The Mommyheads “One Eyed Band”
The Mommyheads are a Brooklyn band with a long history and a unique indie pop sound that revolves around lead singer songwriter Adam Elk and the band members: Dan Fisherman, Jason McNair, Michael Holt and Barry Pollack. Both experimental and meticulous, the album opens up with “Chicken Soup” the most conventional song here, with its extraterrestrial cues. The thought-provoking funk on “Life is A Dream” wanders across different melody lines. The hooks are here, although it may take a few plays to uncover them.
Melodic and angular “Season of Our Sound,” and “One Eyed Man” follows contrasting rhythmic patterns, something Andy Partridge (XTC) was known for as well. The beautiful acoustic melody of “Human Being” is a deep and moving song, I wish it “opened up” to a layered production — but it stays acoustic. The band plays flawlessly here and the melody lines are never predictable. “Junk” is a perfect example of this, as it stitches together a patchwork of classic pop, jazz, folk, and theatrical themes. While not power pop, it is thinking man’s pop. Check it out. You can even download this at a “name-your-price,” so what’s stopping you?
Stephen Clair “Transmissions”
Stephen Clair’s new studio effort is a tightly composed bit of americana rock. The simple instrumentation masks the complex songwriting and distinctive attitude. The influences here are similar to Alex Chilton, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed. Starting with the pensive “Waiting Around” it sets the stage and its a great start. Clair’s storytelling style, evident on “Vegas Sunrise” is akin to Ray Davies (The Kinks), and it also goes into a vintage pop mid-tempo area (“Blue and Red Lines”).
“Cigarette! Cigarette!” and “Naomi’s Phone Is Dead” are easily relatable to an audience that enjoys the music of The Velvet Underground, or Brick by Brick-era Iggy Pop. While not everything works, there is enough here to recommend and you should check it out, as it’s music that deserves to be heard.