Sometimes a non-power pop album really gets my attention, and surprise – it’s from a major label here. I never really knew who Ed Harcourt was, although he did advertise this album on “Adult Swim” last month. Hailing from Sussex, England his style is a piano based modern alternative rock. Ed Harcourt could be described as the UK’s answer to Rufus Wainwright; a talented singer/songwriter who tends to be the critic’s darling, yet has always lacked the attention of the mainstream. This album is an amazing find and should break him into the publics view, with mini-operatic melodies, like the sprawling “You Only Call Me When You’re Drunk” and the heartbreaking croon of “Late Night Partner.” The bombastic “Revolution In The Heart” is where the styles of U2 and Coldplay meet in the middle. So dark and tortured, if you love The Eels and Mark Oliver Everett, this album is a no-brainer. It remains his “poppiest” album from what I’ve read, and I guess that’s why I was so impressed. Now I will look at his back catalog… but this is a great place to jump on the bandwagon.
Reviewed by Mike Z. Strawberry Weed forever? That’s overstating the case, but this is still a great disc. The first track, “Fool’s Parade” bears comparison to early R.E.M., but is thankfully not nearly as morose. The following cut, “Waking Up” begins simply, and even though it gathers a nice head of steam, the chorus “That’s alright/ I’m alright/ ‘Cause I can see, I can see baby, we can do whatever/ We are free to go, we are free to go wherever” stays firmly within the genre. Track 3, “Boo Boo Goo Goo” best exemplifies melodic rock. I swear I wrote a song in eigth grade with the same chord progression. The lyrics are simpler than even anything I essayed, yet this tune has a great hook and deserves a listen. At this point it is good to note that none of this material will send you scrambling for your good earbuds. The lyrics are all discernable and I am certain that this Swedish act does not include a single word with more than two syllables in it. This is a party disc and doesn’t try too hard. The effect is mostly sublime. The title track examines the poppier side of The Caesars, with an opening reminiscent of The Cure and a chorus possibly influenced by Love and Rockets. The middle parts of Strawberry Weed showcase The Caesar’s knack for airy harmonies and sweet lyrics that don’t stand out too much. “No Tomorrow” borrows from “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues”, if you can believe it. The only reason I point out all of the influences is to stress that The Caesars have an eclectic sound and considering there’s only so much you can do with a pop song’s structure, they have the good sense to borrow from the best. None of their material is derivative, however. They have an ability to make each song their own. Those of you with keen memories might remember that The Caesars had a song featured in a commercial for the first iPod Shuffle. That song is not on Strawberry Weed, and that’s a good thing, because it is a poor representation of their abilities. The songs on this disc are much more hard-driving and none of the goofy instrumentation is there, either. There is also available a 2 disc expanded version of Strawberry Weed, but I have not listened to it.
My Space | itunes | Insound (2 disc version) | Not Lame
Khalid Hanifi (from the Maypops) comes out with his debut album, “Pamplemousse Presse” and fans of the soft side of Jason Falkner or The Rip Off Artists will appreciate this sound. We start with a superb pair of singles in “Mr. Wonderful” and “When You Wake Up” with easy going melody and ringing guitars that falls between XTC and Eric Matthews without sounding like either. “Hard To Believe” is another standout with a wonderful duet with his sister Sophie pitching into the harmonies. “Only Human” has a smart hook laden chorus that resembles an Andrew Gold song, and I consider it one of the best songs on the album – full of heavy contrasts in style. Another point of comparison for this song would be The Honeydog’s Adam Levy. Fans of solo McCartney and Tin Finn will also find Hanifi’s music totally accessible. “Truck” is a catchy tune “about dicking around forever” and it has a lot of fun twangy guitar noodling that makes for fun listening. The strong piano Todd Rundgren-like melody of “July” leads into the smooth guitar tune “Idiot Box” which is another album highlight. The album never loses it’s way, but continues in a low energy mode till we get to “I Want You To Do Things That I Say” which has some impressive key changes. It’s an impressive debut that deserves a spot on your playlist.
Brothers Ellis and Tom Clark are the duo behind Epicycle. The third album “Jingo Jangle” is a mix of progressive sixties pop sounds firing on all cylinders and Sgt. Pepperisms especially on the track “Girls Don’t Rule My World” which has wonderful sonic details in the multi-track piano and orchestral flourishes. The opener “8-Track Mind” brings together Bryds-styled guitar jangle and Cheap Trick riffs in a dense polished production. The piano ballad “Goodbye” is an impressive soulful song along the lines of Billy Joel. The brass and creepy Alice Cooper/Tom Waits vocal of “Ode To Branson” is a bit too strange till we get to the Roger Waters-like chorus. “Day for Night” revisits this style with a well done piano melody. The quirkiness of “Club Marmalade” and “Worst Rock Song” seems like an attempt to merge Zappa and 10cc. Like The Pillbugs, it has a tendency to overindulge in the pyschedelic effects too much toward the albums end. That mentioned a lot of other studio acrobatics here work well on most songs. It also features guest spots by Brad Elvis of the Elvis Brothers and Paul Mertens of Brian Wilson’s band. This album is worth a listen for sure. Fans of the above mentioned bands will reach musical nirvana with this one.
My Space | Epicycle Web Site | CD Baby (last Epicycle album) | Not Lame | Kool Kat Musik
After a number of issues that have threatened internet radio, I wanted to know what online stations are out there for my fellow powerpopaholics, so here is a short list so far. If you know any others just post a reply.
