Philadelphia musician Peter Gill (aka 2nd Grade) just has a knack for effortless melody and alt. rock fuzz that makes ‘Scheduled Explosions’ his most accessible collection of ADD power pop. With 23 songs it’s always been hit or miss, but very much like Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices) Gill has a high batting average here.
“Live from Missile Command” is a great catchy start that ends just as we’re taking off. The fanboy dreams of “Uncontrollably Cool” and bounce of “Fashion Disease” are a great pair of tunes. Other favorites include the distorted love notes of “Joan on Ice,” hand-clapped “Instant Nostalgia” and mellow rockers “Made Up My Own Mind” and “Evil Things.” In between the songs are experiments with studio tape defects like “Crybaby Semiconductor,” or the muffled beautiful mess of “All About You.” Similar in technique to Mo Troper, it feels like he has a really great song at first and then goes out of his way to bury it in harsh lo-fi production. Despite this, the melodies shine through, making it repeatable and highly recommended.
Andrew Weiss, a singer-songwriter, feels a kinship to the West coast rock sound from the ‘70s as he revels in confessional moments and emotional storytelling. “Summer of ’68” is a great example of speaking about the past while comparing it to today, “Why does it feel like nothing’s changing?” he asks. Some real gems make the cut here like “He Must Be High On Something,” with its great slide guitar flourishes. He also channels a little early Paul Simon on “We’re Trying To Have a Society Here!”
The biographical “Rockin’ it Since ’83” and “Emergency Contact” are neat little scenarios, but many songs have a tendency to blend into each other without much variety. While it might feel a bit self indulgent, Andrew gets some good vibes going and you may like it. Check it out.
Likely one of the best power pop artists we have today, Nick Piunti has consistently produced excellent music for well over ten years. In his third album with his band, The Complicated Men, he continues his run of great tunes, but with more variety of tone and style without compromising his unique sound. In terms of lyrics, each and every one of his songs is deeply personal and biographical in subject matter.
The openers “Seasick” and “Bottle it” are some of Piunti’s finest ear worms, about the songwriting process. The melodies and power chords “may be something you’ve seen before,” as he sings but they are super catchy and do the job. “Mind Reader” is another gem that effortlessly clicks. Two songs were created by guitarist Joe Daksiewicz. One of them “I’m Ready” has a slower mesmerizing tempo and Nick’s vocal brings it life. Joe also does many of the solos on the album. The remaining Complicated Men are bassist Jeff Hupp, keyboardist Kevin Darnall, and drummer Ron Vensko. Like all of Nick’s work, it’s a great listen from top to bottom. Highly Recommended and definitely on this year’s top ten list.
Another veteran band, The Armoires are back with Octoberland, their fifth full-length album, and a great mix of eclectic rock styles wrapped in a distinct sound.”We Absolutely Mean It,” is a densely packed melody highlighted by strings and the multi-tracked verses singing “This is where we go big.”
Christina Bulbenko’s singing on “This One is For The Swedes” and “Ridley & Me After the Apocalypse” are highlights, and includes lots of interesting pop textures with the synths and guitar rhythms. Rex Broome lends his vocals on the contemplative “Here Comes the Song,” and the choral harmonies are added to his lead on “You Oughta be Cut in Half,” which lends itself to comparisons to The Cowsills. A creative narrative about Ukraine is sung on “Snake Island Thirteen,” a lovely pop confection comparing soldiers to ancient Greeks fighting monsters. The mellow “Music & Animals” is another satisfying melody, but not everything here works as well. However, there are enough good songs to make it recommended, especially if you enjoy the Armoire sound.