Author: powerpopaholic

Mike Daly & The Planets and Vinius

powerpopaholic
Mike Daly

Mike Daly & The Planets “All It Takes Is One”

Mike Daly plays an unapologetic rock that comes out of the realization that “punk rock fantasies” are long over and playing into middle age offers its own personal rewards. And while Daly’s vocal approach brings to mind Bob Mould mixed with Steven Page and Chris Stamey, he’s clearly comfortable in his own skin.

Staring with “Slack” its heavy power chords punctuate each verse of him “Polishing my Grammys that I’ll never win.”  The great guitar riffs open “Come Along” and leads to a head-bopping chorus about an old rock and roll fan’s life. “Find The Pleasure” is another standout and “Nonsense” has a little Lou Reed styled lyric. while not everything hits the mark, Daly has enough goodies here to keep you coming back for more listens. As an added bonus, this album is a name-your-price download. Highly Recommended.

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Vinius

Vinius “Heart and Bladder”

Vinius is the alter-ego of San Francisco-based TV/film composer Devin Farney. His influences stick to piano-based indie pop with cinematic and orchestral elements. Opening with “The Blame Game” it’s like a combination of Ben Folds and Andrew Gold with a slowly rising verse and a great chorus. His soft vocal fits the rich orchestration and moody atmospherics on “Caricature of Characters” and synth ballad “Probably Not Going To Happen.”

While many tracks have their moments, they don’t always tie into a compelling hook or chorus. The lush mid-tempo “How Much Would It Take” is another demonstration of Farney’s skill and ability to build an emotional melody. Some tracks are wonderful piano sketches, like “If You Ever” and the rousing chord progressions of “Offerings” with its whimsical tuba line. Overall a fine debut that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | CD Baby

Weezer and KiDD

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Weezer

Weezer “Black Album”

Weezer had been pegged as one of the last commercially successful power pop bands, but Rivers Cuomo is not one to play it safe. As fast as he rediscovered his power-pop roots on  Everything Will Be All Right in the End and The White Album, he has drifted into distractions with an album of cover tunes (The Teal Album) and with The Black Album, he’s once again pushing against his fan base. Cuomo just wants to get your attention, even if it pisses you off. So if you’re expecting another “Pork and Beans” skip this one.

But interestingly enough, the album is pretty decent.  The lead track, “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” is classic pop songwriting with some faux Spanish flavoring, the chorus “Hasta luego, Adios” will stick in your brain for days.  The highlight here is the earnest “High As a Kite” whose video is a parody of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.  A few additional standouts include “Piece of Cake,” “Byzantine,” and the T-Rex influenced “The Prince Who Wanted Everything.” But you will suffer through electro-dance pop like “California Snow” and “Living In L.A.” Hardcore fans will definitely want to get this, but others will feel better with the earlier material.

Amazon

KiDD

KiDD “Chance Weekend”

Scottish bedroom-pop singer-songwriter KiDD is back. As part of several bands (The Wellgreen and Doctor Cosmo’s Tape Lab), he’s had a distinctive Nilsson meets Kinks influence on past works. With Chance Weekend, he gets more organic and sober with the downbeat opener “A Picture I Don’t Want To Paint.” He gets a little more optimistic on “Little One” and “Forget Me Not” with its soft-shoe beat, kazoo, and banjo accompaniment.

KiDD still has an eye toward simple compelling melodies, from the gentle folk tune “Tomorrow Sky” or the acoustic “Crazy George” with a myriad of effects against a sparse chorus. The catchy “Like A Bullet” sounds like an early Paul Simon hit, and another standout is the psyche-pop gem “Where Have They Gone.” In some respects, it feels like a collection of demos — but occasionally we get some gold. Check it out!

Amazon

Holiday Ghosts and La Fille

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Holiday Ghosts

Holiday Ghosts “West Bay Playroom”

Falmouth, UK band is a wonderful amalgam of The Clash and The Modern Lovers, with a youthful energy that recalls a primitive rock ’n’ roll sound. Originally starting out as a solo project from Sam Stacpoole, the band evolved into a partnership with Katja Rackin. The opener “Low Flying Bird” you’ll hear the Strummer-like shout, “wee-hoo” backing vocal and catchy guitar riffs. I was sold right away and then Katja adds her touch to “Thinking of You” with its infectious rhythm.

The songs are mostly short and sweet, and the playing style is loose and fun. The traditional rock style of “B.S. Porche” and “Cobra” wouldn’t be out of place alongside The Kingsman’s “Louie, Louie” from 1963. The band gets creative on the catchy “Stuck Here” and “Take Heed.” It’s like having an old soda shop jukebox in your playlist. Check it out!

 

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La Fille

La Fille “Alright Already”

La Fille (pronounced la-fee) is a Seattle band whose music has been described as indie-rock and power-pop. Frontman Jay Louis met drummer Joe Oakes via a Craigslist and then added Tom
Moskal on bass and Jackson Fahey on lead guitar. The bands’ sound reminded me of those Elephant Six bands of the early aughts (for example, Apples in Stereo) but with a connection to today’s modern pop.

The opener “Letting Go” boasts powerful chords on with Jay’s honest vocal and self-deprecating lyrics. “I’m Movin’ On” is a laid-back punk track, with a thick drum beat, and it follows with the slow tempo of “Everyday Feels Like I’m Getting Older.” Jay explains “This song reflects on past anxieties and realizations that came at a turning point in my life. It’s a recognition of my new perspective and how I want to move forward and stop wasting time.” We do get some dance-pop with “Skyline,” but the guitar punches through on the title track and then “Piff” boasts a great bassline. It does flirt with some slowcore/shoegaze heaviness at times but as a whole, this is a compelling album. It definitely deserves to be heard!

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The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness and Braddock Station Garrison

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The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness

The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness “Dead Calm”

International collaborations strike again! TBWTPN are Andrew Taylor (Dropkick) and Gonzalo Marcos (El Palacio de Linares).  Named after a song by The Feelies, and recorded in first takes in a couple of evenings between Madrid and Edinburgh, Taylor and Marcos hit gold here. Filled with jangling Rickenbackers and warm melodies, it feels like a melding of Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, and Elliot Smith.

The opening song (named after the band) has that Big Star progression and killer chorus that sets the table perfectly. Each song takes a mellow approach with crisp orderly compositions, “Close The Doors” is a great example of that dreamy jangle pop that sticks in your head. There is enough variety in the songwriting to keep things fresh through all ten tracks, and most of the songs are upbeat. Andrew’s soft vocal harmonies and his acoustic guitar standout as precise pop on “Start it again” without the need for overt folk or rock elements. The title track ends the album and echoes the opening melody. Amazing music that makes my best of 2019 list for best power pop this year. Super Highly Recommended.
power pop

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Braddock Station Garrison

Braddock Station Garrison “American Radio”

Do they have college radio bands anymore? Washington, DC band Braddock Station Garrison has a touch of Americana added to their fantastic rock sound. They are following in the footsteps of those 90’s college radio bands (The Connells, The Bats, Buffalo Tom) all while sounding modern and engaging.

Opening with “Blockbuster” its got a solid hook, along with a jangling rhythm and its a quick standout. The Stones-like “Travellin’ Bible Salesman” is a nice simple rocker. “Small Town Scene” and “When You Say” speed up the tempo and drum beat, but the vocals are a little like The Black Crows with its talky approach. The band also gets jammy on “Border Run.” It keeps up this approach, and if you loved the bands mentioned above it definitely deserves to be heard.
power pop

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Vanilla and The Paisley Underground

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Vanilla

Vanilla “Mystik Knights of Tacoma”

Vanilla is an indie-pop band from the US Pacific Northwest. Featuring Jayson Jarmon (Liar’s Club), Sean Gaffney, Dana Sims (Witchburn, The Jet City Fix), and Kord Taylor. You’ll hear a more varied list of influences than previous albums. We open with the surf guitar instrumental “March of The Mystik Knights” and then we get the superb “On A Night Like This” full of pop melodicism, organ and a chorus stickier than freshly chewed gum. Carl Funk supplies the vibrato-heavy vocals on “Save Me,” and then we get to the psyche-pop goodness of “Sweetshop” full of harmonies and wicked guitar riffs.

Another notable fact is the lead vocals change with each song, from Kirk Adams to Regan Lane (and a long list in between). It’s nice to hear an updated hard rock cover the Small Faces’ “Itchycoo Park” and the retro-composition “Man of The Moment” sung by Jordani Sarreal, sounds like a lost James Bond movie theme. While the multiple styles and instrumentation make for fun listening, it can be jarring track-to-track. It does fit the theme of musicians being part of a delusional fraternity whose days are numbered as “Be Not Coy” lyrics tell us “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Your time is almost past.” Highly Recommended.

Amazon


Pasiely Underground

The Bangles, The Three O’Clock, The Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade “3×4”

In the mid-80s, several bands from the Los Angeles-area formed the core of a power pop offshoot movement, commonly known as the Paisley Underground. These bands incorporated psychedelia, rich vocal harmonies and strong guitar riffs, part homage to 1960s groups such as The Byrds, The Doors and Bee Gees. Coined by Michael Quercio of the band The Three O’Clock, the movement stood to defy that era’s punk/new wave pop. The top bands of this sub-genre were; The Rain Parade, The Dream Syndicate, The Three O’ Clock and The Bangles.

Well 35 years later, The Three O’Clock reformed in 2013 and in December of that year we saw a reunion of all four bands for two nights in L.A. and San Francisco. These artists were part of a special clique and grew up together, so they honored each other by covering each other’s songs. Four bands covering three songs each (as it is titled). The album’s covers are played in a laid back fashion, and while they don’t surpass the originals, they pleasantly remind you how good these songs are. If you are a fan of any of these bands, it will definitely rekindle your interest in the era (and the originals). For the uninitiated, this is a solid album giving you a crash course in the Paisley sound. Check it out!

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