They Might Be Giants “Phone Power”

powerpopaholic
B-Leaguers

Brooklyn’s kings of quirky pop They Might Be Giants have done it all, and now they’re offering you brand new album Phone Power. It another collection of Dial-A-Song quirky tunes and fans will appreciate the new collection. The album features “I Love You for Psychological Reasons” which is the standard catchy TMBG single. Plus you’ve got a pile of 17 more songs, some of my faves here are “ECNALUBMA,” “It Said Something” as well as a live cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Like most of TMBG, there is a certain ratio of pop experimental songs to ear worms to be expected. Even “I Wasn’t Listening” is a funny self-reference to the whole Dial-A-Song concept.

Amazon

B-Leaguers and The Miamis

powerpopaholic
B-Leaguers

B-Leaguers “Death of A Western Heart”

James Styring (The Popdogs) forms a new band with a harder edge and a thicker guitar sound. The title track refers to the loss of the past, and James slowly builds the song from a simple bass line to a riff driven rock anthem where eventually “you come back to where you start.”

“Amnesia” has a punk energy that keeps the song afloat and  “Numbers” has a neo-metal riff alongside its chiming guitar rhythm section. It keeps to the standard pop-punk rock until we get to the excellent “Lemonade” with its frantic harmonies and faster tempo. Definitely worth checking out.

Kool Kat Musik

Scott Warren

The Miamis “We Deliver”

It’s hard to believe, but there are still “lost” bands out there that never made it to the limelight in the classic rock era.The Miamis were an active part of the ‘70s New York club scene, playing at CBGB, Max’s Kansas City and the Mudd Club. They headlined shows alongside Blondie, the Ramones and New York Dolls, but the lack of a recording contract kept the Miamis forever in obscurity. They did record a self-released album, but the industry execs at the time dubbed them “too punk for pop, too pop for punk.” I don’t hear any punk, but the energy and melodies clearly belong to power pop, so fans of The Knack, The Raspberries and Rubinoos will really enjoy this.

The infectious melody on “We Deliver” is unmistakable, and could easily be mistaken for a Rubinoos single. “Cry Baby” is like early Ramones with horns, and “Dancin’ Together” is like T-Rex playing an NRBQ hit. You can hear some Todd Rundgren influence in “I Want A Girlfriend” and  “Just Too Many People In The World.” You then realize that the Miamis were not so easy to categorize. The live songs are also where this band really shines, with a bluesy “That’s Life” capping 23 total tracks. Don’t miss this slice of lost power pop history. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Tuesday Tidbits: The Ritz Club, The Co – Op Communique and Red Cabin

powerpopaholic

Another highly impressive group of artists that bring you music at a name-your-price point. I used to promote and tag these as “Free Downloads” but I think the artist would appreciate if you threw a few bucks their way. After all — we want them to know you value their music, and I want to encourage them to make more.

The Ritz Club 
Chicago-based Ritz Club is the work of three brothers–Sean, Ryan and Kevin Jacobi. This unusual pop experiment works really well, and reminds me of The Beta Band in spots. The synth in “Walk Away” borrows a bit from Pink Floyd, and “Fake Laughs” is a real stunner with soaring vocals above a bed of guitars. Highly Recommended!  


The Co – Op Communique Volume One
Musician DW Dunphy has compiled a selection of music from up and coming artists, including himself. Like a box of chocolates, you’ll find several chewy goodies like The Click Beatles and the dramatic rock stylings of The Gamble. Only a few tracks here are power pop, it gets into moody indie rock and some experimental pop. Mike Indest and Jeff Elbel were surprisingly good here, so pick it up now! 


Long Island Musician Jonathan Foster (aka Red Cabin) has been busy this year, releasing two albums so far. Red Cabin has tracks of dramatic pop with an ‘80s vibe in spots and some nice harmonies. The catchy “The Darkest Relief” starts out this collection of songs, other highlights include “I Want To” and “I Can’t Wait.” White Morning is bit more upbeat, and more polished in placed. “Stuck” is a little like Weezer. “Juliet” has a nice bounce and standout composition. The “Warm Reception” and the title track recall Zumpano (and that band soon evolved into The New Pornographers.) Foster has real talent, and you can get both albums at a name-your-price point.

Brett Harris and Kerosene Stars

powerpopaholic
Brett Harris

Brett Harris “Up In The Air”

North Carolina pop auteur Brett Harris was part of the touring band for both Big Star and the dB’s and now he’s released his newest solo effort. “End of the Rope” is an inspirational theme with great supporting guitar riff that does recall The Beatles and Big Star at times. “Don’t Look Back” is an easy going mid-tempo song with a hint of sadness within its rich strums. “Lies” is a good example of how a slow dirge takes a whimsical jazz turn in the break before it continues, it’s a delicate balance of old and new influences.

“Out of The Blue” is another signature song with strong blues flourishes and orchestral sweep – its both a catchy and satisfying melody. Both “High Times” and “Rumor” have folk blues and soul elements that are perfectly arranged into the rock format. The title track is another standout, it has a 70’s California country guitar melody that’s part Nilsson and part Mike Nesmith. The song has the feel of the open road with the lyric “Why should I care whatever which way the wind is blowing ‘cause we make our home wherever our feet hit the ground.” Overall no duds here as each song shines, and its highly recommended.

Amazon

 

Kerosene Stars

Kerosene Stars “Don’t Believe in Miracles” EP

Chicago band Kerosene Stars are Scott Schaafsma (bass, vocals), Andy Seagram (guitar, backing vocals), Yoo Soo Kim (viola, keyboards), Jim Adair (drums), and Tom Sorich (percussion). The band excels creating simple, catchy melodies on top of a solid backbeat, Burn The Evidence is the first of 3 EPs for 2016.

“Don’t Believe in Miracles” starts with a solid jangle and classic chord shifts is bolstered by Scott’s strong vocal. “Burn The Evidence” has a European styled vibe with some new wave accents, shifting around never settling in predictability. After the bossa nova lounge style of ”Alice,” it settles into late 70’s styled pop with “Talk Talk” and its sweet guitar solo. This is a band that makes you take notice with both its musicianship and songwriting, so keep an eye on them!

Bandcamp

Sam Means and Latvian Radio

powerpopaholic
Sam Means

Sam Means “10 Songs”

While not a household name, Sam Means was one half of the celebrated Arizona indie-pop act The Format alongside Nate Ruess (who later went on to form the Grammy Award-winning act, fun.) It took a while, but Means’ debut full-length 10 Songs was worth the wait and is bursting with an creative energy plus Jellyfish’s Roger Joseph Manning Jr. helped with arrangements!

Each song is part of a emotional narrative about the transition to adulthood. “How To Sing” is both whimsical and subtle with its bass lead and horn flourishes that builds to near white noise. Next “We’re Alone” is like a slow, gentle prayer that leads to “The Other Side Of You,” a catchy ear-worm with an accending scale (reminded me of Field Music here).  “Taking it Back To Yesterday” is the main theme of the album; a simple piano melody that grows into a sweet sing along. RJ Manning’s fingerprints are subtle, but on “Calina” it’s easy to spot on this brilliantly catchy song. The relaxed “All I Ever Wanted” is another feel good gem, but as we close out the album it slows as the mood turns inward on “Bigger Heart” that could be compared to Mark Oliver Everett (Eels) or Salim Norallah. Overall a brilliant album that gets on my top ten of 2016 list.

Itunes | Bandcamp


Latvian Radio “Until Tomorrow Gets In The Way”

Latvian Radio is back with their fifth album as the band continues to blend Patric Westoo’s tight vocals with steady guitar riffs mixing both power-pop, UK post punk and new wave influences. Starting with “Eyes Behind The Lens” its a dense chiming melody with layered horns, vocals and a jangling rhythm. The organ textures cover the strong composition “Power Lines and Bedroom Blinds” with some nice percussive work from Mark Poole.

The music seems to get looser as we go forward, “Weight of The World” has a catchy synth hook and a casual narrative that make it my favorite track on the album. While the backing harmonies and light melody of “Tease and Please” is a bit tedious, the albums tone shifts to a more rock orientation on “Letter To The National Enquirer.” Latvian Radio continues to be criminally overlooked and deserves to be heard. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Amazon