Category: Power Pop Review
Hot Summer singles and EPs: The Martial Arts, The Shang Hi Los, The Mediocre Friends, Teenage Tom Petties, Bad Moves, Shake Some Action!
A cool new video for The Martial Arts (aka Paul Kelly) for the single “Exploding Crushing Inevitable” from his upcoming album ‘In There Like Swimwear.’ It’s tough not to love The Shang Hi Los, with its bouncy rocker “Op-Operator” they continue the party with, “Morganatic Panic,” proving these guys have a big hit album in the making. Remember Gay Elvis from Readymade Breakup? Well, he has a new project, The Mediocre Friends and it’s the opposite of mediocre. Plus, it’s a freebie! I also enjoyed “Kissed Me in Seattle,” by Teenage Tom Petties, with its catchy fuzzy melody, it sounds like a keeper. Two bands I follow are back; Bad Moves has a new album coming out, and Shake Some Action! gives us a great-sounding EP with a crisper retro sound. Check out “I Want You,” and pick this gem up today!
The Black Watch and Valley Lodge
The Black Watch “Weird Rooms”
With the help of his son Chandler, who traveled to Austin, TX to record ‘Weird Rooms‘ with producer/multi-instrumentalist Misha Bullock and his wife Sara, lead singer and lyricist John Andrew Fredrick—a writer and prolific songwriter—releases his twenty-third long-player from The Black Watch. In contrast to most bands these days, The Black Watch just gets better with each release.
It starts with “Myrmidon,” a swirling psyche pop gem with a jangling rhythm and thick descending baseline akin to “Dear Prudence” with choral backing. “Miles & Miles” also has a shimmering texture, that builds up a wall of sound with a dreamlike cadence. “Gobbledegook” and the title track “Weird Rooms” follow this with more 80s-styled guitar riffs, displaying a richly composed stream of consciousness. There are bits of “weird” interludes between some tracks, that serve to move us along the album, from one “room” to the next. “Fruit Stripe Gum” has a strong horn and drum-guitar combo that recalls an old western theme. Overall, it is a sensory experience that proves more intoxicating the longer you listen to it. Highly recommended.
Valley Lodge “Shadows in Paradise”
Vally Lodge (Dave Hill, Phil Costello, Eddie Eyeball, and Rob Pfeiffer) continues to chug along, as one of the top power pop bands out of New York. The group draws inspiration from various sources, including Cheap Trick, Maroon 5, and Thin Lizzy. “Daylights” opens with a rousing guitar riff, it’s a catchy, silly song with lyrics like “I’m not your basketball, but I’ll bounce all over your head.” Next is “I Wrote a Song,” which also bounces along with Olive Hui (Late Cambrian) dancing in the video.
There are a few songs that have a rock vibe with funky electronic beats like “Secret Lover,” and “Dirty Dishes,” but power pop fans will eat up the brilliant “After School,” with its frantic guitar solo and “Hanging Around,” which starts almost like a Foo Fighters song, with a bass-heavy intro and settles into breezy “do-do-do” harmonies. In the end, ‘Shadows in Paradise’ is an enjoyable album with more than enough great songs to make this one highly recommended.
Lenny Kravitz and Crowded House
Lenny Kravitz “Blue Electric Light”
After a 35-year Grammy-filled career, Lenny Kravitz’s vintage-themed aesthetic has become an enduring style that remains appreciated over time. With his 12th studio album, Kravitz reaffirms his status as one of rock’s most versatile and enduring artists. Track one, “It’s Just Another Fine Day (In This Universe of Love),” has the mellow groove that sets the album’s overall mood. The Star Wars-themed “TK421” is a snappy electro-funk tune that recalls Prince, this style is also heard on the danceable “Bundle of Joy.” The organic soul of “Honey” follows, and his approach is as smooth as the title suggests. “Paralyzed” is a rare rocker, but the tempo remains slow and the lyrics are more self-reflective.
The album’s big radio-ready single, “Human,” has an 80s-styled synth and rhythm as he sings, “I came here to be alive, I’m here to be human.” At the album’s midpoint, the songs are less immediate, but we get another rocker, “Love is My Religion,” and a breezy love theme, “Spirit in My Heart.” Overall, there is plenty here to make this highly recommended.
Crowded House “Gravity Stairs”
Neil Finn and the band’s original bassist, Nick Seymour, continue to lead Crowded House with the assistance of Elroy and Liam, Neil’s sons. The starter, “Magic Piano,” is a soothing, harmony-laden track about receiving a “contact high” while making music. Each song glides and lingers on sonic details; “The Howl” feels like a big single, with its desire for connection, and it’s my favorite here.
Many songs are about getting older and wiser and understanding that you can’t control many things in this life. “All That I Can Ever Own,” is about this acceptance and another highlight. And just when you drift off to “Blurry Grass,” the band wakes you up with “I Can’t Keep Up With You.” You might fall asleep if you don’t sift through the album’s treasures; it has a distinct haze of daydreaming. But those gems make it music that deserves to be heard.
More June EPs, singles, previews: Nick Lowe, Candy Whips, John Wlaysewski, Lisa Mychols, Golden Richards, dB’s
Nick Lowe keeps on rockin’! With the help of his reliable bandmates Los Straitjackets on every track, Nick showcases his impeccable songwriting skills over a wide range of musical styles. Indoor Safari proves that Nick Lowe is just as influential as he was when he first entered the music industry fifty years ago. Next, Candy Whips brings a fusion of new wave and pulsating synth-pop while John Wlaysewski (Late Cambrian) adds his synth melodies, so check out “Doing Shit, Trying Not To Be Sad.” Power pop queen Lisa Mychols has been very active on social media lately, with new recordings from The Masticators! coming up. Check out her demo of “PopSound.” Golden Richards has a great single about an old-school rapper, “Doctor K” trying to impress a girl. Finally, I wanted to shout out about the new re-issue of the dB’s Stands for deciBels a classic power pop album that was way ahead of its time. The remastered sound is just amazingly well done. Enjoy!