Coke Belda and Professor and The Madman

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coke belda

Coke Belda “9”

Coke Belda, a Valencia, Spain native who settled in Pittsburgh, has been serving up finely tuned power pop since 2013. Across nine albums, he has stayed true to his love of melody, harmony, and polished pop craftsmanship, with The Bee Gees, Jeff Lynne, and The Beatles among his key influences. On this latest release, those influences remain clear, but Belda puts his own smooth, sugary stamp on them.

Coke’s approach is relaxed and smooth, allowing the melodies to take center stage. “Golden Days” gets things off to a strong start with soaring strings and lush harmonies, while “Everyone Needs You” has an almost ethereal quality, built around layered guitars and beautifully stacked vocals. Then there’s “Beach Life,” which positively shimmers. If you’re looking for the perfect song to accompany a honeymoon video, this one practically begs for it.

“The Music Is Waking Up” sounds like a lost Gilbert O’Sullivan song, with its charming piano-led arrangement and lyrical plea for music that retains a human touch in the age of AI. “Velvet Sunrise” features some clever harmonic touches in the chorus, while “World Without Fear” and the jaunty “Keep on Wandering” provide more highlights. There’s no denying this album leans heavily toward the sugary side of pop, and some listeners might find the sweetness a little excessive. For fans of classic pop craftsmanship, lush harmonies, and unabashed melody, this is another winning entry in Coke Belda’s growing catalog. Highly recommended.

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AProfessor and The Madman

Professor and The Madman “Dreamworld”

Alfie Agnew and Sean Elliot came up through the Southern California punk scene, playing in several bands before befriending Rat Scabies of The Damned. When former Eddie & The Hot Rods bassist Paul Gray joined in, Professor and the Madman was born. Their latest concept album is a love letter to mid-’60s psychedelia and pop, complete with the “Revolver”-inspired artwork.

“Dreamworld” opens with simple piano chords before bursting into swirling psychedelia and a “ba ba ba” chorus. “Tolerant World” charges forward on a forceful guitar riff, and “Mental Tape” has a playful, campy quality, with vocal inflections reminiscent of Smash Mouth’s retro lounge style. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, the production is rich and polished without losing the album’s vintage character.

“The Light” delivers strong hooks and a touching lyric about trying to get through a painful time. The Beatles influence is unmistakable on “12 Strings and Tambourines,” which borrows the hypnotic drum-and-bass rhythms of “Tomorrow Never Knows.” My favorite track is “Adams Street,” a perfect blend of dreamy vocals, nostalgia, and memorable guitar. Its lyric, “We’d create fictitious bands/Give them faces, names, and plans,” neatly explains the album’s concept. Professor and the Madman have built their own dreamworld, and it’s a fun place to visit. Highly Recommended.

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Goodbye Summer… Rum Bar Records, Wild Honey. Duncan Maitland, 2nd Grade, Brent Windler, Shampoo

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A short end-of-summer roundup of recommended listening, moving from free samplers to standout singles and ending with a retro EP. It covers two compilation samplers from Rum Bar Records and Wild Honey Records, then singles from Duncan Maitland, Second Grade, and Brent Windler, and closes with Shampoo’s “Five Favorites.”

Rum Bar Records Summer School Sampler, Second Semester is a freebie with 33 songs, featuring Cindy Lawson, the Trash Kickers, High on Stress, and more.Wild Honey Records Sampler is another free collection with 19 tracks, highlighting power pop acts like Radio Days, the Pee Wees, Radioactivity, and Weird Bloom. Next, Duncan Maitland’s “Dummy” a catchy carney narrative after a long absence. Second Grade’s “Cellophane Girls” is also particular memorable standout. Brent Windler’s “Girls of Wild Strawberries” is a pastoral charmer with its jangling rhythm guitar. Finally Shampoo’s “Five Favorites,” an amazing 60’s sunshine-bubblegum retro EP and each song is stylistically different, but I really love “Forgotten Lane.” Enjoy this last weekend of summer sun.

Bleu and Steve Robinson & Ed Wotil

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“Bleu"

Bleu “Sargeant Pepper Grinder”

Bleu McAuley has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, finding mainstream success as a singer, composer, and producer while working with artists including KT Tunstall, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, etc. His commercial work is impressive, but his solo power pop is where Bleu gets to be playful, unpredictable, and completely himself. He also has a knack for creating musical magic when he pairs with a female vocalist, and longtime collaborators Kelly Jones and Carly Paige are both perfectly suited to the job.

On this new concept album, Bleu looks beyond the veil to communicate with his late friend Ducky Carlisle, the Boston-based drummer, recording engineer, and producer who died in October 2023 at age 64. Opening with the voice of his son, Bleu and Mike Gent introduce us to Ducky, his collection of snares, and the other musical treasures scattered around his basement. It all leads into the album’s main single, “Start a Band,” a catchy melody that captures his humor and enthusiasm. “This Song Won’t Sell” offers one of the album’s best examples of tonal whiplash. Dense, loud emo-inspired chords suddenly give way to a quiet verse built around the admission, “I’m not supposed to write slow songs ’cause they don’t sell.” “Where the Colors Bleed,” is another highlight, with Carly Paige in a beautifully balanced duet that confronts Ducky’s eccentricities while coming to terms with a complicated life. Bleu eventually turns the focus toward himself with “Deathbed,” looking back on his own life and closes with the big, bombastic “I’m Not Dead,” a reminder that Bleu still has time to live, create, and find the silver lining. Bleu turns the grief over his friend’s death into something deeply personal without losing his sense of fun. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


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Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil

Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil “Temporary Sun”

North Carolina duo Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil return with another collection of richly textured baroque folk-pop. With able assistance from Dave Gregory (XTC) and Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention,) they hit the ground running with the catchy “I Won’t Let Go.” The layered harmonies and beautifully constructed arrangement make it an immediate standout.

“Outrun the Sun” takes a more reflective turn, telling an intriguing story about confronting the past, with exceptional guitar work adding to its emotional weight. Steve and Ed’s weathered, comforting vocals fit perfectly on “Learn You by Heart,” a song about making the most of the time left in a mature life. There’s plenty of reflection here, but the album isn’t weighed down by it. The hopeful “Perfect Day” and “Squint” provide welcome bursts of optimism.“The Man with the Interrupted Heart” is quirky and fun, chronicling an aging lothario with clever lyrical analogies and a sly sense of humor. The songwriting is strong, and the musicianship is consistently impressive. Highly Recommended.

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Ultra Lights and Jacob Ungerleider

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“Ultra

Ultra Lights “Pleasure’s All Yours”

Atlanta’s Ultra Lights come out swinging on their debut, ‘Pleasure’s All Yours.’ The band delivers a scrappy blast of garage rock and punk pop with the loose, restless energy of the early 2000s. There’s plenty comparisons to The Strokes and Pavement here, but Ultra Lights has their own rough-edged personality. The title track gets things moving immediately, built around an upbeat rhythm, shouted vocals, and a hook that sticks without overstaying its welcome.

“Good Enough” follows with a denser, heavier groove, but “Bad Feeling” really hits the mark. The catchy melody clashes nicely with a darker lyric, summed up by the wonderfully nasty line, “It’s a pretty nice day for a kick in the face.” It’s catchy, menacing, and oddly danceable. “Nostalgia” turns up the guitar attack with a Ramones-like charge, while John Robinson’s delivery of “Watch out, here it comes” gives the chorus an extra jolt. “Diamond Dreams” pushes further into the dense guitar sound, while “What’s Wrong” gets downright snotty, leaning harder into the band’s punk side. The songs are short, loud, and packed with enough authenticity to keep the rough edges intact. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


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Jacob Ungerleider

Jacob Ungerleider “Congratulations”

LA-based Pianist Jacob Ungerleider captivates you with his opening ballad “Congratulations,” a mix of heartbreak and bitterness that recalls a mix of Harry Nilsson and Elliot Smith. He’s an artist who “wears his heart on his sleeve,” and the follow up “Everything You Can” opens up his sound with a lovely pedal steel courtesy of Alan Good Parker. After listening to his demo, Jenn Wasner (Flock of Dimes, Wye Oak) co-produced the album with him and got these very personal songs fully realized.

The reflections of love and loss, like on “Blacksburg” often have bits of humor thrown in like a girlfriend “with a Pomeranian that I pretend to like.” Highlights include the soulful “Letters of Your Name,” a polished ballad with  jazz overtones, “7 Dollar Coffee” with its looks at happy couples around him, and lots of regret on “Where or When.” It would have been interesting to show a few more pop songs like “Everything You Can,” but Jacob stays under that black cloud for most of the album. However if you are in the mood for it, this is melodic melancholy at it’s finest. Check it out.

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New August singles and freebies: Kim McClay, John Larson, Dave Cope, Candybar, Moon Construction Kit, Colin Moulding

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Video Premiere: Back when I had a music festival, Jana Peri was dynamite. Kim McClay is built along the same lines of female empowerment and self-love, resilience, assurance and strength. Check out the tune “Velveteen Girls,” a reflection on being a woman in the music industry. McClay spent years cultivating her work in the live music scene of NYC, and she often blends indie, folk, and rock styles, so check out her new EP “Worth It.” 

Next, the first single is out for John Larson‘s upcoming LP. The song features David Uosikkinen (The Hooters) on drums and Kenny Aaronson (Bob Dylan) on bass. The ever-active Dave Cope has a new EP ready for you, this gentle acoustic selection features the gem “The Moment Night Ends.” After that we have Candybar’s debut EP fronted by the talented Kait Eldridge (Big Eyes) and my fave here is “Love Comes and Goes,” and it’s sweet! Then a freebie from Moon Construction Kit is a dream-like project from Swiss musician Olivier Cornu, who is Brian Wilson influenced. It’s just hypnotic. More goodies to come. Stay tuned!

Finally I’m thrilled to hear something new from Colin Moulding (XTC) –check out the video! His new single  ‘Want It Bad (The Pep Talks and Playing Fields of Old England)’. is available on Burning Shed.