Actually, if what I’m about to do has the same effect as what happened when I found The Hold Steady, my friends are going to hate J Roddy Walston and The Business in about a month.

You see, they’re not gonna hate J Roddy because they’re not a massively awesome rock and roll band, rather, they’re going to hate J Roddy Walston and The Business because the new record is all that I’m going to listen to and play for a long, long time once I get it this coming Tuesday, July 27. (It’s streaming on Spinner right now)

But that’s what we do, isn’t it? Don’t we scream it from the rooftops and evangelize on streetcorners and blog and tweet and facebook and hire skywriters to tell everyone about this awesome new band.

I thought that The Hold Steady ruined music for me. Simply because they set the bar SO FUCKING HIGH that most other new bands that I have heard since simply haven’t done much for me. That is, until J Roddy came along. We ran a short “Indie At The Abbey” series a couple of years ago that our friend Joe at Instrumental Analysis put together. J Roddy was on the wishlist for that but a date never materialized. That was when I got my first taste of the Rod. However, it wasn’t until over two years later seeing the boys open for The Hold Steady at The Recher Theater in Towson that I got the first addictive injection of this band.

It’s just straight up, down and dirty, high and mighty, wet and sloppy, fat and happy, dark and dirty, foot stompin, fist pumpin, head banging, beer swillin rock and roll music.

Oh, and Rod plays the piano – but it’s not really piano rock. Though the “dinka-dinka-dinka-dink-dink” of Used To Did is simply as catchy as any jingle I’ve ever heard and it’s a natural show-closer (and usually is).

Look, I can go on and on about this band. And I likely will over the coming months. But their new record comes out on Tuesday. It’s on Vagrant. They’re playing the Khyber in Philly on Tuesday night, Baltimore at the Ottobar on the 31st is the hometown CD Release show. And from there? Sky’s the limit.

I’ve found the new kings of bar rock – and they are J Roddy Walston and The Business.

The J Roddy and The Business residency continues this week with support from Adamo Drive and concludes on Wednesday July 1st with support duties going to Perkasie.

The shows are ‘no cover’ and start at 9.

As Mr T. would say, I pity da fool who misses this series.

5. Ever hear a story about when a great band played some sort of legendary show that you thought about going to but decided not to and then regretted it for the rest of your life? Don’t let that happen again.

4. Most of your friends will (probably) be there. And if you don’t have any friends to speak of (like me) you’ll be in a great place to make some new ones. If you’re single, it’s a great place to meet chicks (or dudes). And if you’re attached, it’s a great date night. And if you’re just starting to see someone new, it’s an unexpected way to show your gal how cool you are. (Rumor has it that more people get laid following J Roddy and The Business shows than Prince, Barry Manilow, Justin Timberlake and Coldplay combined)

3. It’s a great reason to not go to work on Thursday. Which makes it a great reason to not go to work on Friday. And if you work for the State or County (many of you probably do) you’ve certainly got plenty of sick time. Might as well use it after a rock show, right?

2. Pariah Piranha is opening. And Tara will kick your ass if you don’t show up. (I’ve seen her take dudes four times her size for bumping into her and spilling her beer. Imagine what she’ll do to you next time you see her?

1. This is exactly the kind of thing that I was talking about in an earlier post. Rock and Roll don’t keep bankers hours. Things happen during the week. And there isn’t anywhere else in this area that’s giving the show-going public this kind of opportunity. It’s no cover. They’ll blow your mind. And we promise to have you home by midnight.

I’d sit here and type out witty metaphors and whimsical comparisons abot Jerry Lee Lewis, rock and roll salvation, sweaty, dirty rock shows and intelligent and accessible lyrics. . . but I don’t need to.

It speaks for itself.