflects lead guitarist John Jeffers. “Jay pulled something out of us that’s raw and real, and every track’s got a piece of our story in it. This album’s about where we’ve been, what we’ve lived and the scars we earned along the way – and I think Whomp Whack Thunder might just be our most fearless album yet.”

Whomp Whack Thunder is the sound of a band at the height of its powers, marrying Southern swagger with arena-sized rock and soul-searching songwriting. Cannon penned all eleven tracks solo, delivering stories that hit with the emotional weight of lived experience and the firepower of the band’s signature sound to craft a record born of the road and shaped by nearly two decades of defiant, grassroots momentum.

The forthcoming album features the full force of the six piece – Cody Cannon (vocals, guitar), John Jeffers (guitar), Cody Tate (guitar), Jamey Gleaves (bass), Jeff Hogg (drums) and Tony Kent (percussion, piano) – with Joyce also contributing keys, organ and guitar, crafting a sonic landscape that stretches from greasy blues-rock riffs to gospel-tinged country soul.

For more information, visit whiskeymyers.com and follow on social media @WhiskeyMyers.

Blues-rock powerhouse Joe Bonamassa has officially released his brand-new studio album Breakthrough, out today via J&R Adventures. Marking his most stylistically diverse and emotionally resonant effort to date, the 10-track LP spans genre and geography, blending global influences with deeply personal songwriting and, of course, Bonamassa’s signature guitar mastery.

To coincide with the album launch, Bonamassa has also released the record’s latest single, “Broken Record” – a haunting, slow-burning meditation on resilience, reflection, and the emotional weight of long roads travelled. With its brooding arrangement and introspective lyrics, the track reveals another side of Bonamassa’s ever-evolving artistry: “I’ve been lost in the wilderness / For too long, too long / Singing the same old song.”

Produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Journey, The Black Crowes), Breakthrough was recorded across Los Angeles, Nashville, and Greece. It captures Bonamassa at his most fearless, venturing beyond his blues roots and leaning fully into a wide-open palette of sound and story. From Texas swing and singer-songwriter intimacy to swaggering rock and funky soul, the album brings together everything he’s honed over more than 50 releases.

Album cover artwork by Hugh Syme

Early reviews for Breakthrough have been overwhelmingly positive, with critics praising both its artistic range and emotional depth. Premier Guitar featured Bonamassa on its cover and called Breakthrough a “full-hearted essay in expressive playing and singing,” noting the album’s balance between “hard-edged, riff-driven” rock and “classic soul-pop.” Blues Rock Review awarded it 9.5/10 stars, calling it “an amazing record that promises to become a classic” and highlighting its “immaculate collection of timeless music.” Cryptic Rock called it “a decisive, intentional, forward-looking statement” and praised its “richly diverse sound.” At the same time, Rock and Blues Muse hailed it as “another keeper” and “one of Bonamassa’s finest.”

“Broken Record” follows a series of well-received singles that offered a preview of the album’s dynamic range. The title track “Breakthrough” is a soulful, anthemic statement about transformation and letting go. “Shake This Ground” took a moodier, more introspective turn, while “Still Walking With Me” delivered a warm, reflective groove rooted in gratitude. Most recently, “Trigger Finger” turned up the volume with fiery guitar work and a fierce, forward-driving attitude. Across the board, Breakthrough is being recognized as a defining statement from an artist still expanding his reach nearly four decades into his career.

The album release arrives as Bonamassa prepares to play the final two shows of his European summer tour, kicking off tonight in Pordenone, Italy, followed by a performance in Rome. He will then return to the U.S. for a string of amphitheater dates, including headlining performances at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles (July 31), Red Rocks Amphitheatre (August 8), and the Bourbon & Beyond Festival (September 12). In September, Bonamassa will set sail on the sold-out Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruise to Alaska before launching into a full U.S. fall tour through the end of the year. He’ll also headline two major experiences in 2026: Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea XI and the first-ever Sound Wave Beach Weekend, which completely sold out during the presale – further proof of Bonamassa’s unmatched connection with fans and his continued momentum as one of the most in-demand live performers in modern blues and rock.