It’s crazy that it has already been five years since the first Poison Suckers 7″ came out. Today Jo Jo and Joe are back with a follow-up, and this thing is a stone-cold ripper that will melt your ears clean off your head. Out on Transistor 66, the 4-track EP Charmer finds Poison Suckers doing what they do best: mixing soul music and ’60s girl group stylings with ferociously trashy garage punk rock ‘n’ roll. This band makes an art form out of lo-fi budget production, and the music is all raw energy and thrillingly primitive fury.
“Slash Tires” is pure fire right out of the gate — like Tina Turner fronting the Oblivians playing an MC5 song. This tune explodes out of your headphones, and Joanne’s vocal is just ridiculous. It gives me chills. “Charade” is old school girl group greatness without all the fancy production getting in the way. “Viper Winds” lays down some hip-shaking hillbilly blues stomp — think Southern gothic vibes transplanted to the chilly North. “I’m a Zero” caps things off with full-on garage rock fury. It’s a banger of epic proportions.
And that’s that: four perfect songs that give you a little bit of everything you might be craving. I can think of no band that better understands or more fully brings to life the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Of course this band has talent. These two have a great knack for writing songs that hit you in the gut yet also treat you to enthralling hooks. And there’s a very limited number of humans on the planet who can sing like Joanne. But beyond the talent, it’s the feeling and the fire in this music that is just so undeniable. Charmer will hit you deep in your soul. It’s a record made to be played loudly and enjoyed thoroughly. It’s an at-home dance party waiting to happen and a spirited soundtrack to whatever sinful activity you might be compelled to engage in. The EP will be officially released tonight at Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club in Winnipeg!
It’s crazy that it has already been five years since the first Poison Suckers 7″ came out. Today Jo Jo and Joe are back with a follow-up, and this thing is a stone-cold ripper that will melt your ears clean off your head. Out on Transistor 66, the 4-track EP Charmer finds Poison Suckers doing what they do best: mixing soul music and ’60s girl group stylings with ferociously trashy garage punk rock ‘n’ roll. This band makes an art form out of lo-fi budget production, and the music is all raw energy and thrillingly primitive fury.
“Slash Tires” is pure fire right out of the gate — like Tina Turner fronting the Oblivians playing an MC5 song. This tune explodes out of your headphones, and Joanne’s vocal is just ridiculous. It gives me chills. “Charade” is old school girl group greatness without all the fancy production getting in the way. “Viper Winds” lays down some hip-shaking hillbilly blues stomp — think Southern gothic vibes transplanted to the chilly North. “I’m a Zero” caps things off with full-on garage rock fury. It’s a banger of epic proportions.
And that’s that: four perfect songs that give you a little bit of everything you might be craving. I can think of no band that better understands or more fully brings to life the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. Of course this band has talent. These two have a great knack for writing songs that hit you in the gut yet also treat you to enthralling hooks. And there’s a very limited number of humans on the planet who can sing like Joanne. But beyond the talent, it’s the feeling and the fire in this music that is just so undeniable. Charmer will hit you deep in your soul. It’s a record made to be played loudly and enjoyed thoroughly. It’s an at-home dance party waiting to happen and a spirited soundtrack to whatever sinful activity you might be compelled to engage in. The EP will be officially released tonight at Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club in Winnipeg!
And now it is done. Songs the Siren Sing is the final installment in Friends of Cesar Romero’s Doomed Babe Series, a project that spanned 5,191 days, 24,641 words, 400+ songs, and more than 50 releases. What J. Waylon Porcupine has done with this project is one of the most impressive feats in music that I’ve ever had the good fortune to experience. And now the mystery surrounding the title has been revealed: the doomed babe is J. Waylon himself. “Babe” was his childhood nickname, and this series has documented his failed relationships and allowed him to exorcise some demons. Just releasing 50+ installments in a series would be an achievement in itself. But what’s so remarkable about this one is that the quality never dipped. There were no phoned-in installments. There were never any throwaway tracks. How do you release over 400 songs and never once turn out a dud? But I don’t want to sell this last installment short by turning this review into a retrospective. I am happy to say that this album finds the Doomed Babe Series (and most likely Friends of Cesar Romero) going out on top.
A la February’s superb Soul Scouts, Songs the Siren Sing is definitely on the more rocking end of FOCR’s musical spectrum. It has its share of perfect pop songs (such as “Simple XX’s” and “Dying For Dai (A Little More Each Day)”). And it concludes with J. Waylon having his Pet Sounds moment on the beautiful “Plum Cherry,” which is quite possibly the best song in the entire series. But all in all, this album wraps up the Doomed Babe odyssey with a proverbial bang. From the opening jolt of “Elko Speedway” to the garage-rocking fury of “My Cultist Angel” and “Starfucker Qualities” to the thumping power pop of “74 Dart” and “The War on Wednesday,” this album brings an energy that’s thrilling and infectious. This album, like every Doomed Babe installment, is the perfect combination of almost every musical genre I love. Why choose between power pop, punk, and garage rock when you can get it all in shot?
We all know of certain series in television and literature that were great for so long but couldn’t stick the landing. Well J. Waylon has absolutely stuck the landing. Songs the Siren Sing doesn’t try too hard to create closure. It just does what you expect any great Friends of Cesar Romero to do: deliver two-to-three minute tales of relationship woes that will tear your heart out yet also have you dancing around the house and humming the melodies all week. If you pay close attention to the lyrics, you understand how personal and intense these songs are. Yet isn’t the beauty of rock ‘n’ roll that you can take these excruciating experiences and channel them into music that’s fun to listen to and deeply reassuring to people who have felt similar pain? I’ll put it simply: if you love garage rock and power pop, you will love this release. It’s a great-sounding record with loud guitars, hooks for days, and genuine soul in the vocals and lyrics. Who would have expected anything different?
It’s not fair or even accurate to say that J. Waylon Porcupine is now quitting. He has finished what he started. The last time I checked, that’s the opposite of quitting. I was a latecomer to the Doomed Babe Series and have so much gratitude to J. Waylon for putting this music into the world and to Niek for turning me onto it. Someday, music historians will look back on the Doomed Babe Series with absolute awe. That’s where I already am. Songs The Siren Sing is a free download for now, and the entire Friends of Cesar Romero catalog is a deal and a steal at $111.25!
And now it is done. Songs the Siren Sing is the final installment in Friends of Cesar Romero’s Doomed Babe Series, a project that spanned 5,191 days, 24,641 words, 400+ songs, and more than 50 releases. What J. Waylon Porcupine has done with this project is one of the most impressive feats in music that I’ve ever had the good fortune to experience. And now the mystery surrounding the title has been revealed: the doomed babe is J. Waylon himself. “Babe” was his childhood nickname, and this series has documented his failed relationships and allowed him to exorcise some demons. Just releasing 50+ installments in a series would be an achievement in itself. But what’s so remarkable about this one is that the quality never dipped. There were no phoned-in installments. There were never any throwaway tracks. How do you release over 400 songs and never once turn out a dud? But I don’t want to sell this last installment short by turning this review into a retrospective. I am happy to say that this album finds the Doomed Babe Series (and most likely Friends of Cesar Romero) going out on top.
A la February’s superb Soul Scouts, Songs the Siren Sing is definitely on the more rocking end of FOCR’s musical spectrum. It has its share of perfect pop songs (such as “Simple XX’s” and “Dying For Dai (A Little More Each Day)”). And it concludes with J. Waylon having his Pet Sounds moment on the beautiful “Plum Cherry,” which is quite possibly the best song in the entire series. But all in all, this album wraps up the Doomed Babe odyssey with a proverbial bang. From the opening jolt of “Elko Speedway” to the garage-rocking fury of “My Cultist Angel” and “Starfucker Qualities” to the thumping power pop of “74 Dart” and “The War on Wednesday,” this album brings an energy that’s thrilling and infectious. This album, like every Doomed Babe installment, is the perfect combination of almost every musical genre I love. Why choose between power pop, punk, and garage rock when you can get it all in shot?
We all know of certain series in television and literature that were great for so long but couldn’t stick the landing. Well J. Waylon has absolutely stuck the landing. Songs the Siren Sing doesn’t try too hard to create closure. It just does what you expect any great Friends of Cesar Romero to do: deliver two-to-three minute tales of relationship woes that will tear your heart out yet also have you dancing around the house and humming the melodies all week. If you pay close attention to the lyrics, you understand how personal and intense these songs are. Yet isn’t the beauty of rock ‘n’ roll that you can take these excruciating experiences and channel them into music that’s fun to listen to and deeply reassuring to people who have felt similar pain? I’ll put it simply: if you love garage rock and power pop, you will love this release. It’s a great-sounding record with loud guitars, hooks for days, and genuine soul in the vocals and lyrics. Who would have expected anything different?
It’s not fair or even accurate to say that J. Waylon Porcupine is now quitting. He has finished what he started. The last time I checked, that’s the opposite of quitting. I was a latecomer to the Doomed Babe Series and have so much gratitude to J. Waylon for putting this music into the world and to Niek for turning me onto it. Someday, music historians will look back on the Doomed Babe Series with absolute awe. That’s where I already am. Songs The Siren Sing is a free download for now, and the entire Friends of Cesar Romero catalog is a deal and a steal at $111.25!
The group’s first concert in nearly four years — held in the historic center of Seoul — was heavy on songs from its new album. They also played a few old hits.
Pete & Bas are still at it. The UK drill duo made up of Peter Bowditch (73) and Basil Belgrave (76) have been making music since 2017 and going viral for, you know, being old. Now they’re going viral again, this time because Bowditch passed out mid-show while hanging from the ceiling in a harness.
Legendary singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal will release a new album, Time, on May 1 through Resonatin’ Records/Thirty Tigers.
The album includes the title track “Time,” a previously unreleased song written by Bill Withers. The track originated from a demo that had not been officially recorded before being brought to Taj Mahal by producer and music executive Steve Berkowitz with approval from Withers and his estate.
On Bill Withers and the origin of the song, Taj stated, “My former wife went to school with Bill Withers’ wife, so they knew each other, and I got a chance to spend some time around him. I had a lot of respect for the brother because of what he brought to music. Bill could walk out with an acoustic guitar and sing something like ‘Grandma’s Hands,’ and it would resonate so deeply with people. He wasn’t jumping up and down or trying to be flashy — he just had his own time and his own way of doing things. That honesty in his music meant a lot. So when this song came along, I listened to it a couple of times and felt that movement and that message in it. And we were grateful to receive his blessing to record it.”
Producer Tony Braunagel explained how the song came together during the sessions, “During the recording process of the forthcoming album Time, producers and members of the Phantom Blues Band, myself and Larry Fulcher, engaged longtime friend Steve Berkowitz as an advisor to help navigate record company connections for the release. Steve, a deeply creative and seasoned executive who previously ran Sony Legacy, had an inspired idea. While working with Bill Withers, when he was still with us, they had come across one of Bill’s unrecorded demos titled “Time.” It dawned on Steve that the song would be a perfect fit for Taj. With the album still in progress, he shared it, and it was immediately embraced. The lead vocal is earnest and heartfelt, capturing the depth and weight at the core of the Bill Withers original. Once the finishing touches were added and the track was mixed, it secured a permanent place on the album. The song conveys a shared human experience, Withers’ vision now honored and celebrated through Taj and his gifted collaborators, ready to be heard and embraced.”
In an interview with Variety, Taj Mahal reflected on his connection to Withers, stating, “When we did get to talk with one another, it was like we could see each other across the universe, and we just pulled all that distance out of the way. He was real folks. And I’ve always admired his work, his concerts, the musicians that he played with, his ideas. All you have to do is hear one note and you already know who you’re listening to, you know? … Once he walked away from the business, that’s when I met him the second time. I think he was in New York, putting up some shelves for his daughter at college, and he was just Bill Withers in overalls.”
Time was originally recorded in 2010 with Taj Mahal’s longtime backing group, the Phantom Blues Band. The sessions included Tony Braunagel on drums, Larry Fulcher on bass and Johnny Lee Schell on guitar, with Schell also serving as a producer alongside Berkowitz. Additional contributors include pianist Jon Cleary and organist Mick Weaver. The album was recorded at Ultratone Studio in Studio City, California.
The record also features a version of Bob Marley’s “Talkin’ Blues” with guest vocals from Ziggy Marley, along with tracks such as “Wild About My Lovin’” and “You Put The Whammy On Me.”
Taj Mahal has remained an active force in roots music across a career spanning more than six decades. In 2025, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and also won Best Traditional Blues Album for his collaboration with Keb’ Mo’ on Get On Board.
Tracklist for Time:
Life of Love Wild About My Lovin’ Crazy About A Jukebox Time You Put The Whammy On Me Talkin’ Blues Sweet Lorene Ask Me About Nothing (But The Blues) It’s Your Voodoo Working Rowdy Blues
Tour Dates:
Apr. 9 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker Apr. 10 – St. Petersburg, FL – Tampa Bay Blues Festival Apr. 12 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre Apr. 13 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall Apr. 14 – Wilmington, NC – The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College Apr. 16 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse Apr. 17 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre Apr. 18 – Newberry, SC – Newberry Opera House Apr. 20 – Decatur, AL – The Princess Theatre Center for Performing Arts Apr. 21 – Cleveland, MS – Bologna Performing Arts Center Apr. 23 – Miramar Beach, FL – Sun, Sand and Soul Festival
July 4 – Orillia, ON – Mariposa Folk Festival July 7 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall at Babeville July 8 – Cleveland, OH – Music Box Supper Club – Concert Hall July 10 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre July 11 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall July 12 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere July 14 – Troy, NY – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall July 15 – Northampton, MA – Academy of Music July 17 – Wilmington, DE – The Grand Opera House July 18 – Trumansburg, NY – GrassRoots Festival
