Paul Starling "Ghost Waltz"

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Brian Bringelson, aka Paul Starling is a young songwriter/musician who grew up in the Conejo Valley, CA. His self produced debut album is “Ghost Waltz” and for a working demo, it’s pretty damn polished. Taking on a sixties folk rock sound, not unlike The Cyrkle, mixed with Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys, Starling weaves together a series of baroque summer pop songs perfect like a cool breeze on a hot July day. It begins with a haunting low-key “Visions of drowning” which reminds me alot of the Association. Next comes “Caroline” a terrific single with great harmonies and just the right hook. Other tunes are carefully orchestrated in the contemporary sixties pop style like “I guess you’re my ghost” and “You’re wrong again” take the light Elephant Six style similar to the Ladybug Transistor or Cloud Eleven. Both are very easy on the ear. Lots of other references here are easy to spot, “Instead” sounds like an updated Gerry and The Pacemakers ballad. Easily the catchiest tune on the album is “Hey Now Dana” an early Critters or Seekers vibe is present and it’s my favorite track here. After this the remaining tracks on the album’s second half aren’t as catchy, but the same romantic mood with exception of the bleak “Alerton Park” which sounds like a Moody Blues outtake. Right now you can only get this album from the Paul Starling website. Hello? Power Pop labels like Rainbow Quartz should sign this guy now!

Paul Starling Website | My Space


“Visions of Drowning” video

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Frank Royster "Thru The Years"

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Music veteran Frank Royster has been a member of The Fire Apes and The Hed Shop Boys. This guy has real melodic guitar chops. If you took Randy Newman and Elvis Costello and spiced together the DNA with The Smithereens, you’d get Frank. His new solo album is called “Thru The Years” and like a Pinata, it contains lots of musical treats. The album starts with “I’m so Glad” a Beatlesque tune with a fantastic wall of sound production that would make the Spongetones blush. The DIY ethic is all over this album and I haven’t heard a better example of this since The Breetles. It’s followed by “You Don’t Understand” a really nice rocker that could’ve fallen off the Elvis Costello “Armed Forces” album. The vocals here really emulate Elvis C. nicely. The raspy rock voice on “Mr. Wiggins” recalls Ian Hunter a bit, with great guitar riffs here. Along with the great guitar playing is truly great songwriting ability. The chord changes on these tunes are akin to Marshall Crenshaw and other great writers of power pop. Frank puts his guitar melody in the forefront of the sound. Granted it sounds brilliant, but I think the vocal echo effects are a bit too much on some tracks and would’ve liked it mixed a bit more evenly. “Lullaby” gets into some Emitt Rhodes acoustic territory. “I Don’t Want To Lose You” is a terrific song in the Enuff Znuff mode. Some of the other songs here reminded me of The Oohs excellent “Llamalamp” album. If you like any of the artists I mentioned in this review you’ll enjoy Frank Royster. This is essential listening for power pop fans.

Frank’s Website | My Space | Kool Kat | Itunes | Not Lame | Musicishere.com

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Fooling April "In the Now"

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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

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Grace Basement "New Sense"

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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”

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10cc "Don’t Hang Up"

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

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