Vote for Wiretree!

I don't normally do this, and by doing this I'm not inviting every artist I've blogged about to enlist me in helping to win an online contest, but I'm a big fan of Kevin Peroni a/k/a Wiretree's music, and I think it would be extremely cool to see him on Austin City Limits. So I'm asking my readers to vote for Wiretree in a contest that mp3.com is running to get an independent artist a spot in the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup.

Click the banner below if you so choose, and give Kevin a boost (he's made it to Round 3 but is 13th now and needs to make the top 5 to advance to the final round). His full-length debut Bouldin is #2 on my top 50 of 2007 in case you're still unfamiliar with him.

CD of the Day, 8/24/07: Ken Sharp-Sonic Crayons

Ken Sharp has been something of a power pop renaissance man, having started out as a music writer (having authored or co-authored 10 books), and then actually releasing his own albums (1301 Highland Avenue and Happy Accidents) to great acclaim on Not Lame's label. It's been seven years since Happy Accidents, and now Ken is back with Sonic Crayons. The wait has been worth it, as he's given us a strong contender for Top 10 of 2007 honors.

While his previous two discs were outstanding in a lighter, sugary manner, Sonic Crayons has a meatier, crunchier sound and features help from Enuff Z'Nuff's Chip Z’Nuff and Donnie Vie. On discs this good, it almost seems unfair to pick out individual songs lest others be slighted. Nevertheless, those more equal than others include "Better Every Day", "Melody Hill" (a contender for Top 20 tracks of 2007 honors), the rocking "New Attitude", the languid and Beatlesque "So Simple Radio", the catchy as-all-get-out "Get Yourself Together" and the beautiful ballad "Why Girls Cry".

It's available through the usual suspects, but your best bet is ordering it directly from Ken at his myspace page where you can also listen to four of the tracks including three highlighted above. Joe Jackson might have admonished us once to "look sharp"; now I'm advising you to get Sharp.

Better Latebirds Than Never.

It's been a long time since I posted a video, but with The Latebirds popping up on my iPod, I was inspired to Google them and found this video for "Dream Dream", a great track from a great album (Radio Insomnia):

CD of the Day, 8/22/07: The Orchid Highway-The Orchid Highway

(Note: This was the best picture of the disc I could find online and my scanner isn't working; if you click on the picture above, it won't go right to the "buy the cd" link.)

Those of you who saw David Bash's midyear top 25 last month may have noticed a band that hasn't been talked about a lot in the power pop coummunity listed at #8: The Orchid Highway. Well, I'm going to do my part to change that, as their self-titled full-length debut is worthy of the spot on David's list (and undoubtedly, one on mine at year's end). Some have called this Vancouver band Western Canada's answer to Halifax's Sloan, and while there may be something to that, they have a bit more of a singular sound.

I've always thought that every great power pop album should have at least one undeniably "killer" track on it, and these guys come through in spades: "Sofa Surfer Girl" leads off the disc, and you might end up wanting to hear it two or three times before moving on to the next one. Opening with chords reminiscent of "Dig a Pony", it goes right in to a more traditional Beatlesque sound with one hook after another. If these guys had been around in the late 90s with this one, it very well could have found its way onto the radio along Ben Folds, Semisonic and Fastball. "Sofa Surfer Girl" is a tough act for the rest of the album to follow, but the Orchids are up to the task: "Medicine Tree" is a fast-paced pop/rocker that earns them the Sloan comparison; the largely acoustic and trippy "Let's Stay In Instead" has a winning melody; "Next World" has a Nugget-y, Rainbow Quartz-like sound to it that reminds me of another Canadian act, The Telephatic Butterflies; and "Pop Tart Girl" sounds just like you'd imagine. Also not to be overlooked are the McCartneyesque "Tea With Shandra", and the tres cool closer "Legion Hall", with a middle section that could have come straight from an old Del Shannon record.

This disc hasn't found its way to the Kool Kats, Not Lames and CD Babies of the world, so you'll have to order it directly from the band at their MySpace or their official site. They've also recently played IPO Los Angeles and are set to perform at IPO Vancouver, so get out and see them if you're in that neck of the woods.

A herd of eMus.

Finally, some serious pop action on eMusic over the last couple of days. This is what's new and notable:

Starter-Through The Morning Sky. This Madrid-based band came out of nowhere last year to place #65 on our top 100 of 2006, and now they're apparently getting US-based distribution. If this one is missing from your collection, remedy that oversight now.

The Chevelles - several releases. Recently, eMu's added a number of Chevelles titles, including their best-of, Delerium, and the excellent Girl God. This is pure power pop with a capital "P", from Australia's answer to The Lolas (or perhaps that should be the other way around, since the Chevelles have been around longer).

AM-Soul Variations. The latest from this poppy singer-songwriter, whose Troubled Times was a fine release and also available on eMusic. Comes with a special eMusic bonus track.

Luke Temple-Snowbeast. I enjoyed his 2005 release Hold a Match For a Gasoline World, so be sure to at least sample the latest from this singer-songwriter with a keen pop sense.

Milton & The Devil's Party-How Wicked We've Become. Intellectual power pop? The band is comprised of professors of literature at Widener University, and their somewhat esoteric lyrical moments are in service of great Figgs/Elvis Costello/Graham Parker-sounding pop/rock.

Imperial Teen-The Hair the TV the Baby and the Band. If you could find "indie pop" in the dictionary, this band would be staring you right in the face. Here's their latest.

Saturday Blurb-o-rama, Roundup, whatever you want to call it.

Still making up for lost time here, so I figure I'll trot another batch of discs for your consideration.

Brett Terry-Retrospective Lives. Fine singer-songwriter stuff for those like their pop a bit folky. Standout track: "Left The Earth Today". CD Baby | Official Site

Dean Owens-Whisky Hearts. The third disc from this Scottish singer-songwriters has turned out to be one of the more pleasant surprises for me this year, striking me as something of a cross between Bob Evans' Suburban Songbook, Willie Nile's Streets of New York, and Ryan Adams' Gold. Recorded in Nashville, Owens utilized local help like Will Kimbrough, Robert Reynolds of The Mavericks, Jen Gunderman (Jayhawks) and Thad Cockrell, a fine artist in his own right. And where else are you going to find a track that sounds like Springsteen ("Years Ago") followed by one that sounds like Josh Rouse ("Beth on the Trampoline"). I'm probably giving this one short shrift by not breaking it out as a CD of the Day, but I've spilled too much ink already to go back. MySpace | CD Universe (import)

Green Peppers-Domino Mornings. England's Neon Tetra is one of those labels that I'm beginning to consider picking up its releases on spec, kind of like Rainbow Quartz in the US. Already home to Daniel Wylie and The Hazey Janes, two artists who can do no wrong in my book, they bring us Jim McCulloch's Green Peppers, a kind of loose-knit gathering of McCulloch, and whichever one of his buddies happened to pass by the studio while he was recording. This vibe undoubtedly led to the disc's best track, "Honest Injun", featuring ex-Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie on lead vocals. Meanwhile, the rest of the disc should appeal to those who enjoy the other Neon Tetra artists. And while it's an import, you can snap it up on eMusic. MySpace | eMusic | Kool Kat

The Cosmosonics-Junk Rock....for Lovers! For those like the glam side of power pop, Pittsburgh's Cosmosonics are your guys. Standout track: "Rave It Up!", the title of which could serve as the band's mission statement as well. MySpace | Official Site

The Grip Weeds-House of Vibes Revisited. Any power pop fan worth his or her salt knows the Grip Weeds well, and here they come full circle by re-releasing their 1994 classic, House of Vibes, the disc which put them on the map. If Little Steven is calling one of your tracks ("Salad Days") the coolest song in the world, well you know you've done something right. But there's more to it than this, and anyone who's come to the Weeds late (as well as anyone who came to them early) needs to pick this one up. Bonus tracks galore, interviews with band members, it's all here. Standout track: "Salad Days", of course. CD Baby | Kool Kat (w/even more bonus tracks)| MySpace

The Small Stars-Tijuana Dreams. This side project of Fastball's Miles Zuniga (under the nom de plume of Guy Fantasy) is a real treat, especially for those who preferred his stuff in Fastball over Tony Scalzo's (even though all the big hits were Scalzo's, save "Fire Escape", the exception that proves the rule). Anyway, just imagine what Paul McCartney would have sounded like had he grown up in a Tex-Mex setting, and you have Tijuana Dreams. Favorite track: "Love Is Grand". CD Baby | MySpace

Overlooked Gem of the Day: Sugarhit-Takin' for a Ride

Every once in a while I feel compelled (usually as the result of random iPod play) to bring up a a two or three-year old release that seems to have been overlooked by the power pop community at large, and today's installment brings us Sydney's Sugarhit and their 2004 EP Takin' For a Ride.

They're appropriately named, at least as to the "Sugar" part (had they debuted in the 70's, the "hit" part would likely be true as well), as you get sugary-sweet vocals and melodies over a solid rhythm section, yielding power pop bliss. "Brand New Baby" (not to be confused with the Semisonic semi-hit of the same name) sets the tone from the start with its catchy melody, and "We Go Round" follows with a sound that might best be described as "playful garage". This leads to the disc's best track, "Wherever We Want", whose chorus I defy you to get out of your head after hearing it. "Save My Love" is another delight, and was featured in a Not Lame Podcast. Like all of the best EPs, this is quality over quantity, so if you missed this one when it came out, don't overlook it again.

Kool Kat | Not Lame

A few eMus.

Still getting my sea legs here, I plan on having another "blurb-o-rama" in the next day or two, and perhaps a CD of the Day or two. In the meantime, things remain pretty quiet on the power pop front at eMusic, but there are a few releases to note.

The latest from Aussie powerpopper Danny McDonald, Summer City, has been added. Sez Bruce at Not Lame: "As with the best of Australian Power Pop, Fans of DM3 and The Chevelles will want to check out McDonald closely. For fans of shimmery guitar pop, hooks and ringing chords...they are all here. Add some surf, garage and earthy country yearnings in the fully framed picture of what Australia Pop is all about, you have Danny McDonald".

Helpful reader Mike pointed out in comments to the last post that the John P. Strohm disc, Everyday Life, is on eMu as well, so in case you didn't see the comment, I figured I'd mention it in a post.

I also neglected to mention that the new Josh Rouse disc, Country Mouse City House, is on there too. While nobody was a bigger fan of Rouse through his 2005 release Nashville than myself, I found last year's Subtitulo to be a disappointment, and while the new one is better, it doesn't quite measure up to his brilliant run of Under Cold Blue Stars/1972/Nashville. But you can judge for yourself.

Finally, although he isn't power pop, I've always had a soft spot for Al Stewart, and his 2005 release A Beach Full of Shells is now on the site as well. Like new discs from many other artists who were big decades ago, it's a latter-day release that has its moments but doesn't rank with his best.

We're back!

Didn't plan on 2+ weeks of blogging inactivity, but things have been quite a bit chaotic for me recently, on many levels. Anyway, to play catch-up, I've going to mention a bunch of discs that caught my fancy in the meantime (or just before) in a "blurb-o-rama"-type fashion (apologies to the Power of Pop guys), along with some other tidbits.

First of all, one reason I haven't at least had an eMusic "filler"-type post up in this period is that they really haven't added anything compelling from a power pop perspective lately, save for the new Crowded House disc, Time on Earth.

Now, on to the discs:

Adam Bernstein-Dust Off The Timeless Night. Great singer-songwriter pop, with great melodies and thoughtful lyrics. Somewhere in between Mead/Rouse/Johnston, Ben Folds (more in the manner of sensibility rather than piano) Steven Mark, Paul Schneider and Joe Ongie. Highlight track: "The Poets of Avarice". This one has serious year-end list potential. CD Baby | iTunes

John P. Strohm-Everyday Life. The ex-Lemonheads guitarist/drummer and entertainment-lawyer-by-day has an excellent, midtempo batch of tunes here with hooks galore and a wry outlook on life. Highlight: "Waiting for the World to End". Kool Kat | MySpace

Knit Delicate-Pressed. I could make a joke about the fabric of their sound, or how they weave great tune after great tune, but I won't pull that thread. Instead, I'll just tell you that his Milwaukee band has come out of left field with a disc full of rocking, melodic tunes with a just a hint of poppier alt-country (think Summerteeth-era Wilco, or Fight Songs-era Old 97s) that fits just right. Highlight: "Redline". CD Baby | MySpace

Mark Norris & The Backpedalers-Stranded Between Stations. The Buffalo News described this disc as "The Basement Tapes recorded with Ray Davies instead of Bob Dylan", and they do have something there. To me, it's quality roots rock that will appeal to fans of Walter Clevenger, Brian Jay Cline, and Bill Lloyd. Highlight: "To Old Relations". CD Baby | MySpace

Stepsonday-Little Light. Here's some excellent indie pop that puts melody before quirk or attitude. Think Nada Surf or The Shins, but a bit different. And all I can say is that "1234" is one of my favorite songs of the year. CD Baby (only $8!) | MySpace | eMusic

Third of Never-Moodring. If I told you there was a new band featuring members of The Grip Weeds and The Smithereens, and asked you to imagine their sound in your head, then you'd come up with Third of Never. A mix of classic rock, jangle, psych and power pop that won't surprise you, but won't disappoint either. This one's been on my iPod for a while, and isn't wearing out its welcome. Highlight Track: "DJ". (also features a nice cover of "Let My Love Open The Door") CD Baby | MySpace

Tom Caufield-Mystic Chords of Memory. Bruce at Not Lame featured this one last time out, and with good reason. There's something here for everyone, which kind of makes sense as this is a sampling of songs he's written over the years rather than for a single album. So you get a mix of regular power pop, singer/songwriter material, soft pop and roots rock, all in one disc. Plus, Brad Jones produced the title track. What more can you ask for? Highlight: "First Girl on the Moon". CD Baby

Absolute Powerpop on a brief hiatus.

I have a major work-related project underway (one of those where you have to spend time in the office nearly 24/7, except to go home and sleep), so I won't be posting at all during the next 6-7 days or so. So stroll through the archives, listen to some bands you may have passed over before, and keep popping!

CD of the Day, 7/25/07: The ACBs-The ACBs

A bright new face on the power pop scene is Kansas City's The ACB's, with a self-titled debut that should bring a smile to the face of power poppers old and young alike. Fans of classic bands like Cheap Trick and The Cars as well as fans of newer bands like Rooney, Waltham and The Fags should find a lot to like here; in fact, in many respects they remind me of The Fizzies and their fine Contest Popularity disc released earlier this year.

Highlights on this disc are many: Opener "You Did It Once" sets the tone, establishing their high-energy no-nonsense power pop; "Windows Up" brings the tempo down a notch but the melody quotient a notch up; "Sometime" adds falsetto and a bit of funk; "Suzanne" captures their essence perfectly, a sing-along that rocks; the gorgeous "Everyone Wants to See"; and the closer "Oo Jane", in which I can swear I hear a hint of Collective Soul. Great stuff all around, and making the choice to pick this one up should be as easy as A-C-B.

CD Baby | MySpace

EP Friday.

Seems like I haven't reviewed too many EPs this year, so here are 3 for your weekend consideration:


The Weightlifters-Last of the Sunday Drivers. This is the brainchild of Chicago's Adam McLaughlin, former guitarist for the Philly power pop band The Idle Wilds (not to be confused with Idlewild), who were signed to a then-revived Ardent label by Big Star's Jody Stephens in the late 90s. There is a bit of a Big Star sound here, but more like Big Star by way of Teenage Fanclub. It's really quite good stuff, and you can stream the full EP at their (his) site. CD Baby


The Pacific-Sound x3. This LA band not only knows how to rock, but manages to do it in a highly melodic manner. I'm a little surprised their self-titled debut in 2004 didn't garner more attention in the power pop community (thanks to Mark at Rock and Roll Report for bringing them to my attention). The best way I can desribe their sound is a kind of Oasis-Kinks-Cheap Trick amalgam. The good news is that both this new EP and the debut full-length can be found on eMusic.

MySpace


Jason Lyles-Ethereal. Chattanooga TN's Jason Lyles is more of a rocker than a power popper per se, but there are more than enough hooks and melodies to make Ethereal an enjoyable listen for you Absolute Powerpop readers out there. And the slower numbers might be the best on the EP: "Move On" and the anthemic title track.

CD Baby | MySpace

David Bash's Top 25 of 2007 to date.

For those who love the lists, here's the Top 25 of the first half of 2007 from David Bash, Mr. International Pop Overthrow, as posted to the Audities list:

1. The Fast Camels-The Magic Optician
2. Peachfuzz-Catch Your Snap
3. The Scruffs-Pop Manifesto
4. David Brookings-Obsessed
5. The Singles-Start Again
6. The Red Button-She's About To Cross My Mind
7. Fountains Of Wayne-Traffic And Weather
8. The Orchid Highway-The Orchid Highway
9. Paul Starling-Ghost Waltz
10. Sparkwood-Kaleidoscopism
11. Switches-Heart Tuned To D.E.A.D.
12. The Peaces-Is/Are/Was/Were
13. Third Of Never-Moodring
14. The Tangerines-The Tangerines
15. The Procession-Musique Magnifique
16. Johnny Lloyd Rollins-Let's Be Poor Together
17. The Len Price 3-Rentacrowd
18. Zombies Of The Stratosphere-The Well Mannered Look
19. Maple Mars-Beautiful Mess
20. The Cheeks-Raw Countryside
21. Home-Is Where The Heart Is
22. John Hoskinson-Pancho Fantastico
23. The Gilligans-Snoring With An Accent
24. Farrah-Cut Out & Keep
25. Johnny Monaco-Overrated

A lot of these names will be familiar of course, but I have not heard his #1, The Fast Camels. Needless to say, I will be remedying that situation, since it's on eMusic. The other pleasant surprise on the list (of sorts) is at #10, where Sparkwood has a new album out, something else that eluded me. And it turns out with good reason, as the disc has only been released in Japan. I'm going to have to figure out a way to find it, though, as their 2005 release Jalopy Pop was my #18 disc that year (and Bash's #1).

David Grahame update.

When we last left David Grahame, he was selling his new tracks at $2 a pop from his website, a business model that caused some fair controversy on the Audities list and led to a lot of skepticism from those who would otherwise buy (including myself).

I'm happy to report now that not only is he no longer charging $2/song, he's made all the tracks, along with outtakes from DT & The Disagreeables and Supergenius, available in a 6-song EP CD-R for $5.99 ($7.49 after shipping), so now, a la Jim Cramer, I can put in a "buy" recommendation on this.

Jim Cramer says "BUY! BUY! BUY! DAVID GRAHAME NOW!"

CD of the Day, 7/13/07: Steve Robinson - Undercurrent

Today is a special day. Nah, nothing to do with Friday the 13th or anything like that. It's a day I get to feature an artist from my neck of the woods, the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Sure, we're known for the beaches, the weather, Super Bowls (including one won by the Bucs), a Stanley Cup for the Lightning, and the strip clubs of Dale Mabry, but one thing the area isn't notable for is a strong power pop presence (not to slight the late Barely Pink or The Ditchflowers, whose Ed Woltil helps out here). For example, I couldn't do what Gary Miller does and start an exclusive Tampa Bay Powerpop Blog; my posts would come around even less frequently than they'd have done lately.

Anyway, this is a rather roundabout way of introducing one of the better discs of 2007 that I've heard, Steve Robinson's Undercurrent. Robinson is an English expatriate who was a member of The Headlights, Roger McGuinn's backing band, and his sound here straddles the divide between folk and pop without ever losing sight of melody. Even within that ambit, there are a variety of sounds here. Opener "Wooden Hill" leans more to the pop side, with a melody and sound that reminds me of a stripped-down "No Myth". "Please Emmaline" is another winner, a catchy "Bo Diddley"-type number, while "Love Is Real" is as Beatlesque as its title implies. Other standouts include the uptempo "Wasted and Waiting"; "Forget About Love", the disc's rockingest track; "Class Clown" which also reminds me of Michael Penn, and the closer "I'm In Trouble (Again)", which wouldn't have sounded out of place on Bob Evans' Suburban Songbook.

It's too bad this missed the cut for my Top 50 list, as I had just received the disc while compiling it. Rest assured, it will be near the top when the year-end Top 100 rolls around, and if you're looking for something new and different to pick up, grab a copy of Undercurrent. And not just because Steve Robinson is my homeboy.

CD Baby

Side Note: Robinson's first solo release, the fine Away For The Day, is available on eMusic - it includes "The Golden Age of Steam", the best train song since, well, Al Stewart's "Trains".

Some Kool (Kat) Releases.

With Not Lame now out of the record label business (and exclusively into mail order), Kool Kat Musik reigns as the premier USA power pop label, and recently they've given us three fine releases - each of which has something different to offer. I've provided CD Baby links for listening purposes, but you're best served by ordering directly from the Kat, as they have bonus disc offers for each release.

First off is my favorite of the batch, Maple Mars' Beautiful Mess, which clocked in at #40 on our YTD Top 50 List. Rick Hromadka & Co. have served up a winner here, with a sound steeped in many of the classic power pop touchstones that most of you out there have come to know and love. The title track is an instant classic and one of the top tunes of 07 with its heady mix of Beatles, Jellyfish, and glam-rock, and would have fit right in on the fine Class Three Overbite disc that's also on the top 50 list. "Butterfly Effect" and "Paralyzed" are examples of classic riff-and-amp-driven power pop in the vein of The Lolas, "Breathe Deep" is anthemic-sounding, and "Sweetest Dream" calls to mind vintage Cloud Eleven. There's even a track on here called "I'm Not In Love" that's reminiscent of 10cc.* CD Baby | MySpace

For those who dig a more "modern rock" sound, there's the latest from Fooling April, In The Now. I know it might be considered by some as an insult to compare them to bands like Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind, but what Fooling April manage to pull off here is the musicianship and songwriting that made these bands popular, but without the cheese and the lowest-common-demoninator mentality. In other words, they have a radio-friendly sound that would make them one of the best things you'd hear on contemporary radio today. Tracks like "Ordinary" and "The Way Back Down" capture this essence, and they even manage a sense of humor (something rare for bands in this subgenre) with "Chick Flix", something any guy with a significant other can relate to. CD Baby | MySpace | eMusic

Finally, for those into truly classic power pop, Kool Kat brings you John Wicks & The Records' Rotate. Wicks is a grizzled power pop vet, around since the late 70s, and he & his band serve up an aural trip back to that time and beyond with a set of outstanding melodic pop/rock. Standouts include "Oh Yeah!", "That Girl Is Emily", the possibly semi-autobiographical "The Lost Years", and the highly Beatlesque "We Can Work It Out".* CD Baby | MySpace

*yes, I know these are covers.

New eMu.

New at eMusic:

The enigmatic Dan Bryk returns with an EP "preview" of his forthcoming album. Discount Store has six tracks, including two versions of the title track. Pop goodness with a touch of quirk.

Canada's excellent The High Dials follow their M.O. from last time around, releasing an EP as a follow-up to a full-length. The Holy Ground has four all-new tracks of their great dense psych-pop-rock.

And a couple of bigger names have shown up: They Might Be Giants' latest, The Else, as well as Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, which sounds quite good.

The Top 50 of 2007 (as of July 8)

OK, here's the long-promised, days-in-the-making Top 50 list of 2007. There are a few late 2006 releases on there (Baldrachi, Buva, Ed James, to name a few), which I'm counting for this year, and there are some brand new ones out that aren't on the list but which I've taken an initial shine to. I will say that it was difficult to compile the list because while there have been a number of very, very good releases, only a handful have truly jumped out at me, making, say #s 5-25 somewhat arbitrary.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the list (along with a bonus top 5 EP list at the end):

The Top 50 of 2007 (through July 8)

1. Josh Fields-Josh Fields
2. Wiretree-Bouldin (now on CD Baby)
3. Additional Moog-Thirty-Three & a Third
4. Keith LuBrant-Searching For Signal
5. Shake Some Action!-S/T
6. Mika-Life In Cartoon Motion
7. Romantica-America
8. The Red Button-She's About to Cross My Mind
9. Signal Hill Transmission-An Empty Space
10. Steve Bertrand-Pain Is a Megaphone
11. Grand Atlantic-This Is Grand Atlantic
12. Adam Miner-Dangerous Eyes
13. The Well Wishers-How I Won The War
14. Buva-All This Humming
15. The Fizzies-Contest Popularity
16. Jason Isbell-Sirens of the Ditch
17. Locksley-Don't Make Me Wait
18. The Sunday Drivers-Tiny Telephone
19. Icecream Hands-The Good China
20. Peter Baldrachi-S/T
21. Everybody Else-S/T
22. John Hoskinson-Pancho Fantastico
23. Mandrew-The Wonderful World of Mandrew
24. Jesse Malin-Glitter In The Gutter
25. Duane Dolieslager-The Opposite of Optimist
26. John Krueger-Later
27. Storyhill-S/T
28. Zombies of the Stratosphere-The Well-Mannered Look
29. Crowded House-Time on Earth
30. Burning Daylight-Whiskey & Romances
31. Class Three Overbite-Rendezvous
32. The Vinyl Skyway-On Telegraph Hill
33. The Broken West-I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
34. Mitch Easter-Dynamico
35. The Sheers-Goodbye World
36. Future Clouds and Radar-S/T
37. The Primary 5-Go!
38. Holmes-Stop Go
39. Travis-The Boy With No Name
40. Maple Mars-Beautiful Mess
41. The Stereotypes-4
42. Arthur Yoria-Handshake Smiles
43. Ed James-In The 21st Century
44. The Tangerines-S/T
45. Limbeck-S/T
46. The Procession-Musique Magnifique
47. Simon Morel-Record #2
48. Johnny Lloyd Rollins-Let's Be Poor Together
49. OK Jones-Elephantoms
50. Devlin Murphy-My First


Top 5 EPs of 2007

1. The Holy Fields-S/T
2. Daniel Wylie-Let's Go Surfing
3. Adam Merrin-Have One
4. Jason Collett-Prodigals
5. The Brides of Obscurity-Extended Play

A few more eMus.

Added this weekend at eMu (with CD Baby links for those who prefer something more tangible):

Rick Altizer has always been a Christian power popper; aside from his work in Dum Dog Run, most of his solo CDs have had tunes of faith sprinkled in among the "secular" tracks. Now, with Scripture Memory, he's gone fully devotional. This may not be for everyone, of course, but the power pop is still there. (CD Baby)

The latest from The Singles, Start Again, has finally made its way onto the service. Meat and potatoes power pop/garage, you know you want it. (CD Baby)

Canadian power poppers Two Hours Traffic are out with Little Jabs, their second disc, and it's quite good, at least what I've heard so far. (CD Baby)

CD of the Day, 6/27/07: Devlin Murphy-My First

Here's a stunner. LA's Devlin Murphy has come out of nowhere to give us one of the more exciting debut releases of the year. Here's hoping My First won't be his last, as Murphy manages to channel many of the classic power pop influences, from young to old. I hear traces of everything from The Click Five to Fountains of Wayne to Michael Carpenter (to whom he bears a slight vocal resemblance) to Jellyfish in here, and it's always a treat when someone puts a fresh spin on familiar sounds. (Actually he sounds exactly like the lead singer of Cone of Silence, for those familiar with that obscure reference.)

No quality disc is without a great opener, and My First is no exception with "Today", which will take you in on its first listen, and then stick you with it's "Today-ay-ay-ay" chorus for the rest of the day on rotation in your head. "You" isn't particularly remarkable lyrically, but damned if it isn't ultra-catchy. Meanwhile, he manages to come up with the first theme song for dollar stores with "99 Cent", and his "Another Day" is almost as melodic as McCartney's. He even demonstrates a facility for the (power) ballad with "Nowhere". And don't miss "Alright", which hits all the right power pop buttons.

CD Baby | MySpace