October Singles: Portable Radio, Golden Richards, The Lunar Laugh, The House of Jed, Deer Friends, Super Cassette


October starts the busiest month, as music floods my inbox and doesn’t let up until Christmas. That’s okay. We start with the bouncy Sunshine pop “I Feel Like A Dog” by Portable Radio taken from the forthcoming LP Counting To Three. Gotta love those harmonies and cascading chords. A missed summer hit, Golden Richards rocks that ice cream truck with “Hey Mr. Softee,” and its power pop perfection. The Lunar Laugh has a new single “Born Weird,” with its cool song structure and a neat psyche-pop break. The House of Jed offers up an EP that deserves some attention, rock funk “Coming Off Pretty” and the danceable “Everybody Lies” are excellent.  Our freebie “Magic Fruit” from Deer Friends has a bit of glam guitar and honey-sweet hooks, it’s a keeper! Finally a sneak peek at Super Cassette‘s new album with the single “Continue?” which feels akin to Dowling Poole! Rich melodies that deserve to be heard!





Freebies and EPs: The Turnback, Nick Lowe, Brad Marino, Brian Mello, You’re Among Friends, Nick Bertling, Portable Radio, The Amplifier Heads


The Turnback had these three songs recently re-mastered by Grammy® Award-Winning mastering engineer Brian “Big Bass” Gardner (Foo Fighters, RUSH, Eminem, David Bowie, Cheap Trick). They are a FREE download and the band just asks for you to give a tip to the next essential worker you come in contact with (grocery clerk, fast-food worker, etc.). Now is the time we all need to be there for each other and PLAY IT FORWARD!

The masterful Nick Lowe returns with another EP, delivering pleasing pop gems in a timeless fashion.

Brad Marino (The Connection) is back in fine form with “False Alarm” and “At Night.” Guitar pop the way it should be, plus a cover of the Hoodoo Gurus classic, “What’s My Scene?” Get it at Kool Kat Musik

Brian Mello, the guitarist with The Morning Line, has a very unique EP out. It starts out like a spacey Western with “Landscape With Ruins” and stays kind of mellow until the riff-heavy gem “Adios.” A real grower here, so check it out.

You’re Among Friends, plays out like a fun jam in someone’s basement studio. Love the funk melody on “Once the Toothpaste is Out of the Tube.” More terrific casual rock, like “Just Keep Being Nice” make this a great FREE album to chill with.

Nick Bertling heads out to the audio twilight zone and gives us a personal work that seems to channel Todd Rundgren. Love those harmonies on “Perhaps” and the retro synth on “Mall Dreams ’87.” Another grower you need to live with.

Manchester UK pop band Portable Radio has a neat retro style and great harmonies. “Great In The Sun” and “Flight Home” remind me of the Cowsills.

JUST IN! Boston’s The Amplifier Heads are led by vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Sal Baglio (The Stompers). This is a real treat, as he channels mid-period XTC. Fans of similar bands (like The Sun Sawed In Half) will LOVE this.