Powerpopholic

Fooling April "In the Now"

July 6, 2007July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Fooling April is a band on the cusp of stardom. They’ve performed with top talent, like John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Dido, The Strokes, Nellie McKay, Hoobastank, Pat McGee Band, Fastball, Franz Ferdinand, Fountains of Wayne, The Flaming Lips, and more. After hearing their first album “Every Good Boy Does Fine” I can see why. Songs had that Steely Dan meets John Mayer sophisticated pop rock style (“C-4”) and the Ben Folds influenced piano pop as well (“Chuckie & The Bone”). Unfortunately, I am seeing an “adult pop” aspect of Fooling April on “In the Now”. The production of this new album is clean and sophisticated. “Ordinary” has a sterile hip soul beat with guitar and lead singer Brian Kenneth does a admirable job, but it falls flat for me. “The Way Back Down” is an excellent ballad that is inspiring and the best track on the album here and Brian’s singing dominates the album. Like Don Henley or Dave Matthews, he effortlessly tells a song’s story with world weary soulful weight. Most of the tunes are delivered in a gospel-style like “In the Now”. What is missing here is any sense of fun. It almost sounds like generic contemporary Christian Pop on “The Answer.” The album does however avoid overwrought Michael Bolton or American Idol comparisons – but subtle it isn’t. While competent and relaxing, it lacks the hooks that would make it essential listening. Only the track “2nd Chair” seems to have the combination of pop and fun that fans of the first album would expect. Not essential, but if you’re a fan get it. Others should start with the excellent “Every Good Boy Does Fine.”

Fooling April Website | CD Baby | Kool Kat | emusic | Not Lame

Grace Basement "New Sense"

July 5, 2007April 1, 2018 powerpopaholic

Grace Basement is a pretty cool band from St. Louis. And this is a real awesome debut CD.The same kind of enthusiasm that emerged from the first Johnny Polonsky album “Hi My Name is Johnny” is here. However, the best comparison I can come up with on the fly is The Mother Hips. The excellent opening single “BBP (Ball Point Pepper)” is about as sticky a hook as you can get in a song. It has dreamy background choral florishes to a constant rhythmic guitar strum. What follows is “Green Machine” a pretty good Teenage Fanclub styled mid-tempo rocker. Then it gets even better with the melodic opus “Orphan Annie & The Dump Truck” which recalls the best of Camper Van Beethoven. The following track “On The Plane” borrows a bit of laid back Beach Boys harmony with piano and acoustic guitars and is also really good. About mid-way through the album it slows down considerably with several Wilco-like ballads. The remaining ballad tracks are very good, but don’t approach the greatness of the albums first half. It picks up again with “You Must Go Home,” a bouncy rocker and the excellent “She’s a Dream” round out this album. After a few listens, this one really sticks with you and the song melodies grows like a weed garden in your brain. That makes it a top ten contender in my book. So far I see it available on Amazon or you can contact Dren Records for a copy.

My Space | Amazon | Dren Records | Kool Kat

Listen to “BBP (Ball Point Pepper”

10cc "Don’t Hang Up"

July 2, 2007April 1, 2018 powerpopaholic

A nice video from the not often heard 10cc album “How Dare You”
— here’s more:
I’m not in Love
Rubber Bullets

Want more reviews? Download the latest Podcast here from Popism – vol.23!

Deleted Waveform Gatherings "Complicated View"

July 2, 2007April 1, 2018 powerpopaholic

This came out last month to much fanfare by the other blogs, including Bruce at Not Lame and I wanted to hear what all the fuss is about. The Deleted Waveform Gatherings is a project of Dipsomaniacs leader Øyvind Holm. Those crazy Norwegians! Like a mix of The Go! and Robert Harrison, “Morgue Itch” and “Complicated View” start off the album with quirky psychedelic rock. This is catchy stuff and great fodder for your inner hippy. Holm’s vocals are similar to Harrison, formerly of power pop fave Cotton Mather, with a high Robert Schneider (Apples in Stereo) styled vocal twists. Nods to late 60’s Beatles and Faces are here with the requiste nods to the early Kinks and modern production tricks a la Guided by Voices. This is an excellent release overall and most of the songs will stick in your head for days. “While You consider this” and “Ramshackle Paranoid Stomp” get very trippy in a Harper’s Bizarre kind of way, with tamborines, mandolins and guitar solos. “Walk on Glass” and “Ride Pillion” are very, very John Lennon solo-styled tracks that sound like they could’ve come from a Plastic Ono Band album! And this coming later on the album will give fans shivers of pleasure. The last two tracks “Minefield Baby” and “Drawing Moons” are a bit of a letdown from the rest of the album, but they are not bad either. The worst critique I can say is the liner notes are very hard to read: small dark brown lettering on black? I’ll go blind… You can buy this one almost everywhere.

Santa Dog "Kittyhawk"

June 29, 2007July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Who says females can’t do power pop? Led by female vocalist Rowena Dugdale her group Santa Dog has released 2 nicely done EPs (at CDBaby and E-music). But here is the first full length by this group. Beautiful arrangements and sweet hooks dominate throughout on “Kittyhawk.” It starts off with “Big Bang” a fantastic shimmering guitar tune. Rowena has earned comparisons to Debbie Harry, and they really are appropriate on the next song “Are you hot enough.” Rob Williams does an amazing job all over the album with a ton of detailed strum and jangle rhythms, notably on “Belle De Jour” and “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”. The group also channels a bit of classic Pretenders meets 10,000 Maniacs in the rockin’ “Lucky Me.” This is one of those rare albums that can be enjoyed on many levels. If you just want to casually listen to some jangle pop that has a sunny sound this will please you, and if you pay attention to the intelligent lyrical themes (addiction or lack of control in relationship) you’ll appreciate this album even more. Enjoy this excellent album like you would a fine meal and allow the repeat listens to really satisfy your power pop hunger.