Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My top 25 of 2024 is due to post January 4, 2025, so stay tuned!
Category: Power Pop Review
New Reviews: Dislexia, John Faye and Jukebox The Ghost
Dislexia “Snowball” EP
This is an interesting supergroup; Coke Belda forms a union with two great Spanish power pop artists, Pepe Murgadas (Shennon and Lotton) and Roque Esteban (Inquieto Roque). The result is this sweet EP, and the opening harmonies of “Love Is Blind,” give you a Beatlesque gem that hits all the right buttons.
The guitar and vocal approach are suitably aggressive, but a few songs are just beautifully executed demos (“Mister,” “At Least”). I enjoyed the easy-going pysch-pop of “You Were Water” and “Sleeping All The Days.” Overall a very good example of pop craftsmanship, but more hooks are needed to put it over the top. Highly Reccomended.
John Faye “The Long Game”
John Faye (the Caulfields, IKE, John Faye Power Trip, John & Brittany) is back. The title track is a heartfelt ballad, but the catchy “Sell Your Soul as An NFT” would fit perfectly on any of his IKE albums, with its crunching guitars and defiant vocal. He hasn’t lost a step here, as the slowly building “Something Devine” and “Feug Shui” both have great positive energy and lots of cool sonic flourishes. His song “Epidural” is a heartfelt story of parental anguish and the subject of online reputation is the point of “Asking for a Friend.” Faye is one of the few veteran musicians I know who always consistently delivers, and you should pick this LP up. Highly Recommended.
Jukebox The Ghost “Truth” EP
Piano pop trio Jukebox the Ghost has been returns and asks “Would you rather be happy or be right?,” and seems to be a comment on the state of “truth” in our current political reality. The band’s repertoire has always had a predilection for speculating about the end of the world, but here it’s a case of tuning out on “I Feel So Good,” a catchy theme about letting go, and reconnecting with “Friends Again.” Each song is beautifully rendered, “Save a Little Room” is another standout. No filler here, and super highly recommended. A contender for best EP of the year, too.
Minky Starshine and The Heats
Minky Starshine “Boozers Gloom and a Pinch of Anxiety”
Rob Anastasi’s Minky Starshine returns with a long overdue album that starts out with a song about loss of the indie music ecosystem. On the opener “Kids on the Verge” as he opines “Once you get old, you will never be young again” but its got a strong melody set to a mid-tempo beat. Next is “Our Father,” with its catchy chorus, harmonies, and layered guitars. It gets more optimistic with “I Want Tomorrow To Come,” one of my favorites here, a great riff is running the rhythm, and the stadium sized vocals give it a sense of depth.
From here, the album takes a toned down quality. There is more introspective pop balladry, and less rock but the songwriting remains well done, on “Devil’s Bargain” and “Whisper.” The production here is slick, similar to REO Speedwagon if I’m looking for a reference. “Pride” is another impressive song, with the guitars more in the background and the overlapping vocals and thick percussion up front. While to some this may feel more like AOR (adult oriented rock) than power pop, it’s still highly recommended.
The Heats “The Heats”
Eventually, we all get old. It had been 40 years since a Seattle band called The Heats had played, and they were one of the best Northwestern power pop bands back then, part of John Borack’s Greatest Power Pop albums list. In late 2023, the Heats got back together with the intention of recording a new album and doing some limited shows. Jon Memolo (guitar, vocals) joined the band alongside co-founders Steve Pearson (guitar, vocals), Keith Lilly (bass guitar), and Ken Deans (drums). Old or not, here they come.
The opening riffs of “I Hope You’re Wrong” prove the band still has the goods musically, although Pearson’s vocal delivery is an acquired tasted here, a little like Tom Petty mixed with Bob Dylan. The band struts out the melodic rock on “You Know,” and most of this wouldn’t be out of place with artists from Rumbar Records. Other impressive songs include “The Life of The Party” and “She Belongs To Me.” It leans more toward hard rock than power pop, but there is still enough here to satisfy. Jon Memolo’s “You Know” and “Never Be The Same” showcase the bands depth of style and helps make this one highly recommended.
It’s a Hi-Fi Christmas: The Weeklings, The Supernaturals, David Woodard, The Happy Somethings
Great December EPs: Wyatt Funderburk, Sweetboy, Super 8, Blend Eleven, Softjaw
Wyatt Funderburk “Fleeting and Finite” and “Parkside”
Wyatt is comparable to a “5-tool-player” in baseball. Does many things extremely well, from songwriting, playing, singing, producing, etc. He does punk pop to perfection with Kurt Baker, but I can think of very few people who have the skills to pull off a Brian Wilsonesque combination of melody and earnest romantic delivery. He gives us a double EP (one under the name “Hibiki”) Don’t believe me? Listen to “You’ll Know” and you’ll know! Get it on Amazon
Sweetboy “A Day in the Park”
Local NYC indie pop band has some amazing songwriting, check out the title track “A Day in the Park,” “Island” and the epic chorus of “End of The World.” This is a band you should keep your eyes on for future greatness. Get it on Amazon
Super 8 “Goes J Pop”
Sorry if you were expecting Kenshi Yonezu, but Paul “Trip” Ryan (aka Super 8) does a fine job with these Japanese pop covers (including a Beatles cover). Check out “Keep Doing It” with its shamisen accents. Get it on Amazon
Blend Eleven “Deepest Cuts”
This Aussie band with great sound builds everything off the 12-string acoustic strum. A cover of the classic Cat Steven’s “The First Cut is The Deepest” sets the stage, very much in the vocal mold of Extreme’s acoustic gems. And it’s a freebie to try – so pick it up, and listen to the band’s other material. Get it on Amazon
Softjaw “Softjaw”
Deceptively cool vibe on the opener “Pleased With Me” drew me in, as this Long Beach, California band has a perfect power pop approach. “Don’t Go Walkin’ Out On Me” and “Dragging Mt Feet” are pure gems. This is another band that flirts with greatness, as each song hits the mark and it’s a contender for best EP this year. Get it on Amazon