Singles and a freebie: Ken Sharp, Brian Jay Cline, Ken Fox, Neil Nathan, Justine and The Unclean, SA Reyners, Cherry Parke

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A massive pile of new music for you all!

Ken Sharp has released the Davy Jones charity single, “Girl” b/w “Forget That Girl.” “Girl” is the song Davy famously performed on “The Brady Bunch” while “Forget That Girl” is a fantastic Monkees track featured on their “Headquarters” album. All proceeds of the sales of the songs will go to Davy’s charity of choice, the Davy Jones Equine Memorial Foundation, which benefits his herd of horses. 


Brian Jay Cline has been very prolific lately, a master musician with guitar twang and pop hooks. He’s got a new EP on his Bandcamp site, but also this thematic single.

Ken Fox (bassist & showman extraordinaire from The Fleshtones and former bassist of Jason and the Scorchers, yes you have read this correctly) steps out front and center with is debut single “One Less Step” and looking to take over the world by storm with his upcoming solo debut.

It’s been a few years, but its good to hear Neil Nathan do a smashing cover of this John Lennon classic. I couldn’t think of a better time to revive this song for a new generation.

Justine and the Unclean are back. They are a talented women-fronted garage/punk/power-pop band with some new tunes.  Fans of Joan Jett wanna hear this one.

On the soft pop side, SA Reyners delivers a single so sweet and catchy I can’t resist it. Dig that bassline! No relation to The Cufflinks (Ron Dante) golden oldie hit of the same name.


OK, I know nothing about this band except they do their best to imitate The Dukes of The Stratosphear. I give Cherry Parke credit for going there and it’s a FREE download.

Rob Martinez and The Lolas

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Rob Martinez

Rob Martinez “Maybe Miss America”

Rob Martinez is a first-rate pop singer with a vocal that reminds me of the late Davey Jones without the English accent. His style will please fans of Paul McCartney or Neil Finn looking for similar melodic pop. His 3rd LP is produced by Adam Marsland (Standells/Cockeyed Ghost) and mastered by Earle Mankey.

The music is similar to previous albums, but with even more polish. Opening with “The Letter” it’s a got a confessional feeling with guitar flourishes. But the big highlight comes next, as “Summer of Love” has lush harmonies that Adam has lots of experience doing as part of a Beach Boy David Marks work. Rob’s strong vocal carries the melody and it sticks in your head quickly. Another highlight, “Free” is a bluesy pop gem that recalls George Harrison with its loose guitar noodling alongside the chorus. Other tunes that stand out are “All I Ever Wanted” and “Seems Like Only Yesterday” with its wistful look back in time. Overall a great effort and classic pop fans will love it. It’s music that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | CD Baby


The Lolas

The Lolas “Bulletproof”

Tim Boykin is a back, quickly after last year’s highly-rated A Dozen Or Seven Tapestries and he’s joined this time by Jacob Walcher on bass and Valis Procházka on keys and drums. The band’s sound is tweaked to more rock than power pop slightly, but Boykin’s solid command of melodies remains a constant.

“Deestroy” has an ELO-like sound, fast tempo, and a socialist message (“I wanna destroy capitalism, take away your desolate vision”) but it’s so darn catchy. The follow up “Fall Away” sounds a bit mechanical, but “Oceans of The Moon” is very compelling with its terrific chord shifts and the crisp vocal. The band uses heavier riffs on “Stand Up and Fight” and “Stop The War,” and while the songs are good, the continuous fast tempos can wear a listener thin. The slower “When The Cold Winds Blow” is a welcome relief and it shifts the mood nicely. I also liked the feminist theme “She Will Shake The World” with its dense guitar riffs, you almost expect this to show up in the next Captain Marvel movie. The solid “L’Internationale” ends with a fine Beatlesque touch. Overall a highly recommended album.

Amazon

Emperor Penguin and A Girl Called Eddy

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Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguin “Soak UpThe Gravy”

Last year I was introduced to Emperor Penguin with Walnut Fascia, a band that throws together the best of late 60s psyche-pop with power pop. The band is firing on all cylinders with Soak Up The Gravy. “Hello Picasso” is a dense, hook-filled gem with a great guitar lead as an opener. “Go Guitargonauts” has a Link Ray meets XTC feel, full of looping verses and effects.

The band is a lot more focused on melody, as “What’s Come Over Me,” “Hole In Your Soul” and “A Brand New Yesterday” are exceptional tunes that don’t sound like anyone else. The great chord shifts on “Memoria Magdalena” make it a classic and the lounge styled “Speedwell Blue,” is a duet with the “Queen of Power Pop” Lisa Mychols and it’s a sweet change of pace. It ends in trippy fashion with the swirling guitars of “Burning Man,” a densely produced psychedelic pastiche that does not disappoint. While not every song is a potential hit, there is more than enough here to recommend this as an early nominee for my top album list of 2020.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

A Girl Called Eddy

A Girl Called Eddy “Been Around”

In late 2018, soul singer Erin Moran (aka A Girl Called Eddy) released a project album with Mehdi Zannad called The Last Detail, and it was a delightful breezy pop album with some serious talent behind it. Shame on me for not sharing it then, but Moran has followed this up with an equally impressive full-length LP. She wears her influences on her sleeve, and its soulful pop designed to melt your heart.

Morgan’s vocal falls somewhere between Aimee Mann and Jackie DeShannon. The lead track “Been Around” recalls Carole King with its warmth, elegant composition, and its supported horns and harmonies. The fragility of “Big Mouth” is followed by the bright horn/piano song “Jodi.” Those contrasts of whispered vulnerability and soaring melody also are best shown on “Charity Shop Window,” a collaboration with legendary songwriter Paul Williams. The guitars come out on “Someone’s Gonna Break Your Heart” and she sounds very much like Chrissie Hynde here. There are also elements of 70’s pop a la Bacharach on “Come To The Palisades!” Most everything here is great, meticulously crafted pop with a capital P. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

The Fast Camels, Ken Sharp and Baby Scream

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The Fast Camels

The Fast Camels “Full of Strange”

The Glasgow UK five-piece band, rooted in late ’60s psychedelic sounds recalls Mod-era Who, Jefferson Airplane, Love and Pink Floyd. The opener “Blissful Serenity” chugs along with its slowly building jangle rhythm, overflowing with reverb and a touch of backward guitar. It slows down to a simple acoustic guitar on “Caught In A Dream” which brings to mind The Moody Blue’s Justin Heyward and the harmonies are strong on the flowing “Storyteller.”

The band sounds tighter overall, and the songwriting has improved from previous efforts. The acidic lyrics of “The Wedding” tell a wicked tale of a cheating bride during the reception and atmospheric guitar work is excellent. The follow up “Sordid Dreams” showcase the dark vision of how “she messed up my mind.” Another highlight is the loopy “Family Tree,” with sounds like Syd Barrett’s version of a circus. The quite ballads work well as a contrast between the more sonically vibrant songs. “Honeymoon” is my favorite here, with a power-pop riff that carries the tune along with its pounding beat. Overall a great psyche-pop album, highly recommended.

Kool Kat Musik


Ken Sharp

Ken Sharp “1301 Highland Avenue” (Reissue)

Ken Sharp has gone back to his debut album from 1994 and added more than a fresh coat of paint to a classic that’s been a Japanese out-of-print LP for almost 25 years. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of “1301 Highland Avenue,” he has remastered each track and added new sonic arrangements. 

An excellent example of power pop sounds better than ever, he opens with the wistful memory of the session on the brand new title track. You hear the influences right away, primarily The Beatles, Rubinoos and The Raspberries. Each track loaded with hooks – I don’t want to call out a single track (they are all good) and fans of 90’s power-pop should pick this up without hesitation. Trust me, you’ll love it. Highly Recommended!

Amazon

Baby Scream

Baby Scream “Just Covers”

Juan Pablo Mazzola (Baby Scream) had made several cover tunes between album projects and decided to share it with us. A few bands I wasn’t too familiar and that helped somewhat. Mazzola has a unique vocal that’s part John Lennon and part Tom Waits and it fits nicely with Aaron Neville’s “Tell It Like It Is” and Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon.” Other tracks are good, like “Secret Agent Man” and the understated Psychedelic Furs classic “Love My Way.” Deconstructing other songs to minimal synths like on 10cc’s “I’m Not In Love” and Sepultura(!)’s “Roots Bloody Roots” makes them nearly unrecognizable. However, you may want to check these covers out.

Bandcamp only

The Weeklings and Danny Henry

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The Weeklings

The Weeklings “3”

Those veteran mop tops from Asbury Park, The Weeklings are back with their third effort. The Weeklings are; singer-bassist Lefty Weekling (Glen Burtnik,) singer-guitarists Zeek Weekling (Bob Burger) and Rocky Weekling (John Merjave,) and drummer Smokestack Weekling (Joe Bellia). While the band is likely the most Beatlesque outfit on the east coast, The Weeklings rock with their own unique sound and style.

“I Want You Again” is a great start with Lefty’s hook-filled chorus and tight harmonies, and it’s three minutes of perfection. “In the Moment” is another great song as it shimmers with multiple melody lines. The Rockpile-like “1,000 Miles Away” has rockabilly energy and the three-part harmonies on “Change Your Mind” are pure magic. The originals are so good and the covers too; they breathe new life into the Easybeats’ classic “Friday on My Mind” featuring Herman’s Hermit’s lead singer Peter Noone. The spirit of The Beatles lives in these exceptional musicians and without a note of filler, this becomes my first nominee for best album of 2020. Super Highly Recommended!

Amazon

Danny Henry

Danny Henry “Danifest Destiny”

Based in Milford, CT musician Danny Henry started recording this album with help from Adam Marsland, then the following year he met producer Fernando Perdomo and finished the album. Danny favors balladry, and his many influences include, Motown, Elton John, The Beach Boys, and the late Neil Innes.

It starts with a faux dance musical number “The Swoop” which takes a while to get past the jokey parts to the fifties-style chorus and guitar solo. Unfortunately “Crossfading” double tracks Danny’s falsetto, and it will turn off some as he tries to do a 10cc-like parody but doesn’t quite pull it off.

Henry then sings about innocent romance, like “Dearest Thing” or “David Cassidy Day” without a hint of sarcasm, and it borders on schmaltz. Some songs are wonderfully written like “Darling Eyes” and “Maybe We’re In Love” with hints of glam in the guitar, but Henry’s vocal takes getting used to. Ballads like “Cereal Man” and “Hollywood Boulevard” have lovely instrumental setups, and Danny’s vocal style works best here. If you’re looking for something different, give it listen.

Bandcamp