New single by MInster Hill – love the dancing mushrooms!
Mark Cronk "Playing Katchup"
Pennsylvania native Mark Cronk is no rookie musician. He started in the late 70’s with the band Appalachia, played with Robert Palmer and the Ramones. Currently he is lead vocalist for the Beatles cover band Glass Onion. Now he has produced this sweet melodic solo album that will appeal to most fans of power pop, especially Spongtones fans, with it’s jangle and Beatlesque chord progressions. Opening with “It Can Wait” it bursts with powerful catchy guitars, and multi-tracked harmonies. The follow up “Who Are You Calling Now” is just as infectious with a steady Shoes-like rhythm throughout. What slows the momentum is the the treacle-filled ballad “Let Me In.” Thankfully it’s a minor hiccup for this wonderful album. “She’s The Girl” is a classic bit of Merseybeat goodness that is both uplifting and masterfully played. In fact, much of the following tracks are excellent, including “Rock and Roll Sunday” and “I’ve Seen Your Face Before.” He even swings a little doo-wop rockabilly on “Please Don’t Ask Me Why,” but my favorite song here is the majestic “Irene,” a mid-tempo ballad that faithfully recalls Bread or America. The song is a true gem about a woman in the later stages of life – and it will bring a tear to your eye, without a doubt. The albums second half is confident, catchy pop and the ballad “No One Home” is another effective tear-jerker and boy, I want to listen to some Dan Fogelberg now… until Cronk makes another fine pop album.
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Parallax Project "I Hate Girls"
The Parallax Project is a loose collective of musicians centered around lead vocalist/guitarist Michael Giblin. On his new album I Hate Girls he does a fine job with the opening track “All The Same,” full of Revolver-styled rhythm and a workman-like effort in the chorus. Much like Squeeze meets Elvis Costello, “The Day After Tomorrow” is has a compelling lyrical story that leads to a catchy chorus with guitar and organ breaks, “it’s all about singing a brand new song” he intones. “It’s So Easy” will remind people of Phil Seymour with it’s sunny sound and understated beat. The title track and it’s follow up “Waiting To Pull The Trigger” are similar to more recent Glen Tilbrook efforts, with some nice guitar solo work on the latter track. Some of the tracks are a little too understated (“Half”) and although very easy on the ears, Michael need to push those hooks to the next level to be a bit more memorable. By the albums mid point things loosen up and sound better for it. A big highlight here is the energetic “Coming Around” which reflects Michael’s time spent touring, hanging, and recording with The Plimsouls. “You And Me” is another fun tune. All capped off with a very cool cover of Martha and The Vandella’s “Needle In A Haystack.” Kool Kat Musik has a special offer on this one with a bonus disc of 11 pop favorites from The Kinks, XTC, ELO and more performed by The Parallax Project.
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Adam Marsland "Go West"
After the record setting sales of his greatest hits album, the former Cockeyed Ghost frontman returns with a 2 disc musical journey. In some ways it is like a parallel of Stew’s Passing Strange, a personal saga of dreams shot to hell and a redemption through unfailing hope and faith. This certainly is Adam at his most lyrically engaging and musically complex. Starting with “Standing In Chicago” it’s a soul ballad that smacks of nostalgic memories, and it all leads to the gorgeous Beach Boys vocal harmonies on “Who.” Starting his road trip with the cocky bravado of “Burn Down The World” it takes many musical turns. The songs progress like a very much like a rock opera, and it’s not all power pop as it ventures into all genres from new wave disco (“I Don’t Wanna Dance With You”) to funk (“Two Children In A Bed”) and everything in between. My favorite incarnation of Marsland is the defiant guitarist, and it comes across on “1 in 4” and the Replacements styled “This Is Hard.” The ballads are also top notch, his duets with Evie Sands/Teresa Cowles and piano melody makes “Go West” one of his best. Lots of highlights, another being the mid-tempo gem “Fade Away” with compelling harmonies and key changes. When you get the amazing “No Return,” a song with only scant keyboards and harmonic choral vocals you will realize just how much Adam has learned since his more recent days with The Beach Boys and Hal Blaine’s wrecking crew. The keys and guitar work on “Despair” will remind you that this is probably the closest anyone will get to a modern era version of Todd Rundgren’s Something/Anything double LP. It is also important to note the good stuff is not stuffed on one disc or another, but rather spread throughout, which is why listening to the entire set (23 tracks) at once can be challenging in today’s ADD world. But you have to give props to this an unassuming album full of emotional depth and masterful musicianship.
Fooling April and Wiretree
Fooling April “Three”
It’s been about 2 years since I heard again from Fooling April. While always talented, the band has taken huge strides forward in musical development with Three. Opening with a simple Rocky Raccoon-like piano and guitar melody on “We All Need Someone” it is understated and impressive with a sweet sing along chorus. “Breathe Again” is a modern ballad where the melody tells a clear story of personal renewal, full of nice vocal subtleties. A very funny “I Win” tells the story of the nerds triumph in adult hood with a great Ben Folds styled piano noting “the girl with braces who gave off a peculiar smell is hot as hell.” Most of the songs are melodically strong (sounds like some one’s been studying Mike Viola) and the sweetness factor is turned up for “It’s A Deal.” Another gem is “Headfirst & Blind” where both the harmonies and hooks are strong here. Since they tone down the production gloss, when “Big Brother” shows up it’s a fitting and soulful song that you’ll gladly clap along to. “Screw it Up” has shades of Billy Joel in it’s DNA, and it’s another good tune. Overall, an excellent low tempo album and the song “Finally Got It Right” tells you all you need to know. Best of all – the album is available on Bandcamp at a Pay-what-you-want price. Get it while it lasts!
Wiretree “Luck”
Austin Texas indie pop band Wiretree reached my radar with the first LP Bouldin, and it doesn’t hit a sophomore slump here. No, they hit it out of the park. Wiretree’s influences of 60’s progressive, Psychedelic pop and 80’s guitar style help mold Luck into a finely crafted pop gem. Songwriter Kevin Peroni puts together compelling hooks and fine melodic songs from beginning to end. “Across My Mind” is like classic Elliot Smith without the moping, but all the catchiness. My favorite here is “Back In Town” where the anthemic production recalls both The Beatles and the Beach Boys, with a wonderful ascending guitar arpeggio and glockenspiel melody. “Rail” recalls classic Lindsey Buckingham and his Fleetwood Mac classics. The hauntingly catchy beats of “Satellite Song” are like a Blur on a dinner date with The Kinks. The compositions here are solid from ballads like “Falling” to the mid tempo “Heart Of Hearts.” Every song is winner here with no “filler” except a demo version of “Falling.” In fact, the album’s only failing is that the songs are so consistently melancholy, that it’s hard for anything to stand out as a single here after the album’s first half. But it’s all so beautiful you tend not to notice, until the entire albums played out. I guess I’ll just have to listen to it again.
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