Some holiday leftover reviews…

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I heard a few worthy albums and emerging talent toward the years end that deserves some attention even though it’s not strictly power pop. Here are some groups you might want to check out.

V Sparks “Biscuits and Tea” EP

Mix togther equal parts of Mika and T. Rex and you get the baroque styled glam that is the known as V Sparks. This is an excellent, short EP that crackles with energy and over the top pomp with the opener “On My Arm” and the thematic title track which fans of Bryan Scary and Queen would flock to easily. Best of all it’s FREE through Noisetrade – so spread the wealth!
MySpace | Noisetrade

The Stagehands “The Silent City “

The musical drama show Glee was pretty popular last year and this production is a pretty good comparable effort, although not power pop. Stagehands is not just a band, but also a theatrical production which combines the sound and storytelling of Broadway with the power and excitement of rock. They do make use of plenty guitars and beats for songs like “Sailor Man, Sailor Man” and “The Threat.” It’s got something for everyone, and you can name your price on Bandcamp.
MySpace | Stagehands | Bandcamp

Rocket To The Moon “On Your Side”

One of the better emerging young bands I’ve heard recently, this debut is full of fine pop tracks. Hailing from Braintree, Massachusetts this emo quartet is lifted by lead singer Nick Santino’s vocals. “Mr. Right” and “Annabelle” have an almost innocent teen pop feel that those Jonas guys lack. The standout for me was the mid-tempo country pop of “On A Lonely Night” and the ballad “Like We Used To” is a song that’ll make the teen girls swoon. Otherwise the album isn’t that cohesive and feels like a collection of singles and genre experiments (“Sometimes”). If you liked PushPlay this will fit in to your music mix nicely.
MySpace | Itunes | Amazon

Breakers Broken “Reset” EP

Something really different here – a mix of dance funk and indie pop from this Chicago outfit. Vocalist Tim Yamaya almost channels Michael Jackson for “Last Man On The Planet” and the beats and bass work are very catchy here. Not everything here sticks, but it does enough and the great instrumental work (like in “The Climb”) is just mesmerizing. It does create a powerful soundscape of genres fused together and why not give it a shot? Get a FREE sample download here.
MySpace | Amazon

Moruza “Moruza”

The band name is pulled from frontwoman and songwriter Leslie Moruza Dripps. Again this is considered more indie-jazz influenced piano pop, but it’s a treat for listeners who dug Clare and The Reasons last month. It’s Leslie’s compelling vocal and melodic gifts that make the opener “Lonely Heart Road” a winner. The arrangements are sparse, with plucking strings and piano, so you can concentrate on the lyric and melody. Other highlights include the see-saw rhythm of “Psychic Soy” and the folksy percussion of “Bad Man.” The vocals get layered on “Garden In The Sand” and it’s almost a Renaissance-style waltz. Much of the album’s tone is somber, but it’s not all serious, as “Penny” is a bouncy pop gem here. Clearly better than most jazz pop out there, but I wonder how Moruza would fair with a fuller orchestral treatment. Maybe the next album…
MySpace | CD Baby

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Phoenix and Visqueen

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Phoenix “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”

This is straight up alternative pop, but it was one of the better albums in it’s genre this year so I wanted to give it a quick review. French quartet Phoenix are like Air meets The Strokes with a touch of Field Music, so you get a good mix of alt. pop styles here, from New Wave, to Moody Ambiance, to brilliant Power Pop. Frontman Thomas Mars croons on the opener “Lisztomania” along a bouncy classical pop riff. The heavy synth lead on “1901” is a new wave love song that builds up to a rich soaring chorus of “Falling/Falling/Falling”. We get some subtle disco drone (“Fences”) and then a two part instrumental (“Love Like A Sunset”) but it is a mild distraction from the excellent pop that follows with “Lasso” full of catchy riffs and another rushing chorus. The album is on many top ten lists for pop this year, deservedly so.

MySpace | Amie Street | Amazon


Visqueen “Message To Garcia”

Lead by Rachel Floatard opens with the snappy “Hand Me Down” that is a full power pop anthem as good as any out there. Fans of Cheap Trick and The Replacements will appreciate the killer hooks here. It’s another Brooklyn band here with honest love of rock-and-roll and a real passion that comes through each note. Floatard carries much of these songs along, her vocals a sweet mix of both Heart and Joan Jett. “Fight For Love” is a perfect example of her delivery when the chorus “When you gonna fight for love?” hits she dares the listener to respond, and it leads into a wicked guitar solo. When the tone shifts for “So Long” a soaring tribute to Floatard’s father, who died of cancer last year – the dedication is clear. The band also benefits from a list of veteran collaborators, including vocal contributions from Neko Case and steel guitar from Jon Rauhouse. This is another one on many top ten lists, and is also one hell of a rocking pop album.

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The Dudes "Blood, Guts, Bruises, Cuts"

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The Dudes are a Calgary band with a classic rock sound in the best sense. A bit like early Collective Soul mixed with Big Star, in other words – what rock and roll is supposed to sound like. With the first riffs of the opening track, “Honest Mistake” it will please fans right away, as lead singer Dan Vacon wears his soul on his sleeve. The next song “Girl Police” is a loving tribute to Cheap Trick in the opening notes and then piles on hook after hook. Vacon’s vocal delivery is a little like Queen with an Adam Levine (Maroon 5) styled twist. Another great tune is the narrative “Mr. Someone Else,” a snarky love letter to your best friend’s hot girlfriend. The albums theme of the hard time getting good lovin’ is both romantic and deeply cynical, but overall plenty of fun. Currently, the band is living up to the album title, by suffering a rash of injuries (Vacon broke his collarbone in a BMX accident, and his drummer Scott Ross lost some teeth on the same bike a week later). Some call this a “cursed” album because of the recent band accidents, but you can’t blame the music here. Most of the tracks are pretty solid and some tunes like the mid-tempo “Petty Lies” are almost poised to break into a standout chorus, but just don’t quiet get there. Overall a pretty good driving album with enough diversity in the track list to ensure repeat listens.

Bandcamp | MySpace | Amazon

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Other top tens and goodbye to 2009

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Get a gander at some other top ten lists…

I’ve been gathering some new reviews the past few days, as the year winds down I’ll slowly return to posting more often. In the meantime here is a review of 2009 with the boys from Jib Jab.

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Plasticsoul "Peacock Swagger"

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Ugh, Always late to the party. This one just got by me because I did my top ten list early this year, and but it gets special consideration — and I’d like to amend my list for it. Plasticsoul hails from L.A. and this album just blew me off my chair when I popped it in. Then Absolute Powerpop put this as his #1 album of the year. It’s hard to argue against this… it’s simply a work of genius. Opening with “Sentimental F**ks/ Life On Other Planets” is rich with Beatlesque guitar riffs, music hall piano and a drum break that Ringo would envy. The loud “Cock Rock 101” is exactly what you think it sounds like. The following tune “Champion Tragic Boy” channels a bit of Jellyfish, with it’s catchy mid tempo harpsichord melody. A sweet pastoral “Fishwife” full of sitar and bongos follows this, and then the tragic ballad “Cancer” which double tracks lead vocalist Steven Wilson and adds backwards guitar for further effect. The aching chorus of “Cut it out/ Please cut it out. Cancer is breaking me down.” is unforgettable. The album settles into a more laid back groove, with acoustics opening the next six songs, including “Shame” and the very Michael Penn like “New Town Different Day.” The orchestral sweep of “San Francisco” is another easy listening winner here. A duet with Wendy Wang on the countrified “You’re Not Free” has plenty of soul. The album’s mood shifts perfectly into psychedelic pop on “My Three Friends” which follows a rhythm similar to “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and then continues with the groovy “Rainy Season.” This is the most sophisticated power pop album I’ve heard this year. Don’t miss it.

My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame

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