Category: Top Ten of 2011 Candidate

Since Noel left Oasis, he let his brother Liam offer up the excellent Beady Eye to much acclaim, and although Noel’s album has arrived later, it’s much more main course than a musical appetizer.  The work is epic in every way Oasis was, with the added maturity in songwriting and emotional depth not heard since his early days. “Everybody’s On The Run” has the same dramatic sweep of Tears for Fears latter works, and is a great example of symphonic rock. “Dream On” is the type of song that captivates with it’s catchy chorus and background harmonies. The ghost of Ray Davies is oozing all over “The Death Of You And Me” with it’s layered banjos and New Orleans brass section.

Noel doesn’t have Liam’s vocal skills, but he still can impress us with grand compositions. “(I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine” is another sweeping anthem with it’s choral flourishes and wall of sound production, comparable to “Champagne Supernova” in scope. The highlights just keep coming from the retro-pop of “Soldier Boys And Jesus Freaks” to the marching bass lead “(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach.” One of the best releases all year – so don’t mourn Oasis… as I see it between the two Gallagher boys you have Oasis x2.

Melbourne Australia’s hardest working power pop band recorded and mixed In Transit in London and had it mastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. And the Wellington’s latest is once again a wonderful power pop creation. The band’s sound has gotten tighter and more consistent with time, and lead vocal Zac Anthony’s approach has more of a pop (as opposed to rock) sound than previous releases, with less emphasis on the lead guitar driving the melody and more reliance on vocals and harmonies to do the heavy lifting.

Opening with the fast-paced chords of “Keep Me Holding On” Zac takes charge assisted by Kate Goldby’s backing harmonies. And Goldby gets to shine as lead vocal herself for the brilliant “I’m Feeling The Same Way” and “Baby’s Got A Secret.” The compositions are dense with instrumentation that creates a full wall of sound that envelops the listener. The guitar is more prominent on “Adamant” which drives home the catchy chorus and Gustav Lindstroms crashing drums are a perfect compliment too. Another highlight among many is “Your Love Keeps Bringing Me Down” with its piano chords and “bop-bop” backing vocal harmonies that fans of Jellyfish will swoon for.

The pace is relentless till we reach the string laden ballad “I Fell For You,” and here the band stretches its wings with a goose-bump inducing bridge. The songwriting here is also excellent. Every tune here hits the mark, with a one exception(“Alright, Alright” feels a bit forced compared to the others). For those bands looking for a prime example of modern power pop, this should serve as the new template. Fans of IKE, Farrah, and group harmonies should not hesitate and grab this album. Easy top ten nominee for 2011.

Celebrating their 30th year anniversary, The Bangles’ newest album Sweetheart of the Sun, has all the requisite power pop touch points (The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Byrds) and co-produced by Matthew Sweet. Combining their trademark angelic harmonies with jangling guitar riffs, the band is now a trio; Susanna Hoffs (guitar) and sisters Vicki (guitar) and Debbie Peterson (drums); former bassist Mickey Steele is the only original member to leave the group. While many will consider this a successful “retro” album – it really is the band leaning on those 60’s pop roots to produce a more confident and timeless approach. The feminine harmonies are seamless and the melody lines will instantly stick in your head, from the opening track “Anna Lee (Sweetheart of the Sun)” all the way through to the Todd Rundgren penned “Open My Eyes.”

The music here is so good it’s hard to find fault here as this is a solid comeback for the band. The lead vocal duties are split amongst the many tracks, notable are Susanna’s “I’ll Never Be Through With You” and Vicki’s “Mesmerized.” The slower mid-tempo number “Circles In The Sky” denotes the more mature Bangles, as Peterson’s vocal is deeper and assured. They still can rock a hard riff on “Sweet and Tender Romance” and the harmonies reach its apex with “Through Your Eyes.” Both musicianship and songwriting are simply perfect here – not a weak track in the bunch. This makes it an easy choice to give a top ten nomination for best power pop album this year.

This came out earlier this year, and despite almost no PR effort at all it has managed to become a favorite amongst music bloggers. It’s also been really tough to get ahold of. Shazam frontman Hans Rotenberry, and Shazam’s former producers Brad Jones unite to forge a Americana album with a sweet power pop spin. The compelling jangle of “Count On Me” and “A Likely Lad” have Jones (Guilt Flake) fingerprints all over them.

Rotenberry’s “Froggy Mountain Shakedown” and “Back To Bristol” have a Kinks “Muswell Hillbillies” flavoring. The melodies shine brightly and both artists work to make the album as repeat-friendly as possible. These two titans of Nashville power pop have also kept things understated enough on tracks like “Puttin’ On Airs Tonight” and “Buffalo Daughter” to keep things poppy, but still clinging to those country roots. Also one track alone doesn’t carry the album, nor does one songwriter dominate – each track just sounds great. Simply put, the best musical collaboration this year and yes – it makes my best of 2011 year end list.