Too Many Treats: The Blakes, Emperor Penguin, Trip Wire, Andrew Taylor, AJ Rosales, The Dowling Poole

powerpopaholic

It’s a Motherlode of FREE Music!

Before the New Jersey power pop band Readymade Breakup emerged in 2003, Paul Rosevear and Gay Elvis were part of a band called The Blakes. The pandemic allowed the group to rework some demos, and here they are; readymade with plenty of guitar crunch, jangle, and strum.

Emperor Penguin is back with an impressive third EP, lots of different style elements here; prog, new wave, and power pop. Slick production and melodies that stick! Each of the three EPs is a FREE download.

San Francisco’s Trip Wire was in the middle of an album when the Pandemic turned it into an EP. Love the mid-tempo ballad “Maps” and the psyche-pop jangle of “Hazel.”

Andrew Taylor continues his musical therapy during the lockdown. Mostly acoustic guitar ballads, with some greatness in the album’s second half starting with “Before I Go,” “Just Let It Happen,” and “The Blue.” And a new album from The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness is coming soon.

SINGLES:

Willie Dowling’s commentary on the hysteria that surrounds and consumes us all via social media, and the seemingly endless sensationalist news. The Dowling Poole never disappoints.

Chicago singer-songwriter AJ Rosales has a catchy single to start his upcoming album.

Happy Halloween! Videos, Singles and Downloadable Treats!

powerpopaholic

Mike Viola is back, as a hip vampire in the new video for ‘Drug Rug,’ a track off his upcoming LP Godmuffin. Directed by Caitlin Gerard, the video opens with Viola lying on a float in Mandy Moore’s pool. It gets weirder from there. Godmuffin arrives on 12/11/20.

Muck and The Mires have a less sophisticated video, but “Six O’Clock Baby” from the new LP Take Me Back To Planet Earth is a really catchy tune and the monster theme means it gets posted here today! Get the album on Amazon

The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco charms us with this piano melody about getting married 29 times. “Monogamy will be the death of me” he sings. I agree with that one! It’s a free downloadable treat and the bands got a cool video too!

This lockdown is scary enough, but back from the dead comes The Feels with a new single to die for. A perfect package of power-pop riffs and a deadly hook!

Ken Sharp has another gem with “Mr. Popularity” joined by the always great Fernando Perdomo. It’s got a little ’70s funk too! Enjoy!

Ward White has this very creepy version of The Beatles classic “Helter Skelter” featuring a ghostly reed organ played by Grammy-winning engineer/producer, John Spiker (Tenacious D, Beck), perfect for a Halloween night!

Jim Basnight exclusive debut with The Moberlys, Rockinghams and more

powerpopaholic

Jim Basnight and The Moberlys

Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Jokers, Idols and Misfits”

Jim Basnight has been a rock and roll survivor, from his days with The Moberlys in the ’80s, to The Rockinghams in the ’90s to today. Power Popaholic is proud to debut his new full-length LP Jokers, Idols, and Misfits with our digital distribution on Bandcamp.

Jim has gathered together a series of covers over the course of his musical career that mean something to him personally. Some will be familiar (The Who’s “I Can See For Miles”) but many are not. Obscurities like The Cowboys, Mike Czekaj, and The Sonics are alongside the well-known rockers here. The Kinks “This Is Where I Belong” opens a sprawling 21 track journey into rock, pop, and punk. The performances are top-notch, as “Rock and Roll Cowboy” showcases the energy of The Rockinghams, while the excellent covers of Marc Bolan’s “Laser Love,” The Sonics “Cinderella” and “New Guitar In Town” demonstrate just how freaking tight The Moberlys were.

Basnight also arranges the music to best effect with his vocal style, like on The Turtles “You Showed Me” with an emphasis on its percussion and horns. The bluesy approach on “Princess In Rags” with strings and trumpets shows Jim’s range and flexibility. This is one album that defies predictability, and for every familiar tune, you get something you’ve likely never heard before. I have to admit my bias here, but overall this is a terrific mix of songs with something for everyone. CD version is expected in a month or so. Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp

The Tummies and The Rockyts

powerpopaholic
Bubble

The Tummies “9:30 Girl”

This Nashville, Tennessee group has a great dynamic with the dual vocals of Judd Fuller and Dana Radford, and a Beatlesque streak a mile wide. Fans of The Rooks and Grip Weeds will adore this band. The original songs all wear the influence on their sleeves but don’t sound like a slavish imitation at all.

The jangling Rickenbackers and harmonies of “Sweet Little Mistreater” will carry you away to Merseybeat heaven and it sticks fast. The catchy “Little Blue Heart” and “Puppet” continue the party, and the title track is a slow ballad daydreaming about a girl you see on your commute. It effectively shifts moods on the acoustic “Collector” but it’s the groovy dance tunes like “Stuff Like That” is what these Tummies do best. Overall, the songwriting and musicianship are perfect without a note of filler. Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp


Bubble

The Rockyts “Come On And Dance”

The Rockyts are a young Ottawa band who are modernizing the ’60s British Invasion sound for a new generation. Their high energy performances include original tunes that have a Merseybeat formula and several classic covers. 

The opener “All of the Time” certainly has the goods, with some similarities to the Fab Four’s “Anytime At All,” it’s pure catchy fun. The originals recall several other bands, notably The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, and Manfred Mann. Most of the songs are fast tempo and around 2 minutes in length. “Run, Run, Run” and “Have Love Will Travel” have more of a garage rock style. The Knickerbockers “Lies” and  The Easybeats “She’s So Fine” are also a perfect fit for this trio.  They stray from the formula a little with the instrumental “Espresso,” and it’s a good showcase for each band member. While this is a terrific debut, I would love to hear more originals songs. But these guys are young and hopefully, we’ll hear more very soon.

Amazon

 

Bubble and The Amplifier Heads

powerpopaholic
Bubble

Bubble “Other Broken Dreams”

NYC power pop group featuring songwriter Dave Foster (guitar/vocals), Russ Alderson (bass/vocals), and Tommy DeVito (drums). In their current incarnation, with Rembert Block (vocals/perc), Mike Fornatale (lead guitar/vocals), and Charly Roth (keyboards) they have recorded their first album in a decade. Opening with “Be Careful” it’s a theme for the COVID age, with a jaunty XTC-inspired rhythm.

The jangling ballad “You Don’t Have To Say It” boasts a great piano bridge as the chorus rises in triumph and the catchy “Mail Order Submarine” is full of wonderful percussive effects and Beatlesque guitars. The songwriting is superb on “Don’t It Make You Wanna Cry,” a bittersweet tune about the loss of a music venue and that last show, and the folk acoustic “There is Hope” provides some encouragement for the soul. The album’s second half doesn’t score as high, but still provides good listening with the highlights “Make It Through” and “Never Gonna Let You Go.”  Mostly it’s great music that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Amplifier Heads

The Amplifier Heads “Music For Abandoned Amusement Parks”

Boston based musician Sal Baglio moves from those sunny singles of summer with a sobering autumn album that is very much like getting lost in an amusement park after dark. The opening “Funhouse Mirrors” starts the album theme with some hopeful anticipation, but the slow guitar instrumental “The Lonesome Carousel” changes the mood quickly, next “September Song” describes the back-to-school routine.

Musically, Baglio keeps these melodies finely developed, with just enough hooks to keep you coming back for more. Stylistically akin to Tom Petty “Candy Apple Girl” and “Ghost Song” are highlights that focus on nostalgic memories. The title track recalls Andy Partridge, with its swirling baseline and the energetic guitar riffs in “Freaks” tell a former carny’s story. At times it feels like Sal ran out of ideas towards the end of the album, as short musical interludes seem to take over. But overall the songs are effective — and ultimately worth checking out.

Bandcamp | Kook Kat Musik