Tag: Kai Danzberg

West Coast Music Club and Kai Danzberg

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West Coast Music Club

West Coast Music Club “Faded Scrapbook”

The opening track “Fanclub Favourite” says what every under-the-radar band would love to hear “You’re still our favourite though you never really made it…” and the UK-based band does its best to spread those positive fan club vibes early on.  This is the fourth album for the band; Martin Adams (vocals/guitar), Peter Madden (guitar/bass/vocals), and Marc Joy (drums, etc.) and they have a slight psych-pop vibe with ethereal harmonies; fans of Teenage Fanclub, early-REM and The Ocean Blue will enjoy these jangling melodies.

Adams’s lead vocal is soft and slightly weary but fits those guitar-based melodies perfectly.  The Byrdsian rhythms are hypnotic on the title track and “Here It Comes Again,” a tune about an unwelcome earworm. The noise drone of “Hotel California” is very much in the shoegazer genre, lacking much of a hook its not for everyone. The band’s sound seems to evolve the further you listen. The emotional acoustic “The View From Here” is poignant and looks to make amends for past transgressions. It follows this form a bit until later on when we get the lively “Serendipity” which feels like a Velvet Underground outtake. The last track “Ouija Doll” is another echoing-fuzz gem. Overall a good album that takes repeat listens to grow on you. Check it out.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Kai Danzberg

Kai Danzberg “Satellite”

Kai Danzberg is a next-generation power-pop artist with a collection of classic power pop influences, but this album is a self-produced love letter to Electric Light Orchestra. After a lengthy prelude, the single “Turn It Up” with Roger Manning Jr. (Jellyfish, Lickerish Quartet) is loaded with enthusiasm, and fun melodic hooks – it easily could’ve been on the Xanadu Soundtrack. The instrumentation may recall Jeff Lynne, but Kai keeps his original compositions in the present day.

“Diva Eyes” and “Oh Baby!” both have that late 70’s feel (circa Discovery) and ELO fans will have fun playing spot the influence, especially on barely disguised re-writes like “Voodoo Woman.” Another standout, “Lonely Together” is an exceptional tune that includes a loaded brass section. The quiet ballad “Satellite” is also a great showcase for Kai’s heartfelt songwriting technique. The coda “Turn It Up (Reprise)” wraps it up in a neat bow. This started as a fan-funded project and is a digital-only release. Overall, highly recommended.

Bandcamp only

May Day: Pop Boomerang, Tommy & The Rockets, The Chords UK, Jack Skuller, Gordon Michaels, Kai Danzberg

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power pop spongebob
There is just so much music out there that I can get to, but I will make it as easy as I can to pick worthy stuff. An easy pick is Pop Boomerang‘s Marching Out Of Time compilation – a name-your-price download. The label is closing soon, so this is one of the last comp LPs they will do, and its a damn good one; check out the opener Little Murders “Wait ’til Summer,” The Wellingtons “Soda” and the fantastic Her Majesty’s Finest (feat. Kate Duncan) “Shake Yer Popboomerang.” Denmark’s own Tommy and The Rockets give a tribute to Record Store Day with “The Hottest Store In Town,” fans of the Ramones will eat it up.  The Chords UK gives us a sorrowful “White Van Man” while Jack Skuller changes his sound with a dynamic beat on “Watercolor Rain.” Gordon Micheals channels Billy Joel a bit on the memorable “Hey Doreen.” Finally, the talented Kai Danzberg will finally “Get It Right” a terrific hook-filled single.






Holiday Videos and singles: The Kut, Kai Danzberg, Librarians With Hickeys, The Incurables, Ken Sharp, Radio Days, The Weeklings

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So I let loose the flow of Christmas music again! We start with a re-release The Kut‘s Christmas Single “Waiting for Christmas,” while the reliable Kai Danzberg has two great singles; firstly the jingle-jangling “Making It Shine” and then the energetic “Could’ve Been You” featuring Andy Patchell (and it’s a FREEBIE!) Next, we deck the halls with Librarians With Hickeys and The Incurables, courtesy of Big Stir Records where you’ll find more goodies. Two more new singles are out; Ken Sharp‘s “Mr. Sun” seems to channel the late Davy Jones and Italy’s power-pop powerhouse Radio Days returns with “Mercy Baby” and “1998.” Both are impressive singles, and how could we forget  Lefty, Rocky, Zeek and Smokestack (aka The Weeklings) with “Christmas Day” which has an Elvis Costello/Beatle vibe! Enjoy. We have 3 more weeks of last-minute reviews before our year-end countdown!







October Singles: Andrew Stonehome, Ken Sharp, Cliff Hillis, The Webstirs, Gavin Eimerman, Not A Moment Too Soon, The Hi-End, Abbie Barrett, Kai Danzberg

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Lots of new October music here, and better than pumpkin latte for sure. There is so much music, that I’ll make a totally separate post for EPs. Andrew Stonehome is a songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Portland, Oregon and he delivers a perfect slice of power pop with “Heartbreaker.” The reliable Ken Sharp returns and he’s still got glam on the brain with “Hellcat,” and the great Cliff Hillis gives us a perfect driving song with “Just Drive” remember “it always sounds better when you sing along.” Chicago’s Webstirs are back with a new LP, and here is the opening single “For A Moment” and Gavin Eimerman shares a freebie about “Losing Ground” assisted by his dad bassist Herb Eimerman and friends. When he is not teaching African politics, Pierre Englebert makes music as Not a Moment too Soon and I think it should’ve been a more “R” rated song title, but it’ll do. The Hi-End rocks hard on the Stones-like call-to-arms “Actions Speaks Louder Than Words,” and Abbie Barrett is very much like Debbie Harry on the fantastic single “I Will Let You Know.” Finally, what’s better than Kai Danzberg teaming up with Roger Manning, Jr. (Jellyfish) for an ELO-like gem “Turn It Up,” a love letter to power pop radio and a cameo by DJ Michael McCartney Enjoy!


Easter Eggs: Singles and Covers Galore

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A great bunch of freebies for Easter Sunday. GTG Records sampler with a ton of deep covers from Michigan bands performing select songs by artists they love. The beauty of this is I have not heard of any of these artists before, but they sound great. And the tracks are new discoveries for the most part. Kai Danzberg is also back with a new bossa nova beat on “Only You,” and how I wish I was somewhere tropical. Plus a sweet cover single of Manfred Mann from Cult Stars From Mars, and Rich McCulley delivers a country-pop ballad that hooks you immediately. The Weeklings are also back with a timely “April’s Fool” and Brett Newski gets BNL singer Steven Page to contribute to a snappy gem. Swedish duo Vola Tila’s “I Need My Girl” is a brooding and atmospheric single that makes its mark. I will keep my eye out for these guys. Finally, Reaction‘s single “Keep Movin’ (Don’t Stop)” has a very early 1980s vibe, and similar to the B-52s “Love Shack.”