Tag: Cupid’s Carnival

Cupid’s Carnival and Dave Kuchler

powerpopaholic
Cupid's Carnival

Cupid’s Carnival “Rainbow Child”

Do you remember when power pop’s defining characteristic was that it sounded like the Beatles? Bands like The Vinyl Kings, The Weeklings, and Spongetones did it right, and now Cupid’s Carnival firmly plants its flag in that realm again. Their 2016 LP Everything Is Love was a love letter to the sound of the Fab Four. Loaded with hooks and jangling gems, why fix things that aren’t broken? So here we are for a second helping, but the production and mixing got even a little better. And even the songwriting has improved! These songs were singles collected over the past 3 years.

While they are Beatlesque, they aren’t slavish and manage to be completely original. Very similar in approach to Andrew Gold’s The Fraternal Order of the All, the songs lean heavily on the hippie aesthetic; “Rainbow Child” and “Flower Power Revolution” manage to be Lennonesque gems. But the best highlights have a more McCartney vibe: “You’re So Cool,” Thinking About You Girl,” and the harmony-laden “Every Single Day.” Highly recommended, and it fills a slot on my top ten list for 2023.

Sony Music Japan | Kool Kat Musik

 

David Kuchler

David Kuchler “Love & Glory”

Like Mike Viola or Nick Piunti, Kuchler masters the 3-minute gem with a minor chord progression but with a distinctly brighter vocal. “In It With You” is the first song and the big single here, loaded with a great power pop hook and a sweet guitar solo in the break. It’s a very high bar to climb for the rest of the songs. The songs were developed over the course of a 3-year period. The last tune written, “Labor of Love,” is a short, catchy tune that gives David a rationale for becoming a musician.

The passionate approach of “She’d Rather Be With You” about giving up someone you’ve been obsessed with is another gem, with a classic power pop song structure. After this, it’s not as consistent, but still very good. David’s vocals also lend themselves to the more country-styled “All I Need” and “Slow Day.” His inventive slice-of-life lyrics are enjoyable on the Nick Lowe-styled highlight “Lovers Talk.” The mandolin lead “This Old Car” describes the scene of junking memories of mid-life, and “Chasing Glory” gives us a spirited jangle pop gem. The effort and great songs make this highly recommended.

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

Bebopalula and Cupid’s Carnival

powerpopaholic
Bebopalula

Bebopalula “Bebopalula”

Amazing talent has a way of finding like-minded company. Chris Price and Emeen Zarookian (Spirit Kid) combine forces to create this power-pop supergroup. They have added support from a varied cast; Alex Jules, Ben Lecourt, Corey Perez, and occasionally Probyn Gregory on brass. The songs achieve a balance between candy-colored pop and richly constructed art.

The opener “Coloring Book” starts like Chris Price’s solo work until it gets to the rocking chorus and baroque coda of Bebopalula-land. “Rotten Apple” is an easy-listening pop gem bursting with sweetness and Alex Jules “Gone For So Long” attains a Pet Sounds level of reverence. You also hear influences from The Free Design and Nick Drake in songs like “We Remain” and “So Much To See.” While there doesn’t seem to be a stand-out single here, the sonic details in each song are addictive and it will take a few listens to absorb, like “I Think You Know It.” The album finishes with the loose guitar party of “Rock Two Step.” Similar to Apples In Stereo in approach, its got a freshness and energy that keeps things from merely sounding like slick retro pop. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


Cupid's Carnival

Cupid’s Carnival “Color-Blind”

We’ve had a very strong year for Beatlesque power-pop so far (The Weeklings, The Overtures) and Cupid’s Carnival is back to prove you can never have too much of a good thing. Opening with “Working All Day” its everything a Fab fan could want in a catchy mid-period Beatles tune. You’ll also hear hints of other 60’s UK bands (The Bee Gees, Kinks) across several tunes like the very British “Yesterday’s Gone” about “an English girl, from a bygone time, in another world.”

“Happiness” is another standout with some great guitar work that’s almost buried by the echoing percussion, and the grand harpsichord love song “Baby Blue” boasts descending perfect harmonies in the chorus. My favorite here is “I Got It Wrong,” as it’s got Rickenbacker guitar muscle and great slide accents. A bonus here is that the best songs from 2018’s Clapham Junction EP are included (“She Don’t Care” and “Looking For Rainbows.”) While the production mixing isn’t as dynamic as I would like, most of the songs here are excellent. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

 

EP reviews : Cupid’s Carnival and Nick Frater

powerpopaholic
Cupid's Carnival

Cupid’s Carnival “Clapham Junction” EP

Cupid’s Carnival wowed us before, and they are back with a much too short EP that gives Beatlesque faves The Weeklings a run for their money. Opening with the Fab-tastic “She Don’t Care,” it will make all those old Beatles fans swoon. From there it gives us several Lennon-styled piano ballads. The sparse “Clapham Junction-Platform 1” is modeled after “Imagine” and the follow-up “Looking For Rainbows” is a little more “Hey Jude,” but these songs are purely original and they definitely resonate.

“Yoko’s Smiling” is another slow tempo ballad, but the production is more layered with some nice slide guitar, organ and percussion. The song is a message of hope and love, about a Lennon fan honoring his idol’s passing. They repeat two tracks here with alternate versions, and it all ends way too soon. Highly Recommended, and btw more, please.

CD Baby | Amazon

Nick Frater

Nick Frater “Something/Nothing?” EP

I reviewed Nick Frater earlier this year and looked through some of his earlier EPs. This one from 2017 had a Rundgren-y looking cover so I gave it a spin. “Sleep It Off” is a sweet piano intro that leads us to a dreamland of melody, with the forceful “Best Intentions” has an echoing verse and a strong chorus that’s more like Elvis Costello than Todd.

Frater excels at making a dreamscape with banjos, floating harmonies and verses in the round for “So The Wind Won’t Blow It Away Part 2.” Another highlight is “Hotel Radio” with its swiftly changing tempos and melody lines. Overall a fine EP with very little filler, and mostly great music.  Highly Recommended, and I would check out all his music, as its totally infectious. What makes it even better is that Kool Kat Musik has included two EPs as bonus tracks. And of course, the bonus music is awesome!

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

 

 

Cupid’s Carnival and Gleasons Drift

powerpopaholic

Cupid’s Carnival “Everything Is Love”

We don’t know where Cupid’s Carnival has been hiding (yes we do), but thanks to Kool Kat Musik we can now discover the music of Roland Skilton and Thomas Gray. The band is an overtly Beatlesque treat at every level starting with the Harrison-like slide guitar riffs on “Girl.” After a psyche-pop “The Right Time,” it runs into the McCartney-like melody of “Working Girl” and then the layered arrangements on “The Magical Mystery Tour” styled “I Was The Boy.”

Literally no bad tracks here and “Summertime” is another sunny gem before a faithful cover of Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” featuring original Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher reprising the song’s signature organ parts. The piano echoing on “Our Life” and the title track are a dead ringers for John Lennon solo style. Even the ending track “Sunny Days” liberally takes from ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky.” Luckily, the all the tunes are a combination of original composition and recognizable stylings that make it into my year end top ten list. Don’t miss this one!

Kool Kat Musik | CD Baby

Gleasons Drift

Gleasons Drift “Gleasons Drift”

Pottsville, PA band with a lot of spunk is actually on their fourth LP, and its got those riff-heavy pub rock melodies similar to The Replacements or The Stones. The opener “Mixx/REM” is almost like Southern Culture On The Skids with its rural garage vibe, and standouts “Ghost In The Corner” and “Pumpkinhead Jones” makes a great showcase for the band’s energy. However things drift into dullsville with “Stop Draggin Me Down” and “Say Goodbye.” Still, enough here to keep most listeners around like “Stag Martyr” and the catchy guitar lead on “Acquiring Satellites.”

Amazon | CD Baby