Another selection of late 2021 albums that prove the theory “better late than never”…
Ronnie D’addario “Egg Yolks and Artichokes”
Ronnie D’addario is a musician in the mold of Gilbert O’Sullivan and The Left Banke who’s got a sweet spot for baroque pop songs. “Out Of Sync” is a fine start with a harpsichord melody and sweet harmonies across the chorus. “Corners of The Mind” has that late 60’s DNA, with some Byrdisan guitar. That Byrds influence really comes out on “The House I Live In,” a patriotic song with lots of jangle and heart. One of my favorites here is the father-son chat set to the song “Turn It Around One Day,” and like Dana Countryman, Ronnie is a super skilled composer of classic melodic pop.
Another patriotic sing-along “For Better or For Worse,” would make a great theme for a new Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. You can also hear the influence of Tommy Makem(The Clancy Brothers) on the folkie “My Single Days Are Over.” At times the romantic balladry gets a bit corny (“Sweet On You”) and a few covers here feel like filler. But some songs are strong enough to compete with his earlier gems. And if you are a fan of those classic pop sounds, you don’t want to miss this LP. It deserves to be heard.
The Split Squad “Another Cinderella”
Billing themselves as “America’s least famous Supergroup!” Keith Streng (The Fleshtones), Eddie Munoz (The Plimsouls), Clem Burke (Blondie), Michael Giblin (Cherry Twister), and Josh Kantor (The Baseball Project) make big riffs and like to keep things simple. They roar out of the gate with “Hey DJ” and it feels like part Ramones and part Cheap Trick. This isn’t rocket science but simple rock and roll, and the title track “Another Cinderella” is a nice earworm of a song that keeps you hooked.
The heavier guitar tracks “Palpitation Blues” and “Bigger Than Heroin” are entertaining (if a bit over the top vocally). But the meat of the album delivers prime cut power-pop. Highlights include ” Taxi Cab”, “Showstopper” and the fun “Sinking Ship.” The band sounds like it’s having a ball here, and it’s infectious. The guest list in the studio includes faves Scott McCaughey (The Young Fresh Fellows) and Joe Adragna (The Junior League) Overall a great album that is very highly recommended.
