Lots of goodies to comb through to satisfy that power pop fix. Italy’s finest import Radio Days teases us with a ballad, then Boston band Justine and The Unclean misses those great drinks I used to get at bars near Faneuil Hall. On a similar party note; The Sorels just can’t wait for the winter to end with this rockin’ theme. Ken Sharp covers Kiss luminaries Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, so those debates about “Is Kiss power pop?” can start all over again. Cult Stars From Mars are created from the ashes of legends Fuzzbubble. This is top-shelf power pop, and if you want a freebie; check out their One Chord Progression.
The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness “Songs From Another Life”
Andrew Taylor has been doubling his output since this past summer, not only with his main band Dropkick, but his side project with Gonzalo Marcos aka The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness. Like the highly-rated debut, this new BWPN album is a continuation of catchy jangle-filled themes. It’s loaded with sticky pop hooks akin to Teenage Fanclub.
Opening with “I Don’t Mind” is a great start with a strong flowing tempo that ends just as you get into a groove, but even better is the Byrdsian guitar signature in “Play (On My Mind).” Each song is a gem, but some of my favorites include the sweet look back on “Rose Tinted Glass,” “Summer,” and “Lethargy.” Although many of the songs share a similar tempo (my only pet peeve here) there is enough distinction to prevent them from blending together. Highly Recommended and a contender for my top 10 in 2021 list.
Nashville singer-songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan is hard to pin down, and he likes it that way. “Sunday Women” is a deceptively simple song, a phrase repeated over and over, like a daydream. Then “Computer of Love” establishes an easy-going feeling before it launches into the catchy chorus “My little avatar/I’ll never know who you really are” all about casual dating and friendships on the internet. Echoes of Tom Petty are on “Up All Night” and Tasjan’s guitar actually emulates the sound of synths on “Don’t Overthink It.”
“Another Lonely Day” and “Feminine Walk” in some ways remind me of Bleu McAuley, with its acoustic bounce, and a multi-harmonic vocal. The melodic qualities and songwriting are top-notch. “Now You Know” is a confessional that just draws you in with just a vocal and bass line. A superb album that’s very inviting, and reveals more with every listen. Highly Recommended.
Glasgow native Joe Kane (aka The Poppermost) follows up his single from November with a smashing EP pulled out of the 1964 – 1965 Merseybeat era. “Well I Will” nails that early Moptop style, but “Laziest Fella In The Realm” is more like Freddie and The Dreamers, and the catchy “In & Out” is another winner. Excellent retro-pop that’s highly recommended.
Dutch power poppers Tommy & The Rockets do several simple three-chord gems as part of twofer with the band Psychotic Youth. Punchy songs that recall Kurt Baker and The Connection in approach are primarily covers, and my faves are The Jags “Back of My Hand and Chris Montez’s “Some Kind of Fun.” Check it out!
Peaces is a quartet from Germany. Love the opening heavy jangle of the title track and even though the vocals are a bit lacking, the spirit is there on “40 Days & 40 Nights.” A sweet rock song about Harry Potter’s wizard school is lamented on “Sorcerers Get All the Girls.” This is a band that deserves to be heard.
Stephen’s Shore is a band from Stockholm, Sweden with a dreamy jangle not unlike Dropkick with a bit more laidback attitude. “Skogen” and “Up To No Good” have a sound akin to the moody late 60s folk-pop of Scott McKenzie. Worth checking out for sure.
Detroit’s Ryan Allen is back without his band Extra Arms, and his power-pop tendencies are more accentuated here. Starting with “Get To The Gig” it’s a rocking good time akin to The Velvet Crush and Sloan. “Already Gone” keeps the energy flowing with a rock and blues approach and “Feeling You Feeling Me” eases into a jangling rhythm, and those late sixties influences start to leak in. “On My Mind” is the catchy follow-up with an infectious hook that gets you right away and before you know it we are at the halfway mark.
Next, we have a slower tempo palette cleanser, “Election Night” which is highlighted with acoustic and electric overlapping leads. His love of ’70s rock (“VTO”) and late-era Beatles (“Only Son”) are also evident in the baroque “Shannon Cake” which has lots of sweet backing harmonies, minor chords, and quirky poetic lyrics. Although Ryan tries several styles, each song is carefully constructed. Overall a lot of stuff to love here, and that makes it a highly recommended album.
Belgian trio Teen Creeps channel the late ’90s grunge and indie-rock effectively. Fans of Nirvana, Hüsker Dü, and Pavement will enjoy the pleasing fuzzy guitar textures here. “Seeing Shapes” starts us off with a strong lead and percussive combination. The vocals are buried under this, but the energy is effective. “Signal Dream” is a little more laidback, with a compelling chorus.
While there are requisite punk tunes (“Fall Out” and “Tourist”) it doesn’t take over the album, and the grungy drones of “Brothers” are more commonly heard. “Hideaway” brings to mind The Replacements, and “Toughen Up” combines the mellow and adds in a strong chorus to make it a highlight. The title track follows a similar formula, making this an album that deserves to be heard.
Another massive snowstorm on the east coast, but I wanted to make you aware of some “free” musical stimulus to help soothe the cabin fever. The fine folks at Rum Bar Records have not one, but TWO great samplers loaded full of music by some great artists like The Dirty Truckers, Geoff Palmer, Watts, Tad Overbaugh, and many more.
Remember the Kansas City band Hidden Pictures? I reviewed a release back in 2012, but I haven’t been as diligent in keeping up with Richard Gintowt and his team. Well, he’s done the unprecedented step of releasing his entire catalog at a “name-your-price” point. That includes the brand new single “Mahomies” just in time for the big game. This is a super opportunity to get lots of great music.
