Tag: The Vapour Trails

Emperor Penguin, The Vapour Trails and The Hard Way

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Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguin “Corporation Pop!”

While this collection was created and released over the months of 2020, it’s a great selection of music to have complete in one album. “Talk To Me” the bouncy pop single (with Orbis Max) has echoes of the late ’80s in the rhythm. Another great collaboration is “Tuesday’s World” with the queen of power pop Lisa Mychols, featuring interwoven male-female harmonies in each verse. They bump up the tempo on the Star Trek inspired “Planet of Love.”

Emperor Penguin has proven to be a formidable talent, with a stylistic bend towards the ’60s psych-pop in many cases, like the jangling “Maserati” or the gentle harmonies in the wonderfully melodic “Hell in a Handcart.” Other than a lite synth track at the end, there isn’t a note of filler here and it’s a highly recommended album.

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The Vapour Trails

The Vapour Trails “Underneath Tomorrow” EP

Aberdeen-based psych-pop band The Vapour Trails are a talented group of musicians whose style emulates The Byrds, The Hollies, and Buffalo Springfield. The first few songs of this EP are loaded with hooks, “Tommy’s Tune” is just an infectious melody that sticks very quickly. “Underneath Tomorrow” and “That’ll Do It” has excellent guitar work, and fans of The Grip Weeds and Outrageous Cherry will love it. “Autumn & Spring” and “Good Morning Maudlin Town” have a lighter pop touch, all produced, mixed, and mastered by Nick Bertling. Fans of retro pop should check this out. Highly Recommended.

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The Hard Way

The Hard Way “New to You” EP

Matt Wilczynski’s musical collective (aka The Hard Way) is made up of Matt on vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums with a rotating cast of musicians and friends to round out the sound – which takes influences from The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, and The Doobie Brothers.

It’s the meticulous craftsmanship and production that you will notice right away. The opener “Walls & Bridges” starts with a slide guitar intro and Matt’s soulful vocal, then the Beatlesque harmonies in the chorus hit you. The guitar solo is Duane Allman-like in approach and simply great. “Note To Self” adds a smooth backing vocal chorus with a piano verse, and some impressive songwriting. “Open Cage” and the instrumental “Worm Underground” adds some of that Joe Perry-styled hard rock sound, and with the latter track, it’s got some funky keys and horns. “Sunshine” is an acoustic blend in the Doobie Brothers tradition and I’m proud to list this as a top ten EP for 2021. It was even reviewed by Ben Folds! In his words “Excellence everywhere…” Super Highly Recommended.

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The Vapour Trails and Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers

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The Vapour Trails

The Vapour Trails “Golden Sunshine”

The echoing jangle of the Vapour Trails new LP shares those neo-hippie vibes, as this Scottish band feels more like it belongs on the streets of Haight-Ashbury than Aberdeen. The title track, “Golden Sunshine” is a cascading series of dream-like guitar arpeggios with muscular wah-wah riffs close behind. Fans of The Byrds, Beatles, and Buffalo Springfield will really enjoy this music. It’s psychedelic with a capital “P” on “Dr. Barnes” with its sitar and tambourine rhythms.  Another gem here is “Lonely Man” with its catchy melodic composition and “Different Girl” dazzles with its harmonized verses.

It’s the unique vocal arrangements of male and female voices that make The Vapour Trails standout from the crowd. “Sometimes (Thinking of You)” is a great example of this, with a simple acoustic guitar and layered acapella. In addition, each song has a compelling approach, either “Strange” with its trippy jangle rhythm or the stunning Rickenbacker melody of “Behind You.” The styles and mood shifts often enough to keep things unpredictable, additional highlights include “You Wonder Why?” and the epic closer “Seabird.” Fans of the classic California sixties pop sound should not miss this one. Highly Recommended.

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Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers
Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers

Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers “Lockdown Session: May 2020, June 2020”

What started in April with Andrew Taylor (Dropkick) as a Covid-19 lockdown songwriting session in Scotland during April – has expanded to a monthly full-band effort. Andrew gets help from Alastair Taylor (Guitars,) Ian Grier (Bass, Keyboards,) and Iain Sloan (Pedal Steel, Guitars). In the May sessions we start with the workmanlike pop of “St. Leonards,” and those harmonies and steel pedal chords lead the way. Other highlights include “I Wouldn’t Be Anywhere Else,” “Turn Around,” and “Change of Heart.” The country-folk jangle is easy on the ears and the musicianship is solid, even if the songs tend to blend together a bit.

The June Sessions are more varied in style, and “I’ll Never Win” adds a little synth to the catchy melody. Between two slow almost somnambulistic ballads, we get the optimistic “For This To Pass,” and it’s great to hear those electric guitar riffs. “Ploughing On” is closer to Dropkick’s normal sound. The final song “You’re Not Right” (written in 1997!) is another highlight. These sessions are all a “name your price” download, so there are no excuses. Check it out!

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Willie Wisely and The Vapour Trails

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Willie Wisely

Willie Wisely “Face The Sun”

Veteran musician Willie Wisely releases his eighth studio album this week, since 2012’s True, after a pause from making albums. Wisely has long moved beyond his early Beatlesque power pop in the late ’90s and he’s drifted toward other genres effortlessly. But he still acknowledges the influences with the playful melody of “Sutures Loose” as he sings about rising above pain. And “Cut Your Groove” is another catchy pop gem with layered harmonies, organ, and horns in the chorus. Much of the music was tested “live” in Laurel Canyon Sun Sessions and sounds great with the full studio treatment.

Wisely doesn’t sit still either. He dons a gentle pop-psyche persona in “Illumination” and delivers a fine slide guitar ballad “I Can’t Sleep,” but also he plays a few more country-styled songs that literally offer “No Suprise.” He does better with an impressive vocal performance with on the R&B styled “It’s Better Not to Care” and the soulful gem “Invisible In Love” co-written with Cliff Hillis. Other power-pop faves can be spotted in the credits like Karla Kane & Khoi Huynh (The Corner Laughers) and Kelly Jones. But the music is pure Wisely and it suits him perfectly. It’s great to hear a master back at work. Highly Recommended.

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The Vapour Trails

The Vapour Trails “See You in the Next World”

From the green hills of Aberdeen, Scotland comes a jangle pop band to scratch your Brydsian itch. The band is Scott Robertson (lead guitar, vocals), Kevin Robertson (rhythm guitar, vocals), Nicholas Mackie (rhythm guitar, vocals), Andrew Crossan (bass), and Kenny Munro (drums). Starting with the impressive “Sonic Wave” it’s chiming chords and psychedelic rhythms re-create the California coast circa 1969. Another brilliant gem is the melodic “The Inner Truth” which recalls both CSNY and The La’s combined.

On occasion, the band creates an atmosphere with the instrumental “Indian Reserve,” but other songs are a little too light vocally to make an impact. Fortunately, there are plenty of other highlights including “You, With Love,” “Godspeed It” and “See You In The Next World.” Check it out.

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