I wanted to do something a little wacky today. So I’m adding this novelty song for you to listen to. Enjoy it! Originally done by “Little Roger and The Goosebumps” it made me chuckle.

Listen to “Fool on The Hill”

I also wanted to also take time to thank the artists who have contacted me about reviews and who continue to struggle in this business. The bands here all work hard and deserve your $$ if you enjoy the music. As the original Gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson said “The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs.”

This is a classic old school eighties power pop group for you. Doug Khazzam and his group Buddy Love are true veterans of the skinny tie era. With a local single hit “Sheila/Party Girl” as a springboard they played the local clubs. At some point leader singer Joey, left the band and they carried on with 2 albums. With different band members over the years, it has managed to keep it’s signature sound. 26 years later, Joey returned and the band is playing live once again and released “Now and Then”. Best described as a mix of The Knack meets early Elvis Costello, I listened to all three Buddy Love albums and each one has something to offer it’s listeners.

“Buddy Love” starts out with Gary Glitter’s “Rock & Roll” and rolls off some adequate guitar pop, but things improve by mid album with “Ticket to your Heart.” Out of nowhere, a rockabilly tune “Who slapped John (Lennon)?” is next and it really belongs on a Stray Cats album. Another standout track here is the mid-tempo “I Just Want to Hold You” which has some of that classic Elvis Costello vibe. “Wild Angel” ends the album with some nice chord progressions and guitar work.

“More! Buddy Love” opens with a great single “Something in My Eye” and the rest of the album has a similar sound, but much improved guitar acrobatics and song writing. There is a hint of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the vocal structures of songs like “He’s Back in Town” and “Love is a Martial Art.” Most of the songs are on par with groups of the era, 20/20 and The Records. Things here are all kicked up a notch with the energetic “Teaser” and “Liar” and they manage to cover The Knickerbockers’ “Lies” without evoking The Beatles at all!

A future post will review “Now and Then” – but keep in mind this album contains the original singles “Sheila” and “Party Girl” plus the latest tunes from the group. Each CD is handcrafted by Rockville Records and you can get it from The Buddy Love website. Lovers of eighties power pop Buddy Love has arrived!

Buddy Love Homepage | My Space

Here’s a bit of a documentary on Buddy Love

Listen to “Party Girl” circa 198os

It’s not IPO – but close enough and a great value for fans of power pop music. Five bands for five dollars! All at The Baggot Inn on December 15th at 9:00pm. Bands expected to attend are:

• 9 PM Eytan Mirsky
• 10 PM Jon Caspi Band
• 11 PM Andy Mac
• 12 mid The Anderson Council
• 1 AM The Brand

This is a welcome sequel to the IPO festival that was earlier in November. As related event – one of the big hits the night I was there was Buddy Love. They are returning to The Baggot Inn on December 29. These are great opportunities to see some great NY bands at a real bargain.

If you remember the movie “DIG” (2004) – it chronicled the rise and fall of The Brian Jonestown Massacre. In the group, there was a dude with the muttonchops who used to do nothing but play tambourine and make the rest of the band look hip. His name was Joel Gion. Well, he’s got his own band now called The Dilettantes, often referred to as a “California psyche-pop ‘n’ roll” band. After a few listens I have to give props to the great riffs by guitarist Jefferson Parker and he makes Joel look great. Like the BJM, “101 Tamborines” have a distinct sound that merges the best Byrdian, Stonesian sixties ethos with today’s neo-psyche indie vibrations. Every song here has a memorable guitar riff, like “Brightly Lit New Dark Ages” and the energetic opener “Ready To Go.” It took me a while to get used to Joel’s vocals which bring to mind the bastard child of Lou Reed and Bob Dylan. Some songs it works great, like “Don’t You Ever Fall” but on other songs like “Everlasting Low” it’s downright grating. Sometimes songs fall into a very trippy groove, like “Marzipan” but are missing the hooks. Other tracks, like “Kiss and Run” are positively smokin’. Overall the album is refreshingly upbeat and better than more recent BJM efforts. It’s worth checking out.

My Space | Amazon | Itunes

Listen to “Ready to Go”

Ian Axel is a singer/songwriter in the classic Ben Folds tradition. He has a great voice and a EP full of melodic songs that reflect his outlook on life’s experiences. Other reviewers have mentioned that Ian’s voice is “so clean and unaffected that it adds to his authentic feel, striking straight at the heart.” Ian Axel’s song “We Are” has placed in the top 12 of the NY Songwriters Circle songwriting competition. He has an introduction video on YouTube that pretty much says it all. Check it out. Get his tracks on itunes – he is a star in the making.

Ian Axel Website | MySpace | Itunes

Shawn Fogel is a versatile one-man band who, like Donnie and Marie, is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. His latest EP is “One Day in the Desert” and it plays like a version of The Jayhawks with a little Beach Boys thrown in. In fact, his DIY approach reminds me of Milkshake Jones a little bit. Go to the My Space site and listen to “ADD” which is a sure fire power pop hit. I can’t wait for the full length album.

Shawn Fogel Website | My Space

Steven LeBeau is an unsigned musician from from Palo Alto, California. He is currently working on his demo album and has a real Todd Rundgren influenced sound. Since he is still interning at a recording studio and learning Pro Tools, I expect he is doing everything from the singing, playing, mixing, etc. (Just like Todd!) Listen to his single “Rebound Girl” – and encourage young talent!

My Space