CD of the Day, 10/22/10: Scott's Garage-Soul Magnet

One of my favorite discoveries of 2008 was Scott's Garage and their self-titled debut album which placed a very high #13 on my year-end list. Led by Scott Baird and Gary Hankins, the Garage has become one of the leading lights in Southern-styled power pop a la Mitch Easter, Let's Active and early R.E.M., and their brand-new followup Soul Magnet follows nicely from the debut and adds a touch of humor and (yes) soul to the mix.

Things kick off with the bright power pop of the title track, featuring some nice guitar work from Hankins (who also contributes lead vocals), and sounding like a Southern-styled Smithereens or Goldbergs. "The Girl With the Yippy Dog" brings a bit of Terry Anderson-styled humor to the mix, as our protagonist loves the girl but hates the dog ("I wish she had a Labrador", he laments). "December Stars" is a melodic gem, and the cheekiness continues with "You Were Such a Tool (I Remember High School)", a jangly power pop number that says what we'd all want to say to that certain person we unfortunately meet up again at a reunion (or these days on Facebook). "Kaledioscope" lets you know you've got a southern rock band on your hands, with a bit of a swamp boogie sound, and the midtempo "Wasting Time" has all the power ballad trappings. Speaking of Facebook, "Add Me as Your Friend"'s title speaks for itself, as Hankins does everything but mention Farmville in his ode to social media while still maintaining a catchy tune.

Elsewhere, "Rosetta Stone" sounds like a Mitch Easter/Don Dixon classic, "Underground" and "Time to Think" rock hard and melodic, and the uptempo "High Above the Fray" closes things on a high note in Chuck Berry style. Soul Magnet is a Southern-fried power pop treat, and you can enjoy with or without barbecue. The Garage is open.

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CD of the Day, 3/20/08: Scott's Garage-Scott's Garage

It's always interesting to consider the various subgenres of power pop, which I tend to define pretty broadly. There are many distinctive styles within the genre, and one of them is what I call "Southern power pop". Its practitioners usually do come from the South, and the operative sound is usually a mix of jangle and roots rock. You can hear it in bands like R.E.M. (in their less atmospheric offerings), Let's Active, The Windbreakers (including Bobby Sutliff and Tim Lee solo), and my usual rule of thumb is that if it the record sounds like Mitch Easter and/or Don Dixon was involved, it's Southern power pop. And one of the better examples of Southern power pop you're going to hear all year comes courtesy of the self-titled debut of Scott's Garage, hailing from (naturally) the South, specifically Richmond, Virginia.

Scott's Garage is led by Scott Baird, the drummer and vocalist (just like fellow Southerner Terry Anderson), and the disc is one melodic delight after another. "She Means Everything" is the leadoff track, and it encapsulates the Southern power pop sound: crunchy guitars, jangle, and more hooks than a meat locker. "Girl" is another great rocking track, sounding like The Smithereens had they come from South Carolina rather than New Jersey. "Nothing Left to Say" reminds me of Girlfriend-era Matthew Sweet, and "Some Day Some Way" has a bit of an Eagles/"Already Gone" sound. The slower numbers are excellent as well, with "Fading Away" and "Tell Me Why" standing out in particular. This one may just make me top 10 of the first quarter of 2008 list I plan to unveil in the next couple of weeks.

For those who don't need the physical CD and want instant gratification, the full disc is available in mp3 format at the bargain price of $5 at the CD Baby link below.

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