The ACB’s "s/t"

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This Kansas City band is the real deal when it comes to punchy guitar hooks. Like a lot of great power pop, the subject of ACB’s music is about getting the girl. Singer and guitarist Konnor Ervin can belt out great singles with consistency of Matthew Sweet or Rooney. It opens with the blast of “You Did It Once” a sure fire hit, and then follows with the excellent “Windows Up” that mines Velvet Crush territory. The next track, “Key in the Car” will make you forget about Weezer, because this song rivals “The Sweater Song” from the blue album. The choral bits added to “My Movies” are nice details that I can appreciate, and all sung with authenticity. The approach of this sonic guitar flury with Konnor’s vocal style also take from Ric Ocasek and The Cars as well. Perhaps in a fair world these guys would get all the attention Maroon 5 or Spoon gets, as “Suzanne” has the kind of rockin’ jam and melody that will cause involuntary head bobbing to anyone within earshot. Things get heavier with “Come On” and “Callin’ Omaha” gets into Posies territory. Even when thing slow down for “We’ll Walk On The River” – it’s crashing drums and “la la la” backdrops make it memorable.The bottom line is that this is an amazing debut that I missed last year, and deserves to be on a top ten list somewhere. If you didn’t get it, shame on you — now repent and pick it up!

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Stagecoach, Janglemen and The Romeros

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Stagecoach are a group of lads from Surrey with a love of Shins, Ryan Adams and Wilco and they do a fine job on the EP “School Day” – It’s a cool group of tunes that also follow a theme with a distinct jangle and energy – don’t miss “Come Find Me in the Library.” The sound and mixing is superior to most bands out there. I predict great things for these guys, as they sound excellent. A great debut — let’s hear more! You can also see the video here!
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The Janglemen certainly live up to their name and the album “Tearjerker and 9 others” offers listeners classic Roger McGuinn Rickenbacker guitar strum and catchy melody. You can’t get more “jangle” than this. Fans of Jamie Hoover, Bobby Sutliff, and even early Elvis Costello will enjoy this. The vocals are loose and the band has a punk swagger, so this is not a tribute band, but something different. “New and Different Ways” is a autobiographical track that even includes a dog bark in the chorus! If you ever wanted to hear a mix of Paul Westerberg and The Monkees – pick this one up!
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The Romeros are a classic rock n’ roll band, that models itself after The Flaming Groovies and The Ramones. The sonic assault is catchy, especially on “Tonight” with scratchy vocals by Mike Vanderbilt. They have played at IPO Chicago last year and made a really good impression. These guys have a good start, but need some polishing before they really hit it big. Get the EP “Cooler than your Boyfriend” and crank it up at your next backyard party.
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Richard Snow "s/t"

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I’ve been reviewing a lot of retro-power pop lately, so here is another one. Richard Snow is a 33-year-old singer-songwriter from Nottingham, UK who sings, plays guitar, keyboards, bass and percussion. This album is a re-mastered release of his original 2002 UK release. The album is bookended by two wonderful Beach Boys-styled songs (“The Sweetest”, “Coming Soon”) that have that Wilsonesque touch and details worthy of “Pet Sounds.” The we are treated to the wonderful jangle and melody of “Real” that takes cues from R.E.M.’s energetic bounce. Snow’s soft vocals are similar in approach to Richard X. Heyman or maybe Elvis Costello. In some tunes, his vocals do get a bit pushed too far in the background. Things pick up to almost a new wave frenzy with the “Girls on the Tube” and echos of Elvis Costello are definitely on “Hand Me Down My Sunglasses.” The gorgeous guitar lead on “Pretty Picture” take over the song much like Jamie Hoover’s material. The Byrdisan chime continues on “Spiral” and it’s another winner. The haunting “Haphazard” suffers from a bit of over-production and too much echo-effects and is the only misstep here. Overall this is a classic power pop release, Richard uses his influences to form beautifully crafted, catchy original songs. What more could you ask for? Don’t miss it.

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Justin Levinson "Bury Your Love"

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Justin Levinson burst on the scene with “1175 Boylston” and this is his 7-song follow up. “Bury Your Love” is a bit more mature and his opener “Heavy Weight” is compared to Elton John’s early period favorably. The remaining album takes more of an alt-country lean, like the very Jayhawks-like “Home” and “Bury your Love.” A catchy bit of piano pop in “Daisy May” follows the Ben Folds mold nicely. The remaining songs are classic folk pop. It’s no wonder he will be writing soundtrack musical themes soon. A full departure from the Beatle-isms of this debut, Justin expands his range and the closer “Middlebrook Road” even sounds a little like a young Randy Newman with a much better voice. My biggest peeve is that it’s only seven songs (not quite an album, but too big for an EP). I like this side of him, let’s hope for more in the future.

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