Without planning it, this week’s new music review became a throwback of sorts when it featured returning music acts from the 90s and the early 2000s.

Early Aughts modern pop/alt-rock band Imago returns with an apt-titled new track in “Magbabalik.”  And I’m glad to report that Imago is sticking to their brand of alt-pop on their latest song. “Magbabalik” rises easy and slow and eventually builds up to a mid-tempo vibe as Imago’s rhythm section of bassist Myrene Academia, drummer-turned-guitarist Zach Lucero, drummer Mervin Panganiban, and guitarist Tim Cacho are set on chill and lets the music percolate. Imago is sporting a new vocalist in the dulcet-toned Kharren Granada, who does a good job of adding to the relaxed and almost floating vibe that the whole band wants to put across. Also helping out with the vocals on this track is one Ebe Dancel, who trades verses with Granada. I should probably add that as bands have been making a comeback (where have they really gone anyway?) I, for one, am glad that Imago is still around and seems revitalized in its current iteration. 

And on the topic of reinvigorated bands and going back even further are 90s hard rock group The Black Crowes, who’s looking in fine form on their newly released single “Wanting and Waiting.” The brothers Robinson, Chris on vocals, and guitarist Rich seem to be getting along well since coming back together for the 30th anniversary of their hit “Shake Your Money Maker” album, enough for them to make new and great-sounding rock music again. “Happiness Bastards” is pure Black Crowes; the droning Rich Robinson riff intro screams blues-rock as it eventually settles to a steady strutting’ groove. It straight off recalls “Jealous Again” and “By Your Side” at the same time, and it also helps that Chris Robinson’s vocals seem not to have changed at all (and that’s a good thing).  If everything play out right in The Black Crowes camp, then 2024 might bring a new album titled “Happiness Bastards.” 

Popping in his head again is late 90s troubadour Pete Yorn, who released a new song titled “Someday, Someday.” Pete Yorn broke with his 2001 album “Music For The Morning After” and its single “Just Another.” Yorn was retro-pop when it wasn’t so cool yet to be called retro-pop. Now a little gray around his temple, Pete Yorn tries to reclaim back the acoustic guitar-toting troubadour mantle that he so comfortably and easily wore the first time he came around. And the folky and reflective sounding “Someday, Someday” just picks up where he left off. 

Completing my throwback-comeback new singles week release is Sheryl Crow's new mid-tempo rocker titled “Evolution.” Sheryl Crow was only recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her stellar career in the early 90’s. Inspired by her recent induction and perhaps spurred on by the desire to prove that there’s still a lot of gas left in the tank, Shery Crow comes up with the apt-titled “Evolution.” According to Sheryl Crow, “Evolution conveys my uneasiness about artificial intelligence and its impact on the planet and the human race.”  This mid-tempo rocker starts moody and slow but eventually builds up to a crescendo that is capped off with a whammy-ied out guitar solo we don’t have to look into the song credits to know that it’s Tom Morello of Audioslave and Rage Against The Machine playing on that futuristic-sounding guitar solo.