The Weeklings are back! It’s a new single that was recorded during the Abbey Road sessions for Studio 2 last year and has never been released. Look for it now on Amazon.
Dominique Leone sends us some wonderful piano songs with complex arrangements and solid melody. Check out “Domestic Bliss” and the rich multitracking on “I’ll Always Be Right Here.” And yes it’s a FREE download on Bandcamp.
Ben from the band Onward Chariots, has a new project called Ancient Babies with a mix of melodic rock, disco and electro dance pop. Yeah, this isn’t what I usually feature here but definitely check out the last track “Rolling Like A River” a rocking garage styled theme.
Spygenius of Canterbury, England, last album Pacéphale (pah-say-fahl) is being re-released in the USA. The band plays pop in the jangly, hooky, mold of XTC or Robyn Hitchcock and it’s accompanied by an illustrated storybook — check it on Big Stir Records or Amazon.
Category: free downloads
The Foreign Films and The Tonighters
The Foreign Films “The Record Collector”
Commanded by Bill Majoros and assisted by a collection of musicians like Steve Eggers (The Nines), Carl Jennings, and the late Wim Oudijk to name a few, The Record Collector is an expansive box set.
Like Robert Harrison’s (Cotton Mather) recent I-Ching song cycle, the music is varied in style and touches several themes. There are six sides to the entire project and many songs can be heard on Bandcamp. The vinyl version includes 3 records and a 12 page booklet with a short story “Emily Blue and The Star on The Moon.” The songs all relate to the story of a lonely star-struck girl and her adventures.
Starting With “Shadow in The Light” it builds to a solid chorus, with lots of energy, but then we hit the ELO-like epic “The Sun Will Shine Again” as it slowly wraps around you with its harmonies and guitar solos, it feel like an album finale in “Let It Be” fashion, not a second song. “Junior Astronomer’s Club” has a swirling psyche-pop feel, Majors vocals are soft and brimming with earnestness. The harmonies are extraordinary, for example on “Cinematic Kiss (in Dreams).”
At points the psychedelics approach Pink Floyd proportions like on “Emily Blue,” and “Emily’s Dream Sequence” but its the power pop gems here that will ring your bell. Some great ones early on are “Broken Dreams,” and “Lucky Streak.” There are a few outlier pop songs like “Land of 1000 Goodbyes” with guest Kori Pop delivering with her silken vocals. Kori and Bill make a great duet on “State of The Art.” There are elements of Bowie-like glam, folk-pop, and blues sprinkled throughout, but with 31 tracks it’s a lot to take in. As a passion project, this succeeds because Majoros puts a lot of craftsmanship into each musical phrase and the overall story. A concept album can be like a large meal, you take in each morsel and savor it. Highly Recommended.
Get this on Kool Kat Musik
The Tonighters “Kathleen Rose” EP
A new UK band from Newcastle that has a great power pop sound. Check out the opener “Kathleen Rose” and the acoustic “Flower.” Lead singer Billy G does a crackerjack job. I can’t wait to hear more — someone sign this guy to a label! Listen and hope downloads are coming soon.
Reissues and Freebie Friday: The Pozers, Imp of Perverse, Zeus Springsteen
Reissues: The Pozers “Embrace Your Addiction”
With their 5th CD release, The trio known as The Pozers (Jim Richey, Kenny Swann, Jeff Hamm) serve up some brand new “addictions” for your listening pleasure.The albums overall theme is on memories (specifically 1987) and musical influences are straightforward; starting with “The Time and Place” it slowly morphs from harpsichord into a rich combination of guitars and Beatlesque harmonies. Then “Cindy See” is a very Fountains of Wayne styled gem to honor an obsession with supermodel Cindy Crawford.
Richey’s poignant fuzz guitar “Lucky Face” emphasizes “We get no guarantees (I guarantee that)” and the Beatles style is especially strong on “When Intellects Collide,” and then it changes slightly for the breezy gem “Sunshine (Smiling Face)” with some horns added to the raw vocals. Many songs densely packed, with sharp wit between each drum fill and chugging riff. The band’s arena rock indulgences come out toward the end, but this is still one of best Pozer’s albums out there.
Freebies!
Imp of Perverse is a Texas band with a mellow psyche-pop style full of sleepy low vocals. Check out “Misunderstanding.” A FREE download too.
KiDD and Ryan Allen’s New Year present
KiDD “Where Are The Strange People?”
KiDD is Glasgow musician Stuart Kidd, who’s also been part of The Wellgreen and Doctor Cosmo’s Tape Lab. He has emerged from his bedroom recording studio with a batch of lo-fi pop gems, including a children’s music album. If you enjoyed Harry Nilsson’s “The Point” or Ringo’s “Octopus’s Garden,” you’ll find KiDD a refreshing listen.
The instrumentation is sparse, but the melodies are tightly packed. The opener “Little Flower” has this sweet combo of jangling guitar and futuristic bubble popping sounds in the rhythm, as the harmonies flow along. The combination of pastoral and futuristic on “Cyan Seren” is a mellow gem that won me over right away. The album’s second half features several psychedelic textural pieces like “Callisto” and “Modified Radio Birdsong.” The psyche-pop of “Looking For The Way Out” is another trippy melody that sticks, but doesn’t linger too long. A very pleasant distraction and overall a great headphones album.
Bandcamp | Pretty Olivia Records
Happy New Year from Ryan Allen!
We get a nice gift (aka FREE download) from Ryan Allen and his Extra Arms. “The Boy Who Bounces Back” and “New Year’s Day” are two tracks that were recorded but left off of 2016’s Basement Punk. Great stuff!
The Best of 2017 List comes out Friday!
A great year for music, and even though I’ll continue reviewing some of last year’s albums, the list is almost ready. We will also post David Bash’s best of List the following week. Stay tuned!
Freebie Friday: The Tomboys, J Eastman, Wazonek, Scott Brookman
The Tomboys are back with Session Two, another blast from the past. The Florida band has released more music from its ’80s vault. Best of all this is a FREE download, check out the video “You’re The One.”
Minneapolis, MN band J Eastman and The Drunk Uncles are heavily influenced by The Replacements, Wilco and REM. With a solid guitar lead and Eastman’s distinctive vocal, check out “On Your Dime” a pretty anachronistic expression. They have a full-length LP too called No Capo Required from 2016 that’s just awesome. “Drink To Myself” is the lost hit Southern Culture On the Skids never had. Oh yeah, it’s all FREE downloads.
Vancouver multi-instrumentalist and producer Adam Wazonek delivers an easy going gem here. Like America, The Eagles or other ’70s styled bands, it has clean melodies and simple arrangements that are just a delight. Check out “Christine” and the very Steely Dan-ish “Easy Love.” The wah-wah strings on “I’d Like To Know” is just pure Seals & Crofts. Actually, it’s tough to find a note of filler here. Highly Recommended and a FREE download.
Vancouver multi-instrumentalist and producer Adam Wazonek delivers an easy going gem here. Like America, The Eagles or other ’70s styled bands, it has clean melodies and simple arrangements that are just a delight. Check out “Christine” and the very Steely Dan-ish “Easy Love.” The wah-wah strings on “I’d Like To Know” is just pure Seals & Crofts. Actually, it’s tough to find a note of filler here. Highly Recommended and a FREE download.
Scott Brookman returns with a sequel to his successful LP Smellicopter. Another master of melody with subtle and sparse instrumentation, “Consideration” is influenced by Something/Anything era Todd Rundgren and the fun “Three Doors Down” has a very 10cc-like composition. This EP isn’t free, but for a mere $5.00 it’s worth getting.
FYI: INTERNATIONAL POP OVERTHROW NYC IS HERE!
Dave Bash welcomes an assortment of wonderful artists out to Bar Matchless in Brooklyn. It started Thursday and goes on all weekend. We will be reviewing the new IPO compilation next week!