The Weeklings and Carmen Toth

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The Weeklings

The Weeklings “Raspberry Park”

With a medley of cover songs and some fantastic original compositions, the album Raspberry Park is a delightful journey. The fact that the band deviates from Beatlesque songs without drastically altering their sound is something I appreciate. Excellent tracks abound on this album, beginning with the passionate “Like We Used To Do,” with its catchy chorus. While sharing a bassline with “The Beat Goes On,” the infectious “Brian Jones” finds its melodic voice. Perhaps “All the Cash in the World” might serve as their theme song, expressing their lifelong passion for performing. Glen Burtnik (aka Lefty Weekling) and Bob Burger (Zeek Weekling) are in top songwriting form here; additional highlights include the poignant “Fall Down A Flight of Stairs” and the note-perfect rocker “None of Your Business.”

The unconventional arrangements of these cover versions make them stand out from the usual tributes: “She’s Leaving Home” and “I’ve Just Seen a Face.” The mashup “Mr. Soul Satisfaction” is catchy and fun; it combines The Monkees, Neil Young, and The Rolling Stones seamlessly. The transitional songs here sound like filler, but that could just be my ears being picky. The 20-second interlude of the Sgt. Pepper-ish “Raspberry Park” was too short; I would have preferred a longer rendition. This being said, the excellent music more than compensates. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


Carmen Toth

Carmen Toth “Fix the World”

Carmen Toth is a singer-songwriter from Toronto, and her musical influences are Stevie Nicks, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Bush, and I hear a little Susanna Hoffs, too. She has been making independent music since 2003, but Fix the World is my first experience, and she makes a great impression with the catchy opener “Pretty Dresses.” Toth does a good job with the next few songs, as standard indie pop tunes go.

Her unique, Nicks-like cadence works well on the angular riffs of “Struggling,” and there are some nice harmonies in the chorus. Her title track, “Fix the World,” shifts from an acoustic ballad in the verse and bounces into a pop chorus about material girls being too distracted to solve issues. Some good power pop tracks here include “Time Bomb Heart” and “My Ears Are Still Ringing.” The last song, “Looking Forward,” has a hopeful, optimistic chorus that’s sure to put a smile on your face. Overall, this is a good album that deserves to be heard.

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No Tears and The James Clark Institute

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Okay, these are the last of my 2023 releases for review. Even David Bash has his list out now. 2024 new releases have been ready for review, and next week we begin that.

No Tears

No Tears “Heart Shaped Eyes”

Swedish musician Christoffer Karlsson is a one-man wrecking crew with his band No Tears. It’s note-perfect punk pop with “Dreaming,” akin to Kurt Baker with a densely melodic, frantic tempo, handclaps, and screams midway through. Christoffer looks a bit like a 21st-century version of Elvis Costello on the cover, and his skills are evident with the catchy “I Wanna Be With You (Tonight)” and “Electric Eyes.”

The punkier aspects sometimes threaten the melodic structure of some songs (“Same Old Story”), but there are too many great singles here to ignore; check out “Echo in My Head,” “Broken Mirror,” and “On 45.” Fans of the “Boston Mafia” (Geoff Palmer, Brad Marino, Kurt Baker, etc.) and late 70s revivalists like The Uni Boys will love this release, and it would have made my top 25 for sure if I heard it earlier. Highly Recommended.

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The James Clark Institute

The James Clark Institute “Under The Lampshade”

Produced by Moe Berg (The Pursuit of Happiness), the James Clark Institute has returned with James Clark on guitar, percussion, and vocals. The band also features electric lead guitarist Tom Gibson, bassist Tim Gall, pianist Greg Condie, and drummer Dean Carl Glover. The opener “Hit Hollywood” sets the tone and theme for the album with its playful melody, and another highlight is the shimmering “Phantom Girl” with its harmonized chorus.

Things tone down with the ballad “Tornado,” but the next song, “Whatever O’Clock In The Morning,” has plenty of optimism as it bounces along. Clark’s lyrics are often thought-provoking, as the angry protagonist exclaims, “Against my better judgment, I’m still waiting for a compliment…” in the song “Remarkably Like You.” The music is consistently good from beginning to end; even if there is no obvious single, “Waiting On The Waitress” is a really good example (with some added Hollywood references). The song hooks are subtle, and this is an album that needs a few plays to appreciate the theme. Highly Recommended.

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Party Leftovers and new classics: Singles I missed

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There are a few more notable singles from 2023, but we start with something new for 2024. The Weeklings have a new album coming out on Jan. 19th, and we’ll feature the music video “Brian Jones,” about some dude who was in some band back in the olden days (wink!) Also new, The Lemon Twigs prove to you they have the best harmonies of any living band with “My Golden Years,” a true power pop gem that should not be missed. A big retro 60s sound comes from Jamie Turner with “A Girl Like You,” and he’s got a few singles sprinkled out there of equal quality. Douglas Diamond reminds me a little of Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) with his bass-driven “Sound of Music.” Melbourne’s hottest new addition, The Prize has big riffs on “First Sight,” so check out last year’s EP. Marc Valentine had this killer single this past October with “Skeleton Key,” so I’m glad to get this out. Brothers Tom (vox, guitar) and Ethan (guitar) Carroll work together as Captain Starlet, and “Self Portrait” makes a great impression. Finally, a new LP from Bebopalula is due this year, and a few singles have leaked, like “Overtures.” A few more LPs that should’ve made my top 25 list will be reviewed next.






Bill Lloyd and Jim Basnight

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Bill Lloyd

Bill Lloyd “Look Into It”

There is no doubt about the skill that Bill Lloyd possesses; nevertheless, after hitting a tremendous home run with Working The Long Game, he is satisfied to figuratively stop and smell the roses with his latest release. He explores a few different styles on this album, but it starts with the impressive low-rhythm title track “Look Into It.” This is Lloyd’s bread and butter, with a terrific riff in the chorus and a strong lyric. The curious “This Ain’t My Parade” recalls his earlier works, with a dreamer looking back on his career. Bill moves along with strange stories in “Aroma Dollerhead” and the pounding “Number System.” One of the better songs here is “Keep the Place Clean.” You can almost see the music video in your head; it’s so well done. “Road Trip Betty” is a great car-driving song; you can picture the signs just passing on the highway.

Check out “She Cheated on Her Pain” and “We Can Drive.” The depressing mood of these songs doesn’t diminish their narrative power. There are folk ballads (“Half Mast” is a nod to John Prine) and country acoustic (“Bunny in the High Grass”). There are weird attempts at reggae (“Don’t Watch Me”)  and an instrumental (“Game Show Stars of the 70s”) But make no mistake, Lloyd’s music is a treasure, and most of his tunes hit the mark. Highly Recommended.

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Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Summertime Peculiar”

Within the span of a double album consisting of 21 tracks, Jim Basnight has crafted what is arguably his most eclectic record to date. The album features elements of pop, rock, jazz, bluegrass, and blues.  The best music here swings across several levels, starting with the swaying horns of “Summertime Again” to the light, goofy “Lattes.” The play “Little Rock” by Basnight served as the inspiration for many of the songs, and Suze Sims’ female backing vocals plus some strings give some of them a distinct adult jazz-pop feel. For the best of this style, check out “The Heart” and “Stars in Time.”

There are good rock songs (“What I Wouldn’t Do” and “We Rocked We Rolled”), but his best work here is on “Guilty” and Stones-like pop like “Stay To The End.” Another silly sing-along “Cameltoe” (doing a play on “Happy Trails”) and some country bluegrass and jazz notes (“Elma” and “Something Peculiar”), and there you have it. While the album theme doesn’t necessarily tell a story, the emotional delivery of most of these songs is strong and gets better with replays. This is music that deserves to be heard.

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