Power Popaholic Interview: Jim Basnight
Jim Basnight
Power Popaholic has been the happy distributor and album designer of Jim Basnight’s albums for many years. This past November, he released his most eclectic album, Summertime Peculiar. You’ll hear some pop, rock, jazz, folk, etc. We talk about the genesis of this diverse album. You can read the review here, or 🎸 listen below:You can also check out our main Bandcamp page for all seven of Mr. Basnight’s albums, and more.
Emperor Penguin and Nick Frater
Emperor Penguin “Gentlemen Thieves”
Emperor Penguin has successfully channeled a very anglophilic psychedelic pop style in Gentlemen Thieves. Following the template set in Sunday Carvery, they start out the door with the catchy “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” It’s loaded with echo, reverb, dense melody, and lots of fuzzy energy. Lisa Mychols adds a whole new dimension to the band with her duet on the XTC-like “I Wouldn’t Put It Like That.”
Each song is a carefully constructed gem; “Silver Apples” is another dazzling example of this band’s talent, while “Driving Blind” brings the rocking riffs up front. “Sonnez Les Matines” opens with a few notes that recall Pink Floyd but quickly becomes a Middle Eastern dance track. The nursery rhyme-like “Pipistrelle” with its toy piano also sticks fast. One of the best songs here is “You Are My Atmosphere,” and Mychols adds her stamp to this one too. Almost everything here is great. My only issue is the album’s overly compressed mix. The melodies are so good, but sometimes they seem buried in white noise. I wish they gave it the Giles Martin treatment, but despite this, it’s highly recommended.
Nick Frater “Nick Frater presents The Rebutles 1967-1970”
A collection of original songs by Nick Frater, written in tribute to the pre-Fab Four, The Rutles. So it’s music written in the Beatlesque style, with just a touch of sarcastic wit. While Frater doesn’t quite measure up to Neil Innes when it comes to humor, musically, he’s spot on. “The Devil You Know” showcases duality, with John Lennon’s gloomy tendencies and a sunny McCartney-like bridge stuck in the middle because he had to “get back from the grave in 1966,” a reference to the “Paul is Dead” Beatle rumor. Fans of The Rutles and The Beatles will find Easter eggs like this scattered in the lyrics.
Some of these are genuinely fun, like “You’re A Good Egg,” a Magical Mystery breakfast without a hint of symbolism, and “One Lump or Two,” a bit of tea time for Lady Madonna. Unfortunately, they didn’t all stick with me, and once you can identify the song’s origins and intent, there isn’t much else to draw you back to listen again. Nonetheless, this comes highly recommended for Beatles fans, and you should definitely give the music a listen.
Bandcamp only
Top 20 EPs of 2023 and some January gifts
- Gizmo “Buddy System”
- Half Catholic “Art In Heaven”
- The Shang Hi Los “Aces Eights & Heartbreaks”
- Råttanson “Trebled Region”
- Girl with a Hawk “Keep ‘er Lit”
- The Blakes “New Tattoo Outtakes”
- House of Jed “House of Jed”
- Dazy “Otherbody”
- Strange Neighbors “Party of None”
- Kid Gulliver “Kiss & Tell”
- Einstein’s Sister “Exit Strategies”
- Clone “Knock Out Drops Vol. 2”
- The Photocopiers – Million Sellers
- Jamie Hoover “Top Banana”
- Dave Birk “Fool Around”
- Julez and The Rollerz “Is There Where The Party Is?”
- Andy Bopp “Space Camp”
- Ken Kase “Ken Kase”
- Peter Hall “About Last Night”
- Grand Drifter “Paradise Window”
As a bonus I have some new freebies! Mostly from 2023 All these albums are “name-your-price” but these are all high quality. I know music fans appreciate this pricing model, and I hope you donate to them so they can continue making great music.
Best Compilations of 2023: International Pop Overthrow Vol. 24 and Embers of Aloha
Assorted Artists “International Pop Overthrow Vol. 24”
Every year, Dave Bash reliably puts out this 3-disc overview of old and new power pop talent. There are always unexpected gems that I never see promoted anywhere else, and that’s one of the best reasons to pick this up. Unlike past volumes, the quality is truly spread across all three discs. Here are some highlights for me:
Disc 1: Opening with The Cowsills on “Ya Gotta Get Up!” is proof that power pop never goes out of style. Sunbourne Rd gives us “Pioneers and Natives,” with its strong psyche-pop vibe, The Parlophonics’ brilliant pop of “Reading Kerouac,” Tyler Graham’s “If It Were Up To Me,” and the 80’s-like strums of 6Kitty’s “Do I Walk.” One apparent thing is that this is not strictly power pop but a huge selection of pop styles.
Disc 2: The jangling dream-pop of Pikal’s “That’s Not Me” or Plasma Chasms’ “Chasing Ghosts” follow a path closer to full psychedelic prog. The optimistic “Yesterdays and Silly Ways” by Thomas Charlie Pedersen is also a standout. Brian Larney & Dean Falcone have the riffs on “Love Signs,” as well as The On and Ons’ “Don’t Wanna Talk About It.”
Disc 3: The 80-rock stylings of Robin Schell’s “Eleven” and Jody & The Jerms’ “Insatiable” both have great hooks. The Love Gamblers’ “Without Love,” Stephen’s Ruin “Lorraine,” Broken Sound’s “Sky Girl,” and Lizard Music’s “Keystone Cops” also all had me very impressed. Without a doubt highly recommended, and we look forward to next year’s compilation.
Assorted Artists “Embers of Aloha: A Maui Wildfire Benefit Project”
The people who have suffered because of the Maui wildfires will receive immediate assistance thanks to this musical initiative. The people of Lahaina and the communities located in West Maui will appreciate your generous donation, which will help provide relief to those affected by this terrible calamity. Thanks to my friend, Michael McCartney, for bringing this to my attention.
While most of these songs have already been released, some of them are exclusive to the collection. Featured highlights include Dana Countryman, Star Collector, Timmy Sean, Tammy Ferranti, David Myhr, John Hunter Phillips, and The Hurricane Beach Band (doing an awesome Beach Boys-like track). With 42 tracks, you can’t go wrong. Highly Recommended.
More best compilations
Shine On: A Tribute To Pete Ham