Category: Top Ten of 2022 Candidate

April March and Dave Cope & The Sass

powerpopaholic
April March

April March “In Cinerama”

April March (Elinor Blake) has done it all. A talented animator (Pee Wee’s Playhouse, Ren & Stimpy), she worked with tons of talented musicians from Ronnie Spector to Brian Wilson. Since her debut in 1996, she has touched nearly every genre of music from punk, jangle rock, and disco to psychedelia. April has worked with French songwriter-producer Bertrand Burgalat and is a huge fan of ’60s French pop.

Released as a vinyl-only in 2021, In Cinerama has April’s light unassuming vocal getting its real power when her overdubs create those powerful harmonies that are woven into each song. “Lift Off” is the first ray of sweet sunshine with harmonies and horns leading the way, overlapping each other. “Rolla Rolla” is a minimalist gem with Mehdi Zannad’s Caribbean-styled rhythm. “California Fall” is a slow tempo and layered melody that grows in complexity with a distinct harp and percussive backdrop. “Runaway” borrows a bit from those ’60s girl groups, and “Born” is another gorgeous track that reaches stellar heights. No filler here and highly recommended.

Amazon

Dave Cope and the Sass

Dave Cope and the Sass “Julee”

After Dave Cope and the Sass were spotted on my radar in 2019 with his self-titled release, he decided to dig into his archive of early tracks to set up his newest album Julee. Sass really sounds like a lost classic from the peak of the 60’s British Invasion; The Kinks, The Small Faces, and specifically Roy Wood and The Move.

The title track is uncanny and would’ve been a big hit in that era. The Lennonesque piano starts “Let Me In,” but his vocal cadence and chord shifts are all Jeff Lynne. The marching rock of “Topsy Turvy” is another standout, and “Lost With You” is a McCartney-meets-Ray Davies slice of heaven. The era slowly moves into the 1970s by the album’s mid-point with “I Got Your Letter” and “Moonraker” which reminded me of late-era Marc Bolan. While some of the ballads feel a bit overdramatic, there is no filler amongst its 11 tracks. It hits my nostalgia sweet spot just right. Highly Recommended, and it slips into my top ten of 2022.

Amazon

Emperor Penguin and Shake Some Action

powerpopaholic
Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguin “Sunday Carvery”

While London band Emperor Penguin’s sound is rooted in late ‘60s UK psych and ‘90s Britpop, they’ve updated the music closer to what 21st-century audiences expect. Starting with the heavy fuzz emo and beats of “Desdemona” it then settles into the catchy “Sputnik Sweetheart,” a love song about a Russian space satellite. The brilliant narrative of “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing” is like a joyous mix of XTC and Smash Mouth, about a dysfunctional marriage. “Motorway” is a jaunty tune with happy Sgt. Peppers horns following our hero down a British highway. And the “Queen of Power Pop” Lisa Mychols joins the boys for the duet “Let Me Take You On Holiday,” continuing the positive vibes.

The stylistic diversity of songs and subject matter prevents any predictability. “Fran Times a Zillion” is a unique “sports team chant” for New York photographer Fran Lebowitz (?) and you take it all in. And not a note of filler here, and these are all songs where details emerge on multiple listens. The richness of the experience makes this one both highly recommended and a check box for my top ten list of 2022.

Amazon


Shake Some Action

Shake Some Action “Wide Awake”

James Hall is back with the addition of Corey Knafelz on drums, keys, and guitar on a new Shake Some Action LP, and just in time for the warmer weather. Wide Awake is neo-psych-pop at its finest, with a wicked jangle and the right amount of echoing reverb, mixing influences from the late ’60s through the ’90s into something very appealing. “Paint You A Picture” is the expansive opener, meant to be cranked up with the car windows down. The title track has Hall’s harmonic chorus drifting across the dense rhythms, as with the steady follow-up “Crash Through Or Crash.”

Hall successfully constructs these songs with ringing Rickenbackers but takes great care not to repeat himself. “Night Train to Munich” can resemble The Ocean Blue, and “Don’t Take It Out On Me” warps the guitar sound almost like U2. Add to this no filler, and the variety helps make this one of my favorite SSA albums. Added faves here include “Angel of Night” and “Overboard.” Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Lannie Flowers and Cheap Star

powerpopaholic
Lannie Flowers

Lannie Flowers “Flavor Of The Month”

During the recording of Lannie’s masterful Home album, he would drop a free single each month through the Sypderpop website through 2019.  These finely produced demos were designed to lead us straight to Home and were much more power pop in style. Lannie had the entire COVID year to remix these songs to perfection. The hooks here are massive and make it the “missing” piece between Circles and Home.

Every song hits its mark, and the quality of songwriting isn’t a surprise either.”Don’t Make Me Wait” is a great opener, Lannie’s emotional ache comes through in the verses, and the harmony drenched chorus. The brazen psychedelic Beatle-isms are all over the Peppery “Lost In A Daydream” and “Good.” Next, “Summer Blue” has a smooth tempo suitable for the beach, and it’s an easy radio-friendly single.  “Where Did All The Fun Go” is a sweet tune about getting back to living for today, and the title track is just as infectious. Another standout is “Anything But Love,” which channels Lannie’s soulful vocal. Since each song was carefully curated as a single, there is no filler here. A quick and easy pick for 2022’s top ten. Very highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Cheap Cassettes

Cheap Star “Wish I Could See”

Power pop band Cheap Star boldly ups its game with its latest release. Lead singer Remi Vaissiere and drummer Brian Young (The Posies/Fountains Of Wayne) are joined by Jon Auer (The Posies) and a collection of superstar guests; Brendan Benson (The Raconteurs), Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) and Mitch Easter. The sound overall is very much in the vein of The Posies, with potency and crisp production style. 

The production starts with the understated “Lifetime,” but quickly impresses with its dynamic indie-pop style on “Flower Girl.” Next, a transcendent “You Don’t Want To Change” is a nod to Louris and his style, while “Wish I Could See” is a catchy as hell rocker with fabulous harmonies thanks to Benson. Other highlights include “Holding On,” “Under The Synapse,” and the cool sadness of “What It’s Like.” Vaissiere and Auer’s vocals match well, and the collective musicianship is worth multiple listens. Highly Recommended.

Kool Kat Musik

Elvis Costello and Tom Curless

powerpopaholic
Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello & The Imposters “The Boy Named If”

I was ready to count Elvis out after the mess that was Hey Clockface and Spanish Model– and thankfully I was wrong. This is a man with a mission, and with The Imposters, he delivers the goods. He looks back on his youth, as the title is really “The Boy Named If (And Other Children’s Stories)” and he sounds great here on the opener “Farwell, OK.” with a big call back to his early sound from the late ’70s. You will hear many callbacks to past works, and that’s part of the fun.

The tortured autobiographical title track is both melodic and biting emotion works over the haunting arrangements. Lots of highlights; “The Difference,” “Paint the Red Rose Blue,” “Magnificent Hurt,” and “Mistook Me For A Friend,” which references his big hit “Pump It Up.” Great storytelling, with jazz, funk, blues bits sprinkled all over. Many songs here require study and repeat listens to get the full story. I never put Costello in the power-pop category as an artist, but he’s had some really catchy hits in the past and this album relights that fuse. What a great comeback (IMO) and brilliant return to form.

Amazon


Tom Curless

Tom Curless “Person of Interest”

Tom Curless approaches this album differently, without supporting players and everything done himself (except the sweet mixing by Nick Bertling.) Starting with a very Foo Fighters-like “Scare Tactics” its full of crunch and angst, but things lighten up with the wonderful “Street Kids” a grooving power-pop melody full of overlapping harmonies.

The influences here are varied as “Something for Nothing” has Genesis meets The Police vibe, and the chorus is both catchy and inspiring. “Silent Partner” has a little David Gilmour, and there are plenty of great songs here; “Soar High,” “Call Time,” and “Take My Hand.” Curless always has a unique point of view and a knack for earworms, and this album has enough here to make it highly recommended.

Amazon