Mo Troper “Dilettante”
After a daunting Beatles cover album, Mo Troper is back to his bedroom DIY fuzzy melodies and Dilettant is more hit than miss over the course of 28 short snippets. The influences are too numerous to mention but the opener “Total Euphoria” sets up a single hook before its gone, and then the driving guitar of “The Expendables Ride Again,” a rant about how ephemeral the music is, and the reaction “What’s the name of your new band? The one with you and my old friends?”
There are thematic gems sprinkled throughout, with others being simple song sketches. “The Perfect Song” is the goal here, one that “gets stuck in my head all day long.” Some artistic anger on “All My Friends are Venmo,” and plenty of highlights that compare well with GBV; “My Master’s Voice,” “Armpit,” “Better Than Nothing” and “Blake and Lanny.” Like a bag of Halloween candy, you may not eat everything but it sure is sweet.
The Amplifier Heads “Saturnaliens”
Boston rocker Sal Baglio (The Stompers) skillfully continues his journey with his band The Amplifier Heads as they cruise through their third album on Bar Rum Records. Described as “a graphic novel for the ears and head” I just start by giving kudos to the cover design. These UFOs would kick Boston’s ass.
The fine opener “Ghost Star Rider” mines that Western motif in the instrumental, and then the raw garage rock of “Rocket Boys” delivers the first salvo. Loving those riffs on “Earth Girls on the Loose,” and “All Fueled Up,” it almost goes full rockabilly with a hint of punk attitude. “GlamOrama,” “Candi Starr,” and “Bast Shit Crazy” are very Sweet-esque tributes, and the band doesn’t ease up on the gas. All lots of fun, but it can be a bit exhausting by the end of the album. Still more hits than misses here, and definitely highly recommended.