Powerpopholic

Schaeffer "Something Worth Fighting For"

May 22, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Scaeffer’s second offering is a concept album written about an auto accident and its effects on a relationship (as best as I could figure it out). After the epic dramatic opening “i love you with a crash” the album dwells in power ballad territory most of the way. Similar to other modern pop bands like Goo Goo Dolls or Matchbox Twenty, the slick production and intricate arrangements often make each song blend into one another. And with this downer of a theme, other than the transcendent melody in “Tell You I” it gets tedious pretty fast. With most songs topping the four minute mark and lyrics about painful recovery, like “Make Us See” – you expect the TV Show “ER” to use this for a commercial promo. It’s a shame only the CW shows use music like this. As a concept album it raises the bar for other bands that just put out pop fluff. Not a bad album, and I can appreciate the concept narrative here but the lack of stylistic variety hurts this overall. Recommended for fans of Schaeffer or overly melodramatic pop opera.

My Space | Emusic – the first album only | Itunes

It’s Over! "That Girl"

May 20, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic 2 Comments

A fun mix of Merseybeat and Garage sound straight from Kansas City, MO. The album “That Girl” starts out with a wild hook and “To Be In Love” evokes a Spongetones-styled pop bounce. The next tune “Come Back Home” is another tight gem, with an organ joining in to the rolling chorus and frontman Jamie Searle’s melodic screech. It also has a wicked solo guitar break and is easily the best song here. Then on “Hallelujah” the guitar starts to resemble a bit of McCartney’s Wings circa “Band on The Run” – and all it’s jangle and bass-play, you start to believe the lyric “I’m gonna throw out all my cares today, It’s okay.” After such a good run of Beatlesque songs including the very Monkees-like “Angela” the album takes a looser sound with “My Dear Wife” and it’s Eastern rhythms, similar to Camper Van Beethoven. This easy loose guitar jam style dominates the rest of the album. It gets almost into a pop hoedown with “Swing & Sway” and country-blues of “That Ain’t All.” It’s all good, especially the Elvis Costello-like angry man vitriol on “When the Sun Goes Down” so this is most a worthy addition to your “have a drink and dance in the bar” music collection. Unlike the band’s name, I hope the music isn’t over after one album.

My Space | CDBaby | Itunes

Listen to “To Be In Love”

Garfield’s Birthday "Let Them Eat Cake"

May 19, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Garfield’s Birthday has nothing to do with a fat orange cat, but a prime example of british power pop. The album “Let Them Eat Cake” starts with the excellent single “Molly’s Eyes” complete with reverb and melodic hooks that remind me of early Teenage Fanclub with Belle and Sebastian doing vocals. The group was formed by brothers Shane and Simon Felton, who have slowly been gaining acclaim over the years from Wales to Liverpool. The pop stylings also recall a bit of The Shoes and The Cosmic Rough Riders. The excellent “Take A Ride” is a nice Hollies-styled tune updated for the times. This is followed by the Byrds-Beatles combo of “We Know Your Name.” Lots of classic Rickenbacker guitar sounds surround this release. “You Should Know Better By Now” has lovely gentle harmonies of the boys that compare nicely to The Everly Brothers. Every track here is pretty good and the album picks up tempo at the end with the funky psyche-pop of “Sugar Pop.” A wonderful album any way you slice it.

Garfield’s Birthday web site | My Space | Kool Kat Musik

Craig Marshall "Point of View"

May 19, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Austin, TX singer/songwriter Craig Marshall has put forth his third album “Point of View” and it’s a pure delight to those who like pop similar to Marshall Crenshaw, Richard X. Heyman or P. Hux. Marshall’s deep perspective on life and melodic gifts can best compare him to Badfinger’s late Pete Ham. Carefully arranged songs with a dynamic chorus are par for the course here and the opener “Difficult” is a good example. Then the next track,” I Know What it’s Like” is a bouncy Beatlesque melody with a dynamic catchy chorus and beautiful middle break. Pop Culture Press has called Craig, “Austin’s best-kept power pop secret, and has been quietly releasing records of true melodic grandeur in recent years.” The adult themes match the achingly poignant melody in the ballad “Paper Cut” and the jangle-tambourine goodness of “Radio Girl” are exactly what you expect and can enjoy from this album. Some songs add blissful layered harmonies like in “When You Come Back Down” or mine the Mersey-beat guitar play of “One Face in The Crowd” to perfection. With all these great songs it’s easy to recommend this album, or even give his past albums a second listen.

Craig’s web site | My Space | CDBaby | Not Lame

Town and Country "My Blue Heaven"

May 19, 2008May 31, 2018 powerpopaholic

“Town and Country” is a sweetly made pop album by Dan Weir and friends, a Nick Lowe-styled blend of guitar and pub rock beats and melodic hooks. “Daytime Emmy” has a sticky bass line and Dan’s soothing vocal keeps the listener paying attention. The songwriting is similar to a mix of Glen Tilbrook or Al Stewart. Next in “Variations on a Theme By Mo” the theme is “you lie, you suck”- sung like a up-tempo love song. “Bella Vista” takes a slight twang in Americana pop similar to The Eagles. The best power pop standard here is “The Rest of The Night” with a wonderful jangle guitar and uplifting, harmonic chorus. This album is a perfect example of a hidden musical gem waiting to be discovered. In a rotten mix up, this EP is placed on e-music under a similar named band’s discography. However, it’s a wonderful surprise to anyone downloading it. Hopefully a full length follow up is in the works.

My Space | E Music | Itunes