Rich Chance and The Voltz

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“Rich

Rich Chance “Robot Spider Zombie Dog”

The story of Rich Chance, for me starts 15 years ago. The great Dave Bundy, a long time friend and editor of the Lincoln Journal Star in Nebraska turned me on to this talented composer of film and musical theatre. The demo I heard was amazing and I lobbied for him to release it. But things went quiet with Rich, and life moved on. But now he’s stepping into the spotlight.

“Dizzy” opens with sharp horns and synths, very much like Thomas Dolby and the catchy chorus has a great “funky baseline, and just a little sizzle.” It’s a self referencing bit of fun that he does again on “Darjeeling.” Chance doesn’t take himself too seriously and it’s all loose jazz-influenced quirkiness. “Pantomime” is a short highlight here, with strings and building to a strong verse. It would’ve been nice to have it grow more, but it’s gone quickly. “Angelina” is a slow grower, but it crosses that finish line, akin to Ben Folds. “La, La, La” and “Schlong” show his skill with theatrical showtunes, but he excels on “Azalea Close,” using all the bells and whistles here and it’s the albums biggest highlight. “Joker Like Me” is another good tune, and overall you get a unique mix of influences. Highly recommended.

Amazon

“The

The Voltz “New Times Like Old Times”

UK rockers The Voltz churn out some energetic guitar pop on the opener “Saturday” which seems to pay homage to Davey Johnstone (Elton John). Following that we get “Starlight,” a glam influenced tune, and Richie Badger’s lead vocal feels both intimate and grandiose. “Glitter Bomb” is a little too close to it’s namesake influence but it remains entertaining. The guitar work is impressive throughout the album.

I enjoyed “American Eagle” but my favorite song is the Sweet-like “Fire Up Indigo.” With its big hooks and riffs in the chorus it’s the standout track here. If there is a criticism, it is that The Voltz sometimes focus so much on its influences that it runs the risk of overpowering the band’s distinctive strengths. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of glam rock, or just someone looking for an album brimming with heart and style, Voltz’s latest offering is worth your time.

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IPO Vol. 25 and thoughts on David Bash’s Top 25 of 2024

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“Ed

Assorted Artists “International Pop Overthrow: Volume 25”

With a lot of personal issues getting in the way, and cleaning up my yearly music list, most of January is comparing and contrasting with other sources for good stuff I missed. New 2025 reviews after this post, I promise!  This year many artists from both our lists are included, but also bands you wouldn’t expect across Vol. 25’s three discs.

Disc One adds heavier pop rock gems like Armchair Oracles “Undertow” and Dixon’s “Into the Ocean,” along with more traditional power pop sounds like Dave Cope & the Sass “Precious Heart” and The Pozers “Ease Off My Heart.” You’ll always end up some odd tracks here and there, but quality is generally good. New artists I enjoyed include Curtis Suburban and Mark Malibu & the Wasagas.

Disc Two had more 60s-influenced elements starting with Fox Paloma’s “Madame Bay” and Captain Easychord’s “Happy Times.” But I really loved the mix here with great pop songs like Bruce Moody’s “I’m Gonna Tell Her Tonight” and the jaunty XTC-ish “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Stoke Barehills Town Band. Add in the heavy fast-tempo gem of Vegas With Randolph’s “N.S.A.” and you’ve got a great playlist. You even got a great Who-like Spanish tune by Jose Estragos.

Disc Three had more great tunes, and surprises like Michael Roberts “We Are Stars (In a Roundabout Way)” and 80’s power pop of Iron City Houserockers playing “Rock and Roll Heart.” The last disc had less I liked overall, but I enjoyed Matt Purcell and thick riffs of The Deep Drags. Overall highly recommended as always!

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David Bash of The International Pop Overthrow Festival and Mark Hershberger of Pop Detective Records

Watching Material Issues with David Bash of The International Pop Overthrow Festival and Mark Hershberger of Pop Detective Records, they reviewed David’s TOP 25 albums of 2024. Here are some comments I need to mention, as we had some overlaps. But more importantly, some great releases did not show up on my list that deserve a mention:

Sparkle*Jets U.K.”Box Of Letters”

Truly a great album that belongs in my top ten, but I mistakenly thought it was a cover album and miscatagorized it. It deserves much more attention as it is a successful reunion of the band sounding better than ever, and with multiple listens it improves. Don’t hesitate to pick this gem up. Review here. Buy it on Amazon.

Telejet “Spiritual Age”

While this was number one on Dave’s list, a few things knocked it off my list for 2024. Firstly, its a remaster of music from 2004, so it’s not “new.” In addition, the remaster was officially released in 2023. That said, it is an excellent album and deserves to be in every power pop fan’s collection. Review here. Buy it on Amazon.


Armchair Oracles “Nothingeveris”

This also ended up as a 2023 release, but coming out so late in the year, it did not receive the attention it deserved. Overall a great power pop album with guitar muscle to spare. Another gem that aged well after multiple listens. Oh, and the band has already moved on to an Americana themed album. Review Here. Buy it on Amazon.

Notable Misses of 2024: Phil Thornalley, Chime School, John Davis

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Every year I miss some really good music. These all came out in 2024 and are highly recommended.


““Phil

Phil Thornalley “Holly Would”

With Phil Thornalley, I was genuinely negligent. Phil’s songs can satisfy your longing for Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and The Traveling Willburys. His songs are looser and more free-form on this album, and his sound pallet remains diverse. Starting with the suite “Holly Would,” its like bonus song from the Xanadu soundtrack. From the bouncy “The Golden Age” to the catchy “Drive Baby Drive,” each is gem hits the mark. Check it out!
Amazon

“Chime

Chime School “The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel”

This San Francisco jangle pop reminded me of Mt. Misery, but this its a lot closer to REM and Teenage Fanclub. Just check out the chiming brilliance of “Why Don’t You Come Out Tonight?” and “Another Way Home.” Lead singer Andy Pastalaniec is a great songwriter, and band is very tight. Plenty of highlights here; “Wandering Song,” “(I Hater) The Summer Sun” and “Points of Light.” Another overlooked gem.
Amazon

“Josh

John Davis “JINX”

John Davis never stopped making music long after Superdrag called it quits. And his solo work has been consistently good, from pop, blues, and heavy rock. He has been able to experiment with new styles since leaving the band, but he never loses sight of what makes a great song. Opening with chugging chords of “The Future,” to the gritty “Please Be My Love” its sure to please Superdrag fans. His maturing vocal isn’t as soaring as was ten years ago, but he’s still got the goods – just check out “Already Drowned” and “Indifferent Stars” to see what’s so great. Deserves repeat listens for sure.
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The Power Popaholic Top 25 EPs of 2024

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While reflecting changes in technology and distribution, today’s EPs are vital tools for musicians. Back in the old days, 45s usually had one song on the A-side, usually a hit or lead single, and a supplementary tune on the B-side. Conversely, EPs often feature three to nine songs, providing a more complete view of an artist’s work free from the dedication of a full album. Because of their increasing use, I included more EPs in this year’s list. Additionally, this style is advantageous for the many “rookies” out there. Like my albums list, many bands have those melodic and catchy elements rather than being strictly “power pop.” Enjoy!

  1. Softjaw “Softjaw”
  2. The Second Season “Undertow”
  3. The Junior League “Nattering Nabobs”
  4. Shake Some Action! “Trip to Yesterday”
  5. Paul Crane and the Overend Watts “Halfway Home”
  6. The Genuine Fakes “Extended Play Vol. 1”
  7. Peter Freebairn “Silhouettes & Cigarettes”
  8. Big Bad Bobby and the Shoe Horns “Like That, But Louder”
  9. Wyatt Funderburk “Fleeting and Finite”
  10. Wifey “Just a Tease”
  11. Gramercy Arms “The Making Of The Making Of”
  12. Sad About Girls “Sad to Go”
  13. Jordan Jones “And I, You”
  14. The Dynamo Hymn “The Dynamo Hymn”
  15. Daz & The Demons “8 songs”
  16. The Drywall Heels “Today’s Top Hits Playlist”
  17. Big City “Full Service”
  18. Classic Traffic “Turn It Up”
  19. The Leb Trip “Rising High”
  20. The Sunchymes “In the Back of Your Mind”
  21. Secret Molecules “High Tide”
  22. Sweetboy “A Day in The Park”
  23. Housewives “Home At Last”
  24. The Fuzzy Berries “Goji”
  25. Peter Hall “What Are You Waiting For?”

Car Tunes: A quick drive off the beaten path

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Car Tunes

I been doing radio shows on 11L-RNI for several years now, and I created a series of 30 minute “Car Tunes” pre-shows for host John P. Lightning. These are blocks of songs about cars, driving, and the open road. They start with the early 1960’s hot rod era and move into the later decades, and today with a few surprises along the way. Tons of popular artists featured. If you ever liked a car song, it’s probably here. Stream them and share!



I embeded the first 2 volumes, but there are 7 volumes so far. Visit my MixCloud page to hear the rest!