SPARKS

[Buckeye Randy]

[Buckeye Randy]

Artist: Ricky Byrd
Title: NYC Made
Released: March 28, 2025

Know Ricky Byrd? There’s a good chance you’ve either seen or owned something with Ricky Byrd at some point of your life. Ricky is a member of the RnR HOF as guitarist for Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. Ricky has also performed with Roger Daltrey, Ian Hunter, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Paul McCartney, Ringo, Alice Cooper, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Joe Walsh, Mavis Staples, Dion, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Page, Graham Nash, and Elvis Costell plus plenty of others (the list courtesy Ricky’s website).

It’s fair to say that this album is a long time coming. I say this because “Glamdemic Blues” made my year end top 10 (#4) in 2023 and the instrumental “Rhapsody in Blues (One For Jeff)” made my 2024 Big List. My daughter heard the song “Alien” back 2023 and instantly sent it to me knowing it was right up my alley…which it is. Earlier this year, “Transistor Radio Childhood” was released and was instantly added to my ‘2025 keep list’. Sooo…that’s four of the twelve songs that I’m already very familiar with before listening to the official release of the album earlier today.

I miss the days of yore (Randy getting nostalgic). I remember sitting down in my bedroom with a new release and hearing every song for the first time. It was a weekly ritual and at the time I knew it was cool but I didn’t realize I would yearn for it 50 years later. The smell of the new vinyl, reading every credit until memorized and anxiously listening to each track wondering if it would be my new favorite. Welp, dem der days are gone, blow out the candle and get over it!

If I were to categorize Ricky’s new album I would need to use a broad brush. The easiest description is glam but I don’t mean that in a pretentious way at all. The album is not spun from fantasies and daydreams but is mostly personal and even autobiographical at times. It’s glam in the same way Ian Hunter was considered glam or in the same way George Carlin was considered drug humor. Those are not false statements nor are they complete statements that tell the whole story.

It might be easiest to go track by track since the broad brush doesn’t tell the whole story.

1. (Ya Get) 1 Life – Chunky guitar and a melody that reminded me of “Summer Nights” from ‘Grease’ during the first few listens. Totally listenable and not a skipper even after hearing double digit times.
2. Glamdemic Blues – My #4 song from all of 2023. A mid tempo, melodic glammer with a dose of zippity do dah.
3. Rhapsody in Blues (Song For Jeff) – An instrumental tribute to Jeff Beck. The guitar changes roles often in this song which even includes a false ending. Perfect because it’s brisk timing in at 3:04.
4. Sweet Byrd of Youte – Reminds me of Iron City Houserockers (Joe Grushecky) doing his best Springsteen plus the song has a Southside Johnny feel to it.
5. Anna Lee – Not totally different than the previous song except this has some window dressing covering deficiencies. The bathroom harmonies add to the nostalgia and the guitar carries this.
6. Then Along Comes You - OK…the picked notes at the beginning straight up reminds me of Steve Earle’s “Hurtin’ Me Hurtin’ You”. Well, that changes as the song goes into a Blues Brothers’ explosion of honkytonk piano and bluesy horns. This song is not glam by any definition.
7. Transistor Radio Childhood – I wasn’t the only one with a transistor radio in bed as a kid! Very autobiographical as Ricky relives his childhood. Well done.
8. Louanne – A Chuck Berry type rocker which is not a highlight but is mostly enjoyable.
9. Stay Grateful – This might possibly be a grower with half spoken vocals and guitar fills o plenty. Not currently my favorite!
10. Alien – A mid tempo, glam rock, kill shot. This checks all the boxes for me.
11. RnR’s Demise (Has Been Greatly Exxagerated) – Another blast of nostalgia delivered in Ricky’s masculine version of glam.
12. Best Of Times – I find that songs at the end of autobiographical or personal type albums can be embarrassing. Well…my instincts were correct.

This is an early candidate for album of the year but is it? 1/3 of the album was released before 2025! I’m not a fan of the record industry and their current practices but I am a fan of the music on this release. I give two thumbs up to Ricky for this album plus his transparency with recovery from drugs and alcohol. He’s got it going on.

Well Done!
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Billy, Don't Be A Porter

[Buckeye Randy]

Artist: The States
Title: Gimme Joy
Released: 3/13/25

It’s so cool when you stumble upon things when you aren’t really looking. I’ve only been listening to this debut for a couple days but it really hits a sweet spot with me. It’s like an old friend I never knew.

I’m learning about this band by googling because Spotify has no band bio for The States. The first thing I learn is their guitarist is Joe Imfeld from The Prize. That’s cool, The Prize’s song “First Sight” was #8 on my 2023 Top Ten. Other members are vocalist Scarlett Maloney (Tuffy, Delivery), Paddy Leahy on bass plus drummer Georgie Harkin.

The States are from Australia which seems to be a personal theme with some of my favorite music memories over the years. The Living End put on the very finest performance I’ve ever seen at a Warped Tour, I believe it was 2006. In 2007, I saw The Saints kick off their U.S. Tour and had a fine time sharing drinks with Chris Bailey after the show (RIP). I grew up listening to “Friday On My Mind” by Earthquake (originally done by Australia’s Easybeats) and I’ll be seeing Amyl and The Sniffers next month for a family/boys night out. As you can see, I’ve got connections, mate. Oh yeah, I think Australian rules football is cool.

I love that the release is 7 songs clocking in at 20 minutes. I’ll use a boxing analogy; it’s more entertaining to watch a boxer throwing haymakers trying for an early round knockout than watching a more technical fighter trying to win on points. The States are throwing haymakers and nearly all of them connect.

What do they sound like? Chunky glam washed with a 60’s girl group vibe. It’s punky but not in a Riot Grrrl way. I’ve seen people compare them with The Runaways and Suzi Quatro and I get it...but I disagree. I like both those acts but I find them a bit gimmicky, The States seem to have a more solid foundation. The melodies are rooted in power pop and I mean that as a compliment.

If I was forced to choose only a couple tracks for the unknowing, it would be tough! However, I would go with “Johnny” and “Gimme Joy”. Honestly, my choices might be different every day because there isn’t a clunker in the bunch. I hope this band keeps delivering new material and someday even comes to my town.

Well Done!
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Billy, Don't Be A Porter