Splitsville will soon be entering the studio to record a new album. I can think of only a handful of bands that best represented power pop in the late nineties, and Splitsville is certainly one of them. Born from the aftermath of The Greenberry Woods, Matt Huseman and his brother Brandt ranted early on “Cause The kids hate power pop… but they need that sugar shock!” This compilation gathers hits across 5 albums that continued to be treasured by loyal fans.  The band evolved from the early frenetic energy of Ultrasound with it’s single “Yearbook” and the bouncy “Ponce de Leon” to the louder rebellious Repeater. With tracks like the Beatles meets Jam hit “Manna” and the Fountains of Wayne-like “Big Red Sun” it was a huge leap forward and got more media attention. Then they topped it off with The Complete Pet Soul, a beautifully rendered love letter to both Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney. With this they became power pop gods, and then guitarist Tony Waddy joined the band for 2003’s Incorporated and the evolution continued. The Weezer-like “Headache” is one of my all time favorite songs. These 25 tracks have been hand-picked by the band so, if you have never heard of them, then this is a great way to catch up to the amazing Splitsville sound. I can think of no better holiday gift for the budding power popaholic. 

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Power Pop Melodic Rock Powerpop

Kai Reiner lives in proximity of Hamburg, Germany. But rather than play the Cavern Club, fans of Teenage Fanclub and Pernice Brothers will find a lot to like in Kai Reiner. The relaxed strum of Rickenbacker melodies that are densely produced and will please plenty of guitar fans. Kai’s vocals are soft and understated, he relies on the jangle to carries the songs here and it works for the most part. Highlights include the opener “Cold Summer” where the chord changes recall an Alan Parsons mid tempo song and the driving melody of “I Don’t Want Your Crown”. While very listenable, many other songs lack the emotional strength to make them distinguishable from each other. A few songs really need a stronger bass line, like “Roll On The Holidays” or a stronger vocal on “Emily” to make these songs truly memorable. Still the musicianship here is superb and the melodies are solid on every single song. And the songwriting is solid too, with a good example of this in the simple romantic “Brown Eyes” where “you said hi/ and i said hey/ and we both knew, there was nothing more to say. I get lost in your brown eyes.” Jangle pop  fans will not be disappointed and want to seek this one out.

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After time with The Luxury Liners and The Foxymorons, Singer/songwriter David Dewese had the urge to put out a solo album. I’m glad he did, because it’s got great melodic songs and a laid back Nashville aura surrounding the music. “Dear Self” is a smooth acoustic/piano pop theme with a catchy hook. “This Too Shall Pass” is a great stomping mid tempo number supported by strings, piano, and timpani. It flirts with the country sound much like The Honeydogs, even though it’s got a pop structure. Many of the songs are simple guitar tunes, done with intimacy and emotion here, like “Without You” or “Lake Tawakoni.” But it doesn’t wallow in self reflection too long and “Moment Too Late” starts pretty standard and then chord change leads to a snappy chorus that is instantly hummable. The best thing about Dewese is he makes these songs very easy to relate to lyrically and musically. This is a solid album, and some tracks are available here through noisetrade, so spread the wealth!

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I heard a lot of buzz on other sites about Captain Wilberforce. My first impression was a singer/songwriter with great melodic skills along the lines of The Brigadier or Glen Tilbrook. This is intelligent Brit-rock with a delicate strum and occasional angular buzzing riff here and there. Simon Bristoll aka Captain Wilberforce applies his wit and skill to these songs in a precise manner, similar to Colin Moulding of XTC. This really evident in the title track, where all the nice XTC-Bryan Scary like detailed flourishes come together perfectly. This is followed by the Squeeze-like “Confetti Champagne And Roses.” A stunner here is “The Girl Who Broke Her Own Heart” which of could be called the classic Brit-pop ballad. Tim Finn is another point of comparison on “Get A Grip My Dear” and “Don’t Get Me Started” is another rich tune with a great melody that is both well constructed and played. However, Bristoll’s vocals don’t have a very wide range and strength, even so his arrangements compensate for this. Also, some of the latter tracks fail to excite even though they are prepared for the listener in a pretty package, the exception here is the wonderfully Jellyfish-like “Born Again Brand New Man”. If you like the bands mentioned above, this will satisfy your pop itch. I expect great things in the future from the Captain.

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