Michael Behm's "stealth" album.

Right around the time 2008 became 2009, Michael Behm released Saving America, one of the better power pop discs of last year. It got a lot of love in the power pop community, but since that time he's been quietly releasing a new track every month or two and in the process amassed the equivalent of another new disc.

These tracks are quite good, and make for a worthy followup to Saving America. The particular standouts in my book are the rocking "The Remaining Go", and the MOR pop of "You're My Wonderful". Check 'em all out below.

These are all digital-only releases, and can be found at iTunes as well as other digital retailers.

UPDATE: Took out the dead Lala links. Behm took these songs, added a couple more good ones, and released it as the album Eargasm, which can be found at these links:

CD Baby | iTunes

CD of the Day, 1/5/09: Michael Behm-Saving America

We Americans may have elected Barack Obama for the job, but Canadian Michael Behm is Saving America as well - one power pop fan at a time. The Vancouver rocker's second disc is a great way to start off 2009, and its late 2008 release date means I have one slot on this year's top 125 list already filled.

Vocally, Behm sounds quite a bit like Tommy Keene, and a listen to the opening track "Don't Believe" will have you thinking you stumbled on a lost TK disc as he shares Keene's melodic ways as well. The title track follows, opening with a soundclip from JFK's inaugural address, and while its lyrical content may not please a certain (shrinking) segment of the US population, it's a tuneful number with a big chorus. Elsewhere, "If I Could Learn to Fly" is a fine 80s-influenced midtempo number, "The Art of Letting Go" would have fit in nicely on the recent Rob Bonfiglio album, and "Ticket to Heaven" has that Bleu/Mike Viola feel to it. Also of note is "Underground Epic" a nearly 5-minute song collage similar to those fancied by fellow countrymen Sloan on their last couple of discs, and closer "Take Me Down to the River", which in keeping with the Canadian comparisons has a Tal Bachman feel to it. While Behm may not end up Saving America, he will save you from listening to mediocre power pop.

CD Baby | Reverb Nation
| Listen @Lala