Not your Father's Slightly Older Sibling's Roundup

When I've done these roundups in the past, it's often been to mention discs I've enjoyed, but haven't recommended as highly as those I've featured as CD of the Day. To translate that on the Brodeen scale, it's like the difference between "extremely highly recommended" and "big time extremely highly recommended" (We kid, Bruce, because we care).

Anyway, this roundup is going to be different, because all of these discs are worthy of a "CD of the Day" feature, but at the rate I'm cranking those out, it's quite possible one or more of these artists will be getting ready to release a follow-up before they all got done. So here they are, in one convenient blog post:

Neall Alcott-Rittenhouse Square. Just when I thought there were only two ways to spell the name that's a homonym of "kneel" (Neil and Neal), here comes Mr. Alcott and his two "l"s. In the end, he can spell his name any way he wants if he's going to churn out quality discs like this one, a fine combination of Beatle-pop and Britpop that recalls artists well known (XTC, Michael Penn) and others featured on this site (Steve Robinson, Gary Henson). If this isn't one of the better unheralded discs you'll hear lately, then my name isn't Steeve, er Steave. CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Frisbie-New Debut. Some bands are appropriately named. Case in point: Chicago's Frisbie, who released the great 2000 disc The Subversive Sounds of Love and then seemed to get stuck on the roof and couldn't come down. Well, seven years later they're back with New Debut (appropriately titled as well) and they've gone for a more "rawk" sound, kind of like when Sloan transitioned from One Chord to Another to Navy Blues. From the opening title track (more cowbell!) to the Tommy Shaw-esque "Half Breed" to the Cheap Trick of "S.F.B." (mentioned by name), it's like putting on an old K-Tel album from the 70s. CD Baby | MySpace

Backbeat-Eye-Dentity. Speaking of appropriately named bands, these Cincinnatians share their name with a classic Beatle biopic (even if Stephen Dorff was in it), and share their sound with classic early Beatles. They used to be known as Story, and they put out a fine disc under that moniker last year (available on eMu), and Eye-Dentity is more of the same. If your favorite Beatle albums were the first 3 or 4, then you'll love this disc (including the cover of "Not a Second Time"). I love the shamelessly retro "Soviet Secrets", which sounds like what the Beatles would have done had McCartney gotten the idea for "Back In The USSR" in 1963 instead of 1968. CD Baby | MySpace

Warm In The Wake-American Prehistoric. A couple of weeks back when I reviewed the new Ari Shine disc, I laid down my rules for artists going from debut EP to debut LP, and Warm In The Wake's American Prehistoric follows those rules with a fine disc of all-new tunes. We loved the Wilco/Autumn Defense meets Teenage Fanclub sound of Gold Dust Trail, and here are 15 more tracks to enjoy (mastered at Abbey Road Studios, no less). "Airport Girl" and "Antique Knives" are my favorites. eMusic | MySpace

What's playing at AbPow 9/18/07

If you notice to the left, I've changed the ipod picture to reflect my pickup of a new Nano. It's a great little player, but I just wish there were cases available for it already given my track record of manhandling iPods (I've broken 2 hard drive-based iPods by dropping them, so I vowed to go flash from here on out). Anyway, here are the last several played:

"Never Leave"-Dave Derby, Dave Derby and the Norfolk Downs. Outstanding singer-songwriter record from the one-time Dambuilder and current "musical director" for comedienne Sarah Silverman. MySpace | CD Baby

"Seraphim", "Poem for the Middle Class"-The Seldon Plan, The Collective Now. As you can maybe judge from those two titles (which came up consecutively on the iPod), The Seldon Plan is an indie pop band. A very good one, though - I really enjoyed their 2005 release Making Circles, and this one is sounding quite good, too, in a Nada Surf kind of way. MySpace | CD Baby

"Abilene"-Knit Delicate, Pressed. I've already mentioned this disc, but I want to reiterate that it's really, really good.

"Hallelujah Chorus"-The Nobility, The Mezzanine. I really love this track, and this is another disc I've come to enjoy immensely; think The Decembrists if Colin Meloy could sing and if they didn't go for baroque, or David Grahame if he were less Beatle-obsessed. Formerly known as Jetpack UK. MySpace | CD Baby

"Zzzzz...."-The Twilight, Tempest in a Teapot. It's funny that this came back-to-back with The Nobility, since The Twilight is a very similar indie pop band that has released an irresistible disc. MySpace | CD Baby

"Heart of Stone"-Cyclones, Walk Fast Head Down. After all of those indie poppers, it was a nice change of pace to hear a more straightforward power pop band, and the Cyclones deliver on that score. From 2005. CD Baby | Official Site

eMu sightings!

The new power pop has been coming slow as molasses from eMusic lately, but there are a few additions of note:

Myracle Brah-Can You Hear The Myracle Brah? Andy Bopp is back with his first new disc in three years, and the raves are already coming (although not from me at the moment as I haven't listened yet).

The Safes-Well Well Well. This one came out late last year and has finally made its way to the site - Bruce at Not Lame sez: "Like Cheap Trick doing The Clash. Talk about kicking out the jangle jams! You`ll need to take some aspirin after tuning to this one after all the head-bobbing you`ll do."

The Donnas-Bitchin'. These ladies are now indies after their first two records were with Atlantic, so we get them on eMu. They certainly do rock.

Video (and Re-evalulation) of the Day: The Red Button-Cruel Girl

Stumbled across this video from The Red Button's She's About to Cross My Mind, perhaps the most "popular" power pop album of the year, given the buzz it's received. In fact, it's 2007's Alpacas Orgling; just like that project, this is an expert re-creation of a particular sound (mid-60s britpop vs ELO in the latter case) from power pop songwriting pros (Swirsky/Ruekberg vs Bleu/Sturmer). I didn't write much about the disc when it came out early this year, not because I didn't like it (it's #8 on my top 50 of the first half, and that's probably a bit too low) but because everyone else was raving about it, and I've never been a big fan of "me too" posts. Now that the hype has died down, I've really come to appreciate the disc even more - "Ooh Girl" might be my favorite song of the year, and "Floating By" and "Can't Stop Thinking About Her" might be in my top 10. Ironically (and perhaps another reason why I initially underrated this disc), the most publicized songs from the disc, "Cruel Girl" and the title track, are probably about my 7th and 8th favorite songs on the disc. Which doesn't mean "Cruel Girl" isn't a quality tune, and without further ado, here's the video:



UPDATE: Upon further thought, another possible reason I wasn't eager to jump on the Red Button bandwagon is that I'm not a real big fan of Swirsky's political views. It has nothing to do with his musical output, of course, and I'd never dream of telling him to "shut up and sing" like some of his political allies have done with outspoken musicians on the other side (cf. Dixie Chicks, Bruce Springsteen).

CD of the Day, 9/11/07: Rollo Time-Rollo Time

You've put in a hard day at work. You've finished fixing dinner. You've put the kids to bed. Now, it's Rollo Time.

OK, apologies to the Miller Brewing Co. aside, any time is Rollo Time if you're a fan of classic power pop in the vein of Superdrag, The Shazam, Splitsville and various other bands whose name starts with "S" (even though they start with an "R"). Hailing from the rather depressingly-named Downers Grove, Illinois, the Rollos deliver the kind of disc that rewards power pop fans for waking up each day and asking "what's new and exciting out there?".

Opener "Maintenance Free" is a Superdrag-styled opener that throws in enough left-field touches (i.e., the break at the 2-minute mark with just the lead singer and piano) to make it something more than cookie-cutter stuff. Meanwhile, "Float Down The River" has such an infectious beat and melody that your foot will still be tapping 5 minutes after the song is over. "Travel The World" rocks out with a bit of Cheap Trick attitude, and "Don't", "Cut Me to the Quick" and "Only If You Wanna" make a fine trio of rockers. Closing out the disc on a quality note is the trippy "Moth & Butterfly", which is most definitely NOT a Heart cover.

CD Baby | MySpace

What's playing at AbPow 9/6/07

Time to start a new feature here which might strike some as lame, but what the heck, it's my blog.

I'm going to try to at least once a day (which will probably mean once in a while when I get around to it) list the last 10 songs played on my iPod. Rather than some look into what my favorites are, the way I use my iPod almost exclusively is as thus: I have a 1000-1100 song playlist set on shuffle. This playlist is comprised of 200 tracks picked from my 21000+ song iTunes library at random, with the remaining 800-900 being albums I've added in the last two months or so. The purpose of this exercise is multifold: to give everyone a peek into a sample of my daily listening (to the extent anyone cares), and to bring out comments on discs I'm enjoying but otherwise might not blog about (or that I plan to blog about soon). So without further ado, here are the last 10 tracks that popped up on the pod:

"Instead"-Paul Starling, Ghost Waltz. I grabbed this mp3 off his site or somewhere - don't have the whole album (if someone wants to send it to me, I won't complain). RIYL: The Now People, Nelson Bragg, The Wondermints, Brian Wilson, etc. MySpace

"Outerspace"-The Millions, Disrespectfully Yours. These guys rock hard but very melodically; they're probably about as "heavy" as I'm going to listen to on a regular basis. CD Baby | MySpace

"Believe In Me"-Rooney, Calling The World. These guys are major-label types I usually don't write about, which isn't to say they aren't any good. I've enjoyed several songs from this album, especially the ELO-ish "Don't Come Around Again".

"Nightfall at Electric Park"-Great Lakes Myth Society, Compass Rose Bouquet. I only just added this one to the rotation, so I'm not ready to offer up an informed opinion. Indie pop/rock that sounds quite melodic though - Pitchfork deigned to give it a 6.5. eMusic

"Another Losing Season"-John P. Strohm, Everyday Life.

"Getaway"-Ryan Calhoun, What Are We Doing Here.

"Rollerskaters In The Park"-The Afternoons, Baby, You Know The Deal. Melodic Welsh band whose Rocket Summer was a fine 2005 release. This "new" disc is kind of a combo of Rocket Summer and some other tracks. MySpace

"I've Got Love"-The Twilight, Tempest in a Teapot. A really good indie pop disc that warrants further investigation. CD Baby | MySpace

"Miss You CA"-Dean Owens, Whisky Hearts.

"My Friend Hates Me"-P.Hux, Kiss The Monster. The latest from the Huxster. This is another random mp3 I got off his myspace back before that myspace mp3 thingy was shut down. Again, if he wants to send me a copy, I'll review it. :)

Well, this took a bit longer than I thought it would. But I'll try it again tomorrow.

CD of the Day, 9/5/07: Ari Shine-A Force of One

When an artist who releases an outstanding EP gets ready to unleash his full-length, there are two things I look for: 1) are the songs from the EP on the full-length? (The answer I hope to get is "no", because adding 5-6 new songs is really just releasing another EP, and often when this phenomenon is present, the new songs usually aren't as good), and 2) do the new songs live up to the standard of the EP?, as it's a lot harder to come up with 10-12 decent tracks than 4-5.

Thankfully, the answers here are "no" and "yes", as Ari Shine had one of last year's best EPs (#5 in our year-end list) with Age/Occupation and has now released his debut full-length, A Force of One. The comparison touchstone for Shine has been late 70s-era Elvis Costello (and "Crank It Out!" from the EP would have fit snugly onto Armed Forces, for sure) but it's more 70s Costello with a modern sheen, not unlike say, Eugene Edwards. Also of note is that the disc is produced by Earle Mankey, a former member of the legendary Sparks.

"Cooler than Me" blasts open the disc with its pounding piano and cranked-up guitars, while its lyrical content (guy apparently pushing 30 tries to pick up a 21-year old) seems a cross between "Hey Nineteen" and "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes", making it an unforgettable track. "Most Popular Girl In The World" almost sounds like you'd imagine if you just went off the title (i.e., vintage power pop); "She Wants It (More Than Me) features an insistent guitar riff and a Figgs-like sound, while "Beat U" stakes a different claim to the sound of late 70s new wave (think Cars) with its dominant synths.

Other highlights include the synthtastic "Party People", "Beirut 1978", which reminds me thematically of Don Henley's "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" and ironically may be the least 1978-sounding track on the disc; and "It's a Shame", which betrays a hint of jangle. No sophomore jinx here, that's for sure.

CD Baby | MySpace

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

Now here's a deal.

From now until July 16, The Format is giving away a free download of last year's Dog Problems album at their site. The only catch is that you have to join their mailing list. This is a real treat (no pun intended), as Dog Problems was Absolute Powerpop's #5 album of 2006. So if you've somehow resisted it up until now, there's no longer any excuse to miss out on one great disc.

eMu-palooza!

Been a while since we sent out an eMusic update, and some interesting releases have found their way on to the site:

Deleted Waveform Gatherings-Complicated View. This is a new Rainbow Quartz release from the frontman of the Dipsomaniacs, and Bruce at Not Lame is going wild over this one: "Certainly, in the Top 5 of 2007 for my ears. Classic Rainbow Quartz-styled pop, like Cotton Mather and Myracle Brah with lots of Beatles and touches of The Who and exotic Euro psych flourishes." Haven't had a chance to listen too much to it myself, but it's going straight onto the iPod.

Shane Nicholson-Faith and Science. About a month ago, it fleetingly appeared on the site as an "advance", but disappeared almost as quickly. Hopefully, it's here to stay this time, but I'd get it while I can. If something ever happened to Neil Finn, Nicholson could step right into Crowded House and I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference.

Shake Some Action!-Live at the Crocodile. These Seattle rockers have one of the best releases of 2007, and it might be even better performed live. You can compare and contrast since the studio disc and this live one are both on eMu.

Alex Chilton. A couple of solo Chilton releases have been added to go with the others on the site. There's some great stuff in here, but a lot of crap and weirdness. Proceed at your own risk.

Farrah-Cut Out and Keep. These UK powerpoppers sound more like their Swedish counterparts (Merrymakers anyone?), and their latest release is a must-download, unless you prefer CDs, then it's a must-buy.

CD of the Day, 6/22/07: The Stereotypes-4

Would it be a bit too glib of me to say that The Stereotypes are a stereotypical power pop band? Glib, maybe, but not entirely accurate. This San Diego band's fourth album (yes, the previous ones were titled 1, 2, and 3) isn't purely power pop, but will still appeal to most anyone reading this blog.

The Stereotypes style themselves as "indie", but they definitely fall on the poppier, accessible side of indie music. Opener "All My Life" is a good example of this, sounding a lot like indie darlings Matt Pond PA with its driving, melodic sound. On the other hand, "Love Can Change" would have the hipsters at Pitchfork looking down their noses, as its sunny melody and warm backing vocals make it come off as a slightly heavier-sounding Wondermints tune. "Pink Sand" is hard-driving yet tuneful, but the real standout here is "Our Time", has a great Brit-Pop-by-way-of-Teenage-Fanclub sound complete with a killer melody. "Butterflies" is cut from the same cloth, and is almost as good. Meanwhile "Mansion" reminds me of The Broken West/The Brokedown, and "Happy Ending" is just that. The bottom line: 4 is a very good disc from an overlooked band. And after all, that's why you're here.

CD Baby | MySpace | eMusic

CD of the Day, 6/21/07: Arthur Yoria-Handshake Smiles

Arthur Yoria is back with a full-length release, and if you're not familiar with this Houston-based power popper, you're missing out. His I'll Be Here Awake was one of the top discs of 2003, and last year's EP/Single Something Must Be Wrong featured one of last year's top tracks in the title tune.

Handshake Smiles is another winner, although it's a bit more stripped down than Yoria's previous releases, which isn't unexpected given it was a "bedroom recording". The disc opens with "Should Be", a pretty (and melancholy) number that recalls Jon Brion, while "Clean For Free" follows with an Americana-ish sensibility and wouldn't have been out of place on the new Wilco disc. The title track is vintage jangly pop, and "Love Song In G" is the classic Yoria power pop that we've come to know from his earlier releases. Other highlights include "I Told You Not to Write Again" (power pop complete with banjo!), "Sandy", and the wistful closer "Trash Bag", which evalulates a long-term relationship with an understated beauty, both lyrically and melodically. Handshake Smiles is a triumph for Yoria, who's managed to avoid repeating himself without sacrificing his tunefulness.

CD Baby | MySpace

Another Josh Fields update.

First of all, the disc is currently IN STOCK at CD Baby. Again, for now. Heh.

The more interesting news is that Josh has launched his own myspace page, separate from the March Hares page. And there's a new song on the page, "Bigger Than Life", which is pretty good and of a piece with the songs on the disc.

Also new on the CD Baby page is a bunch of links to various online digital music sellers that are carrying the album; the best deal appears to be Bitmunk, which has it at 65 cents a track. This will likely be the cheapest you can find it until and unless it appears on eMusic.

CD of the Day, 6/13/07: Grand Atlantic-This Is Grand Atlantic

The Aussies have done it again. Much in the way that you knew something on the Not Lame label was going to be great (and in the same way you currently know about Kool Kat releases), the Popboomerang logo on the cover of a disc has become a imprimatur of power pop quality, and This Is Grand Atlantic, the debut disc of Brisbane-based Grand Atlantic is another winner from Down Under. Their style is closest to the Brit-pop of Oasis, with Sloan and Cheap Trick also prominent in their sound.

Grand Atlantic wastes no time in getting down to business here: "Coolite" is all swagger and power pop at its best; the track rocks along with crunchy guitars and handclaps, and lead singer Phil Usher has the classic pop/rock voice. "Smoke and Mirrors", with its "under the radar" refrain that will burrow into your head, is more of the same, while "Chaos Theory" sounds like a Noel Gallagher rewrite of "Rain", which is a good thing. "Wonderful Tragedy" lets them branch out, with strings and horns in the service of a great ballad, and "Nice Guys?" sounds like Teenage Fanclub in one of their more rocking moments. The horns are out again on the 60s-influenced "Burning Brighter", which reminds me of the recent Mellowmen disc, and don't overlook the closer, "Peace Be With You", which sounds like Brian Wilson's attempt at "A Day In The Life".

All in all, it's outstanding and inspired work from these Aussies, and a definite top 20 (if not top 10) contender for 2007.

MySpace | CD Baby | eMusic

CD of the Day, 6/12/07: Frankel-Lullaby For The Passersby

One of the first EPs we featured on the site was Chatterbox, the debut of Frankel (Michael Orendy). It was an impressive debut, filled with a sound not unlike pop maestros like Jon Brion and Elliott Smith. But the key question for anyone who puts out an excellent EP is whether they can sustain that success when it comes time to put out a full-length. Fortunately Orendy has passed his test with flying colors, and Lullaby For The Passersby is more of the same high-quality pop that the Chatterbox portended.

"Thermostat" is a fine opener, in the vein of Smith's Figure Eight album, and "Tooth Decay" might be something that Brian Wilson would have put out today had he come up in the indie rock scene. Meanwhile, "X Marks The Spot" is a fully orchestrated marvel that indicates Orendy's ambitious approach to the album; "New Authority" is an amiable mid-tempo popper with a great melody; "Red Part of Town" is a jaunty, fun-filled number complete with kazoos (!), and "Curtain Calls" is where Smith meets Brion once again. Don't pass this one by.

MySpace | CD Baby

CD of the Day, 6/11/07: Brad Brooks-Spill Collateral Love

And now for something completely different. Brad Brooks stretches the boundaries of power pop with Spill Collateral Love, a tour de force of different pop stylings that share the same level of inspiration. I've seen comparisons of Brooks to a number of different artists, with the consensus being that he's Freddie Mercury meets Guided by Voices. There's certainly an element of that in there, but there are several others that shine through.

For example, the leadoff track "Love On My Sleeve" builds to a Rufus Wainwright via Thom Yorke crescendo that never wears out its welcome over nearly six minutes. "Lathered In Cream" is the closest to straight-ahead power pop, but it adds its own subversive GbV element as well. Other standouts include "The Loon of Altitude" (which starts off as a poppy-California-sounding ditty, only to dissolve into a "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" wall of sound, only to dissolve again into some ragtime piano with unintelligble whispers), "Francis of Alaska" (Freddy & Rufus again), the near-jangle of "The Sonic Twins", and the 40s-style crooning of the finale "Luccurious Latitude". Spill Collateral Love is the power pop equivalent of an art film, and although it my lack the immediate hooks that we normally deal in here, it's worth the effort to explore.

MySpace | CD Baby | Not Lame stream

Not exactly power pop...

...but a great album nonetheless. I'm speaking of Jason Isbell's Sirens of the Ditch, due out July 10 on New West Records. For those not familiar, Isbell until recently was one of three principal singer/songwriters of the great alt-country/southern rock band Drive-By Truckers, and in my opinion was responsible for the true highlights of the three most recent DBT albums. He's an extraordinarily gifted songwriter, both observant in detail and thoughtful in concept. You don't have to be a fan of DBT's genre to appreciate songs like "Outfit", "Danko/Manuel", "Decoration Day" or "Goddamn Lonely Love", and now he gets a full album to himself, of which I've been fortunate enough to have an advance copy.

At this point, I'll direct you to his myspace page, where you can hear three songs off Sirens, but take special note of "Dress Blues", a wonderful and heartbreaking song about a high school buddy of his who went off to Iraq and never came back. "Grown" is another winner, as its basic melodic hook keeps me coming back. Again, it's not power pop (although the disc is less, say Skynyrd-sounding, than DBT), but it's good stuff and I figure I'd drop this comment in before it shows up rather high on my upcoming top 50 of 07 list and some of you might wonder "what the heck is that?".

More good stuff on eMusic.

Some excellent additions to eMu today:

The Rewinds-The Rewinds. This disc landed at #32 on my top 100 from last year, and you can read more about it here.

Wiretree-Bouldin. Back at the end of February when I did my first (and only, to date) list of the best of 07, this one was #2. It should still be pretty high up there when I do my planned top 50 of 2007 for the midyear around the end of this month. The original review is here.

Chris von Sneidern-White Lies. CVS' 1994 release is now available. You generally can't go wrong with him.

The Lodger-Grown-Ups. Excellent new brit-pop band.

New McCartney on eMusic!

Perhaps the biggest criticism aimed at eMusic is that they don't have many "big name" artists available on their site. Of course, that's not something I concern myself much with as I tend to concentrate on independent power pop artists. Nevertheless, it's still a big deal when a big name shows up on eMu, and there can no bigger name than Sir Paul McCartney. His new release, Memory Almost Full, makes it bow on eMusic today, so here's your chance to legally download it for a fraction of what it would cost on iTunes or elsewhere.

How is it? I've listened a couple of times myself, and like most McCartney solo releases, it tends to be a bit inconsistent. Nevertheless there are a few gems in there, and if you'd rather cherry pick, grab "See Your Sunshine", "Only Mama Knows" and "Vintage Clothes".

CD of the Day, 6/5/07: The Zebras-Worry a Lot

If you like the Brit-pop jangle of bands like Teenage Fanclub, The Go-Betweens, The Primary 5 and others, you're going to love Worry a Lot from Brisbane's The Zebras. This largely overlooked 2006 release would definitely have wormed its way onto my Top 100 list had I heard it then, but as they say, better late than never.

There's a fairly uniform consistency throughout this disc, making highlights tough to pick out, but if pressed I'd go with leadoff track "You Look Ready", the title track, and "Patient to the End", which sports a truly lovely melody. The disc is only available as an import outside Australia, but it's worth seeking out.

MySpace (with 3 downloads from the album) | Amazon Marketplace

A couple of more good ones on eMusic.

Just a quick note to point out two new releases of signficance on eMu. The first is The Well-Mannered Look from Zombies of the Stratosphere, which we raved about a few weeks back.

The other is the latest from the Rainbow Quartz factory, The Get Quick's See You In The Crossfire, their followup to 2005's How The Story Goes.

CD of the Day, 5/25/07: Sixty-One-Live Your Dreams

Germany isn't exactly known as a hotbed of power pop in the way that say, Spain or Australia is. But after fine 2006 releases from artists like Monkeeman and Spyderbaby, and this new disc from Arne Herrmann, who goes by the moniker Sixty-One, maybe it's time to reconsider.

Although Herrmann hails from Germany, the sound here is more Swedish, in the vein of poppers like The Merrymakers and (more recently) The Tangerines - mostly mid-tempo, very melodic, a hit of jangle, and earnest-sounding vocals. "It's True" and "Why" are classic examples of this sound, while "We" and "Feel It" bear more of a 60s influence. Other highlights include the ballad "By Now", which does sound a lot like Spyderbaby, and the uptempo "Oneday".

CD Baby | MySpace

eMusic update.

Three new releases of interest:

Nick Lowe-At My Age. It's been a while since Nick Lowe could really be called "power pop", and his latest effort, appropriately titled, is more of the Nick The Crooner we've heard from this decade. Still worth checking out, though.

Shane Nicholson-Faith and Science. The sophomore effort from the Neil Finn soundalike was #43 on our top 100 discs of last year, and that was as an Australia-only import. Apparently it's now getting a deserved US release, and makes its bow on eMusic so the wait is over for those who wanted to get it reasonably priced.

The Holy Fields-The Holy Fields EP. This one is still on the Not Lame front page (as it hasn't been updated in two weeks now), and I can definitely see it on my year-end EP list. "Straight ahead pop power with tasty melodies and hot energy, sweat, sincerity, and a genuine sense of excitement seem to surround every song here" sez Bruce, and I wholeheartedly agree.

UPDATE (5/25): The Shane Nicholson disc is not showing up now on the site. Not sure what the story is.

CD of the Day, 5/23/07: The Well Wishers-How I Won The War

If there's anyone in the power pop community you can count on to consistently deliver the goods, it's Jeff Shelton. From a great run with the Spinning Jennies to his current band, The Well Wishers, you know before evening listening to the album that it's going to be good. And the Well Wishers' latest, How I Won The War, is no exception to this rule; it's more of the Posies-meet-The-Shoes-with-a-modern-twist sound that propelled their previous release, Under The Arrows, to #5 in my best of 2005 list.

However, there is a slightly darker, less sunny feel to this disc, as it draws upon some Smiths/Cure influences, and the unbilled cover of The Chameleons' "Nostalgia" that closes the disc makes the point clear; opener "Grey Skies Black" trades the Wishers' normal jangle for more of an 80s britpop sound as well, yet remains true to their melodic vision. But there are still plenty of what might be called "classic" Well Wishers tracks here as well, especially "Seashells", "I'm In Love (Slight Return)" and "Merilee", and tracks such as "The Optimist" and "It's True What They Say About Girl" up the rock quotient a bit. All in all, Shelton has done a masterful job of making a great Well Wishers record without making a carbon copy of Under The Arrows in the process.

CD Baby | Not Lame (with full stream)

Gimme an "e", gimme an "m".....

More titles at eMusic to get excited about:

The Contrast-Underground Ghosts. The latest (5th album, I think) from these Rainbow Quartz stalwarts, who have become big favorites of Little Steven and his Underground Garage, with their 60s garage-new wave-power pop sound (i.e., the Rainbow Quartz sound).

Brandon Schott-Golden State. If a Joe Pernice-Elliott Smith-Jon Brion hybrid is something you've dreamed about creating in a lab somewhere, put down the smock and grab this disc. This is billed as an "advance" on eMu, with a supposed CD release date of July 31, so you can be the first one on your block to experience its sonic joy.

Peachfuzz-Catch Your Snap. Great archetypal power pop in the vein of The Lolas, Velvet Crush and Splitsville, with the occasional flashes of humor, punk and alternarock.

(Side note to those who subscribe via RSS feed: Sorry I'm driving you crazy with what appear to be multiple posts, but I still haven't gotten into the habit of adding the labels, as I usually tend to realize it within milliseconds after hitting the "Publish" button.)

CD of the Day, 5/17/07: The Sunday Drivers-Tiny Telephone

In my book, Brad Jones is pretty much God. Who is Brad Jones, you ask? Maybe the greatest pop/rock producer working these days. He produced my #1 disc of last year, Bob Evans' Suburban Songbook. He produced my #3 disc of 2005, Josh Rouse's Nashville. He also produced David Mead's Tangerine, and oh yeah, some disc called Kontiki by this band called Cotton Mather. Not to mention his work in the Nashville power pop mafia with Bill Lloyd and others. So when Brad Jones produces a new album, I take notice, and he's lent his considerable talents to Tiny Telephone, the new disc by the Spanish band The Sunday Drivers. And while not another Kontiki or Suburban Songbook, it's a great listen nonetheless.

The operative sound here is mid-tempo roots pop, somewhere in between Evans on Suburban Songbook and Josh Rouse. I also hear some Tom Petty as well as strong similarities to The Latebirds' Radio Insomnia (a Brad Jones album without Brad Jones if there ever was one). Things start off nicely with "Rainbows of Colours", which has a kind of dreamy feel to it (as might be expected from the title) and features a great minute or so instrumental outro that really makes the track. "She" is next, and if there ever was a more obvious lost Josh Rouse track out there, I'm not sure you'd be able to find it (melodically, it reminds me quite a bit of Rouse's best song ever, 1972's "Rise"). "Do It" is the first single off the album, and its driving guitar sound is where the Tom Petty comparisons come in. Other standouts include the languid "Paranoid", the poppy "Sing When You're Happy" (which doesn't wear out its welcome despite being 5:30 long), and the hand-clapping, foot-stomping "Day In Day Out". It hasn't been released in the USA yet (perhaps never, who knows?), but it's a not-terribly-expensive-for-an-import $18 at the Amazon link below.

MySpace | Amazon

And here's a video for "Do It":

Popicana!

OK, that's my none-too-clever word to describe pop-informed Americana/alt-country, but there have been several recent releases that will appeal to those who don't mind their pop a bit countrified. Here they are:

Additional Moog-Thirty Three & a Third. Their CD Baby page touts sound as "Uber-melodic rootsy Americana meets lo-fi rock with a 60's Brit Pop sensibility. Here's what some have said : "...an absolutely BRILLIANT band..." -BBC Radio "...timeless..." -Kerrang. Radio "...gorgeous melodies...a hint of Wilco and The Jayhawks." I endorse these descriptions completely. CD Baby | MySpace

Kurt Hagardorn-Ten Singles. Hagardorn played for Thad Cockrell and Caitlin Cary, so you know that gives him a leg up in my book. Our friends at the Seattle Powerpop blog put it best: "Chock full of tunesmithy goodness, he's got this great roots pop thing happening that seems equally influenced by the Beatles, the Everly Brothers and some of the modern-day alt country folks like The Jayhawks (with perhaps a bit of 90's indie pop a la Portastatic thrown in for good measure)!" Kool Kat | CD Baby | MySpace

OK Jones-Elephantoms. Last year I featured their Push/Pull disc, and now they have a new one out. They've actually abandoned some of their "hardcore" Americana for a more power pop/indie rock sound, and they're the better for it. I love the leadoff track "Electric Bed", and the rest of it ain't bad either. Buy | mp3 of "Electric Bed" | MySpace | eMusic

Storyhill-Storyhill. This Minneapolis duo has been around awhile, and refers to themselves as either a male Indigo Girls or a contemporary Simon & Garfunkel. Either way, it's extremely tuneful & melodic. If you loved 70s duos like Seals & Crofts, England Dan & John Ford Coley, and Loggins & Messina, you'll love these guys (and yes, they put out a 70s duos cover disc of their own). Meanwhile, if you want some power pop linkage, the disc is produced by Semisonic's Dan Wilson. Amazon | MySpace

CD of the Day, 5/14/07: The Krinkles-3: The Mordorlorff Collection

Straight out of Chicago, The Krinkles unleash their brand of high-energy rockin' power pop upon the world with 3: The Mordorlorff Collection (the title and album cover being a spoof of MCA's ubiquitous Millennium Collection series). What you get here is classic Cheap Trick-styled power pop along with a touch of glam and bubblegum thrown in for good measure, making for more than you might expect for this subgenre of power pop.

"Dirty Girl" and "Stay With Me" start off the album, and they're a couple of great rocking tunes that not only call to mind the Trick, but contemporaries such as The Fags and Waltham. "Gimme Gimme" is where the bubblegum influence comes in, with the end result being a sort of Badfinger/Raspberries merger. "Sweet on You" has a more modern power pop sound that reminds me of Myracle Brah, while "I Want You" and "Friday Night" bear a Merseyside/British Invasion influence despite rocking more than their antecedents.

CD Baby | MySpace

CD (EP) of the Day, 5/10/07: Sono Oto-The Apple.

Sono Oto isn't from Japan. In fact, Sono Oto isn't even a person - it's a band from NYC headed by Mark Henry Phillips, and with the Apple EP, he's managed to craft a concept EP about - you guessed it - apples. And when you think of "apple" and pop music, the Beatles immediately spring to mind, which is an appropriate frame of reference as the Apple EP is piano-based pop that's most certainly Beatlesque.

"Granny Smith" (interestingly once the original working title of The Beatles' "Love You To") leads off the disc, and it's flat out catchy-as-hell, kind of like Ben Folds without the snark and with more of an indie-pop orientation. "Empire" is cut from the same cloth (or from the same bunch, I should say), as is "Northern Spy". These three tracks will have your toes tapping. "Malus Domestica". Meanwhile, "Pink Lady" and "Honey Crisp" have a more bluesy, borderline psychedlic sound, and "Malus Domestica" is a straight-out piano ballad.

mp3 of Granny Smith | CD Baby | MySpace