EPs Gone LP.

Today we feature a pair of full-lengths that consist of previously-released EPs plus about five new songs. Although it's not a practice I'm fond of, the music here is good enough the second time around, and those who missed out on the EPs will want these full-lengths.

The Offbeat-In Love Field. First, I'll cut and paste from last year's review of To The Rescue, whose five tracks are repeated here:

The Year of the EP continues as another outstanding one comes down the pike, this time from the Brit popsters The Offbeat, whose self-titled debut last year was a real treat. If you liked that disc, then you'll love this EP as it serves up more of the same Merseyside, early Beatles pop without being too retro. "She Can Make the Sunshine" lives up to its name as glorious sunshine pop, "Someday Somehow" uses the "Bo Diddley" beat to nice effect, and "Blue Sky" is jangly goodness.

How about the new tracks? They're worthy additions to the Offbeat canon. Among them, "Where is the Girl?" is a moody Beatlesque number in the vein of "For No One", "Word to the Wise" has a George Harrison jangly vibe to it, and "A Love to Last" channels Billy J & The Dakotas. If you missed the EP, don't miss out here.

CD Baby | Official Site | iTunes | eMusic

Michael Gross & The Statuettes-Telepath. Early this year upon the release of their EP Impulse & Exports, I wrote "I can wait for a full-length if Gross & Co. are content to crank out a top-notch EP every six months or so." In essence, that's what they've done, adding six new tracks to I&E to make up their debut full-length. Here's what I had to say about the EP:

Gross & Co. have further refined their heartland-rock-with-a-touch-of-Americana sound. The noirish "Keep Driving" sets the tone with its late-period Replacements rock style, and the moody yet urgent "On and On" is equally outstanding. And for those familiar with Gross and his earlier solo disc Tales From a Country Home, he offers up a full-band version of that disc's "No Good", and it's anything but.

As for the highlights from the new tracks, "When the Curtains Come Down" is a fine soft/loud rocker, the fast-paced "You Can't Go Home Tonight" will leave you breathless, and "Real Gone" earns the 'Mats comparison again. Again, this is a fine introduction to Gross & Co. if you don't already have the EP. Or just pick and choose your downloads if you do.

Official Site | MySpace | iTunes

Midweek Roundup.

Lazy Susan-Places That Made Us. Aussie power pop has been berry, berry good to us over the last decade, and Lazy Susan has been a mainstay in that scene since the turn of the century. Places That Made Us is their fourth album, and would it surprise you to find out it's produced by Michael Carpenter? I didn't think so. This is a real gem, from the moody Neil Finn-esque opener "Easy Targets" to the raved-up "Find Me a Way Back Into Your Heart" to the epic ballad "Responsibility of Love" to the punchy power pop of "Somewhere" and the McCartney-in-boogie-piano-mode styled "Sore Losers". Great stuff, and you can spend the next 45 minutes or so listening to it in its entirety on Lazy Susan's Bandcamp page. Kool Kat is offering up it up with a bonus disc deal as well.

Bandcamp | Kool Kat | MySpace | iTunes



The Shamus Twins-Garden of Weeds. The Shamus Twins have been kicking around the periphery of the power pop scene since their debut disc in 2004, appearing on a few IPO compilations, while Shamus Twin Tim Morrow released a solo disc, Back to Delton, in 2008. But they're back in a big way with their second full-length, Garden of Weeds. Morrow is joined by Jerry Juden, and they have a sound that mixes heartland rock with power pop. The standout tracks here are "You Know My Name", a melodic, snarling rocker that does not include the phrase "look up the number", the jangly "Life is Strange", the harmony-drenched "Ain't Letting Go", and the hooky "Did You Have to Change". Have a cigar and congratulations, it's Twins!

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Well Wishers do ABBA!

Had a very busy week and plan to get back to normal posting this week, but for now I give you Jeff Shelton and The Well Wishers covering ABBA's "Knowing Me, Knowing You":



And Jeff has offered up an mp3 of this track (which was also covered by Marshall Crenshaw on his live album My Truck is My Home) as well.

CD of the Day, 8/13/10: Edward O'Connell-Our Little Secret

Washington DC hasn't exactly been a hotbed of power pop, but it's getting there. Lately we've heard from Vegas With Randolph and The Secret Pop Band, and now we have Edward O'Connell. You can't judge a CD by its cover, but in this case you know you're dealing with someone who has an appreciation for classic power pop as the cover is an homage to Nick Lowe's seminal Jesus of Cool (retitled Pure Pop for Now People in the USA so as not to offend delicate American sensibilities). And while it would be hyperbole to say O'Connell's Our Little Secret is another Jesus of Cool, I can say that it honors the legacy of the Lowe classic and is one of 2010's best power pop releases to date.

Lowe is an influence here, as well as other power pop/classic rock touchstones such as The Byrds, Big Star, Elvis Costello and Tom Petty. "Acres of Diamonds" opens the album in an assured fashion, a jangly midtempo rocker that's instantly likable. "I Heard it Go" is another winner, a roots rocker that channels Marshall Crenshaw, and "Partially Awesome" and "Happy Black" have the lyrical snarl and the Beatlesque feel of Elvis C tracks circa the period he collaborated with McCartney.

Elsewhere, the uptempo "With This Ring" raves on, the gentle, jangly "Pretty Wasted" makes nice use of Jill Read's harmony vocals, "Your Ride is Here"'s title conjures Warren Zevon's "My Ride's Here" and resembles Zevon in balladeer mode, and the clever and catchy "The Hardest Job in the World", another Elvis C-inspired tune. The most impressive thing about this album is the uniform quality of the tracks - not a bum steer among the 13, including the ones not highlighted above. Definitely in my top 10 for 2010 so far, and it should be in yours.

CD Baby | Official Site

Midweek Potpurri.

This post will be my clearinghouse for a bunch of releases that have caught my ear, and may catch yours, but which I don't plan to go too in-depth on.

Johnny Monaco-Breathe. The former Enuff Z'Nuff guitarist follows up his 2007 disc Overrated with this collection of demos. A bit rough around the edges but a few gems are in there, including "It's Not Right" and the title track. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic

Misfit Kid-EP. Back in June, we featured Mark Ivantich's first Posies-inspired EP, Hellway to High, and he followed that up with another EP that's a bit more odds-and-sods with an acoustic version and a Christmas song throw in but worth the price of admission for "Everlasting" and "My Wave". Put the two EPs together and you have a pretty darn good album on your hands. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic

Teenage Rasputin-Here Comes Irregular. Love the title, a pun on a classic Replacements tune. The tunes ain't too bad either, as this Long Island band's debut EP draws from the 'Mats as well as Guided by Voices and Husker Du for their raucous yet melodic sound. "Dust" snarls out of the gate, "Suburban Stars" rocks with grace, and the easygoing "399 BC" recalls solo Westerberg. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic

Third Rail Boot-EP. This band from my neck of the woods (Tampa) has put together a nice collection of Americana/roots rock on their debut, and it deserves a listen. "September" and "Pen & Paper" are the highlights here. CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic

Weekend Roundup.

Travis Elliott-Swan Dive. A couple of Americana/roots-rock releases on tap here today, the first of which is the debut EP from Virginia singer-songwriter Travis Elliott. Things start off strongly with "Release", a slow-building rocker that recalls Ryan Adams and Alejandro Escovedo in places followed up by the Tom Petty-esque title track, but the disc really hits its stride with the midtempo "Waking Up", a melodic number not unlike The Wallflowers and Minibar. The rest of the EP ain't bad either, and in a nice touch Elliott gives way to Marianna Bell on the haunting ballad "Miles Away". A worthwhile debut.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic | Listen at Bandcamp

The Del Toros-Come Down. This Oklahoma band has drawn comparisons with the aforementioned Mr. Petty and Wilco, and they have the tuneful chops to go with their rootsy sound to justify those namedrops. The tracks to listen to here are "Hi-Hat Blues", an anthemic rocker; the wonderfully jangly "Nineteen"; the (pardon the pun) dreamy "Insomniac", which sounds like Elliott Smith in a roots band; and the hypnotic "Song", which recalls AbPow favorite Wiretree. An ear-catching effort from The Del Toros, and that's no bull.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic | stream at official site

Midweek Roundup.

Joel Streeter-Matador. San Francisco singer-songwriter Joel Streeter might be one of pop's best-kept secrets. He debuted in 2005 with the excellent Hear Me Out (which predated this site by a year) and now is back five years later with Matador. Drawing on a variety of pop styles, Matdaor has something for just about everyone. The opening title track recalls Neil Finn and Crowded House; "Drive Away" is reminiscent of pre-Spain Josh Rouse, "Baby Your Time's Here Too" has a hint of Noel Gallagher, and "Man of the Hour" is punchy power pop a la Jim Boggia. With one pop gem after another, this Matador is no bull. Olé!

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

Miracord-In Water. Fans of psych-pop and 60s-influenced Brit Pop will definitely want to check out Oklahoma City's Miracord and their debut disc In Water. Drawing from influences ranging from Syd Barrett to The Beatles, those who loved the Pale Hollow disc from a couple of years ago will want in here. "New Religion" opens the disc in fine fashion, catchy yet trippy, and other standouts include the rocking "Borrowed Memories", and the gentle acoustic ballad "Industrial Love". A must for classic rockers, and apparently it's available as a free download at CD Baby (link below) where it's listed at a price of $0.00.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

News from Down Under.

Lots of interesting power pop developments coming out of Australia lately, and here are the highlights:

* Michael Carpenter. If the group of artists we feature on this site who continually work together on different projects can be called the Australian Power Pop Mafia, then Michael Carpenter is The Godfather. And Don MC is back with a couple of projects.

First up is the O'Neders, a gathering of Carpenter and like-minded power poppers who came together to record a live album of power pop covers from contemporary artists such as Sloan, Fountains of Wayne, Teenage Fanclub, Jellyfish, Matthew Sweet as well as classics from The Beatles, Big Star, The Byrds and The Who among others. It's a real hoot and a real treat and you can listen and buy the whole shebang at Bandcamp. Titled That Thing We Done, it's a real wonder. (Unfortunately the CDR version is sold out, so you'll have to digital on this one).

MC is also hard at work on his ultimate Cuban Heels project. You may recall the pair of EPs he's put out in the last couple of years with this crew, and now it's all coming together with The Incomplete Cuban Heels, a collection of the 2 EPs plus a bunch of new tracks. Like other artists these days, he's offering a "buy-in" of sorts to help finance the project and has two levels of support you can give with plenty of goodies available for each. Get all the details at his site.

* The Sunshine Ponies. You probably haven't heard of the band name, but I'm sure you're familiar with the players. This is the aforementioned Aussie Power Pop Mafia in its full glory, as Popboomerang honchos Scott Thurling and Sarah Halligan have called in the gang to record an album set to their love poetry, and in addition to Mr. Carpenter, AbPow faves like Bryan Estepa, Adrian Whitehead, Tim Reid, Kelly's Heels and Danna & The Changes are on board to provide the music and voices for these song-poems. Like the O'Neders project above, you can hear and buy it all at Bandcamp.

New releases A-Hoy!

NYC's Greg Hoy has been a bit of a pop chameleon over the years, from his traditional power pop days in his band Hoy to the more modern rock and harder rock sensibilities found in his solo career. And now with a pair of new releases, Hoy continues genre-hopping.

First up is Spouses of the Lowly, a concept album of sorts about temptation and infidelity that itself boasts many different pop styles. For example, opener "Spouse of the Lowly" (and the album-ending bookend title track) is expert pop noir, "Souvenir" dabbles in electro-pop, and "Jesus' Son" mixes in some blues in support of a "Bo Diddley" backbeat. Elsewhere, "TV Dinner" almost comes off as an Americanized Fratellis and "Temptation Town" is gentle folk-rock. But the standout here is "Highway 101", a casual 70s SoCal sounding tune that splits the difference between Blues Image and "Rosalita"-era Springsteen. This is one disc where no two songs sound the same, and that's a good thing.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | Listen/buy at Bandcamp

Hoy's other new release Rock and Roll is a straight-up genre exercise, the genre being 50s/early 60s rock and rockbilly a la Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins and early Elvis, and it's a hoot. The title track is pure Holly, "I'm Epic Curious" swings, "(She Gonna) Firebomb the Track" is a first-class rave-up and you can almost hear a little early Dylan in "She's My Cocaine". A record that's fun to listen to, and that sounds like it was fun to make - what rock and roll is all about.

CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic | listen/buy at Bandcamp

Latest from T.Kao

A couple of years ago I reviewed the fine debut EP Hundred Flowers from T.Kao, and now he's back with a new release in the works. Also, he's recorded an interesting cover of the Blondie classic "Heart of Glass" which you can download at ReverbNation.

Here's a video for one of the songs from the upcoming album, "Crowded Streets in an Empty Town":



We'll let you know when the full-length becomes available.

Freebie of the Day: Stu Lewis-Waste Not What Not

There's a lot of free music online these days, but even "free" music comes at a cost: your listening time. So it's nice to pass on something that's free but also worth a listen. Stu Lewis is offering up his debut EP Waste Not What Not gratis, and it's a fun 5-track helping of synth-influenced power pop a la The Cars or The Rentals. "With Authority" and "Stay Free" are the conventional standouts here, but the track that will really make you glad you gave this a download is "Michelle", Lewis' love letter to the First Lady ("I know she's a married two-time mama/but I'm love with Michelle Obama"). This track will either get him a command performance at the White House or placement on a Secret Service Watch List, but either way it'll get stuck in your head.

Get it here.

EP of the Day,7/18/10: Justin Kline-Triangle

A few months back, I related the tale of how Justin Kline's recordings were stolen and he needed help to finish his new EP. Many of you helped out, and your generosity has resulted in another fine release from the man who gave us our top EP of 2008.

Triangle boasts four new tracks, and it's a worthy successor to Six Songs. "Baby, You're a Mess" leads off with pure pop goodness, with a melody and backing track that could have come from a 70s Saturday morning cartoon, and I mean that in a good way. Word of warning: don't leave the house or car with this song being the last you heard because it will monopolize your brain. The lilting, waltz-like "Please Go Away" will be a highlight for Jellyfish fanatics, and "Allison, We Cannot Be Friends" is another power pop gem. The near-ballad "Coffee Song" closes the proceedings out in baroque fashion, providing you the FDA's minimum daily requirement of "ba ba ba" backing vocals.

The EP is available digitally, and it might just be the best $3.96 you spend this year.

Listen/buy at Bandcamp | iTunes

Some quick hits.

Here are a handful of discs that warrant a mention and a listen:

Marc Clayton & The Lazy Suns-S/T. Some fine Wilburyish popicana that splits the difference between George Harrison and Tom Petty. Top tracks: "Remember", "Only You", "Birthday Smile", "High Above the Rain".

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

Neil Nathan-The Distance Calls. This NYC rocker's debut has certainly caught my attention. His opener is certainly attention-grabbing: an acoustic cover of ELO's (and The Move's) "Do Ya", and from there he continues with a song cycle that should have been on Elektra/Asylum in the 70s. "California Run" has an Eagles thing going, "When the Rain Falls" will appeal to fans of The Meadows, and "Get On" is an infectious R&B-influenced number. The whole album is streaming on his MySpace page.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

Eric Leitzinger-The Obsolete Man. What if Robert Pollard teamed up with Ryan Adams? Aside from having 300 releases a year, you'd get the sound of Ontario's Eric Leitzinger, who manages a quirky rock-and-roots based sound on his debut. The opening 1-2 punch of "End of the Line" and "Synchronize" give you the yin-yang of the two standbys I've compared him to, and other tracks to check out include the folky "In Two" and the haunting "Bed of Nails". Music this good is never obsolete.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

CD of the Day, 7/8/10: Duncan Maitland-Lullabies for the 21st Century

As it appears XTC is no longer a going concern, the void left by their Beatles-meet-Brian-Wilson-with-a-British-pop-sensibility sound has begun to be filled with artists like Pugwash, Captain Wilberforce and The Eisenhowers. The latest entrant into this pop sub-genre is Dublin's Duncan Maitland and his most excellent debut disc Lullabies for the 21st Century. And not only does Maitland have help on this album from artists like Fran King and Barry O'Brien (whose 2004 Spark EP is an overlooked gem), XTC's Colin Moulding himself pops up to contribute bass on the opening track.

That opening track is "Your Century" and it's a great indication of what's to follow: a tuneful, buoyant number that has the XTC meets the Beach Boys sound. "Terry the Toad" follows, a wonderful midtempo track that recalls Michael Carpenter and Cliff Hillis and isn't as silly as it title might indicate. "Crash Position" is firmly in the Brian Wilson camp, with it's Beach Boys "ba ba ba" backing vocals, while "Handbirds" is first-rate British chamber pop and "Alien at Home" synthesizes the styles already set forth on the disc in a manner reminiscent of The Red Button's "Floating By".

Elsewhere, you have the rollicking pop of "Up to You", the lovely and reflective "Supermarket Dream", the Beatlesque "Lucky You" and the languid "Cry Me to Sleep". All in all, an excellent debut, a must for XTC fans, and another year-end contender.

CD Baby | MySpace

Riffbackers freebie!

The Spanish power pop band The Riffbackers have made their 2009 release The Curtain Shop and Alterations available as a free download on Bandcamp. These guys used to be known as The Winnerys and had an album out on Rainbow Quartz about five years ago. It's good stuff, and the price is right.

CD of the Day, 7/5/10: Smash Palace-7

Smash Palace has been around since the 80s, but somehow they've managed to come up with what might be their best album in a deep catalog of quality releases. Whether it's the Revolver-styled cover or the dawn of a new decade or something in the air, these veteran Philly poppers have one of 2010's best on their hands.

Long-time Palace fans will love this disc of course, but this is also a perfect time for the uninitiated to get on board. They're versatile among the many power pop styles - whether it be a mid-period Beatlesque sound, Byrds-like jangle or straight up power pop, they do it all well. The 1-2 punch of "Win it All" and "How Can You Say?" is perfect way to open the disc, with both being energetic and melodic rockers. "Holding Out for You" is the kind of tuneful ballad that might have been a hit in their 80s days, and "Human Kind" might just be the best song on the album, a punchy rocker with some jangle that definitely lives up to the promise of the Revolver cover art.

The second half of the disc doesn't slack off either. The Tom Petty-ish "Here it Comes Again" would have made a great Side 2 opener in the days of LPs, with its insistent melody and "whoa-oh-oh-oh" backing vocals. The gentle acoustic guitar-and-piano ballad "Bridge of Sighs" is another triumph, and "Dead End Street" is classic Smash Palace. "Somebody Up There Likes Me" boasts some nice Harrisonesque slide guitar and "Solo" closes the album in style with yet another catchy melody. It's certainly a lucky "7" for both Smash Palace and anyone who picks up this disc.

CD Baby | Not Lame | Kool Kat | MySpace | iTunes

Midweek Roundup (Brought to you by the letter B).

The Britannicas-The Britannicas. The Britannicas are a power pop supergroup of sorts, consisting of Herb Eimerman, Magnus Karlsson and Joe Algeri. All three of them each have a vast body of solo and band work on their CVs, and all share a love of 60-styled pop in the manner of the big three Bs (Beatles, Beach Boys, Byrds). So it's fitting their own band begins with a B and borrows from those three. It's also fitting that the disc leads off with a track titled "Those Good Vibrations", but it owes more to the jangle of the Byrds than to the pop of Brian Wilson. Eimerman's "Baby Say Yeah Yeah" is old school power pop, Algeri's "Friday Night Alright" sounds like a lost Nuggets classic, and "Stars" brings the jangle in a great way. If the idea of 3 power pop vets at the top of their game bringing the 60s back to life is your cup of tea, the Britannicas are for you. And it has the imprimatur of the Kool Kat label, so you know it's quality.

Kool Kat | CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The Big Sweet-Shot of Bliss. The Big Sweet hail from Ohio, and their debut disc Shot of Bliss is an impressive mix of indie rock and power pop, drawing from influences like Big Star, The Replacements, Pavement and Television. Oh, and by the way these guys are only 16. If you didn't know this fact, it'd surprise you after listening to this debut that sounds like a band 8-10 years its senior. There's plenty to like here: the early Wilco rock of "Dress Up Your Mind", the poppy Replacements sound of "So Fine (You're Mine)", the indie rock of the title track, and the acoustic "Good & Down Youth". And they have the good taste to go with "September Gurls" as their lone stab at a cover here. If these guys are the future of power pop, then power pop may be in good hands.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Friday Roundup.

Misfit Kid-Hellway to High. North Carolina's Mark Ivantich is Misfit Kid, a name he takes from a 1980 Cars song. He doesn't take his sound from The Cars, though - instead this 7-track EP/mini-album is a more Posies-like affair. "Right Where You Oughta Be" reminds me of one of Ken Stringfellow's moody opuses while "Sugar & Spice (She's Just a Girl)" calls to mind one of Jon Auer's peppier power pop numbers. "Stronger" is another barnburner and "Training Wheels (For My Heart)" might just be the best track on the disc, a languid midtempo tune with a warm chorus. All in all, a strong solo debut from the former frontman of Gravity's Pull, a 90s band that had some success on the East Coast.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic | listen at iLike

The Flowerthief-Without a Safety Net. This is the second album for The Flowerthief, a San Diego band that specializes in tuneful indie pop not unlike The Minus 5. After the contemplative "Lonely Man's Paradise", the disc kicks into high gear with the uber-catchy "Just a Minute" and the folky pop of "Late". Other standouts include the McCartneyesque piano pop of "Gioconda Smile", the Lennonesque "Favourite Pill", and the straight-up power pop of "June Gloom". An eclectic yet accessible release for this band who pulls off their high-wire act.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

Video of the Day, Damien Lott-"Erase and Fall"

Today's post is thanks to one of my readers, Matt Willis, who brought this Spanish power popper to my attention. Damien Lott released his self-titled solo debut earlier this year, and Matt's description of Lott as a Spanish Jason Falkner turned out to be spot on. About half of the tracks are in English and the rest are en Español, but they all sound great. And the highlight of them all is "Erase and Fall", one of the best power pop tunes you're going to hear in 2010:



This disc is available domestically at iTunes and at eMusic, and you can hear more at his MySpace page.

Singles Friday.

With the music industry's inexorable transition to digital and the immediacy of the Internet, what's old is becoming new again as the primary method of music release of the 1950s and 1960s, the single, is becoming the outlet of choice for more and more artists. The only drawback though, for independent artists, is that the single doesn't seem to get as much fanfare as the album as they're mostly released exclusively on a digital basis. This means that niche retailers (i.e., the Not Lames and Kool Kats of the power pop community) usually won't be selling and promoting them, and reviewers and bloggers (like yours truly) often stumble upon them by accident. All of which is a long-winded way to getting around to saying I have some new singles by artists previously reviewed on Absolute Powerpop to share. Here goes:

Rob Laufer-"How I Love You". A sweet love song and a nice tune, not included on his recently released Excruciating Bliss. Check it out at iTunes.

The Bulletproof Vests-"(Don't) Throw My Love Away"/"Shadow Child". Earlier this year, we brought you their debut, and they've followed up with this two-song single in the same vein of the album. They're so old school they've actually released this on a vinyl 45 (on the original lathe from Stax, they claim) as well as digitally. CD Baby | iTunes

Vegas With Randolph-"Some Time to Live". Since we last checked in with this DC-area band last year with their fine debut, they've released an EP (Side Trip) and now this new single. Links here are for their artist pages so you can check out both: CD Baby | iTunes

Khalid Hanifi-"Hog Futures" and "My Latest Trainwreck". Two quality singles from the former Maypops man and solo artist who gave us the excellent Pamplemousse Presse in 2008. CD Baby | iTunes | listen at his official site (with another new track "Shootin' the Breeze")