The Foreign Films “Ocean Moon (New Songs and Hidden Gems)”
Bill Majoros (aka The Foreign Films) is back after the masterful Record Collector with something a little mellower but no less wonderful. Setting up a nostalgic date circa 1964 on “Dream With Me Tonight” it has echos of early Beach Boys innocence (without sounding anything like them.) The subtle lead and strings of “Katie and the Crystal Hearts” feels bittersweet, reminding me of Kyle Vincent or Jeff Lynne.
The Rickenbacker strums of the title track make it the most impressive and catchiest song in the group, plus its got a lovely harmonic coda. The echoing piano ballad “Down On The Boulevard (Pinball Kid)” is another highlight that paints a dramatic memory with only a few lyrics. Each song resonates and even though the last three tracks are from Record Collector it matches up nicely with the new material. Another bonus is that this a FREE Bandcamp download, so you can try before you buy. Highly Recommended.
Super 8 “Head Sounds”
UK artist Paul Ryan is certainly prolific and unique. He’s got a homespun pop aesthetic and a poppy-hippy charm that can be quiet infectious at times. The opener “Dragonfly” layers several sounds to great effect, creating a nice jam melody before it shifts to an easy-going shuffle asking “If you could only live one day/What would you do?” Very disarming and charming.
Using jangling rhythms very much in the spirit of Elephant Six collective bands, “Love Like Ours” catches you and doesn’t let go. “Sweet Norah” slowly devolves into a psyche-pop jam and really takes off when that bassline begins. “Millionaire” is a funny tune about songwriting gone wrong, and “I Just Wanna Be Me” also moans about the unfairness of the music business. The second half of the album doesn’t quite carry it over the finish line, with covers of “Across The Universe” and “In My Room.” But this is definitely the most engaging Super 8 LP to date and it’s certainly music that deserves to be heard.
