March singles: Luke of Ulysses, Willie Dowling, The Amplifier Heads, Chaft, Softjaw
Paul Collins and Elephant Stone
Paul Collins “Stand Back and Take a Good Look”
Paul Collins, the “King of Power Pop,” always channeled rock and roll energy, whether he was with The Nerves in the late 1970s, with The Beat during the 1980s, or later with his solo works. Collins covers a variety of older songs from his prolific career on the new album, Stand Back and Take a Good Look. With a star-studded guest list (Dwight Twilley, Prairie Prince, Richard X Heyman, etc.), Paul sounds great at 67, and the song selection isn’t so much his “hits” as great songs that you may have missed. The songs are short, sweet, and get to the point quickly.
The title track, “Stand Back and Take a Good Look,” the Jack Lee-penned song, is a bouncy opener about narcissism. The strong songs “I’m the Only One For You” and “In Another World” follow this. Both are excellent power pop songs. The country influences are all over the mid-tempo “Don’t Take it So Hard” and “You Can’t Go Back.” The experience of overseas touring is the subject of the jangling “Liverpool” and the folky “Under the Spanish Sun.” Collins does not disappoint, and there is no filler to be found. Kudos to the label, JEM Records, for signing him. It’s highly recommended!
Elephant Stone “Back Into The Dream”
Canadian band Elephant Stone returns with their sixth album, a neo-psych pop stream of songs that swing between awareness and subconscious. You close your eyes, drift, and while listening to Back Into The Dream, which vaguely reminded me of a 21st-century version of those classic LSD-influenced Moody Blues records from the past. The band’s lead singer, Rishi Dhir, knows how to combine musical textures to create a rich aural tapestry that comes alive in technicolor melodies.
“The Spark” is a more straightforward, catchy earworm, with shimmering rhythm guitars. It gets even stronger with “Going Underground,” about the joys of listening to oldies and getting lost in the moment. From here, it becomes even more surreal as “bae,” a trippy delight, and the epic “The Imaginary Nameless Everybody” follow their enigmatic paths amid lush harmonies and meandering sitar instrumentation. The road leads to the joyous “On Our Own,” a blissful look at adulthood. Overall, this is a wonderful listen and needs to be experienced as a full album. Highly Recommended!
More February EPs and singles: Jordan Jones, Curling, Calendars, Sirius Voltage, Little Miss Echo, Suzy Goodwin
I don’t think I gave Curling a fair shake or a good listen last year, and now it’s getting the “deluxe” treatment. The angular guitar melody of “Shamble” recalls Colin Moulding, and there is more here that deserves to be heard, especially the inspiring “Hi-Elixir.” Japan’s power poppers Calendars are back with a quick single, “Apart” and it’s great to hear them again. While we are overseas, Portuguese rockers Sirius Voltage deliver “For Your Dreams,” a riff-tastic slice of swagger. On a lighter note, Little Miss Echo brings to mind Papernut Cambridge meets The Beta Band, with the catchy “Optigan.” Finally, a Motown melody from Suzy Goodwin, mixed by studio master Michael Carpenter.