Dayton, Ohio, rock band, The New Old-Fashioned, released its second full-length album, Low-Down Dirty Summer Nights, on September 26, 2015. Technically speaking, the second New Old-Fashioned album is three years in the making. In the time since the band’s debut self-titled record (recorded in the summer of 2012 with producer Patrick Himes and released in December of the same year), the band has spent plenty of time honing its live sound, incorporating new drummer Matt Oliver’s hard-hitting rhythms into its folky Midwestern Americana template.
The result is a more aggressive record, one that highlights the band’s ’70s rock and soul influences rather than the folky country sounds of its debut. The album comes out swinging with the crunchy groove of “On the Top,” and the Stones-y “27,” before settling into more diverse territory like the jaunty “Home,” the pounding “True to Me, True to You,” and the hypnotic title track.  What hasn’t changed over the past three years is the band’s attention to clever musical arrangement and soaring harmony vocals courtesy of bassist Tom Blackbern and guitarist Kent Montgomery.
Recorded with producer Micah Carli (Hawthorne Heights) at Popside Recording Studios in Troy, OH, Low-Down Dirty Summer Nights has a clean and punchy feel that emphasizes loud guitars, rumbling bass, and impassioned lead vocals from frontman David Payne. Several guest performers helped bolster the record’s soul-oriented offerings, including Marnée Richardson (vocals) and Kevin Skubak (organ) of Columbus soul/funk outfit The Pleasant Tense.
Ghettoblaster recently caught up with singer/guitarist David Payne to ask about the punch records he enjoyed in 2016. This is what he was rocking to.
Shrug – Age of Ashes I’ve been waiting a LONG time for this album to come out and it did not disappoint. Midwestern rock and roll at its finest.
Sturgill Simpson – A Sailors Guide to the Earth The Savior of outlaw country’s most ambitious work to date really paid off. And bringing in The Dap Kings to play horns didn’t hurt.
Adam Remnant – When I Was a Boy Sometimes a set of songs just hits you at the right place and time. This EP meant a lot to me these last couple months of the year.
Shovels and Rope – Little Seeds The darkest and deepest album yet from this husband and wife duo is a bit more challenging, but just as heartfelt and genuine as all of their releases.
M Ross Perkins – M Ross Perkins This psychedelic gem blew me away and spent as much time on my turntable as anything else this year.
Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter After being told she was “too country for country radio” countless times, Jack White’s Third Man Records imprint took a chance on this one and I’m glad they did! I’m a sucker for an authentic country record by a current artist.
Me & Mountains – Gold Another long awaited follow up out of Dayton, Ohio that is everything I wanted it to be. No shortage of great hooks!
Drive-By Truckers – American Band Hard truths about hard times, well told by the reigning kings of southern rock.
Me Time – Volume 2 Andy Smith delivers another great set of songs that are somehow simple and huge at the same time. Equal parts quirky modern singer-songwriter ala Ryan Adams or Elliot Smith meets ’60s pop reminiscent of the Beatles or Beach Boys.
Frontier Folk Nebraska – This One’s For The Kid In The Back Recorded live at The Southgate House Revival, this album is exactly how you want to hear this rock and roll band. Live, loud, and rowdy.
In addition to my favorite releases from the year, I feel the need to mention two albums released prior to 2016 that were new to me and that I’ve had in heavy rotation this year.
Jeremy Pinnell – OH/KY Real country music delivered by a deep, hard-luck baritone that’s lived though some tough times and come out better on the other side.
Alone at 3AM – Show The Blood The album The Wallflowers might have made if they’d grown up in hard times in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati area. Honest songs delivered by a great band.
(Visit the band here: https://www.facebook.com/TheNewOldFashioned.)