Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

It is most satisfying when you hear an artist who sounds like he’s lived through this music. And lead singer/songwriter Jeff Davis set up shop with Fergus Griffin (guitar) and Also Silver (bass) to write a big fat love letter to all the girls he’s loved before. The group settled together in San Francisco involved producer Bond Bergland, and producer Jeff Saltzman (Green Day, Two Gallants, The Killers) and included drummer Michael Urbano (Sheryl Crow, Cake, John Hiatt).  “Your Star Was Shining” is a gloriously tuneful collection of rock-songs with an emphasis on songwriting and melody. It seems equal influence between Bryan Ferry, T-Rex and Elvis Costello and the opening track “Swandive” is a great opening here, as the rock star Lothario picks up the girl. The next track “Pretend You Don’t See Me” is a slick slice of Britpop with sophisticated arrangements and the delicate “Rocket Girl” is a sweet sister track to Paul Simon’s “Judy’s Comet.” This showcases the brilliant acoustic balladry and it’s one of the best tracks here. Since almost all the songs are about girls, it’s fitting that each one has it’s own unique flavor and most are great pop. “Miss Yugoslavia” is a bouncy mid-tempo number that recalls both McCartney and The Honeydogs, and Davis really sounds Costello-like here. The strutting guitar riffs in “Black Venus” make it another gem, recalling The Stones “Brown Sugar” (in both subject and style). “Queen Of The Forest” is full of sophisticated pop charm and stands as another winning track. I was more enamored by the slower songs on the album, as you can really appreciate the well written lyrics throughout. No fillers here, and the ending track is “Here’s To Absent Friends” melts The Beatles with Oasis-like swagger “We fanned the bonfire/ And we got guitars/ I’ll see you in the ethers, baby” in a richly orchestrated finale.

Overall, a real winner of a debut here and no doubt it makes my top 10 for 2009. Highly recommended and even better… we highly suggest you visit L’Avventura’s Website before March 1st.

My Space | CD Baby | E-music | Lala

Members of The Roswells, one of the best Canadian pop bands ever, have formed this new group. This new release by The Tomorrows, follows the classic power pop template, with elements of Velvet Crush, Big Star, and Badfinger all come into play here. “Effortless Lee” is everything a fan could hope for in an opening single, with melodic jamming and swirling riffs that take the best of The Roswells sound and add the Beatles/Badfinger elements to the mix. “Love Is Dead” brings forth comparisons to Cheap Trick and The Rubinoos, with great chord changes and impressive backing harmonies. The title track is an expansive janglefest that recalls the past, but follows the band in a light mid-tempo mode about the largest temple in Rome. It follows with the gem “Don’t Worry About Me” complete with heavier guitars and smooth harmonies along the lines of Teenage Fanclub. The subject matter is also fresh, for example “Anime” is fanboy dream theme that sparkles with “You’ve got eyes so big, they’re scary pretty… I wanna be in Anime with you.” Every track here is excellent, without any filler to be found – although the ending six minute opus “Remember” drags into a wandering jam session. But there is enough rock and roll goodness here to have The Tomorrows earn my first nomination to the best of 2009 list! Kool Kat Musik is offering a bonus disc with this release which include live tracks and a Beatles tribute! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge – say no more!

My Space | CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik

Another missed gem from 2008 that should not be neglected. I can’t say enough about Ness. An amazing masterpiece of a rock and roll. Ness takes it’s lead from 70’s classic rock and progressive pop sounds, but it combines the influences into a swirling mass of rock and pop sweetness. The opener “Where’s Guns?” floors you like a mix of The Posies and The Who full of hypnotizing riffs and harmonies. The follow up “I Intend” gets theatrical in a very Mick Ronson kind of way. Listen to it streaming and tell me you disagree. The track “Somewhere” sounds a lot like early seventies Yes, if you replaced Jon Anderson with Brian Wilson. This album manages to put layer upon layer of tracks, and “Weary By The Day” and the follow up “The Future Used To Be Cool” resembles a pop version of Genesis’ “Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.” This is the heart of the album, and it’s an amazing achievement (complete with organ solo fadeout). That would be enough, but the stellar “Losing Track (Of The Things I’ve Lost)” is another opus similar to Buffalo Springfield. “Petty White” is a Todd Rundgren meets Pet Sounds gem that compares well to Paul Steel’s “April & I” in technique. “Elena Margaret” is a fitting end ballad to the entire album. “Goin’ Home” is a jam that continues a general showcasing of instrumental prowess, with spoken band credits. This is one of the best progressive pop albums, I’ve heard in a long time.

My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame | The Ness Website