Jordan Jones is a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles with solid melodic skills, and his latest EP, And, I, You, is a gorgeously rendered piece of 70s-influenced pop. Clear influences from ELO, Hall & Oates, Fleetwood Mac, and Gilbert O’Sullivan. While his previous LP earned kudos for its Rundgren-like rockers, this slickly produced slice of soul is another side of this brilliant artist. It’s a quick listen and likely will be on my top ten EPs for the 2024 list. Get this gem on Kool Kat Musik.
I don’t think I gave Curling a fair shake or a good listen last year, and now it’s getting the “deluxe” treatment. The angular guitar melody of “Shamble” recalls Colin Moulding, and there is more here that deserves to be heard, especially the inspiring “Hi-Elixir.” Japan’s power poppers Calendars are back with a quick single, “Apart” and it’s great to hear them again. While we are overseas, Portuguese rockers Sirius Voltage deliver “For Your Dreams,” a riff-tastic slice of swagger. On a lighter note, Little Miss Echo brings to mind Papernut Cambridge meets The Beta Band, with the catchy “Optigan.” Finally, a Motown melody from Suzy Goodwin, mixed by studio master Michael Carpenter.
I am admittedly late to the Liquid Mike bandwagon. Michigan musician Mike Maple (aka Liquid Mike) has been toiling away in obscurity doing pretty impressive indie rock for the past few years. With last year’s self-titled LP, Mike added more of a melodic power pop structure, and it gained some recognition amongst the power pop community. And he is quickly capitalizing on his new fame with Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot.
Liquid Mike’s sound is a link that sits between emo, grunge, and power pop that is rarely done correctly, similar to The Foo Fighters but compressed into 2-minute melody bombs. The new album comes out of the gate pounding away on “Drinking and Driving,” but it catches you with the hook on “K2” about idyllic school days. The buzzing rumble of “Town Ease,” the Nirvana-like “Mouse Trap,” and the Velvet Crush adjacent “Drug Dealer” are all excellent songs that deliver the goods. “USPS” and “Small Giants” are compelling character studies that you almost wish were longer. Almost all these songs stick fast with no pretension. Highly Recommended!
Atlanta-based frontman and band leader Dave Norris (Crash into June) has a new band, and it starts with the light jangle of “Loser of the Year.” The easygoing feel is similar to Dropkick, but with a bit more of an Americana vibe. The songs take on a more majestic tone on the excellent “Consolation Prize” as it effortlessly draws you into its melody. The moody narrative of “This Charade” and “House Is Not A Home” continues with jangling guitars and Dave’s steady vocal, Neilson Hubbard’s bass and keyboard, and Will Kimbrough’s shimmering guitar. It draws from college rock of the late 1980s a bit but still feels quite timeless in approach.
“Lifeline” and ” This Will Be Your Year” almost reminded me of a sedate version of the Gin Blossoms, and while nicely performed, they don’t stick in your head long. The ending track is another great tune; “Bring Yourself Down” goes back to a faster tempo, but it shows the contrast here. This is an album that deserves to be heard, and I hope Norris can take a few more stylistic chances with future works.
The Campbell Apartment “Under The Influence Of Love”
San Francisco band The Campbell Apartment is back after a several-year break, and they try some new things here. The opener, “Sand and Glue,” is a solid indie punk track with a compelling chorus of “What I do,” with plenty of Kinks-like verses in between.
“Bay Area Robot Farm” is almost like a lost Bill Lloyd tune, but the band breaks out on “PATH Train of Least Resistance.” This is the type of pop song in which the band excels, with a touch of jangle and a descriptive lyric of a certain time and place. Then “Boys Like Driving” is another winner, playing with gender stereotypes, and it seems like it stepped out of last summer’s Barbie movie. “Fun In The Sun” is a perfect follow-up, with flowing harmonies everywhere. The “sublime” ballad “452 Square Feet” feels like an epic album closer. Overall, plenty of interesting and unpredictable songs round out this album. Highly Recommended.
The Dutch band The Maureens are back with a new record. The harmonies and instrumentation are still reminiscent of the early Beatles, but this band has expanded their sound with the jangling opener “Stand Up!” The compositions are all originals; “Lost & Found” boasts a catchy rhythm, and “Sunday Driver” is an aching ballad with a great chorus.
“Fell in Love” recalls Sloan or The Posies with a lighter pop touch, and “Rainy Day” is another highlight, which sounds a bit like Teenage Fanclub, with a quiet opening then the harmonies crash in. Another great tune is “Only Child,” with its slow-building, rich composition. Not all the songs are as memorable, and my biggest issue with the album is that the style and cadence don’t vary much, and the lead guitar on most songs takes a back seat to the harmonies. Overall, this is a really beautiful album that deserves to be heard.
I am still finding lots of great music that shouldn’t be swept under the rug because it’s a new year. Flying Underground is a terrific Cincinnati, Ohio band that deserves your attention with its debut album. The video above has really good sound and showcases Kelly McCracken’s great lead vocal. My friends, Late Cambrian have modified their sound on “Late Bloomer” to have a more melodic vibe, and I love it. Extra Arms is back with a bunch of strong riffs on its new single, “Gates of Steel.” The band Real Estate has a new album coming out, and what I hear so far is excellent songwriting. We still have a freebie for you with Willie Dowling‘s “The Simpleton,” a cool narrative of a protagonist, and dig that piano solo midway through! French band François Premiers has a glammy gem with the “Salamander Shuffle,” and that riff just sticks in your head. Great music continues!
Emperor Penguin has successfully channeled a very anglophilic psychedelic pop style in Gentlemen Thieves. Following the template set in Sunday Carvery, they start out the door with the catchy “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” It’s loaded with echo, reverb, dense melody, and lots of fuzzy energy. Lisa Mychols adds a whole new dimension to the band with her duet on the XTC-like “I Wouldn’t Put It Like That.”
Each song is a carefully constructed gem; “Silver Apples” is another dazzling example of this band’s talent, while “Driving Blind” brings the rocking riffs up front. “Sonnez Les Matines” opens with a few notes that recall Pink Floyd but quickly becomes a Middle Eastern dance track. The nursery rhyme-like “Pipistrelle” with its toy piano also sticks fast. One of the best songs here is “You Are My Atmosphere,” and Mychols adds her stamp to this one too. Almost everything here is great. My only issue is the album’s overly compressed mix. The melodies are so good, but sometimes they seem buried in white noise. I wish they gave it the Giles Martin treatment, but despite this, it’s highly recommended.
Nick Frater “Nick Frater presents The Rebutles 1967-1970”
A collection of original songs by Nick Frater, written in tribute to the pre-Fab Four, The Rutles. So it’s music written in the Beatlesque style, with just a touch of sarcastic wit. While Frater doesn’t quite measure up to Neil Innes when it comes to humor, musically, he’s spot on. “The Devil You Know” showcases duality, with John Lennon’s gloomy tendencies and a sunny McCartney-like bridge stuck in the middle because he had to “get back from the grave in 1966,” a reference to the “Paul is Dead” Beatle rumor. Fans of The Rutles and The Beatles will find Easter eggs like this scattered in the lyrics.
Some of these are genuinely fun, like “You’re A Good Egg,” a Magical Mystery breakfast without a hint of symbolism, and “One Lump or Two,” a bit of tea time for Lady Madonna. Unfortunately, they didn’t all stick with me, and once you can identify the song’s origins and intent, there isn’t much else to draw you back to listen again. Nonetheless, this comes highly recommended for Beatles fans, and you should definitely give the music a listen.
