Young Sportsmen "If You Want It"

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The Young Sportsmen are a Seattle band with a great sound. This is an excellent power pop album with clean well arranged songs and Johnny Sangster’s smooth vocals. The sound is best described as The Lemonheads meets Sloan, indicated by the opener “Marions Nova” with it’s multi-guitar hooks and angular rythyms. Other influences I hear are The Jam, Brenden Benson, and XTC. “If You Want It” has got all the rock edge you need and all the energetic hooks you could want and even those awesome handclaps. Anchored by bassist Richard Davidson the song “Sunday in Dresden” allows the guitars and drums to carry the melodic goodness. Lyrics are a combination of deep broodings and current events, like in “Seasame Street Fightin Man” where the stress of urban living and gang war run through the aggressive lines, “Looks like somebody cut the strings/ all hell has broken loose/ you’re all alone now.” The other topical songs include “Hey Gasoline” about the energy dependency blues. Another song, “Summer Ace” has a constant beat and riffs layered over the vocals that state the end of a summer romance, as the chorus echos “Will I miss you when I’m gone?” My favorite here is the final song , “Long Way Down” with it’s relentless guitar riffs and Brian May like solo break between the chorus and Townshend-like dramatic flair. It actually feels like a finale and not a leftover track other bands end an album with. The album has no filler – as every track is immediate and a perfect balance between melody and manic energy. After a few listens, you’ll consider it a power pop classic.

My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame

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Wisely "Vanilla"

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A cute little music video confection for you starring Alexander Gould (Weeds, Finding Nemo). Done to help promote LEAP (The League For Earth & Animal Protection) and Dogs Without Borders.

Buy the mp3 Download at PayLoadz.

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Adrian Whitehead "One Small Stepping Man"

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Aussie popster Adrian Whitehead has been getting raves from the press and pop bloggers who’ve heard his latest “One Small Stepping Man”. A soft classic pop formula similar to Dave Dill and Brent Cash, Adrian uses simple catchy melodies with a nod to The Beatles and a very smooth clean production style similar to Dave Stephens. The opening track “Caitlin’s 60’s Pop Song” echos Nilsson and Adrian’s vocals are very similar here to Ken Stringfellow of The Posies. It’s got the pop smarts and little details that make a wonderful song. Next, “Saving Caroline” opens with a seventies-styled strum a la Styx, and the bass floats the melody along, but at over six minutes it goes on a bit too long for me. “Radio One” sounds like a Posies mid-tempo guitar song and breaks into an amazing piano ballad. The piano ballads continue with the McCartney-like melodies in “You are The Sun” and “Julia” which are very good and the bright “Spector’s Dead” remind me of Julian Lennon’s “Photograph Smile” album. On the “Ways of Man” we get a very McCartney-like bass line and on “Better Man” the lyrical themes are sharp and the song has a bit more energy, but “Elle” is another long ballad that seems to go on forever. No doubt this is a strong debut and if you like any of the above artists, you’ll enjoy this. An equal measure of credit goes to producer Jak Housden for making these songs sound so good.

My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame

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Pomegranates, Dream Bitches and Clovis Roblaine

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Here are a few new artists releases making waves recently:

The Pomegranates “Everything is Alive”
This Cincinnati, Ohio band draws comparisons to Death Cab For Cutie and Modest Mouse, with a knack for soft melodies and obtuse song structures. This album draws influences from classic rock and experimental pop, and sometimes it works really nice on the intricate “Whom/Who” or the organized mess of “In the Kitchen.” They channel classic Kinks on “Late Night Television” but the best track here is the Beach Boys meets Death Cab track, “The Bellhop” which points out what makes the group special. The albums second half doesn’t keep the pace up, but if you want something a bit left of center power pop, it’ll do just fine.
Lujo Records | My Space | Itunes

Dream Bitches “Coke and Spriters“
The lack of solid female power pop vocalists lately has me in a funk, until I heard Yoko Kikuchi and Ann Zakaluk aka Dream Bitches. This is a playful pop album, that gets all the influences right, without sounding like The Pipettes. The guitar riffs on the catchy “Hierarchy Island” remind me of a female version of the Vandalias a little bit. The gears switch around and they can channel both They Might Be Giants lyrical sarcasm and The Cranberries vocal harmonies all at once. “Mother’s Day” is an especially good song in this style. Some songs get folky and then others like “Me and The Major” have a nice garage pop feel. “Sweet Anneth” is a hilarious ode from a bitch’s point of view. And the pop hooks and effortless harmonies here are a welcome change in the  super catchy “Video Games” – for those of you who miss the old Liz Phair, you’ll find comfort with the Dream Bitches.
Dream Bitches’s home | My Space| Itunes


Clovis Roblaine “The Clovis Roblaine Story”
Thanks to a hot tip in my e-mail box, I give you this, the very definition of a lost classic power pop album from the 1980’s. Clovis Roblaine is a talented Oklahoma multi-instrumentalist. His lone LP encompasses a variety of classic power pop styles: girl groups, vocal and instrumental surf tunes, mersybeat, Buddy Holly, and a pinch of doo-wop. The album compares well with the best that Dwight Twilley could offer at the time. The used record of this album goes for over $150 on some collectors sites. And you will not find it anywhere else (at least I couldn’t). Get it before it’s gone…
CD baby

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The Morning Stars "You Can’t Change The World" FREE Album

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A Canadian band, The Morning Stars were formed by brothers Michael Ivic and Mars Ivic in 2004. The approach to power pop is akin to a mix of U2 and Oasis. Opening with the ringing anthemic “Hearts for the Living” gives you a great set of chorus and wall of guitar riffs. The next tune “Wrong” is my favorite, with it’s Raspberries styled guitar strum and emphatic drum beat and feel good hook. Then the band takes a detour in “You Can’t Change the World,” with an 80’s dream pop feel similar to Joy Division or The Smiths, and sounds like a breakout hit single for sure. This track combines the above mentioned influences and the songwriting is excellent here. The lush guitar strums returns on “Waiting At Your Door” another great track. Then the heavy rock of “All Coming Down” combines the influences and reminds me a bit of The Happy Mondays or The Stone Roses. Then “Don’t Waste Time” falls back into the familiar territory – the lead vocal even resembles Bono, this track could have fallen off of U2’s “Boy”.  At the album’s end, “Fall” is a ballad with atmospheric guitars and has that melancholy feel. The entire album feels like a well worn pair of jeans, and is a comfortable fit for your ears (and easy on the ipod). Although a bit derivative, it is a very good debut, and follow the link below for some sample tracks. I can’t wait to see these guys continued musical growth.

The Morning Stars Site | My Space | CD Baby

Download the FREE album tracks here

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