The Riffbrokers "Weight Of Line and Intersection"

The Riffbrokers are an excellent example of roots rock and power pop combined, with grit and character leading the way. Opening with the hard driving “Told You To Go” lead singer Nick Milward brings an energy similar to Bob Mould in approach. Listening to the next tune, “Evaporate” you get a full frontal guitar assault that compares with The Stones and Paul Collins Beat.The guitar jangle and harmonies are smoothly done on “Myth To Struggle With” recall Tom Petty during his Travelling Wilburys period. Another highlight are the tracks, “Apology” and “Roy Orbison” where the Riffbrokers live up to their name. The latter tune is a really nice tribute to the man in the dark shades being not the only “lonely one” musician. Nick Millward has gathered a fine crop of musical partners from other bands as The Young Sportsmen, North Twin and The Doll Test to help add those great riffs and pure pop harmonies throughout the album. “End of All Things” is another great standout to close off this album. It’s all wonderfully done overall, without any filler that any rock and pop fan will enjoy.

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Note: You can still vote your favorite album of 2008 from the list on the bottom right. Poll ends January 1st.

The Eisenhowers "Film Your Own Atrocities"

I will continue to review some great pop music, the year isn’t over… yet. The Eisenhowers made an impressive debut in 2006 with Almost Half Undressed and now almost three years later Raymond Weir has taken the next step in his maturing sound, which the influences of XTC, Kinks and Elvis Costello are heard. The sound is richer here with Weir getting the help of backing vocalists and sharp studio musicians. The lyrical content has also taken a leap forward with epic sagas of hopelessness, best exemplified by “Reign of the Stupid” and “After The Tide.” Include the addition of violins and many instrumental effects and you get the idea. With 14 tracks, there are plenty of highlights. “Gathering Dust” resembles an Andy Partridge song with it’s looping melodies and percussive details. The epic “1969” is a ballad that goes through an astronaut’s mind full of both idealism and narcissism. “Aggrodisiac” most definitely has spirit of Costello. Some of these song while, expertly produced don’t linger too long in mind. The jazzy feel of “Janine” is a great sophisticated pop ballad with little Bowie accents and “The Long Way Home” is my favorite here, with just the right mix of all the influences and melody. It ends with “Icarus Succumbs” an expansive epic along the lines of latter era Tears For Fears. The Eisenhowers will win over many with this group of literate and tuneful pop music.

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Aimee Mann’s Christmas Carol

Part One of a 4 part series. Aimee Mann is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Shows past, present, and future to learn the true meaning of the Christmas show. Featuring Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, John Krasinski, Michael Cera, Tim Heidecker, John C. Reilly, Grant Lee Phillips, and Paul F. Tompkins.

Best Power Pop of 2008 and Lists

Last night I figured I will never get all my reviews done before the years end. So, I officially announce the Powerpopaholic Top Ten Poll of 2008

Scroll down the the bottom right column of the blog to make your pick. A lot of readers asked for my personal top ten list, and I really don’t have one (I don’t want to piss off all those Bryan Scary fans). But I do have 32 top picks that made my polling list this year. If you forgot who they are, the links to each review is below. Remember: VOTE NOW TIL NEW YEARS
The Wellingtons “Heading North For The Winter”

Kelly Jones “SheBANG!”

Rob Bonfiglio “Bring On The Happy”

The Junipers “Cut Your Key”

Class Three Overbite “Horses For Courses”

Julie Ocean “Long Gone And Nearly There”

The Well Wishers “Jigsaw Days”

Greg Pope “Popmonster”

The Smith Bros. “Restless”

Readymade Breakup “Alive on the Vine”

Starling Electric “Clouded Staircase”

The Bellfuries “Palmyra”

Josh Fix “Free At Last”

The Pop Project “Stars of Stage and Screen”

The Rip Off Artists “Esque”

Young Sportsmen “If You Want It”

The Spongetones “too Clever By Half”

The Brigadier “The Rise and Fall of Responsibility”

The Krayolas “La Conquistadora”

The Explorers Club “Freedom Wind”

Dave Dill “Follow The Summer”

Adrian Bourgeois “Adrian Bourgeois”

Pugwash “Eleven Modern Antiquities”

The General Store “Mountain Rescue”

Brent Cash “How Will I Know If I’m Awake”

Bryan Scary and The Shredding Tears “Flight of The Knife”

Lolas “Like The Sun”

The Goldbergs “Under the Radar”

The Crayons “What’s Wrong With You?”

Mike Viola “Lurch”

Smash Palace “Everybody Comes and Goes”

Wisely “Wisely”

As for other lists — Steve is doing a great job at his blog listing a top 200 – and that is too much work for me. Here is the “famous” list of John M. Borack’s Top 200 Power Pop albums and the more recent reader picked Shake Some Action Revisited 200 Power Pop albums and lets not forget The Pop Show Top 200 albums

Tenniscourts "Dig the New Sounds of Tenniscourts"

Wes Hollywood, a well known Chicago rock veteran (The Wes Hollywood Show) always had a deep rooted sense of melodic rock. Here in his new band Tenniscourts, he has the energy built on the stylings of Elvis Costello and Cheap Trick. Starting off with “Forever True” it lives on those loud heavy guitar riffs. “All I want is a swimming pool…” sets the theme for a blistering set of riffs on “Swimming Pool” and a touch of Ray Davies styled lyrical appeal about a kid’s dream. This working man’s touch to is also revealed in “Love In The Night.” The mid-tempo “Falling” has some awesome guitar melody and is my favorite on this album, it has a lots of subtle details that makes it rise to greatness. Spencer Matern’s effortlessly melodic bass lines on “Crystal City” bring to mind Oasis (take that Noel Gallager). “Ordinary Life” bounces along with “la la la” choruses and could be a sequel to The Kinks “Well Respected Man” with Mr. Pleasant finally reaching millionaire status. The big riffs come back in “In The Scene” and no track here falls flat. Overall, an excellent album worth more than a few spins on the ole’ ipod.

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