The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness “Dead Calm”
International collaborations strike again! TBWTPN are Andrew Taylor (Dropkick) and Gonzalo Marcos (El Palacio de Linares). Named after a song by The Feelies, and recorded in first takes in a couple of evenings between Madrid and Edinburgh, Taylor and Marcos hit gold here. Filled with jangling Rickenbackers and warm melodies, it feels like a melding of Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, and Elliot Smith.
The opening song (named after the band) has that Big Star progression and killer chorus that sets the table perfectly. Each song takes a mellow approach with crisp orderly compositions, “Close The Doors” is a great example of that dreamy jangle pop that sticks in your head. There is enough variety in the songwriting to keep things fresh through all ten tracks, and most of the songs are upbeat. Andrew’s soft vocal harmonies and his acoustic guitar standout as precise pop on “Start it again” without the need for overt folk or rock elements. The title track ends the album and echoes the opening melody. Amazing music that makes my best of 2019 list for best power pop this year. Super Highly Recommended.
Braddock Station Garrison “American Radio”
Do they have college radio bands anymore? Washington, DC band Braddock Station Garrison has a touch of Americana added to their fantastic rock sound. They are following in the footsteps of those 90’s college radio bands (The Connells, The Bats, Buffalo Tom) all while sounding modern and engaging.
Opening with “Blockbuster” its got a solid hook, along with a jangling rhythm and its a quick standout. The Stones-like “Travellin’ Bible Salesman” is a nice simple rocker. “Small Town Scene” and “When You Say” speed up the tempo and drum beat, but the vocals are a little like The Black Crows with its talky approach. The band also gets jammy on “Border Run.” It keeps up this approach, and if you loved the bands mentioned above it definitely deserves to be heard.
