Category: Top Ten of 2019 Candidate

Ryan Hamilton & The Harlequin Ghosts and Scott Lavene

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Ryan Hamilton And The Harlequin Ghosts

Ryan Hamilton And The Harlequin Ghosts “This is the Sound”

Ryan Hamilton has bounced around over the past few years as an artist, but he settled in Fort Worth, Texas. And he brings a rowdy party with his band The Harlequin Ghosts. Opening with a song about his whiskey drinkin’ pot smokin’ “Mamacita,” it sets the tone for the loud guitar anthems that follow. What Ryan continues to do is set forth a series of catchy sing-along choruses with heavy rock chords similar to Bowling For Soup, and the most infectious of the bunch “Get Down” takes no prisoners as it rocks away.

Other tracks that keep the party going include “Bottoms Up,” “This Is The Sound” and “Far Cry.” But Ryan knows when to take his foot off the gas a little, and serenades on “Feels Like Falling In Love” and “All Fall Down.” Then “Girl vs. Monster” allows Ryan to explore a more country sound with some slide guitar. The music is both uplifting and heartfelt on “Let You Go,” where loving someone really means letting go. It gets emotional and introspective on the closer “Won’t Stop Now.” I could not find a bad track here, and overall it’s a fine example of modern power pop. Highly Recommended and makes my top ten nominee list for 2019.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Scott Lavene

Scott Lavene “Broke”

Essex UK musician Scott Lavene is very matter of fact in his debut LP Broke.  His spoken narrative style is comparable to Ian Drury, Lou Reed or David Byrne. On the opening track, “My Stereo”  has a slight country vibe, with conversation over a bassline that dovetails nicely into a sung chorus. “Apples And Pears” is a punk-like rant through modern life and the universal struggle of job, marriage, etc. In some ways, the non-narrative “Super Clean” is the highlight here – a little Bowiesque approach goes a long way with its bass lead.

While the melodies are okay, and some of the lyrical stories are funny,  the next few songs are really strung out. The spacey “Modern World” with its sullen strings or the slow funk on “Moonbeams” made this listener lose momentum. “Light Of The Moon” has some nice Keith Moon styled drumming in the intro before it settles into another conversation with Scott, doing his best “scratching out a living” with his band. Overall an interesting album that needs a few more melodies and less narration. But it’s still worth exploring, so check it out!

Bandcamp | Amazon

Nick Lowe, The Morning Line and Sofa City Sweetheart

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Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe “Love Starvation” EP

Nick Lowe is like a fine wine — and his ability to craft catchy melodies with meaningful lyrics get better with age.  Supported by masked guitar greats Los Straitjackets, Lowe has penned three original tracks: “Love Starvation,” “Trombone,” and “Blue on Blue.”  The A/B sides have a Spanish flavor similar to Richie Valens. However, the real classic here is the tender ballad “Blue On Blue.” Highly Recommended.

Amazon


The Morning Line

The Morning Line “North”

San Francisco, CA-based The Morning Line delivers a follow up to 2017’s Smoke. They start with the slow building “Antennas,” a droning guitar melody with reverbed basslines. “Given Up” has a good guitar riff, with a 90’s style very much like Collective Soul.

The band picks up the speed a bit on “1982” and lead vocalist Stephen Smith is like a mellowed Elvis Costello at times. Wistful midtempo songs like “Complicated” and “Sickness” are good, but the folk-rock “Tripwire” slows the momentum. Thankfully the energy level is just right on “Nostradamus” and “No Love Lost.” The catchy “South Carolina” is another highlight. Check it out!

Kool Kat Musik


Sofa City Sweetheart

Sofa City Sweetheart “Super(b) Exitos”

LA musician Juan Antonio Lopez (and assorted bandmates) have made a deeply personal statement and a hell of an album. “The Same Old Song (You Were Always On My Mind” is a great low-key opener comparable to Elliot Smith with its “la di da” chorus and “Stanely Waited” is a richly textured character study with a western rhythm that soars during the bridge. Acoustic guitar and strings echo along with the verses of “Annie Stays Home” and the gentle falsetto and harmonies all by itself carry “Floating” along. Every song here is a pocket symphony with really high peaks like “Stop The Thinking” that are simply catchy power pop with the addition of Spanish horn accents that takes it over the top.

“In This Lifetime” is another brilliant single that’s a hopeful pep talk, and following that are the melancholy “I am On My Own” and “Song For Alex.” The album slowly unwinds with more balladry, but it remains compelling musically, especially the ender “So Long / Lucky Nuff.” Lopez pours his heart out in the lyrics and even on the few instrumentals. He designed this album to be listened to as a complete concept, a little adventure that begins when you drop the needle down before the first song and isn’t over until you hear the record crackle at the end. It serves that purpose and earns praise as one of the best LPs of 2019. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Geoff Palmer and Cloud Eleven

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Geoff Palmer

Geoff Palmer “Pulling Out All The Stops”

Geoff is a power pop veteran from numerous bands (The Connection, New Trocaderos, and The Kurt Baker Band) in addition, he has written and performed many of their biggest hits. So when Connection bandmate Brad Marino went solo earlier this year, Geoff decided to go solo too and throw in the kitchen sink when it comes to pop punk and melodic rock anthems. Geoff delivers his signature sound but without a dominant bass vocal, so he layers his songs in harmonies and rich guitar rhythms.

“This One Is Gonna Be Hot” sets the template with a quick tempo and take-no-prisoners abandon, akin to an early Green Day hit. “Cha-Ching” is a soundtrack to a fast-paced bank robbery, then it slows a bit for the amazingly catchy “Giving In.” The non-stop action continues without everything sounding alike, “I Got The Skinny” could be a Kurt Baker tune with its punk energy and “We Can’t Do It” is another gem with a Beach Boys-like intro about turning down a gig while touring (Maybe this was about 2016?) It was hard to find anything that felt like filler, “All The Hits” is a great sing-along tune, and my favorite song was “Velcro Shoes” about a dude “past his prime.” He even shouts out to Kurt (I believe) when he sings “Punker Than Me.” With 16 short and sweet tracks, it’s a perfect party album for summer and a nominee for best album of 2019.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Cloud Eleven

Cloud Eleven “Footnote”

Rick Gallego (aka Cloud Eleven) makes music for himself and we are blessed he is able to share it with us. It’s pure bedroom-psych-pop from the Brian Wilson/Wondermints school of soundscapes. “On Pismo Beach” has a lovely building chorus with soaring harmonies, and  “Aural Illusion” attempts to explain that “magic to my ears” with slow swirling chords and strings similar to ELO. “Bound To Follow” embraces the California sound with lush melody lines, overlapping vocals and sleigh bells.

The poetic folk of “For Weal and Woe” and “L.A. County” is a slight shift in approach, with brightly strummed chords over a light percussive rhythm. Gallego looks back philosophically at his career with “Skywriting” and then “One Big Hideaway” feels like an interpretation of Brian Wilson’s mid 70’s isolation. The title track explains Rick’s contentment to be a “Footnote” in music history. Overall, while the album’s theme is slightly melancholy, it’s not too depressing either. It appears these melodies are just right for quiet contemplation with headphones. Check it out.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik | CD Baby

Eric Barao and I Know Leopard

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Eric Barao

Eric Barao “Obsolete” EP

The follow-up album to Eric Barao’s self-titled debut album is finally here and he’s pulled out the big guns in the studio. Mike Viola (Candy Butchers) and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) are supporting Eric and all the recording, mixing and production techniques were done in the late 60’s style similar to The Beatles White Album. Jellyfish feels like a big influence throughout, with lots of instrumental flourishes, Queen-like guitar solos, and soft vocal harmonies.

“Nothing to See” slowly builds up from its orchestral prelude to its easygoing chorus that worms its way into your head effortlessly. The title track is an instantly accessible gem, with the pounding piano bed that jauntily gets to our chorus sung by Viola perfectly as he pleads “I’m not obsolete!” Both these tracks have wonderful guitar breaks that compliment the songs. “Unhappy Ending” starts with a Big Star-like riff before heading to Barao-land, layered full with synth effects and mellotron. “Bad For You” stands out because its dramatic and dark, almost like a Broadway villain theme. Next, “My Pussy-Puss” is an overly baroque tune, you almost expect a double entendre here with Roger J Manning Jr.’s multi-tracked vocals. Overall a fantastic EP that stands as one of the best of the year so far.

Amazon

I Know Leopard

I Know Leopard “Love Is A Landmine”

Sydney indie quartet, I Know Leopard is a rare breed of retro pop. They look like a cosplay version of Abba but their sound is an amalgam of ELO, Split Enz, 10cc, and Erasure. The title track is mesmerizing with the perfect amount of synth, piano, guitar, and heartbreak. “Heather” is another neon-drenched love song that sounds like a lost ’80s hit. The synths dominate the remaining tracks and bring with it a lounge-like club atmosphere.

Lead singer Luke O’Loughlin’s soft and pained vocals take center stage and brilliantly envelopes you on “All That She Cared About,” “Blame It On Me” and “Seventy Lies.” With Bassist Rosie Fitzgerald adding the anchor to each song, the harmonies and grooves are wonderful. Some songs feel like filler (“Mums and Dads of Satanists”) but once this band adds more hooks to its repertoire, watch out. Definitely, a band to keep your eye on. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

David Brookings and The Lund Brothers

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David Brookings and the Average Lookings

David Brookings and the Average Lookings “Scorpio Monologue”

David Brookings took the slow road to power pop stardom. His eighth album shows how much he’s grown as an artist. Scorpio Monologue goes further with both melody and musicianship compared to his past work. He also experiments with a variety of styles; power pop, rock, folk, and even Bossa nova. 
 
The jangling rhythm anchors the opening progressions of “And It Feel Like.” The song carries a maturity with its solid chorus and shredding guitar solo. But the seriousness eases with the catchy “I Grow Up Fast,” a breezy autobiographical strummer where “the future catches up with the past.” The buzzing power ballad “Time Takes You By” makes the mood with relatable and hopeful lyrics. Brookings also has a good sense of fun with the folky “Silicon Valley” describing the area like a goofy travelogue of Northern California, ending with the choral hymn “Steve Jobs!” The band lets its Chuck Berry flag fly next on “She’s Mad At Me Again,” and it’s simply infectious.  Its also takes guts to cover one of the most covered songs ever, but David makes Badfinger’s “Without You” work just fine. Overall not a single weak track, and easily a candidate for my top 10 of 2019 list. Super Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Lund Bros

The Lund Brothers “Loser” 1993-97′ – Remasters and Rarities”

Chris and Sean Lund, aka “The Lund Bros” occupy a unique place in the annals of power pop. In 1995 they were bankrolled by Geffen Records to produce six tracks, but ultimately they were rejected for sounding “too much like the Beatles.” While objectively the band’s music fits more between bands like Extreme or Zebra, what the hell is wrong with The Beatles? The virtuoso guitar shredding skills and multi-track choruses are simply great. The duo continues to produce material, and perform around Washington state.

The demo tracks used these recordings as a basis for their first full-length record, the self-titled “Loser” released in 1998. Chris Lund’s Demon Studios have remastered all these tracks, including songs that were never released! Favorite tracks: In My Hands, Invisible Man, Told You So, Such A Ride and You Know. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | CD Baby