Chris Murphy “Look At This/Remember That”
Chris Murphy comes to us through Michael Carpenter’s Big Radio Records label. I hear a few musical similarities, but Murphy is a musician with his own style. He’s made his name on Australian Idol and has toured as one of Perth’s best known vocalists. Fans of Crowded House will appreciate Murphy’s earnest croon on the opener “Here She Comes.” The follow up “Walking Around In The Dark” has a bouncy tempo and solid melodic chorus that make it a treat.
Then Chris takes it up a notch on “Run and Don’t Look Back” with classic rock riffs and the soulful mid tempo “The Bigger They Are.” Many artists put the “hard” songs alongside the “soft” ballads, but are rarely successful with both styles in equal measure. This is what makes Murphy so special. Blues rocker “Come And Get Me” and the tender duet “Don’t Doubt It” come from opposite sides of the musical spectrum, but are both wonderfully written and performed. Occasionally the album does get formulaic in it’s pop approach (“Your Pretty Little Head”) but it’s better than most bands out there. It ends off with a nice little Beatles cover, “Blackbird” with flute and violin flourishes that enhance the song’s appeal. An impressive debut that pop fans will appreciate.
Bastards of Melody “Hurry Up and Wait”
New Jersey’s Bastards of Melody have followed a mantra of catchy guitar riffs and memorable melodies. The latest album’s vibe is based on the Cheap Trick – Replacements variety of power pop. “Around You” follows this formula perfectly. The Rickenbacker jangle and harmonies are part of “All I Want To Know” and you’ll want to crank up the volume here. “Dream Jeannine” has little psychedelic touches and a Byrds-like chorus. After a few mid tempo songs the band breaks out those high energy riffs again for “Cut and Paste.” Fans of The Spongetones and Smash Palace will appreciate the dreamlike pop texture of “Gateway Center.” My only peeve is that lead singer Paul Crane’s vocals shouldn’t be buried under all those multi-layered riffs (like on the pop punk gem “Unproductive”). With that mentioned the compositions are strong, without a hint of filler. An exemplary album of the genre that shouldn’t be missed.