Check out the big blue “Artist Interviews” button on the right. Subtle, yes? Anyway if you’d like some more insight into some of the bands I review here, check it out. New interviews posted: Phil Usher of Grand Atlantic and Brian McClelland of The Maxtone Four
Jason Falkner "I’m Ok… You’re Ok"
Well it took long enough, but the great Jason Falkner has released his newest full length solo CD. It contains the first original material in almost eight years (If you don’t count the excellent Bliss Decending EP). Is it worth the wait? Well, yes and no. To those who are Falkner-fanatics who bought the Japan only release in April then it is essential, like a oasis after a long desert journey. For the rest of us, it is a very good album that fits nicely into your power pop collection. Like The Beach Boys “Smiley Smile”, this is a solid bunt and not a home run. My guess is Jason has been too busy producing other projects over the past seven years (Air, Beck, Aimee Mann, etc.) and this feels like a “project” for his cult fan base. That aside, it delivers what you expect: Awesome arrangements, glorious hooks and fantastic melodies. It opens with “This Time” a great song that sets the pace with a rising chorus and driving beat. It follows with the ELO meets Devo gems “NYC” and “The Knew.” Then the beautiful “Stephanie tells me” continues this hit streak. No one can sound like him, and Falkner can bend your ear better than anyone outside of Roger Manning. After that it wanders into Beck-like territory before recovering with the inspirational ballad “Runaway,” with it’s wonderful chord progressions. It then slips into an introspective funk until the last track “I don’t mind” provides an amazing vocal acrobatic chorus “I haven’t smiled since yesterday, It’s alright. I’m okay.” It may not be as perfect as his earlier albums, but it comes damn close. What do you expect here? A bad review? When this gets to US outlets, I’ll post the information because even $37 is a bit steep for this import.
Jason Falkner’s Site | My Space | Bad News Japanese CDs | Amazon
Listen to “Stephanie Tells Me”
Listen to “This Time”
Rooney "Calling The World"
Rooney, a major label band that brought us a power pop smash debut in 2003. It is an perfect example of how it combines past influences with present tastes to create indelible power pop classics. Led by frontman Robert Schwartzman, Rooney’s new album “Calling the World” continues to offer us sweeping melodic hooks and strong addictive alt rock singles. Simply put, it is above and beyond the debut album. Rooney has also updated their sound a bit. It is a bit more studied and less carefree, I guess the band matured after four years. It opens with the uber-catchy “When did your heart go missing” – sure to have MTV repeatability. Next up an truly amazing Queen-like “I should have been after you” with great beat and harmonies that are truly classic. Then “Tell Me Soon” hits all the power chords and forges together a massive rock single. “Don’t Come Around Again” brings the glam back with a capital “G” and sizzling guitar riffs. “Are they Afraid” is a amalgam of Alan Parsons Project and ELO influences. All the tunes here are not just good. They are great and every track here speaks volumes. Rooney have taken some of the best rock of the last forty years and melded it together into their own sound that is truly accessible to the fickle public. The lyrical content here is not so profound, but it is easily digested. Easily, this makes my top 10 list. In fact, it is right now the best album I heard all year so far. And a major label release yet! Run don’t walk to get this album.
Rooney Homepage | MySpace | Amazon
Listen to “Calling the world”
Listen to “When did your heart go missing”
Third of Never "Moodring"
Third of Never is a bit of a power pop supergroup. The Brainchild of Kurt Reil from the legendary Grip Weeds and CJ Grogan, with Vince Grogan and Jon Dawson, they rock out hard on the debut “Moodring” – This is a pretty awesome debut. Guest stars John Bundrick of The Who and Dennis Diken of the Smithereens help make it a classic. Recorded at the Gripweeds House of Vibes studio it starts off with the fantastic pop-psyche “Mystic Slide” that reminds me of Rainbow Quartz artists, Resonars and Strawberry Smell. It’s followed by the melodic, progressive sounding “Bag of Boxes,” a great tune that conjures up images of early Genesis and Yes. The tune “Wide Awake Sleeping” is an instant power pop classic that wouldn’t sound out of place of the Smithereens first album! The style takes a twist to “Redneck Riviera” a bit of Steely Dan meets Joe Walsh styled rock. Next comes a decent cover Pete Townsend’s “Let My Love Open the Door”.Then we get the gorgeous jangle and harmonies of the Nick Lowesque “Everyday is a Lonely Night.” If you like your power pop with extra power, than you owe it to yourself to check this out. Listen to the entire album streaming on a special Third of Never “Moodring” blog
Third of Never Site | My Space | Jam Recordings | CD Baby | Not Lame
Whoa! Super Amanda is the buxom babe is featured in this video for “Let My Love Open the Door”
The Zebras "Worry a lot"
The Zebras are a Brisbane-based Jangle pop band that produces the golden tones of the Bryds, and reminds me a lot of Rainbow Quartz artist The Rhinos and The Go-Betweens. “Worry a lot” boasts some steady clean production and mellow, light vocal arrangements. It’s also got the most guitar jangle I’ve heard in a while. This helps in that the sound is familiar and comforting in a the perfect laid-back summer way. “You Look Ready” has a wonderful melody and the gentle overdubbed vocals float above the guitar line with a great hook for the chorus. The guitar melody line for “Science Competition” sounds like it fell off a classic Beach Boys album and has nice bass line breaks throughout the song. “Doong Doong” has a very Belle and Sebastian feel to it with Edwina Ewins and Jeremy Cole bouncing vocals off each other. However, too much of the album’s songs sounds very similar to each other and can make the entire album feel repetitious. The Zebras could also try to make some of the vocals stand out more as a counter melody to the strong guitar sound. For jangle pop fans this is a “must have” CD. For others, it’s very good summer listening.