“Fields” features Lindsay Murray (Gretchen’s Wheel) and Orbis Max with drums by Daniele Silvestri. Neil Christie (Emperor Penguin) produced the video. The song compares the end of a relationship with the shifting of a landscape and how even the most permanent landmarks crumble to time and “progress.” Fallon Cush returns with a lively blues-rocker “Sweet Johanna” and Tony Marisco has a sweet EP of jangling songs, fans of The Byrds will certainly enjoy this, check out “Sleepwalker.” The Krayolas honor Dwight Twilley with a classic cover of “I Hear You Knockin’.” The late great Tommy Keene is always worth revisiting, a new digital EP was recently released so don’t hesitate to check it out. A new band to me is The Blusterfields, “Everyone is Dead” fits well with this group, with some jangle and harmonies. Finally, a freebie — RumBar Records After School Special is a 5-song EP with pop-punk artists like Pavid Vermin, J. Prozac, The Cretins, WiMP!, and The Glimmer Stars. Enjoy!
New Jersey-based The Cynz is the duo of Cyndi Dawson and Henry Seiz, and although they’ve been around for several years, it took Jem Records to shine a brighter light on their songwriting prowess. Cyndi’s punk attitude and Henry’s melodic rock style are perfectly balanced here on Little Miss Lost, with assists in production from a bevy of stars: Kurt Reil (The Grip Weeds), Michael Giblin (Split Squad), and Tommy Kristich (The Jellybricks). Even Smithereens legend Jim Babjak plays on a track! With all this in the mix, you will have a great album.
Cyndi’s vocal stylings resemble Brody Dalle (The Distillers) and Joan Jett. The inspiration for the record came from Cyndi’s preadult years when she lived a bit dangerously. There are so many good highlights here: “Crow-Haired Boys,” the 80s jangle of “You Would Not Miss Me,” “When We Were In Love,” “Tell That Girl To Shut Up,” and “Narrow Hips.” Another excellent song is the Smithereens cover “Room Without a View,” and Jim Babjak’s guitar riffs make it even better. Highly recommended!
The 1990s may have seen the careers of former bandmates Teenage Fanclub, Soup Dragons, etc. overshadow those of Scottish cult pop legends BMX Bandits. Still, they remain mainly the home base of Duglas T. Stewart (vocalist & guitarist). After a run of excellent albums through 2017, Duglas has gradually expanded his style with more quirky folk, and unexpected musical turns. Dreamers on the Run is ambitious and more experimental than usual.
The record starts with the title track, a dreamy melodic folk song with Duglas’ wispy, mature vocals. This is followed by “Setting Sun,” a catchy pop song, and then “Time to Get Away, all about the joys of a beach vacation. Subtle harmonies and light strings make these very enjoyable. Then it takes a dramatic turn: “Cockerel’s Waiting,” is like a Broadway/circus ballad about finding love, but gets weird with the next song, a repeating stanza, “My Name Is Duglas (Don’t Listen To What They Say).” I preferred the straightforward “The World Was Round,” as opposed to the experiments here; like the 8-bit music of “Digital Dreamers.” Overall, it is a mixed bag that most fans will enjoy.
Dave Scarbrough went back through some older recordings from 2006 and remastered them for a fresh re-release. “Leftists Unite” is a political rallying cry about “taking away my rights,” and other causes. Maybe we should approach Taylor Swift about singing this because it would be a huge hit with a female performer.
Dave goes through several styles here from yacht rock (“Take Me Home,” “Care for the Caregiver”) to light adult balladry (“No Sure Bet”) and these early tracks are nicely done. However, he really strikes gold with “Isabella Mae.” It sounds like a lost Gin Blossoms hit single and is a real keeper. Unfortunately nothing else compares to it, although “Oblivious” comes close. There is just enough here to recommend, but I look forward to some fresh tunes from Dave soon.
You probably don’t need me to fill you in on Badfinger’s backstory. Because of this, one of the best guitarists, singers, and composers of the classic rock era—Pete Ham—took his own life in April 1975. The canonization of Pete Ham continues with more of his unreleased demos. Gwent Gardens is dedicated to the late Dan Matovina, Badfinger’s biographer, and it continues Ham’s discography that started with 7 Park Avenue in 1997. Another collection from last year, Misunderstood is similar in approach.
Just before he passed away in 2023, Matovina was gushing to a close friend about all the unpublished stuff. “There are so many wonderful Pete Ham tunes that nobody has heard yet. I can’t believe it,” he said. While the album is entertaining for sure, they are still finished demos and will appeal mainly to the dedicated Badfinger fan. You can hear the “hit” potential in songs like “Let the Sun Shine Through” and “I’m Only Human.” As a Pete Ham fan, I wish someone would arrange to cover these songs and produce them fully. Like the Pete Ham Tribute LP last year, this music needs to be heard.
Retro influences are all around. It’s been a long time since I heard from Frank Royster, and this song is great. It’s a perfect mix of Beach Boys-Beatles with gorgeous chord shifts. Love it! I can’t wait for the album! Another winner channeling the past is Bryan Estepa. “Is There Anybody There?” is a beautiful single that recalls yacht rock classics. Super 8 delivers a little sunshine pop with “Keep Doing It” from his upcoming album. Jamie Turner turns back the clock a little further with “Ordinary Song.” The boys from It’s Karma It’s Cool have a side pop project called Solitary Bee with an early ’80s feel. It’s not all soft sounds, as Wifey channels ’90s rockers like Bowling For Soup, with the freebie “Mary Ann leaves the Band.” Enjoy!
San Franciso’s power pop band The Real Numbers has been a fixture in the indie scene for over 12 years, but this new album has a special meaning. It was originally lost in a tragic computer accident; the story is in detail here. But despite the setbacks, the band got this done and added some ex-Jellyfish to play on it (Roger Joseph Manning Jr. and Tim Smith).
Dave Ambrose and Lawrence Grodeska are the main collaborators here, along with Chuck Lindo (bass) and Robert John Tucker (drums). The enthusiasm is palpable on the horn-lead “Lucy’s in Love.” But even better is “I Love To Sing,” a sweet musical biography. Stylistically, The Real Numbers are akin to The Barenaked Ladies, Fountains of Wayne, and Andrew Gold. They even cover Gold’s hit “Thank You For Being A Friend.”
“Lydia Pinkham” is a very Jellyfish-styled tune with its swirling psyche-pop touches. “Sorry for the Mess” is a big highlight here, a message for future generations apologizing for screwing up the environment. The brilliant composition and musicianship make it my favorite song here. The introspective “News of the Day” and “Hello World” are wistful observations, and despite the bouncy optimism in the melodies, there is a sense of sadness mixed with nostalgia. Overall, a great album that’s highly recommended, and a name-your-price download. You can’t ask for more!
Brent Seavers (The Decibels) has driving energy on his opener, “Roller Coaster Ride,” as the riff weaves up and down the scale. Brent lists The Beatles, The Jam, The Primitives, The Plimsouls, and The Monkees among his favorite bands. Overall, the album has a tight sound, yet each song is unique, taking the listener on a whirlwind tour of the multi-colored power pop universe.
More varied stylistically than The Decibels or his first solo outing, the song compositions are terrific. “Evolves” is a catchy gem with weaving harmonies and a killer guitar solo. The story songs that stick fast include “The Noble Cause,” “No Perfect Way,” and “Til It’s Over.” There are some overt nods to the ’60s mod (“Fuzz Off” is pretty obvious), but it’s not a retro-dominated album. Timeless and highly recommended. Keep on going, Brent!
