Category: Top Ten of 2023

Cupid’s Carnival and Dave Kuchler

powerpopaholic
Cupid's Carnival

Cupid’s Carnival “Rainbow Child”

Do you remember when power pop’s defining characteristic was that it sounded like the Beatles? Bands like The Vinyl Kings, The Weeklings, and Spongetones did it right, and now Cupid’s Carnival firmly plants its flag in that realm again. Their 2016 LP Everything Is Love was a love letter to the sound of the Fab Four. Loaded with hooks and jangling gems, why fix things that aren’t broken? So here we are for a second helping, but the production and mixing got even a little better. And even the songwriting has improved! These songs were singles collected over the past 3 years.

While they are Beatlesque, they aren’t slavish and manage to be completely original. Very similar in approach to Andrew Gold’s The Fraternal Order of the All, the songs lean heavily on the hippie aesthetic; “Rainbow Child” and “Flower Power Revolution” manage to be Lennonesque gems. But the best highlights have a more McCartney vibe: “You’re So Cool,” Thinking About You Girl,” and the harmony-laden “Every Single Day.” Highly recommended, and it fills a slot on my top ten list for 2023.

Sony Music Japan | Kool Kat Musik

 

David Kuchler

David Kuchler “Love & Glory”

Like Mike Viola or Nick Piunti, Kuchler masters the 3-minute gem with a minor chord progression but with a distinctly brighter vocal. “In It With You” is the first song and the big single here, loaded with a great power pop hook and a sweet guitar solo in the break. It’s a very high bar to climb for the rest of the songs. The songs were developed over the course of a 3-year period. The last tune written, “Labor of Love,” is a short, catchy tune that gives David a rationale for becoming a musician.

The passionate approach of “She’d Rather Be With You” about giving up someone you’ve been obsessed with is another gem, with a classic power pop song structure. After this, it’s not as consistent, but still very good. David’s vocals also lend themselves to the more country-styled “All I Need” and “Slow Day.” His inventive slice-of-life lyrics are enjoyable on the Nick Lowe-styled highlight “Lovers Talk.” The mandolin lead “This Old Car” describes the scene of junking memories of mid-life, and “Chasing Glory” gives us a spirited jangle pop gem. The effort and great songs make this highly recommended.

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

UniBoys and The Radio Field

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Uni Boys

Uni Boys “Buy This Now”

Since their debut last year, the Uni-Boys have been a leader among bands that reference vintage late-70s power pop, and Buy This Now! refines their sound. The Uni Boys’ new material was recorded with Michael and Brian D’Addario, aka The Lemon Twigs, themselves masters of analog production. Despite drawing inspiration from bands like Big Star, Milk ‘N’ Cookies, and The Beat, The Uni Boys manage to strike a nice balance between solid songcraft and the raw attitude of much older rock ‘n’ roll.

Leading off is the catchy gem “Let’s Watch a Movie,” a celebration of doing nothing but chillin’ in front of the TV after a long day of work with handclaps and Beach Boys harmonies. The simple organ riff in “Down to the City” and the surf-style bass hook in “Hiding in My Home” are the pinnacle of the Uni Boys’ dedication to staying in bed and eating takeout food naked. The intermingled background harmonies and understated lead are what allow this band to level up. All the songs sound deceptively simple but are meticulously constructed. Highlights include “I Don’t Believe In Love,” “I’m Alright,” and the jangling “Intentions.” In fact, there is not a single dud here, and Buy This Now! showcases their particular style of power pop perfectly and makes my top ten list this year. Highly recommended.

Amazon


The Radio Field

The Radio Field “Don’ts and Dos”

German jangle pop band The Radio Field delivers a crisp, bright sound that is sure to warm your heart. Lead singer Lars Schmidt from indie German pop band Subterfuge had a desire to get his “indie-pop mojo” back, and he succeeded here in spades.

Starting with the lead single “Clover,” which, along with “Sick and Tired,” “Years Ago,” and “Love,” demonstrates his skillfully crafted and coiffed jangle, with smooth vocals and style reminiscent of the late 1980s. “Disorder” and “She Needs Therapy” have some dreamy fuzz guitar to keep things from getting too light. “The Version” featuring Robert Stadlober adds bright horns to the mix, and it’s one of the album’s finest moments. This style is also in the album’s closer, “Love,” with a simple country rhythm that calmly sends us out with the message, “Life is a wonderful thing.” Don’ts And Dos is a delight to listen to because of the care and precision with which it was composed and performed. Highly recommended.

Amazon

Kurt Baker and Somerdale

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Kurt Baker

Kurt Baker “Rock N Roll Club”

Kurt Baker is back, and he’s got a badass leather jacket and sneering toughness on the opener, “Hittin’ Rock Bottom,” with its hard-hitting riffs and standout chorus similar to Oasis. Kurt’s emphasis is on the “power” here and less on the pop. The title track and the power ballad “She Don’t Wanna Be Alone” are closer to the traditional Kurt Baker sound, both impressively written songs.

From there it mines influences from the ’80s, as “Love Express” seems to go all synth dance club, similar to The Orion Experience, and “Good Feeling” has a similar vibe. Then “Bright Blue Sky” goes back to those heavy bass riffs and an arena anthem. Even with the heavier production, you can’t dilute Kurt’s solid hooks; “Missed Connection” is another catchy guitar/synth gem. Produced and mixed with the talented help of Wyatt Funderburk, he helps keep Kurt on track. This is the strongest Kurt Baker album in a long time; almost everything here sticks!  Highly recommended and nominated for my year-end top ten list. Don’t miss it!

Amazon

 

Somerdale

Somerdale “Let’s Get Started”

It’s been 7 years, but we finally have a good follow-up to Shake It Maggie. New Jersey power pop phenoms are back on the Kool Kat label. “Let’s Get Started” is a winning opener, as they rock a Who meets Cheap Trick-inspired sound that hasn’t aged a bit. “Come Enjoy” is a simple party theme, but it works just fine. While “Crooked Road” is a more traditional rocker, the chorus brings it together. “Missing You” has all the right elements but feels repetitive, much better is the ballad “Lulu,” a solid example of a great rock vocal setting the mood.

“Good Enough” and “Better Without Her” are consistent melodic rock with some nice musical hooks thrown in, as “Taking You Back” feels inspired by The Sweet. While nothing here is too deep, the music is wonderfully performed and keeps Somerdale in the mix of your power pop playlist. Highly Recommended.

Kool Kat Musik

The Small Square and Rinehearts

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Buzz Zeemer

The Small Square “The Small Square”

Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush, Matthew Sweet) and John Louis Richardson (Tommy Keene, Gin Blossoms, Joey Molland/Badfinger) combined to form this powerful duo, with an equally powerful debut album.

Starting with the understated “So Low,” it mixes roots-pop styles, but the hooks keep you engaged. The layered epic “Dream Fake (Open Your Heart)” has that tight composition; verses build up in anticipation of the rich chorus. Paul’s earthy, low vocals are in contrast to the rising riffs here. Quiet moments like “SML” which stands for “you saved my life,” and “After The Tears” have an unmistakable Big Star feel. But the quiet yields to the standout layered guitar textures of “Otherwhile” and the churning melody of “Five Nine Song.” These are great tunes that deserve more attention.

Some songs go in different stylistic directions (“Wrong,” “The Trip/Sorry Again”), like melodic chaos, but it doesn’t fail to encourage repeat listens. Fans of The Velvet Crush, Posies, Matthew Sweet, and classic rock will warm to this debut quickly. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


Buzz Zeemer

Rinehearts “Full Bloom”

Perth power poppers Rinehearts had the good fortune to work on the new recordings with none other than legendary musician, songwriter, and producer Dom Mariani (The Stems/DM3/The Some Loves/Datura4). Mariani, who called Rinehearts “that rare band you come across from time to time, doing their thing without a lot of fuss, but with true dedication and a knack for crafting perfect pop.”

Benny Ward (guitar/vocals), Mitch Long (bass), and Ross Di Blasio (drummer) take no prisoners with its raucous opener “Goodness,” and doesn’t let its foot off the gas with “Power Lines” another jangly, up-tempo winner. This is vintage power pop done right, and even the melodic harmonies “Call Me Up” have a late 70s aura, with a solid guitar break akin to The Hudson Brothers. The album’s middle has more contemplative jangling love songs “Falling Down” and “Could You Would You” which are akin to Scotland’s Dropkick. Just when things get calm, “I Don’t Mind” comes back with a rocking chorus. Almost every song hits the mark, and this needs to be considered among the best albums for my 2023 list. Super Highly Recommended!

Amazon

Tamar Berk and Dan Kibler

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Tamar Berk

Tamar Berk “tiny injuries”

Tamar is reinventing herself in tiny injuries as she moves from grief to acceptance following the death of her father.  The opener “If U Know, U Know” has her soft vocal contrast with the loud guitar riffs, similar to Alanis Morissette or Aimee Mann. With a strong, catchy chorus and numerous layers of overdubbed guitars to give it weight, “Sunday Driving” is another powerful song. Some of the lyrics are profound and thought-provoking.

Next, Tamar’s lament “What’s Become of Me, my Friend” is about the constantly shifting emotions following a life-altering incident, and “Cash Out” explores similar quieter territory. Tamar’s compositional skill has also improved with the sophisticated “Permanent Vacation” and standout “Drop In The Bucket,” both multi-layered gems that beg repeat listens. The emotions in the songs are all heartfelt, not as raw as Start At The End, but this makes it a more balanced album. There’s not a weak track in the bunch, and plenty of gems make this highly recommended and worthy of my top ten albums list for 2023.

Amazon


Dan Kibler

Dan Kibler “Idiomatic”

Pennsylvania native Dan Kibler was a singer-songwriter who was influenced by Neil Young and the Dwight Twilley Band. I haven’t heard much since the Capsule album in 1998, so this new project was a pleasant surprise. Dan started “Idiomatic” in 2019 with Michael Giblin (The Split Squad, Parallax Project) to serve as sound engineer and bass player, and Tom Kristich (The Jellybricks) was added on drums. The pandemic put a year-long hold on things but it was worth the wait.

Fans of Bill Lloyd and Twilley will enjoy this album, “This World” has a great anthemic chorus, and “Rail Me Down” has a great twangy guitar solo midway through the chugging verses. Dan plays that fine line between roots rock and power pop, as “See You There” boasts a confident strum, as does “Don’t Go For The Money” which focuses on finding happiness through creative endeavors. “Mystery Girl” is the closest you get to straight power pop, but what really compels you is Dan’s voice, both smooth and weary best shown in “Words.” Highly Recommended.

Kool Kat Musik