Last year, Paul Collins gave us his “Flying High” album. This year the former Nerves front man does a follow up that hits all the right notes. Opening with “Hey DJ” it has a classic power pop beat, and goes into a nostalgic chorus with ringing guitars. The hit to miss ratio is very low overall, and the smooth “Ribbon of Gold” has a magical yet grizzled feel, almost Paul Westerberg-like with Tom Petty overtones. “I Still Want You” has lots of energy and a great hook that Cheap Trick would envy. Paul even laments the “Big Pop Song” with one of his own making, “The one song that never lets you down/ The one that’s always been around.” After a few songs, you realize this is a really, really good album, so by “Falling in Love With Her” the air guitar comes out for me. Big hooks, big guitar licks and like Paul mentions “it feels so good.” There is still that early 80s pop punk vibe tucked away on songs like “She doesn’t Want To Hang Around With You” that will bring back a smile and some memories. The album ends with three ballads, and though they can’t compete with the high energy stuff, the best of the bunch “Flown Away” is a good soulful commentary on the state of Paul’s state of mind. Right now you can buy it directly from his site.
Marykate O’Neil "Underground"
I got an advance copy of Marykate’s new album “Underground” which is the follow up to the MK Ultra EP. In addition to one of the better tracks from the earlier EP like “Green Street” – we find Marykate leaning away from power pop a little into a full use of her singer/songwriter talents. “Easy To Believe at First” you hear a gentle Carole King vibe until the chorus explodes with melodic optimism and cool harmonies. “Saved” is another great song with some excellent lyrics about being proselytized. This formula also shows up on the dynamic and poignant “Mr. Friedman.” Then Marykate embraces her inner Joni Mitchell on the folkie ballads “Me, The Bee, The Miner” and the title track “Underground.” The latter track really shines and uses Marykate’s expressive vocal range. Lest we forget, we want some cool pop too, so we get a stellar cover of Joe Jackson’s “Different for Girls” and the bouncy fun of “One Thousand Times A Day.” The coda is the fitting “So Long” with a smooth melody and some nice slide guitar work. Overall a more mature direction that benefits the fans of Marykate for the better. Unfortunately, you will need to wait until February for this one. And yes it’s worth the wait, I will update the links at that time.
The Rhinos "In Rhi-Fi"
Those Swedish pop masters, The Rhinos have a new album out called “In Rhi-Fi” and if you are a Byrds fan, you will get your fill of jangling 12 string Rickenbacker here. Lasse Hindberg has 14 original songs, and unlike the debut album which sounds more like a tribute band, the Rhinos sound begins to evolve. Using more four way harmonies, the opener “Everything That She Believed” is a lot closer to The Association in style. The although the melody in “PTO” is positively gorgeous, the lyrics are more suited to a punk rant about a “media whore” who supports war and “is gonna crash” (I think it’s about Carl Rove). This is followed by the great “After The Love Is Gone” which continues the baroque harmonies, along the lines of The Left Banke. “Just Another Hour With You” attempts to be a Pet Sounds era ballad, and it almost works. The vocals on some tracks are just too understated and even though there are a few gems here (“Before I Set You Free” and “I’d Rather Be Sad” ) there are plenty of embarrassing songwriting examples (“She Presents The News” and “My Town”) that spoil it. Another good one is the very Ringo-like “Tell On You” but the band would do better to do some editing for it’s next album. McGuinn fans and retro enthusiasts will enjoy the impressive musicianship, others here can pass.
My Space | Rainbow Quartz | Not Lame
Faded Paper Figures "Dynamo"
While a lot of modern indie pop can be only be considered fodder for the next Apple commercial or teen drama, sometimes you will find a band that spends more effort to transcend that label. I believe Faded Paper Figures does enough to push that envelope on it’s debut “Dynamo.” Opening with “North by North” and the very best song on the album, the catchy “B Film” it pulses with clean crisp guitars and a perfect drum machine beat. The sound gets even richer on “Logos” which brings to mind Ivy. Electronic beeps wash across strategic beats, surrounded by a simple guitar ballad in “Future Self” – it begins to follow this template in “Metropolis” and “I Fell Off My Name.” Somewhere past the albums midpoint the synth effects begin to interfere with the melody (“Geneva’s Gone”) or the songs get too dull (“Red State”) but thankfully the Faded Paper Figures follow the overindulgence with more smart, precise tunes like “The Persuaded” and “Being There.” The melodic skills here are evident – much like Tim Myers debut, this mines the same sunny indie pop place. If you enjoy the Orba Squara, Postal Service, or Magnetic Fields quieter moments you are sure to enjoy this album. Again, not quiet power pop but on the indie pop spectrum it’s worth the effort for those moments of melodic brilliance.
Faded Paper Figures website | My Space | CD Baby
Friendly Foes "Born Radical"
A Detroit-based 3-piece that sounds like they are having a blast playing “My Body (Is a Strange Place To Live)” with it’s quick guitar riffs and Mother Hips-styled dense psyche touches. By getting down to the early 80’s DIY essence of the punk/pop movement, the Friendly Foes raging diatribes on rock and roll’s currents state of affairs are done with just enough sugar to help this medicine go down. Coming from other bands, Ryan Allen (Thunderbirds Are Now!), Brad Elliott (Satin Peaches), and Lizzie Wittman (Kiddo) hit the ground running. Opening with “Full Moon Morning” it’s a template for the best of this album, with angular guitar riffs and Ryan leading the charge. Friendly Foes’ sound best compares with The New Pornographers, but it’s not all fey pop sweetness here. Using sunny boy-girl harmonies and bouncy major chords on “Criminal Justice” it’s got a catchy swagger that is hard to ignore. This album takes no prisoners and doesn’t let up either. So if you’re looking for a ballad somewhere, you’ve got the wrong album. Wittman gets to shine on a few songs, notably “Get Ripped” which resembles The B-52’s and The Ramones combined. All this energy goes to good use as almost every song here kicks ass. Some highlights include, “Get Yr Shit Together”, “Couch Surfing”and the epic “Lil’ Tiger” all with excellent melodies and great musicianship. On “Dying To Survive” and “Breakfast Burritos” gets a bit too typical, but that is being picky here. This is like power pop with an extra shot of caffeine. Make mine a double.
My Space | CD Baby