The Anderson Council and Chris Bolger

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The Anderson Council

The Anderson Council “Assorted Colours”

The swirling infectious melodies from an American band with a distinct British “flavour,” this collection reminds us why The Anderson Council’s power pop is some of the best ever recorded. The New Jersey band has been around since the late nineties and has a history of making great mid-sixties influenced pop singles. The band has evolved beyond those influences to its current indie pop brilliance, and its “greatest hits” compilation has some new music produced by another NJ legend, Kurt Reil (The Grip Weeds.)

Opening with “Sitting On A Cloud,” its got everything you’d want in a song; jangling Rickenbackers, harmonies, and a catchy chorus that’s easy to sing along with. This formula is used with “Girl On The Northern Line,” “Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours,” and fans of The Beatles, mod-era Who, and The Jam will love it. Anderson Council singer-songwriter Peter Horvath’s tight melodic structures make these songs a joy to hear,  especially the newer “Magical,” with its great minor chord changes. Then “Never Stop Being ’67”  and “Gardening Man” are great examples of the psychedelic pop genre. The band’s sound starts to move beyond those influences on “Friday’s Girl” where they come closer in approach to that other Jersey power pop band The Smithereens. If you’ve missed the bands regular output over the years, then pick this one up and you’re all caught up – even the new songs blend right in. Super highly recommended.

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Chris Bolger

Chris Bolger “No Promises”

Chrism Bolger is a talented New Jersey musician who did slip under my radar this spring, brought to my attention by Dennis Diken (Smithereens) who plays on the album.“Easier” is terrific single with a Beatle-like riff similar to “Lady Madonna” that goes into a sing along chorus. Next the bluesy sax and piano pay tribute to “Barbara Feldon” the actress who played Agent “99” on the late ’60s show Get Smart.

The title track is a slower acoustic ballad that slows some momentum, but the jangling “Atlantic City Expressway” is a fine song that lifts the mood. The album settles into a series of mid-tempo of pub rock tunes a bit like Tom Petty on the rockers “Tear That Cabin Down” and “What’s It Got To Do With Me?” Other highlights include “Everything,” “She May Look My Way” and “Ships. Its music that deserves to be heard.

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The Zags and Romance & Rebellion

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RThe Zags

The Zags “Icy Red”

The Zags return with a little more garage aesthetic, but the band still can craft a decent hook with the opener “Dada Plan” and its “da da da” chorus, a bit like T-Rex. “Bedroom Door” is a good follow up with a late 70’s feel (must be the cowbell). With the next several songs clocking in at under 2 minutes, not everything has sticking power, but “The Shake” and “Going In Circles” have a Pete Townshend-like mod guitar style. Other songs come close, like “Replaced” and “Nothing You Know” but miss the bullseye. Definitely worth checking out.

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Romance & Rebellion

Romance & Rebellion “Romance & Rebellion” EP

Slick L.A. pop band with a knack for catchy melodies delivers its first EP. Fans of the most recent Rooney and Wyatt Funderburk will definitely enjoy this one.”James Hotel” is an fast tempo’ed single about a crazy one night stand with its dance-able beat. “More Than Friends” is a mid-tempo gem and lead vocalist David LaViola is near perfect in approach about suffering in the “Friend Zone.” Another highlight is “Next Best Thing” a potential hit that evokes raw emotion and is also catchy as hell, with a sweet guitar break. I really look forward to hear more from this band. Highly Recommended.

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Greek Theatre and Bongo Boy Records

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The Greek Theatre

The Greek Theatre “Lost Out At Sea”

Swede Sven Fröberg and partner Fredrick Persson deliver a meditation on the ’70s California sound, with echoing hums, deep bass and light guitar instrumentation built for a day at the beach. The pace is slow, but that’s expected with this style of pop; “August Streets” is beautifully rendered.

Fans of The Walker Brothers and CSNY will enjoy the semi-psychedelic epic “Frozen Highway.” You get these heavy passages that break into the songs light melody, and other songs just meander along. My favorite here is the catchy bounce of “Over Protection Doesn’t Work.” Fans of Paul Starling will also enjoy this. Listen with a cold drink nearby.

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Bongo Boy Records out of the Garage, Vol. 1

Bongo Boy Records “Out of the Garage, Vol. 1”

Bongo Boy Records has some of the best garage-punk rock artists and on this first volume, they showcase an eclectic selection of musicians, including legend Mark Lindsay and but mostly lesser known bands that deserved to be heard.

Lindsay’s opener “Like Nothing That You’ve Seen” is a top notch rocker, other highlights include Rage of Angels female-led rocker “Nothing To Brag About,” the stadium friendly “Spin” by Kickbend which could be sports show theme.  Veteran rockers The Catholic Girls and The Satisfactors round out this decent collection.

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The Junipers and Maryjo Mattea

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The Junipers

The Junipers “Red Bouquet Fair”

Few bands understand the instrumental and melodic subtleties of late ‘60s baroque sunshine pop better than The Junipers. The band from Leicester, gives us their third album Red Bouquet Fair as it reminds the listener of Curt Boettcher, Harpers Bizarre and The Millennium. Opening with the light instrumental of the title track, then the piano lights up the ballad “Follow Loretta” and the gentle vocals of “Dig Me Up” include light psychedelic effects enhancing the catchy melody. This approach follows through on most of the music here, Mellotron, harmonies and spacey lyrics giving “Burning Pages” a dream-like soothing quality.

Some additional highlights include “Like A Merry Go Round” and the hushed harmonies of “Summer Queen” and “When the Bird Has Flown.” What is missing is the stronger guitar presence found on past albums. Still this is a highly recommended collection of music.

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The Junipers

Maryjo Mattea “Four Minute Symphonies”

MaryJo is a musician who deals in folk, pop, rock and punk genres, but always with a melodic touch to her songwriting. With this EP the Four Minute Symphonies showcase her strong vocals and understated electric guitar accompaniment in the title track.

“Rocket Science” is an obvious single, with a hummable chorus and strong guitar solo in the break. “We Were Here” is a frantic ’90s pop theme that would work well in a sitcom’s credits. Mattea’s piano torch songs are impressive, if a bit overly dramatic. I prefer the bouncy “Wish I May” which falls in the power pop category with its hand claps and harmonies. Give it a chance on your play list.

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Ken Sharp and Siberian Death Crash

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Ken Sharp

Ken Sharp “New Mourning”

Veteran musician Ken Sharp has a special place in power pop history as both a top notch music author and singer songwriter. But we haven’t heard his music in over ten years so its a lucky day when we get the 14-track New Mourning. Add to this special guests Fernando Perdomo, Rob Bonfiglio, Prescott Niles and Rick Springfield. “Dynamite & Kerosene” is a sweet opener with Raspberries styled riffs, jangling rhythm and backing “oohs and ahhs” under the chorus. “Let’s Be Friends” continues the party with a layered combo of vocals, guitar and synths. “Solid Ground” is a Philly soul gem, vocally like a Smokey Robinson or Chairman of The Board song it evokes smiles all around. And the rocker “Crash & Burn” is a glam-tastic earworm that recalls both Queen and Badfinger together — truly a goosebump inducing song.

The album is a song cycle chronicling Sharp’s life with references to a musician’s regettable choices on “Bad News” and “LA Can Be Such A Lonely Town.” And even after the midpoint the quality of songs don’t dip, “Satellite” as an example with ELO-like synths and dense drumwork. Its all killer tracks here as the story arc continues from the acoustic ballad “1000 Guitars,” to the neat Beatlesque “Put The Blame On Me.” Easily this makes my top ten list, the best Sharp’s ever sounded and if it takes another decade to follow up, I’ll be waiting with open ears.

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Siberian Death Crash

Siberian Death Crash “The Trojan Cow”

Two brothers (Robert Turner, William Turner) and two friends (Peter Sargent, Benjamin Galinsky) from Manchester, UK put together this understated gem. The opener “Messengers of Faith” is a lo-fi piano ballad similar to The Eels, but the gentle “The SomnAmbulance” is a dreamlike melodic song with compelling harmonies. “Self-Excavating Prophecies” keeps a similar feel, mixing a Beta Band like psychedelic feel to the guitar riffs.

“Donna Lousie” is a little indie bubblegum song that ends too soon, fortunately the band gets retro with a 60’s soul popper about gameplay on “4 Outta 4 (On The Risk Board).” It goes all over the map after that, (with the 9-minute “Shit Tip” sounding like a lost Dandy Warhols track) but this is still one of the best FREE download album I’ve heard so far. You’ve got nothing to lose, so get it!

Bandcamp FREE download