Category: Power Pop Review

Ray Paul and Matthew Logan Vasquez

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Ray Paul

Ray Paul “Bloody Rubbish”

After a successful album a few years ago with Whimsicality, Ray Paul gives us more “greatest hits” with Bloody Rubbish. Ray has always been a McCartney disciple and his music is tailor-made for anyone who enjoys Beatlesque power pop.  The album features three previously unreleased tracks (two of which are live recordings by the current Ray Paul & RPM band recorded in 2017) and one studio track from 1977, along with remastered A & B sides of his early singles, which are prime cuts of Mersey Beat magic.

The familiar “I Need Your Love Tonight” rings out akin to a Raspberries hit, and the “Hold It” has instrumentation and style along the lines of Badfinger. “Love Me” was made in the early 70’s McCartney solo style, and the live concert tracks with his band RPM showcase the great energy here. I loved most everything here, all ten tracks represent rock and roll at its best. Remastered, and absolutely highly recommended.

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

Matthew Logan Vasquez

Matthew Logan Vasquez “Light’n Up”

Frontman for indie rockers Delta Spirit, Matthew Logan Vasquez’s solo work is creative, with both fiery delivery and a tight sound. He draws from a diverse well of influences, from Gram Parsons to Kurt Cobain. Starting with the intimate folk ballad “Ballad In My Bed,” its provocative lyrics invite you in. Then he cranks up the energy level on “Trailer Park,” rocking like a Texas version of Bruce Springsteen. Following that, the noise rock “Vacation” is very much like Delta Spirit, but then he goes to the Nillson-like piano ballad on “I Love My Boy.”

The best marriage of these two approaches is “Ghostwriters,” a perfect power pop gem. Unfortunately, Matthew is having too much fun to stay the course. The 90’s dance-pop of “Ball Pit” feels pulled straight outta Prince’s vault. Vasquez has the talent and sound to do great things, all he needs is focus to create that greatness. Still, its a highly enjoyable album that deserves to be heard.

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Support Your Local Power Pop Artist: Richard X. Heyman and Glen Burtnik

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Richard X Heyman

Richard X. Heyman “Pop Circles”

The 13th album by acclaimed melodic pop singer/songwriter Richard X. Heyman is his love letter to the Baby Boom generation. You get to be a part of it by pledging money to help this album come to fruition. Cool rewards; badges, lyric sheets, autographed CDs, fridge magnets! Please check it out here:
Visit Richard’s Kickstarter page

Glen Burtnik

Glen Burtnik’s Summer of Love

“Relive the Memories, Share the Spirit and Celebrate the Songs of the Woodstock Generation, The Music That Changed the World.”

Glen Burtnik’s Summer of Love Concert series celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Festival. I’ve been a huge Burtnik fan for a long time (The Orchestra, The Weeklings, Styx) and now he’s running a huge music festival that focuses on the iconic rock music from the period of time generally between the 1967 and 1969.  Shows run from July through August in selected cities. Visit www.summerofloveconcert.com to learn more.

Jim Basnight and Trip Wire

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Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Not Changing”

Veteran musician Jim Basnight made waves in with The Moberlys early in his career and he continues to put out great material to this day. Not Changing is his first new album in seven years and it offers listeners a variety of moods and memories. The album starts with the easy-going “Code to Live By,” a testament to his longevity with a terrific solo guitar break. The title track is a wistful look back on his career, confident that he’s made the right choices as he states “with this guitar, you can dig for gold, but can you dig a soul from a grave?” He returns to the theme of death with the somber “Suicide Evening,” and “Kurt Cobain.”

While there are several quieter tracks, Jim shines when he reaches into that classic blues-rocker style similar to The Rolling Stones on “Big Bang” and “Best Lover In The World.” The rollicking “Making Love for a Living” is a catchy tune sure to get you moving and “Never Get Lost” is another power pop gem. More highlights include “Second Street,” “You Never Cease To Amaze Me” and the radio-friendly finale “Living The Way I Want.” This is a celebration of a man comfortable doing what he loves. So, why change such a good thing? Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Amazon

Trip Wire

Trip Wire “Once & Always”

San Francisco stalwarts Trip Wire continue to rock on their fourth LP with Marty Schneider, Bill Hunt, Stu Shader, and Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers).  The gruff “Had Enough” evokes Bob Mould, and Shelton shines here as the vocalist on “Down” with lots of great energy. “Light Of The Moon” has some interesting composition and sounds like a cross between Lou Reed and REM. The subtle “Golden Gloves” with its strings and the seamless follow-up “Clear,” showcases a simple acoustic melody that builds into a majestic solo jam. It almost sounds like a completely different band. 

But the album is far from over, as they get back on to power pop with “Bottle Rocket.” After this, we get the folk-like jangling pop of “Act Fast” and country twang of “Carolina.”  The band seems most comfortable with roots-inflected rock, and while the other genres aren’t bad, they don’t stick in your head for long. Overall a refreshingly honest rock ‘n’ roll album that deserves to be heard.

Big Stir Records

Brad Marino and Sunshine Boys

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Brad Marino

Brad Marino “Extra Credit”

The solo LP from Brad Marino (The Connection, The New Trocaderos) is out and he continues the tradition of thick guitar riffs leading each tune. It’s all Brad, playing all the instruments with only co-producer Kris Rodgers adding keyboards and some additional vocals. Fans of The Ramones, Chuck Berry or Dave Edmunds will not be disappointed.

“Broken Clocks” starts us off with a Ramones meets Beach Boys verse/chorus setup.  The sound is a little cleaner and better structured than his previous bands, but it sticks to a very similar formula (Hey, if it ain’t broke…) Several tracks were previewed on earlier EPs last year like “C’mon, C’mon, C’mon.” Highlights include “No One Else Tried It,” ”From The Start,” and “Bye Bye Johnny,” a sequel to Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” “What Comes Naturally” adds a country slide guitar to the mix, and the Stones-y influences of his new label (Rum Bar Records) comes out on “Don’t Do The Crime.” Check it out!

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


Sunshine Boys

Sunshine Boys “Blue Music”

Something about Chicago’s Sunshine Boys that brings to mind classic rock traditions but spins the music in a fresh way. Featuring veteran musicians Freda Love Smith (Blake Babies, Antenna, Mysteries of Life), Jacqueline Schimmel (Justin Roberts, Big Hello), and Dag Juhlin (Poi Dog Pondering, The Slugs), Sunshine Boys offer a propulsive, modern take on 90’s alternative rock. The music feels like a labor of love and it is densely produced.

“Questions” glides along with a galloping rhythm about a long distance relationship. Dag’s deep vocals recall both John Mayer and Peter Gabriel, on both the anthemic “Tripping Through Time” and the potential hit single “Billy Boy.” The introspective themes on “Schoolyard Bully” and “Only A Million Miles” showcases our weary anxiety about the world today. I found the catchiest gem here “Glider Pilot” with its grand chorus. Both wonderful and a little out of time, and that’s what makes it music that deserves to be heard.

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The Decibels and Faux Co.

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The Decibels

The Decibels “Scene, Not Herd”

Sacramento, CA-based The Decibels were active from 1993–2001 and cut a trio of fine garage-styled power pop albums that were criminally overlooked. The sound combined 60’s Mod influences with 80’s angular guitar leads. Fans of The Plimsouls, Buzzcocks and Paul Collins Beat will enjoy the frantic tempos and sing-along lyrics. The band re-grouped in 2017 and continued from where they left off.

“Hey Emily” is a rousing opener that contrasts with the sad lyrics of middle-aged loneliness. The strong chords of “It’s Not Me” is one of the big standouts here, as the band is “trying to prove a point that went dull long ago.” The band’s Merseybeat tendencies come out on “Misery” with some nice chord shifts and three-part harmonies. Most of the songs are under the three-minute mark and push the energy limit, so it would’ve been nice to hear ballad amongst the dozen tunes here. However, most of the music is very good, and you can explore some of the earlier LPs on Bandcamp.  Check it out!

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

Faux Co.

Faux Co. “Radio Silence”

Chicago’s Faux Co. adds a perfect amount of fuzzy psychedelic grit and melodic hook in the opener “Prozac Spaceman.”  The band consists of Ben Mackey, Chris Lee, Christian Whiting, and Jayson Homyak. Their music blends melodic pop with garage rock elements (and horns) for “Set The Record Straight.” These two strong tunes give this short album (only 8 songs) a solid forward momentum.

The catchy fuzz rhythm of “The Sun Will Come Back”  leads to the Lennonesque ballad “Oh Mother Night.” The gorgeous harmonies are a highlight of “It’s Nothing Really” and it approaches epic dreamlike territory on the Oasis-like “Get A Say.” The music is consistently excellent as it concentrates on deep themes of apathy, creativity, love, and loss. Not a speck of filler here. Highly Recommended.

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