Quick Takes: Ex-Norwegian, Armchair Oracles, Buddie, Dogpile on the Rabbit

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The amount of music that I have to listen to causes me to miss out on a lot of wonderful material, and every year I feel like I’m going to be crushed around this time. That being said, rather than apologize, here are four mini-reviews. Another one will be out before the new year!

Ex-Norwegian “Sooo Extra”

The band leans more into its psyche-pop roots, and Roger Houdaille knows how to jam. The cool “Photograph” and “Send Nudes” are Kinks-meets-Pink Floyd hybrids, but the big single here is the catchy “Real Bad Bunny.” You’ll see visions of rabbits playing guitars. Great music for chillin’ out. Buy it on Amazon


Armchair Oracles “Nothingeveris”

It’s been over ten years, but this Norwegian band can still bring the goods: Cheap Trick-ish guitars on the powerful “Addicted to the Ride” and relax to the dreamlike ambient mood of “Across the Divide.” The band doesn’t stick to one format and maintains compelling songwriting throughout. I love the comparisons and similarities between the two pop icons on “Nilsson Wilson.” Highly Recommended. Buy it on Amazon

Buddie “Agitator”

Vancouver rockers surprised me with their strong guitar-based melodies, starting with “Break of The Sun.” Fans of Posies will enjoy this album. With the excellent “Class Warfare,” heavy fuzz rules, and almost Nirvana grunge on “We’ll Never Break” and “Ugly in The End,” Guaranteed the best $1 you’ll spend this year. Highly Recommended. Get it on Bandcamp

Dogpile on the Rabbit “Way Back Now”

This New Jersey band reminds me of The Successful Failures from years ago. The main influences are The Replacements and The Clash. The opener, “Gettin’ So Old,” grows on you despite the simple lyrics. Songs about drinking and hanging out are here: “Back of the Bar” and “Help Me Stand.” Next, “Running Partner” has a little Springsteen in its DNA. “Good Old Dead and Gone” is pure Lou Reed. There is a good mix of rock styles here. Great music for chillin’ out. Buy it on Amazon

Denny Laine is in my ears and in my eyes

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We lost quite a few music legends this year (Tina Turner, Jimmy Buffet, David Crosby, etc.), but what hits me the most out of these famous musicians is Denny Laine, who was in poor health with lung disease for quite some time. He was 79 and passed away earlier this month.

Laine was a hitmaker early in his career with the Moody Blues “Go Now” and even more impressive with Wings (he co-wrote “Mull of Kintyre” and “No Words” with Paul McCartney). But Laine never suffered from “fame” and was a regular at annual Beatlefests in years past that I attended. A very approachable chap and a dedicated musician, he left an indelible mark on the world of rock music.

The Popdudes have an EP of Laine’s songs that you should check out!

And, it helps when Paul gives up the spotlight once in a while.

Merry Christmas from Power Popaholic!

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While not Christmas-themed, I wanted to feature this Syracuse University freshman, Callan Nagel-Dubin, who covers The Flashcubes with “It’s You Tonight” for his project in a recording class at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Ironically, the first time The Flashcubes ever recorded was as a student project for a musical recording class at Newhouse in the spring of 1978.

It’s easy to dismiss, but I love original Christmas music. Honestly, I’m tired of the old classics (the constant repetition is what makes some people hate Christmas songs) and would love to hear new stuff on the radio. Not only are all these great examples of new Christmas music (Joe Algeri’s JAC is more of an outlier here), but most of them are also “Name Your Price,” so this is also a bargain. I have one more week of reviews left, and then on New Year’s Eve, we let fly our top 25 albums for 2023. So enjoy the egg nog while it’s still fresh!







Bory and Richard Turgeon

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Bory

Bory “Who’s A Good Boy”

Another Mo Troper-produced pop confection, Bory is a Portland artist who impressed me with his melodic EP debut, Sidelined. With his first full-length album, Bory has a layer of grungy, obscured fuzz and DIY bedroom compression, but it is unable to contain the powerful melodies, which sound like classic Teenage Fanclub crossed with Guided By Voices.

The bombast of the opener, “The Flake” is all about the lovely melody buried beneath the buzzing drone of guitars and pounding drums.  Bory adds earworms to his “Five Course Meal” about a self-effacing narrative; you barely hear the rising harmonies and handclaps over the fuzz, and that’s the point. “Our New Home” is all about the freedom of moving to a new area and “acting real cool” as a homeowner.  As we move forward, “We Both Won” and “Wreck” go into relationship issues with a masterful combination of key changes. The catchy “Secrets” adds more jangle to the mix as he frets about aging and insecurity as he says, “The best days are behind us, and the worst is yet to come.” “Sidelined” is another catchy riff that explodes into an echoing solo. Fans of Diners, Disq, and The Eels will enjoy this razor-sharp mix of textured memories and inspirations. Highly Recommended.

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Richard Turgeon

Richard Turgeon “Life of The Party”

Richard Turgeon has found his niche, and he’s sticking with it. He’s a one-man band that writes, composes, and plays almost everything himself. Longtime collaborator Ron Guensche guides Richard along here, and these new songs stand out right away. Starting with “All Alone” and “You’ve Moved On,” they are a one-two punch about a final separation. “I’ve Got You Now” is the guitar crunch rooted in mid-90s power pop (The Gin Blossoms, The Lemonheads, The Posies), and he falls into the category of modern West Coast power poppers like Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers) and James Hall (Shake Some Action).

Next, “Our Fair City” is a commentary on the homeless problem (“It’s better when you turn a blind eye.”) Additional highlights include the solid “Friend Zone,” and while the album’s second half sounds a bit routine, the final track, “Don’t Forget Me When You’re Gone,” is a well-done ballad in the Billy Joel tradition. Highly Recommended.

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