Two for Tuesday, 6/21/11

Dropkick-Time Cuts the Ties. I've been listening to this prolific (9 full-lengths plus a handful of EPs in the last 10 years) Scottish band for several years now, had their records in my top 100 lists, but until now had not featured them on this site. I'm remedying this oversight with their latest, Time Cuts the Ties, as it's emblematic of their body of work and a damn good listen. Dropkick specialize in the melodic pop of bands like Teenage Fanclub and Daniel Wylie-era Cosmic Rough Riders with a touch of alt-country, suffused with Pernice Brothers-like harmonies. The standouts here are "Bad Line", an uptempo number augmented by piano that wouldn't have been out of place on the Pernices' Overcome by Happiness album, the stately power balladry of "Home", and the lovely, waltzing title track. Have a listen below, but set aside some time - once you introduce yourself to them, you're going to want to delve into that deep back catalog.

Official site (with lots of downloads) | iTunes



The Janglemen-5 by The Janglemen. Hey, sometimes the reviews write themselves. In this case, the band name and the title do a great job of summing things up. If you like this NYC band's full-length debut in 2007 or just like jangly power pop, this EP is for you. "Missin' Kissin' Kristen" is worth the price of admission alone, all Rickenbackers and catchy melodies. Also of note is the merseybeat of "XO XO", and the almost Knack-like "Weather Girl". Jangle on!

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

New Wiretree on the way!

Kevin Peroni a/k/a Wiretree has been an AbPow favorite over the years, with 2 full-lengths and an EP placing highly on our year-end lists. So I'm glad to report that Wiretree's latest full-length, Makeup, is due to be released August 1. And as a preview, here's the leadoff track "The Shore", a tight pop song in the Wiretree style:

Monday Roundup.

Let's start the work week off with a couple of old friends here at AbPow.

The Riffbrokers-Every Pilot's Blinded by the Sun. Seattle's Riffbrokers are back with their fifth full-length, and it's more of the same no-nonsense power pop/classic rock that they have become masters at. Their sound is equal parts Tom Petty and The Replacements with a dash of Exile-era Stones thrown in, and the rocking "Better Angels" is the definitive proof of this amalgam. Nick Millward has just the right voice for this style of rock, and his bandmates provide a killer rhythm section. No bad tracks here, but more equal than others are the rocker "Mindset", the soulful "Calling All The Charlatans" and the catchy album closer "Thank You". No, thank you, Riffbrokers, for keeping the rock flame burning.

CD Baby | Bandcamp (free download) | iTunes



The Rationales-The Distance in Between. We last heard from this Boston band a few years ago with their fine EP The Going and the Gone, and here's their equally impressive full-length debut. Once again David Mirabella & Co. straddle the line between power pop and Americana, and if you like bands such as, say, I don't know...The Riffbrokers? you'll love this one. Opener "Real Life" builds from its rootsy verses to an anthemic ending, "Braedon" packs more punch in its sub-2:00 running time than most songs do in 4, and the rocker "Jaded" recalls Being There-era Wilco. And don't miss the chiming, jangly "Tongue Tied", the latest and greatest entry into the fellowship of "summer is over" songs. You won't have to rationalize picking this one up.

CD Baby | Bandcamp | iTunes

Bandcamping it.

More and more artists are using Bandcamp, which allows for full streaming of tracks, downloads (many free or name your price), etc. Here are a few that caught my eye recently:

A free download of Plasticsoul & Brandon Schott covering Big Star? You don't have to drag me screaming to that.



Chris Richards with another vault-clearing collection? Always good stuff if you recall his previous Pathetic History.



Daniel Person is a UK artist whose sound falls somewhere between Elliott Smith, Ryan Adams and Jesse Malin, and he's offering up "Wishing Well", the first single from his new album as a free download. It's a quality tune.



Nick Piunti of The Respectables brought Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms to my attention and I'm certainly glad he did. Some of you may know Allen from his work as frontman of The Friendly Foes, and this is crunchy power pop par excellence. Best part is that most of the songs clock in around 2:15, and the slower ones sound like Paul Westerberg:



Oh, and it's not on Bandcamp, but here's a free download of the new single from Fountains of Wayne, Richie and Ruben.

Two for Thursday, 6/2/11

Phil Angotti-People and Places. In my power pop travels over the last several years, I've seen Phil Angotti's name show up here and there but I never got around to hearing his music. If his newly-released People and Places is indicative of his larger body of work, I've really been missing out. Trading in Beatlesque pop (especially the McCartney strain), Angotti has crafted a pop delight here that will appeal to fans of David Grahame and similar artists and serve as a nice complement to the recently-released Smith & Hayes album. There's quite a lot to like here, from the shuffling opener "My Ol' Records" to the jangly "You Were Right (Probably)" to the exuberant pop of "I'm Yer Man". But what sets this album apart from the typical Beatle pastiche is Angotti's facility with the slower numbers, some of the album's best: "I Guess" is one McCartney probably wishes he wrote, and "Me and Donnie Vee" is a lovely midtempo number in which Angotti reminisces about playing with his longtime friend Donnie Vie from Enuff Z'Nuff. A real treasure, and if you go to the CD Baby link below you can get his thoughts on each of the tracks.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Draz-Blaring in the Stillness. This New York band manages the feat of being indie enough to impress your hipster friends and melodic enough to appeal to power poppers. I was drawn in my opening track "When the City Burns", which seemed to find the middle ground between The Shins and Squeeze, and was happy to stick around for the rest with the standouts being 90s college radio-styled midtempo rocker "Heaven Sent", the Smiths-inspired "One of the Boys", and the fab "Love Letters". These guys know their way around a pop hook (see also the infectious "Astor Place"), and they should find their way into your mp3 or CD player.

CD Baby | Reverb Nation | iTunes

CD of the Day, 5/25/11: Shout With Grass-Will of Man

If you're a big fan of Sloan you know that the Canadian band has four singer/songwriters of nearly equal ability, a key to their greatness. I've always thought they should each release solo albums (maybe simultaneously a la KISS), and among the four my favorite has been keyboardist Jay Ferguson, who seems to write the purest pop songs of the bunch. But until that day comes, the closest thing we're going to get to a Jay Ferguson solo album is the full-length debut of countryman Max Sensini, who records as Shout With Grass.

Will of Man builds on the promise of his 2009 EP And Then Again and is a pop delight. Like Ferguson (whom Sensini also resembles vocally), his songs are piano-based but not overly showy as many other piano-based poppers tend to be. "Hey Bird" opens things in a low-key Lennonesque fashion, reminiscent of "Imagine" or his solo piano version of "Free as a Bird", while "With the Queen" is a bouncy slice of pop that swings to the McCartney side. The lightly orchestrated "Think of Me" is another standout, as is "Walk the Tightrope" a carryover from the EP that earns its encore on the full-length.

The best thing I can say about this disc, though, is the uniformity of quality among its 10 tracks, and it closes as strongly as it finishes with the catchy "Woman", the dreamy "Hole in the Sky" and the majestic title track. Sensini has emerged as a real pop talent here, and if I leave this one off this year's top 20 feel free to shoot me an email reminding me to listen to it again.

CD Baby | MySpace | eMusic | iTunes

Three for Thursday, 5/19/11

Since posting has been light lately, we're going with three for Thursday today instead of the usual two.

John Amadon-Seven Stars. At long last, here is the Elliott Smith album you've all been waiting for and thought you'd never get. Hailing from Smith's hometown of Portland, Oregon, Amadon channels that late singer-songwriter's XO/Figure 8 period, which means things lean to the Beatlesque side of Smith's sound than his earlier, folkier releases. And that's a good thing around here. The standout tracks here are "Let's Talk Without Talking", the soft/heavy dynamic of "All Patched Up" and the lovely "Bitter Tears". A real treat.

CD Baby | Bandcamp

Tim Culling-Goodbye Western Sun. It's hard to pigeonhole singer-songwriter Tim Culling's sound without resorting to generic categories like "adult alternative pop/rock" as he offers up a little bit of pop, a little bit of rock, a little bit of soul and a little bit of alt-country in his sound. It all adds up to a winning mixture on this 7-track EP, led by the outstanding title track, which has an insistent piano hook that will bury itself in your subconscious, "So With That Aside", its bookend, is another brilliant number with an upbeat melody, and in between the Wilco-esque "This Much I Can See" and the bluesy "I Got a Friend" are the highlights. Possibly 2011's top EP to date.

CD Baby | MySpace | eMusic

Khalid Quesada-On the Verge of Context. New Jersey's Khalid Quesada is a singer-songwriter sound who has a way with a pop hook, and he demonstrates that clearly on his debut EP. Coming in somewhere between the aforementioned Elliott Smith and Rivers Cuomo, Quesada is equally at home with both the power pop ("Radio Silence", "Proverbial Knives") and more introspective numbers ("Angel in the Dark", "World Without"). It's all melodic, and has me looking forward to his full-length debut promised for later this year.

CD Baby | MySpace

CD of the Day, 5/12/11: Smith & Hayes-Volume II

Clay Smith and Bill Hayes burst upon the power pop scene in 2007 with Changed by a Song, a classic steeped in the sounds of The Beatles and Jeff Lynne that has to be on the short list of top power pop albums of the previous decade. Four years later, the followup is ready. And while Changed by a Song is a tough act follow, Volume II is a solid, worthy successor.

The main difference this time around is that they go for a more direct Beatlesque sound rather than the Beatles-via-Lynne style on the debut. This becomes apparent right off the bat with "Learning How to Love", which owes a debt to "Instant Karma", but doesn't slavishly imitate that track, offering a wondefully melodic chorus that's all their own. After the ballad "All the Love in the World" comes the midtempo McCartneyesque "All Your Life", which mines Macca's late 60s/early 70s sound. Also a treat is the breezy "Wake Up to Now", which fills the George Harrison change-of-pace role.

The album's standout is the uber-catchy "Turn it Up", a direct Beatle homage that starts off with the line "It was 40 years ago today", and name drops Murray The K and refers to various points in Beatle history. Other highlights include the lovely ballad "Save the Day", the Eastern sounds of "The Road to Bodhicitta", the "Honey Pie"-like "Fab", and the rocker "For a Chance" which draws on "I've Got a Feeling". And in case you were still wondering about the extent of Beatle influence, they throw in a slowed-down cover of "You Won't See Me". Once again, the sheer joy of their love for Beatlesque music shines through, making this a must-have for anyone who loved the first album.

CD Baby | Samples at official site | iTunes

Friday Roundup.

Bryan Estepa-Vessels. Our favorite Aussie this side of Michael Carpenter is back with his third solo album, and Vessels is another mark of excellence for Bryan Estepa. Like his buddy and countryman Carpenter (who helped mix), Estepa has the knack of making pop songs sound easy, and he infuses them with a bit of a country-rock style. The beguiling, laid-back "Won't Let You Down" opens things nicely, and "Hard Habits" draws on The Band. But Estepa is not afraid to tackle purer pop as the bouncy beats and handclaps of "Tongue Tied" and "Alone" will attest. And the soulful ballad "Pull Ourselves Together" might be the prettiest song I've heard this year. Another first-rate effort.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Frozen Relics-Uncovered. A nice EP debut from this Minnesota duo, who feature a straight-ahead power pop sound that's heavy on the hooks. Leadoff track "Beautiful Girl" mines the classic power pop subject matter with a Fountains of Wayne/Weezer flourish, while the peppy pop of "No Second Chances" has almost a Motown-like feel to it. The anthemic "Burnin'" tackles environmental concerns without being too preachy and while giving a nod to short-term concerns. "One Step Closer" is more pleasing power pop, and "Hymn for Our Children" is a quality instrumental number and is backed by their promise to donate $1 from each full album purchase to the Children’s Miracle Network – Gillette Children’s Hospital.

CD Baby | iTunes

CD of the Day, 4/27/11: Supraluxe-The Super Sounds of Supraluxe

Things always get a little sentimental at Absolute Powerpop when Supraluxe is concerned, since they were the first band reviewed on the site and had an impact on the the creation of the site as well, all of which is well-chronicled here if you want to check out the archives. More pertinent to you the reader is the fact they've released their third disc, The Super Sounds of Supraluxe. While their first album was a pop masterpiece, they made their AOR move with the followup, Wake Leave Home Sleep, which had its moments but didn't sound very much like the debut. The message here for those who loved the first album is "come on in, the water's fine" as Super Sounds marks a return to the Elliott Smith meets Brendan Benson sound we've known them for.

Things start off strongly with the gentle "Every Little Piece", which namechecks Fleetwood Mac and has a feel of solo Lindsay Buckingham, and the catchy mid-tempo rocker "Setting Sun". But they really hit their stride with "Lester Bangs", not quite a paean to the legendary rock critic but a celebration of the love of playing music that hews to his spirit. The song may be a bit meta, but it's a gem and captures that "Supraluxe sound" we all came to appreciate on the debut.

There are plenty of other quality tracks here as well: "Go Nowhere" has a loose-limbed vaguely-country vibe that makes it sound like came off Wilco's Summerteeth; "Sunday's Not So Bad", a leftover from the sessions for the debut, has that E.Smith feel, and "New York City's Not Alright" finds them in rock-noir mode. And not to be overlooked are the 70s SoCal-sound homage "Back to the Land" and the strange but lovely "Nail Biter" which runs with its title metaphor and some spry synths. All in all, a welcome return to form for this Minneapolis band and a must for those who fell for the debut.

CD Baby | Bandcamp | iTunes | eMusic

Two for Tuesday, 4/19/11

Steve LaBate-The Dead Art of Letter Writing. Atlantan Steve LaBate is an interesting guy. He's a writer/editor for Paste Magazine, and is best known musically as "Christie Brinkley" in the punk-comedy band Attractive Eighties Women. He goes solo here, and it's apparent his real idol is Paul Westerberg as The Dead Art of Letter Writing might be the best Replacements record to come down the pike since Pleased to Meet Me. 'Mats fans will immediately identify with this record from the opening guitar riff of "Reckless Hearts", which comes right out of Westerberg's "Knockin' on Mine". There's also a Stones influence evident, as well as early Wilco ("Wind-Up Toy" is a cousin to tracks like "Outta Site Outta Mind" and "Monday"). Other standouts include the midtempo "Channel Surfer", the raucous, Clash-like "Cops in Alley", and the "Rocks Off" rock of "Ratskellar". This is power pop/rock 'n' roll for true believers, and LaBate speaks the truth.

CD Baby | iTunes | eMusic

The Genuine Fakes-The Genuine Fakes. The Fakes have been billed as Sweden's Fountains of Wayne, and they do share that American band's brand of effervescent power pop if not their oh-so-clever lyrics and character studies. On their Kool Kat debut (also known as "The Striped Album") they do open things with a FoW touch, a self-titled track which serves as sort of a theme song for the band. From there on out, it's one well-constructed power pop track after another, complete with hooks and melodies galore. The standouts here are "The Promise", "Something New" and "If You Then I", but all of the tracks are of a uniform high quality. The only drawback is that there is a bit of sameness from track to track (even the cover of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" is done in their frenetic power pop fashion), making them the perfect band to put in shuffle mode with your other favorites. As always, Kool Kat is offering up an exclusive bonus disc with the regular disc purchase, so make sure you stop there for a copy.

Kool Kat | Listen at Bandcamp

Catching up with some old friends.

As Absolute Powerpop has been going for five years now, we've built up quite a list of artists that have had music reviewed on the site, and I don't always have time to do full reviews for everything they do in the future. So as a service to those who enjoyed their previous releases, here are some words about new music from some artists we've featured before.

Artist: Bob Collum.
Last Seen on AbPow: October 2009 with Twisted Lines & Mixed Up Rhymes
New release: The New Old Thing (EP).
A few words: This Englishman has always mixed pop with country, and here he leans on the country a bit more. Still quality stuff, though, and fans of his previous work will want to check this one out. The rockin' "Crawford County" is the highlight here.
Links: Buy at official site | MySpace

Artist: Shake Some Action!
Last Seen on AbPow: May 2008 with Sunny Days Ahead, although they released the decent Fire and Ice in the interim.
New release: White Lies and Bloodshot Eyes.
A few words: This is a kind of odds-and-sods collection for James Hall & Co., with a bunch of b-sides, demos, etc. But for the most part it sounds like a cohesive album, and might even be better than the previous proper release. "I Get Tongue Tied" (left off Fire and Ice) and "One Way Ticket" are two great tracks. This is a digital-only release.
Links: iTunes | eMusic | Listen at official site

Artist: Danny Echo
Last Seen on AbPow: March 2009 with his self-titled debut.
New release: Rock Bottoms Up.
A few words: The debut reminded us of Cheap Trick/Oasis, and this one goes one step further into harder rock territory. A fun disc to get your rock on, with the "whoos" of "Your Breaking Down" reminding me of Andrew W.K. and "Better You Than Me" firmly in AC/DC territory.
Links: CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Artist: Jesse Sprinkle
Last Seen on AbPow: January 2009 with Surrounded by Lights.
New release: Streamstory
A few words: This new release runs to the folkier side of Sprinkle's folk/pop but is a must for those who enjoyed his previous work. "Your Touch is Gold" and "In Loving Memory" are the highlights here.
Links: CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Two for Tuesday, 4/12/11

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

CD Baby | Listen at official site | iTunes

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

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

CD of the Day, 4/6/11: Cirrone-Uplands Park Road

In the 90s it was Oasis who took the sound of 60s and 70s rock of The Beatles, the Stones, The Who and others and brought it into the present day. In the 00s it was Jet who found success with this template. And now picking up the torch in the 10s is Italy's Cirrone (originally known as Apple Scruffs), a band of three brothers who are making the old sound new again in what's my favorite discovery of 2011 to date.

The lovely Beatlesque "Here is My Song" announces their arrival, while the title track mixes Oasis-style swagger and Big Star-like guitars and song structure. The quiet/loud dynamic of "I Still Remember" recalls Sloan, and "Let the Wind Blow" melds the McCartney of "Here, There & Everywhere" with the McCartney of "I've Got a Feeling". By about the fifth track rolls around, the Chiltonesque power poppin' "All I Know", you get the feeling these guys can do no wrong.

"Brand New Life" is another impressive piece of work, starting out as a pretty ballad that builds to a rocking 2-minute crescendo of guitar outro, something you don't hear a lot on power pop albums these days. "How Does it Feel?" is a piece of cheerful, "Good Day Sunshine"-styled pop with all the attendant bells and whistles, and "Your Eyes Are Wide Open" has that Lennon-by-way-of-Noel Gallagher feel.

The back half of the disc is no letdown, either, no mean feat in an age when so many discs peter out around this time. "Just Tell Me" is a moody, midtempo rocker that could be the best track on a lot of other albums, and the boys prove proficient at psych-pop with the trippy "You're Not Alone". "Here We Will Go" earns points for being different than the rest, an assertive rocker with some horn help, and "In the Sun" is a "Because"-styled ballad with ethereal harmonies. Again, there isn't anything here you haven't heard before in some form or another, but like the best power pop it makes it all seem fresh again. It'll be criminal if these guys don't find a wider audience like their forebears mentioned at the beginning of this review.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes } eMusic

Midweek Roundup.

Shane Lamb-Better Here. Nashville's Shane Lamb is back with the followup to his excellent 2009 release Disengage, and damned if he didn't come up with another roots-pop gem. There's plenty to like here, starting with the opener "Adrenaline as Medicine", which has a strong Tom Petty vibe. Speaking of Petty, the outstanding title track is reminiscent of "Yer So Bad". "Can't You See" is a driving, pulsing rocker that's still melodic, and "It's True" has a Jayhawks-like pop sheen to it. But the real highlight here is the midtempo "I See Now", in which Lamb's gift for melody and angelic voice combine for a great rootsy pop tune. An easy top ten of 2011 to date.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | eMusic

The Insomniacs-Just Enjoy It! Aside from Detroit, the first place that comes to mind for garage rock is New Jersey, and this Elizabethtown band does their state's tradition proud with Just Enjoy It!. From the cover, you can get a pretty good idea where these guys are coming from, with one backbeat anthem after another. So yeah, you've got catchy rocking numbers like "Yeah Yeah Yeah", the title track, and "Good for Nothing". But they show another side on the jangly "For the Last Time" and the dreamy "Hang in the Air", proving they're not one-dimensional garage rockers. A real breath of fresh air.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Monday Roundup.

Snowbirds-Snowbirds. This Wisconsin four-piece has released what is possibly my favorite debut of 2011 to date, a highly melodic and heartfelt slice of pop-flavored Americana that fans of The Jayhawks, The Autumn Defense, and last year's find Elvyn will immediately want in their music collection. "Current State" has that Big Star meets The Jayhawks sound that hits the sweet spot, and the pensive "Old Wall" is a beauty. Other standouts include the Ryan Adamsesque "First in Line", the honky-tonk rock of "Shakedown" and the Westerbergian "So Long". All in all, an early line favorite for "Popicana" album of the year.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes


The Respectables-3. This Detroit-area band continues to deliver the power pop goods, following up their impressive first two-full lengths featured on this site with a 3-song mini-EP that's all killer and no filler. The real gem here is the third track "B Side", which simply - as it's put these days - owns. It's a rocking track that's truly what power pop is all about, right down to the line "I stole my hooks from a Beatles book". Check out the video below. The other two tracks ain't too shabby either: "Check Your Mind" rocks with abandon and melody, and "Wore Me Out" is a bluesy treat. But meanwhile I'll keep playing the "B Side".

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Party like it's 2006.

New releases from two bands that are back with their first new music since they were reviewed on this site's early days in 2006:

Barnacle Bill-Barnacle Bill. As alluded to above, we first made our acquaintance with this NYC band some five years ago with their excellent debut Towards The Pebbled Shore. In the time that's passed, they show they haven't missed a beat on their self-titled followup. The one-two punch of Yianni Naslas and Stu Klinger alternate tracks again, and fans of Fastball and Fountains of Wayne will want to give this disc a spin. Lots to like here: the "yeah-yeah-yeahs" of "Like You're Supposed To", the midtempo "The Things I've Done", the catchy power pop of "Running Away", and the FoW-esque "nth Street Girl". Let's hope album #3 comes sooner than five years.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Onestop-Labor of Like. We head down the east coast to catch up with Onestop, whose debut Pop Shop owed a lot to the sound of Barenaked Ladies. This time around, they have more of their own pop sound and "Treats Her So Bad" is a rock-solid opener, touching all the power pop bases. "Right Beside You" is another winner that has more in common with a different Canadian band, Sloan. Other standouts include the manic "On Your Mind", the hook-heavy "Out of Touch", and the shuffling "What Went Wrong". A true leap forward from the debut, and a labor you'll like.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Two for Thursday, 3/3/11

Hans Rotenberry & Brad Jones-Mountain Jack. I really fell down on the job here, as I missed this brilliant collaboration that came out last November. Especially as I've gone on record gushing over what a genius Jones is, and I'm a fan of Rotenberry's group The Shazam. Anyway, better late than never, and this is a rare case where the whole exceeds the sum of the parts when two talents get together. This isn't straight up power pop by any means, but a more rustic, laid-back affair that has an early 70s Small Faces/pastoral Kinks vibe. Lots of standout tracks, from the genial opener "Count on Me", the hands-down-best-track-on-the-disc "A Likely Lad", the sounds-like-a-Band-classic "Ain't Gonna Hunt Anyone" and the Stonesish "Greef" (get it? "grief" spelled like "Keef" Richards). There are a lot of things I'd do if I had a time machine, but one of them would be to go back and put this in the top 10 of my Best of 2010 list.

iTunes | eMusic

D.C. Cardwell-Some Hope. Melbourne's D.C. Cardwell is a singer-songwriter that should appeal to fans of Neil Finn and David Grahame, and he has the ability to excel on both the slower, acoustic numbers as well as the up-tempo pop gems. You'll only need to go a few tracks into Some Hope to realize this as the beautiful, gentle opener "I Am Still the Same" and the lovely, spare "Birthday Present" are followed by the catchy power pop of "Peace and Love". Aside from these three, there are plenty of instant classics to go around like the breezy "Way With Words", the harmonica and handclaps of "A Minute of Your Time", and the jangly "Tom is Everybody's Friend". 16 tracks in all here, so it's quality and quantity.

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

New single from David Myhr (ex-Merrymakers)

I plan on resuming normal blogging later today, but I didn't want to wait on this one.

After years of absence from the power pop scene, David Myhr (known to most of you as one-half of legendary power poppers The Merrymakers) has released a new single in advance of his forthcoming album Soundshine titled "Got You Where He Wanted", and it's a gem, the kind of track that reminds you why you're a fan of power pop. Here it is:

Got you where he wanted (.mp3) by davidmyhr

Listen to it here, and download it at the link above.

mp3s and such.

I've been quite busy with work and family obligations the last week, hence the lack of new posts (I haven't even tweeted much). To tide you over, here are a couple of mp3s available for free from longtime favorites with new albums on the way.

First off, Sloan needs no introduction, and their new album The Double Cross comes out in a couple of months. The first single, Chris Murphy's "Follow the Leader", can be downloaded here.

Aussie rockers Grand Atlantic are also set to release their third full-length soon, and they're offering up "Poison to the Vine" as a free download at their special album-centered site.

EP of the Day, 2/18/11: Derby-Madeline.

Portland Oregon's Derby has been a personal favorite going back to their brilliant 2005 debut This is the New You. It was my #1 album of that year (although in retrospect I'd give the nod to Valley Lodge's debut), and made a nice splash in the power pop community. Posters Fade, the followup, didn't quite make the same impact but it still made my top 10 in 2008. Now they've released Madeline, a 4-song digital-only EP that drifts away from the indie-influenced power pop of the debut and more toward some of the darker, moodier sounds that made up Posters Fade.

"Don't Believe in You" opens with some snaky bass lines and rock guitar before frontman Nat Johnson begins a call-and-answer verse with the band. A lot of Derby's appeal apart from the songwriting is tied up in Johnson's voice, which recalls a less breathy Joe Pernice, and it lends Derby's songs extra gravitas. All in all, the track is an effective and interesting rocker, leading into the midtempo title track. This might be the most "Derbyesque" of the four tracks here, a passionate power ballad.

"Creeping Climbing" finds Dave Gulick and Johnson on vocals, and it's another moody and meandering track that will eventually get under your skin, and Gulick goes it alone on the lovely acoustic closer, "One's a Lonely One", reminiscent of Big Star's "I'm in Love With a Girl". It's a fine EP, and if you're a Derbyhead like me, a must-have. The uninitiated should start with This is the New You, however.

CD Baby | iTunes

download "Madeline" at their official site

Two for Tuesday, 2/15/11

Alan Bernhoft-Beatlesque Three. Bernhoft is back with the latest installment in his "Beatlesque" series. The first two primarily mined the early Beatles sound, so he's moved on to the Sgt Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour/White Album era on this batch. The results are engaging, with the McCartney side of things represented with "Sunny Sky", which doesn't have a direct Beatles counterpart, and "Honey Love", which does recall "Honey Pie" with its old-timey opening. Lennon is given voice with "Bored", which draws on "I Am the Walrus" for inspiration, and "Say in Silence", which has a "Dear Prudence" vibe. And is "Chun Li" Bernhoft's answer to Yoko Ono? Finally, no nakedly Beatlesque effort like this is complete without a song titled "Colliding Circles", the name of a supposed long-lost Beatles track. It's all fun, in a Rutles-esque kind of way.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Poplord-Poplord vs The Universe. Also back with a new disc is California's Poplord, whom we last heard from in 2008's Full/Filled. Here they continue with their bright power pop influenced by the likes of Squeeze, XTC, and Elvis Costello. "Flower Bomb" is the kind of clever, catchy track those three artists have been known for, as is "Death", probably the happiest-sounding song to bear that name. "Save the Monkey" is possibly the best thing here, with its wisecracking lyrics, playful synths, and amusing falsetto chorus. It sounds like a lost college radio track from the 80s, back before the hipsters took over. Elsewhere, "Mr. Wesley" has the feel of a Kinks' character sketch, and "CD Closer" serves nicely as a cd closer and a meta-commentary. A fine return, and I for one welcome our new Poplord album.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The "recently played" widget.

I don't know how many of you actually pay any attention to the last.fm "recently played" widget over to the right, but it actually has some use. It updates every few days (after I've sync my iPhone) and usually there will be several tracks from artists that I may never get around to writing about but are worth checking out. After all, if I didn't like their music in the first place, they'd never find their way into my iTunes collection so if you're on the prowl for even more new music, Google anyone who looks unfamiliar. Odds are their discs can be found at CD Baby, and if you decide to buy any of them and want to support this site, add "/from/absolutepowerpop" (without the quotes of course) to the end of the CD Baby address as I belong to their affiliate program.

And while I have the floor, Adrian Bourgeois has a new single out, "Time Can't Fly a Plane", which is just as catchy and melodic as his 2008 debut album. Hopefully this means a new full-length is in the offing.

Links: CD Baby | iTunes

Here's a live version:

Some quick takes.

Brett Mitchell-Falling Apart at the Seams. Mitchell's third album is a great leap forward from his still-fine previous work, buoyed by help from fellow Michigander Andy Reed (a name that should be familiar). This is first-rate singer-songwriter power pop, from the rollicking title track to the insanely catchy "I Used to Think of Her" to the rocking "Dead End Lover" to the clever "You Could Be My Hat". CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Acquiesce-Patiently Waiting. This NYC band takes its name from an Oasis b-side and shares that band's sound as well. Patiently Waiting is their latest EP and all 5 tracks are winners, and aside from the Oasis influence there's some Superdrag and Stereophonics in here as well. CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

David G. Moore-Never the First to Jump. Debut EP from this Massachusetts singer-songwriter will appeal to fans of David Mead, Neil Finn, Jon Brion & the like; "All I Have is Time" is a pop gem, and "Alive" is a driving rocker that will stick in your head. CD Baby | iTunes

Rollo Time-"You Can Tell" and "Sick and Tired". I featured this band's self-titled debut back in 2007, and they're back with a pair of singles from their forthcoming album Victims of the Crown. If you enjoyed the debut, you'll want these, especially considering "Sick and Tired" is currently a free download at CD Baby. iTunes

RIP Gregg Swann.

It's with great sadness I found out that Gregg Swann passed away last week after a four-year bout with colon cancer. A NYC musician, Gregg had my #11 album of 2006, the excellent Everybody's Got to Be Somewhere. I reviewed his album in the infancy of this site, and I remember how nice he was in corresponding with me, even sending along an extra autographed copy of the disc. We'll miss ya, Gregg.

Friday Roundup.

Longplayer-Longplayer. Attention ELO fans: The self-titled debut from the Swedish band Longplayer might be the closest thing to a new ELO album since Bleu's LEO project five years ago. Like LEO, the songs here represent different styles and phases of ELO's sound: "Won't Let You Down" channels ELO's latter-day rockabilly sound a la "Hold on Tight"; "The Messenger" has a little of "Don't Bring Me Down" in it; "Silicone Sue" has their mid-period (New World Record/Out of the Blue) feel; and "Cool Cat Walk" might be a gender-reversed "Evil Woman". While not the classic that Alpacas Orgling was, this is still a lot of fun and a must for fans of Jeff Lynne & Co.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes



Your Gracious Host-Sleepers Awaken. Tom Curless is back with his third disc in a little over two years as Your Gracious Host, serving up more of the indie-flavored power pop we got on the first two discs. The standouts this time around are the Posies-esque "Decision Tonight", the dreamy midtempo "Episode in Contrast", "Surrender Me", which has a Well Wishers/Spinning Jennies vibe, and the Teenage Fanclub-influenced "Reach the Shore". Let's not keep this one a "sleeper".

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

CD of the Day, 1/31/11: Secret Powers-What Every Rose Grower Should Know

Usually I post a review after I've listened to an album over a period of a couple of weeks. However, I was so stoked to see Secret Powers was out with a new album that I decided to experiment and live-tweet a review on Twitter while listening to it for the first time. So here are my initial reactions to their fourth album in four years (the verbatim tweets):

* Holy crap, Secret Powers is out with another album (4th in 4 yrs). First 3 were classics, and digging the first track

* It's called "Generation Ship", sounds like a demented outtake from ELO's Time. Maybe I'll just live-tweet my first listen to the album.

* Next up is "Tarantula", a rollicking 2:16 tune about being afraid of them. It's so catchy I almost want to find a tarantula to sing it to.

* "What Every Rose Grower Should Know", the title track, follows. With most bands this would be a metaphor. Not with these guys.

* Track #4 is "Candy". Straight-up power pop, melodic if unremarkable. Still might be the best song on a lot of other bands' albums.

* Next is "The Desert". I knew these Montana boys had a quasi-Morricone Western in them, complete with Jew's harp and portentous whistling.

* "Crocodile" follows. Unlike "Tarantula", this is not a literal title. Instead, it's a pleasing mid-tempo love song.

* Next track: "I'll Be Home". Solid, if unspectacular, followed by "It Should Have Been Me", a classic SP-sounding track w/fun piano backing.

* "Queen of Bizarre" not as bizarre as its title or some of their other stuff, but another quality tune.

* "In The Way" a decent track, "Blue Thing" is classic Schmed, and closer "My Idea" returns to the ELO motif a la Side 3 of Out of the Blue.

* All in all, sounds like a top 10 contender (albeit a bit front-loaded). Thanks for putting up with my first ever live-tweet album review.

Depending on how many Twitter followers I lose, I might do this again in the future for a disc I'm eagerly anticipating and/or surprised to discover. Here are the usual links:

CD Baby | Facebook | iTunes

Thursday night Link-o-Rama.

I have a bunch of new releases I want to spread the word about but don't have the time or motivation to write about them at length, so I'll just briefly summarize and provide the pertinent links.

The Hard Way-Tell Me When You Can't Breathe. Remember back in 1977 when the Klaatu record came out and people thought it was the Beatles under an assumed name? Well, substitute 2011 for 1977, The Hard Way for Klaatu, and Superdrag for the Beatles and you get the picture here. CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Eric Bay-Pair Shaped. Fine debut EP from this British singer/songwriter who has a McCartneysque flair. Absolutely love the track "Cheer Up". CD Baby | Facebook | iTunes

The Test Dream-Shades of Love. Full-length debut from a band whose EP I featured a couple of years ago (did that lead them to send me a copy of the new one? No, I had to find it on my own. Hmph). Dreamy indie pop that meets the promise of the EP. CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Dan Kibler-Capsule. How ironic that I feature a disc named Capsule in a blog post consisting of capsule reviews? OK, not that ironic. Anyway, Kibler (when not making cookies with elves) is a Pennsylvania guitarist who's played with Parallax Project and has this album produced and engineered by Shoes' Jeff Murphy. And the tunes match the pedigree, so give it a listen. CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Marco Joachim-Hidden Symphonies. When we last visited Marco Joachim, he was releasing Songville at the end of 2007. That disc found Joachim channeling Wilburys-era Bob Dylan; this one finds him switching Wilburys to Jeff Lynne as he's gone for a more ornate and hooky sound. Verdict: it worked. "Those Days" has that late-period ELO sound down and "Things You Do" is bouncy Beatlesque pop. A very pleasant surprise. CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

CD of the Day, 1/24/11: Scott Gagner-Rhapsody in Blonde

San Franciscan Scott Gagner is back, and if the name doesn't ring a bell it might be because he's known to readers of this page as Cartographer, who released an excellent EP right about three years ago. With other acts using the Cartographer moniker, Gagner decide to go with his own name on the full-length and it's a disc anyone would be proud to put their name on. With more room to breathe, Gagner expands his sound on Rhapsody in Blonde to encompass psychedelia, folk/rock and Americana in addition to power pop.

However, it's power pop that grabs you out of the gate here with "I Hate to Say", an effervescent number that adds a bit of that famous Motown bassline into the mix. The quality jangle-pop of "Speak & Spell" follows, and "Laura No. 1" recalls prime Marshall Crenshaw. Elsewhere, "Ride" and "Take Two" are fine rockers with a 70s sheen.

As alluded to, Gagner isn't afraid to change gears. The spare "Right Before My Eyes" is a gorgeous acoustic number, and "Love You More" is almost in Roy Orbison territory with its pedal steel and emotional falsetto chorus. "Houdini" manages the trick of bringing the Pernice Brothers to mind, and "Laura No. 2" is haunting dream-pop. "Golden Mean" is 7 minutes of psychedelia that serves well as an album closer, but Gagner decides to add a coda, a hushed acoustic cover of Guns'n'Roses' "Sweet Child O'Mine" that shows Axl Rose for the folkie he may be at heart.

Rhapsody in Blonde is the work of a real talent and although it's extremely early, Gagner is the leader in the clubhouse for top album of 2011.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The David Bash Best of 2010 Lists, Part 4

And finally here is the top half of David Bash's Top 100 of 2010:

1. Secret Powers-Lies and Fairy Tales (Self-Released
2. Agony Aunts-Greater Miranda (Big Cinnamon)
3. The Royalties-The New Royalties (Music For Records)
4. The Grip Weeds-Strange Change Machine (Rainbow Quartz)
5. Nushu-Hula (Cactus Boy)
6. Jeremy Messersmith-The Reluctant Graveyard (Self-Released)
7. The Above-The Above (Self-Released)
8. The Lovedays-House Of Cards (Self-Released
9. Taylor Locke and The Roughs-Grain & Grape (Self-Released)
10. The Uncoventionals-Flower To The People (Western Songs)
11. Bastards Of Melody-Hurry Up And Wait (FDR)
12. Seth Swirsky-Watercolor Day (Grimble)
13. Fitz and The Tantrums-Pickin’ Up The Pieces (Danger Bird)
14. Laurie Biagini-A Far Out Place (Self-Released)
15. The Len Price 3-Pictures (Wicked Cool)
16. The Mayflowers-Red Balloon (Rooster)
17. Ben Jones-Echobox (Self-Released)
18. Timmy Sean-Sounds From & Inspired By Noisewater (Self-Released)
19. The June-Green Fields And Rain (Rainbow Quartz)
20. Smash Palace-7 (Zip)
21. Moon Safari-Lover’s End (Blomljud)
22. Radio Days-C’est La Vie (Tannen)
23. Oranjuly-Oranjuly (Self-Released)
24. POPFILTER-Pop This! (Self-Released)
25. The Genuine Fakes-The Genuine Fakes (Self-Released)
26. The Offbeat-In Love Field (Self-Released)
27. The Sunchymes-Shifting Sands (Self-Released)
28. The Passports-Is It True (Self-Released)
29. Lucky Soul-A Coming Of Age (Self-Released)
30. Duncan Maitland-Lullabies For The 21st Century (Indigoctagon)
31. Dom Mariani-Rewind and Play (Spider Music)
32. The Like-Release Me (Geffen)
33. The PondHawks-…Have Landed (Self-Released)
34. The Well Wishers-Post Modern Romantic (thatwasmyskull)
35. Farrah-Farrah (Rock Indiana)
36. Maple Mars-Galaxyland (Kool Kat)
37. Bleu-4 (The Major Label)
38. The Ugly Beats-Motor! (Get Hip)
39. The Rubinoos-Automatic Toaster (Self-Released)
40. Elvyn-The Decline (Little Wagon)
41. Taylor Locke & The Roughs-Marathon (Self-Released)
42. The Scruffs-Conquest (Scruffsville)
43. Gavin Guss-Mercury Mine (Obsolete Media)
44. Garfield’s Birthday-More Sense Than Money (Pink Hedgehog)
45. The Shamus Twins-Garden Of Weeds (Shamussongs)
46. The Third Men-Boost (Speed!)
47. The Slingsby Hornets-Something Old…Something New (Expedition Hot Dog)
48. SMASH Fashion-Don’t Pet The Sweaty Things (Electric Pudding)
49. The Posies-Blood/Candy (Ryko)
50. Deadbeat Poets-Circus Town (Pop Detective)

The David Bash Best of 2010 Lists, Part 3

It's now time to get into the main list. Here's the bottom half (51-100) of David Bash's 2010 full-length list. Tomorrow we'll have the top half.

51. The Sails-A Headful Of Stars (Rainbow Quartz)
52. The Young Veins-Take A Vacation (One Haven)
53. John Lindsay-Escape From Plaza Midwood (Chocolate Lab)
54. The School-Loveless Unbeliever (Elefant)
55. Lannie Flowers-Circles (Aaron Ave.)
56. Chris Corney-Sans Everything (White Wall)
57. Huw Jacob-Higher Every Day (Self-Released)
58. Sunrise Highway-Sunrise Highway (Songheads)
59. Geoff Smith-That’s Gravity (Self-Released)
60. The Malibooz-Queen’s English (The Pier Group)
61. Slumberjet-Slumberjet (Broken Lullaby)
62. The Silver Seas-Chateau Revenge! (Self-Released)
63. The New Pornographers-Together (Matador)
64. Paul Collins-King Of Power Pop! (Alive)
65. Matt Purcell & The Blessed Curse-Matt Purcell & The Blessed Curse (Other Tongues)
66. Mark Bacino-Queens English (Dreamcrush)
67. William Duke-…Presents The Sunrise and The Night (Kool Kat)
68. Blake Jones and The Trike Shop-The Underground Garden (Whisper-Ma-Phone)
69. The 88-The 88 (Rocket Science)
70. La Fleur Fatale-Silent Revolution (Killer Cobra)
71. Spygenius-Red Lounge (Whammo)
72. The Hot Rats-Turn Ons (Fat Possum)
73. Michael Pink-Michael Pink (Self-Released)
74. Skeleton Staff-Solipsism (Swizzlestick)
75. The Contrast-God Of Malfunction (Wicked Cool)
76. Zombies Of The Stratosphere-Ordinary People (Self-Released)
77. The Brigadier-The Secret Of No Success (Self-Released)
78. Dino-Fool’s Gold (Holy Cow)
79. The High Dials-Anthems For Doomed Youth (Rainbow Quartz)
80. Teenage Fanclub-Shadows (Self-Released)
81. Buva-Not Scary! Friendly (Hi-Fi In Motion)
82. Chapa-Creation Room (Self-Released)
83. Dave Rave-Live With What You Know (Bongo Beat)
84. The Paparazzi-Rococo (Self-Released)
85. Square Root Of Margaret-WYSIWYG (Marpy Menkle)
86. Joe Adragna-Fall Back (Green Leaves)
87. Steve Barton-Projector (Self-Released)
88. Horizontal Ladies Club-Galloping Into The Western Hemisphere (Songgram)
89. The Jigsaw Seen-Bananas Foster (Vibro-Phonic)
90. Rooney-Eureka (California Dreamin’)
91. The Gurus-Closing Circles (Rainbow Quartz)
92. Neil Nathan-The Distance Calls (Pirate Vinyl)
93. Bad Love Experience-Rainy Days (Mabel)
94. Thousands Millions-Rock Days (Tannen)
95. Casey Curry-Tidal Tales From The Other Side (Self-Released)
96. The Parties-Coast Garde (Rainbow Quartz)
97. Van Duren-Resonance Road (Three Cool Cats)
98. Jen Olive-Warm Robot (Ape House)
99. The Romeo Flynns-Masque Of Anarchy (What’s Left)
100. Susan Hedges-Kiss My Attitude (Self-Released)

The David Bash Best of 2010 Lists, Part 2

Before we start his main top 100 list tomorrow, here are the remainder of his various miscellaneous category lists:

Top Compilations-Single Artists

1. Why Isn’t Chris von Sneidern Famous?-Music Soundtrack From The Feature Film (Mastromonia)

Top 4 Compilations-Various Artists

1. International Pop Overthrow Vol. 13 (Not Lame)
2. Sweet Relief II-Hearts On Fire (Jam)
3. *It’s Happening: Volume 2 (Shindig!)
4. Staring At The Sun Vol. 8-A Compilation Featuring San Diego Music (Blindspot)

Top Christmas Discs

1. Kool Kat Kristmas (Kool Kat)
2. Rockin’ The Mistletoe (SideB)

Favorite Song Of 2010

*The Heath Robinson Five-Don’t Like To Say

Other Reissue Categories

Top 10 Two-Fers, Three-Fers, and Four-Fers: Proper Albums

1. The Guess Who-Wheatfield Soul/Share The Land/Canned Wheat (T-Bird)
2. Amazing Blondel-England/Blondel (BGO)
3. Walter Egan-The Collection: Fundamental Roll/Not Shy/HiFi/The Last Stroll
4. Jet-Jet/Even More Light Than Shade (RPM)
5. Middle Of The Road-Chirpy, Chirpy Cheep Cheep/Acceleration/Drive On (7T’s)
6. The Main Ingredient-Tasteful Soul/Bittersweet (SuperBird)
7. Paper Lace-And Other Bits Of Material/First Edition (7T’s)
8. Honey Cone-Take Me With You/Sweet Replies/Soulful Tapestry/Love, Peace & Soul (Edsel)
9. Clouds-Scrapbook/Up Above Our Heads/Watercolour Days (BGO)
10. The Hondells-Go Little Honda/The Hondells (T-Bird)

Top 20 Compilations, Single Artist

1. The Beatles-1967-1970 (Apple)
2. The Beatles-1962-1966 (Apple)
3. Paul Revere & The Raiders-The Complete Columbia Singles (Collector’s Choice)
4. John Lennon-Gimme Some Truth (EMI/Capitol)
5. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin-Broken Records: The Singles (Broken)
6. The Knickerbockers-One Track Mind: The Garage Pop Sound Of The Knickerbockers (Grapefruit)
7. Sandy Denny & The Strawbs-All Our Own Work: The Complete Sessions Remastered (Witchwood Media)
8. The Jetset-Swings & Roundabouts: The Very Best Of The Jetset (Cherry Red)
9. The Mindbenders-A Groovy Kind Of Love: The Complete LPs & Singles 1966-1968 (RPM)
10. The Poppees-Pop Goes The Anthology (Bomp)
11. Tracey Ullman-More Over Darling: The Complete Stiff Recordings (Salvo)
12. The Drifters-First Loves: The Complete Drifters Singles 1972-1980 (Sony)
13. Bob Dylan-The Best Of The Original Mono Recordings (Sony Legacy)
14. Curved Air-Retrospective Anthology 1978-2008 (Repertoire)
15. Dee Long-1,2,3,5: Longevity Vol. 4 (Bullseye Songs)
16. Dave Berry-Picture Me Gone: The Decca Sessions 1966-1974 (RPM)
17. Carnival Season-Misguided Promise: Carnival Season Complete 1984-89 (Arena Rock)
18. The Chessmen-Collection 1964-1966 (Regenerator)
19. Jackie Lomax-Lost Soul: Lomax Alliance & Solo Singles & Demos 1966-1967 + Badger (RPM)
20. The Goodees-The Complete Goodees Condition Red! (Ace)

Top 20 Compilations, Various Artists

1. Fading Yellow Volume 10-The Better Side: A Collection Of Euro, UK & Australian ‘60s/Early ‘70s Pop/Sike and Other Delights (Flower Machine)
2. Book A Trip: The Psych-Pop Sounds Of Capitol Records (Now Sounds)
3. Piccadilly Sunshine: Part 4-British Pop-Psych and Other Flavours 1967-1969 (Past & Present)
4. Piccadilly Sunshine: Part 3-British Pop-Psych and Other Flavours 1967-1970 (Past & Present)
5. Rockin’ With The Pirates: Big Hits, Classic Tracks & Lost Gems From The Golden Era Of Off-Shore Radio (EMI)
6. A Cellarful Of Motown Volume 4 (Tamla/Motown/Universal)
7. Come And Get It: The Best Of Apple Records (Apple/EMI)
8. Fairytales Can Come True Volume 5-Steppin’ Through An Empty Time: 20 Slices Of British & European Pop-Psych Confections (Psychic Circle)
9. P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri-You Baby: Words And Music By P.F. Sloan & Steve Barri (Ace)
10. Lovers From The Sky: Pop Psych Sounds From The Apple Era 1968-1971 (RPM)
11. Mixed Up Minds: Obscure Rock and Pop From The British Isles 1970-1973 (Past & Present)
12. Hey Beach Girls!: Female Surf ‘N’ Drag 1961-1966 (Ace)
13. With Love A Pot Of Flowers: The Wild Flower Harbinger Complex Euphoria The Other Side (Big Beat)
14. Do You Dream?-UK Pop and Psychedelia 1965-1970 From The Angel Air Catalogue (Angel Air)
15. That Driving Beat-‘60s & ‘70s Northern Soul Stompers (Harmless)
16. Lee Hazlewood-Califia: The Songs Of Lee Hazlewood (Ace)
17. Bless You California: More Early Songs Of Randy Newman (Ace)
18. Open Up Your Mind-The Psych Pop World Of Rembrandt Records 1966-1967 (Cicadelic)
19. You Heard It Here First!-Volume 2 (Ace)
20. Looking Towards The Sky: Progressive, Psychedelic & Folk Rock From The Ember Vaults (Fantastic Voyage)

Top 10 Box Sets: Single Artist

1. Sandy Denny-The Complete Studio Recordings (Universal)
2. Rick Nelson-The Last Time Around 1970-1982 (Bear Family)
3. John Lennon-Signature Box (Capitol)
4. Bruce Springsteen-The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story (Columbia)
5. Caravan-The World Is Yours: The Anthology 1968-1976 (Decca)
6. Camel-Rainbow’s End: An Anthology 1973-1985 (Universal)
7. Syl Johnson-Complete Mythology (Numero Uno)
8. The Fourmyula-The Complete Fourmyula (EMI New Zealand)
9. The Who-Live At Leeds: 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition (Polydor)
10. The La’s-Callin’ All (Universal/Polydor)

Top 5 Box Sets: Various Artists

1. The Apple Records Box Set (Apple/EMI)
2. A Complete Introduction To Tamla Motown (Motown Universal)
3. A Complete Introduction To Chess (Universal)
4. Cave Of Clear Light-The Pye and Dawn Records Underground Trip 1967-1975 (Esoteric)
5. The Perfumed Garden: 82 Rare Flowerings From The British Underground 1965-73 (Past & Present)

The David Bash Best of 2010 Lists, Part 1

For the third year running, Absolute Powerpop is proud to present the year-end lists of the inestimable David Bash, Mr. International Pop Overthrow. As usual, not only does David have a top 100 and top EP list, he has lists for compilations, reissues, etc. Today we'll start with the reissues and work our way to the main list proper. There's so much to check into with these lists (even on my end) that it's best not to unveil them all at once. So without further ado, here are his comprehensive Best of 2010 Reissues lists:

------------------
Reissue Categories

There are still some reissues I haven't heard which would probably make the list, but there's only so much time and $$.ok, mainly $$; I'll always somehow find the time. J

I. Top 50 Proper Albums

1. The Monkees-The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees: Deluxe Edition (Rhino Handmade)
2. Jan & Dean-Carnival Of Sound (Rhino)
3. Paul McCartney & Wings-Band On The Run: Deluxe Edition w/book (MPL)
4. The Association-Birthday: Deluxe Mono Edition (Now Sounds)
5. Badfinger-Magic Christian Music (Apple/EMI)
6. Tages-Studio (RPM)
7. The Jam-Sound Affects: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/Universal)
8. Sorrows-Bad Times, Good Times (Bomp)
9. Jammë-Jammë (Now Sounds)
10. The Monkees-Head: Deluxe Edition (Rhino Handmade)
11. The Rubettes-Where It’s ‘At (7T’s)
12. Badfinger-Straight Up (Apple/EMI)
13. Chris Rainbow-White Trails (Vivid Sound)
14. Gary Lewis-Listen! (Now Sounds)
15. Clifford T. Ward-Mantle Pieces (Cherry Red)
16. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin-As Far As Dreams Can Go (Broken)
17. Supertramp-Breakfast In America: Deluxe Edition (A&M/Universal)
18. Tommy James & The Shondells-I Think We’re Alone Now (Collector’s Choice)
19. R.E.M.-Fables Of The Reconstruction: Deluxe Edition (Capitol)
20. The 13th Floor Elevators-The Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators (Charly)
21. Katrina and The Waves-Katrina and The Waves (CGB)
22. Badfinger-No Dice (Apple/EMI)
23. Twinn Connexion-Twinn Connexion (Now Sounds)
24. Nick Heyward-North Of A Miracle: Deluxe Edition (Cherry Red)
25. The Cowsills-On My Side (Now Sounds)
26. Dexy’s Midnight Runners-Searching For The Young Soul Rebels: 30th Anniversary Special Edition (EMI)
27. Clifford T. Ward-Escalator (Cherry Red)
28. Barnaby Bye-Room To Grow (Wounded Bird)
29. Mandy More-But That Is Me (Sunbeam)
30. Squire-Get Smart! (Vivid Sound)
31. The Jackson Five-Looking Through The Windows (Motown/Universal)
32. Nervous Rex-Nervous Rex (Renaissance)
33. The Holy Mackerel-The Holy Mackerel: Deluxe Expanded Edition (Now Sounds)
34. Skip Bifferty-Skip Bifferty (Grapefruit)
35. The Jackson Five-Skywriter (Motown/Universal)
36. Aphrodite’s Child-End Of The World (Esoteric)
37. Paul Williams-Someday Man (Now Sounds)
38. John Lennon & Yoko Ono-Stripped Down (Capitol)
39. Four O’Clock Balloon-Four O’Clock Balloon (Killer Music Group)
40. The Alan Bown-The Alan Bown (Esoteric)
41. Nick Garrie-The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Elefant)
42. Carl Wilson-Youngblood (Iconoclassic)
43. Rick Springfield-Wait For Night (Wounded Bird)
44. David Bowie-David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (Deram)
45. The Candymen-The Candymen (Darby Pop)
46. The Guess Who-Artificial Paradise (Iconoclassic)
47. Katrina and The Waves-2 (CGB)
48. Aphrodite’s Child-It’s Five O’Clock (Esoteric)
49. The Tradwinds-Excursions (Rev-ola)
50. The Pretty Things-Parachute (Snapper Music)

Two for Tuesday, 1/11/11

Wild Bores-Welldone and Charred. John Whildin continues to maintain an almost Robert Pollard-like level of prolificacy with his third full-lenghth (on top of an EP) in approximately three years as Wild Bores. It's more of the fine power pop we've come to love on the previous releases, with maybe a bit more of a rock edge. In fact, the Pollard comparison applies to the music as well as "Expect Me Now" has a Guided by Voices feel to it, while "Biology" has hooks galore to go with its start/stop guitar riffage. Other standouts include the 80s-inspired "Forward is Backwards", the bright pop of "Freake" and the Matthew Sweet-like "All Fall Down". Never a Bore, Whildin has proved he's good for 10-12 fine tracks a year.

CD Baby | MySpace | Listen at official site

Marc Danzeisen-Released. LA's Marc Danzeisen has been an accomplish studio drummer for a couple of decades now, and has been at the fringes of the power pop scene in the band Powerslide and as a solo act with 2004's Absorbent. He's back now with Released, a late entry onto my 2010 top 100 list which deserves more than a mere year-end listing. Danzeisen is reminiscent most of Rob Bonfiglio as he brings a "professional" power pop sound to the proceedings. "No Me Without You" has the sheen of a classic power ballad, "See Yourself" recalls Cliff Hillis-era Ike, and "Love Till it Hurts" boasts mood and atmosphere in addition to melody. And "'68 Chevelle" is just plain fun, a rework of a Powerslide tune that captures the near-universal male lament of why one's woman can't be as reliable as his car. A pleasant surprise, and Absorbent is worth a listen as well.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Monday roundup.

To kick off 2011, here are a pair of Northeast bands who aren't into soft pop or Popicana, but good old fashioned guitar-heavy rockin' power pop:

Watts-On the Dial. The boys from Boston named after the legendary Stones drummer are back with another set of kick-ass yet melodically rich tunes. Songs like the title track, "Chaperone" and "Afterburn" are begging to be turned up to 11, and the boogie-rock of "Dancehall Days & Nights" brings to mind a Northern version of Terry Anderson & The OAK Team. You're not going to find any sensitive ballads here, and the closer "Sweethearts of the Radio" is most definitely not a Byrds homage. Instead, to paraphrase their namesake's frontman, it's only rock 'n' roll, and I like it.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Readymade Breakup-Readymade Breakup. It doesn't get more rock 'n' roll than Asbury Park, New Jersey, which is from where Readymade Breakup hails. Their third album is a must for those who loved their first two, and uninitiated will want to check in here. It rocks harder, as opener "Inside All Along" proves, and "Waiting for You" might be radio-friendly enough to grab some market share from the likes of Jimmy Eat World. The kinetic "Good Things" is another standout, and "Not Through With You Yet" is a quiet, fetching ballad. And "Erased" is an excellent Stones/Crowes-type closer with depth.

Buy & Listen at Bandcamp