Category: EP reviews

February Singles and EPs: Midnight Callers, Super 8, Hanemoon, Seely Jurgens Band, Strange Neighbors, The Grip Weeds

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The Midnight Callers have a brand new cool cover of the Bay City Roller hit “Saturday Night.” Hopefully this is a sign the band has a new album coming! FYI- I’m going to claim this next awesome song as my new radio theme for 11L RNI, it’s “Pop Radio” by Super 8 featuring Lisa Mychols. Check it out! Hanemoon is one of those bands on the edge of my radar, pleasant jangle pop with strong emotional resonance. “Easy on the Wildlife”  is worthy listen for sure. Seely Jurgens band has a touch of Bread meets Eagles on “We’ll try.” Next Strange Neighbors continue to dazzle, check out “Influencer,” a guide that I should probably follow to be a better content producer. Finally, The Grip Weeds are back! New psychedelic pop at it’s finest on the 3 song EP ‘Easy Clues’ so play and absorb this until the LP is ready. If you are a newbie to this band check out ‘Infinite Soul: The Best of the Grip Weeds.’




January EPs and more: Hexham Heads, Ramírez Exposure, Tom Henry, C Duncan

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These guys are great. Melbourne musicians Van Walker (Swedish Magazines/Livingstone Daisies) and Mic Hubbard (Spencer P. Jones/Ella Hooper/Downhills Home) created Hexham Heads out of a love of loud guitars and hooky pop melodies. EP expected out soon.

Spain’s Víctor Ramírez did a series of sunny albums with Marc Jonson last year, now he continues the journey with an easy going EP inspired by a poetry collection by Ray Bradbury, as he reflects on the theme of nature and individualism. Check out “I Don’t Get It” and “Beneath the Sun.”
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Tom Henry is a new musician from Los Angeles, born in Chicago. His early works aren’t as distinctive, but this debut single “Bella” of his upcoming album has a great retro-feel, and he’s listed Big Star, and The Raspberries as influences. Play attention to this future power pop star.

Sometimes I toss aside my power pop, and my sappy romantic side comes out. This song caught my ear, as the talented C Duncan  sings the old fashioned pop of “It’s Only A Love Song.” The album of the same name, has some brilliant pop ballads in it. Get it on Amazon

Great December EPs: Wyatt Funderburk, Sweetboy, Super 8, Blend Eleven, Softjaw

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Wyatt Funderburk “Fleeting and Finite” and “Parkside”

Wyatt is comparable to a “5-tool-player” in baseball. Does many things extremely well, from songwriting, playing, singing, producing, etc. He does punk pop to perfection with Kurt Baker, but I can think of very few people who have the skills to pull off a Brian Wilsonesque combination of melody and earnest romantic delivery. He gives us a double EP (one under the name “Hibiki”) Don’t believe me? Listen to “You’ll Know” and you’ll know! Get it on Amazon


Sweetboy “A Day in the Park”

Local NYC indie pop band has some amazing songwriting, check out the title track “A Day in the Park,” “Island” and the epic chorus of “End of The World.” This is a band you should keep your eyes on for future greatness. Get it on Amazon


Super 8 “Goes J Pop”

Sorry if you were expecting Kenshi Yonezu, but Paul “Trip” Ryan (aka Super 8) does a fine job with these Japanese pop covers (including a Beatles cover). Check out “Keep Doing It” with its shamisen accents. Get it on Amazon


Blend Eleven “Deepest Cuts”

This Aussie band with great sound builds everything off the 12-string acoustic strum. A cover of the classic Cat Steven’s “The First Cut is The Deepest” sets the stage, very much in the vocal mold of Extreme’s acoustic gems. And it’s a freebie to try – so pick it up, and listen to the band’s other material. Get it on Amazon

Softjaw “Softjaw”

Deceptively cool vibe on the opener “Pleased With Me” drew me in, as this Long Beach, California band has a perfect power pop approach. “Don’t Go Walkin’ Out On Me” and “Dragging Mt Feet” are pure gems. This is another band that flirts with greatness, as each song hits the mark and it’s a contender for best EP this year. Get it on Amazon

Late Nov singles and EPs: Mt. Misery, Kurt Baker, The Aerovons, Lùlù, Sudden Cuts, Ryan Hendry

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We start our Thanksgiving week, thanking Mt. Misery a Hartlepool, UK band with a sound very much in the vibe of Dropkick (who have a new album dropping next year). The light jangle and comforting melody is just the tip of this iceberg. Next, Kurt Baker returns with some of his “Inner Demons,”  and it’s brilliantly played with a loaded band, featuring faves Wyatt Funderburk and Geoff Palmer. Next, The Aerovons are back! I reviewed the return of this rock curio a few years ago, and lead singer Tom Hartman.This EP is very much in the same space. After that we have power pop crunch courtesy of Lùlù, a French band from Paris, and we hope to hear more from them. California band Sudden Cuts have a dense indie sound, check out “All Over Town” with it’s Replacements guitar vibe, oh and this one is a freebie. Finally we have Ryan Hendry with his energy-filled singles – and I love his instrumental cover of a suite of Genesis tunes, written by the great Tony Banks. Enjoy!




Mid August EPs and singles: Cliff Hillis & Dennis Schocket, The Laissez Fairs, Jamie Turner, Sorry Monks, Scott Roberts, Shake Some Action!

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It is a joy to hear Cliff Hillis and Dennis Schocket play for “fun” and deliver this amazing new EP. Every single song is a gem and deserves a space on your playlist. While summer is still here, check out the retro-fuzz of The Laissez Fairs, “Living in The Summer,” and the song “Idiot Proof.” Speaking of retro-sounding new artists, Jamie Turner has popped out another single “Hum Drum” that sounds like a lost Beatles single from 1968. The bedroom pop of Sorry Monks has been hit or miss for me, but he scores on “Young Man.” Scott Roberts reached out to me with his music, and I enjoyed the Big Star-like “After We Go.” Finally Shake Some Action! gives us another echoing single “Spend Your Days In The Sunshine.” Good advice for the remainder of August.