Tag: Tommy Lorente
August Singles: Ex-Norwegian, Ezrat, The Dowling Poole, Bagful of Beez, Tommy Lorente, Mo Troper, I Was King
Summer is slowly fading, but we have plenty of good music. Ex-Norwegian is back with an eclectic single “Thot Patrol” which combines so many sounds, it defies categorization. Ezrat presents a light indie-pop that floats on by a bed of synths. The Dowling Poole lays it all down with a bombastic rocker backed by lush orchestral strings about fiddling through the apocalypse. Getting tripper is the melodic stylings of Bagful of Bees “Syco” which brings to mind XTC and I’ll be happy to hear the rest of this LP soon. French rocker Tommy Lorente finds a sweet guitar hook in the sparse reggae beat on “A Mes Yeux.” Mo Troper still has some acoustic demos from Natural Beauty and it sounds great, so check it out. We started with an “Ex,” so let’s end with a real Norwegian band I Was A King, who sounds damn good with those jangling pop hooks, hear “happy.”
Freebies and Singles: The Top Boost, Geoff Palmer, Tommy Lorente, Vista Blue, Ken Sharp, Preoccupied Pipers, The Turnback
The Top Boost earns major kudos for this excellent 3 song EP. On the title track, they’re joined by Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish, Imperial Drag). The result is a swirling blend of bubble gum pop sweetness with a wistful lyrical undertone. A+
Geoff Palmer (The Connection) has released a few singles in advance of his next solo LP Pulling Out All The Stops. This one is more than hot, it’s a FREE download. BTW, his former bandmate Brad Marino has LP out too, reviews for both coming soon!
My favorite French power pop musician Tommy Lorente gives us a FREE download, it’s so catchy even if you don’t speak French just sing along with the “Na Na Na Na.”
The reliable punk-pop of Vista Blue continues his sports-themed Ramones influenced rock. Another FREE download!
Ken Sharp spent some time at Fernando Perdomo‘s new Reseda Ranch Studios 2.0 and recorded this little gem about the 1964 World’s Fair. Only a buck, and worth the trip through his imaginary time machine.
A goodie from KC Bowman and friends (aka The Preoccupied Pipers) about another band and its audience? Hey! It’s still a FREE download. The Turnback is back with a new single “Unloading An Empty Gun”. If you buy it, maybe Todd, Kenny & Barry will reload and give us another album (please!)
International Power Pop: Tommy Lorente and Cooper
Tommy Lorente “Stupefaction”
Oui! Tommy Lorente has really come out strong here, and in his native language has produced a classic power pop album. After Tommy’s first LP, I compared him to Kurt Baker and wondered what direction was next. He has matured nicely. “Poor Tchack Pow” is so catchy you don’t even need to know French to sing along with the chorus. “Arthur” is another terrific gem about a pep talk to the heartbroken title character translated to “Tell me, tell me, tell me Arthur” featuring solid hooks all around.
The bouncy “Le Rêve Américain” (The American Dream) is about pursuing his dream in Memphis strutting like “king,” drinking bourbon and listening to rock and roll. It settles into a nice groove with “Pareil Au Même“ (Same At The Same) with another sing-along chorus. “J’ai Connu Mieux” (I Know Better) is part Bo Diddley and part Paul Collins. Its all compelling, without a note of filler – although with the fast pacing we don’t get a ballad, and that could make all this a little easier to digest. Still, this is a highly recommended LP for any power pop fan. And that says a lot! Et ça en dit beaucoup!
Cooper “ Tiempo, Temperatura, Agitación”
Álex Diez is a veteran pop artist from Madrid, Spain. He played in the mod band Los Flechazos to great success in the 80s and 90s, and after the turn of the century, he formed the indie-pop band, Cooper. His fifth full-length album focuses on meticulously crafted melodies sung in Spanish with layered harmonies and brass. The title “Time, Temperature, Agitation” refers to the old method of developing photographs.
The big highlight is the opener “El Último Tren” (The Last Train) complete with a fuzz riff ending. Next, “Salto” (Jump) reminds me of that old Katrina & The Waves hit “Walking On Sunshine” in tempo and spirit. “Ya Llegó El Verano” (Summer is here) is a naturally sunny melody full of optimism. You can hear the Beatles influence in the guitar playing, and the production is top notch. If you like your power pop with a touch of español, check out Cooper!
Saturday Singles: Nezrok, Jared Lekites, Tommy Lorente
Nezrok “Andy Please”
The short story: At a New Jersey Record Show guitarist Chris Korzen found a cassette of what he thought were previously unheard Big Star songs. The music was actually written by a friend of the band – Van Duren. Van had been doing some writing with Jody Stephens, and in 1975, recorded these demos with legendary producer Andrew Loog Oldham. Chris connected with Van and long-time friend Chris Bolger, who suggested recording one of the songs “Andy, Please.” They were joined by keyboardist Dave Amels, guitarist Joe Howell and Smithereen’s drummer Dennis Diken. An amazing lost piece of Big Star history is now available.
Jared Lekites “Freebird”
Jared Lekites is dropping the last of his solo tracks while he gears up with this band on the next Lunar Laugh album. “Freebird” is another catchy tune with sweet rhythm. This is followed by a trio of not-so-obvious covers, including Paul McCartney’s “Temporary Secretary,” the Beach Boys “I’d Love Just Once To See You” and Coke Belda‘s “Hold Me Tight.” A great find here.
Tommy Lorente “Sexe Luxe Etc.”
The coolest power pop artist in France, Tommy Lorente is back. As he readies his sophomore album, listen to this new single “Sex Luxe Etc.,” and this is how you do power pop in French – roughly translated as “She loves me no doubt, a little more than you.” Looking forward to the new album, this track is a FREE download.