Darren Sweet “Pop’s Three Minute Pleasures” EP
If you were around during the Not Lame years in the late 90s, then you remember The Naked Chollas.Led by musician Daren Sweet, his influences ranged from The Knack, The Romantics, The Beat, and Joe Jackson. But just as the band was beginning to catch on, it faded from view. Now Sweet has re-emerged, “I guess I am still carrying the torch for power pop music”, said Sweet. “Pop’s Three Minute Pleasures in my own statement and my own brand of power pop”.
Starting with “Great Big World,” it’s a mint single, jangling verse with a big fat hook in the chorus. Next the homophone filled “Caring More Bout Karen Less” is another energetic gem, and mid-tempo “It’s Not Your Time” has a palpable sense of longing and a terrific guitar solo in the break. Honestly, almost every song shines here proves Darren hasn’t lost a beat in the past ten years. And even though the last 2 tracks are longer than three minutes, it certainly was a pleasure to listen to.
Get it at CD Baby
Beady Eye “BE ” (Deluxe Edition)
For all you Oasis fans, Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye returns to go through the routine of developing rock anthems on sophomore album BE, starting with the opening horns on “Flick Of The Finger,” which has a plodding verse buildup that feels like Oasis-lite. Not a bad tune, but without a big payoff in the chorus, it fails to generate real excitement. Unlike the enjoyable debut LP Different Gear, Still Speeding, the production here sounds too clean and antiseptic. So the next tune on BE, “Soul Love,” drones on like a long song intro, instead of a fully complete tune. Read the Full review at BlogCritics.org
