Powerpopholic

The Pearlfishers "Up with the Larks"

November 12, 2007July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

It’s been a long time since I heard The Pearlfishers, and I hope we hear more from them and the wait isn’t so long next time. My last experience was in 1997, with “The Strange Underworld of the Tall Poppies” a light group of twee Beatlesque tunes – See here. Wow, they have matured. The latest album “Up with the Larks” is a baroque orchestral pop masterpiece. Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake lent a hand with producing four tracks, but it isn’t close to TF’s sound. This is a lush multi-layered album – David Scott has outdone himself here, with subtle dreamscapes that float through your ears like dandelion florets on a hot summer day. The title track, “Up With The Larks” opens with an ear-catching Todd Rundgrenesque melody and catchy harmonies. This is followed by “Bluebells” a song that equals Burt Bacharach in texture and complex arrangements with full strings. “Send Me A Letter” is a perfect male counterpoint to a Carole King-styled mid tempo number. “Womack and Womack” adds a bit of soul in it’s biting critique of the music industry. My favorite here is “London’s In Love” a beautiful love song with the orchestral majesty that puts Eric Matthews to shame. Another standout is “With You On My Mind,” a Randy Newman-type song with a much better vocal. Throughout the album are a lot of subtle Brian Wilson-isms and choral flourishes that push each song into greatness. These dramatic tunes have just the right mix of soul, tin-pan alley pop and folk sensibilities. Also no filler here – as every song is required listening. The finale ” I Just See The Rainbow” is a really heartfelt ballad and I’m positive some smart producer will take this album and use it’s songs for a hit Broadway show. It makes the ever expanding top ten list as well.

The Pearlfishers Site | My Space | E Music | Kool Kat Musik | Not Lame

Listen to “Womack and Womack”

Report from International Pop Overthrow in NYC

November 12, 2007April 1, 2018 powerpopaholic 2 Comments

A good time was had by all at the IPO show on November 10, 2007. All the acts were great – even through it began with some performers playing solo without a backing band. Chris Breetveld had a good acoustic set that got the crowd’s attention and the next act, to my surprise was the great Lane Steinberg of Tan Sleeve. He was an amazing solo with near pefect syncing to an orchestral backdrop with “Happy Holidaze.” Then the club was transformed via flashback to 1981 with the tight new wave set by The Trend. The highlight of the set for me was the single “Mama Thought You Were A Nice Girl”. After a great set the room continued to rock with another reunited 80s band, Buddy Love (pictured above) as they sweated out an amazing bunch of high energy songs. After that Dave Bash, IPO founder introduced me to the audience and in turn I thanked him and introduced The Orion Experience to the stage. It was really cool for Dave to let me introduce an act — I hope to do it next year at IPO NYC!

International Pop Overthrow 2007

November 10, 2007July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

The New York City festival known as IPO NYC 2007 has started last night. I will attend the show tomorrow night and check out some of these bands live. It’s at the Baggot Inn, I will give a short review of the concert. I have already reviewed a few bands that will appear:

The Orion Experience

The Deadbeat Poets

Just to make things even more interesting I put together a Cafe Press page with “powerpopaholic” branded goodies on it. Take a look. So get a button and support this site! More reviews coming after the show.

Canadians "A Sky with No Stars"

November 8, 2007July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

A group of Italian power poppers named their band “Canadians.” Brilliant! Although not so search engine friendly, Canadians debut album has lots of great guitar jangle, humming synths and pounding beats. Alot like Death Cab for Cutie with an Italian accent, it’s sweet indie power pop with a West Coast influence. The high quality production comes through as well. The big Beach Boys-influenced single here is “Summer Teenage Girl” and you can download it for FREE. The sound marries the classic 60s influences with big indie stadium anthems that usually are reserved for bands like Oasis. “Find our 60s” is a song that perfectly finds that sweet spot and has a bit of a Teenage Fanclub guitar-filled chorus. The songs lyrics are a tribute to those great bands that influenced power pop as well. Singer Duccio Simbeni’s accent and voice sometimes gets lost in the wall of sound here. Notable is the indie epic “Last Revenge of The Nerds” – it carries a melody along, similar to the groups Field Music or the Shins, but with a long echoing chorus and ringing guitars. Every so often an acoustic guitar peeks through on a song like “The North Side of Summer” with force. The album is very consistent in delivering good quality songs. Even a little twee multi-tracking vocal flourish and synth help keep this release memorable. If you miss the classic Supergrass sound from “We’re in it for the Money” era you’ll appreciate the bombast this album provides. For emusic subscribers, here’s another no brainer.

The Canadians Main Site | My Space | E Music

Listen to “Love Story On The Moon”

Listen to “Good News”

Listen to “Summer Teenage Girl”

"Songs from the Bigtop" Various Artists

November 8, 2007May 31, 2018 powerpopaholic 2 Comments

Hurry! Hurry! Step right up and be the first on your block to listen to Devon Reed’s soundtrack to “Songs from The Bigtop.” Not only does he produce a major film, ladies and gentlemen, but he wrote all the songs on the album to be performed by some of today’s greatest indie and power pop artists. Featuring songs performed by Doug Martsch (Built To Spill), Matthew Sweet, The Clientele, The Marbles (Robert Schneider of Apples in Stereo), Tullycraft, and more. Reed wrote each song custom based on the sound of each artist, and it’s sounds pretty good. Most of the album is full of lush ballads that speak wistfully of Devon’s love of circus life. Highlights include Michael Leviton’s “I Only want Sky” and Matthew Sweet’s “Wild” as mid tempo pop songs with just the right touch. Like a good box of chocolates, sweet suprises are to be found, for example the excellent “I Just Can’t Keep Up” by The Owls. A few tunes here didn’t thrill me, but that’s to be expected on a compiled soundtrack of artists with such unique styles. The link that ties it all together is Devon Reed’s songs, and the album evokes warmth and a hint of melancholy. Hopefully the film itself is as well crafted as the soundtrack. It’s only available on itunes. And who doesn’t love the circus?

Devon Reed Main Site | IMDB profile on the movie | Itunes

Listen to Michael Leviton’s “I Only Want The Sky”

Listen to Damien Jurado’s “Ashes”