Category: Reissue Reviews

Reissues: R. Stevie Moore and Jason Falkner and The Beatifics

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Jason Falkner R. Stevie Moore

R. Stevie Moore and Jason Falkner “Make It Be”

We found this hidden gem in 2015, but it has since been missing from R. Stevie Moore’s web page. The answer is that Bar None Records decided this was too good an album to remain buried, and the time was ripe for a proper release.

Check out my original review, it’s mostly the same album. But the more I listen to it the better it gets. Stevie’s more experimental side plays into Jason’s arena-friendly production techniques. With 18 tracks, it has plenty of great music that needs to be heard. And there have been rumors of a nation-spanning tour. Let’s hope these two collaborate again. Highly Recommended (once again).

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The Beatifics

The Beatifics “How I learned To Stop Worrying” (20th Anniversary remaster with bonus tracks)

The Beatifics’ brilliant debut album ‘How I Learned To Stop Worrying’ was released in 1996 and instantly caught the attention of anyone that listened. The songs matched catchy pop hooks with bittersweet lyrics that only needed to be heard once to get permanently stuck in the heads of power pop fans worldwide. The album has built up a devoted base of true believers over the years, which has made it all the more frustrating that it has been completely unavailable for years.

Grandma Camp Records has marked the 20th anniversary of this infectious masterpiece by making it available again, not only in digital form but also for the first time on vinyl. This limited edition has new liner notes by Chris Dorn and John M. Borack. It also includes a download featuring the only existing live recordings of the original band lineup, as well as rare demos of songs from pre-Beatifics band The Rockefellers.

Kool Kat Musik

The Bangles and Peter Lacey

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The Bangles

The Bangles
“Ladies and Gentlemen… The Bangles”

This treat is a vintage 16-track Bangles collection of remastered ’80s-era rarities, demos, live recordings, including The Bangles’ debut single and all of the tracks from their self-titled EP—produced by legendary Ramones/Blondie producer Craig Leon—unavailable since its initial release on vinyl in 1982. It showcases the talent of The Bangles’ founding and current members—Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, and Vicki Peterson—as well as now-retired bassist Michael Steele, and the band’s original bass player Annette Zilinskas.

What’s incredible is just how solid the Monkees influences show through on all these early tracks, just listen to “I’m In Line,” “Call On Me”and “How Is The Air Up There.” The Peterson/Hoffs harmonies are full of energy on “Want You” and the garage side comes out on the demo of “Steppin’ Out.” Another fun tune is a cover of The Turtles “Outside Chance.” Highly Recommended to power pop music fans and not just for Bangles devotees.

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Peter Lacey

Peter Lacey “New Way Lane”

Veteran musician Peter Lacey’s music has often been compared to that of Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney’s early work. His newest album was recorded in Peter’s garage and touches on many ’60s pop styles, done with very sparse instrumentation. The album starts with the Beatlesque “Star In Your Own Show” and “New Way Lane,” solid compositions done with a sweetness and simplicity that make the music irresistible.

“Laundromat” is old school soul, with an easy funk beat and deep brass accents. “Bella Donna” is a little too close to the Fab Four’s “Lady Madonna,” and a few songs after this are so mellow I want to take an “Afternoon Nap.” Another highlight is the catchy “Better Make Tracks.” Rewards with repeat listens.

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Reissues: The Beckies and Sneakers

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The Beckies

The Beckies “The Beckies”

Long out of print, The Beckies makes its debut on CD. If the west coast had the sublime production and baroque pop stylings of Curt Boettcher in the early ‘70s, the east coast boasted the man who invented the genre: Michael Brown. Brown has the driving force behind The Left Banke (“Pretty Ballerina” and “Walk Away Renee”) and Stories. The Beckies was Brown’s last attempt to reach the pop audience he cultivated in the late 1960’s, and by 1976 the times had changed drastically… Read the full review on 53rd and 3rd blog.
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Sneakers

Sneakers “Sneakers” EP

Where did the 1980’s power pop revival start? You could argue that this album was the beginning. North Carolina’s Chris Stamey and Mitch Easter began their music careers in the band Sneakers in 1976. Stamey and drummer Will Rigby moved on to The Db’s, while Easter moved on to Let’s Active and eventually produced R.E.M. With a single EP and LP, the world didn’t learn about Sneakers until a remixed and re-recorded comp “Racket” came out in 1992. Now Omnivore offers an expanded version of the band’s original EP with 11 tracks and a cover of The Grass Roots’ “Let’s Live For Today.”

For fans of the ’80s indie jangle pop this is an essential addition to their collection. It is way before the DIY lo-fi movement in music took hold and set the stage for much of what came later, with quirky pop and heavy angular guitar riffs that “Driving” shows. Compositions like “Love’s Like A Cuban Crisis” and “On The Brink” have a timeless quality and doesn’t sound dated at all. The production and mixing has that sloppy charm, and displays the fact that even though Sneakers were a cult band, they effectively bridge the gap between Big Star and R.E.M.

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Rediscover: The Knack

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https://youtu.be/cnkPgHS9oLk

The Knack

When it comes to power pop in the 1980’s your starting points are usually The Plimsouls, The Beat and The Knack. Guitarist and singer Doug Fieger teamed up with drummer Bruce Gary, bassist Prescott Niles and guitarist Berton Averre to form The Knack in 1977. They played clubs all year and built up a huge following, including famous fans like Tom Petty, Stephen Stills and Bruce Springsteen. When the record companies came calling it was only a matter of time before “My Sharona” became the biggest single of 1979 and The Knack put on top so fast, Get The Knack spent 5 weeks at #1 and is one of the most successful debut albums in history. But the backlash was almost as swift. But after the death of John Lennon, the band felt it had more to say, and The Knack had a comeback of sorts in 1989. Thanks to the folks at Omnivore Records these final album have been remastered and expanded for 2015.

“Zoom”

Reuniting with drummer Terry Bozzio, Fieger and Averre were re-energized on Zoom. The songwriting was the tightest since Get The Knack, and “My Sharona” charted again thanks to the film Reality Bites. Starting with “Pop Is Dead,” it dramatically tells how the band’s fame “burst your bubble.” “Can I Borrow A Kiss” and “Smilin’” are shimmering examples of power pop, “Ambition” stands out as a single that’s as good as their debut, and even when the band moves into more mature pop like “Everything I Do” its the brilliant songwriting that makes this entire album a keeper.
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“Normal As The Next Guy”

While not as consistent as Zoom, the bands last studio album still has some gems; “Disillusion Town” is pretty much the emotions of a band that knows it’s not bound to “top of the charts” again.  The sense of resignation on some songs is apparent, but the ballads are what stand out like “Girl I Never Lied To You” and “Reason To Live.” A very touching Beach Boys homage “The Man On The Beach” (written by guitarist Berton Averre) is another big standout. Normal as the Next Guy shows us a glimpse of what a mature Knack sounded like.
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“Live from the Rock ‘N Roll Fun House”

This clean sounding concert documents just how important the Knack were in the evolution of millennial guitar pop music. The singing and playing are perfectly done, sounding as fresh as it did when Get The Knack first rolled out.. It features a treasure trove of songs from the bands earlier albums and sets great example of a band going out “on top.”
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Promise and The Bloodhounds

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Promise

Promise “Promise” 2015 Remastered Edition

It’s rare that a lost power pop treasure like this gets dusted off and given an opportunity to shine. Promise was a little known band, originally issued in 1980 on the Boulder, Colorado, area band’s own Cumulus label, their eponymous debut is filled with melodic, beatific blasts of pure Beatlesque pop, replete with ringing, jangly guitars, and rollicking crunch. Co-led by singer-songwriter’s/guitarists Curt Mangan and Danny Mey—with bassist Randy Jones and drummer Gary York—the group was out of step with the new wave trends at the time, opting instead for a timeless rock sound.

Without a doubt Promise is a classic that deserves to be re-discovered. “Say Alright” is eerily like Badfinger with its boogie baseline and jangling rhythm. “Back in My Heart” has a great acoustic strum and Mangan sounds like Emmit Rhodes here. The vaguely Genesis-like prog ballad of “Guitar” is a sweet curve, and “Later On Tonight” brings more Badfinger comparisons. “Hands of Luck” is probably the catchiest single, with its thrilling chorus. The remaining tracks don’t reach these heights, but are consistently very good. The remastering is done from the original master tapes, and it sounds great. For the power pop fan this is manna from heaven.

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Got Kinda Lost Records

The Bloodhounds

The Bloodhounds “Let Loose”

A big thanks to Dave “The Boogieman” for turning me on to this classic retro band. Starting with “Indian Highway” its a mix of rockabilly, blues and catchy rhythm that sets the stage for this LP. Then the tempo speeds up on “Wild Little Rider” with its blues harmonica, you’ll hear a mix of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Bo Diddley all wrapped up in a neat package. Equally powerful is the echoing reverb on the bass guitar riff for “Saint Dee.”

Next the band gets inventive on “Dusty Bibles and Silver Spoons” with a simple lo-fi production, using kitchen pots and spoons as percussion instruments. They even use an old player piano for the dancehall ditty “Hey Lonnie,” but bar room R&B is what this band delivers more than anything else. I couldn’t find a really bad track, so if you want a little honky tonk mixed in your rock, this one is highly recommended.

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