Weekend Roundup.

Vegas With Randolph-Rings Around the Sun. The Mid-Atlantic region's answer to Fountains of Wayne returns with its third full-length album, and much in the manner of their previous release Above the Blue, the new album consists of singles they've put out in the interim plus several new tracks. This time around they've enlisted the help of power pop luminaries such as David Myhr (Merrymakers), Andy Reed (An American Underdog) and Brandon Schott and the result is their strongest disc to date. Opener "You Set the World on Fire" sets the album on fire with some classic-sounding power pop, "Salt Water Taffy" and "Cool Things" draw the FoW comparison in stark relief as everyday pleasures are turned into pop odes, and "Everybody Wants an Atom Bomb" somehow condenses the last 75 years of US geopolitics into 3 1/2 minutes of catchy-as-hell power pop. Elsewhere, they write about stuff that interests them: "My Lost Colony" is ostensibly about the lost colony of Roanoke that was the basis for a recent Sleepy Hollow episode, and who doesn't love a "Snow Day"? And Myhr, Reed and Schott lend their talents and harmonies to the anthemic title track. One of 2013's best from a band that just keeps getting better.

CD Baby



Roseland-Roseland. This Greensboro, North Carolina band isn't strictly power pop; rather, they're highly melodic folk/rock, alt-country, Americana, whatever you want to call it. But if you listen hard, you can hear some Teenage Fanclub in there if it makes you feel better. Regardless, those who love a good melody with sweet harmonies will want to check this one out. "Plans to Ride" is a brilliant opener with its "fell in love with a rolling stone" refrain and jangly melody reminiscent of The Jayhawks or CSNY, and "Long Hard Way to Fall" sounds like a lost Gary Louris/Mark Olson collaboration. Meanwhile, "In Between" could almost pass for one of Alex Chilton's more acoustic-leaning early Big Star tracks, and "Nice Place to Go" is lovely in its simplicity. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best album of its type I've heard all year, and if you pop leanings take you to the folk or country side at all, this is a must.

CD Baby | iTunes

Friday Roundup,

Sheboygan-Triple Fantasy. Austin, Texas's Sheboygan (no, they're not from Sheboygan, Wisconsin) return with their first record since 2008's It's OK Say Yes, their third (hence the album title). In large part they pick up where they left off, serving up another delicious disc of power pop. Opener "Needle Hits the Groove" is classic power pop in the style of The Rubinoos and The Singles, while the midtempo "Come Back Around" recalls Badfinger with a touch of Jellyfish. With 14 tracks in all, they mix and match quite a few pop styles - the raved-up "1000 Eyes", the jangle-pop of "Minutes Last Forever", and the Brian Wilson-esque piano ballad "Morning Sea Waves" are just a few of the varieties in play here. These guys know their way around a tune, and there's something to like her for everyone.

CD Baby | iTunes

Timmy Sean-East Coast Girls EP. Ex-Luzer frontman Timmy Sean made quite an impression in 2010 with Music From & Inspired by Noisewater, which placed at #5 on my best-of list that year. East Coast Girls is his first proper release since then, and it's five blazing tracks of put-the-top-down (or at least roll the windows down) sunny, high-energy pop that might be what Fountains of Wayne would sound like if they hailed from California instead of New Jersey and were a bit less smart-alecky. The title track and "She's Mine" are certainly in FoW form, which their infectious melodies, crunchy guitars and insistent synths. "This Time Around" and "You're Still on My Mind" are highly melodic and rocking as well, and closer "Back to the Middle" deviates from the formula ever so slightly, which throws a lively sax and some "shoo-be-doo-wah" backing vocals into the mix, making it perhaps the most fun track on the EP. While maybe not quite as inventive or flat-out awesome as Noisewater , any new music from Timmy Sean is a good thing and nobody will regret adding this EP to their ocllection.

CD Baby | iTunes

Friday Roundup.

The Tor Guides-Lots of the Pops Volume 1: Caught in a Sweet Refrain. After about a 5-year absence, The Tor Guides came back late last year with the wonderful Strawberries & Chocolates. The warm reception to that release must have inspired them to come right back less than a year later with another album, albeit one with a convoluted title. If nothing else, the title does pass the truth-in-advertising test as there's lots of pop here with sweet refrains, and fans of other Swedish popsters like The Merrymakers and The Tangerines will enjoy this collection. Whether it's driving power pop numbers like the 1-2 punch of "Dynamo" and "Things We'll Do Today" to open the disc or the more reflective "If I Didn't Love You" and "Apricot" or breezier pop tracks like "All About the Loving", the Guides find a way for the melody to shine through. And the poptastic "Happy" will make you just that. We're into fall now, but this is a perfect summer album.

CD Baby | iTunes



Prattle on, Rick-Some Quiet Majesty. Another new release that lives up to its title is the latest EP (or at 8 songs, a "mini-album") from Patrick Rickleton and friends. Prattle on, Rick has become perhaps my favorite folk-pop artist these days as Rickleton continues to weave gorgeous acoustic-based melodies which achieve, yes, a kind of quiet majesty. The ethereal "Day 1" sets the mood, followed by "Hope & Promise", a wonderful lived-in track buoyed by strings and a light sax and which sounds like a undiscovered classic. Elsewhere, the upbeat "Jennie" will warm the cackles of the most hardened stoic's heart, and the jaunty "Your Dreams Will Always Follow" could be the long-lost descendant of "I've Just Seen a Face". It's always a treat to come across an artist that gets better with each release, and I hope that Rick keeps prattling on.

CD Baby | iTunes

Midweek Roundup.

The Nines-The Nines. The Nines are back! Their self-titled latest is their full album of all-new (well almost all-new, as "Jack McGee" was on their CQDZ Transmission Files EP many years back) material since 2007's Gran Jukle's Field. Steve Eggers & crew once again deliver their ELO-meets-1980s-Moody-Blues power pop, although this new one isn't quite the genre-hopping affair Gran Jaukle's Field was. Opener "Blackout" is a blast, with fake crowd noise and a funky backing that builds into a quintessentially Nines chorus and it's following by "Far Away" a driving piano-based number that channels Ben Folds. Meanwhile, the garage riffs of "Jackie Smokes" and the Bleu-like "No More Time" add to the fun. Elsewhere, "Don't Worry Misery" and "Martin" are in the spirit of Eggers' classic piano ballads, and the jaunty "Seasons" recalls The Red Button. Odds are if you're a reader of this site, you already know The Nines, so if you haven't picked this one up already, run - don't walk - to your nearest online retailer.

CD Baby | iTunes



Bohemian Radio-On the Air. Bohemian Radio is Brooklyn's Brett Stratton, and his debut here (billed to be the first in a series of releases) is a loose concept album about a fictional radio station, WBOH, that plays a variety of genres from rock to pop to Americana. After an acoustic intro number and a station ID, we get the Replacements-style rocker "About Nothing", built around a nice guitar riff and followed by the midtempo "The Sky Was Brighter", which sports a memorable chorus. Other standouts include the moody power ballad "Sincerely", the banjo-backed "Summer Friend", and the Cheap-Trick-meets-The-Ramones straight-ahead power pop of "Fan Club". The album closes with the wonderful "What Have You Done?", a wistful ballad with a lovely melody, and "WBOH Signing Off", a hypnotic electro-rock number that repeats the station's call letters. Stratton shows quite a bit of potential here as he masters multiple genres but never loses sight of the hooks, and I look forward to his next installment.

CD Baby

Two for Thursday, 9/19/13

Chris Abad-Darling Dear. Chris Abad is back with the followup to 2010's No Glory, and it's another fine collection of melodic pop that recalls Squeeze and Matthew Sweet as well as the likes of Cliff Hillis and Michael Carpenter. "Lucky One" kicks off the proceedings with its bright pop and singalong chorus while "Routine" is a midtempo rocker with crunchy guitars that recall Gin Blossoms, with the real standout being the title track - a bouncy number that wouldn't have been out of place on a Jellyfish disc. Other highlights include the country-tinged ballad "Shelter" and the jangly "Wide Awake". Abad has a way with a melody, and these 10 tracks display a real consistency.

CD Baby



The Brigadier-Suburban Incubation. It seems like I've been writing about The Brigadier (a/k/a Matt Williams) since I started this blog seven years ago, and he's back with his sixth album after a little longer interval (his last full-length came out in 2010). Suburban Incubation finds Williams having started a family, and the overall theme here is settling into that kind of life. He still offers the Beach Boys-meets-XTC sunny British pop of previous releases, as "It Needed to Be Sunny" is a bright opener, while "Don't Want to Think Anymore" is an introspective number that has a memorable hook and an Andy Partridge feel to it. Elsewhere, "Do You Want Me Too?" is a breezy slice of power pop right in Williams' wheelhouse, and the quirky piano fills and guitar of "Music Makes the Pain Go Away" make it one of the album's standouts while "The Middle Ages" is a jaunty, Brian Wilson-style tune. It's good to have The Brigadier back.

CD Baby

Friday Roundup.

Gleeson-Gleeson II. Gleeson is a band out of Austin, Texas who have been working for the last 3 1/2 years to bring us their magnum opus, a 22-song double-album. And while the old joke is that most double albums would make nifty singles, this is an exception to that rule. Drawing from influences such as Big Star, Guided by Voices and Ray Davies (the first two of whom they cover on this disc with "Blue Moon" and "Smothered in Hugs" respectively), Gleeson reminds me a lot of Sloan in that they're willing to explore various subgenres of power pop. "Pro Tool" is a refreshing blast that recalls Superchunk, while the piano-and-strings-backed "Queen of Boulevards" has a Fountains of Wayne-meets-Queen vibe. Other standouts include the Fastball/Gin Blossoms-like "Out of My Mind", the baroque "Grace Under Pressure" which attempts to out-Jellyfish Jefllyfish, and the ballad "Think About the Song' which for some reason reminded me of The Hudson Brothers. As you can tell by all the artist names I've dropped here, these guys do power pop proud, and I'd call this double-disc one of the revelations of 2013. Take it all in at the Bandcamp stream below:

CD Baby | iTunes



Shane Lamb-Together We'll Get Through. Shane Lamb remains one of my favorite "popicana" artists, and his third album is another easy-to-listen-to collection. Opener "Wasting Our Time" is a rootsy number that would appeal to fans of Jeff Larson or The Jayhawks, "Pull Me In" has Ryan Adams feel to it, and "Crazy Horse's Heart" is the kind of well-crafted folk-pop gem that Lamb has made his signature. Overall, this disc is a bit more laid-back than his previous two releases, having shed the Tom Petty influence (although "Fallen Through" does sound somewhat like Petty's slower numbers), but is still a must if you enjoyed the first two.

CD Baby | iTunes

CD of the Day, 9/3/13: Valley Lodge-Use Your Weapons

Why do we listen to power pop? At one level, it's the love of a catchy melody, ringing guitars and a steady beat. At another - for many of us - it's the music of our youth. But at the most elemental level, we listen because it's fun. Power pop appeals directly to the pleasure centers of our brains. And no band encapsulates this appeal better than Valley Lodge, who brings us Use Your Weapons, their third album.

Led by funnyman extraordinaire Dave Hill, it's tempting for some to write off Valley Lodge as a joke band, as merely an example of Hill's performance art. And I couldn't exactly argue that analysis if you chose to make it as Hill & Co. rattle off every rawk cliche in the book in both their performance and presentation. But whether tongue-in-cheek or not, there's no denying that their music is preternaturally catchy, rocking, and most of all - fun. Their brilliant self-titled 2005 debut was the perfect example of this, and still to this day remains perhaps my favorite power pop album. 2009's Semester at Sea was good fun as well, but the emphasis on glam rock made the "put-on" aspect of their act a bit more distracting (still, Semester did yield awesome rocking tracks like "The Door", "Baby, It's a Shame" and "When the Rain Comes", which found success in excess).

Use Your Weapons, it could then be said, is a return to form. It's more of a piece with the debut, which means it's time to turn your brain off and just embrace the non-stop fun. Opener "Go" is relentless, rambunctious and infectious, and has a rare quality in power pop - you could pretty much dance to it. (Here's a link to the video I posted a couple of weeks ago, which you need to see if you haven't already). "Sweet Elizabeth" lets you catch your breath, but isn't exactly a ballad with its glam rock and speedy Bo Diddley-style beat. The midtempo "Kiss Me I'm Drunk" finds Hill in vintage bad-boy mode and features a great bridge, while "Pretty Thing" rocks with abandon in a fashion similar to "The Door". And "Make Up Your Mind" closes out the first half of the album with a near-perfect slice of almost Big Star-like pop.

The second half of the album is no letdown either. "Waiting in the Rain" sounds like a lost garage rock tune from the 60s, and "Gimme Gimme" brings back Hill's penchant for incorporating 70s pop R&B into the mix much as "All of My Loving" and "Hanging On" did on the debut. Its Jackson 5-like chorus will have you grinning from ear to ear. "Are You Okay?" keeps the rawk going and features some of Mr. Hill's best shredding, "Restless Heart" is light glam rock a la Sweet and throws in horns in support of yet another supremely catchy melody, and closer "Blind" - with its 80s synths and frenetic melody - leaves you wanting more. They may be called Valley Lodge, but if you believe in truth in advertising Nate Ruess needs to cede the name "fun" to Dave Hill because this is the band that really lives up to that moniker.

CD Baby | iTunes

Midweek Roundup.

First IN Space-Greatest Hits Vol. III. Since we last left Ohio's First in Space with 2009's Geronimo, frontman Johnny Stanec released a couple of decent solo records which it appears I didn't review on the site but would still recommend. Now he's back with First in Space with the cheekily-titled Greatest Hits Vol. III, the band's third album. Whereas the band's first two albums were more in the vein on Gin Blossoms & R.E.M., Vol. III finds Stanec & Co. in a more rocking mood. The first three song titles ("Downtown War", "Kicking Through the Door", and "Drinking With Enemies") are indicative of their new-found tougher sound, more in line with The Replacements. The first two of these recall the gritty-rock-with-melodies of the 'Mats, while "Drinking With Enemies" has a mature pop-punk sound not unlike Green Day. The overall result is one tight rocker after another (no power ballads, thank you) until the mid-tempo closer "Moonlight Graham", a tribute to the obscure baseball player made famous in Field of Dreams, and which harkens back to the earlier First in Space sound. Maybe they should have titled this "Greatest Rockin' Hits Vol. III". Either way, it's a must for fans of Replacements-style rock.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Sports Fan-Shallow Water EP. Sports Fan is the latest project from Aussie piano popper Dion Read, who gave us a couple of top-notch EPs in the latter half of the previous decade. The title track, featuring guest vocals from Jen Boyce, is a melodic gem that should be a big hit in a just universe, "Little White Lies" sounds like it should have come off the first Ben Folds Five album with its high energy and frat-boy byplay, and "Social Butterfly" is an epic-sounding ballad that's a nice complement to the two tracks before it. This is excellent piano pop, and you can name your price for it at Bandcamp.

Bandcamp | iTunes

New Valley Lodge video (and album on the way)

Dave Hill & company are back, set to release their third album as Valley Lodge. I've gone on record as stating their 2005 debut might be my favorite power pop album of all-time, and while 2009's Semester at Sea found them mostly turning to glam rock, it was still a fun album and some of the high points on that album rivaled the high points of the debut. They're releasing Use Your Weapons on September 3, and I'll have a review up around that time. (SPOILER ALERT: It's a return to the form - and sound - of the debut). To get you amped up, here's a typically amusing video from the boys (Hill's daytime job is professional funnyman) for "Go":

"Go" by Valley Lodge from KobiyoshiViewing on Vimeo.

Friday Roundup.

The Junior League-You Should Be Happy. Joe Adragna has had a bit of a musical identity crisis. After releasing two top-notch discs as The Junior League in the latter half of the last decade, Adragna re-released the Junior League material under his own name and then gave us 2010's fine Fall Back. He's even called himself Parlophony from time to time. But now he's dusted off The Junior League name for his latest collection of tunes, and the famous Shakespeare quote about roses and names comes to mind as You Should Be Happy continues Adragna's string of excellent releases. As on Fall Back he's assisted by Scott McCaughey, which dovetails perfectly with his Marshall Crenshaw-meets-R.E.M. sound and opener "Keep it Home" with its roots-pop sound and prominent harmonica is its exemplar. The jaunty piano-backed "Hey Misery" is both Brian Wilson-esque and Beatlesque, and the lovely, lightly-jangly "One Step Forward (Another Step Back)" finds Adragna just as home with more introspective numbers. And the legendary Susan Cowsill adds vocals on the raved-up title track and the gorgeous ballad "I Don't Think I'm Kidding (This Time)". So many of the artists I feature on this site are deserving of a much wider audience, but Adragna's songcraft and musicianship really ought to have him prominent in the adult-alternative/Austin City Limits circle of music today. I'll take him over Mumford or any of Mumford's sons.

CD Baby | iTunes



Bobby Emmett-Brighter Days (Mono Edition). Bobby Emmett came out of nowhere, wowing us with 2009's Learning Love, making my top 10 that year. Instead of making that Brendan Benson-meets-Big Star type of album again, Emmett has gone full retro on this one, releasing it in mono and making it sound like it came out in 1966. (The album is billed as the "mono edition", but I don't know if a stereo edition is in the cards or not). Brighter Days is full of mid 60-style reverb, British Invasion guitars and the like, and it's a groovy treat. "Poison Love" kicks things off with a bang - there's even a break where Emmett screams "Yeaaahhh!" - and immediately segues into "Stay All Night", which sounds like a lost early-Beatles track. Elsewhere, the Kinks-ian "Never Take Me Alive" is another standout, as is the Strawberry Alarm Clock-like title track. Brighter Days does such a good job of capturing the essence of 1960s rock that I almost hope there isn't a stereo edition.

iTunes | Listen at Spotify

Tuesday Roundup.

Nick Capaldi-The Golden Summer EP. Nick Capaldi is a singer-songwriter from the south of England who had a quality full-length release in 2012 that I didn't get around to reviewing, but his new EP is too compelling to stay quiet about. The Golden Summer is four upbeat pop tracks in the spirit of its title. "In My Shoes" has a smooth and slinky melody that recalls Neil Finn had he been a 90s Britpopper, and "Dumb it All Up" is a catchy slice of midtempo pop that falls somewhere between Jellyfish and Michael Carpenter. Elsewhere, "The Right Time" is an atmospheric ballad with strings, and closer "First of the Runaways" is top-notch piano-based power pop with a Beatlesque flair. This is a slam-dunk top 5 EP of the year.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Jeff Larson-Leaves EP. Like clockwork, every year or two finds a new Jeff Larson release and more of his laid-back, melodic mellow SoCal rock. The twist this time around is that the new EP is actually a collection of unreleased material. But such is the quality of Larson's output that this EP doesn't sound at all like an outtakes collection. "Good Good Morning" is a lovely piano-and-guitar ballad, and the plaintive "Frontier Village" sound like it could be the soundtrack to an indie movie. "Postcard from Here" builds to a swelling chorus, and "World I'm In" has a folksy charm with some fine harmonies. And "The Satellite Sky" is a catchy uptempo number that has a fine country-rock feel. Larson's at work on a new full-length record to be released next year, just like...clockwork.

CD Baby | iTunes

Weekend Roundup.

Todd Herfindal-Right Here Now. Todd Herfindal, the Ex-Meadows frontman and longtime running mate of the recently reviewed Rich McCulley, is back with his second full-length solo album and it's another fine collection of roots-influenced power pop. A handful of these tracks were already released as singles and reviewed earlier, but they fit together even better with the whole of the album. McCulley co-penned all but one of the tracks with Herfindal, and if you enjoy his material you'll want this one (in fact the title track appeared on McCulley's last album as well). The midtempo "Keeping Me Up Nights" kicks thing off with aplomb, while "She Can Run" is janglly bliss. The middle three of "Gratitude", "Shine Shine" and the title track are just as melodic as I remember them from the singles release, and the wonderful acoustic-based "Closer to Home" makes a nice complement to the Tom Petty-ish "Hang the Stars". Herfindal manages once again to make it all sound effortless, and you can verify for yourself at the full album stream below.

Bandcamp | iTunes



The House of Jed-The House of Jed EP. A funny story about this side-project band of Admiral Twin's Jarrod Gollihare. About a month ago I came across this EP with the band name Away and I was about to review it a few weeks ago. But before I could the EP disappeared from CD Baby, only for it to return about a week ago with the more SEO-friendly band name The House of Jed. It's not too far off from Admiral Twin's brand of sophisticated power pop, and the opener "Coming Off Pretty" and its clipped, slightly-distorted guitars make for a strong introduction. The propulsive "Last Entry (Gotta Run Now)" and "I Won't Survive You" come across as Spoon mixed with Of Montreal, while the closer "Everybody Lies" is probably the closest to the traditional Admiral Twin sound. An interesting effort from Gollihare & Co. and a must for AT fans.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Friday Roundup.

Eddie Orso-He Said/She Said. Eddie Orso is a Toronto singer/songwriter who's recorded several songs over the last few years and had been putting them out one-by-one on Bandcamp. He's collected six of them here to make an up EP of highly melodic heartland rock in vein of Tom Petty, Rich McCulley and compatriots Blue Rodeo. "Moving Straight" epitomizes this sound - ringing guitars, a rootsy sound and a swelling chorus. The frenetic "Mary Lou (Would You Let Me Down)" recalls the Bodeans, and "Be All Mine Tonight" wouldn't be out of place on a Gary Louris-led Jayhawks album. My favorite track here is "Counting on You", with its bright pop chorus that's a real earworm. Definitely a contender for the year-end EP list.

CD Baby | Bandcamp




Sam's Instant Band-Namaste. Sam Baylor first caught my ear in 2006 with Life on Trouble Street, his first solo album after teaming up with Will Kimbrough in Will & The Bushmen, an excellent collection of roots-pop that was a capped by a cover of the Eddy Grant (later The Clash) classic "Police on My Back". He's back today with the amusingly-titled Sam's Instant Band (and a cover that poses the eternal question of the chicken-and-the-egg), and Namaste is a 7-track EP/mini-LP that picks up where Life on Trouble Street left off. Opener "Train at the Station" has a hint of jangle and a feel and melody that recall Bill Lloyd; "Day That We Die" brings Wilbury-era George Harrison to mind, as does the gentle "Walking in the Sun". The lovely, swelling ballad "Waiting" closes things out in nice fashion. It's good to have you back, Sam.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Two for Thursday, 7/11/13

Adam Daniel-Pop, Baby. Adam Daniel's Blue Pop is considered in the power pop community as one of the best albums of the last 15 years, but after that Daniel kind of dropped off the map. In late 2006/early 2007 he released a couple of collections of demos which were pretty decent, but it isn't until now that he's finally recorded a proper followup to Blue Pop. And while the cliche to use would be that Pop, Baby was worth the 14-year wait, in truth not much in life is worth a 14-year wait so I'll just note that this is an excellent return by Daniel and leave it at that. "Summer's Coming" is the appropriately-placed leadoff track, a peppy slice of guitar pop with punchy piano to move it along, while the midtempo piano-based "In and Out of Love" finds the golden mean between Paul McCartney and Elton John. Elsewhere, "Your Gravity" adds Beach Boy harmonies to the mix, "Quantum Love" is a clever and catchy rocker that speaks to Daniel's gift for songcraft, and "Long Cold Winter" is a power ballad with pomp. Adam Daniel is back, folks, and here's hoping that we don't have to wait for the next one until 2027.

CD Baby | iTunes



Wiretree-Get Up. Wiretree is one of those acts that I have a personal affinity for in the sense that they started out around the time I started this blog and I've been following them along each step of the way. From the debut EP through the present, Kevin Peroni has always delivered a tuneful collection of songs that were also somewhat haunting and low-key. Get Up, his latest (not to be confused with 2011's Wake Up), is more of the same. From the Shins-like opening title track to the laid-back autobiographical (?) shuffle of "Marching Band" to the Wilco-like "In the City (Rail)", Get Up is top-notch indie pop-rock. And "Doctor" is a treat for those of us who enjoyed Wiretree from the beginning, as its acoustic guitar-and-piano shuffle brings back memories of tracks like "Big Coat" and "Find a Way" from the first two releases.

CD Baby | iTunes

Weekend Roundup.

Instead of the usual pair of featured albums, today we'll look at 5 discs in quick-hitting fashion:

Happy Ashtray-Seventy Miles. This Chicago band features a melodic, lo-fi style in the vein of Guided by Voices but with a slight touch of Americana and heartland rock. The title track and "I Don't Know What Her Mind is Made Of" also recall Being There-era Wilco.

CD Baby | iTunes



Readymade Breakup-Classic Single. Here's the latest EP from the New Jersey band we've featured here before. If you enjoyed their previous releases, you'll want this 4-track rocking EP. "Convince Me" is the top track here, sounding like it could have been a big hit in the 80s.

Bandcamp

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Ballard-Bucky. Ballard (real name: Darren Riley) is a singer-songwriter from Bolton, England who's been quite prolific of late, releasing several EPs and singles of his fine 60s-style lo-fi guitar pop, and Bucky is the full-length culmination of these releases. There's a Ray Davies/Kinks feel to Ballard's tunes, complete with character sketches and a song about Buckminster Fuller. Good stuff.

Bandcamp



Dan Miraldi-The Freewheelin' Dan Miraldi. The album title and the cover are an obvious homage to the Bob Dylan classic, and here Miraldi goes Dylan-in-reverse by trading in his electric guitar for an acoustic one. Despite the acoustic shift, he retains the rock-and-roll arrangements on these tracks so they still have a bite to them. There are two new tracks here, with 4 acoustic versions of his previous tunes, including my personal favorite "The Holy Roller Stone Revival". A must if you liked his previous releases.

CD Baby | iTunes



David Ellis-The Boy Who Cried Wolf. This UK singer-songwriter has crafted an enjoyable and melodic collection of 10 tracks that recall Elliott Smith at times. Top tracks here are "Smoke", "Down" and the true standout, "Wake Up Smiling", which recalls XO-era Smith.

CD Baby | iTunes

Two for Thursday, 6/27/13

Nick Piunti-13 in My Head. If the name Nick Piunti isn't familiar to you then perhaps you know him from his time as frontman for Detroit's The Respectables, a band featured on these pages in years past. While I certainly enjoyed The Respectables, nothing prepared me for this solo turn by Piunti which I'm putting in pole position for top power pop album of 2013. 13 in My Head has everything you'd look for in a power pop album - crunchy guitars, great melodies and big hooks, and features assistance from the likes of Andy Reed and Ryan Allen. The title track opens things up nicely and really will make you feel 13 in your head again (especially if you were 13 during the 70s or 80s), followed by "On the Way Out" which is simply one of the catchier songs I've heard all year and reminiscent of Paul Westerberg in pure pop mode (a la "Dyslexic Heart"), complete with a "na-na-na-na" chorus. "Good Thing Going" keeps a good thing going, and "It All Comes Down" comes down squarely in Cheap Trick territory. The hits keep coming (if this were 1975) with "She's a Good Time" offering classic rock flourishes in service of another catchy tune, the bright rock of "Reasons" and the stacatto Beatlesque guitars of "Farewell Goodbye". Throughout, Piunti's slightly raspy, slightly snarling, vocals keep things from getting too saccharine (heck, there isn't even one outright ballad to be found here). 13 in My Head should be soundtrack for any power popper's summer this year.

CD Baby | Bandcamp



Anny Celsi-January. June might be a strange time to release an album titled January, but Anny Celsi is welcome any time of year on your music player of choice. Following up on 2010's Tangle-Free World, Celsi dials back the jangle a bit on a more introspective yet still melodic collection of songs with a wintertime theme. "Au Revior, My Darling" is a great pop tune to open the album, bouncing along with that famous Motown bassline and handclaps and harmonies, followed by the midtempo gem "Travelogue" which really evokes a lazy day traveling along. The winding melody of "Kaleidoscope Heart" brings Aimee Mann to mind, and the piano-and-guitar number "Sank Without a Bubble" ambles along quite nicely. Capping things off here is a lovely cover of Steve Forbert's "Wait", a favorite of mine since the original was released back in 1979, and which perfectly captures the wintertime feel of the album. Once again, Celsi is assisted by pros such as Rich McCulley and Nelson Bragg, and the result is a classy and enduring slice of laid-back pop.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Two for Thursday, 6/20/13

Travel Lanes-Hey, Hey, It's Travel Lanes! Philly's Frank Brown has been in the power pop scene for quite a while now, in bands such as Flight of Mavis and Buzz Zeemer, and most recently went solo with 2005's excellent Out of the Blue. He now returns with 3 of his fellow Philadelphians as Travel Lanes, and their 7-song debut EP is a treat for fans of Tom Petty and The Replacements. The catchy "Scared of Girls" opens the EP, with Brown's Elvis Costello-styled vocals and the driving rock beat recalling EC's own "Red Shoes", and "Intervention" could pass as one of his mid-80s guitar ballads. "Delinquent" is a sardonic and melodic mid-tempo tune that's Graham Parker meets Nick Lowe, while "Let You Down" closes the EP in riff-rocking fashion. No frills here, just high-quality rock like they used to make it.

CD Baby | iTunes

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Third of Never-Downrising. Kurt Reil doesn't let the grass grow under his feet - while not churning out records with his main band The Grip Weeds and releasing solo material, he's giving us new music with side project Third of Never, and Downrising marks that band's full-length followup to 2007's Moodring (with a split 2011 EP in between). Downrising features more of Reil's retro rock, kind of The Grip Weeds meet The Smithereens (literally so to an extent as Dennis Diken guests on drums). In between the various interstitial instrumental tracks that give it a 20th-century album feel are some top-drawer tunes. The driving "Automat" is a standout, with verses that recall The Moody Blues in their more rocking moments and a chorus that channels the Weeds. Also of high quality is the jangly "Green Roses", while "So Long" is classic psychedelic rock and "On My Way" betrays a hint of The Move. A classic example of classic rock.

CD Baby | iTunes

Midweek Roundup.

Joel Sarakula-The Golden Age. London-by-way-of-Australia's Joel Sarakula is a top-notch synthesist, taking pop styles from the 60s through the present day and mixing them up to create a tour de force that should appeal to anyone with a ear for melody and song structure. Sarakula first caught my attention in 2009 with City Heart, which found him primarily a piano popper. But as good as that album was, it didn't prepare me for the leap forward he takes here. The lean, spare piano sound of "I Will Deliver" starts things off in auspicious fashion, reminiscent of Spoon's "I Turn My Camera On" by way of Blur, while "Old Yellow Photographs" is a jaunty 60s, Merseyside-style pop romp. The Elvis Costello-influenced "The Lows" is a minor-key marvel, and "Only One Still Dancing" finds Sarakula singing in a Mika/Scissor Sisters-like falsetto that also reflect those artists' 70s influences. Elsewhere, "Matchstick Girl" is Teenage Fanclub-style guitar pop, "Good Books" is joyous, no-frills piano pop, and the lovely closer "Who's Gonna Love You Now" bears a Burt Bacarach influence. Another top 10 candidate for 2013.

Bandcamp | iTunes



Mozley-EP. The mysterious Mozley strikes again. In an age where with a computer and an internet connection you can find out almost anything about anybody, this Arkansas rocker (I only know he's from Arkansas because it says so on the CD Baby page) remains an enigma with no website, Bandcamp page, YouTube channel or Twitter feed. In fact, I'm not even sure Edward Snowden could find him. So be thankful I regularly check out the CD Baby new release pages, because I can't think of another way to find out if he has a new release. Anyway, after a strong debut album in 2011 and a fine followup last year, he's back with a new 4-song EP that continues the Replacements/Big Star-themed sound of the two full-lengths. Moody rocker "Took it Easy on You" opens things and sounds as if it came from All Shook Down, and the (for him, ironically-titled) "Remember My Name" boasts a memorable keyboard hook while "Closer to It" has a Pixies/Nirvana feel. While it may not be the year's top EP, I'm including it here since there's probably no other way fans of the first two albums are going to find out about it otherwise.

CD Baby

Weekend Roundup.

Justin Kline-Doormat EP. A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the availability of Justin Kline's new EP on NoiseTrade, but at that time I really hadn't had a chance to give it much of a listen. Now that I have, it warrants more attention as it's a cinch to end up on my year-end best EP list. Doormat marks a return to power pop form for Kline, whose last release Cabin Fever Songs was enjoyable but more acoustic-based. The tinkling piano and crunchy guitars of the title track open things in highly catchy fashion reminiscent of Jellyfish; "I Wanna Feel Normal" boasts a sprightly McCartneyesque melody; "Mr. Victor" could be a lost late 60s/early 70s Kinks track, and the kinetic "Drop the Ball" doesn't drop the ball at all with its dictionary-defined power pop. The only knock I can make against this is that it's only 4 songs, but it's a clear case of quality winning out over quantity.

CD Baby | iTunes

The Bottle Kids-Such a Thrill. Kool Kat is probably the top power pop label & online store out there these days, and they're just as supportive of old school power pop as they are new acts. So it's a natural for them to be releasing the new CD from The Bottle Kids, who are a 2013 act but have an old school power pop feel. This shouldn't be too surprising as the band is essentially singer/songwriter Eric Blakley, who was the lead guitarist on Paul Collins' most recent album. There are a lot of parallels to Collins' sound here, as well bands like The Rubinoos and The Plimsouls, especially in skinny-tie power pop-sounding tracks like "Kissing You" ("who's k-k-kissing you?), "Yes You Can" and the title track. Blakley does like to mix it up a bit, though - "I'm in Love With You" is an epic power (pop) ballad that's George-Harrison-meets-Eric-Carmen, and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" is jangly, Red Button-style 60s pop. But it's the rave-ups that dominate, and be careful, because the chorus of "Careful What You Wish For" will get stuck in your head, and "Clap On" finds Blakley singing the lyrics as fast as guy from Reunion's "Life is a Rock". Everything old is new again.

CD Baby | iTunes | Kool Kat

Midweek Roundup.

The Nature Strip-Stars Turn Inside Out. Aussies Peter Marley and John Encarnacao have teamed up to form The Nature Strip, and their debut effort Stars Turn Inside Out has been one of 2013's more pleasant surprises, a winning mixture of rock, jangle pop and power pop that sounds both modern and retro. The Byrds-meet-Moody-Blues 60s rock of "Beautiful Rain" opens the album (and provides the lyric which gives the album its title), while "Three Foot High Sissy Bar" shakes off the languor with its glam rock beat and insistent guitars and "Fly Through" is optimistic jangle-pop. Other highlights include the breezy pop of "It's Inside You", the Lennonesque "What a Life" and the lovely ballad "Hero". But the real standout here is "Worst One", vintage-sounding power pop that could have stepped off one of Big Star's classic discs. This one's another year-end best-of contender.

CD Baby | iTunes




Tony Low-Tone-Wah EP. Tony Low is back with his first album under his own name since 2008's Time Across the Page, and this 6-track EP picks up where that album left off - southern-fried jangle pop in the vein of Bobby Sutliff and Mitch Easter. These tracks have more of a retro-60s feel than the last batch, though - "Smoke from Space" and "The Secret" sound like something you'd fine in an old record store, and "Bass Guitar" specifically references Beatle Boots. Meanwhile, "There 'n' Gone" has a Byrds feel, and "Pirate Ships and Baby Bottles" is a gentle, laid-back number. If you want to party like it's 1967, Tone-Wah is the EP for you.

CD Baby

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