Pop Co-Op and Dolph Chaney

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Pop Co-Op

Pop Co-Op “Factory Settings”

Steve Stoeckel (The Spongetones) is back with his collaborative band The Pop Co-Op; Bruce Gordon (guitar and keyboards) Stacy Carson (drums) and Joel Tinnel (guitar). The fact that the band members record their parts miles away from each other matters not. Stoeckel’s unmistakable pop melody comes through on “No Man’s Land” an uncannily prescient song about the isolation that fits these times perfectly. And those harmonies! The pop gem “Kissing Katy” boasts some nice drum work, handclaps, and an acoustic guitar break. Next, “Flaws of Attraction” has a quirky story-song approach similar to They Might Be Giants and lots of neat harmonic contrast.

The jangling guitar riff, and bouncy tempo of “Catching Light” recalls XTC at their most buoyant. Other songs shift statistically, and “To the Sea” is a simple ballad with Stoeckel on the ukulele that suddenly enters deep psyche-pop territory before coming back. There is enough variation throughout the 14 tracks, so you will not be bored. Highlights include: “The Price of Admission,” “Sleeve” and the odd boogie-woogie “Won’t Be Me.”  Highly Recommended.

Amazon


Dolph Chaney “Rebuilding Permit”

Chicago songwriter Dolph Chaney starts his album with “I’m OK,” a bouncy affirmation that has a homespun quality similar in approach to Chris Breetveld, but with an underlying darkness. “If I Write It Down” also feels like a therapeutic exercise set to pop music, and it’s an emotionally honest, compelling song. “The Handling” is about handling a loved one’s death through the riffs of a guitar solo, and much of the remaining songs on the album are bleak.

Another standout here is the ballad “A Good Road Is Hard To Find” where the repeating acoustic riff feels like the hangover morning after an all-night bender. The bluesy solo here is a perfect fit too. While this might not be for everyone, the emotional journey is definitely worth the trip through the darkness. It’s music that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | Big Stir Records | Kool Kat Musik

 

The Bye Bye Blackbirds and Tommy Ray!

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The Bye Bye Blackbirds

The Bye Bye Blackbirds “Boxer At Rest”

It’s been a tense time for the band The Bye Bye Blackbirds, reflecting on the passing of friends, and loved ones — the band’s founding member Lenny Gill required a heart transplant and months of hospitalization and rehabilitation. The band patiently worked on the album and waited for Lenny to recover and contribute. The result is a more personal take on loss and an extremely strong album. Add to this producer Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, Nada Surf) and engineered by power-pop legend Chris von Sneidern, and you have a potential classic. The production here is flawless.

“You were All Light” is an excellent start, with a driving beat and heavier riffs, and notable horns overlaid onto the lead melody towards the end of the song. Lead singer Bradley Skaught and Kelly Atkins add some rich harmonies on “So True” to go with the simple rhythm and the jangle-tinged rock of “Baby It’s Still You” is another winner. The acoustic ballad “Words and Signs” bring to mind Big Star, and “Watch Them Chime” is a rare burst of optimism with its climbing major riff. That feeling continues on the 7-minute groove-fest “If It Gets Light.” It’s got an infectious beat that gives way to wild guitar theatrics. “All Our Friends” is a fitting and uplifting end. This LP makes my top ten for 2020 list, so it’s super Highly Recommended!

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Tommy Ray

Tommy Ray! “First Hits Free”

The Cry! had a pair of great glam-styled power-pop albums over 5 years ago. Lead singer Tommy Ray’s solo LP is the long-awaited follow up and will not disappoint fans, as it keeps the gritty punk energy and layered guitar riffs with an even harder edge. “Aint No Use” sets the fast pace, a song that recalls The Damned, The Real Kids and The Only Ones.

The songs all have a fun anthemic punk quality, “Life Goes On” is a sing-along that rumbles to its catchy chorus. The storytelling aspect of the lyrics is emphasized more than the previous work. Highlights include themes of obsession and hard luck rejection on “Suzanne,” “Tuesday’s Girl” and “Take A Chance.” Tommy Ray finally turns things up a notch on “No Better Than This,” with an impressive composition and multi-instrumentation that I wish he did more often. Like Geoff Palmer (The Connection) recent solo work, Tommy Ray’s music is meant to be played loud, so crank it up. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

 

Singles and FREEBIES: The Hendersons, Dave Kerzner and Fernando Perdomo, Watts, Kai Danzberg, The Dahlmanns, Tommy And The Rockets

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Here’s a band from Fort Worth, Texas called The Hendersons and they’ve got this neat little gem “Grandson,” we all know someone like this at work. Lots of beautiful textures here, from Queen-like riffs to psyche-pop harmonies.

Holy crap, this is freaking amazing. Dave Kerzner and Fernando Perdomo combine to create this true epic 7-minute pop opera. It’s a psychedelic Beatles pop / Pink Floydian progressive rock amalgam. Try not to drool and get this now!

I was just asking what happened to one of my favorite bands on Rum Bar Records, Watts. It’s so nice to hear this single “Seventeen” a rocking gem with such guitar mastery. A FREEBIE that rocks the house.

Kai Danzberg realized he needs to “Stay Home” and play this Covid-19 theme. It’s a FREEBIE. Looking for a little more hope? Listen to “Don’t Give Up The Ghost” and if you want a little more pop bounce, check out “Waiting For You.” Wonderful pop as per usual from Mr. Danzberg.



Another familiar pair of power pop bands are back! Tommy And The Rockets give us the irresistible “You Don’t Know What You Got” and then The Dahlmanns “Party Girl” is a throwback to early 60’s Girl Groups.

Chris Church and Strand

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Chris Church

Chris Church “Backwards Compatible”

If you like heavy rock fused with hook-filled melodies, then Chris Church will scratch your rock and roll itch. What makes Church special is the details of the song, as he starts with “Begin Again” and it’s more than the layered guitar fuzz, but the addition of backing harmonies, organ and a ripping solo to the anthem. “Coulda Fooled Me” and “Dumb It Up” are straight-forward rockers, but the hook-filled choruses lifts them above the ordinary. The chunky guitar chords don’t drown out the vocals, much like Chris’s retro influences: Cheap Trick, The Raspberries, Tommy Keene, Billy Squier, and Dokken.

Church also has some top talent in the studio with him, including legendary Bill Lloyd and Lindsay Murray (Gretchen’s Wheel). “Left In The Summer” has a very Def Leppard feel, but adds soaring harmonies behind those guitar licks. “No Letting Go” layers even more guitars, and “Pop Dreams” are all about the days when every kid wanted to be a rock star; “When your best friend is your mirror…” Later on “These Daze” focuses on the darkness in our present times. No filler here, but also no ballads or slower tunes to break things up. That will not bother most listeners, as every song is really good. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


Strand

Strand “Can’t Trust The Rain”

Niall Toner is a veteran musician of Dublin, Ireland. With new band Strand, he’s joined by guitarist Ger Kiely, guitarist Duncan Maitland (Slumberjet/Pugwash), producer Les Key (bass), drummer Kevin Malone (Van Morrison) and keyboard player Darragh O’Kelly. The sound is a hybrid of Steely Dan meets Teenage Fanclub with a touch of Gram Parsons.

The production work stands out here, right from the start on the smooth “Best Laid Plans,” along with multiple bass riffs and a catchy synth organ melody. “Stole A Train” has lots of nice details from the flourishes of steel pedal to the backing chorus of “chugga-choo-choo.” The jangling gem “No Underground” is an effortlessly beautiful pop composition and the bluesy piano ballad “Country That You Came From” features the subtle vocals of Niall at his best. The distinct influence of Big Star is part of the title song and “Roadkill.” Overall not a note of filler and worth multiple listens. Kool Kat Musik is offering an additional 4 song EP with purchase. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Dowling Poole and Tommy Sistak

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Dowling Poole

The Dowling Poole “See You, See Me”

Willie Dowling and Jon Poole are back, and by combining strong production values and the influences of XTC (specifically, Andy Partridge) continue to bring us great music. The album theme is an unrepentant political protest of the Trump-era. Starting with the title track, “See You, See Me,” Willie laments “the dumbing down of a nation in defeat” by weaving multiple themes together. “The Product” has a more techno rhythm and beat, and with “Hope” the influence of Prince is obvious. Technically the band has never been better,  although the melodic hooks are buried a little deeper than I would like.

“Alison’s Going Home” opens a scenario sounding more akin to Jellyfish with a wonderfully inventive composition about an Afghanistan War veteran returning home and taking in “the armchair medicine” on TV. “Made In Heaven” and “Keeping The Stupid Stupid” about the state of our political mess is right on the nose; “don’t let the facts get in the way… and history repeats.” “The Last Train Home” is a lounge-styled lament about a “Never Trumper,” and stating “when his sanity was normalized, we whispered someone should be notified.”  Highly Recommended (unless you are a Trump fan.)

Amazon


Tommy Sistak

Tommy Sistak “Music For Sale”

Tommy Sistak returns with his Beatlesque talents to give us Music For Sale. “Come Find Me” and “Away From You and Me” has that infectious early Merseybeat sound, and it’s a lot of fun. The lead guitars are less prominent here than his last LP Ready Set A Go-Go, while the rattling rhythms and vocal harmonies remain.  The quaint music hall stylings of “A Good Friend” and “Then All The Hearts Were Broken” bring to mind both early solo McCartney and Harry Nilsson.

While derivative, Sistak puts enough of his signature style in it to keep it interesting. Some of the songs also bring to mind The Searchers, like on the standout “With My Imagination.” Tommy plays all the instruments on the LP, with drumming provided by Gerard Pagliuco. On an acoustic version of “Come Find Me” the additional harmonies make this closer to an Everly Brothers single. Fans of this retro-rock style will really enjoy it, so pick it up! It’s music that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik