Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

The Rosewood Thieves originally released this as a 6 song EP last year. It has been reissued with added bonus tracks that qualifies it more as a full album now. With equal parts John Lennon and Dylan, lead singer Erick Jordan serves up a fine collection of tunes here. Staring out with the lazy rock shuffle of “Los Angeles” and then heads “Back Home to Harlem” with an energetic strum that touches on a country-tinged state of restlessness. Then the album really takes on a Beatles White-album era sound on “Cold in the Country” that conveys loneliness in a rich melodic tone. The double tracking of the vocals on “Diamond Ring” really bring this to classic status with the rough organ and carny atmosphere it evokes. The track “The Tale of Gustav Grimes” is a dead ringer for John Lennon, vocaly and melodically and makes it worthy of purchase for this track alone. The remaining tracks sort of mix the influences a bit more, as I hear some Dire Straits, The Thrills and Wilco. This was all created in a spooky old house in upstate Deposit, NY and not unlike the legendary “Music from Big Pink” was for The Band, some awesome stuff was created here. The band being sequestered pay it off here.

MySpace | Kool Kat Musik | Itunes | Amazon

The Saltshakers are a catchy Milwaukee, Wisconsin foursome that has a Replacements meets Cheap Trick style. “Believe” has awesome power riffs and lead singer Chad Curtis has wail that reminds me of The Kinks Ray Davies and The Replacements’ Paul Westerberg. The alt. pop rock side of the band comes out on “NOLA” and it is a commercial ready-made hit. The next tune, “Whiskeytown” is a whiskey soaked tribute to Ryan Adams, but the vocals here sound a bit too inebriated. The title track also has that manic ‘Mats energy with furious pop guitar that just keeps the party goin’ strong. Later on the tracks settle into a nice groove, like “Kick the Can” and are really enjoyable to listen to. “Happy now?” gets lost in a crazed riff that sounds like a punk rock version of Tom Petty. After a few listens the rough edges here fade a bit and you realize this is a really strong debut album. Personally I can’t wait to see them perform live (Come visit NYC, guys). Visit the bands website to hear the entire album streaming.

MySpace | The Saltshakers website | CD Baby

Listen to “Believe”

Listen to “NOLA”

Deadbeat Poets members — singer-guitarist Terry Hartman (Backdoor Men, Napoleon In Rags, Terry & The Tornadoes), singer-bassist Frank Secich (Blue Ash, Club Wow, Stiv Bators Band), guitarist-singer Pete Drivere (Infidels, Pretty Demons) and drummer John Koury (Infidels, Slackjaw) are a varied group of musical professionals with a common love of a great guitar pop song. A good comparison to other like-minded groups would be Scott McCaughey and The Minus Five. Lots of influences here include The Stones, The Cars, The Who, The Byrds, and Tom Petty. Fans of these bands will enjoy The Deadbeat Poets. The opener “The Truth About Flying Saucers” is a cool guitar centered song, that evokes classic Cars. “The Green Man” cribs a little bit from Pete Townshend’s “Behind Blue Eyes” but is also full of original hooks. My favorite song is the energetic “No Island Like The Mind, No Ship Like Beer” – an excellent hook filled anthem for drunken philosophers. I expect a group of guys named “Bruce” to be singing this with mugs raised (Monty Python fans know what I’m talking about here). Some great guitar twang on “Where Was I When I Needed Me” is alot like typical Southern Culture on The Skids. More Brydsian brilliance is on the amazing song “It’s Nothing.” This is a great album that fits like an old favorite pair of jeans. No filler here either, it’s all great stuff. Listen to some tracks on MySpace and pick up this one.

MySpace | Kool Kat Musik | Not Lame | Digistation

Kurt Hagardorn loves to play music. Simple as that. His album “Ten Singles” is a relaxing series of songs that recall the great power pop influences of the past.The production is clean and perfectly done here. On first listen it is a nice Beatlesque Alt. Country album in the early Wilco vein, but after a few listens it really grows on you. It opens with the excellent Beach Boys’ Holland-era single “International Travel Advisory.” Then the Neil Young-ish “You are my Girl” follows. It’s got a wonderful chorus that recalls You Am I’s countrified power pop. “Please Make it Last” is the best song Harry Nillson never wrote and a real standout as well. The Badfinger comparisons are most apt on “Rock Scissors Paper” a rollocking number with awesome riff work. The style takes a more contemporary spin with “Leanne” – a wonderful song with more of an electric sound, and great lyrics about losing the girl. Most every track here is really good, and the stories on even the slower ballads remain interesting. Recorded between 2000 and 2006, Kurt has given us the cream of his crop here. It feels like a carefully handcrafted project and you couldn’t ask for more than that.

MySpace | Itunes | Not Lame | CD Baby

Listen to “You Are My Girl”

Brothers Tom and Alex White of The Electric Soft Parade are really the cream of the Britpop crop nowadays and have successfully taken the mantel left vacant by Oasis and Coldplay. Being the first major label release in the US, the songs follow a dizzy array of musical styles – from Post-Punk, to Psyche-Pop to Power Pop. The slow intro “No Need To Be Down-Hearted (Part 1)” almost plays like Pulp or Death Cab For Cutie, and that leads to the energetic “Life in the Back Seat” – a mix of the Shins and 10cc come to mind here. But a series of great indie-pop classics are buried here in “If That’s The Case, Then I Don’t Know” and “Misunderstanding” – they are excellent and the best I’ve heard since The Field Mice’s last album. “The Shore Song” is a dreamy acoustic song that flows along beautifully and like the lyrics state “you won’t get bored of me this time.” Unlike earlier albums, the focus here is on tight melodic songs, and not obtuse experimentation. “Have You Ever Felt Like It’s Too Late” has amazingly polished riffs and beats with great chord changes like The Beta Band on steriods. It follows with “Come back inside” another dreamy psychedelic mid 70s inspired gem. My favorite here is “Cold World” – a perfect Paul McCartney styled tune that will make you tap your toes for sure. A few tracks like “Secrets” seem more puzzling here and slow the momentum a bit. I can almost guarantee that you’ll be addicted to these guys after one listen, so be sure to pick this album up – it’s everywhere now.

Electric Soft Parade Website | MySpace | E-Music | Itunes | Not Lame | Koot Kat Musik

Listen to “Misunderstanding”