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Monthly Archives: February 2016

Bruno Gerussi’s Medallion / Little Games

28 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Artist Spotlight

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Bruno Gerussi, Bruno Gerussi's Medallion, Gene Clark, Ginger's Alright, Guitar Damage, In Search of the Fourth Chord, Kinks, Little Games, Muswell Hill Ray, Picture Book, So You Say You Lost Your Baby, Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White, Tell Me What You Found

IMG_5883In the late 1980s and early 1990s I had the pleasure of acting as a roadie of sorts for a guitar-god friend of mine whose band had a brief blast of Canadian music fame. Bruno Gerussi’s Medallion was the brainchild of Vancouver Province rock writer Tom Harrison, an outlet for his love of 1960s garage rock and various forms of 1970s alternative rock and roll. In 1989 they were signed to WEA Canada and released one album, In Search of the Fourth Chord.

BMG 4They took their name from Canadian actor Bruno Gerussi, who starred for 18 years as Nick Adonidas, a beachcomber on British Columbia’s coastline in one of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s most successful shows, The Beachcombers. At the same time he hosted a cooking show where he would wear a very large medallion around his neck, thus the name of the band. I was at the show at the Town Pump in Vancouver where Nick actually met the band and heard some of their music. I’m not sure it was really his style. As a band, BGM showcased all the classic 1960s and 1970s underground sounds but, frankly, sounded too good to be garage rock and too polished to be punk, while Tom’s singing was more like talking. Reading the liner notes for BGM’s sole album, the record sounds surprisingly coherent given the changing line-up of players. In terms of songs, both “Ginger’s Alright” and “Tell Me What You Found” stand out for me, the former for the tune and the latter for the musical arrangement. https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/02-gingers-alright.m4a Ginger’s Alrighthttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/08-tell-me-what-you-found.m4a Tell Me What You Found

IMG_5877BGM eventually morphed into Little Games, a moniker taken from the Yardbirds’ record of the same name. However, their recording contract with WEA lapsed and Little Games’ only record, Guitar Damage, would be released on the band’s own BGM Record label. And that was a shame, because in so many ways Guitar Damage was a more solid record. For instance, unlike BGM, Little Games had a stable line-up of players, Tom was actually singing more than just talking his way through the songs, and the song selection itself was strong in terms of covers and original material. I particularly liked the band’s composition “Muswell Hill Ray,” a name-dropping tribute to songs by the Kinks’ Ray Davies, as well as their cover of the Standells’ garage rock classic, “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White.”https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/02-muswell-hill-ray.m4a Muswell Hill Rayhttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/08-sometimes-good-guys-dont-wear-white.m4aSometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White

But the standout track is the band’s amazing cover of Gene Clark’s “So You Say You Lost Your Baby.” The song should have been a big hit by the Byrds, but as Clark had just left the band in 1967 he recorded it himself on his first solo record in what was a rather lacklustre, singer/songwriter treatment. Subsequent covers rocked it up a bit but didn’t really capture its greatness. But the version on Guitar Damage rightly recasts the song back into a 1966-era Bryds register, complete with ringing Rickenbacker electric twelve-string guitar. The song shimmers with lead guitar player Jimmy Walker’s solid playing – it is also Tom’s most accomplished, confident performance as a vocalist. Sadly, this was a band really coming into its own as performers at the very moment their career trajectory stalled.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/13-so-you-say-you-lost-your-baby.m4aSo You Say You Lost Your Baby

Today some of the band’s BGM-era catalogue is available online while the Little Games material is harder to find. The band also did a killer live version of the Kink’s “Picture Book,” which might be available on their hard to find live recording. I also took a number of pictures of the band from various shows, which ended up in singer Tom Harrison’s possession but have not surfaced. A proper online retrospective of the two bands’ accomplishments remains largely unavailable, though some information can be found on Harrison’s website.

Rendezvous with Spin-O-Rama and the Primitives

23 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Artist Spotlight

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Crash, Dandelion Seed, Echoes and Rhymes, Lose the Reason, Lovely, Petals, Pure, Spin-O-Rama, The Primitives, Up So High

the-primitivesMy new favourite music blog, The Best Indie Songs, made passing reference a few posts ago to a recent album from England’s The Primitives and I couldn’t scurry to iTunes fast enough to find out more. When I lived in the UK for a year in 1987-88 I fell hard for The Primitives. I couldn’t get enough of tunes like “Crash,” “Through the Flowers,” “Out of Reach,” etc. In fact, the whole debut album, Lovely, just kept flipping over on my turntable. The follow up, 1989’s Pure, was also pure gold. But 1992’s Galore slipped by me unnoticed, probably because it was not released in North America and only available as a British import. And then, nothing. But the death of original member Steve Dullaghan in 2009 sparked a reunion of key members, songwriter and guitarist Paul Court and vocalist Tracy Tracy, leading to a UK tour in 2010 and new recordings in 2011.

The return of old favourites to active recording and performing does not occur without some trepidation on the part of die-hard fans. Sometimes, inexplicably, people who once created great music can simply forget how to write a song or lose all judgment about their recordings. But, thankfully, that is not the case with the Primitives. The band decided to ease back into active recording with an interesting project that mined their vintage 45s record collection for great lost classics from the 1960s, most of which were not big hits but nonetheless still great songs. Echoes and Rhymes, released in 2012, though representing a departure from the sound and style of their previous recordings, highlighted the band’s strengths – both singer and guitarist sounded great.

albums-primitives-spinoramaBut Spin-O-Rama, released in 2014, marked the return of the Primitives in all their glory. Roughly 30 minutes of all-new, original material in their signature chimey-guitar and reverby vocal style – it was like they never left. The opening track is the album’s title track: “Spin-O-Rama” is a classic Primitives’ arrangement featuring trebly solo guitar and a feel that is reminiscent of the 1960s without being reduced to it. A great single! Other strong, single-like songs include “Lose the Reason” (with vocals from both Tracy and Paul), “Petals” (which sounds like it fell off the running order of either of the first two albums), and “Dandelion Seed.” Other highlights include “Follow the Sun Down,” with its great chunky 60s vibe, and “Working Isn’t Working,” a droll response to the drudgery of conventional work, sung by Paul. Primitives’ albums always featured a song or two sung by Paul but Spin-O-Rama increases the ratio: of the 11 songs here, Paul sings solo on three and with Tracy on two. Additionally, Paul also sings on the extra track paired with the single “Spin-O-Rama,” “Up So High,” which is driven by a fantastic buzzy guitar sound. The album wraps up with an altered reprise of the title track in “Let’s Go Round Again.”  It is refreshing to have such a great band return to active duty in top form. The Primitives’ Spin-O-Rama does not disappoint.  Keep up with the Primitives on their Facebook page.

Kids today: Zeus, Fein, Tiny Animals, and Farewell Flight

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Poprock Themepark

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#Grownupz, Farewell Flight, Fein, I Was a Ghost, Kindergarten, Say Us, Sweet Sadness, Teenager, Tiny Animals, Youth Today, Zeus

4d2660c72722dbea504db6b0882dd079I was one of those armchair parents with all the answers about how to bring up children before I was actually responsible for any. But parenting is more exhausting, exhilarating and unpredictable than anything I have ever done. Nobody really admits how complicated raising kids can be. Nor are we very honest about what childhood is really like for either the kids or the parents, as most accounts are either cloaked in denial or sentimentality. When it comes to music, songs about kids are some of the worst. Happily, the four songs featured here either commit to having fun, being not that serious, or do something unusual.

Toronto’s Zeus kick-starts things with “Kindergarten” (from their 2010 album Say Us) where the narrator appears to be a particularly eloquent five-year-old who doesn’t want to hurt the other kids in school but fears he can’t hold it together in an ‘appropriate behaviour’ sort of way. The song draws you in with its slightly warped narrative, a killer piano riff and some great background vocals. Zeus’ most recent LP, 2014’s Classic Zeus, confirms that our featured song is not an outlier in their catalogue – these guys are delightfully weird.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/03-kindergarten.m4aKindergarten

Fein’s 2014 single “#Grownupz” sneaks up on the listener with some fairly conventional synth-pop build up only to drop a chorus that is highly addictive. While the sentiment is conventional – ‘Daddy I don’t want to grow up’ – the reason is stark: ‘grownups are all sad’. Ouch. The idea and the hook will stay with you.

Both Tiny Animals and Farewell Flight use a kids motif for more typical escapism – to escape the bonds of adulthood for some more allegedly authentic moment: teenhood. Tiny Animals warn “Youth Today” not to lose something important from their youth, though just what it is seems a bit vague. Though this track is from their 2009 album Sweet Sadness, according to their Facebook page the band is putting the finishing touches on a new release right now.Farewell Flight’s “Teenager” is from their most recent LP, 2014’s I Was a Ghost, a straight-up poprock recovery of a lost sense of youthful, adrenaline-fueled excitement.

Find out more about Zeus, Fein, Tiny Animals, and Farewell Flight on their webpages and Facebook accounts.

What the world needs now is love: Tom Speight, Great Big World, and Avalanche City

12 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Poprock Themepark

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A Little Love, Avalanche City, Great Big World, Hold Each Other, Love Love Love, PS22 Children's Choir, Tom Speight, What the World Needs Now is Love

photo-1437935593714-0e005a38bf51A statement that seems as obvious today as when Bacharach and David wrote it in 1965. As the crushing weight of refugees from the world’s war zones threatens to overwhelm the goodwill of the West’s welfare states, we need love to help find a safe space for the displaced of our times, the children, their parents, and those without family or friends. Our three contributions focus on that ever so scarce commodity that cannot really be priced: love.

Tom Speight is out of England, has opened for the likes of Jake Bugg, and here offers us a lighthearted plea for a “Little Love.”

Great Big World made a big splash with “Say Something” from their debut album Is There Anyone Out There? but the range of material was actually much greater, featuring a number of solid poprock songs. Their new album is cast more narrowly in the ‘Say Something’ vein but good songs abound, including the beautiful “Hold Each Other” and “Kaleidoscope.”  https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/01-hold-each-other.m4a Great Big World – Hold Each Other  

In addition to the album version of “Hold Each Other” I had to feature their duet with the PS22 Children’s Choir from Staten Island, New York, where they also briefly talk about the song and what it means.

The last song is from New Zealand’s Avalanche City, “Love Love Love.” The Kiwis sent this straight to number one, sensible people that they are. So feel the love, and act on it.

Find out more about Tom Speight, Great Big World, the PS22 Children’s Choir, and Avalanche City on their websites or Facebook pages.  Great Big World will be appearing in Toronto March 1, 2016 at the Mod Club for an all ages show.

Let go with Sunday Sun

07 Sunday Feb 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Artist Spotlight

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Beating Low, Now is Now, Ordinary Love, Sing, Sunday Sun, We Let Go, Wherever You Go, You Light Up the Sky

Sunday-SunpaintingSunday Sun capture the pure joy that can be the best of poprock. Their songs often have an uplifting quality that encourages repeat listening. I have had this reaction before, like the first time I heard “One Step Ahead” by Split Enz or “Another Nail in My Heart” by Squeeze or “Teacher Teacher” by Rockpile. I just couldn’t wait to hear them again.

Hailing from the Netherlands, Sunday Sun really have about two albums of material. In 2012 they released three EPs over a period of six months and then in 2014 came their first official long player We Let Go. All four releases are strong but if I had to choose my favourites, they would boil down to the following. “Ordinary Love” contains all the key elements the band uses so well: an effective combination of guitar and keyboard driving the songs, amazing multi-part harmonies appearing in swooping background vocals, and melodic hooks galore. Just try not to hum along when they hit you with this chorus. The writing in this song is great too, with fabulous lines like “living a lifestyle, instead of life.” Ordinary Love

“You Light Up the Sky” starts off slow but builds to an inspirational chorus – who doesn’t want to be told they ‘light up the sky’ for someone? “Sing” is, not surprisingly, a strong sing-a-long number. “Beating Low” is structured around a lovely Beatlesque lead guitar part that threads its way throughout the entire song.

The recent album has its share of great songs as well but instead of the chosen singles, I would go with “Wherever You Go.”https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/06-wherever-you-go.m4a Wherever You Go

Also included here is a video of the band performing “Now is Now” acoustically and live in the studio, which gives you a sense of their talent and charm.

The graphic of the band was designed by Maartje van Horn.  Find out more about this designer here.  Catch up on everything Sunday Sun at their website and Facebook page.

Breaking news: Public Access TV, Twin Peaks, Swerve, and John Faye

02 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Breaking News

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John Faye, Public Access TV, Swerve, Twin Peaks

Breaking news is a feature where we damn the regularly scheduled programming, ignore the well-behaved (and frankly backed-up) queue of music I’ve been waiting to write about, and rush out these tracks because, well, you’ve just got to hear them now. These are brand new tracks from mostly brand new bands, with a few exceptions. What they share is that rush of adrenaline that accompanies every breakneck, killer poprock song.

12540681_522872517893088_407370523401703383_nPublic Access TV is a band in the process of coming into its own. Released less than a year ago, their first EP, Public Access, was great, featuring strong tracks like “Patti Peru,” “Metropolis,” and “Loose Ends” (with its great loopy piano solo). But starting with last November’s single “In Love and I’m Alone” the band really began to carve out a distinctive sound, which is reinforced with the first single from their forthcoming album: “On Location.” Public Access TV come to Toronto May 6 to play the Garrison in what will undoubtedly be a great show.

twin-peaks-down-in-heavenTwin Peaks looks like a band of stoner dudes, ready to party anywhere. But their music is not the spaced-out stoner jams of yesteryear. This is a rock and roll outfit whose material stretches from the buzzed out vocals of “Baby Blue” to the garage rock vibe of “In the Morning (In the Evening)” to the dirty power pop of “Flavor” to the crisp poprock production of “Telephone.” But they have outdone themselves on their new single “Walk to the One You Love.” This song is sonically more sophisticated and professional than anything they have ever done. The band owns this tune, riding a catchy guitar riff, mixing in great vocals, horns and piano. All this bodes well for their soon-to-be-released new album, Down in Heaven.

unnamed-38There are a lot of bands named Swerve. This one is a California band that channels the great poprock sound of those mid-1980s Athens, Georgia, post-new wave acts. Even their smoldering cover boy above exudes 1980s angst, or is that just a chill in the air? It was hard to choose just one song from the Swerve’s recently released self-titled EP. “Aw Hell,” “You’re Wild,” and “Baby Blue” all have single written all over them but this time I’m going with “Remedy” which kicks off with a great wall of guitar before going a bit quiet and then coming back in strong on the chorus.

johnfaye2John Faye is no newcomer to the music scene. He was for many years the creative force behind IKE, which had a number of hits. But if you’re familiar with his past work, you will hardly recognize him from this new solo album, Meddling Kid. On this new effort, he has traded in the FM radio rock sound for a more poprock palette. Highlights for me include “Meddling Kids,” “Into Philadelphia,” and our featured track, “Keep On Hanging Around.” The song builds masterfully from a simple acoustic guitar opening verse to then fatten up the vocals and introduce more of the band and electric guitar in a way that hooks the listener in. A ‘how to’ of great poprock production.

To find out more about Public Access TV, Twin Peaks, Swerve and John Faye, check out their web and Facebook pages.

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