Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My top 25 of 2024 is due to post January 4, 2025, so stay tuned!
New Reviews: Dislexia, John Faye and Jukebox The Ghost
Dislexia “Snowball” EP
This is an interesting supergroup; Coke Belda forms a union with two great Spanish power pop artists, Pepe Murgadas (Shennon and Lotton) and Roque Esteban (Inquieto Roque). The result is this sweet EP, and the opening harmonies of “Love Is Blind,” give you a Beatlesque gem that hits all the right buttons.
The guitar and vocal approach are suitably aggressive, but a few songs are just beautifully executed demos (“Mister,” “At Least”). I enjoyed the easy-going pysch-pop of “You Were Water” and “Sleeping All The Days.” Overall a very good example of pop craftsmanship, but more hooks are needed to put it over the top. Highly Reccomended.
John Faye “The Long Game”
John Faye (the Caulfields, IKE, John Faye Power Trip, John & Brittany) is back. The title track is a heartfelt ballad, but the catchy “Sell Your Soul as An NFT” would fit perfectly on any of his IKE albums, with its crunching guitars and defiant vocal. He hasn’t lost a step here, as the slowly building “Something Devine” and “Feug Shui” both have great positive energy and lots of cool sonic flourishes. His song “Epidural” is a heartfelt story of parental anguish and the subject of online reputation is the point of “Asking for a Friend.” Faye is one of the few veteran musicians I know who always consistently delivers, and you should pick this LP up. Highly Recommended.
Jukebox The Ghost “Truth” EP
Piano pop trio Jukebox the Ghost has been returns and asks “Would you rather be happy or be right?,” and seems to be a comment on the state of “truth” in our current political reality. The band’s repertoire has always had a predilection for speculating about the end of the world, but here it’s a case of tuning out on “I Feel So Good,” a catchy theme about letting go, and reconnecting with “Friends Again.” Each song is beautifully rendered, “Save a Little Room” is another standout. No filler here, and super highly recommended. A contender for best EP of the year, too.
Discovering Music, Building Connections: The Story of Ckord
How a Chance Encounter Sparked the birth of a Platform
Ckord was born from a single, transformative idea: music and technology should bring people together, not push them apart. This vision took root when founder Darko stumbled into a bar one night and witnessed an incredible band performing live. The energy in the room was electric, but a nagging question lingered in Darko’s mind: “How would anyone know this amazing band was playing here tonight without sheer luck?”
Determined to solve this problem, Darko dove into conversations with musicians, fans, and industry insiders. The answer became clear—there was no easy, accessible way to promote local, lesser-known artists. While household names dominated the spotlight, independent musicians struggled to find their audience.
Thus, Ckord was born. The platform was designed to bridge this gap, making music discovery personal, local, and deeply meaningful. At its core, Ckord connects audiences with underrepresented talent, helping communities celebrate the art that’s right in their own backyard.
Inspiration from AirBnB: Democratizing Live Music
Ckord draws inspiration from companies like Airbnb, which transformed the hospitality industry by connecting travelers to unique experiences while empowering hosts. Similarly, Ckord aims to empower independent artists and venues to thrive without being overshadowed by big industry players.
Like Airbnb encourages people to explore the world beyond their screens, Ckord encourages users to discover and support local music scenes. By shining a light on emerging artists, Ckord is creating a vibrant ecosystem where musicians, venues, and fans can connect and grow together.
What does this mean for me?
Ckord aims to be the ultimate app for discovering live music. Whether users are uncovering a favorite local artist or stepping outside their comfort zones to try something new, Ckord wants to create unforgettable nights out. Empowering independent musicians is also key goal. Ckord envisions a future where artists can earn a living doing what they love—without needing major record labels. Like YouTube transformed video, Ckord wants to redefine live music discovery and sustainability.
Ckord isn’t just about discovering music — it’s about rediscovering the joy of human connection. Check it out!
Minky Starshine and The Heats
Minky Starshine “Boozers Gloom and a Pinch of Anxiety”
Rob Anastasi’s Minky Starshine returns with a long overdue album that starts out with a song about loss of the indie music ecosystem. On the opener “Kids on the Verge” as he opines “Once you get old, you will never be young again” but its got a strong melody set to a mid-tempo beat. Next is “Our Father,” with its catchy chorus, harmonies, and layered guitars. It gets more optimistic with “I Want Tomorrow To Come,” one of my favorites here, a great riff is running the rhythm, and the stadium sized vocals give it a sense of depth.
From here, the album takes a toned down quality. There is more introspective pop balladry, and less rock but the songwriting remains well done, on “Devil’s Bargain” and “Whisper.” The production here is slick, similar to REO Speedwagon if I’m looking for a reference. “Pride” is another impressive song, with the guitars more in the background and the overlapping vocals and thick percussion up front. While to some this may feel more like AOR (adult oriented rock) than power pop, it’s still highly recommended.
The Heats “The Heats”
Eventually, we all get old. It had been 40 years since a Seattle band called The Heats had played, and they were one of the best Northwestern power pop bands back then, part of John Borack’s Greatest Power Pop albums list. In late 2023, the Heats got back together with the intention of recording a new album and doing some limited shows. Jon Memolo (guitar, vocals) joined the band alongside co-founders Steve Pearson (guitar, vocals), Keith Lilly (bass guitar), and Ken Deans (drums). Old or not, here they come.
The opening riffs of “I Hope You’re Wrong” prove the band still has the goods musically, although Pearson’s vocal delivery is an acquired tasted here, a little like Tom Petty mixed with Bob Dylan. The band struts out the melodic rock on “You Know,” and most of this wouldn’t be out of place with artists from Rumbar Records. Other impressive songs include “The Life of The Party” and “She Belongs To Me.” It leans more toward hard rock than power pop, but there is still enough here to satisfy. Jon Memolo’s “You Know” and “Never Be The Same” showcase the bands depth of style and helps make this one highly recommended.
It’s a Hi-Fi Christmas: The Weeklings, The Supernaturals, David Woodard, The Happy Somethings