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Rockin' Rich Lynch's Month In Review - July 2026 Rockin' Rich Lynch is a Nashville-based journalist, concert reporter and rock photographer with decades of experience in the music business. He receives dozens of new releases every week that all vie for his unique review style and personalized perspective. If you would like to see this column prosper - or if you would like to help bolster RRL's ongoing muscial efforts - the best thing that you can do is show some support by purchasing some of his tracks at the link provided > Rockin' Rich Lynch on BandCamp.
• AIRBUS: IMPERIAL GUNPOWDER - Imperial Gunpowder finds Airbus at their sharpest, fusing Bristol grit with LA widescreen ambition to deliver a record that feels both volatile and beautifully human. These ten tracks examine the self‑sabotaging instincts baked into our species, wrapping that dark psychology in soaring '90s‑born experimental rock. The band's decades‑deep chemistry crackles - Davidge's vocals flare between vulnerability and detonation, while the rhythm section drives like a machine built for emotional impact. Singles like "Down to Earth" and "Oathbreaker" show a group unafraid to confront the cycles we repeat. It's their most cohesive, explosive statement yet.. (More at > https://www.airbusmusic.com) • BENJAMIN TOD: VENGEANCE AND GRACE - On Vengeance and Grace, Benjamin Tod stands at the crossroads of punishment and forgiveness, delivering his most spiritually conflicted and emotionally revealing work yet. The title track sets the tone with its stark reckoning, while “End of My Rope” cuts deep with raw consequence and weary resolve. “Goner” shows Tod at his most vulnerable, and “Closing the Door” feels like a man choosing grace over self‑destruction. The dual‑version format — full‑band force and stripped‑down truth — exposes every fracture and every flicker of redemption. This is Tod’s boldest statement: vengeance acknowledged, grace earned, and nothing left to hide. (More at > https://www.benjamintodmusic.com) • COOK ALLENDER: MUSIC YOUR PARENTS HATE - Cook Allender's Music Your Parents Hate is a debut built on swagger, riffs, and cinematic instincts - but its emotional center crystallizes on "Sometimes I Miss You". The track captures Allender's gift for turning chaos into character, using crunchy guitars and playful storytelling to frame the aftermath of a night that spirals out of control. It's a song that laughs at its own disaster while quietly admitting the ache underneath, a blend of humor and vulnerability that gives the album its pulse. The accompanying video - shot at The Basement East with Allender behind the camera - amplifies that energy, leaning into visual mayhem without losing the heart of the narrative. In a record full of rebellion, big hooks, and alt‑rock attitude - "Sometimes I Miss You" stands out as the moment where the noise drops just enough to reveal the human being behind it. It's the track that makes the whole album hit harder. (More at > https://www.cookallendermusic.com) • CROWN LANDS: APOCALYPSE - Crown Lands' Apocalypse arrives at the perfect cultural moment. Now that Rush have reformed and Greta Van Fleet are gearing up for their comeback, there's no better time for a band long compared to both to unleash a record steeped in end‑times grandeur. And Apocalypse doesn't just flirt with the theme - it inhabits it. The duo expands their long‑running Fearless chronology into a full‑scale cosmic collapse, charting the rise of Blackstar and the Syndicate as they weaponize fear, topple worlds and plunge civilizations into ruin. What makes the album compelling is how Crown Lands fuse that narrative with a sound that feels both familiar and forward‑leaning. Tracks like "Foot Soldiers of the Syndicate" and "Blackstar" march with '70s prog swagger, while "Through the Looking Glass" and "The Revenant" reveal a more vulnerable core beneath the chaos. Cody Bowles' soaring, divisive yet decisive vocals and Kevin Comeau's multi‑instrumental wizardry give the record its fire, even when the 19‑minute title track shows seams in its ambition. Still, Apocalypse stands as Crown Lands' boldest statement yet - a mythic, world‑ending odyssey released at the exact moment rock's torchbearers are returning to the stage. (More at > https://www.crownlandsmusic.com) • DUANE BETTS: ISLE OF HOPE - Duane Betts has traveled a long, winding shoreline since we first watched him play as the third guitarist in the Dickey Betts Band back in the early 2000s. On Isle of Hope, he finally stands alone on his own piece of musical land - not separated from his lineage, but unmistakably defined by his own voice. The album feels carved from solitude, shaped by loss, clarity and the kind of reflection that only comes when a man finds himself on an island of his own making. The opener "Heartache" is nearly Beatlesque, its extended guitar solo weeping with the same melodic ache that once made the world stop and listen. Throughout the record, Betts drifts between influences with ease - at times sounding like Jason Isbell in his introspective burn, at others conjuring the jam‑band warmth and looseness reminiscent of Assembly of Dust's finest moments. Still, the Allman Brothers DNA is unmistakable, especially on "Reckless", "Down to Houston" and "Winners of War" - where the family fire flickers bright. Yet what makes Isle of Hope special is its resilience. Hopeful bursts of guitar light break through the emotional fog, proving that while no man is an island, Betts may indeed be an isle - steady, weathered and shining with his own hard‑earned strength. (More at > https://www.duanebetts.com) • FRONTLINE: REBIRTH - Frontline's Rebirth isn't just a title - it's a declaration of renewal, a full‑body exhale after decades underground and the sound of a band stepping back into the light with purpose. From the first notes, it's clear that vocalist Stephan Kämmerer was born with AOR in his DNA, carrying the same instinctive phrasing and melodic command that once flowed through giants like Lou Gramm and Joe Lynn Turner. His voice doesn't imitate; it remembers - like a past life awakened. After more than twenty years of silence, Frontline emerges not as a nostalgia act but as a band reborn, rebuilt and burning forward. New guitarist and producer Christian Mühlroth injects fresh voltage into the group's classic melodic framework, giving these songs a modern shine without sanding off the band's signature hooks and emotional punch. Tracks like "Burning Horizon", "Two Tickets to the Afterglow" and "Burning the Distance" feel like ignition points - sparks catching oxygen, proof that this resurrection isn't symbolic but fully alive. The album's 14 songs form a cycle of renewal, honoring the band's legacy while pushing confidently into new territory. Rebirth is the sound of Frontline rising, glowing and ready to claim year‑end lists everywhere. The doors are open - step into the light. (More at > https://frontlineaor.com) • JARED JAMES NICHOLS: LOUDER THAN FATE - Jared James Nichols' Louder Than Fate is a sweaty, full‑throttle blast of masculine rock 'n' roll - the kind that still smells like hot tubes, calloused fingers and a stage floor slick with effort. Nichols has long been one of the most electrifying guitar slingers of his generation, but this album feels like a deliberate escalation, a louder and more fearless assault on the modern music landscape. Produced by Jay Ruston with additional touches from Roger Alan Nichols, the record balances brute force with surprising emotional depth, proving Nichols can hit hard without losing nuance. The riffs come ripping out like buzz saws, steeped in blues‑rock grit but sharpened with a contemporary edge. Nichols' no‑pick attack gives every note a bark and snarl that can't be faked, while his vocals push into the red with soul and conviction. Tracks like "Bending or Breaking" and "Killing Time" widen the palette with cinematic touches, but never at the expense of raw power. What makes Louder Than Fate stand out is its honesty. Nichols plays like every take matters, delivering a record that celebrates rock's physicality and its emotional release. For fans of muscular, sweat‑stained guitar music, Nichols continues his rise - loud, relentless and impossible to ignore. (More at > https://www.jaredjamesnichols.com) • JASON DIDNER: ASBURY HEART - "Asbury Heart" is a rock 'n' roll love letter to the Asbury Park music scene - a three‑minute burst of Jersey Shore spirit that namechecks the people, places and moments that shaped the town's legendary sound. Jason Didner channels the raw electricity of the boardwalk bars, the punk‑charged basements, the reggae‑soaked beach afternoons and the soul‑heavy clubs that kept Asbury alive when the rest of the world counted it out. With his band driving the track forward, Didner captures the grit, hope and communal heartbeat that define the Asbury sound. It's a celebration of the underdogs, the believers and the scene that refused to quit - all wrapped into one irresistible single. (More at > https://www.jasondidner.com) • JEFFERSON ROSS: LOW COUNTRY WEDDING - Low Country Wedding is Jefferson Ross at full Southern mystic power, stitching together a handmade album that feels like a ceremony held under Spanish moss - equal parts joy, grit and ghost story. Ross writes with a painter's eye and a front‑porch philosopher's tongue, turning characters, counties and contradictions into living folklore. Critics praise his precise picking and novelist's sense of truth, but the magic is how he makes every track feel like a vow: to memory, to place, to people who shaped him. From "Gideon" to "Money Road", Ross delivers a marriage of melody and marrow - hearty, haunting, unforgettable. (More at > https://www.jeffersonross.com) • LITTLE IMAGE: KILL THE GHOST DELUXE - With KILL THE GHOST DELUXE, little image sharpen their alt‑pop identity into something cinematic, existential and defiantly alive. The Dallas‑born, Nashville‑based trio stretch beyond the widescreen hooks of SELF TITLED, diving into darker emotional terrain where disassociation, burnout and rebirth collide. The new centerpiece, "THE NARCOLEPTIC", is a near‑death fever dream rendered in neon and memory, turning collapse into clarity with the mantra "I've learned how to lift my head up". Produced with Chad Copelin's atmospheric precision, the deluxe edition cements little image as one of alternative music's most imaginative rising voices - vulnerable, expansive and unmistakably awake. (More at > https://littleimagemusic.com) • MATTHEW STEVENS: MATTHEW STEVENS - Matthew Stevens' new self‑titled album is a jazz gem, the kind that glows brighter with every spin. After two decades shaping the sound of modern improvisation, Stevens steps fully into the spotlight with a 9‑track release that feels heartfelt, intentional and everything you'd want it to be. The lead singles set the tone: Who Does She Hope To Be? drifts with meditative beauty, his interplay with Jeff Parker and Terri Lyne Carrington creating a quiet storm of emotion, while Take Heart - featuring Joel Ross - crackles with rhythmic life, a reminder of Stevens' gift for turning simple ideas into deep musical conversations. Co‑produced with Josh Johnson and Eric Doob, the album blends acoustic warmth and electric edge, showcasing Stevens' evolution with a multigenerational cast of collaborators who elevate every moment. It's a mid‑career statement of clarity and confidence, a record rooted in craft yet reaching toward something new. Matthew Stevens is renewal, reflection and reinvention - captured in real time. (More at > https://www.mattstevensmusic.com) • MIKE CAMPBELL & THE DIRTY KNOBS: MISSION OF MERCY - With Mission of Mercy, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs take a deliberate turn on their fourth full‑length, proving that even after decades of shaping American rock from the shadows, Campbell still has plenty of ammo and fuel in the tank. Long trusted as Tom Petty's right‑hand man and a collaborator with Don Henley, Campbell steps forward once again with a record that feels like both a rescue mission and a declaration of independence. The presence of drummer Steve Ferrone keeps forty percent of the final Heartbreakers lineup intact, and that golden rhythmic DNA pulses through the album like a steady heartbeat. But this isn't nostalgia - it's evolution. Campbell stretches into new territory with surprising stylistic detours, from jangling folk textures to psychedelic swirls to the playful chaos of "Bongo Mania". His songwriting is sharper and more eclectic than ever, and the band's performances hit with full‑throttle conviction. Tracks like "No Regrets" and "I Remember" carry the spirit of Petty without imitation, while the title track delivers a mission statement wrapped in mercy, grit and emotional clarity. Mission of Mercy is the sound of a veteran artist refusing to coast - a man still on a mission, still offering mercy and still keeping the dream alive. (More at > https://www.thedirtyknobs.com) • PETER CAT & THE MIDNIGHT CHOIR: ROSALEE - Rosalee prowls in like a late‑night alley cat - smooth, shadowed and impossible to shake once it curls around your ears. Peter Cat, a veteran with four decades of rock instincts, sounds utterly at home in the moonlit glow of this new chapter. His voice carries that familiar midnight rasp, the kind that turns a simple story into something lived‑in and luminous. The track is a true earworm, built on roots‑rock warmth and a melodic pulse that lingers long after the final note. And when the guitar solo arrives - clean, memorable, and hitting all the right boxes - it feels like the song's tail flicking with confidence. Co‑written with longtime collaborator Kevin Jardine, Rosalee blends folk, country and rock into something timeless. It's the perfect opening statement for Peter Cat & The Midnight Choir: a band stepping into the dark with purpose, ready to own the night. (More at > https://www.youtube.com/@RFLEntertainmentOfficial) • RIDE THE RAINBOW – THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S GROUNDBREAKING RAINBOW - This release feels like a hunt for the pot at the end of the rainbow - and on three key tracks, it finds pure gold. "I Surrender" (Marcus Nand, Candice Night) becomes the album's most delicate revelation, an acoustic reimagining described as “possibly, the most radical reimagining on the album... which... is one helluva achievement". It's the quiet treasure hidden beneath the storm. "Stone Cold" reunites Vivian Campbell and Joe Lynn Turner, restoring the song's icy grandeur with Turner's unmistakable authority and Campbell's sharpened edge. It's the kind of performance only alumni can deliver. The crown jewel arrives with "The Temple of the King", where Steve Morse, Ronnie Romero, Jonathan Cain and company lift the track "even further from that devastating prototype", turning it into a sweeping, cinematic ascent. On these three cuts, the rainbow doesn't just arc - it pays off. (More at > https://www.cleopatraRecords.com) • THE CALL & TODD RUNDGREN: THE WALLS CAME DOWN - The Call are back - and on their new single, "The Walls Came Down", they sound determined to rebuild what the years have taken away. Teaming with Todd Rundgren, the band delivers a lean, muscular update of their 1983 political anthem, turning Cold War tension into a modern call to action. Rundgren's passionate vocal lights a fresh fuse under the track, while the surviving members of The Call drive it with thunderous conviction. Four decades later, the song still hits like a warning flare - and this new version reminds us that walls are still capable of falling when the right voices rise. (More at > https://www.the-call-band.com) • YES: AURORA - With Aurora, their 24th studio album, YES step into a new dawn - and for the fourth album with Jon Davison at the helm, they finally feel like a band that has rediscovered its raison d’être. Davison's gentle new‑age luminosity makes the aurora theme feel inevitable, a natural extension of his worldview, and the band channels that glow into music that flickers between memory and reinvention. There are brilliant flashes of what they once were and radiant beams of what they've become, a group with two dozen full‑length recordings behind them yet still chasing the horizon. Steve Howe describes the process as joyful, and you can hear that joy in the interplay: fragments born in home studios, shaped independently, then woven together into something that shimmers with cohesion. Tracks like the title piece and "Turnaround Situation" pulse with prismatic energy, while the 13‑minute "Countermovement" arcs like a ribbon of northern light across the sky. Roger and Freya Dean's artwork deepens the sense of cosmic emergence, and the band's modern workflow gives the album a sense of airy vastness. Aurora isn't an echo - it's a glow, a renewal and a band still discovering new colors in its own spectrum. (More at > https://www.yesworld.com)
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