So I reviewed Pretty & Nice a few days ago and here is the video for one of the best tunes on the album. Makes you wanna spazz out, eh?
The Fleeting Ends and The Whims
The Fleeting Ends “Our Eyes Are Peeled”
Philadelphia band The Fleeting Ends are a solid entry in the power pop genre. They sound like a mix of The Strokes, The Kooks and Rooney, with nods to XTC and Blur in spots.
The impressive opener “Little People” sets the stage, with a fast paced sing along chorus, and then dazzles with the string laden “Operator” throwing out a huge hook in the chorus. Then my favorite, the strutting “Poor Gloria” with both singers, Matt Vantine and Matt Amadio working harmonious magic. “Sing Groupie” is another fun tune, with that infectious riff and harmony combination. And the band keeps the energy going from beginning to end. Highly Recommended.
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The Whims “The Whims”
It was nice to hear new power pop talent like the Whims at IPO last week. They put on an energetic set, so I wanted to hear the studio LP debut, and starting with “Over My Shoulder” it has a rough Superdrag-like quality.
Lead guitarist Fletcher Maumus knows his way around a riff and keeps each song grounded with rock solid song structure on “Hard To Believe” and “Pick Me Up.” The strongest melodies appear on the albums first half, with clap along rhythms and sweet harmonies. Although not the most forceful vocalist, Dileepan Ganesan is clear and sincere in his delivery. “Fall Behind” is a mid-tempo song that combines the ambition of the vocals with the riffs in the best way here. Although it eventually runs out of steam, this is a very engaging debut.
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Jackdaw4 splits up…
It’s no joke apparently, and the band plays a farewell concert on June 6th at The Borderline. Orange Yard, London W1D 4JB. Get tickets here. The new Jackdaw album is expected about the same time. And I guess as Klaatu put it, “all good things must end.”
Liar’s Club “Come and Go”
Liar’s Club was one of the rare Seattle and Tacoma bands in the late 1980s and early 1990s that focused on intricate studio production, the best example being the excellent “Drop Dead” album with the XTC like “Cinnamon Smiles” and a variety of hard rock and pastoral melodies.
Skip ahead two decades and we’ve got Come and Go. The title track feels like they never left the 80’s with big angular rhythms and staccato riffs. And a bit of Partridge-like fun is displayed on “Big Bastard” including organ and horn flourishes. Slowly the stylistic excesses give way to some great songs, “Gonna Get Yours Yet” is a perfect example of this. “Emily” is a another smart mid-tempo gem, mixing Queen and Beatles in equal measure. Fans of Jellyfish are sure to flip over this track. The baroque “As Soon As Impossible” is a light forlorn 60’s melody, then the band rocks out on “Ever The Optimist” complete with cynical lyric and kick-ass guitar solo. There are 15 tracks total, and most of them are great including a sweet cover of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.” The slide guitar pysche-pop harmonies of “You Suffer” and “Forgiven” round out this excellent return to greatness from The Lair’s Club. Let’s hope the next album isn’t as long a wait.
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Pretty & Nice “Golden Rules for Golden People”
Seemingly out of nowhere, Boston band Pretty and Nice became a perfect example of next generation power pop. Golden Rules for Golden People is an engaging mix of The New Pornographers, Field Music and early XTC. Although it sticks to the alt. rock template on the opener “Stallion & Mare,” the angular guitar riffs like early 80’s poke through. “Mummy Jets” adds a bigger hook and it becomes the best Apples in Stereo track you missed.
The quirky instrumentation give each song an edge that other indie power pop lacks. “New Czar” mixes styles with abandon, but keeps that ear worm intact. The frenetic sped up pop melody of “QQ” is the type of brilliant retro-experimentation that I haven’t heard in ages. The fuzzy production in spots does mar things a little (“Gold Fools”) but with gems like “Yonkers” that buzz by with surf choruses, synths and horns at breakneck speed – you’ll be having too much fun to notice. Its tightly controlled chaos, so you may miss the messages about the shallow joys of being an “instrument” of the rich. I liked the bands last EP Us You All We, but this new album boldly ups the ante.