Throughout the course of his three full-length albums, Bobby Conn has maintained a modest yet rabid fanbase. Given the cult of his many larger-than-life personalities and tall tales, the average rock fan could easily get the uneasy feeling that the joke is on us. Yes, Conn works with Chicago avant-rock cognoscenti Jim O’Rourke, and he very well may be smarter than most of us, but rest assured, there’s no con in Conn’s music — he’s all about pure entertainment. No one but a pure entertainer would perform shows wearing nothing but Speedo swimtrunks, or arrange a full-blown soul revue to support his Superfly-meets-Jesus Christ Superstar Rise Up! (1998).
On The Golden Age, Conn and partner Monica BouBou whip up a slightly less bombastic brew of 70s rock, glam, electro-funk and electronica. Highlights include the eight minute “You’ve Come A Long Way,” which starts with an ominous minor-key piano march, and halfway through tears into a Thin Lizzy type rocker with hot licks galore; “Winners,” featuring Prince-falsetto and a horn-laden funk backing; and “The Golden Age,” with an intro that mirrors The Small Faces’ psychedelic-era “I’m Only Dreaming,” but twists into an eerie Suicide electro-ballad; “No Revolution” is pure party music Rick James style. Sometimes you just have to forget about maintaining your cool and let The Golden Age loose on your stereo and watch it dance on your table with polyurethane and spandex.
September 17, 2025
Chameleons – Arctic Moon (Metropolis)
September 1, 2025
Lathe of Heaven – Aurora (Sacred Bones)
