Celebrating Graham Parker on his 71st birthday. —Ed.
While he experienced much success in the ‘80s and beyond, these days Graham Parker’s best work is widely considered to be the fine run of albums he recorded in the mid/late-‘70s with The Rumour, a group of pub rock vets that helped propel the singer-songwriter into the company of Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, and the young Joe Jackson as a direct, classicist (and UK-based) breath of fresh musical air. They’re back together again after a 30-plus year break with Three Chords Good. It’s a solid if modest success, mainly because its attitudes regarding the past and the present are kept in proper balance.
Graham Parker was a smart lyricist, a strong vocalist, a generous bandleader, and his influences were generally impeccable; as a result he became a critic’s fave in an era that frequently jettisoned such artists to the cut-out bins, though happily the man accumulated a large enough following to avoid being labeled as a commercial casualty.
If Parker had the songs and the attitude, The Rumour’s pub rock pedigree proved key in bringing it all to fruition. Guitarist Brinsley Schwarz and keyboardist Bob Andrews had previously been members (along with Nick Lowe) of the band Brinsley Schwarz, a terrific outfit if one cursed by record label hype, sort of the UK equivalent to San Francisco’s Moby Grape. Brinsley Schwarz was the forerunner of such pub rock staples as Dr. Feelgood and Ducks Deluxe, a group that included Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont.
Additionally, drummer Steve Goulding and bassist Andrew Bodnar had worked in the band Bontemps Roulez, and the Rumour Horns rounded out what was much more than just a backing band. For The Rumour released three pretty swell if not earth shattering albums of their own, starting with ‘77’s Max for Phonogram and followed by a pair for Stiff, ‘79’s Frog Sprouts Clogs and Krauts and ‘80’s covers heavy Purity of Essence.
NEW RELEASE PICKS: Henry H. Owings, Plus 1 Athens: Show Flyers From a Legendary Scene 1967-2002 (Chunklet Industries) Unless I’m misremembering, Athens, GA was the first city that entered my consciousness specifically as a locale of a music scene. This was no small thing. Although I preferred the sounds of other regions, Athens heavily impacted my consciousness as a place of possibilities achieved, and in my imagination, against substantial odds, at least until I learned that dozens of college towns across the country had scenes. But it’s not like that realization burst my bubble. Offering over 150 flyers (and one guest list) chronicling a city’s musical development, Owings book effectively captures the non-glamor of the Athens experience (this attribute shared with other college rock-indie rock scenes) while documenting a range of styles considerably wider than Southern new wave and jangle.
Daxma, Unmarked Boxes (Blues Funeral Recordings / Majestic Mountain Records) To begin, the name is pronounced DOCK-ma and it’s a term for a Zoroastrian funerary temple. The band, comprised of Isaac R. (guitar-vocals-bass), Jessica T. (violin, vocals, guitar, piano), Forrest H. (guitar, bass), and Thomas I. (drums), is from Oakland, CA, with Unmarked Boxes their second full-length alongside two EPs since 2016. Described as a post-doom combo, Daxma’s ambitiousness is on full display here, with the record drawing inspiration from a poem by the 13th century Persian poet Rumi (his line “Don’t grieve, anything you lose comes back in another form” titles the last two tracks). The sound is heavy but also atmospheric. Notably, the band employs “post-metal” as a descriptor, which strikes me as a genre extension of post-rock. I bring this up because the atmospheric qualities occasionally brought Godspeed You! Black Emperor to my mind. I’m not the first to mention this similarity; while it’s not overdone, the relationship is certainly there. And that’s swell. So are the vocals. Eminently relistenable. A-
REISSUE/ARCHIVAL PICK: Leo Nocentelli, Another Side (Light in the Attic) Nocentelli is best known as the guitar player and songwriter in The Meters, the decidedly funky New Orleans institution. This recently-unearthed solo album (the story features “Money Mike” Nishita and a Southern California swap meet), recorded between 1970-’72 with assistance from pianist Allen Toussaint, drummer James Black, and fellow Meters, bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, is largely acoustic and therefore not inaccurately described as folky, but it’s still a pretty funky affair, which is cool. It can be hard not to think of Bill Withers as the songs unwind, but that’s just fine, as thoughts of Bill Withers have never been a problem for me. But along with a few instances that inch toward swamp pop (“Riverfront” reminds me a bit of Tony Joe White with a hint of Shuggie Otis), everybody’s playing is sharp, and Nocentelli’s singing is consistently likeable, especially on “Getting Nowhere” and an album-closing version of Elton John’s “Your Song.” Another sweet surprise from a reissue label full of them. A-
Salem, OH | Salem record store continues to grow: Music lovers looking for their favorite tunes on vinyl, wanting to find a classic record in any genre or even talk about music can visit State Street Records in historic downtown Salem. The old-fashioned record store is located upstairs at 417 E. State St. and not only sells records, cassettes, CDs, T-shirts and music memorabilia, but also buys records and more. Hours are posted on Facebook/ Instagram pages for statestreetrecords or call 330-942-0509. The business can also be reached via email. For owner Joshua Buck, it’s all about the music and providing a place where young and old alike can find that special record that makes them happy or evokes 
Where Is America’s Oldest Record Store? Depending on who you ask, one’s in Pennsylvania, the other’s in New Jersey. Both places matter. In many ways, the folks who own and work in record stores are some of the most important keepers of recorded music history. Digital music helped wipe out the big chains. Thankfully we still have mom and pop indie shops. They’ve kept the torches burning for genres that predate streaming, for artists that never had mainstream success — or ones whose work was never reissued — for sourcing rarities from unexpected places, and for rolling with the times, while still holding reverence for what came before. About 90 minutes east of Pittsburgh is George’s Song Shop, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It is believed to be the oldest record store in America. First opened nearly nine decades ago in 1932 by brothers Eugene and Bernie George, the store’s current owner John George (no relation) has been behind the counter 
San Francisco, CA | Omg: Happy 24th Birthday, Amoeba Music in San Francisco: On November 15, 1997, a San Francisco landmark opened: the Amoeba Music store on Haight Street. Over the ensuing two-plus decades, the record store existed as a balm — a source for audiophiles to find polished studio recordings; where cassette collectors could build their sets; when DVD and CD devotees began coming in droves later on — for vinyl enthusiasts and those who consume media in more analog fashions. Even though COVID-19 threatened the establishment’s future physical presence in the city, Amoeba Music at 1855 Haight Street saw those financial hardships through; they’re still, obviously, around today. And doing what appears to be quite well, as a matter of fact. The past 24 years have seen Amoeba Music become 
Nashville, TN | Help Keep The Groove in Place: Donate to the fundraiser to help the owners of the much-loved East Side record store buy their building. It’s 
Andover, UK | Three Successful Years For The Record Box: Are you a lover of vinyl records or a collector maybe? If you are then The Record Box in George Yard, off the High Street, is an Aladdin’s cave for you to browse around. Owned by Phil Nightingale, the shop has been open for three years. Phil stocks all types of music – in his words “from ABBA to Zappa” He has been a dealer of toys and collectibles for 38 years since he was 18. Previously he has had shops in both Torquay and Newbury.He started out selling only toys, moving on to records and other collectibles but these days he deals mainly in vinyl albums and singles although he does have a small selection of collectible toys for sale in the shop. It’s amazing how much stock he carries within such small premises. Phil, as you can imagine is extremely knowledgeable on the subject of music. There is nothing he enjoys more than 
Lancashire, UK | Record shop boss angry and upset after double burglary: A record shop was burgled twice in the space of three days and more than £6,000 worth of stock stolen. Blackburn magistrates heard the offences committed by Rafique Ricky Shaban had a financial and emotional impact on the owner of the Music Box in Nelson. In a statement he said as a small business trying to make a living the offences had hit him hard. “It has made me want to stay in the shop and confront the people responsible,” he said. “It has had more of an impact as we were trying to get back on our feet after the pandemic.” Shaban, 47, of Lime Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to burglary at the shop on Friday and Sunday. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Alex Mann, prosecuting, said 
