Bob of The Pops! Vol.3 – Robyn Gibson (The Junipers) gets better with each group of covers he delivers. Love all this, and it’s a FREE download. Get it now!
Timmy Sean is back with a pure power pop single sure to stay on my playlist all year long.
Andy Reed gives us a slow ballad, and it’s his first solo work this year.
Jay Stansfield hasn’t had an LP ready in a long time, but this new single is a little like Jason Falkner.
Aussie Bryan Estepa delivers a very sweet power-pop tune. Can an album be far behind?
John Dunbar is back with his band The John Sally Ride and he offers some very sage advice. It’s a pep talk set to a catchy beat.
Formerly known as Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms, the band has transformed from a solo project to a full-fledged rock band. The group has moved from the raw garage sound of Basement Punk to a polished indie-rock vibe similar to Nick Piunti. Ryan still knows how to craft killer hooks, like the amazing riff-driven “Done To Death.”
The heavy rhythm guitars still layer songs, so “Under Surveillance” and “Why I Run” sounds like the Foo Fighters, Oasis and Squeeze partying together. The variety is due to the new band dynamic with Ryan joined by bandmates Michael Gallacher (guitar), Ryan Marshall (bass) and Sean Sommer (drums). It’s also consistently great with lots of highlights including “Old Heads” and “Push The Button” being power pop standouts. Highly Recommended.
Stephen Chopek was originally trained as a drummer. After touring with major acts (John Mayer, Jesse Malin, Marc Broussard) he decided to learn how to play guitar and write songs. And after busting his hump in New York City he’s already on his third album.
Chopek is somewhere between folk-pop and power pop on Begin the Glimmer. Starting with the careful strum and steady beat of “Make of Puzzles” the shimmering chorus and layered guitar notes fit comfortably together. The catchy “Radio Caroline” is written about UK pirate station in the early ’60s defying the BBC. The layered strumming continues with the solid “Places and Things.”
Things eventually slow to a more folk speed, but it picks up with “The Ballad of Cash & Dean” a Paul Simon-like song about two iconic men in black. He does break out a hard riff for “Thoughts Are Thinking” and overall this is a very good album that deserves to be heard.
Cupid’s Carnival wowed us before, and they are back with a much too short EP that gives Beatlesque faves The Weeklings a run for their money. Opening with the Fab-tastic “She Don’t Care,” it will make all those old Beatles fans swoon. From there it gives us several Lennon-styled piano ballads. The sparse “Clapham Junction-Platform 1” is modeled after “Imagine” and the follow-up “Looking For Rainbows” is a little more “Hey Jude,” but these songs are purely original and they definitely resonate.
“Yoko’s Smiling” is another slow tempo ballad, but the production is more layered with some nice slide guitar, organ and percussion. The song is a message of hope and love, about a Lennon fan honoring his idol’s passing. They repeat two tracks here with alternate versions, and it all ends way too soon. Highly Recommended, and btw more, please.
I reviewed Nick Frater earlier this year and looked through some of his earlier EPs. This one from 2017 had a Rundgren-y looking cover so I gave it a spin. “Sleep It Off” is a sweet piano intro that leads us to a dreamland of melody, with the forceful “Best Intentions” has an echoing verse and a strong chorus that’s more like Elvis Costello than Todd.
Frater excels at making a dreamscape with banjos, floating harmonies and verses in the round for “So The Wind Won’t Blow It Away Part 2.” Another highlight is “Hotel Radio” with its swiftly changing tempos and melody lines. Overall a fine EP with very little filler, and mostly great music. Highly Recommended, and I would check out all his music, as its totally infectious. What makes it even better is that Kool Kat Musik has included two EPs as bonus tracks. And of course, the bonus music is awesome!
Singer-guitarist John Wicks of the British power-pop band The Records, who were best known for the classic 1978 pop gem “Starry Eyes,” passed away in a Burbank hospice on Sunday morning, Oct. 7, 2018.
Born in Reading, England, he moved to Los Angeles after relocating to the United States in 1994. Wicks, who had been battling cancer for several years, nonetheless was able to tour and perform locally until not long before his death with other notable artists like Paul Collins and Bangles drummer Debbi Peterson.
The Records, like other pioneers of the late 70’s (Shoes, 20/20, Blue Ash) was part of a great power pop revival that continues to resonate today. John’s skill for crafting gorgeous melodies continued long after The Records career and he had several great solo power pop LPs including 2008’s Rotate. It is a must-have for true power pop aficionados. You will be missed John — Rest In Peace.
Various Artists “International Pop Overthrow Vol. 21”
I’ve been reviewing IPO compilations since Volume Ten, and its tough to come up with any new superlatives for International Pop Overthrow CEO David Bash and what he means to the power pop genre. It’s also notable that in an age of disposable digital downloads, he stubbornly creates a great tangible CD product that is well designed, researched and curated. This year the geniuses at Omnivore Records will be distributing it, so don’t miss out! As is customary, we get lots of new talent alongside old favorites as they stretch the boundaries of what power pop is (or is not). Here are some of my favorite tracks on each disk:
Disc One
Some good introduction tunes start the set, like Kai Danzberg’s “Welcome To The Show” and the syrupy sweet “Together Forever” by Justin Levinson. The deep chords of the slide guitar open Danny Wilkerson’s “You Still Owe Me A Kiss,” and some new artists I liked here include “Read 1 For You” by Searching For Sylvia and “CC It’s Not Me” by The Paper Jets.
Disc Two
A great opener by The Caper Clowns “Pretty & Underwear” is followed later by French power popper Tommy Lorente’s gem “Arthur.” One of the most impressive tunes on this whole set “Come With Me Now” is from David Minchin of The Innocent, as he channels The Raspberries perfectly. You do get some modern influences like The Fulco’s “Tell Me” with a small rap verse and the girl-group pop with Irene Pena’s “Pieces Of You.” Other new bands I enjoyed include Razz Band “Time Marches On” and Hux & The Hitman “How Can They Do That.”
Disc Three
The baroque ’60s of Green Seagull’s “(I Used To Dream) in Black and White” start off the most retro-sounding disc in the set. I really enjoyed The Tearaways innocent mid-tempo love song “I Could Love You Forever” and Emperor Penguins “Jensen Interceptor” reminded me of Love & Rockets. The reliable Plasticsoul’s “Monkey On A Stick” and David Dattner’s “Pinned” shred the chords very well.
With so much good music here it’s easy to find your new favorite band, even though I’ve reviewed many of the artists here. Highly Recommended (as always).
