Richard Turgeon and The Mike Benign Compulsion

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Richard Turgeon

Richard Turgeon “Go Deep”

San Francisco musician Richard Turgeon goes for the gusto on his third album in three years, sounding like The Gin Blossoms if they were fronted by Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices). This is the final album of his “California Trilogy,” where his songwriting is centered on his life on the West Coast.  Starting with “The One That Got Away,” its a catchy gem with a great hook and layered harmonies that you can sing along to. 

The heavier fuzz on “If You Leave Me” is proof of his solid talent and its another winner. “Next to Me” mines a very Weezer-like rhythmic structure and “Keanu Reeves” boasts some excellent guitar jamming. Some tunes seem influenced by Pete Townshend, like “Lost and Found” and the moving rocker “Lonely Old Man.” Richard then dips his toe in the country-roots waters with “Cowboy Life.”  I think Richard has finally found his sweet spot, as each of his albums gets progressively better. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Mike Benign Compulsion

The Mike Benign Compulsion “Bygones”

Milwaukee-based Mike Benign is at a crossroads. What began as a labor of love for Mike could turn out to be his final album. Musicians Joe Vent (guitar), Paul Biemann (bass) and Michael Koch (drums) join Mike on this journey. And they do not disappoint.

Opening with “Beauty & Pedigree & Bank,” it comes from a acerbic place, a little like Elvis Costello’s early formula of fatalism and resentment. Next “Bonafide Americans” is a pure expression of this country’s Trump fatigue as he points out “…and that’s how they wanted it.” But Mike comes up big with a gorgeous composition “Let It Rain or Let it Be” and you’ll hear both The Beatles and Clapton in this tune.

But mainly Benign is a musical truth-teller. Whether its the media (“Bombs Rain Down”) or the state of the music industry (“These Heroes”) he sings what many just think. We do get interrupted from all this pessimism with the gentle “Olivia Rainmaker,” a jangling Beatlesque gem. Another notable standout is “Manchild” with its prominent guitar twang.  Most of the songs are within 3 minutes; just long enough to get the point across. I just wish there was a glimmer of hope in some of these songs, but they are solidly melodic and worth many repeats in your player.  It’s music that deserves to be heard.

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Liam Gallagher and ANC4

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Liam Gallagher

Liam Gallagher “Why Me? Why Not.”

Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher picks up where his 2017 solo album As You Were left off, and he has learned a few things in the process. Liam can still mine that Oasis nostalgia (and his Beatlesque tendencies) on the opening single “Shockwave,” with its deep bass strut and catchy chorus. But there is a sense of maturity here, while no single is as strong as 2017’s “Greedy Soul,” the point of view is more varied. And the songs are consistently good.

“One of Us” recalls previous Oasis lyrics “…you said we’d live forever” and “Once” is a very Lennon-like mid-tempo ballad about self-reflection. The power-pop gem “Now That I’ve Found You” is likely the happiest song Gallagher has ever written. “Halo” and the title track are perfect singles that will stick in your brain. The atmospheric “Meadow” is a psychedelic “Mystery Tour” styled gem with George Harrison-like slide guitar flourishes. While not everything works, most of it does. The bombastic elements of his music tend to get repetitive, but even the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition are quality songs. Highly Recommended.

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ANC4

ANC4 “ANC4”

ANC4 (aka Arvidson &Nilsson Combo Four) is a newly formed band that consists of four veterans of the Swedish music scene. The full line is Roger Arvidson (vocals/guitar), Tomas Nilsson (vocals/guitar – of The Mop Tops), Janne Borgh (bass/backing vocals – The Moderns), and Niclas “Tidaholm’s Ringo” Österberg (drums). The band seems to take most of its influence from The Byrds, Tom Petty, and The Beatles.

The opener “Easy Way Out” is a nice jangling gem with a memorable guitar hook in the chorus. Roger’s understated vocals work wonderfully here, and the alt. country “You Can Call Me Darling” has some sweet details like a tinkling xylophone and slide guitar. The band goes out of its way to try different styles early on, from the spacey “The Chronicle” to the new wave jangle on “No More Words.” Highlights include; “So Good To Me” and “Happy Again.” The band finds its sweet spot with the excellent “It Don’t Matter.” Musically this is all fun, but on occasion, the vocals just disappear (“When We Were There,” “Winner”) in the mix. Overall, a terrific album that deserves to be heard.

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Singles: The Vinyl Skyway, Vanilla, My Little Hum, Rozwell Kid, The Inside Passenger, Joe Kane, Andrew Stonehome, The Hangabouts

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Holy Cow! There is a bumper crop of great music here. Let’s dive right in… 

Boston band The Vinyl Skyway dazzles with this excellent single. Songwriters Andy Santospago and Michael Hayes know how to hook you with their harmonies and minor chord shifts. Worth multiple repeats!

The band Vanilla follows up from its smart LP Mystik Knights of Tacoma with this horn-filled gem that about a tree fort that is either an emotional security blanket or the ultimate man cave.

My Little Hum is husband and wife duo Dan Jewett (guitars/bass) and Yuri Jewett (vocals/keyboards). They do a great job here with a strong jangling melody and Yuri’s sweet vocal harmonies are comparable to Karla Kane. Part of the upcoming album Pioneer. Check it out!

Rozwell Kid delivers a quirky punk song that just stuck with me. It’s a FREE download that starts out quiet and then breaks out (Hey, maybe Rolling Stone will pay attention?) Lyric video here.

The Inside Passenger is a new musical project from fan-favorite Cliff Hillis. It’s definitely a different style; Melancholy pop music made for late nights.

Glasgow treasure Joe Kane (Dr. Cosmo’s Tape Lab, The Owsley Sunshine, BMX Bandits) has put together these little glammy, fabby singles with those Ringo-like drum fills and Lennon-like vocal noodling. So much fun it will stick fast! “If you love your booty clap your hands..” Love it!

Andrew Stonehome is a songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist from North Dakota. He deserves your attention for this excellent power-pop single. Album coming next year.

Detroit’s The Hangabouts are also working on something new! You can hear some Elvis Costello influence here, and it’s a true gem with a soulful guitar break midway through. Keep your eyes and ears out for a new LP soon!

The Successful Failures and The Muffs

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The Successful Failures

The Successful Failures “Saratoga”

New Jersey’s Successful Failures present their 7th full-length LP, “Saratoga.” Lead singer Mick Chorba starts with the echoing fuzz chords of “Because We Are Ghosts,” and despite the simple lyric, it commands your attention. The band shuffles along on its roots-like rhythm of “Love You So” with a terrific slow boogie bass midway through the song as Mick croons “Do you love me so?” While the songs feel very loose if you listen carefully, you’ll hear the subtle details in the composition. Like Tom Petty, it’s the augmented leads and chugging beat of a song like “Ocean and The Stars” that elevate it from average to greatness.

The band moves from the traditional blues on “Ruby, Ruby” to the very ambitious “Knoxville Suite” which incorporates some very Clapton-esque touches as reaches its zenith. The follow up “No White Knight in Knoxville” is a fast-paced anthem sure to get you tapping your feet. While there are several typical rockers like “Oh Diane,” it’s also good to hear the more experimental “Already in Two.” Overall another highly recommended LP.

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The Muffs

The Muffs “No Holiday”

When you want to count the great punk-pop bands of the genre, near the top of your list should be The Muffs. While they reference The Who, The Troggs, The Kinks, Ramones and Sex Pistols, they are completely original. As punks, they can make noise with the best of them, but its Kim Shattuck’s songwriting and the tight-knit playing that makes them so formidable. Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day) called Ms. Shattuck “one of my favorite songwriters.” So its with bittersweet feeling that I review the final Muffs album No Holiday. Kim passed away last week from complications of ALS (aka Lou Gehrig’s disease), but she left us a treasure trove of tunes in her wake. Written over a period between 1991 and 2017, the songs range from intimate ballads to punk expression. And at 18 tracks, there is a lot to wade through.

Starting with “That’s For Me” and “Down Down Down” its everything a Muffs fan expects, with the snarls, screams and punk guitars. But for the title track, Kim gets sweet with a big melodic chorus, as the next few songs are mellower than expected. “Late and Sorry” is another highlight with a perfect mix of the sweet and sour. Some great songs could have benefited from a fuller production, like “Sick Of This Old World” and “Happier Just Being With You.” On the whole, the songs showcase the band’s depth of emotion on gems like “Lucky Charm,” and “On My Own.” It’s a fine portrait of Kim’s many moods and she will not be forgotten. Highly Recommended.

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The video above is the last Muffs concert in South America

New EPs: Propeller, Bananagun, Super 8, It’s Karma It’s Cool, The Coolies

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Propeller “Three Steps to Better Listening” – The San Franciso duo of Greg Randall and Will Anderson are at it again! Not really an EP, but an A/B single with an acoustic version, but it’s so damn good. You will be hooked!

Bananagun “Do Yeah” – Is this a long lost gem from the early ’70s? It’s a hypnotic mix of afrobeat and psyche pop that wouldn’t sound that out of date on a retro beatnik soundtrack. Groovy.

Super 8 “Head Sounds” EP – UK-based Singer/Songwriter Paul Ryan has been very busy this year. The cover is a parody on Pet Sounds,  and the music is an interesting mix of compulsive melodies, and it does have horns and harmonies. This EP is a prelude to the full-length version scheduled for release in 2020.

It’s Karma It’s Cool “Hipsters and Aeroplanes” – Jim Styring (The Popdogs, B-Leaguers) is back with this hook-filled gem of an EP available on Kool Kat Musik. It’s got an catchy energy and Jim’s vocal inflections are similar to Buddy Holly. It’s also a grower that gets better with multiple listens.

The Coolies – “Uh Oh! It’s​.​.​. The Coolies”  Three amazing artists: Kim Shattuck (The Muffs), Palmyra Delran and Melanie Vammen. They make magic here and 100% of profits will be donated to The ALS Association in the memory of Kim’s passing. Originally released in July, It’s bittersweet that this was the only project for the three, but at least we have it.