Category: Top Ten of 2018

The Beths and Everet Almond

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The Beths

The Beths “Future Me Hates Me”

Auckland, New Zealand indie-rockers the Beths have a terrific debut that checks all the right boxes. Lead by the angelic vocals of lead singer Elizabeth Stokes, she hooks you right away and keeps you listening. The album focuses on her lack of confidence, self-doubt and does it with tight songwriting and punk-fueled energy. Prior to forming the band, all four members studied jazz at the University of Auckland, but this ain’t jazz. It is pop perfection.

It starts out slowly with the unassuming “Great No One” but by the chorus, you are hooked. The title track is a mainstream “hit” if ever there was such a thing with buzzing riffs underneath Stokes high chirp and soft emotions. “Uptown Girl” is a frantic power pop gem with innocence and fun riffs that don’t quit about “going out tonight.”  Jonathan Pearce is an excellent guitar lead as his riffs on “You Wouldn’t Like Me” and “Happy Unhappy” push the narrative along. The chaotic “Little Death” is more introspective, as the longer songs here tend to be. “Whatever” is the final catchy gem. There are so many good tunes here, all memorable, that grow on you very quickly. This makes it a nominee for my top ten of 2018 list.

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Everet Almond

Everet Almond “Everet Almond”

New York singer-songwriter and drummer Everet Almond was on my radar in 2015 with his first EP, but this year he has released a boatload of music. This self-titled LP starts with a very Beatlesque gem “Local Magistrate” full of big piano chords and harmonies. The bouncy “I Love You” is another pop gem that’s got some McCartney DNA and the easy strumming style of “I Saw Her In The Morning” is another compelling acoustic tune with a sweet middle eight.

The piano tunes “Beautiful Neighbor” and “Anytime You Need” recall late era Stories with its harmony-laden choruses. Most everything here works, and he continues to produce EPs that are worth exploring. And if you want to explore the whole bag of Almond’s past work, Kool Kat Musik has several other collections including Windsor Field and Introduction to Everet Almond. So far everything here is highly recommended.

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The Genuine Fakes and Vegas With Randolph

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The Genuine Fakes

The Genuine Fakes “Issues”

The Genuine Fakes is an indie rock band from Stockholm, Sweden. While it has been nearly a decade since the solid debut, they finally are ready. With Jon Auer (The Posies) as a collaborator, the band produces stellar power pop with Johan Bergqvist (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards,) Mårten Bengtsson (bass,) and Johan Sundin (drums).

“Even With You” is a very good start with its quick tempo melody, requisite guitar rhythm and harmonies. The positive vibes of “Everywhere and All Around” recall The Wellingtons or David Mhyr, as the band stretches its emotional and musical range. The band works on both the soft and hard sides of the power pop spectrum, “Wither Away” is a lovely flowing melody and a highlight that will have you singing along. On “I Won’t Be Home Tonight”  Johan offers a very Jellyfish-like a bit of contrarian advice, about going out to see your favorite band and its brilliant. “In Color” gets a little heavier with bombastic riffs in the arena-like chorus, all about a soldier looking at a black and white photo as his thoughts drift. “My Very Best,” “In It For The Chase” and “Sorry” are additional highlights that hit the mark. Hard to argue that this shouldn’t fit somewhere on my top ten list. Super highly recommended.

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Vegas With Randolph

Vegas With Randolph “Legs & Luggage”

Vegas With Randolph’s fourth full-length album marks the band’s tenth year, and they are as sharp as ever. The guitars are quicker and rock a little bit more than past work. “You Could Say Yes” sets the tone with a very dense layer of guitars and percussion. Next “Jacob,” tells the story of gaining the courage to ride a “roller coaster” and another highlight would be “The Girl Holding Out For Me” with hooks aplenty and magical chord changes. There are no duds here, and the buzzing guitars rule each song but a handful standout amongst them. The sing-song catchy “Women In Airports” and Cars-like gem “Three Red Hooks” are a cut above the rest.

The core of Eric Kern and John Ratts songs are the anchor here with Brock Harris (guitars) and Andy Hamburger (drums) adding the power to it all.  Guests on the LP include Fountains of Wayne’s Jody Porter on “Chick Fighter” and Texas popster Lannie Flowers on his cut “The Weekend’s Coming.” Unfortunately, bassist Dan Aylestock passed away last year from liver cancer. The remaining band members dedicated their efforts to him, notably the ballad “I Have You.” Amazing work, and of course highly recommended.

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Valley Lodge and LowRay

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Valley Lodge

Valley Lodge “Fog Machine”

Since 2013 Valley Lodge was mostly recognized as a really good power pop band who supplied the song “Go” as the theme to John Oliver’s HBO show Last Week Tonight. However, with Fog Machine we need to bump up their status a little more. While the same flashy guitar riffs of that song appear in “Stand,” lead singer-songwriter Dave Hill goes the extra mile here to deliver a truly great power pop LP.

There are plenty of potential “hits” here. The layered harmonies and guitar melodies of “Stars Won’t Fall” start us out, and the super catchy “Come Back To Bed” is like a power pop version of Aerosmith. “I’m Gone” has sleigh bells, giving this gem a holiday feel. The glam guitars return for “It’s Alright” as “Keeping This World Alive” recalls The Raspberries. The band tunes go from testosterone-fueled chords to jangling rhythms but don’t fall into predictability with hooks everywhere. Honestly, not a dud amongst the 14 tracks here. Hard to find a single standout track, as each one is a jolt of high energy.  Not only highly recommended, but it makes my top ten of 2018 nominee list.

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Extra Arms

LowRay “Friends and The Fakers”

Minneapolis-based Americana rock duo LowRay, featuring singer/guitarist Daniel Fowlds and drummer James Irving produce a solid debut with more than its fair share of catchy rock and roll. The opening title track is a strong melody buoyed by chugging riffs and crisp harmonies. “Western Song” slows the pace a little, as Fowlds vocals resemble Jon Bon Jovi through its steady rhythm. The ballad “I’m Sorry” is a true emotional gem as he earnestly sings “doesn’t matter who’s right.” The catchy “8 Track Tapes” and “Waiting For You” both benefit from excellent guitar hooks.

While it can’t maintain the same level of catchiness all the way through, the musicianship is top notch. The ’70s styled strut of “Sooner Or Later” will have you yelling for more cowbell, and most of the songs here deserve repeat listens. Check out this talented band as they are officially highly recommended.

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Caper Clowns and The Persian Leaps

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Caper Clowns

Caper Clowns “A Salty Taste To The Lake”

Caper Clowns are a band from Ferritslev, Denmark, and their sunny debut The Buca Bus came out in 2016. The band is Rick Kingo, Peter Højgaard, Christian Højgaard, Henrik Krogh and Søren Daugaard Jensen. Rick, Peter, and Henrik play multiple instruments, and the songwriting is spread out amongst everyone. The group doesn’t suffer from the sophomore slump and has been firing on all cylinders. In addition, the band has played at the IPO Festival in Liverpool at the Cavern Club these past 2 years.

The opener “The Way I Dream” is a wonderfully catchy composition, with its bouncy rhythm it sets the stage nicely. In contrast, “Lifeline” adds some darker guitar riffs but the chords change to sunshine by the end of the harmony-filled chorus. The Caper Clowns biggest strength is its diverse sound akin to The Wellingtons or Roger Joseph Manning Jr. The light acoustic guitar of “Kissing Daylight” is a winner, as well as the Squeeze-like magic of “Pretty & Underwear.” The album is both unpredictable and refreshing without a single filler track. Overall a great album that gets a top ten best nomination for 2018.

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The Persian Leaps

The Persian Leaps “Pop That Goes Crunch!”

The Persian Leaps from Saint Paul, Minnesota has released this massive 18-song anthology presenting their best work over the years, remastered and remixed. The songs are full of blistering riffs and jangle-pop harmonies, selected by lead vocalist Drew Forsberg and producer Neil Weir. If you are unfamiliar, it will totally appeal to fans of Guided by Voices, The Smiths and Teenage Fanclub.

My favorites here include the very GBV-styled “Fire Starter” and “Picture My Reaction.” The catchy fuzz-guitar dominates most songs, and at times the tracks seem to blend together – but there is enough distinction on several standouts like “About The Lions,” and “Truth=Consequences.” The brand-new track “Time Slips” is a nostalgic song that Forsberg wrote in memory of his grandparents. Overall an excellent compilation that is highly recommended.

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Paul Collins and Checkpoint Charley

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Paul Collins

Paul Collins “Out of My Head”

The King is back! Paul Collins is a rare breed of musician that can rally the power pop faithful to his side with each release. And for over 40 years from The Nerves to the Beat, he’s still got the talent and energy to get his ideas across. Keeping things simple Paul gets a noticeable assist from Paul Stingo (bass and vocals) as he delivers a series of simple catchy themes intermixed with a few introspective ballads.

“In and Out of My Head” starts with a dramatic ballad that sounds akin to late-60’s era Beau Brummels or Ricky Nelson. This is followed by the short and sweet power pop nuggets “Go” and the Beatlesque “Kind of Girl” that has been Paul’s bread and butter. It’s those catchy hooks married to Paul’s genuine emotion that really stick. “Just Too Bad You’re Leaving” and “Midnight Special” follow the same template, but Paul’s grizzled vocals strain to keep up. The love ballads are wonderfully done with “Emily” and “Lost Again” as standouts. Another excellent song is “You Belong To Me” with its sing-along chorus and solid rhythm that should’ve been a huge Billboard hit (if only we had a time machine.) Collins also briefly reflects on his age and loneliness in the nuanced “Tick Tock.” Overall a Highly Recommended album.

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Checkpoint Charley

Checkpoint Charley “Pomp, Twaddle & Bombast: Songs 13-24”

Checkpoint Charley is the ongoing power pop muse of Kevin Packard and Jesse Anderegg. The band returns from a 10-year hiatus to craft a follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut, Songs 1-12. Their sound draws heavily on the influence of Jellyfish, Queen, and Muse. The opening 4 tunes are from their Star Wars themed EP Great Jedi Mind Trick, starting with the bombastic guitar melody of “InVader.” Next, the yearning power ballad “Misunderstood” is pure magic, as “The Ballad Of Han and Leia” is a more rocking song that you can dance to. “Mayday” has those soaring harmonies and ascending chords that reach the stars. These tracks are so good, the band was recently featured as House Band at ICC Con in Nashville, TN.

From there heavier “Young & Naive” and “She’s All Mine” are closer to Imperial Drag than Jellyfish. My favorite track is “Child’s Play,” as the band chugs along with gleeful abandon, adding toy piano to the powerful hooks. “559V” is another gem that is perfectly composed, and amazingly most of the songs are over the four-minute mark, but they don’t feel stretched out. No filler here, and absolutely better than the debut – this is super highly recommended.

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