Midweek Roundup.

Brady Harris Band-NoHo Confidential. Brady Harris rolls on with his latest release, another slice of his unique Beatlesque Americana. This EP, credited to his backing band and named after his Northern Hollywood locale, is 6 more easy-on-the-ears tracks to add to the Brady Harris canon. Opener "Kate, Stay Late" is definitely more Beatlesque than Americana, with its piano-based pop melody, George Harrison-style guitars, and its wordless harmony vocals. "Mexico" is another winner, a breezy, effortless-sounding number with a slight Latin flavor, and while "Northern Soul" is more jangle than Northern soul, that's a feature, not a bug. No need to keep this one confidential.

CD Baby | Bandcamp



Jeremy Porter & The Tucos-Partner in Crime. While The Replacements may have reunited recently for an EP of covers, the album of the year so far for the 'Mats fan is the latest from ex-Offramps frontman Jeremy Porter & his Tucos. While Porter doesn't quite approach the brilliance of Paul Westerberg (and I'm sure he'd be the first to admit it), the spirit of the 'Mats is presenc in Partner in Crime as rowdy rockers give way to heart-on-the-sleeve slower numbers and vice versa. So you get the one-two punch of "Castaways" and "Little Miss Awesome" as well as the plaintive country-influenced "Wedding Day", which is a thematic cousin of Westerberg's "Nobody" but stands on its own terms as a standout itself. Speaking of standouts, "Pizza Girl" is infectious rocking fun, "What You're Doing Today" is some find midtempo Americana, and the title track is one of those heart-on-the-sleeve, last-call-at-the-bar slower tunes I was talking about.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Two for Tuesday, 3/30/10

Jeremy Porter-Party of One. Party of One is a fitting title for Jeremy Porter's new release, considering he's now gone solo from one of Detroit's top power pop bands, The Offramps. For those who enjoyed that band, you'll be glad to know that Porter doesn't stray too far from their sound, although the results are a bit more singer-songwriter-y; think Westerberg solo vs. late-period 'Mats, and he even reprises a 'Ramps classic, "Hallmark Holiday". Highlights here are "Last Time I Saw You Happy", a midtempo number that really does channel PW; the acoustic "Dead on Your Feet", and the rocking "Out Inside". A must for Offramps fans, and worth a listen for the uninitiated as well.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The Malibooz-Queens' English. The Malibooz have been around on and off since the mid-60s, and are co-founded by Walter ("Magnet and Steel") Egan. They've released on average an album per decade, and 2010 sees Queens' English, their first since 2002's Beach Access. Given their 60's roots, the sound here is classic British Invasion material, and they manage to pull off the sound without sounding too slavish. They've amassed quite a lineup of guest stars on this disc, including *the* Spencer Davis, Andrew Loog Oldham, and ex-Hollie Tony Hicks. It's one classic-sounding tune another, from the jangly "Hey Love" to the harmonies of "Just a Little Bit" to Egan's haromnica-fueled rave-up "A Bit of Awright" and the Merseyside pop of "Factory Girl". If your pop proclivities extend to the British Invasion sound, this may well end up your disc of the year.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes