Shane Barry takes a template from Motown’s sound and adds his own white boy soul, a la Rolling Stones to the entire affair with his band The Distractions. A perfect example here has “Stop” takes a little of Stevie Wonder’s “Alright” and the Stone’s “Under My Thumb” mixed together to perfection. This seems like the best musical detour since The New Radicals tried to do it ten years ago. But band breaks that mold right away, as Barry takes on McCartney’s Wings with the compelling “Kites.” The group plays on a multitude of instruments to get the right sound. That means plenty of brass, percussion along with piano/organ and guitars. “Like I Told You So” is a wonderful track with a compelling chorus full of “Ba, ba, ba, da, da” and commanding piano lead. There is an old school warmth to the music and Barry’s vocals range from Mick’s growl to Ben Folds sarcastic everyman. “A Man Called Gerald” is a good Ben Folds’ styled song with lots of tempo changes and catchy hooks, and man those saxophone breaks! Things slow down on the “Strangest Hours” and “The World Won’t Stop” maybe a bit too much, as he croons “Things have run it’s course…” before the song picks up in tempo and energy for the chorus. Then it’s back to the energy of “There’s No Time” which recalls Joe Jackson a bit. Overall an interesting album done with superb craftsmanship, as evidenced by the free form pop of the six minute opus “The Finest Line.” There is more than enough here to keep serious pop fans happy.

My Space | CD Baby | Itunes

Crunchy guitar popsters the Chevelles formed in Perth, Australia in the early 1990s; comprising singers/guitarists Duane Smith and Adrian Allen, bassist Jeff Halley and drummer Julian Buckland. They continue to be one of pop’s best secrets that carries the beat energy of The Jam and Love and Rockets with the guitar energy of The Velvet Crush. Fans of retro surf guitar will love this style as well. Tracks like “Get it On” and “Take A Chance” are a guitar driven gems that get the party started. “Wake Up Suzy” is a sure fire pop classic all about a girl told with guitar riffs and harmonies. Like fellow Aussie bands, The Stems and You Am I, it has simple sunny choruses, like “Summer Fun” and jangle filled ballads, like “Goodbye.” There is not a single bad track here and the best lyrical story is about a girl with a fix called “Stacey Loves Cocaine” with the strains of “Stacy loves cocaine/And she’s got a gun” And then a guitar fueled space epic about the heroine “Barbarella” and space madness. This is one of those bands that started out rough around the edges and has just coagulated over the years into a stellar band that cannot be ignored. Pop fans, don’t let this one blast by you.

My Space | Lala | Emusic

Before James Hall formed the power pop group Shake Some Action!, he worked in his native Australian band, The Jeunes. This collection of songs covers the critically acclaimed band from 2002 to 2005. The Jeunes only released a four song EP, and they left behind a pile of unreleased material. In my interview with Hall, he mentioned this project. Obviously with some ideas coming from different time periods and varied musical styles this is a mixed bag for the average music fan. Fans of Shake Some Action will appreciate some standouts like the spacey opener “High 5.” The garage influenced gems “Obvious” and “Time Is On My Side” are timeless punk/pop in the vein of The Hoodoo Gurus and Redd Kross. The slower mid tempo songs “See You Again” and “Never Be The Same” recall Midnight Oil’s late 80’s heyday, and are a bit dated here, even though they are good songs. The other material is pretty good here too, like the REM-like “It’s Alright.” The Stooges-styled punk songs like “What You Do To Me” and “Missing Person” are fun, but ultimately forgettable. Fans of above bands, The Stone Roses and Material Issue may also find this album enjoyable. 

My Space | CD Baby