Category: Power Pop Review

Diamond Hands and Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.

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Diamond Hands

Diamond Hands “Cookie”

The duo of Jon Flynn and Joel Wall returns for a very different follow-up to 2021’s Thank You.  The band has taken a slightly different direction, as “I Want You” opens with a tropical, almost Sugar Ray-like tune and the surf guitar washes over you like a day at the beach. “Won’t Go Down” features bursts of post-punk guitar, and then “Fruit Trees” jangles along to a catchy melody (and my favorite tune here).

The album takes plenty of chances stylistically, with the dream pop of “Open Your Eyes,” the mid-tempo “Don’t Wanna Start Again” with its elegant strings, and “Take You Home” echoing Marc Bolan’s breathy vocals. My only pet peeve is that there isn’t a song in the second half that stands out among the pack. This seems more like a transitional album, but it’s still a good one. It’s music that deserves to be heard.

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Roger Joesph Manning, Jr.

Roger Joesph Manning, Jr. “Radio Daze & Glamping”

Rather than release a new EP, Roger added four new tracks to 2018’s independently released Glamping and included eight bonus tracks with live and instrumental songs. The new material is good. Opening with the piano bounce of “I Feel Good, Bad, Fine” sets the mood nicely with a touch of boogie. “Rockin’ It Our Way” is the Jellyfish-styled rock fans have come to expect from him, with soaring chords and harmonies. “I’m Starting A Band” and “On Our Way To The Moon” have Roger looking back on his career a bit with his impressive falsetto. “We’re so in demand,” he sings in the former. While very good, these songs are stretched out past the five-minute mark and aren’t that sticky.

I previously reviewed the other songs, and the live tracks are nicely done. If you are a completist or you never bought the previous EP, then I’d pick this one up. Roger remains one of the most sought-after musician-producers in the business, and this LP proves he hasn’t lost any spring in that step. Fans should also not forget his great work with The Lickerish Quartet. And hopefully, more new music is on its way.

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Nick Bertling and Ian M. Bailey

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Dot Dash

Nick Bertling “Process and Contact”

Nick Bertling is joined by a stellar supporting cast: Lindsay Murray (Gretchen’s Wheel), Max Mueller (Love Nut),  Andy Bopp (Myracle Brah), Dolph Chaney, Ahren Bucheister, Fernando Perdomo, Jim Trainor, and Kevin & Scott Robertson (The Vapour Trails). This is a fantastic concept album about dealing with a musician’s anxiety. “A New Day” is a soaring melodic hopeful opener, recalling Todd Rundgren and Jon Brion, loaded with amazing guitar work. But Nick’s self-awareness sticks out on “Not Very Good,” as he wonders as a struggling musician, “When does this become fun?”

The album starts with personal stories like “Lillie” and “The Heckler,” which could be a lost They Might Be Giants tune. The anxiety and depression seem to increase as we move forward with “Falling Apart” and “Intrusive Thoughts.” But the tone starts to change, and the music gets heavier and better with “There Was A Thing.” Along the way, the melodies get bolder and the riffs have confidence in “When She Comes To Town” and “The Things We Lost.” It ends quietly, with “If Ever” and the moral of our story. Repeat listens reward the listener, and it’s highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Ian M. Bailey

Ian M. Bailey “We Live In Strange Times”

The melodies, harmonies, and arrangements that Ian Bailey creates are widely recognized for their exceptional quality. His album from last year, ‘You Paint The Picture’ was on my radar, but I didn’t get the chance to review it. I’m glad that this release follows a similar path, so stock up on his earlier music for more of this. The tunes “The Last Chime” and “It’s Summer Rain” both have a soothing positive vibe and a pleasant melody, and their jangling Byrdisan tones are similar. The title track (“We Live In Strange Times”) and “Mother Nature (giving out signs)” both feature a sitar, and the song’s earnest commitment to the environment is similar to the music of the late-60s era Moody Blues.

Even though “She Waltzes With the Devil” appears to be more mired in a psychedelic approach, Ian shifts the tone and employs some steel pedal guitar accents to alt-country ballads such as “Dance Around the Room,” “Country Girl,” and “The Sweet Smell of Roses” about halfway through the album. The song “Pray for Me,” which features a catchy hook in the chorus, is sure to be well-received by fans of the band Dropkick. Anyone who enjoys jangle rock will find this to be a very good album overall.

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Super Cassette and The Small Square

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Super Cassette

Super Cassette “Continue?”

Max and Nick Gerlock, two siblings who have a knack for both melodic and dramatic moments, are the leaders of this Oakland, California-based band. Max’s strong vocals are very reminiscent of Stanton Marriott (Skeleton Staff). Their powerful debut track, “Continue?” draws connections between the arcade gaming world and overcoming crippling anxiety. “Path through the Past” is a dance-pop pastiche with an infectious chorus, but my favorite here is the brilliant “9 to 5” with its strong guitar riffs and commanding rhythm.

Great guitar work punctuates the emotional songs “Ulcer” and “Bastille Day,” the latter in particular with a cheery chorus about “killing the gentry,” so is it about the French Revolution or something else? Another highlight is the odd chord shifts in “Someday” and its chorus that’s both pensive and soothing at the same time. Other songs managed to hold my interest based on their great writing; the ballad “Sliver” is a great example of this. Although not everything is as captivating, the album does not contain any filler. Highly Recommended.

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The Small Square

The Small Square “Ours & Others”

The Small Square is an indie rock group of expatriates living in Osaka, Japan. Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush, Matthew Sweet) and John L. Richardson (Tommy Keene, Gin Blossoms, Joey Molland/Badfinger) had a fine debut this past summer that we reviewed. But now the duo has raised the bar exponentially for Ours & Others. Great guitarist John Moremen (Matthew Sweet, Orange Peels) joins Chastain and Richardson as they dominate each song here.

“Twenty Third” feels like Mike Viola meets Sloan, with its hypnotic chorus of “faded out, faded out, fade down.” While the influences from the last album remain, the songwriting stands out a lot more. “The Hourglass” is a fantastic combination of different lead and rhythm guitars; it’s a real joy to listen to. “Open Up” features a cameo from Shoes’ Jeff and John Murphy, and it’s another big highlight. “Insta” shimmers with each strum as it sticks fast in your head. Several of the songs draw on Chastain’s own experiences; for example, the humble rocker “N. Main Blues” is based on his early days in Velvet Crush when they “were losers,” and “Baby Face” is a tribute to the late power pop legend Tommy Keene. Each song hits the mark. It’s not just highly recommended, but it’s worthy of a spot in my 2023 top ten list.

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Gifts under the tree: The Gripweeds, Kai Danzberg, Vista Blue, The Amplifier Heads, Geoff Palmer, Dan Miraldi

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December is barely here, and we’ve got some great musical gifts for you! On the first weekend of December… The Grip Weeds are back! They have remastered their classic holiday album, Under The Influence Of Christmas. It makes a perfect stocking stuffer. And we’ve got more gifts: the talented Kai Danzberg is giving us a massive freebie with four great albums at a “name-your-price” point, and Vista Blue is celebrating “Christmas Every Day” with buzzing guitars and Ramones-influenced rock and roll! Speaking of classics, The Amplifier Heads have a retro rock single with a spirited lead by Jen D’Angora. And Geoff Palmer gets into the act as well with a festive holiday EP, while Dan Miraldi is wondering why this holiday time is often sad and stressful. As usual, I’m way behind with LP reviews, so there’s plenty more to get to before our year-end top 10. It’s coming soon!






Lost Treasures Found: Peach and Lee

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Peach and Lee

Peach and Lee “Not For Sale 1965-1975”

This is truly a lost power pop treasure. Peach & Lee’s new double album, “Not For Sale,” is the result of ten years of work by Arlis Peach and Larry Lee, who have been best friends since childhood and grew up in Iowa together. They became deeply interested in rock and roll in the 1950s and were writing and recording their music by the mid-1960s. They got signed to RCA Records in 1972, and a single was released, but things never took off. Thankfully, they saved the tapes!

This release compiles all their output, a full 27 tracks. The band follows in the footsteps of The Beatles and The Hollies, evident in their opener, “Long Way to Go,” with churning guitars and solid harmonies. The comparisons to Badfinger are stunning here, especially on “Not For Sale,” “It’s Up To You,” “No Way Baby,” and “Do It Again,” including its handclaps and its infectious lead guitar.

A more basic, echoing early Beatles sound is clear on “Never Made the Grade” and “Down.” The catchy, simple lead in “Paradise” recalls the Hollies. “Help Yourself” and “Don’t Be Looking My Way” are very much in the Emmit Rhodes mold.

The band tries rocking harder (almost glam) on “You Ain’t Got Me Running” and “The Other Night.” The dramatic ballads “Can’t Let Go” and “Love Is On Our Side” are solid standouts.

The source material limits a few songs, such as “So Badly” and “Ooh Baby,” whose production is subpar. In addition, there are plenty of beautiful misses and demos here, but by any standard, this is a tremendous success. You wonder why these guys never made it big, but we finally have them 50 years later. Highly Recommended.

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