Smooth classic power pop in the Cheap Trick/Shoes guitar vein is how I’d best describe the Tempe, Arizona band Sugar High. After it’s debut 6 years ago, the group comes back with it’s follow up album “Let The Sunshine Out” and it’s most “commercial” sounding single “Scatter.” The chiming guitars and light pop chorus will earn the casual listeners respect. Guitarist Jason Garcia’s riffs have a Matthew Sweet feel to them and as the album continues, it gets better. “Going/Again” gets a little more aggressive and adds layers of guitars, hand claps, and tambourines, similar to power pop faves, The Caulfields. “My Star” is another notable song with a hummable melody and strong vocals. “Do Yourself A Favor” tells the story about actually writing songs (“I’m just makin’ sh*t up now”) and has a cracking energy missing on some of the later tracks. Even more evidence that this is the closest power pop to mainstream you can get listen to “Swallowed Bombs” which compares well with the Crayons. Another great track is the great repeating riff of “The King” and the slight twang and harmonica of the laid back mid-tempo “Around You.” Lead singer Adrian Evans vocal sounds a bit like Robin Wilson of Gin Blossoms and John Davis of Superdrag and the extra details of bells and strings on some tracks make for a pleasant diversion.  Soak in that Sugar High.

My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame

From Yorkshire comes a pysche-prog-pop band that plays what we’ve been missing from the genre for years. The sound is very close to The Beta Band’s atmospherics and The Beatles melodic knack of pop. The entire album is a themed song cycle from birth to death and the strange trip in between. It opens with an “Intro” that sets a narrative of a future-story. Then “Birth” mixes equal parts “Welcome to The Machine” Pink Floyd and The Flaming Lips. One of the best songs follows with “Mother and Father” -it drives a Kinks music hall style and ELO’s prog pop balladry into a memorable delight. This is no retro-retread, but an authentic musical experience that draws from classic 60s and 70s influences. It continues with “On My Way” and “School” with it’s moogs, huge electric guitar solos, woozy drums and Hammond organs aplenty. And the important thing here is the themes are never lost, but instead of tight compositions the melodies are stretched out like taffy and connected to each other organically. Another standout is “John’s Car” has a stoned series of choruses singing “Are you in, are you out”  and it plays like a mix of  Floyd’s “The Wall” and The Who “Sell Out” and everything works, including the Kinks-like finale “All Things Come To An End.” Break out the headphones and enjoy the trip.

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From the ashs of power pop favorite The Orange Humble Band, comes The Forresters. Singer-songwriter Anthony Bautovich gathered up some of Sydney’s finest players to create the debut “Skindeep”. The album is full rock and roll goodness and very much like Teenage Fanclub, the band’s opener “Are You Ready” has a pile of jangley guitars and harmonies that flow easiliy through the headphones. Bautovich’s soft vocals and the rhythmic guitars are suited well to the alternative country ballad sound as well, as “Tremblin'” illustrates. There are many layers to each song with several chord lines overlapping on some songs, like “Fool in Love” with a female vocal trailing in the background. “Missing You” has a yearning optimism, like some of Gary Louris’ poppiest compositions for The Jayhawks. I hear a bit of George Harrison guitar on the intro to  “The Way You Do” and some rockin’ blues stylings are present in “Wake Up.” In fact, this entire album is full of incredible guitar work and flawless musicianship. Every song here is great with no throwaway tracks. It even takes a very adult spin with the song “What You Want” reminding me of Jeff Larson (lyrically and musically). It also has a good balance of rockers (“Outtamyhead” and “Rescue Me”) with ballads (“Don’t Leave Me Down”). Overall this is an album of intricately crafted and emotionally honest pop music.

The Forresters Site | My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame

Listen to “Trembin”

Listen to “Are You Ready?”

Cleared for take-off. Classic Swedish power pop in the mold of The Merrymakers and Beagle for fans who have been missing it, The Private Jets have the sunny harmonies and sweet melodies with plenty of guitars and keyboards. The twin brothers Erik Westin and Per Westin have simplistic approach that can’t fail to hit the sweet spot with anyone who has a liking for power pop. Influences are clear here in the opener “I Wanna Be a Private Jet” – the bouncy beat resembles the Rubinoos. The follow up “Extraordinary Sensations” flirts with ELO and The Hudson Brothers, and “Speak Up, Speak Out” mines The Beagle sound perfectly. “Starshaped World” is a dead ringer for a Jellyfish composition (Should Roger Manning Jr. sue?). Some guitar riffs start to resemble Queen or Sweet, and the dual nature of “Fireman for A Day” and “Fire Academy” combines the poppiest side of The Move with Beach Boys chorals. Even “Hayfever” is a basic Beatlesque song that sounds lifted from a Spongetones album. It’s hard to find a bad song on the disc, although you could say these songs sound almost too familiar for the die hard fan looking for something new. And after a few listens, some tunes are missing that hook to bring the album into excellent territory. That said it’s an very good album and belongs in your collection without a doubt. “Jet Sounds” breaks the sunshine pop barrier. Listen to some tracks streaming here to hear for yourself.

My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame