Category: Power Pop Review

The Anderson Council and Dennis Schocket

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The Anderson Council

The Anderson Council “The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon”

The Anderson Council’s most recent album, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, offers a refreshing dose of memorable songs. This New Jersey-based band transports listeners on a mesmerizing sonic journey by skillfully fusing elements of the 60s British Invasion, psychedelic rock, power pop, and a dash of contemporary indie flair.

Opening with the captivating track “Tarot Toronto,” The Anderson Council sets the tone for the album, immediately immersing us in their lyrical alliteration and nostalgia-infused sound. The band effortlessly channels influences while adding its own power pop twist. “Alone With You” boasts a sing-along chorus with layers of vocals and guitars, another potential hit. “Million Miles A Day” and “Times on the Thames” both feature pulsating rhythms and catchy chorus making them instant earworms that beg for repeated listens.

Overall the music doesn’t get as densely fuzzy as previous albums (Although “Sunday Afternoon” is an exception). But it also allows the melodies to rise to the forefront. Overall, one of the best albums this year. Yes, it’s high on my list and super highly recommended.

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Dennis Schocket

Dennis Schocket “Weathervane”

Dennis Schocket (Starbelly) goes solo on this new adult-oriented potpourri pop album.  It starts with a welcoming confessional in the title track that warmly greets you with its easy strum, and guitar solo. The bittersweet melody of “More Than Anything” is a richly produced ballad with its wonderful slide guitar leading the way. “Please Don’t Let Me Down” is a Jeff Lynne-ish rocker that feels a bit off, and I’m not sure why.

The mid-tempo ballads suit him much better, “Suddenly June” and “She Loves The Sun” are both melodic and wonderfully composed. The album explores introspective themes in tracks like “Love Untold,” and “I Forgive It All.” The bouncy “Madam Chaparral” is a big standout track, about a possible denizen of “Penny Lane.” It’s unsurprising that the Beatles’ DNA follows through with the sweet “Take Your Time With Me.”

Overall the production and mixing are excellent. The songs are more of a mixed bag, but with more treats here than I expected. Highly Recommended.

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May Singles, EP and Stuff: Sparks, Charlie Reiling, Joe Dilillo, Friends of Cesar Romero, The Heatwaves, Richard Turgeon

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Cute babies are for the new Sparks video “Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is”, from the new album ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte‘ by Sparks, out May 26th. This week’s freebie is “Closed Minds,” a jangling gem softly song by Charlie Reiling. Joe Dilillo is a true craftsman and came out with the brilliant “Loser Girl” a few years ago. And now he’s expanded it into a full EP. “Superhero Star” and “Mend Your Heart” are just as amazing. On the garage end of things are Friends of Cesar Romero with a 3-song gem that deserves to be heard. The Heatwaves from Spain, have an ’80s-era charm, so enjoy “Take Back” and “Nothing New Under The Sun.” Richard Turgeon has a funny story about a kid with a weird nickname, and a solid melody. It doesn’t quite replace “Piss Aaron,” as far as “if it’s stupid, enough it’s cool,” but it will do.




Vanity Mirror and Aloud

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Vanity Mirror

Vanity Mirror “PUFF”

The Toronto-based Brent Randall and Los Angeles-based Johnny Toomey team is well-known for their work with the baroque-pop outfit The Electric Looking Glass. Their newest endeavor, Vanity Mirror, benefits stylistically from the balance between the two musicians. Randell’s vocal is very much in the Ray Davies mold, and he wrote, played, and produced the album, with Toomey very much in Ringo-mode on drums.

The band’s sweet retro approach is the same road that the Elephant Six bands took back in the late 90s, with The Kinks, Beatles, and The Creation as musical touchpoints. Opening with “(I First Saw You There on) Tinpot Lane” catches you with the opening reverb riff and its baroque Anglophilic verses. “Tuesday’s News” is a lovely pastiche with a great piano and Rickenbacker combination. The strong songwriting helps songs like “Dandelion Wish” elevate beyond its precise retro-pop technique. The music was mostly created on vintage instruments, for example, “A Fool With An Applecart” which boasts an old piano melody punctuated by airy cello and flute flourishes. Both catchy and affecting, the album is a strong opening statement and is highly recommended.

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Aloud

Aloud “Apollo 6”

Bandmates Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain have been the driving force for the rock group known as Aloud. They started out in Boston, but in 2017 moved to Los Angeles. In that time they released 5 albums, and this is their sixth. It starts out with an impressive anthemic sound on “Somewhere To Be” that almost dares you not to clap along, fans of Oasis will love this one. Then Jen delivers a powerful vocal akin to Nancy Wilson with “The Comeback Kid,” a bluesy number.

The band gets spacey on “Meditation for the Housebound,” and this psychedelic approach follows through on a few other songs. The “Morning Moon” starts out slow and builds into a dense chorus, “Big Blue” slinks along and another highlight is the heavy percussion of “Stranger in the Alps.” The pop styles are seemingly very varied, and lots of experimentation is evident. Not everything works, but a lot does and this is a band that definitely deserves to be heard. I will want to hear the back catalog for sure.

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Ryan Hamilton and Bennett Wilson Poole

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Alex Fleuris

Ryan Hamilton “Haunted By The Holy Ghost”

Ryan Hamilton was a bit of a nervous wreck with the release of his latest album, based on his social media. Originally scheduled for March, it was a little late. He need not worry, as this release is amazing. Based on his experiences growing up in an extremely conservative religious household, Haunted By The Holy Ghost doesn’t pull any punches. Start with the opener “Asshole” a confession to all those one-night stands he bedded, but the title track is a perfect modern power pop song. It’s all about accepting religious guilt with a catchy sing-along chorus.

The positive vibes of “Overdose” and “Paper Planes” really deliver the hooks. Both songs boast catchy melodies that Ryan effortlessly puts out, all he needs is a “moment and a microphone.” With his songs, Ryan adds more of his personal anxieties about romance in the slow-burning “Broke My Heart, Fixed My Vision” and “Absence Of Love.” The sequence of songs tells a common story of regret for being that “Asshole,” but it’s not really redemption — it’s more “Yeah, Whatever.” It loses a little direction towards the end as “Sad Bastard Song” recognizes that bitterness stays with you long after a breakup. Overall this is a fantastic album, and hopefully, others will recognize this.  Makes my top ten for the 2023 list and is Highly Recommended.

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Alex Fleuris

Bennett Wilson Poole “I Saw A Star Behind Your Eyes, Don’t Let It Die Away”

The veteran rock trio of Robin Bennett (Dreaming Spires, St Etienne), Danny George Wilson (Grand Drive, Danny & The Champions Of The World), and Tony Poole (Starry Eyed & Laughing) are back. Where their debut record was very much like a Crosby Still Nash-styled, mellow California folk pop, this new album is even more hippy-dippy. The Byrdsian jangle is in full swing with the catchy “I Saw Love” with its solid three-part harmonies. Not unlike The Travel Wilburys, with an emphasis on late-era Beatles psychedelia.

These guys each take a verse on the George Harrison-like “Waiting for the Wave to Break,” and the smooth “I Want To Love You (But I Can’t Right Now)” is a soulful recall of glory days. Other highlights include “Ready To Serve,” and the gentle “Heart Songs.” While it meanders through the latter tracks, there is enough here to make this Highly Recommended.

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More May singles: The Bayonets, The Well Wishers, The Lolas, Scoopski, Kurt Baker

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Brian Ray (Paul McCartney) is back with his old-school band The Bayonets. He let loose with his newest video, maybe more suited for Halloween (whatever) but it’s got a nice hook. The reliable Well Wishers are also back with the dense “So Important” and The Lolas have a great single here with “Trick Myself,” one of their best IMHO. Scoopski has a quirky single, like Green Day without the guitars or Billy Joe’s snarl. Honestly, check out the catchier “Double” that came out earlier. Finally, Kurt Baker returns to true form (minus the hair) for “Secrets,” and it’s no secret that Kurt is one of the top power poppers out there. More music to comb through each week, my review pile is growing at a furious clip, so stay tuned.




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