Mid-January Roundup.

Caper Clowns-The Buca Bus. It seems that my first reviews of a new year are of albums I missed from the previous one, and 2017 is no exception. Had I stumbled on this pop delight from Denmark sooner, it would have made my top 100. As it is, you don't its placement on a list to give it a listen, as these Danes channel pop sources like McCartney and ELO. Jingly (and jangly) opener "Pockets" will put a smile on your face, "A Tale of Romance and Magnetic Trains" brings vintage-era Squeeze to mind, and "The Significance of Tea Cups" is sheer pop brilliance and probably my favorite song of the moment. It's finds like these that keep me going with this site after nearly 11 years.

iTunes | Kool Kat



Michael Roberts-Suspended in This Space. This smooth 70s AM-inspired record did catch my attention before I made the year-end list, where it placed in the top half, but I wanted to make sure I gave it the attention it deserves. Welshman Roberts here recalls 70s songsmiths like Gilbert O'Sullivan and Gerry Rafferty as well as obvious touchstones such as McCartney, with the leadoff track "What You Say" yet another example of something that would have been a big hit 40 years ago, and "When You Shine" defies you not to sing along with it. Elsewhere, tracks like "See the Old Man" and "I Think You're Very Ooo" would win you over on sheer charm alone even if they weren't as melodic as they are. And "My Angel" with its slow but inexorable buildup, falsetto chorus vocals, and muted horns literally screams 1972 in its retro-pop goodness. Listen to and enjoy the YouTube playlist below.

iTunes



Tony Low-Rendezvousing. North Carolina's Tony Low returned again late in 2016 with Rendezvousing, another fine mashup of Mitch Easter-southern-styled power pop and Byrds-ian 60s jangle that's familiar to those who enjoyed his previous releases. This time around the standout tracks are "The Awful Dream" (which will turn your pants into bell bottoms while you listen), "Pictures of Your Son" (which has a Ray Davies slice-of-life feel), and "You" (which seriously brings the jangle). In fact, one could say Rendezvousing is an all-time Low, even if that doesn't sound like a compliment.

iTunes

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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CD of the Day, 1/12/08: Tony Low-Time Across The Page

Southern-fried power pop/jangle pop has a long and glorious tradition - from the dBs, R.E.M., The Windbreakers, Mitch Easter, et al, it's been a consistent source of quality music over the years. And upholding the tradition is North Carolina's Tony Low, former member of The Cheapskates and here with his third solo disc, Time Across The Page.

Fans of roots poppers like Walter Clevenger, Bobby Sutliff and Marshall Crenshaw will appreciate this disc as well, especially the opener "Winter of Black Ice", which features a great guitar riff that serves as the underpinning for an outstanding track. "This Old House" tweaks the formula with some mariachi horns, while "Spirals" has the type of R.E.M.-does-Brian Wilson feel of "At My Most Beautiful". Meanwhile, "Where Are You Now?" and "One Fine Day" are about as good as jangle pop gets. If you're a fan of this power pop subgenre, this one is a must buy.

CD Baby | MySpace | eMusic