Tag: Anchor & Bear

Anchor & Bear and Dan Israel

powerpopaholic

Naturally, I miss quite a few 2022 releases. This week will feature several of them…

Anchor & Bear

Anchor & Bear “No More Nights On The Roof”

Katy Pearson and Brian Bringelson the duo known as Anchor & Bear. I’ve been following Brian since his early days as Paul Starling, and it’s nice to find that Katy is a perfect match for him musically. “Earthquake On The 4th Of July” hits it right away, as Katy’s gentle harmonies and the catchy chorus make it a great start. The follow-up “Hospital Song” is so low-key, it loses some momentum, but luckily it picks up the tempo with the breezy “Red Letter Days” and playful “Cool Water” with Katy on the lead.

“Glad it’s Over” and “She’s A Robot” takes time to build momentum, but they are also fine tracks. The dynamic is very much along the lines of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) or Carl Newman and Neko Case (New Pornographers). The bouncy “On The Deck Tonight” is another highlight, and while it sometimes feels inconsistent – it more often hits than misses. Definitely, music that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Dan Isreal

Dan Israel “Seriously”

Dan Israel has been very active these last few years. Like a mix of Elvis Costello and Tom Petty, he weaves tales of woe and emotional frustration to a solid guitar melody. Starting with the workman-like effort of “Happy For Now.” It’s all about the nature of his pessimism, with a blistering guitar break. The title track is a bit heavier, with his Dylan-like vocals asking “Should I write another song that nobody hears?” It all seems rather sour but, “I’m In New York” is a chugging melody with harmonica accompaniment offers some relief, leading seamlessly into the acoustic “Taking The Fall.”

The album is consistently good but the best standout tracks are reserved for the end of the album, the defiant “I Quit” and amazing “Hang Of It” make this triumphant.  It did make my top 50 list (#40) last year, so do not hesitate. I would also check out his earlier album Social Media Anxiety if you are a new Dan listener. Highly Recommended.

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The Shellye Valauskas Experience and Anchor & Bear

powerpopaholic
The Shellye Valauskas Experience

The Shellye Valauskas Experience “History of Panic”

In 1999, power pop veteran Dean Falcone (The Excerpts with Jon Brion) paired up with singer-guitarist Shellye Valauskas. As the Shellye Valauskas Experience, the debut album The History of Panic has been in the works for many years, and it sounds worth the wait. They are aided by Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star) and drummer Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention, XTC, Nick Drake, Paul McCartney).

The opener “Do Over” is a rich, meticulously multi-layered single anchored by Shellye’s crisp vocal style and some great chord changes. “Gravity” has a sweetly smooth chorus, very much like Aimee Mann but with a lot less detached angst. I could not find a bit of filler here, as the style varies from the bouncy “Cracked Up” to a quiet folky version of Cheap Trick’s “Mandocello.” And the band rocks out on the grand “Leftover Mistake,” one of the best songs here. Highlights include “Cheap Shot” and the final track “Tuck Me In,” which is brimming with good feeling. Highly Recommended.

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Anchor and Bear

Anchor & Bear “Raincoats and Gold”

Remember Paul Starling? Well, this year Paul (aka Brian Bringelson) has paired up with Katy Pearson to form Anchor & Bear. The strong guitars contrast well with Katy’s high tenor on the opener “Hard To Say You’re Sorry.” Next the jangling goodness of “Green Shoe Girl” make it a big highlight here, with its catchy duet and guitar arpeggio. The solid “Singer Out of Work” has Katy doing a deeper vocal, with a descriptive lyric full of contrasts “I’m a lover /I’m a sinner /I’m a straight shot in reverse.”

The music feels along the lines of Belle & Sebastian, with forceful melodies like “Started To Leave” and “Walking Around” which uses some nice Motown-like rhythms. Brian’s introspective solo songs work well like “Words,” but the more dramatic setups like “Here Comes The Night” are less memorable. Some songs just meander around like “Gunfight” without much structure, but when it comes together like on “Blueprints” it’s pretty good. Check it out!

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