Powerpopholic

Michael Gabriele "A Puppet’s Palace"

March 26, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Michael Garbriele is a veteran songwriter from Providence, Rhode Island with a serious Beatles fixation. His music has a DIY quality to each production, similar to Chris Breetveld (“The Breetles”). Things start off with “Another Girl ” a sweet McCartney styled tune with keyboards. The soft acoustic strum of “Better Do It Right” is a nice even mid-tempo number. The quiet is jarred with the glam sounding “A Candle Burning” which has echos of Sweet. “Getaway” has great angular guitar riffs, like a Badfinger ballad from the “Airwaves” period. But the Beatles influence keeps coming back, in “Hi”, “What I wouldn’t Give” and my favorite here, “Imagine what this Girl Could Do” a great melodic song with a neat jangle hook. However, Michael has a good song in “My Corner of the World” -but the overdubs and vocals don’t do such a good job with it. This would be a great song for Cheap Trick to cover. But that is the only misstep I hear with this well done album. Enjoy it, powerpopaholics!

Michael’s Web Site | My Space | CD Baby

Listen to “Imagine what this Girl Could Do”

Orange Park "Revalations On Future Predictions"

March 26, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

This NYC band has been around since 2002 with creative guitar work and a melodic rock sound that compares well with The Strokes, The Get Up Kids, Foo Fighters and The Marvelous 3. The Moore brothers lead a bouncy beat over the opener “Better than Suicide” full of hard rock hooks. These are the happiest songs about misery I’ve heard in a while. “Die” continues the formula and is another gem. “Black is Black” has shades of Fountains of Wayne, with it’s solid chord structure and guitar solo breaks. There is pop perfect harmony on “Emotional Scar” with driving riffs, that almost comes across like Cheap Trick – and my favorite song on the album. “No Life” is as good as anything Dave Grohl could ever write and builds to a satisfying chorus of “It’s alright, it takes time, there’s a life for me if you want.” So overall, the theme of the music is hope (I think). Things lighten up for “Maybe You Win” with casual strum and those great harmonies again, this is another highlight of the album. The entire album is consistently good with no filler here. Although, the epic five minutes of “December’s Gone” borders on old style arena rock. Orange Park is definitely a band you should take a chance on – your ipod has room for this.

Orange Park Web Site | My Space | CD Baby | Itunes

This video is from the previous album, but it’s a good representative of what they sound like.

Danny Wilde "The Boyfriend" FREE album

March 23, 2008April 1, 2018 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

Like the “Friends” theme, he’ll be there for you (fans). Get the first solo album of Danny Wilde, “The Boyfriend” for FREE from his website. Danny Wilde’s first solo album featured a lineup that looks very much like that of the first Rembrandts album-with Phil Solem on guitar and Pat Mastelotto on drums. But the sound of “The Boyfriend” isn’t quite what you may expect. This is a straight 1986 pop rock record. The first single, “Isn’t It Enough”, was a Top 20 rock radio hit, and would often be covered live by Martina McBride and appeared in Patty Smyth’s album “Never Enough”. Because Wilde jumped ship to Geffen Records shortly after the album’s release, The Boyfriend was never issued on CD and has been out of print for years.

Not only is the album available for FREE it’s been encoded at 320 kbps, which means it’s CD quality sound. Download it at Danny Wilde’s Website

Brent Cash "How Will I Know If I’m Awake"

March 23, 2008April 1, 2018 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

This is an incredible find and an amazing debut. Brent is an Athens, GA songwriter and performer with a sound that perfectly captures the glory days of Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, and The Carpenters. For lovers of sunshine pop, this album is the holy grail – opening with the lovely “Everything That’s Grey” the piano and flute set the mood for the lush orchestral chorus that compares well to Rick Gallego (Cloud Eleven). Then the main single kicks into gear “Digging the Fault Line” overflowing with melody lines and the multi-layered vocal harmonies that will have you swoon. This album is like a cool breeze on a summers day, sipping tropical drinks from your patio. Brent’s vocals are similar to Jeff Larson, and with a female choral on “I Think I’m Falling in Love” brings to mind The Free Design or The Cowsills. This is the style of music that the Wondermints used to do so well and I haven’t heard much of lately. “Only Time” is another winner that evokes The Association and The 5th Dimension. Every song is lovingly crafted, from the duet with Amanda Kapousouz in “Love Is Burning Down Tonight” to the extravagant arrangements and sophisticated chord changes of “Good Morning Sunshine.” Then “This Sea, These Waves” moves into a dreamy Bossa Nova that is aural relaxation until the opus “More Than Everything” wraps up everything in a bow that sparkles like a Carpenters gem. Start your summer vacation early and listen to it on Brent’s site…

Brent’s Web Site | My Space | Kool Kat Musik | Not Lame

Listen to a snippet from “Digging the Fault Line”

The Unremarkables "Five Year Holiday"

March 21, 2008July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

This is a Norwich UK group that have an unapologetic, commercial American sound and a not-so-good name. The Unremakables have a bit of Coldplay meets The Goo Goo Dolls in them as the guitar strums lead the song to a sticky chorus in “In The Water (Part One).” Next comes the song “Back Stabbing” – a mainstreamed slice of alt rock with a blistering guitar solo at the end. “Everlast” and “The Only One” are the height of radio ready adult alternative style, with a pleasant mid-tempo guitar that is so generic it could be classified as a pop-lite. Things get much better with the highlight here “The Gift” where the rougher, punchy riffs match better with the James Oakleys inspired vocals. Another highlight is the memorable “Satellite Town” which laments a childhood, where a once vibrant town is in decay – the song has a real sticky chorus and is sure to linger. “Cruel Summer” has a bit of a paisley pop feel, and is full of vigor and emotion similar to The Crayons or The Gin Blossoms. Some of the other songs here suffer from a lack of “hook” but this shouldn’t put you off listening to the album. Unlike their namesake, it’s most remarkable and will have you repeating your favorite tracks in no time at all.

My Space | E-music | Itunes