Mid-November Roundup.

P. Hux-This is the One. It's been a while since I reviewed a Parthenon Huxley (P. Hux for short) album, but this is the one that got my attention. Most of you don't need an introduction but for those who aren't familmiar, Huxley has been a veteran of the music scene for many years, both as a solo artist and with ELO II. The rocking title track tells us "this is the one we've been waiting for" and it's not wrong, an opener reminiscent of McCartney's "Rock Show", while "September Clouds" has a Tom Petty feel to it. The 70s rock of "Just Sayin'" with its call-and-response chorus is another standout, and "Inside Your Shoes" is pop brilliance. And if you want well-crafted ballads, "Running Home to You" and "Honey Sweet Baby" fill the bill. Hux's best in years and a worthy addition to your collection.

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Greg Pope-A Few Seconds of Fame. Another artist who needs no introduction on this site is the Pope of Power Pop, Greg Pope. One of the more consistent power poppers of the last 15 years, both solo and with Edmund's Crown, Pope is back with another top notch collection of southern-fried DIY power pop. Once the chunky guitars and shimmering melody of "Forget About You" comes out of your speakers, it's like reuniting with an old friend - and the hits keep coming. "She's Already There" sparkles and shines, and Pope's albums are always good for one unforgettable track. This time it's "Cave Days" in which Pope chronicles a day in the life of a caveman, set to an insanely catchy melody. Also don't miss the martial melody of "Planet Earth" and "Dreams About You, which recalls Elliott Smith in his more rocking moments.

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Zander Michigan-Kitchen Sink #2 EP. Zander Michigan (the stage name of Alexander Melidis) isn't quite power pop, but it's somewhere between pop and rock and undeniably catchy. "Yoga Poses" boasts a keyboard hook and a chorus that will burrow its way into your brain. "Set Me Free" is heavy guitar pop, and "Watch Your Body Sing" might even be catchier than "Yoga Poses" with another clever piano hook. The 4-song EP concludes with "Colors in Your Eyes", another memorable number which starts as a stately piano ballad but transforms into something louder with ringing guitars in its second half, not unlike Coldplay's "The Scientist".

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Election Day Roundup.

It's Election Day in the USA, so here are some releases worth voting for:

Creamer-Creamer. If this were a blurb on Kool Kat's site, Ray would lead it off with "BIG STAR ALERT!" as the debut of Phillip Creamer's new band channels Alex Chilton & Co. to great effect here. Co-produced by Wilco's Pat Sansone, the album opens with "Daydreamer", which manages to be both anthemic and downbeat at the same time with a vaguely Lennon-esque middle eight, followed by the poptastic "Record Machine", which is the #1 Record Big Star to "Daydreamer"'s Third/Sister Lovers. "Drugs No More" was released as the single to tease the album and it's easy to see why - it boasts a memorable chorus and encapsulates Creamer's sound, and "Ride or Die" makes good on the band's promise of glam mixed with Americana ("Glamicana", anyone?). And then there's "Magic", a magical concoction of rock, pop, honky tonk, R&B and who knows what else. Even the ballads like "A Better Side" and "Love Yourself" soar. A contender for album of the year.

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Tim Jackson-Better Late Than Never. In a year in which it seems I've been seeing new releases from artists I've long given up on hearing again comes Tim Jackson. The name may not ring a bell but Jackson was the main force behind Third Floor Story, who had one of my favorite 2006 albums with Lonely City, and the album title and title track acknowledge this absence with a choice slice of power pop. Other standouts include "Little Girl" (Jackson started a family in the interim), the slightly funky but fully catchy "Black Dog" and the uptempo pop of "Back Again". Welcome Back, Tim.

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Extra Arms-Headacher. Previously known as "Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms", Allen has taken his own name out despite continuing to front the group and that's not the only change this time around. The focus has shifted from traditional power pop to a somewhat harder-edged, noisier sound he calls "loud pop", hence the album title. Don't get worried, though, Allen hasn't gone thrash metal or anything, and the melodies are still there. The title track rocks with abandon, "Done to Death" cranks up the guitars, and then "Why I Run" really cranks them up. But fret not those who liked Allen's more traditional sound - "Under Surveillance" and "Honey Brown" are a bit more mellow (relatively speaking) and don't quite quality as "headachers". But if you like the "power" part of "power pop" better, this is your album.

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