Disq and An XTC Celebration

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Disq

Disq “Collector”

Disq is a fresh Wisconsin band started by middle school classmates Raina Bock and Isaac DeBroux-Slone. Now at 19 they recently expanded the band to a five-piece band and from the album’s beginning, it makes a great impression. “Daily Routine” is a very relatable look at modern drudgery as Issac sings “This is my daily routine. Spend my hours on a computer screen…” I love the video too, which borrows the appearance of old The Monkees TV show. The duo has a great knack for hooks and layered melodies reminiscent of Pavement, Weezer and Teenage Fanclub.

The earnest “D19” is a love song about a microphone (and not a metaphor for anything else). “Loneliness” is a great tune that builds to its defiant strummed chorus mourning a lost relationship,  and “Gentle” is very much in the Weezer style, with a crunchy layer of fuzz guitar between verses. The tone shifts from the acoustic “Trash,” then it goes into the riff-heavy garage tongue-in-cheek nihilism of “I Wanna Die.” Each song is carefully constructed to fuse all of the band’s influences to a single distinct sound, so no filler here. Yeah, power pop is not dead to this new generation of kids. Highly recommended.

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The Overtures

Assorted Artists “Garden of Earthly Delights – An XTC Celebration”

This is not the first artist tribute to XTC, that honor goes to 1995’s Testimonial Dinner.  But Futureman Records new tribute is much larger (49 tracks!) and a more comprehensive selection from the entire career of this well-loved band.  I really like it when an artist puts their own spin on Partridge and Moulding’s songs;  a few good examples include The Shellye Valauskas Experience “Wonderland,” Chris Price’s acoustic “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead,” and Michael Simmons “Wrapped in Grey.”

With so many tracks here it can be hit or miss at times, but these talented artists with strong pop sensibilities can’t do much better than to cover some of XTC’s songs. Overall an impressive collection and downloads benefit The Wild Honey Foundation.

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Reissues: Roy Wood and The Real Impossibles

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Roy Wood

Roy Wood “Mustard” Remastered & Expanded Edition

Roy Wood is the definition of an eccentric cult rock and roll artist. After earning success as a performer and songwriter with The Move, The Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard, he released his second solo album in December 1975. My impression of him is if Brian Wilson and Frank Zappa had a baby, and then Phil Spector and Alice Cooper raised it to adulthood. To call Wood’s style eclectic is an understatement; he often combined heavy rock, pop, jazz, and doo-wop (sometimes in the same song)!

While Mustard was a commercial failure at the time of release it deserves a serious look as it’s considered the high point of his career. The idiosyncratic Wood was uncompromising in his vision and sometimes it just works. “Any Old Time Will Do” is a perfect slice of pop-rock full of creative sonic details and a killer hook. The sounds of The Move continue with the heavy drama of “The Rain Came Down On Everything” and “Get On Down Home.” Roy’s love of Beach Boys styled harmonies are all over “Why Does Such A Pretty Girl Sing Those Sad Songs” and pure weirdness on the Andrews Sisters meets the Stones song “You Sure Got It Now.” Unavailable on CD for many years, this has been newly re-mastered and includes seven bonus tracks drawn from singles released between May 1975 and August 1976. Highly Recommended.

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FYI: Pugwash covers this song acoustically.

The Real Impossibles

The Real Impossibles “It’s About Time” Remastered

The Real Impossibles, a band based in Los Angeles is a buried treasure for those who enjoy power pop of the early 1980s era. Marc Platt, the main songwriter and lead vocalist of The Real Impossibles, got local mentions and airplay for a 5-song EP released in late 1983 at the height of the new wave music boom. The opening singles “Burned” and “Cherry Cherry” really exemplify the raw and energetic live sound the band was known for. Platt mentions that “Turn My World” was his “ode to The Plimsouls and The Flamin’ Groovies.”

This compilation was remastered exclusively for Rum Bar Records, and you really hear the evolution of the band’s style from their 2 EPs ‘Get the Big Picture‘ on Atomic Giraffe Records in 1984 and ‘4X4‘ on FKAD Records in 1987. While I liked most of the songs, the band doesn’t really stand out against the bigger power pop acts at the time (i.e. The Knack). My favorites included “With A Girl,” “Guess You Feel It Too” and “Won’t Let You Down.” Check this one out!

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EP Reviews and Singles: Danny McDonald, Popular Creeps, Zach Jones, Vanilla, Arthur Nasson

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Danny McDonald

Danny McDonald “Modern Architecture”

Danny McDonald is skilled in several genres. “Cordyline” bursts from the speakers with authority, very much in the mold of Paul Westerberg and it hooks you right away. Unfortunately, it’s only a minute long. Next, “The suburb I grew up in” is a country-style duet with Anna Burley, and its a nice jangling slice of roots-pop.

Then we get about a minute of punk and another minute of power pop. “Keeping The Dogs At Bay” is another catchy chorus, and thankfully it’s over 2 minutes long. I like short songs, but most of this was just way too short. However, the sampler just made me want more McDonald, so it is successful in marketing his talent.

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Popular Creeps Detroit

Popular Creeps “Bloodshot Red”

A motley crew from the Motor City, Popular Creeps do a good job playing fast and loose rock and roll, and the opening track “Out of My Head” is a super-catchy tune that will get you following along with handclaps and a kick-ass guitar solo. The sound is a little like The Replacements, with a barroom vibe similar to The Connection. “Down & Out” builds a solid core riff and keeps you interested with its well-written lyrics and melody. “Metal Kid” is a good vignette about a kid who “smells like smoke on a Friday night.” Lots of great tracks, and highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


Singles

“Like The Tide” boasts a solid twang and Zach’s soulful lead keeps this sounding like a hit single Neil Young might have done back in the day. The bonus here is that Zach has an audio “behind-the-scenes” feature in addition to the song demos. Sweet!


Jayson Jarmon and those dudes from Vanilla are back with a heavier rocker. It’s got some cool riffs — check it out.

Arthur Nasson is back, and he’s “Unglued” – This is a catchy theme that reminds me a little of Roy Wood.  Get this on Amazon

The Greek Theatre and The Proper Ornaments

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The Greek Theatre

The Greek Theatre “When Seasons Change”

Swedish duo Sven Froberg and Fredrick Persson are back, and they inject much-needed energy into their newest release. “Twin Larks” majestically starts with duel acoustic guitars and a flute melody floating by, and then the jangling “Lawrence of Laurel Canyon” bursts forth with a hopeful exuberance. But these psyche-pop artists go totally acidic on “The Post Factual Jam” before returning to the pastoral “Old Jawbone.”

While many influences are present, Greek Theatre has a unique sound and style, from the soulful “Bible Black Mare” to the baroque strings and harmonies of “Open Window.” The band is every bit as versatile as The Moody Blues, which it reminded me of, especially on the wonderful “A Different Place.” This is an album to savor and rewards the listener during repeat plays. Highly Recommended.

Kool Kat Musik

The Proper Ornaments

The Proper Ornaments “Mission Bells”

UK indie psyche-popsters The Proper Ornaments have a hazy dreamlike quality to their music; perfect for early Sunday mornings or late nights. A project of James Hoare (Ultimate Painting, Veronica Falls) and Max Oscarnold (Toy, Pink Flames) the band added bassist Nathalie Bruno for their recent tour. The band was known for their past Beatlesque and Velvet Underground influences, but Mission Bells moves them further away from that signpost.

Adding more electronic textures and electronic drumbeats, they come closer to The Beta Band in style and approach. “Purple Heart” shows a slightly offset group of chords to describe someone “so cold,” and the layered “Downtown” features hypnotic rhythms. “Broken Insect” boasts a catchy bass-led melody where the vocals are buried far into the mix. It’s enough to put the casual listener to sleep. But, the lyrical and melodic brilliance surface on several songs, “Echoes,” “Flophouse Calvary” and “Music of The Traffic.” The patient listener is rewarded here, but you might need a bit of caffeine to stay awake.

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Tributes: John Wicks and Australian Wildfires

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John Wicks

Assorted Artists “For The Record: A Tribute to John Wicks”

The great John Wicks (The Records) sadly passed away in 2018 while he fought a lengthy battle with cancer. During that time he continued to write music and was planning to release a final album. He was gone before he could finish it all himself, but producer Jamie Hoover (The Spongetones), pop journalist Richard Rossi and Kool Kat Musik made sure John’s final songs saw the light of day. Each contributing artist involved had a personal connection to John.  They gave generously of their time and talents, as a tribute to the man who dazzled us with the power-pop hit “Starry Eyes.” Proceeds from all sales go to John’s son Perry and to the American Cancer Society. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Pop

Assorted Artists “Pop! Fights The Flames (benefit album for the people of Australia)”

A special digital benefit album, whereby every artist on this compilation has donated a song to help support the people of Australia where many have been ravaged by the awful bushfires during the Australian Summer. 90% of sales from this album will go to the RFS NSW (Rural Fire Service). Some brilliant music is part of this massive 34 track benefit album; including power pop favorites: Nick Frater, Chris Price, Dana Countryman, Lisa Mychols, Wyatt Funderburk, Eric Barao and many more. Highly Recommended.

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