Summer is slowly fading, but we have plenty of good music. Ex-Norwegian is back with an eclectic single “Thot Patrol” which combines so many sounds, it defies categorization. Ezrat presents a light indie-pop that floats on by a bed of synths. The Dowling Poole lays it all down with a bombastic rocker backed by lush orchestral strings about fiddling through the apocalypse. Getting tripper is the melodic stylings of Bagful of Bees “Syco” which brings to mind XTC and I’ll be happy to hear the rest of this LP soon. French rocker Tommy Lorente finds a sweet guitar hook in the sparse reggae beat on “A Mes Yeux.” Mo Troper still has some acoustic demos from Natural Beauty and it sounds great, so check it out. We started with an “Ex,” so let’s end with a real Norwegian band I Was A King, who sounds damn good with those jangling pop hooks, hear “happy.”
Bleu McAuley returns with another much-anticipated studio album. Of course, Bleu remains inspired by ELO, Prince, Dire Straits, and Carl Carlton(!) but ever since 2013’s “To Hell With You,” he’s gravitated more towards hip hop and disco influences than power pop. That mentioned, the album is a full on mash-up of styles, and Bleu approaches it with the same enthusiasm and skilled production work as past albums.
The fun begins with the single “I Wanna Write You a Symphony,” a great self-deprecating ballad that goes down a winding musical path. “A Crazy Life” is bold hip-hop-influenced tune with a deep beat and a catchy chorus. But where is the power pop? Well, Bleu can still rock better than most with the fantastic “Baby By Your Side” guaranteed to give goosebumps with its ELO-styled bridge. Also the enthusiastic “Love You So” blends old and new pop to great effect.
Included is the acoustic gem “Kid Someday” and “Snakes” piano melody channels Randy Newman. Not everything here works, but enough does to merit highly recommended status. One thing Bleu does well, he offers lots of bonuses and collectibles for fans, but this is a pricey album at $27, so newcomers may want to start with earlier efforts.
San Franciscan Paul Desjarlais continues his journey of trippy pop with Pseudonym. While it starts slowly, Pseudonym ramps up and crafts a psych-pop gem comparable with Elephant 6 bands, like Olivia Tremor Control. Recorded during the pandemic lockdown, Paul is helped by a crew known by their pseudonyms; Cliff Notes, Waylan Solo, Gil Gulible, and Dr. Rhythm.
“Anonymous Sources” weaves vocal harmonies and buzzing guitar riffs, across a layered chorus. “Tell Me” is another brilliant tune about confiding in losing out. While it gets trippy beats on “Shadows in the Rain,” Paul is at his best when the hooks take hold like on “Astronaut” where the dry lyric “having a space heater doesn’t make you an astronaut” sticks in your brain. The textures on “Stare Down” and “Thought you would know” are both fuzzier than a peach and work well with the compositions. Overall, a highly recommended album, that’s also at a “name-your-price” point. So get it now!
The Butler brothers Stephen and Brian are back for “21” and once again it’s a stellar example of pop musicianship. With the aid of Cliff Hillis (Starbelly), David Uosikkinen (The Hooters), Greg Maragos (Quickstep John), and Wally Smith, they help give the band a fresh, crisp sound.
“Then She Disappeared” opens with tight harmonies and an easy-going chorus with a fantastic baseline leading the way. The mid-tempo rocker “Travel Into Light” brings to mind classic CSN with its memorable hook and soulful guitar break. The songs are allowed to grow organically, so less of the quick three-minute pop gems that the band is famous for, although the layered “Dart in My Heart” with its slide guitar flourishes do just fine. The band still mines from the Beatles/Kinks book of influences as the dream-like “Upside Down World” and “Mr. Maybe” are pure delights. The richer, lush rock sound is part of “Enjoy The View,” a well-written call to seize the day while you can. Overall a highly recommended album by a veteran band that is similar to expensive whiskey. Smooth and satisfying.
Geoff Palmer (The Connection) continues his evolution after the fantastic Pulling Out All The Stops. The punk-pop of “Many More Drugs” and “Don’t Be” are fun tunes with a wry sense of humor akin to Bowling For Soup or Green Day. Geoff carves out an even better track with “This Monkey,” a catchy gem that seems both pensive and apprehensive simultaneously. “Tomorrow” is a more reflective tune, that looks back on a wild youth, and it’s another winner.
After a brief respite of mid-tempo rockers, it bounces to the catchy “Jammed Up” which has a terrific harmonic-guitar break midway through. The speedy tempo returns on the foibles of being a musician on “A Hard Day’s Life” which riffs on Dylan lyrically (“The answer ain’t blowin’ in the wind”) and the Western-themed plea “What Would Paul Westerberg Do?” The entire album breezes by and deserves multiple spins to really appreciate. Highly Recommended.
Scotland’s own Joe Kane transforms into a “one-man-Beatles” with The Poppermost. Unlike others doing the Beatlesque thing (Johnathan Pushkar or Tommy Sistak) Joe is more about re-creation than emulation. He uses an array of old instruments, microphones, and analog recording techniques to get the sound authentically like 1964-66, and details it down to the echoing studio chatter. It certainly has the energy and innocence of the Cavern-era on “Egg and Chips.” We get some great catchy singles like “Yes, It’s True” and the Ringo-like “One of Those Gerrlss.”
Like The Rutles, Joe will also add a little humor in the lyrics on songs like “Hits To Spare,” and eventually some added Merseybeat influences peek through with “Laziest Fella in The Realm.” However, some tunes are just too close to the inspiration; “Park and Ride” is an obvious remake of “Ticket To Ride.” While that may turn off some, it’s all in good fun and a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Check it out!
Ed Ryan’s brand of solid power pop is back, and his love of The Kinks is still a primary influence. The opener “Anytown” is wonderfully constructed with excellent guitar and solid jangling rhythms. After this single the album strikes a different tone, an orchestral instrumental leads us to a percussive 80s styled title track.
After this is a song about dating advice “Fish In The Sea” and the handclaps and hooks lead “Biggest Fan” and “Why Doncha Do It.” Musically it’s all great, but Ryan’s vocals don’t always stand out enough. It’s best in the mid-tempo rockers like “Made Me” where he even sounds like an American version of Ray Davies. There is a good mix of power pop and a few other styles here, highlights include “Everyone Wonders” and “Hollow Man.” Repeat plays will yield even more appreciation for Ryan’s songwriting prowess, which gets better with each album. It’s music that deserves to be heard.
Don’t miss out! Be like super producer-musician Andy Reed (The Legal Matters) and get your copy of the book today. New orders get a special gift in addition to the 20-song soundtrack that comes with the book. Order your book today!
