Category: EP reviews

The Power Popaholic Top 25 EPs of 2021

powerpopaholic

The EP has become the format of choice for many bands opting to leave the Long Player format for good.  Even Roger Joesph Manning Jr. (Lickerish Quartet, Jellyfish) has made it known for a while that his LP days are over and done when it comes to new music. My list of EPs is extensive this year, and to qualify your EP had to be anywhere from three to nine songs. Only two songs are considered a single (A/B side) and ten or more is an LP by my definition. Like the LPs, my cup runneth over with choices this year.

  1. The Hard Way “New to You”
  2. Roller Disco Combo “The Sun After The Rain”
  3. Bryan Estepa “Back to The Middle”
  4. The Lickerish Quartet “Threesome, Vol. 2”
  5. David Myhr “And Now This”
  6. BPM Collective “Catastrophe Girl”
  7. Chirs Church “Triple Play Single”
  8. Everet Almond’s Greeting From Anton
  9. The Feeders – Kerchoo
  10. Richard Turgeon “Campfire Songs”
  11. Nolan Potter “Music Is Dead”
  12. The Pre-Amps “Four by Four”
  13. The Poppermost “A Piece of The Poppermost”
  14. The Dowling Poole “The Trump Chronicles”
  15. The Blendours “Go On Vacation”
  16. Believe it, It’s Easy “Believe it, It’s Easy” 
  17. Daryl Bean “Mr. Strangelove”
  18. Rich Williams “Ordinary Person”
  19. David Woodard “Butterfly Effect”
  20. Sandy McKnight and Fernando Perdomo “San Fernando Blitz”
  21. The Listening Post “Sad Babbles”
  22. Beachwood Sparks “Sandbox Sessions”
  23. Alex Dominish “Small Batch (Shandy)”
  24. The Cheap Cassettes “See Her In Action!”
  25. The Checkered Hearts “Joystick”

November EPs and Singles: Shake Some Action!, The Thin Cherries, repeat repeat, Orbis Max, Adam Marsland, John Myrtle, Eggs On Mars, Clockwise

powerpopaholic

We start our November selection with the welcome return of Shake Some Action‘s “Break It Down,” it’s a slow-burning hook that sticks in your head quickly. The Thin Cherries are a Chicago band with a little more alt. rock feel, and the jangle band *repeat repeat gives a freebie that’s pretty cool with a nice beat. However, the best freebie of this month is the work of Orbis Max; as he collaborates with some of my favorite artists like Danny Wilkerson, Lannie Flowers, Ed Ryan, Lisa Mychols, and more. Adam Marsland has remixed and remastered his final album, The Owl and The Full Moon, and Beach Boys fans will want to soak that in. UK singer-songwriter John Myrtle has that retro-pop vibe with a great ballad “Get Her Off My Mind,” check out the entire LP for more. Kansas City’s Eggs on Mars serves up a smooth EP that boasts Midwestern charm and hooks, and Toronto’s Claude Kent (aka Clockwise) delivers an EP that reminds me of early Joe Jackson, full of sweet pop hooks.







October EPs: Bryan Estepa, Four By Four, The Small Breed, Kurt Baker, Drew Beskin and more

powerpopaholic

Great new music – Bryan Estepa teased us with the single “Back To The Middle” and now the entire EP is here, and it’s all killer, no filler – tasty bittersweet pop. The Pre-Amps of Madrid, Spain bring the bright pop with harmonies and horns on “Four By Four,” its classic Byrds/Beatles influences played to perfection. But if you really want to go retro, check out The Small Breed in the tradition of New Colony Six. Meanwhile, Kurt Baker is back from Spain and has been releasing a group of singles (which together make a great EP) that proves he hasn’t lost his power-pop chops. Drew Beskin released a terrific LP this past summer, and now he’s got some excellent Halloween singles too. Speaking of October, it leads to a great freebie – Rum Bar Records newest sampler. Like Halloween candy, it’s sweet, crunchy, and maybe has a razor blade hidden in it 😜 .








More September Singles and EPs: The Amplifier Heads, Shake Some Action!, The Nobility, The Cheap Cassettes, Alex Dominish, Richard Turgeon, On The Runway, Meyverlin

powerpopaholic

September isn’t over yet, and neither are the new singles and EPs from great power pop artists. The Amplifier Heads signed with Rum Bar Records and  Sal “Shag 72” Baglio (The Stompers & The Peppermint Kicks) rocks out with this new Glamtastic single “SaturmalienS”. It’s also so nice to hear Shake Some Action! again and “Break It Down” mixes psych-pop and jangling rhythms to perfection. Nashville’s The Nobility gives us “The Sweetest Sound” and it is indeed a great tune — let’s hear more of this! With the end of the season, The Cheap Cassettes make it official with the slow R&B rocker “Endless Summer Ends.”

A few EPs here are also worth a download; Richard Turgeon gets reflective with a series of Campfire Songs. The buzzing anthem of “Be Who You Really Want To Be” and “Line of Sight (Tahoe Song)” recall classic-era REM. Memphis-based On The Runway is a new band created by Randy Norris and John “Boz” Boswell (Crash into June) with help from Neilson Hubbard, and Will Kimbrough. The easy-going mood of “This Charade,” and “Stuck On You” lifts you up and sticks with you. Alex Dominish is the guitarist for the Showboat Branson Belle (Branson, Missouri) and he’s got a bouncy, poppy sound guaranteed to put a smile on your face; be it first romance (“Rockin’ Steady”) or first job (“Desk Job”). Finally, a video from the upcoming band Meyverlin is here. The LP is out next month, they have a distinct ’80s influence, fans of the Cure will like this one.








Summer Singles and EPs: D.A. Stern, Kerosene Stars, Everet Almond, The Amplifier Heads, Gentle Hen, B.U.D., The Maladaptive Solution, Cult Stars from Mars, You Filthy Dog, Daryl Bean

powerpopaholic

And the flood of summer music just washes over you… This is the biggest haul in a long time, as bands are releasing all that music created during lockdown last year. Let’s start with a new EP from Los Angeles-based, New Jersey-raised D.A. Stern. Stern is one of those young artists that can legit be called upon to carry the torch of power pop into the future. The first single “I Look A Every Face (Cindy)” has that brilliant harmony-drenched approach. The video was directed by Dom Costabile and Andrew Narvaez. Pre-order here.

Many bands are back from self-imposed exile: Chicago rockers Kerosene Stars has a new single that asks “Where Have You Been?” a good question considering the chorus rocks! Then we get Everet Almond with a bouncy piano gem that sticks to you pretty nicely. The Amplifier Heads are “Summer Dazed” with its Beach Boys “Do It Again” vibe. Love those “mm-bop-did-its.” Gentle Hen did a summery re-mix of its memorable “She’s Got It Bad,” and it’s really good, so check out the LP it came from originally. Want some power? Get B.U.D.‘s single “What’s the Point of This (If I’m Not Into It)” it’s a bit Weezer-ish with a crashing chorus. It’s been a long time since I heard The Maladaptive Solution (how did I miss this single?) but info is sparse on them, so enjoy “Consort (Queen of Everything)” an epic mid-tempo rocker, and Jim Bacchi’s Cult Stars from Mars shows his “Funny Face” and its pure power pop greatness (I want an LP, Jim!) UK band You Filthy Dog is another EP that collects music from the past year, and “Face The Wave” and “Loved” remind me a bit of Carl Newman’s old band Zumpano. Similarly, with a ’90s vibe Mr. Strangelove (aka Daryl Bean) sings love songs for “Phoebe Waller-Bridge” and it’s all good.