Cupid’s Carnival “Clapham Junction” EP
Cupid’s Carnival wowed us before, and they are back with a much too short EP that gives Beatlesque faves The Weeklings a run for their money. Opening with the Fab-tastic “She Don’t Care,” it will make all those old Beatles fans swoon. From there it gives us several Lennon-styled piano ballads. The sparse “Clapham Junction-Platform 1” is modeled after “Imagine” and the follow-up “Looking For Rainbows” is a little more “Hey Jude,” but these songs are purely original and they definitely resonate.
“Yoko’s Smiling” is another slow tempo ballad, but the production is more layered with some nice slide guitar, organ and percussion. The song is a message of hope and love, about a Lennon fan honoring his idol’s passing. They repeat two tracks here with alternate versions, and it all ends way too soon. Highly Recommended, and btw more, please.
Nick Frater “Something/Nothing?” EP
I reviewed Nick Frater earlier this year and looked through some of his earlier EPs. This one from 2017 had a Rundgren-y looking cover so I gave it a spin. “Sleep It Off” is a sweet piano intro that leads us to a dreamland of melody, with the forceful “Best Intentions” has an echoing verse and a strong chorus that’s more like Elvis Costello than Todd.
Frater excels at making a dreamscape with banjos, floating harmonies and verses in the round for “So The Wind Won’t Blow It Away Part 2.” Another highlight is “Hotel Radio” with its swiftly changing tempos and melody lines. Overall a fine EP with very little filler, and mostly great music. Highly Recommended, and I would check out all his music, as its totally infectious. What makes it even better is that Kool Kat Musik has included two EPs as bonus tracks. And of course, the bonus music is awesome!