Category: Power Pop Review

Radio Days, Watts and David Myhr

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Radio Days

Radio Days “Rave On!”

Italian power pop band Radio Rays returns with a new LP, and like comfort food, it warms the soul with a catchy sound that combines the energy of The Beatles, The Knack, and Paul Collins Beat wrapped into three-minute jangling gems. “I Got Love” is a classic power-pop single with a signature riff repeating throughout. The party continues with “Lose Control” and its dense guitar attack similar to The Ramones. Even better is the catchy “Walk Alone” which layers its guitar line perfectly, and builds into a harmonic chorus. It’s likely the best tune here, but there’s plenty more to enjoy.

The angular guitars on “Til The End Of The Night” boasts a gentle quiet verse, followed by a loud chorus about love. “What is Life?” is a fun tune full of guest stars ( Paul Collins, Kurt Baker, The Yum Yums, and The Psychotic Youth). Nearly every track hits the mark, and it sets itself up as a contender for top power pop LP for 2021. Highly recommended, of course.

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Watts

Watts “Shady Rock and Rollers”

Boston’s local guitar heroes Watts are back with an album that turns it up to “11”. The first track says it all “Loud & Fast,” as lead vocalist Dan Kopko’s grizzled shout describe “that’s how I want my rock and roll!” In the early days of Watts history, the band’s template was The Rolling Stones, and they still have an R&B core sound on a few tunes, like “The Night The Lights Went Down.” But when I heard “Queens,” it was definitely a call out to the band KISS, even the lyric mentions “queens of the nighttime world.” Additional influences like Guns N’ Roses and Cheap Trick are heard as well.

Lots of highlights here, including “Heavy Metal Kids,”  “Seventeen,” and “All Done With Rock and Roll.” The music doesn’t falter and is consistently great. There are more than enough gems here to make this a highly recommended pick.

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David Myhr

David Myhr “And Now This” EP

David Myhr is a treasured power-pop artist from Sweden, whose band The Merrymakers was one of the best examples of the genre in the late 90s. David has continued to produce high-quality music over the years, and this EP is no exception. The opener “We Wanted To Shine” is a look back to his time in the band and its too short career. The soothing “You Spin My World Around” is a classic mid-tempo love song with bells and harmonies, and my favorite is the electric sitar gem “Egyptian Blue.” With only 4 songs, it’s a short and sweet EP. It only makes me want more Myhr music, and it’s also a top EP for 2021.

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Videos, EPs, and singles, oh my! Willie Nile, Hanson, The Sun Sawed in Half, Zig Zag Hearts, Vegas With Randolph, The Dowling Poole, David Woodard, The Vidprinter, Stoeckel & Pena

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Willie Nile is at it again! Willie Nile’s “Blood On Your Hands” featuring Steve Earle. The new album The Day The Earth Stood Still coming out on August 13, 2021.

HANSON (Remember “MmmBop?”) is all grown-up. But the public doesn’t want them to change. So “Don’t Ever Change” is the new Official Music Video, and the Cheap Trick references are everywhere. Screams “I Love Power Pop!”


After a very long wait, The Sun Sawed in Half returns! A glorious EP with swirling guitar riffs all over the opener “Dried Cherry Blossoms,” the neo-psychedelic effects on “Good King of Summer” are almost operatic in scope. A trip that Jellyfish and XTC fans will really love. Don’t miss this one. Get it on Amazon

The Zigzag Hearts are a new band from Oakland lead by Greg Schneider who knows his way around a riff or two. Frantic layered hooks from top to bottom on “It Aint Easy” and “Cold Heart” meant to be played LOUD. Fan of The Beat, The Real Kids, and Buzzcocks will find a lot to cling to. Greg’s vocal gets lost in the mix a little, but it still rocks! Get it on Amazon


Vegas With Randolph is back (sounding a bit like Bowling For Soup here) as we welcome a return to summer fun.

The Dowling Poole is a band for people who love the sounds of XTC and 10cc. We’ve reviewed all the band’s albums over the years but here is a great opportunity to sample four great tunes for a mere British pound. Almost FREE! Get it and immerse yourself for only a quid!


David Woodard is back with a sharply written gem of an EP! Guitarist/Songwriter has a knack for song stories with great melodies.  “About New York” is a terrific single that sticks in your head immediately. Enjoy the poptastic “Ghosts” and the slowly building “The Last Word.” With each EP Woodard gets better – no filler, all killer. Get this one on Amazon

The Vidiprinter is a Scottish artist with a knack for pop bounce and “Glued To My TV Set” is a ton of fun!

A new duet by Steve Stoeckel (The Spongetones) and Big Stir Record’s artist Irene Peña.  It’s a jangling gem with a nod to The Everly Brothers in harmonies and arrangement. More, please?

Del Amitri and Caper Clowns

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Del Amitri

Del Amitri “Fatal Mistakes”

If you only know band Del Amitri from their big hit single “Roll to Me,” then you should recognize they are a more talented band than their one-hit-wonder status would suggest. And considering it’s been 19 years since the last album, they sound damn good. Lead singer Justin Currie’s vocal hasn’t lost its power and the songwriting is sharp and insightful.

The opening track “You Can’t Go Back” is a reminder that they’ve still got some magic left. “Losing the Will to Die” is another highlight that clicks wells, and proves that the band’s melodies still resonate. But it’s the sobering mature topics; the bitterness in “Musicians and Beer” and the wry sadness of “Otherwise” that dominates the album. There are a few bouncy moments with “It’s Feelings,” but most songs lack the hooks needed to make it essential. Fans will still enjoy this album, but newbies will want to pick up Hatful of Rain first.

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Caper Clowns

Caper Clowns “Abdicate the Throne”

Denmark’s Caper Clowns has been a consistently great band over the years. Often characterized as a cross between The Merrymakers and Crowded House, the band continues to expand its sound on its third album. Opening with the wistful rocker “Pineapple Songs” it does a fine job, and the bouncy “CAPS LOCK ON” is a story about the anxiety of life online. The lovely “Bonsai Tree” moves from conventional to great with a swaying chorus chock full of sweet chord changes.

But these Clowns expand their sound, loving the piano-led gem “Be There (The Ever-Changing Tone)” as each vocalist (all four of them) brilliantly harmonizes. And the hooks are all over “April Fool,” another great single. And these dudes rock out on “In Your Kaleidoscope” or can get dramatic and spacey for “Under Your Command.” Each track offers something interesting, like the ELO-like ballad “Valley of the Queens.” Overall, there is more than enough variety here to please the most discriminating pop fan. Highly Recommended.

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Perry Serpa and The Bablers

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Perry Serpa

Perry Serpa “Laying Low in the Highlands”

Like many musicians, Perry Serpa went to work when COVID hit, and this album is the result. Opening with the instrumental “Out Of Purel” kinda says it all, I think. The time of isolation allows Serpa’s sparse chamber pop to focus on how events felt in 2020, and it offers a sobering view on loss and confusion.

The darkness of “Shadow Of The Delacorte,” feels like a walk through empty streets, and jazz-inflected “I Got A Fever” is a compelling dual-meaning tune. The cover of the Gilbert O’Sullivan nugget “Alone Again (Naturally)” fits here like a glove, and it’s not all gloom as “Now I’m Not So Sure” is a hopeful gem with a touch of soul. Not everything here is as catchy either, but there is enough variety to make this a good representation of the time we were in. Check it out.

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The Bablers

The Bablers “Psychadilly Circus”

An accomplished group of Finnish musicians, The Bablers are songwriter/vocalist Arto Tamminen (bass, drums, guitars,
keyboards, cello, percussions, vocals), Janne Haavisto (drums, vocals), Pekka Gröhn (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Hannu Pikkarainen (guitar, vocals). The opener is a Lennonesque ballad “Love Is Everything!” which signals a decidedly retro direction, from there the title track brings more energy, and despite fuzzed-out (unintelligible) vocals, the rhythm is simply infectious.

“Queen Of Yesterday” is a lonely character study, a successful hybrid of “Elenor Rigby” and Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar.” The power-pop sound comes out on the jangling “I Hope It Wouldn’t Rain Tomorrow,” a terrific single, and “All Because of You” is a familiar, yet heartfelt ballad that swells up during the chorus. From there it goes off in different directions, some interesting (“Angry Young Man”) and others not so. The production is crisp and clean and allows the music to shine, some additional gems include “Walking On A Sunny Beach” and “When You Were Growing.” While it could’ve used some editing, with 15 tracks, there is enough to pick through to make this one highly recommended.

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Johnathan Pushkar and The Palace Guard

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Johnathan Pushkar

Johnathan Pushkar “Compositions”

Johnathan is back! Starting with “Any Second Now” it’s another snappy Beatles-inspired pop gem that will hook you quickly, very much like his debut last year. He approaches the songs with wide-eyed innocence and light vocal that can be either sweetly endearing or very irritating (depending on the listener). Jonathan keeps the party going with “Does What She Does,” a Beach Boys-inspired track. Pushkar then delivers the mellow reassurances of “Gonna Be Alright” and country-lite “Just Friends” about a crush gone wrong, recalling Ringo’s “Act Naturally.” “Can’t Get You Out of My Mind” is a song of obsession with a girl, and taking the opposite end of that theme “Alexandra” is a cautious tale about that clinging girlfriend.

All well and good, but some songs here feel too generic, “Making Plans,” “Red Eye” and “Love Will Save The Day,” simply disappear from memory almost immediately. Note how these songs contrast with the great cover of Paul McCartney’s “Junior’s Farm.” In this case, drummer Geoff Britton and Dan Ealey appear on the song, as part of the Ram On Tribute. Fans of the debut will enjoy this for continuity, but others may be looking for Pushkar to push the envelope a little bit more.

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The Palace Guard

The Palace Guard “All Night Long: an Anthology 1965–1966”

One of the few select American bands that tried to imitate The Beatles’ “overnight” success in real-time, was The Palace Guard with its jangling single “All Night Long.” Another notable imitation from this time was The Knickerbockers “Lies.” Both singles captured the zeitgeist of early Beatlemania, but to maintain a music career after that was a challenge for both bands.

The Palace Guard only released 6 singles during their tenure and was the starting point for power-pop legend drummer Emitt Rhodes, who left the Guard to join The Merry Go Round. They even backed Don Grady (“Robbie” from My Three Sons) on his songs “Little People” and “Summertime Game.” Thanks to Omnivore Recordings, this collection has all 12 sides of The Palace Guard’s output, remastered and restored. Notable hits include “Falling Sugar” and “Calliope.” Fans of mid-60’s nuggets will love it.

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