Robyn Gibson (The Junipers) returns with his fourth edition of cover tunes. Great covers of some power-pop faves and it’s all a FREE download too.
10 years ago The Agony Aunts formed in the Bay area and for the occasion, they broke into the studio where The Corner Laughers were recording new material and busted out this cover tune when the others weren’t looking. Also, it’s a FREEBIE!
Nezrok thinks ahead to Valentine’s Day, with Steve Minotti on lead vocal gives it a soulful approach.
Peter Baldrachi‘s coming back in a big way. Enjoy this new single off his upcoming album. A treat for the ears!
Okay, my bad. I should have posted this a few days ago but the majestic Zach Jones knows “October’s Almost Over” and delivers a touching ballad.
Punk poppers Vista Blue are back as they tear through 11 Halloween themed tunes with a dose of extra heavy fuzz. “I Don’t Wanna Trick or Treat With You” is a brilliant Ramones styled shot in the arm, and it sets the template. “I’m Gonna Be You For Halloween” is a great put down in the same vein, as are all these tunes. The songs are mostly under two minutes, so even though the songs are homogeneous, it’s still a lot of fun.
The tempo is frantic and stays in fast mode, some highlights include: “Angela Loves Me,” “Make A Wish” and “Don’t Change The Channel.” Pop-punk is perfectly suited to the Halloween season, so grab your treats while they are fresh.
Weehawken, NJ band The Skullers have a new EP. While this isn’t Halloween themed, the band name lends itself to the season. Opening with the echoing beat of “Still Life,” it has plenty of power pop grit along the lines of Matthew Sweet with some ’60s psych-pop details.
The jangling guitar and catchy, driving beat of “She Denies The Things She Loves” recalls the recent Liam Gallagher. They add real guitar muscle to “Convenient” with its compelling reverb bass and a layered chorus. Overall a great set of tunes that foreshadows great things for The Skullers. Highly Recommended.
Marty Rudnick released his timeless album “More Songs About Cars and Girls” in 2006 on his Sandbox Records label. It’s been a favorite of many fellow power-pop fans for years. Marty was also a very successful audio engineer, remastering many artists’ work to perfection. Marty passed away this month, and even though I didn’t know him in person, we’ve been Facebook friends for years.
DJs Adam Waltmire (Pop Garen Radio) and Micheal McCartney (The Time Machine) knew him well and told a few stories about him online. He was a true musical talent as a multi-instrumentalist and singer. And he loved other talented musicians as well. RIP, Marty… we’ll always have those songs about cars and girls.
Here is a FREE download cover of Paul Simon’s “The Boxer” with Marty Rudnick, Ken Carmassi, and Tommy Dunbar.
Here is another FREE song with Marty and The Agony Aunts as part of a “Single Of The Month Club”
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.
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.
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.
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.
