And now for something completely different. Contemporary orchestral jazz pop, complete with a string section that has wonderful top notch melody and production. Clare Muldaur has a voice as sweet and smooth as honey here. The album is an 11-track foray into theatrical, space-themed chamber pop that falls somewhere between the score of a Broadway musical and a collection of sweet and playful nursery rhymes. Using a bevy of collaborators, including Sufjan Stevens and Van Dyke Parks, Muldaur gets just the right touch to many of these lush pop songs. Opening with plucked strings of “Pluto” it laments the poor planets’ current status. What follows is the somber “Nothing/Nowhere” with a beautiful hook and orchestral pop sweeps that achieve greatness. “Under the Water,” is an equally gorgeous ballad that brings to mind a sunny summer day, with Muldaur’s soothing vocal taking us there. Other standouts include the ethereal and metropolitan “Alphabet City,” and the cosmic themed “Science Fiction Man” is a dreamy love story. The playful “Rodi” is almost like a sing-a-long done by The Manhattan Transfer, but it’s catchy no doubt. Things get a bit maudlin with “Sugar In My Hair,” but for the most part the album is pure joy to those who appreciate sophisticated pop. 

It begins with the gentle strum and piano that brings “Just You” to life on The Milk and Honey Band’s newest album “Dog Eared Moonlight.” The band’s pastoral sound has more in common with Alan Parsons or Nick Drake than Andy Partridge in this sophomore LP. The XTC influence is still there, but pushed to the back a bit. Guitarist and singer Robert White brings some muscle to the guitar heavy treat “Waste Of Time” as the light pop motifs give way to a more intense sound. The wonderful ballad “Maryfaith Autumn” brings forth rich imagery in both the lyrics and sound, with the rhythmic piano resembling the patter of raindrops. “Absolutely Wrong” is full of that gorgeous English styled jangle and backing vocal harmonies. The middle of the album sags a little under the emotional weight of country folk “No World At All” and “Disappear.” But, the long country ballad “Cut The Line,” is an epic with amazingly smart chord changes. You don’t expect such hooks on a low key song and that’s what makes this release a great one. Robert mentioned “I was intent that it feature a mixture of styles, I always liked that on records by artists I love like The Beatles. Look at Revolver or Sgt. Pepper or The White Album – so diverse, loud stuff mixed amongst acoustic. No rules as long as it all flows together.” And flow this album does. Highly recommended for sure.

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Pete Best, the Beatles drummer from 1960-62, has been in the shadow of the group most of his life. Since Ringo took his seat on the gravy train, Pete has been a famous footnote for many years, with other bands even making fun of “the unluckiest bastard in the world.” When the surviving Beatles released Anthology, which featured a number of tracks with Best as drummer, he formed the Pete Best Band with his brother Roag Best around 1995. And what began as an attempt to cash in on his fame as a Beatles cover band has now evolved into “Haymans Green.” This album of all original songs finally hints at the creativity that Pete could have brought to The Beatles had he remained in the group. That the album is Beatlesque is expected, but the high quality of the songs is the eye opener. The slow fade in of “Come With Me” compares well with George Harrison and his Rubber Soul period, as he beckons us to join him in a time “all those years ago.” “Step Outside” is a introspective take on his past relationship with the group, done with a great hook and intensity similar to XTC. Some of the music reflects on Pete’s Hamburg years (“Round and Around” and “Beat Street”) and the McCartney styled pop of “Gone” is a true pop gem that soars, thanks to vocals by Paul Parry. Other highlights include “Red Light” and the title track which could’ve been a Magical Mystery Tour outtake. This album also made David Bash’s top album list last year, and really is as good as anything the Spongetones have done recently (fyi: new album from them coming out any day now, kids!). In fact, every song here will be welcome manna for Beatle fans who want an honest and accomplished album from the forgotten Beatle.