Tamar Berk is following up on her successful ‘Tiny Injuries’ album with ‘Good Times for a Change’. Check out the advanced single “Good Impression,” which indicates Tamar is not slowing down. Fernando Perdomo’s album “Self” is a masterful blend of introspective lyrics and lush, melodic arrangements that showcase his multi-instrumental talents. Perdomo’s intricate guitar playing and soulful vocals serve as highlights, check out “Optimist Prime.” Summer Salt has the mellowest vibe I’ve heard this summer, and “Ribbons” is a light, sunny, easy-listening gem. Chicago musician/singer-songwriter Joe Di Zillo is “Bringing It Back” with his garage style. Check it out. Finally, Richard Turgeon returns with a Nirvana-inspired single, “Song of Discontent,” and it’s pretty cool. Enjoy!
Tag: Richard Turgeon
Bory and Richard Turgeon
Bory “Who’s A Good Boy”
Another Mo Troper-produced pop confection, Bory is a Portland artist who impressed me with his melodic EP debut, Sidelined. With his first full-length album, Bory has a layer of grungy, obscured fuzz and DIY bedroom compression, but it is unable to contain the powerful melodies, which sound like classic Teenage Fanclub crossed with Guided By Voices.
The bombast of the opener, “The Flake” is all about the lovely melody buried beneath the buzzing drone of guitars and pounding drums. Bory adds earworms to his “Five Course Meal” about a self-effacing narrative; you barely hear the rising harmonies and handclaps over the fuzz, and that’s the point. “Our New Home” is all about the freedom of moving to a new area and “acting real cool” as a homeowner. As we move forward, “We Both Won” and “Wreck” go into relationship issues with a masterful combination of key changes. The catchy “Secrets” adds more jangle to the mix as he frets about aging and insecurity as he says, “The best days are behind us, and the worst is yet to come.” “Sidelined” is another catchy riff that explodes into an echoing solo. Fans of Diners, Disq, and The Eels will enjoy this razor-sharp mix of textured memories and inspirations. Highly Recommended.
Richard Turgeon “Life of The Party”
Richard Turgeon has found his niche, and he’s sticking with it. He’s a one-man band that writes, composes, and plays almost everything himself. Longtime collaborator Ron Guensche guides Richard along here, and these new songs stand out right away. Starting with “All Alone” and “You’ve Moved On,” they are a one-two punch about a final separation. “I’ve Got You Now” is the guitar crunch rooted in mid-90s power pop (The Gin Blossoms, The Lemonheads, The Posies), and he falls into the category of modern West Coast power poppers like Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers) and James Hall (Shake Some Action).
Next, “Our Fair City” is a commentary on the homeless problem (“It’s better when you turn a blind eye.”) Additional highlights include the solid “Friend Zone,” and while the album’s second half sounds a bit routine, the final track, “Don’t Forget Me When You’re Gone,” is a well-done ballad in the Billy Joel tradition. Highly Recommended.
May Singles, EP and Stuff: Sparks, Charlie Reiling, Joe Dilillo, Friends of Cesar Romero, The Heatwaves, Richard Turgeon
Late-July EPs and more: Sloan, Richard Turgeon, Kurt Baker, Sunshine Boys, Geoff Palmer, The Happy Somethings
Celebrating the fact that Sloan has a new album due out in October, we get the single “Spend The Day” to whet our appetites. What a prolific band, and speaking of prolific, Richard Turgeon has a sweet new EP Rough Around The Edges, check out the riffage on “I Never Loved You,” a classic power pop-sounding gem. The dense grunge-like rhythms are in contrast to the crisp re-released and remastered Kurt Baker solo Brand New Beat. This is without a doubt my favorite of his albums, and every song is top shelf, plus a boat-load of extra tracks (a total of 26) – so worth it.
Sad to say, but The Sunshine Boys are calling it quits, the trio leaves us with a pair of great tunes, both “Underwater” and “The Beginning.” If you want more buzz in your riffs, Geoff Palmer (The Connection) fits your needs perfectly. The FREEBIE this time is the lovely unpolished harmonies of The Happy Somethings from the UK. Great jangling happy melodies, full of irony guaranteed to brighten your day.
More September Singles and EPs: The Amplifier Heads, Shake Some Action!, The Nobility, The Cheap Cassettes, Alex Dominish, Richard Turgeon, On The Runway, Meyverlin
September isn’t over yet, and neither are the new singles and EPs from great power pop artists. The Amplifier Heads signed with Rum Bar Records and Sal “Shag 72” Baglio (The Stompers & The Peppermint Kicks) rocks out with this new Glamtastic single “SaturmalienS”. It’s also so nice to hear Shake Some Action! again and “Break It Down” mixes psych-pop and jangling rhythms to perfection. Nashville’s The Nobility gives us “The Sweetest Sound” and it is indeed a great tune — let’s hear more of this! With the end of the season, The Cheap Cassettes make it official with the slow R&B rocker “Endless Summer Ends.”
A few EPs here are also worth a download; Richard Turgeon gets reflective with a series of Campfire Songs. The buzzing anthem of “Be Who You Really Want To Be” and “Line of Sight (Tahoe Song)” recall classic-era REM. Memphis-based On The Runway is a new band created by Randy Norris and John “Boz” Boswell (Crash into June) with help from Neilson Hubbard, and Will Kimbrough. The easy-going mood of “This Charade,” and “Stuck On You” lifts you up and sticks with you. Alex Dominish is the guitarist for the Showboat Branson Belle (Branson, Missouri) and he’s got a bouncy, poppy sound guaranteed to put a smile on your face; be it first romance (“Rockin’ Steady”) or first job (“Desk Job”). Finally, a video from the upcoming band Meyverlin is here. The LP is out next month, they have a distinct ’80s influence, fans of the Cure will like this one.