Eyelids and Gary Ritchie

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Eyelids

Eyelids “A Colossal Waste Of Light”

Eyelids is a super-group of sorts from Portland, OR, including members of Camper Van Beethoven, Guided By Voices, The Decemberists, and the Elliott Smith band. Produced by Peter Buck (REM) who also plays on the record, there are no slouches here as the ascending guitar riffs lead the way on the opener “Crawling Off Your Pages.”  Vocalists John Moen and Chris Slusarenko split the duties here, and the songs are definitely designed for multiple listens to grow on you.

The songs gather a multitude of influences from REM’s jangle, The Smith’s rhythms, and Big Star’s poetic loneliness.  This is a departure from the more psychedelic aspects of the band’s past work, but the coolness factor is upped. “That’s Not Real At All” is a spacious, slow groove that sticks, and “Only So Much” is a haunting mid-tempo rocker. The band hits its stride on “Runaway, Yeah” with overlapping guitar melodies across a wicked synth, and gets closer to REM on “Everything That I See You See Better” and the catchy “Pink Chair.” Each song has its own flavor, and like a good musical smorgasbord, it satisfies the senses without any filler. Highly Recommended.

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Gary Ritchie

Gary Ritchie “Potpourri Of Harmony”

Gary Ritchie has been recording great power pop for decades as an unabashed Beatles fanatic, and it shows through this extensive retrospective of his work. Ritchie skillfully delivers an upbeat and refreshing musical experience that fans of the Fab Four or The Spongetones will surely enjoy. Way too many highlights here, but I really liked “Alright,” “You,” “Carol Says,” and “Record Store.” Like the recent Ken Sharp collection, you’ll find an impressive collection of songs that effortlessly captures the spirit of the Beatles while still feeling fresh and contemporary.

This comprehensive collection includes his 5 solo albums, with added rarities, and at 40 tracks, it’s all the Gary Ritchie you will ever need. Whether you’re a diehard fan or just someone who appreciates good music, this album is a must-listen.

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Cliff Hillis and The Bug Club

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Cliff Hillis

Cliff Hillis “Be The Now” EP

Cliff Hillis has been such a talented fixture across so many great bands (The Orchestra, Smash Palace, Starbelly) it’s easy to forget his excellent solo career spans over 20 years.  Be The Now is likely his most mature-sounding album, with songs that opine on hope and hopelessness. Starting with the pensive “Good Morning and Goodnight” its a cleverly chilled panic attack that sticks to your brain effortlessly.

Almost easy listening, but “Motel Parking Lot” is a brilliant slice-of-life theme that recalls Adam Schlesinger. “Wanna Feel Good” is a simple and economical tune that Cliff effortlessly pulls off. As with most Cliff Hillis, his approach means no filler, all killer. From the country “Spring Foreward” to the boosting “Oh, Dan Bern” with Dan Bern singing a verse about Cliff, it’s a fun highly enjoyable 8-song EP. Highly Recommended.

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The Bug Club

The Bug Club “Green Dream in F#”

This charming indie pop just bursts from the speakers. The Wales duo of Tilly and Sam sing about space, small-town life, love, and bad habits. These short goodies are under 2 minutes each and most of the tunes are catchy as hell. The opener “Only in Love” is a finely crafted earworm that speeds by with a grin. Sam gives us a dour Velvet Underground-on-speed approach to “The Six O’Clock News” and the next several tracks. “It’s Art” reminds me of the early new wave, and “Going Down” has a lovely baseline (even more Lou Reed-like).

Things are usually hit or miss with this many short songs, but the melodies are carefully composed, and the sharp humor keeps it moving. Very few fillers here, and “Love Letters From Jupiter” is another highlight. Plus the band has another added EP “Pure Particles” that has slightly longer songs. All this deserves to be heard and celebrated. This is a club I wouldn’t mind joining.

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More March Singles, Freebies, and EPs: The Tearaways, The Deadlights, Peter Hall, The Plus4, Ransom and Subset, Friends of Cesar Romero

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Great song from The Tearaways, from the upcoming album ‘And Now For Our Next Trick.’ due out at the end of the month. The jangling alt. rock alter-ego of Jeff Shelton The Deadlights returns with a new single here, and I was impressed with the melodic EP by Peter Hall called About Last Night. The title track rocks, and “For Love” has some ELO overtones, but overall very very good. Keith Hale aka The Plus 4 sings about a UFO sighting I guess and the radio-ready single by Ransom and Subset is a real treasure that’s a free download. Loud punk rock from Friends of Cesar Romero all the same tempo, but I liked the “Bittersweet Nothing Symphony” best, and it’s a free download too.





Support P. Hux and some EPs that deserve to be heard: Old Town Cryer, Flathead, Andy Bopp, The Photocopies, The Pozers

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The great P. Hux has a new album he’s finishing up, mixing, mastering, and other details. You only have a few days left to contribute to one of the best power pop artists around. Visit the Kickstarter site. Old Town Cryer has a bluesy live performance last year at The Fallout Shelter in Norwood, MA and half the proceeds go to The Pine Street Inn, a charitable organization whose mission is to end homelessness. From Marseille, France comes Flathead, an energetic power pop band that advertises “No Synths… Only Guitars.” Another great power pop veteran, Andy Bopp is back with an EP of sweet tunes; “Roger” and “Poison Girl” which is like a mix of Bowie meets Robert Pollard. Love this! The Photocopies have a neat new release that hums along, check out the fuzzy pop “Holiday Romance” and  “Like Teenage Love.” Finally, The Pozers video for “Two” comes from Crybaby Bridge. It’s my favorite song from the album. Enjoy!





Ryan Allen and Butch Walker

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Ryan Allen

Ryan Allen “The Last Rock Band”

Ryan Allen has not let up since his top-ten-rated album from last year. This time Allen and his bandmates have a concept album about the rise and fall of the “last” rock band. It’s loaded with anthemic melodies, pounding percussion, and dense guitar riffs from beginning to end, starting with the title track “The Last Rock Band.” The classic approach reminded me a little of Nick Piunti, as it asks the question “is rock dead?” It goes through the timeline of the story, from the “Discovery,” of the sound that “changed my life” to the excellent “Start A Band.” Ryan hits the power pop sweet spot with almost every track.

Allen emulates the obvious in “Like The Ramones,” and shreds even harder on “Wrong Place Wrong Time” about the downfall of the last band’s excesses. The only misfire is “Bought A Computer,” a lament of Luddite musicians told through the synth rhythm. But the music is kicked up a notch with “Second Act,” and the epic “We Have Returned.” At times, Allen’s vocals get a little buried in the mix, but the hooks are so strong here it’s hard to complain. If you want a prime example of modern power pop melded with classic rock, we have it here. Super highly recommended.

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Butch Walker

Butch Walker “Butch Walker as… Glenn”

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Butch Walker has come a long, long way from his time in the power pop band The Marvelous Three. The native Georgian had a long prolific solo career and is still a sought-after producer (Green Day, Pink, Taylor Swift) but this time he changes his persona to “Glenn,” a late ’70s troubadour fashioned as a Southern version of Billy Joel with a touch of John Mellencamp when the guitars kick in. The concept album takes place in a “club” where a bar fight breaks out halfway through happy hour.

The beauty of this piano man act is that many of the songs are really good. The first song, the ballad “Leather Weather (Mr. and Ms. Understanding)” will touch that nostalgic part of your brain, and the catchy “Roll Away (Like a Stone)” recalls a long-lost Jackson Brown single. “Avalanche” and “Holy Water Hangover” are sleepers that will also stay with you after a few plays. The poignant ballad “Don’t Let It Weigh Heavy on Your Heart,” a duet with Elizabeth Cook, is a song designed to make you cry into your beer. Fans of this classic rock era will love it. Highly Recommended.

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