Two for Thursday, 10/18/12

The World Record-Freeway Special. Andy Creighton & Co. haven't been heard from since 2006's Guitars Forever, but they make up for lost time by releasing what would be called in old days a double album. There are 18 tracks here, and you get 5 bonus ones if you go the old-fashioned route of vinyl and they do a fine job of keeping the quality up with the quantity. The dominant motif here is midtempo power pop, in the vein of Big Star or Teenage Fanclub, which might come as a bit of surprise to those who remember the boisterous "Were #1" from Guitars Forever (and which reappears here in a remixed form). And while "Cats on the Roof", "Call the Doctor" and "She's Not a Liar" rock out to some degree, the best tracks find them in straight pop territory such as "Marsha (Think it Over)" and "I Met the Girl (I'm Gonna Leave You For)" while the laid-back "Candy" and "Be Nice" are also rewarding. It's great to have these guys back.

Official Site (CD/Vinyl) | iTunes

Eliot Bronson & Yonder Orphans-Milwaukee. When we last left Eliot Bronson (formerly of The Brilliant Inventions), he released 2011's Blackbirds, in which he leaned more to the folk side of folk-pop. This time around he's added a backup band and cranked things up a bit, displaying more of a heartland rock sound not unlike Ryan Adams and Paul Westerberg. This becomes apparent on the driving "One Mississippi", a rocker you could easily hear Adams or Tom Petty doing. "Waiting on a Sign", "Emily" and "It Don't Get Easier" also follow in this vein and the latter especially is a treat. Elsewhere, "Down to Me" is top-drawer Popicana, and "Longshot" and the title track are the kind of the folky-pop gems that drew us to him in the first place.

CD Baby | iTunes

Two for Tuesday, 4/12/11

John Laprade-World Class Faker. Brooklyn's John Laprade follows up his 2008 EP Blind with his debut full-length, and he shows all the makings of a budding pop craftsman. He masters a variety of styles, from the bright power pop of "Soul Shaker" and "Blind" (yes, he's re-worked a few tracks from the EP), the Popicana of "Last Time" and "Tennessee" (which is "right next to Arkansas"), to the expert balladry of "Anything at All" and "Infinity". Also of note is the appearance of legendary guitarist Richard Lloyd (Television, Matthew Sweet) on the rocking "Knock You Down". I've had this disc for a couple of months in advance of its release, and listening to these tracks again for this review felt like reuniting with old friends, a real indication there are some quality tunes here.

CD Baby | Listen at official site | iTunes

Eliot Bronson-Blackbirds. Bronson is one half of The Brilliant Inventions, a duo who put out one of 2009 best folk-pop albums, Have You Changed. Flying solo here, Bronson leans more to the folk than the pop, but there are a number of understated gems here and his gift for melody remains intact. Those who lean to the pop side of things will love "Everywhere I Go", a beautiful midtempo number that has the kind of chorus that will burrow its way into your brain, and the buoyant "If You Need to Be Free", which will appeal to fans of the Shane Lamb disc I recently featured. And the folkier tunes are not without their charms either: Leah Calvert's wonderful harmony work on "Old Car" and "Black-Eyed Susan" recalls the Caitlin Cary/Ryan Adams dynamic of Whiskeytown. In other words, Bronson has of the best folk-pop albums of 2011.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes