Radio Days are probably the best power pop band in Italy. Their 2008 EP “Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous” was a real stunner and they refined the sound and songwriting for this awesome full length release. Based in Milan, frontman Dario Persi combines the punk energy of Weezer with Beatlesque melodies and tight hook-filled choruses. “Spinning Round The Wheel” opens with breakneck speed, fans of The Knack and The Velvet Crush will connect with it immediately.  This continues with the excellent “So Far So Close” chock full of impressive chord shifts and guitar riffs. The Weezer-like “Sleep It Off” makes listening to this collection of songs a true power pop pleasure. The first three songs are so great, the other tracks have a tougher time sticking, but they are by no means filler. “Elizabeth” has a Raspberries feel to it and “The Meaning Of Fire” has an easy listening style that grows on you pretty quickly, but no slow ballads are part of this album. The sound of the tracks tend to get homogenous, but that’s the only fault I can find here.  Another highlight “Sweetest Lullaby” starts with a fantastic jangling intro, it’s a mid tempo guitar gem about looking back on past experiences that really resonates.

Singer/songwriter Boris Skalsky (aka Dead Heart Bloom) weaves an imaginative tapestry of introspective pop on Strange Waves.  Along with drummer John Hadfield and bassist Nathan Goheen, Skalsky’s vocals definitely recall early Bowie and the bands sleepy beats and echoing guitar bring early Pink Floyd or The Cure to mind. It certainly starts with a memorable song in the thematic “Someday Will Not Come Again.” The multi-layered guitar riffs in the Brydsian “Sentimental Cures” is sure to make Wilco fans sit up and take notice. The deep melodic ballad “Meet Me” is another moving folk pop composition.

A sense of dread hangs over “Don’t Worry For Me” and “Some Will Rise” but each track reaches deep into your musical subconscious. “Another Mistake” has a Paul Simon-like quality with acoustic guitar and bass leading a story of youthful recollections. The title track has an exotic feel, with maracas, sax, and Spanish guitar strums that sounds like a combination of The Alan Parsons Project and Love & Rockets.  “Love Will Have Its Day” evokes the lonely spirit of Gordon Lightfoot. The strong compositions brimming with clear choruses and middle eights make this album a winner despite a somber tone for the most part. No filler either makes this a perfect rainy day album. 

Rusty Anderson is a guitarist with Paul McCartney’s band (along with Brian Ray) who produced an awesome debut album and now it’s followed by his sophomore effort Born on Earth. Filled with lush orchestration and solid song structure it starts with a heavy guitar bridge on the opening title track. You can definitely hear Paul’s influence on “Timed Exposure,” it’s got a sneaky hook that bursts into crunchy guitar riffage in the chorus “You’ve got a story to tell, when it’s over, timed exposure…” A few tracks get quite artistic and emotional (“Private Moon Flower” and “Under A White Star”) but remain solid rockers.

The gorgeous melodies come out when Rusty works the easy going ballads “Julia Roberts” with it’s slow shuffle, harmonica and the sunny strumming of “Where Would We Go?” But he is just as impressive when it comes to full bore guitar pop of “These Are The Days.” Unlike his boss, Rusty favors louder riffs when it suits the song. Loads of quality tunes and fans of hard driving arena pop will love this album.

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