This ’90s-era UK punk band snuck some power pop in there! These tracks sure are good, and they are FREE downloads! Check out the Dollface band page for more.
Any music from Tom Mardola (aka The Toms) is welcome, and he’s released this brilliant single to us as a FREE download. A big thanks to Futureman Records for this one.
Canadian band The Perms are working on a new album, and this single featuring new singer Amy Lewis. A great example of a band expanding its sound. Get it on Amazon
Timmy Sean has been pretty busy this year starting his new label Noisewater Records, named after his outstanding debut album. It looks like he’s been holding back long enough and his new track, “In California” is outstanding. I really look forward to his new LP!
The Top Boost proves its versatility with the country-styled pop “Tell Me That’s You’re Mine.” Love the wicked guitar breaks contrasting the innocence in lyrics. Check it out.
Keith Slettedahl, lead singer and founding member of The 88 has announced the release of his first full-length solo album entitled You Know You Know. We talk about what happened with The 88, and his musical influences on his new album (that I reviewed last week and it’s a 2020 top-ten nominee).
Germany’s wunderkind Kai Danzberg has proven to be a musician with a flair for the dramatic as he starts his fresh album “Rockshow,” with a fantasy concert motif. The title track is catchy, well written, and recalls his earlier material. But this isn’t a concept album. It’s more a collection of dynamic singles. The bouncy love song “You & Me” and “Living Room” are great examples of Kai as the impulsive romantic, bursting with optimism to the beat. Adding more horns and layered vocals and we get the dense melody of “Waiting For You,” and it’s a big highlight here. The ELO and Jellyfish influences are also still there, as “Making It Right” jumps out of the speakers with those sparkling harmonies assisted by Dana Countryman.
“Oh, Girl” is a jazz-themed torch song with assistance from Drake Bell that features solid musicianship, but it feels a little out of place. Kai has always added great ballads to his albums and “Undone” certainly is another highlight. For variety, there are funky disco beats on the dance track “Magic Night.” Overall this is a wonderful album that deserves multiple listens so check it out. Highly Recommended.
Its been a few years since Honeywagen’s Jamboree, but these veteran musicians from Kansas City are back showing off their Midwestern vintage rock style. Starting with “For Love” it features catchy guitar riffs, harmonies, and compelling jangling rhythm. The Rickenbacker jangle continues with the roots-influenced “Anywhere The Wind Blows.” Guitarists Mike Penner and Scott Christensen play so well off each other, it makes “All That Matters” a solid love song, and the end solo complements the melody perfectly. The tempo slows for “Running Out Of Time,” with more of country-rock feel, and and “Maybe Maybe Not” brings to mind mid-70s classic rock, like Traffic.
“On The Beach” is a simpler Beatlesque sort of tune with a descriptive lyric, but a big highlight is “All The Little Things” with a stronger melody and bigger hook – it’s my favorite track. When they don’t overthink the lyrical story (“The Waitress”) and let the band cut loose, its a much better listening experience. That said, fans of The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Grip Weeds will enjoy this band. Highly Recommended.
Singer-songwriter Emitt Rhodes, a pioneer of power pop has passed away at age 70. At an early age, Emitt was a rising star in the pop scene during the mid-’60s, as he played in multiple bands, including The Palace Guard and The Merry Go Round. He then signed onto A&M Records and released a series of critically acclaimed solo albums in the 1970s, each one had great songwriting and musicianship. His reputation as a “One-Man Beatles” was earned as his melodic style was often compared to Paul McCartney. Rhodes also wrote all of the songs on his albums. On Emitt Rhodes, Mirror, and Farewell to Paradise, he played all of the instruments and sang all of the vocals while recording himself in his home recording studio on a 4 track recorder.
After a label contract dispute, Rhodes’ left the music business for a time. He still tried to come back, but efforts in the next few decades were frustrated. It wasn’t until power pop musician Chris Price showed up to his house unannounced and coaxed Emitt to record a follow up to his last solo LP, Farewell to Paradise. In 2016 the new album Rainbow Ends, a collaboration with Price was released and it was a wonderful return to the spotlight for Emitt. He was an inspiration to many artists and will continue to be remembered for years to come. Rest in peace, Mr. Rhodes — you were someone special to all of us. Visit his page on The Power Pop Hall of Fame written by Chris Price.
As one of New Jersey’s most accomplished bands, The Successful Failures are not afraid to color outside the lines. Mick Chorba (guitar, vocals), Ron Bechamps (bass, mandolin, vocals), Rob Martin (drums), and Pete Smith (guitar) start off with a series of Bluegrass-Country influenced songs that I’d expect more from Wilco or The Jayhawks. However, “Honeycomb” and “On Down The Line” are great catchy tunes, and Bechamps mandolin is front-and-center here.
“Murder ‘Neath the Silver Moon” is a great transitional story song, it reminded me of The Black Crowes, and that twang is joined by a strong lead guitar. “This Girl” continues the streak, with layers of rhythm guitars and a great chorus, it’s definitely a rocking “hit.” The band cuts loose on “More of The Same” with its Chuck Berry-like riffs, then slowing to a bluesy crawl mid-way through before it comes back roaring to life. Mick then comes back to the country-based bar songs, “Whiskey” and “Something Good.” No weak tunes are to be found here. The band seems to be excellent no matter what genre they play. Grab a shot of your favorite libation and listen up. It’s highly recommended.
Fernando has been very busy lately, doing some great collaborations this year with Justin Paul Sanders and Dave Kerzner (to name a few.) This is a concept album about a musician named Leo August who is on his death bed at the end of his battle with a deadly disease. The somber story is told through Fernando’s acoustic fingerpicking and first-person lyric.
There is a deep feeling of regret and sadness throughout, like classic Lee Hazlewood or Leonard Cohen. The melodies are very bittersweet. An early standout is “Release” is a song about Leo pleading to his fellow musicians to get their music out before it’s too late. The double meaning is all too clear, as Leo seeks a release from regrets. The psychedelic “Float Away” creates a dreamy soundscape, and “Fade Out” has the best message here; “I wanna live, till I die. I wanna get to say goodbye.” While this album has an effective narrative and mood, it seems stretched out to cover the 10 songs here. Still, it’s an effective downbeat album, and if you are feeling depressed, it will feel like Fernando is playing directly to you. Check it out.
