Category: Power Pop Review
Joy Buzzer and Willie Dowling
Joy Buzzer “Pleased to Meet You”
The band was founded in 2021 and features Kevin Lydon on lead vocals, with Jed Becker on guitar and writing the tunes; KG Noble on guitar and vocals; Nick DeMatteo on bass and vocals, and Mark Brotter on drums. The opener is the band’s first single “Judy Judy Judy,” with its catchy chorus and Jed Becker’s layered guitars recall 80s classic hooks, and the solo break even touched on prog/psyche rock. Kevin Lydon’s vocal perfectly fits and help give the band its signature sound.
It amps the energy up even more on “You’d Be Surprised,” a Beatlesque gem akin to The Weeklings. “Jeanette” brings us back down to earth, as a mid tempo tune with unexpected key shifts and stellar harmonies. There is something here for every power pop fan, from heavier rockers like “The Secret Word” and “You Don’t Even Know My Name” (which was voted coolest song by Stevie Van Zandt’s Underground Garage) to lighter pop gems like “Mamaroneck” and “All These Yesterdays.” The quirky and catchy come together on “Try Not To Be An Asshole,” a personal favorite of mine. While a few songs seemed formulaic, I couldn’t find a bad song here. When its all killer and no filler, it’s definitely on my top ten list for 2024. Super highly recommended!
Willie Dowling “The Simpleton”
Willie Dowling (Dowling Poole, Jackdaw4) goes solo here and displays his formidable melodic talents. The songs are almost prog-pop with dramatic builds on “Let Us Begin” including an operatic piano solo loaded with violins, about a slowly unfolding armageddon. The story continues “Long Drop Down” a compelling tale of a poisonous world “where the liars and the cheats prevail.” Dowling’s influences remain Roy Wood, XTC, 10cc, and a sprinkling of Sparks theatricality. Unlike his other works, most of these songs are piano led, and it sounds similar to a stage show soundtrack.
The concept album follows modern political nihilism, the title track “the Simpleton” is a bio of a TV pundit with a solid cascading melody followed by the dramatic chorus of “Sadie Goldman,” a lost soul that follows a road to illusion. “Down the Slide” continues the story of the evil corporate media; “don’t you let the truth get in your way.” It ends with the beautiful ballad “In The Ocean,” and while Willie’s musicianship is stellar, the distinctly bleak worldview might put off some. But if you are a fan of the band Skeleton Staff, you will definitely love this. Highly Reccomended.
IPO NYC 2024, the first 2 nights
Joy Buzzer
Joy Buzzer, KG Noble and Kevin Lydon
Strange Neighbors
Bubble
The Midnight Callers, Chris Paine and Martin Stubbs
Wifey
Wifey
Sorry Darling
David Minchin from The Innocents
Bastards of Fine ArtsThe International Pop Overthrow (IPO) Festival’s return to NYC was the start of a beautiful night at The Parkside Lounge. As expected, the roster included both well-known performers and up-and-coming artists, each of whom added a unique twist to the pop-focused event. I attended the first 2 days of the festival this year.
Opening with Bastards of Fine Arts, the duo set the mood perfectly, a jangling sound full of harmonies, then came Tasmanian David Minchin who brought a Beatlesque sense of history to his time in the early ‘80s as part of The Innocents. Next, Sorry Darling delivered an unusual set of pop compositions, followed by brothers-and-sisters-in-arms Wifey, who I was happy to introduce to the stage. These guys know how to rock! Cupid’s Nemesis all dressed like The Raspberries (circa 1974)and the raw energy was palpable and captivated fans looking for something a bit heavier. I missed The Road to Ruin, but was told they were also really good. See a sampling of all performances for Day One of IPO.
Day Two started with power pop veterans The Midnight Callers and Bubble. Both did great, and they managed to draw in newcomers with their unique mix of indie pop and classic power pop hooks. Strange Neighbors were the new kids last year, but this time the band was tighter and sounded much better. Next I was able to introduce Joybuzzer, and they have a great new album coming out — look for the review this week! Their set was polished and packed with catchy choruses that had the audience singing along. I missed the the last 2 bands, Mighty Dan Gerous and The Record Players NYC.
The first two days of IPO NYC perfectly exemplified what the festival is all about: a diverse celebration of power pop’s past, present, and future. Each band left a unique imprint on the stage, and the audience response was good. As the festival continues, it’s clear that IPO remains a vital gathering for musicians and fans alike, united by a shared love for melody-driven rock.
November singles: Ken Stringfellow, Bleu, Vanilla, Dolour, The Boathouse, Captain Wilberforce
2nd Grade and Andrew Weiss
2nd Grade “Scheduled Explosions”
Philadelphia musician Peter Gill (aka 2nd Grade) just has a knack for effortless melody and alt. rock fuzz that makes ‘Scheduled Explosions’ his most accessible collection of ADD power pop. With 23 songs it’s always been hit or miss, but very much like Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices) Gill has a high batting average here.
“Live from Missile Command” is a great catchy start that ends just as we’re taking off. The fanboy dreams of “Uncontrollably Cool” and bounce of “Fashion Disease” are a great pair of tunes. Other favorites include the distorted love notes of “Joan on Ice,” hand-clapped “Instant Nostalgia” and mellow rockers “Made Up My Own Mind” and “Evil Things.” In between the songs are experiments with studio tape defects like “Crybaby Semiconductor,” or the muffled beautiful mess of “All About You.” Similar in technique to Mo Troper, it feels like he has a really great song at first and then goes out of his way to bury it in harsh lo-fi production. Despite this, the melodies shine through, making it repeatable and highly recommended.
Andrew Weiss and Friends “the world’s smallest violin.”
Andrew Weiss, a singer-songwriter, feels a kinship to the West coast rock sound from the ‘70s as he revels in confessional moments and emotional storytelling. “Summer of ’68” is a great example of speaking about the past while comparing it to today, “Why does it feel like nothing’s changing?” he asks. Some real gems make the cut here like “He Must Be High On Something,” with its great slide guitar flourishes. He also channels a little early Paul Simon on “We’re Trying To Have a Society Here!”
The biographical “Rockin’ it Since ’83” and “Emergency Contact” are neat little scenarios, but many songs have a tendency to blend into each other without much variety. While it might feel a bit self indulgent, Andrew gets some good vibes going and you may like it. Check it out.
