Tag: Garfield’s Birthday

October Surprises: Singles, EPs, Compilations and a Cartoon

powerpopaholic

On a rare occasion, I hear some EMD that does it right. On “Tarantino,” Steve Aoki & Timmy Trumpet modernize the classic surf guitar riff of Dick Dake, later made famous via Pulp Fiction. Aoki’s mesmerizing electro beats combined with Trumpet’s eccentric horn licks are very entertaining. The cartoon is also a hoot!

Willie Dowling’s infamous Jackdaw 4 discography is now on 369music (with his Dowling Poole albums). If you missed it, this was a free download for a while. But this was a great XTC inspired band – check it out.

Wisconsin’s Disq does a decent cover of this Wilco song. They also have a collection of demos from their break-thru LP from March.

Einstein’s Sister, a legendary power-pop/indie rock band from the late ’80s is back! The old discography is on Bandcamp now, and these brand new singles sound fresh!

Zach Jones has a way of updating that old pop sound that is pure magic. I was very impressed with this sharp sounding “Must Be On My Way,” which resembles a lost Monkees single.

Melbourne’s four-piece Girlatones have a gentler approach towards pop. There is a sense of acceptance in the combination of guitar, vocals, and piano. Lead singer Jesse William’s vocal delivery is akin to the vocal stylings of Belle & Sebastian.

Crown Vic Royal is not a whiskey, but a band from Chicago that plays blues-infected rock and roll. Check out this new EP.

Garfield’s Birthday is a band from Weymouth, England and for 25 years Simon Felton (Head honcho of Pink Hedgehog Records) has done a smashing job. Now a long-awaited “best-of” compilation is finally available. Plenty of rarities and alternate mixes.

First In Space and Garfield’s Birthday

powerpopaholic
First In Space

First In Space “In The Red”

Ohio based First In Space has streamlined their sound from those early days where they were akin to The Gin Blossoms mixed with a touch of Bon Jovi. The production is more intimate, less “arena-oriented” and more focused on a solid melody. “Letters From Hell” is an excellent opener, featuring the crisp harmonies of Johnny Stanec and Dolus McCormick. “Return To Sender” is just as strong, with a wicked guitar solo at the break. “Forward Progress” is proof of this band’s new maturity when they sing the lyric “Every bridge I ever burned became a lesson to be learned…”

The positive vibe flows from the band, and it makes for excellent listening. Additional highlights include “A Captive’s Point Of View,” and “Now Or Never.” Even the grand finale “The Prescription” doesn’t feel labored or forced, so pick this one up. Highly Recommended.
power pop

CD Baby | Amazon

Garfields Birthday

Garfields Birthday “You Are Here”

The Felton Brothers (Shane and Simon) return and are joined by Alan Strawbridge (Schnauser/The Lucky Bishops) as guest drummer. The lead track “Magic Bike,” has great bass line along its psyche-pop melody with a quick catchy beat. The duo’s very British harmonies are quiet good, a bit like classic Chad and Jeremy. “Fancy Dress” bounces along like a hippy B-side with its “ba-ba-ba” chorus, but the tempo slows to crawl on “I’m A Star Tonight” which drags on past 4 minutes.

But the Feltons have many tricks up their collective sleeve and the Kinks/Monkees vibe is all over “It’s Your Lucky Day” and the trippy “Lunar Eclipse” is a lot of fun too. “Radio” is a short gem about those radio program directors who play the “same old song on the same old show.” It closes out on two great tracks, the fast moving “Sunday Best” and the majestic “Water (Looks Like Rain)” the gentle chorus “Everything’s beautiful to me…” has a soulful guitar bridge running underneath it. If you dig those mellow ’60s grooves, pick this one up.
power pop

Amazon