Now this is what I’m talkin’ about, FREE MUSIC – legally! The Format is offering last year’s smash album “Dog Problems” as a free download til July 16th. This is an opportunity to get your friends and enemies hooked on power pop excellence as this album was in almost everyones top 20 of 2006. If the Beach Boys styled harmonies don’t win you over the awesome hooks will. If you don’t already own this album, you have NO EXCUSES anymore. Then pass the link over to the next guy. Don’t you wish all new power pop bands would promote themselves like this? It’s called building a “buzz” and gaining new fans.
Emerson Hart "Cigarettes and Gasoline"
Former Tonic frontman Emerson Hart has released his new solo album “Cigarettes and Gasoline” – a very personal album that touches on Hart’s personal struggles with the unsolved murder of his father as a child. Hart’s reminders of his childhood past include the sights, sounds and smells – and that’s where the album title comes from. The lyrics and songwriting are heartfelt and revealing here. “If You’re Gonna Leave.” is a melodic soaring ballad that paints a perfect picture of reget for “what might have been.” “I Wish the Best For You,” is another soaring alt-rock ballad and touches on the memories of a friend’s divorce. These songs are tailor made as a great Father’s Day gift for your dad’s new ipod. “I Know” hits more power pop territory along the lines of Fastball. Hart has a gift for writing these great pop hooks, like in “Vanity” – a mellow mid-tempo brooding song that shows Emerson is near the cream of the alt-rock heap. That being said some songs are a bit non descript (like “Flyin”) and too similar to other Tonic ballads. As a personal statement, Hart has done an very good job when it comes to his theme. As a power pop album it’s also good and slick enough to appeal to mature audiences who are looking for more than a happy pop recording. Hart spent several years in Nashville, soaking up the scene and it shows on tracks like “Green Hills Race For California” with it’s delightful acoustic strum. Athough it sounds like a major label release, Hart has opted for the small Manhattan Records label to release “Cigarettes and Gasoline.” For me, it beats the new Bon Jovi album hands down. Listen to the album samples to see what I mean.
Emerson Hart Website | Album Samples | Itunes | My Space | Amazon
An overview of Emerson Hart’s “Cigarettes and Gasoline”
Maple Mars "Beautiful Mess"
I was not keen on Maple Mars’ “Circular Haze” which I thought got too trippy and tried a bit too hard. So I wasn’t sure what to expect four years later with “Beautiful Mess” and I was pleasantly surprised. Guitarist Rick Hromadka (formally of the LA based Double Naught Spies) has done an excellent job here balancing the power pop and the psychedelic sound that he does so well. The opening song “Beautiful Mess” is equal parts Mick Ronson and Queen with a little Beatles thrown in. “Listen” is an awesome mix of the psychedelic and lush pop orchestration, sounds like it belongs on Badfinger’s “Straight Up.” A lighter touch on tracks like “Breathe Deep” make this release so enjoyable. The guitar work on “Fell Of The Cloud” rivals The Cloud Eleven for smoothness and laid back California style. This approach works beautifully to a cover of 10cc’s “I’m not in Love” that will give you goosebumps for sure. The ballad “Between Two Worlds” shimmering guitar solo is similar to a lost ELO tune sung by Todd Rundgren and will demand repeat listens. There are other ballads here “Apology” and “Sweetest Dream” do an amazing job of establishing an atmosphere and the vocal overlays and chords in “Sweetest Dream” remind me of classic Cyrkle. With no misses and so many hits, this easily makes it a Top Ten contender of 2007.
Maple Mars Website | CD Baby | Itunes | My Space | Kool Kat | Not Lame
The Bye Bye Blackbirds “Honeymoon”
The Bye Bye Blackbirds are a wonderful new pop band from Oakland, CA. “Honeymoon” is a light and cheery EP without being sappy and will appeal to fans of The Byrds, Beach Boys and classic Wilco. The choruses come flying at you with gorgeous pedal steel guitar on “In Every Season.” The Pet Sounds vibe comes across on “After Work” very nicely. “Weekend Folks” reminds me of the gentle crooning of Teenage Fanclub and Pete Ham era Badfinger. “Needle-in-a Haystack Girls” have a real Richard X. Heyman sense of melody and hooks. It’s obvious that songwriters Ian Robertson and Bradley Skaught are huge power pop fans here. The influences are prominent but The Bye Bye Blackbirds still have a unique sound and the songwriting is top notch too. Every song here is a power pop gem and will not disapoint. The mood gets a little somber on “How I Knew It Wasn’t Love” but does an amazing job with the Rubinoos-like “Suit & Make Up” If only this was a regular album and not an EP it would be on my top 10 list. Don’t miss this one.
Bye Bye Blackbirds Website | CD Baby | Itunes | My Space | Not Lame
Listen to “Quiet Confusion”
John Wicks and The Records "Rotate"
Going through the backlog of CDs, several Kool Kat artists were released recently. If you like your power pop in a vintage 80’s mode, you couldn’t do better than John Wicks new album “Rotate.” Wicks picks up with the classic Records sound and starts right away with the catchy “Oh Yeah!” a sure-fire classic single. Another standout is “That Girl is Emily” – a great rock and roll song with a bit of Cheap Trick styled guitar theatrics. “Rotate” is another mid-tempo guitar jangle-fest with a highly enjoyable melodic chorus that reminds me of a classic REM song. Wicks vocals have barely aged and sounds as good as he did twenty years ago. “Rising Stars” and “Desert Sky” both have some great moments, but wander on a bit too long. Another great song is “The Lost Years” an autobiographical account of The Records troubled past. “Come on Round” is another catchy riff filled piece of jangly goodness with a touch of alt. country. Also a great cover of the Beatles’ “We Can Work it Out” rounds out this excellent release. For Records fans, this is a must-have CD and for other pop fans it is highly enjoyable listening. My fellow blogger, Kid Charlemagne has a detailed history of The Records and this release here.
John Wicks and The Records Website | Kool Kat | My Space – the Records | John Wicks solo | Not Lame | CD Baby
Video: “Starry Eyes” – The Records big hit from 1980.