Category: Top Ten of 2021 Candidate

Sorrows and Lucas Aaron

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The Sorrows

Sorrows “Love Too Late …the real album”

Sorrows were formed by guitarist and singer Arthur Alexander in 1977  after the breakup of his influential power pop band The Poppees. With the initial excitement over their debut ‘Teenage Heartbreak‘ (later re-released in 2010 as ‘Bad Times Good Times‘) the band expected to pick up momentum on their sophomore LP.  But working with famed producer Shel Talmy (The Who, The Kinks) proved to be a disaster. After four decades and a protracted legal battle, the original band members Alexander, Joey Cola, and Ricky Street won the right to release their “real” version of ‘Love Too Late.’

With modern mastering, the sound is truly amazing on the opener “Christabelle,” with sharp guitar riffs chopping away. The vocals are wonderfully realized with a perfect pop bounce to each verse. The title track is the party song it deserves to be, with some nice bass and drum work (Thanks Ricky!) It also keeps you on your toes with “Crying Time,” a deceptively charming song with a reggae beat that takes off at the bridge. Each song here resonates, and some epic moments just transcend like “Breaking My Heart (Over You).” Even a simple cover of The Kinks “Tired Of Waiting For You” is made unique through its slow build and strong harmonies. This is a pure lost classic that’s been given new life and should not be missed by power pop fans, young and old. Makes my top ten of 2021 this year! Super duper highly recommended.

Amazon | Big Stir Records


Thanks to Big Stir Records, we have a full documentary about the band and the album.

The Peppermint Kicks

Lucas Aaron “Domino”

California psych-pop musician Luke Aaron delivers a fully fleshed-out debut, that owes much to late ’60s psychedelics and garage rockers. Similar to compatriots Diamond Hands, Lucas takes his love of that style and makes it his own, although it takes a little bit to get used to his nasal vocal performance. Instrumentally, he’s spot on with the opener “8th & Downtown” and “Ghost” recalls early Dylan and the Lemon Pipers. The jangle is heavy on “Tomorrow’s Yesterday” with a rhythm straight outta the Beatles “She’s Got A Ticket Ride.”

All good, but not as big an impression until midway through the LP, Lucas adopts a Lou Reed-like cool on “Hanging Around Again.”  From this point, he’s firing on all cylinders, and gems like “Toy” and the blues-influenced “Walking” are simply great. Lucas also does a Lennonesque turn on the closer “Need Some Love.” Overall a very good debut, especially in the second half. Check it out.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Wanderlust and John Larson and The Silver Fields

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Wanderlust

Wanderlust “All A View”

From 1992 to 1998, Wanderlust had it all; they opened concerts for The Who, and their debut album ‘Prize‘ was one of the rare power pop albums to break through to mainstream success. But like many bands, they lost their major-label contract and despite a terrific follow-up album through Not Lame Records, the band disappeared for a while. They had saved a few songs for a third album that never arrived… until now. Scot Sax found a DAT tape featuring acoustic recordings of those songs. And so, Sax, Rob Bonfiglio, Mark Getten, and Jim Cavanaugh reunited this year.

Opening with a near instrumental title track, it’s almost like you are stepping into a time machine, and it leads to the heavy guitars on “Black Currant Jam” a densely packed rocker, with plenty of layered riffs that come together nicely towards the coda. But then the magical “Something Happens” reaches out like a lost hit single with a strong hook that keeps you locked in. “Corduroy Moon” is just as strong, and “Trick of the Light” is another iconic single with a magical chorus sung by Bonfiglio. Compared to earlier Wanderlust, the band is mellower, but they take chances; “Critical Mind” is a beautifully creepy tune about stubbornness, and “Inspiration” is another winner with a bit of an Eagles vibe. Highly recommended and it gets a nod for my top ten of 2021 list.

Amazon

John Larson and The Silver Fields

John Larson and The Silver Fields “The Great Pause”

‘The Great Pause‘ refers to last year’s Pandemic and John Larson (formerly of The Marlowes) and The Silver Fields decided to step it up, and each song here is compelling. “Perfect Crime” is a catchy little song with a neat little verse about guilty thoughts. The songs vary in style and substance, and it all feels very DIY, but it’s got an authentic heart.

I also enjoyed character-based songs about frustration and dreams, like “Blue Mind” and “I Hate To Wait.” Larson also has a love of classic rock, and “Are You Willing To Move?” is designed to get you dancing. Those looking for traditional power pop will enjoy  “Painting In The Rain,” “Told Ya,” and the Rickenbacker jangle of “Progress.” Highly Reccomended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Radio Days, Watts and David Myhr

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Radio Days

Radio Days “Rave On!”

Italian power pop band Radio Rays returns with a new LP, and like comfort food, it warms the soul with a catchy sound that combines the energy of The Beatles, The Knack, and Paul Collins Beat wrapped into three-minute jangling gems. “I Got Love” is a classic power-pop single with a signature riff repeating throughout. The party continues with “Lose Control” and its dense guitar attack similar to The Ramones. Even better is the catchy “Walk Alone” which layers its guitar line perfectly, and builds into a harmonic chorus. It’s likely the best tune here, but there’s plenty more to enjoy.

The angular guitars on “Til The End Of The Night” boasts a gentle quiet verse, followed by a loud chorus about love. “What is Life?” is a fun tune full of guest stars ( Paul Collins, Kurt Baker, The Yum Yums, and The Psychotic Youth). Nearly every track hits the mark, and it sets itself up as a contender for top power pop LP for 2021. Highly recommended, of course.

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Watts

Watts “Shady Rock and Rollers”

Boston’s local guitar heroes Watts are back with an album that turns it up to “11”. The first track says it all “Loud & Fast,” as lead vocalist Dan Kopko’s grizzled shout describe “that’s how I want my rock and roll!” In the early days of Watts history, the band’s template was The Rolling Stones, and they still have an R&B core sound on a few tunes, like “The Night The Lights Went Down.” But when I heard “Queens,” it was definitely a call out to the band KISS, even the lyric mentions “queens of the nighttime world.” Additional influences like Guns N’ Roses and Cheap Trick are heard as well.

Lots of highlights here, including “Heavy Metal Kids,”  “Seventeen,” and “All Done With Rock and Roll.” The music doesn’t falter and is consistently great. There are more than enough gems here to make this a highly recommended pick.

Amazon

David Myhr

David Myhr “And Now This” EP

David Myhr is a treasured power-pop artist from Sweden, whose band The Merrymakers was one of the best examples of the genre in the late 90s. David has continued to produce high-quality music over the years, and this EP is no exception. The opener “We Wanted To Shine” is a look back to his time in the band and its too short career. The soothing “You Spin My World Around” is a classic mid-tempo love song with bells and harmonies, and my favorite is the electric sitar gem “Egyptian Blue.” With only 4 songs, it’s a short and sweet EP. It only makes me want more Myhr music, and it’s also a top EP for 2021.

Amazon

Brad Marino and Ramirez Exposure

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Brad Marino

Brad Marino “Looking For Trouble”

It took a few years for Brad to find his “groove” but he’s effectively taken the mantle of his old band The Connection, and made it his own. After a cautious debut, his former bandmate Geoff Palmer came out swinging with a louder, faster, punkier LP in 2019, Brad has effectively and literally “evened the score” with this album. Everything you ever loved about The Connection is on display and it’s got plenty of hooks, crushing riffs, and a variety of styles.

The bluesy guitar riffs open up “Even The Score” as Brad takes his “troubles in stride” and is “taking on the haters and trolls.” Even better is “Taillights Fade,” the catchy verse-chorus combo will stick in your head for days, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing along. Title track “Looking for Trouble” is another winner that has just the right amount of twang as it recalls The Georgia Satellites. Marino also doesn’t take himself too seriously as “Local Show” is a funny look at small venue shows (“which means nobody will go”) and I have personally heard that cheap nerd narrative in the last half of the song. The instrumental “Tripwire” is a nice tribute to guitar gods Duane Eddy and Dick Dale. Overall, there is not a false note here, every track rocks! This album is a contender for my top ten in 2021 for sure. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


Ramirez Exposure

Ramirez Exposure “Exit Times”

Víctor Ramírez better known by his stage name Ramírez Exposure, is a Valencia, Spain- based, DIY pop singer/songwriter. Victor’s influences are rooted in the sixties, but he’s not a retro artist. Exit Times has plenty of hook-laden themes displayed throughout. His sound is somewhere between David Brookings and Secret Friend.

Victor’s double-tracked vocals are distinct on the richly detailed opener “Bridges and Roads.” Next, the title track layers two guitar rhythms and drums together as Victor imagines white sand beaches just beyond the Pandemic timeline, but the best track here is “The Rituals” a love song that bounces along to an infectious call-and-response chorus. Next, things mellow a bit as the next several tracks have a dream-like thematic quality, and “Dalingeria” is another standout here. The end single “Dysfunctional Girl” feels like a bonus track, with a sweet guitar riff to send us off. It’s a grower that demands repeat listens with headphones. Highly Recommended.

Amazon Singles: Dysfunctional Girl | Exit Times | The Rituals

The Legal Matters and Your Academy

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The Legal Matters

The Legal Matters “Chapter Three”

There are very few artists I know that consistently come out with great music (Nick Piunti and Sloan are good examples) and The Legal Matters is one of them. The Legal Matters is essentially a supergroup, featuring Andy Reed, Chris Richards, and Keith Klingensmith. In Chapter Three, the band’s songwriting takes center stage, as the sound is pretty nailed down with crisp, perfect harmonies akin to America or late-era Beach Boys. At their most dynamic, the melodic “Light Up The Sky” is everything that makes The Legal Matters a power-pop powerhouse. “Independence Well Spent” is a Jellyfish-like study in contrast of light and dark moments in the instrumentation, and “The Painter” is about creativity and inspiration within the mind of the artist and it features some great hooks in the chorus.

Brilliant uplifting music is the band’s stock-in-trade, but they don’t stay in that lane. “Pain” is a challenging ballad, written from a unique point of view where “I need the pain to know I’m alive.” Another highlight is the bouncy “Please Make a Sound,” with a compelling, urgent chorus. They go off-script again for “The World Is Mine” and it plays like a perfect stage villain theme, it’s not overtly political but you get all the clues in the lyrics. Not a note of filler, but the challenging nature of some songs further expands the band’s stylistic range. The songwriting process itself is the subject of “A Memory of Sound” chock full of sonic goodies, and it ends with the angelic harmonies of “Passing Chord.” Highly Recommended and another predictable top ten pick for best album of 2021.

Amazon

Ex Norwegian and Friends

Your Academy “Your Academy”

Jonny Norris, bassist for Memphis power-pop band Crash into June reconnected with guitarist Chris Gafford and drummer Dan Shumake, both of whom were spending time with the most recent reincarnation of The Scruffs. After agreeing to play together again they recruited lead singer Brandon McGovern, who recently toured with Dwight Twilley. Guitarist Adam Hill, a bandmate of Brandon and Big Star Archivist joined as the final member of the group. Their goal was nothing less than the resurrection of Memphis power pop glory.

While Your Academy boasts a lot of talent and a fine pedigree the opener “Why Don’t We?” is fairly generic, sounding like the Gin Blossoms mixed with The Well Wishers. “Heaven Knows” is a better tune, and namedrops a lot of musicians from “Chris Bell” to “Guided By Voices,” plus it’s got a solid hook. The Big Star influence is felt on “Sunrise,” and “Better Alone Together” is about Alex Chilton’s relationship with Lesa Aldridge. The songs seem to check all the boxes (ringing guitars, driving melodies) but they don’t really stick in your head for long. A solid standout; “Talent Party” is a great tune about Memphis garage bands of the 1960s (with more music trivia in the lyric). “Bluff City,” boasts strong guitar work and drumming, and “Our Love Matters (TCB)” is a little pandemic-inspired song with a Lucky Charms reference. Some of the production here also feels a little too compressed and could’ve been expanded more (like on “Sunrise.”) Overall, a good album that deserves to be heard.

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