Category: EPs

Singles & EPs: Tommy Sistak, Telephone Lovers, Nick Bertling, Baby Scream and Vapour Trails

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First, we got Tommy’s good hat — now we have “A Good Friend.”

Classic power pop guitars! “Two Dollar Baby” is what these singles cost, and its worth every penny!

Nick Bertling brings out his jangling guitars and fuzz melodies in this fantastic EP. “As One Again” is a standout!

Juan Pablo’s tortured Lennonesque melodies float into your brain on this EP. Lovin’ “Fake It Till You Make It.”

Brilliantly indie pop with jangle that will help you find “The Inner Truth.” Hey, it’s a FREEBIE too!

EPs: The Re-Used Electrics, Blank Pages and Sam Hoffman

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The Re-Used Electrics

The Re-Used Electrics “For Johnny” EP

The Re-Used Electrics prowled Houston, Texas from 1980-1985 and was dedicated to translating the spirit of live punk bands of that time to local rock audiences. This 5 song EP is dedicated to Johnny Thunders (aka John Anthony Genzale) best known for his work with the New York Dolls.

The classic guitar instrumental “Pipeline” originally made famous by The Chantays is given a sweet treatment and opens the set. Followed by “Chinese Rocks,” the solid instrumental work does its best to make up for the buried vocals, which resemble a gruff Johnny Rotten. “One Track Mind” and “Pills” are good catchy rock and roll. Definitely meant to be played loud and proud.

Amazon

The Blank Pages

The Blank Pages “Into The Ether” EP

After ending a 7-year hiatus with 2018’s Before Your Summer Fades, The Blank Pages are back with a fresh EP. Guitarist Greg Potter leads the charge with the title track, a catchy anthem with a nice guitar hook. My favorite track here, “Let It Flow” is another jangling gem that rocks with gleeful abandon. The lower key “Snapshots” is more a narrative about a long lost connection and “Welcome To The Unknown” is composed a little like Joe Jackson, a synth and piano lead with driving percussion and swirling guitar rhythm. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby


Sam Hoffman

Sam Hoffman “Fairweather”

Wow, out of nowhere Sam Hoffman sounds like Richard X. Heyman fronting The Junipers, with plenty of that jingle jangle guitar. The opener “December” is just infectious and “Anything At All” is like a Byrds outtake. Some nice McCartneyesque bass highlights “Glencrest Lane,” but Sam’s vocals are a little too buried to make it stand out.

“Good Company” has a slowly rising riff that starts with gentle harmonies and a light melody. Next, the instrumental “Karate” shows us Sam’s guitar chops. Most songs are 2 minutes or less, so this feels a little like Tony Molina’s LP. But Mr. Hoffman gives us a lot more with the 5-minute + ballad “Lorraine” full of strings and western guitar. Not a single dud here and  I was super impressed by this debut. You have the option of a name-your-price Bandcamp download or support the artist through an Amazon purchase. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

The best things in life are Freebies: Drew Beskin, GenPop, PoP, Jeremy Fetzer, The Metal Babies

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The new year is here, but I still have some 2018 music to give you. A few neat full-length albums and several EPs worth your time. Please consider buying the other music on their sites. All these are FREE downloads. Your welcome!

Great find here! Drew Beskin is the former The District Attorneys, Party Dolls, and PURSES frontman. This is his second solo LP. Its solid alt-pop goodness, check out the title track, “The Ice Storm” and “Blue Staging.”

Spacey pop stuff from Gen Pop that reminds me of Wilco with a touch of new wave. Gen Pop is Aaron Swaagman (Wisconsin) and Sam Sterk (California). Check out “Don’t Believe You” and “It’s A Trap.”


Red Bank New Jersey band PoP with an EP titled “3” has a strong beat and riff combo, especially on “The Weight of Something”

Jeremy Fetzer gives us a psyche-pop gem in “Wisdom of the Octopus”

Truly great music from The Metal Babies. this four-piece soft rock band is from Sydney, Aus. Explore and get this!

Singles and EPs: Kai Danzberg, Leafy Seadragon, Jollys, Tad Overbaugh, Air For Ants, Winston-Salem

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Kai Danzberg (he knows all the right people) teams up with the queen of power pop Lisa Mychols for this awesome single.


Leafy Seadragon is like Florence + The Machine meeting Captain & Tennille, and the odd result is created by Allen Clapp (The Orange Peels) with Alison Faith Levy and Ray Newkirk. Very interesting!

The Jollys are a thick bass reverb-drenched rock group that sounds like you are literally in the garage inhaling the fumes. Great stuff here and it’s a FREE download.

Tad Overbaugh & the Late Arrivals are a 5-piece, heartland inspired, Rock ‘n’ Roll band from Boston, MA. Mixing their rock and classic country influences, driving down that highway of Americana, Alt-Country, and Southern-accented power-pop. Check out this FREE download!

We loved “Did You Know You’re Gold,” from Air for Ants. The remaining songs on their new EP Once Again with Feeling kind of wander around a bit, but we also really enjoyed “The Loner” and the gorgeous epic “CLG.” Excellent mood music. Amazon

Winston-Salem is a UK-based band in the proud tradition of classic folk-rock, power pop & alt-rock Americana. Think R.E.M mixed with a little Tom Petty. Single is out on Amazon

EP and Singles: Pat Buchanan, Clean Spill, Karla Kane, Armchair Oracles

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Pat Buchanan is a mainstay of the Nashville music scene and was a founding member of the well-respected power pop group Idle Jets whose 1999 release Atomic Fireball garnered rave reviews. Pat’s new single “Sandbox” is a look back at Brian Wilson’s late ’60s state of mind.

Get it at CD Baby | Amazon

Clean Spill is a Santa Barbara laid-back rock band that just pushes my buttons. These guys are literal beach boys; frontman Pat Curren’s dad is a world champion surfer, and he and bassist Geoff Shae, guitarist Cameron Crabtree, and drummer Charlie Fawcett can often be found out riding waves in between band practices. Get the full EP “Nothings On My Mind” on Amazon

The Armchair Oracles, Norway’s best-kept secret has a new single out! The band is Atle Skogrand (vocals/guitar), Jan Ove Engeset (bass), Charlie Wise (drums) and Bjorn Gamlem (guitar) and they’ve played at IPO festival, so you know they’re good! Get it on CD Baby | Amazon

Karla Kane is our final treat, an autumn gem written in England by Martin Newell (Cleaners from Venus)and performed/arranged in California by Karla and her pals; KC Bowman, Khoi Huynh, Bradley Skaught and Gina Sperinde. The song is being released in conjunction with the autumn issue of Big Stir Magazine (in which Kane interviews both Newell and Robyn Hitchcock).

Get it at Amazon