Category: EP reviews

Free Music Tuesday: Gleeson, Ghost to Go and Hector & The Leaves

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I got a late start to the week, but the goodies are here, and all this music is available as name-your-price, or free download from Bandcamp:

Gleeson is out of Austin, Texas this band has been quietly toiling away for over 3 years on this massive 22 song album. Lead singer Ty Chandler gives us a great multi-faceted approach, “Pro Tool” is similar to Sloan, “Queen of Boulevards” channels ELO strings with a Fountains of Wayne. They prove to be adept at alt. country with “Out Of My Mind,”similar to The Jayhawks.  “Meanwhile Back At Home” shifts around like a Jackdaw4 or Bryan Scary song. They even cover Guided By Voices'”Smothered In Hugs” and Big Star’s “Blue Moon.”

They are all over the map stylistically and prove they can do it all. The bottom line is that each song is melodically sound and demands repeat listening. It makes my top ten list this year, so you have no excuse not to get this and spread the word. You can also get it from CD Baby, if you wish to donate $9.99


Ghost to Go is a Brooklyn based garage pop band, and they approach “Icy” with the same gusto as Jet’s fave “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” Influences include The Rolling Stones and The Replacements.


Hector and The Leaves gives us some great power pop, starting with the catchy “Problems” its the kind of debut that gets noticed. “Goodbye” has those  light harmonies that float above the guitar and piano. Fans of Elliott Smith, The Beach Boys and Paul McCartney will just love this. One of my favorite EPs this year. It will make my top ten too!

Free Music Monday: The Kavanaghs, Salt III, The Kimballs, Dot Dash

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The Kavanaghs “Need A Pity Day” EP
FREE 2013 EP includes the single “Need A Pity Day”, from the critically acclaimed Love Conquers Pain album, plus 3 unreleased tracks that were going to be part of the album but were not included on the final version.

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Salt III “Salt III”
A collaboration of American Michael Zwecker (The Poster Boy) to sit down with Russian Oleg “Toof” Zubkov (Kollaps) to hammer out a new pact under the guidance of Hungarian diplomats Zoltan Kovary (The Trousers) and Imre Poniklo (amber smith). Stockpile these tunes, they are awesome!

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The Kimballs
The Kimballs are Tom Burns (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion) and Michael Mark (drums, percussion, vocals.) The indie rock duo grew up in suburban Colonia, New Jersey, where they met as drummers in their high school marching band. They have been recording and performing together for over a decade. Earlier releases available on CD Baby.

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Dot Dash
The new album Half Remembered Dream comes from this ever improving, ever impressive band in a few weeks. As a personal favor, they are letting you have their first song “(Here’s to) The Ghosts of The Past” for FREE. Get it and look forward to the rest. So far the band is on track for an album each year. If you want to hear last years release, check this one out.

Summer Goodies from Shake Some Action and more!

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Shake Some Action “Wait For The Summer”
You know I almost never review singles, BUT once in a while an exception is made and this song is so good I had to spread it around to all of you.  Fresh off of  Full Fathom Five, James Hall has this kick ass single, that’s only a buck and essential summer listening!

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Jose Casas y la Pistola de Papá “Canciones de Kilómetro Cero”
For the Spanish power pop lovers, Jose Casas gives us nice little EP full of power pop covers in español. The EP begins a big way with “Cielo”, an appropriation of the “Heaven” by The Psychedelic Furs,  and continues with the awesome “No Quiero Ilusionarme, ” a bright and luminous adaptation of a song by The Red Button. La Pistola de Papa also do a tribute to Jason Falkner (The Three O’Clock and Jellyfish), transforming “Miss Understanding” into “Que Parezca un Accidente.”

Best of all, es gratis, sin dinero necesario!

London Egg and The Silver Liners

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London Egg “If It Takes Forever”
After a pretty retro-flavored debut, London Egg switches gears slightly to add more modern influences. Starting out with a dedication to INXS singer Michael Hutchence, “On Fire” has charging riffs and lead singer Egg channels Mick Jagger with his bluesy snarl.”Touching Eternity” is a little 90’s styled pop-rock gem with a nice shift in chords during the melody.

Production is hugely improved thanks to The Grip Weeds, Kurt Reil. “And Address It To Me” adds an updated Beatles style to the mix with some great harmonies. The jarring “Dance Of Life” is a strange mix of styles; Dylan, Stones and The Grip Weeds. The variety of stylistic approaches may appeal to some, but I found the band succeeds with the pure guitar power pop of “You Get What You Give,” but not with the psyche-lite “Gun.” Fortunately, most of the album is driven by those powerful riffs and simpler rockers like “Our Luv Dance” and the title track. The band has to strike a delicate balance and it accomplishes this on “Boy Do I Remember” reminiscent of  The Small Faces (as if they did Sgt. Peppers). Highly Recommended.

Amazon | CD Baby

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The Silver Liners “Bliss”
The Silver Liners have moved away from guitar based rock of its debut towards a more synth based alternative pop. After hearing “Criminal,” it has more in common with Coldplay than anything else. The vocals are overly smoothed and the echoing stadium style is more something I would hear in my gym than listen to at home.

“Scars” attempts to add the deep drum beat similar to Depeche Mode, it still has a chorus buried amongst the heavy gloss with a female vocal also in the mix. All this tells me is that the band has “sold out” and is pandering to major label “taste-makers.” Not bad for what it is, but it vanishes in a sea of other top 40 electronica pop acts.

Amazon | Artist Website

Spider72 and Son of Skooshny

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Spider72 “Seven”
Neo-Psychedelic musician Simon Berry is the force behind pop band Beaulieu Porch and Spider72, so for those of you looking to tune in and trip out, you can’t get much better. “Fathermother” oozes sugary pop goodness on par with Olivia Tremor Control or The Pillbugs and each track following gets groovier. “Devolution” sports a layered riff with multiple vocals hitting each region of the speaker. Simon’s vocal isn’t the strongest, a bit too twee with a touch of Lennon but the melodies and guitar rhythms carry each tune. Taken from a variety of influences with lush production, some real standouts include “Thursday Night Revival” which adds a touch of The Who, and the Pepper-ism “It’s Good To Be Bad.” Occasionally the dense composing gets too thick (“Salavador’s Friends”) but if you love 60’s psyche-pop this is a “must buy.”

Bandcamp only

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Son of Skooshny “Mid Cent Mod” EP
Skooshny frontman Mark Breyer with producer–collaborator Steve Reflingby returns with a damn fine example of roots oriented pop. Starting with the REM meets Elms like “Dizzy” it displays a memorable melody with a full rich sound. The title track “Mid Century Modern” has a touch of that SoCal sound that flows beautifully from one verse to another and the slow deliberate jangle on “Sorry” is an ineffectual plea “three strikes you’re out… I’m no good at apologies.” Each tune tells a vivid story,  the production is flawless and that’s about all you need here. I just wish Mark picked a better band name. Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Amazon | CD Baby