Matthew Sweet and Heatwaves

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Matthew Sweet

Matthew Sweet “Catspaw”

Matthew Sweet’s “Catspaw” was completed last year, but only released recently and it’s his most somber and stylistically consistent album in many years. The theme of the album was described by Sweet “Don’t ever forget life is totally cruel and the catspaw is already coming down on you.” Sweet spent his time on this one, doing all the instrumentals with drum work by Ric Menck (Velvet Crush).

“Blown Away” boasts those oppressive chords, and bluesy swirling guitar fills that are his unmistakable signature. Sweet has always had the ability to draw you into his pain, and he does it here brilliantly. Next, “Give A Little” has a solid hook that keeps giving and has “a little bit of hope” as it lurches along. Then “Challenge the Gods” shows his defiance. “Punch the world in the face. Use your time to rise above.” as he offers sound advice to the oppressive environment that was 2020. The guitar melodies seem tighter and more focused than his previous outings since he’s handling the lead by himself. Many highlights are here, and overall this stands out as his best album since 2003’s “Kimi Ga Suki.” So technically — this will make my top albums list. A great start to 2021.

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Heatwaves

Heatwaves “Complete Recordings (2017-2020)”

Jose Dolz (Shock Treatment) and Luis Sanchez (Depressing Claim, Reactivos & K7s) wanted to do covers of those Phil Spector produced girl groups like The Ronettes, The Supremes, and The Shangri-las. They “discovered” vocalist Ana Beltran at a karaoke bar and the rest is history. However, the title is a little misleading, as this is not a defunct band, nor did they stop recording.

Opening with “My Baby Has Gone” it’s got the girl-group style as far as song structure, but the guitar figures more prominent than those buttoned-down original influences. It’s a lot of fun and catchy too. “Lonely Nights” features Beltran’s version of Diana Ross as those strings swell up. Hearing these tunes, they do make an effort to grow beyond the template, but you’ll have a grand time playing “spot the influence.” Overall it’s infectious, including some Christmas and French-language songs. Highly Recommended.

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EP Reviews: The Airport 77, The Cheap Cassettes and The Lickerish Quartet

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The Airport 77s

The Airport 77s “Rotation”

The Airport 77s embody the classic power pop spirit of 20/20, Pezband, and The Knack with a modern spin; “When you’re kissing on me do you think of James McAvoy?” is a great tune that simply rocks with both attitude and desperation. “I mean, I get it — he rocks your world…” implores lead singer Andy Sullivan.

The anthemic “All The Way” has a touch of Cheap Trick in its DNA and it’s all about making that special moment memorable. A good cover of the Bram Tchaikovsky hit “Girl of My Dreams” fits right in with the band’s style. “Bad Mom!” is another highlight, with a jagged new wave rhythm, great bass line, and lyrics that obsess about that MILF in the PTA.  The band really delivers lyrically and musically. Highly recommended.

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The Cheap Cassettes

The Cheap Cassettes “See Her In Action!”

Punk pop stalwarts The Cheep Cassettes recalls The Buzzcocks and Ramones, with its catchy garage riffs and rough-hewn vocals courtesy of lead songwriter Charles Matthews. The title track bobs along with gusto, and a fantastic guitar break before the final verse. “Only Lovers” and “Lil Bit Everyday” are great in-your-face tunes that stick, especially the latter, with a great hook in the chorus. As a bonus, we get some live tracks including The Replacements “Valentine.” Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp

The Lickerish Quartet “Threesome, Vol. 2”

Those ex-Jellyfish boys (Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Tim Smith, and Eric Dover) are back! After the highly anticipated and well-received Threesome Vol.1, the band’s follow up is more of the same.  Opening with the spacey “Do You Feel Better?” with sweet

 highly recommended.

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Zach Jones and Reno Bo

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More 2020 releases I missed…

Zach Jones

Zach Jones “Be Nice! (The Singles Collection, Vol. 1)”

Between October of 2019 and September of 2020 the talented singer/songwriter Zach Jones has teased us with some stellar singles, so it made sense for him to compile them at the end of the year into a single LP. The opener “Be Nice!” is a beautiful pastiche of classic influences (The Beatles, Beach Boys, and numerous Motown artists). It bursts with the hope of reconciliation (wow! Very timely.)

This is followed by a cover of the Brian Wilson late-70s classic “I’ll Bet He’s Nice.” Jones’s production work is solid, and “Jim & Jane” is a melodic study of a couple on different life trajectories. “Best Thing To Happen” is a light Buddy Holly styled gem and the jangling goodness of “Like The Tide” is a bit like early Neil Young. The ballads have a Broadway musical quality like “October’s Almost Over” and “Yesterday of No Return.” A great collection and highly recommended.

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Reno Bo

Reno Bo “You Can See It All From Here”

Reno Bo is another brilliant musician who is just too good to overlook, yet I ran of out time for a proper LP review in 2020. He opens the acapella prayer “Phantom Anthem” with some haunting multi-part harmonies. “Baby Blues” and “Second To Last” are slices of smooth guitar pop very much in the mold of Lindsey Buckingham.

He switches gears a bit with “Take Cover” as its 80s synth beat leads the rhythm. The blues jam “Houdini In Reverse” is also a nice change of pace, and the buzzing “Even A Stone” recalls classic Eric Clapton. The latter half of the album keeps this beautiful blues-rock sound around and “Time Again Tomorrow” is another highlight. While the album lacks uptempo tunes, every song is flawlessly performed. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

New Year, New Singles: The Morning Line, Ken Sharp, Jeremy Porter and The Tucos, The Click Beetles, Baby Scream

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While I plan to write several reviews about albums I missed in 2020, that doesn’t mean we don’t recognize that new music is already here. Enjoy these brand new singles from some of my favorites! 

 





The Junior League, The Well Wishers and Dave Caruso

powerpopaholic

Without a doubt, I missed a lot of good music in 2020. I will do my best to highlight some LPs and EPs that I didn’t review yet in the next few weeks. 

The Well Wishers

The Junior League “Fall Back”

Joe Adragna’s follow up to the summer excellence that was Summer of Lies. This album is much more laid back, with less anger but just as much anxiety as “Sad America” seems an appropriate theme for the sad state of our country. The style is more alt. country-pop, with Joe looking back on his journey with the soulful “Ladders,” and some great jangling hooks with “Leave Me Resigned.” Additional highlights include the cynical “Help It’s Strange,” “Through With Me,” and the Byrdisan title track. Highly Recommended!

Amazon

The Well Wishers

The Well Wishers “Shelf Life”

Jeff Shelton is another artist who consistently delivers great jangling guitar with a distinct layer of fuzz, and the pandemic gave him additional time to record and make more music. You know what you’re getting; “We Grow Up” and “My Desire” delivers the goods with compelling melodies and riffs.  A few mid-tempo tunes have more of a roots-pop feel like “Secrets and Lies” and “Father of The Bride” about a dad coming to terms with giving away a daughter (“take it all in stride”).  He seems to be having fun with songs like “You Never Have To Sing A Lonely Song” and The Squeeze-like “Who Cries.” Listen to this, you will too. Highly Recommended!

Amazon


David Caruso

Dave Caruso “Radiophonic Supersonic”

Dave’s new album radiates a positive vibe all around and is ranked high on many year-end lists. “Little Miss Sunshine” is a bouncy melody that gives you hope with a big hook in the chorus. Dave got assists from production pros Brad Jones and Andy Reed and he’s never sounded better.  The vocals are measured, but the compositions are carefully constructed, like “The Drop.” It’s got a touch of XTC with a big dose of pop smoothness. “A Piece of The Action” is another highlight here. The styles vary across the album, but most of the songs are in the easy-listening category; the bossa nova “Atomic Smile” evokes a jazzy mood. Some songs are a bit lightweight, but enjoyable overall.

Kool Kat Musik