• About Me

Poprock Record

~ Songs with a hook

Poprock Record

Monthly Archives: May 2016

Sloan: One album to another

25 Wednesday May 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Artist Spotlight

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Between the Bridges, Commonwealth, Double Cross, Hit and Run, Navy Blues, Never Hear the End of It, One Chord to Another, Parallel Play, Pretty Together, Sloan, Smeared, Twice Removed

Sloan-band-1993Back in 1996 I got my copy of One Chord to Another and thought it was pretty cool, but frankly I was a bit distracted.  I didn’t give it the worship it deserved.  Reviewing it now I can better appreciate how this band had it all going on – great sound, solid hooks, and a palpable authenticity.  How did Nova Scotia produce such a monster act?  Their first EP Peppermint and full length album Smeared had a great indie sound, with both versions of “Underwhelmed” worth hitting repeat on.  But their first major label effort, 1994’s Twice Removed, announced the arrival of a polished and original musical force, with “Penpals” a great weird single.  Then they turned around and dumped their major label (Geffen) and turned out another great record, 1996’s One Chord to Another, spending one-tenth the budget of the previous one.  While the album is bursting with great tracks, I’m partial to the very Beatle-esque “The Lines You Amend.” Talk was, Sloan would be the next big thing worldwide.  But things didn’t really pan out that way.

IMG_6677Earlier this month I saw Sloan play One Chord to Another in its entirety at the Phoenix in Toronto as part of 20th anniversary tour commemorating the album.  The show was broken into two sets, with the first blasting through OCTA and the second drawing from their other ten albums.  Despite owning three of their records, I couldn’t name a single tune, though their audience was pretty well informed, drowning out the band on a few sing-a-longs.  After such an amazing show, I decided to school myself on all things Sloan.  Was this a band just reliving the glory of a few early records?  After reviewing their catalogue, I can honestly say ‘no’.  If anything, Sloan’s records only improve over time as the band expands its sonic range and songwriting scope.  And that is saying something because those early records – Smeared, Twice Removed, One Chord to Another, Navy Blues – showcase the signature early sound of Sloan where the vocals and guitars slide together into a great sonic mash of hook-laden tunes.  But, I will have you believe, their later material is even better.

https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/02-midnight-mass.m4aMidnight Mass
Things begin to change up on the 1999 EP Hit and Run with the nice acoustic-y number, “Midnight Mass,” with its simple and endearing piano riff.  The band continued to explore new lines of musical enquiry on albums like 1999’s Between the Bridges with “Losing California,” and 2001’s Pretty Together featuring “If It Feels Good Do It” and “The Other Man.”  2004’s Action Pact upped the guitar muscle but still had surprises like “The Rest of My Life,” as did 2011’s Double Cross with “Shadows of Love” and “Unkind.”  2008’s Parallel Play had the outstanding single “Believe in Me” with its nice crunchy guitar and organ lead lines.Both 2006’s Never Hear the End of It and 2014’s Commonwealth are minor masterpieces, showcasing a band in complete control of its creative development.  As all four songwriters contribute great material to these efforts, it seems churlish to single out just a few songs.  Nevertheless, Never Hear the End of It has “Everybody Wants You,” the lovely dreamy “Listen to the Radio,” the rock out “I Can’t Sleep,” and the wistful “Someone I Can be True With,” while Commonwealth has “You’ve Got a Lot on Your Mind,” “Cleopatra” (with a neat piano solo), and the imaginative “Carried Away” with its great harmonic changes.  And there were a few super stand-alone singles, like 2009’s “Get Out of Your Bed,” with its delightful overlapping vocals and topical lyrics like ‘help yourself to some of their wealth’.

https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/04-everybody-wants-you.m4aEverybody Wants Youhttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/05-listen-to-the-radio.m4aListen to the Radiohttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/04-cleopatra.m4aCleopatrahttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/06-carried-away.m4aCarried Awayhttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/01-get-out-of-bed.m4aGet Out of Your Bed

IMG_6670

Sloan live in Toronto May 2016

So the bottom line is, believe the hype.  Sloan are a great big load of talent.  They exemplify the rock and roll form: four guys, all songwriters, all multi-instrumentalists, all dripping something authentic artistically, without the arrogance and pretention that often goes along with the package.  I’m really fascinated to see what they come up with next.

Find Sloan and all their music and tour dates online.

Around the dial: Patrick Boutwell, John Mark Nelson, Teddy Thompson, and Turbo Fruits

14 Saturday May 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Around the Dial

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A Piece of What You Need, Hi Heaviness, In My Arms, John Mark Nelson, No Control, Patrick Boutwell, Show Me Something Real, Sings the Moon, Teddy Thompson, Turbo Fruits

a2859242032_10Patrick Boutwell’s first solo outing came highly recommended from Powerpopulist, a blog that manages to blow through a truly impressive haul of new music.  With Hi, Heaviness Boutwell departs somewhat from the sound he honed on his many records with the band The Brother Kite.  Where the former has a lovely English-spacey sound circa the mid-1980s, this record features more sparkling guitars and up-front hooks.  Most of the songs here lure you in with some great fat trebly guitar riff before launching in to the main event, with “Love Lies Waiting’ a stellar example.  Though, I must admit, I was torn between featuring this song and the very catchy (though intro-less) title track.

20140711_john_mark_nelson_sings_the_moon_91I saw John Mark Nelson open for Little Green Cars in Toronto last month and I was struck by his boyish earnestness, a quality that permeates a great deal of his recorded material.  His first three albums are alternatively folky, whimsical, sometimes even vaudevillian, occasionally poprock, while his most recent, I’m Not Afraid, marks a departure into more serious territory.  Check out his video for “Moon and Stars” to get a sense of where he is coming from: interesting instrumentation, original arrangement, and strong sense of fun.  But the song featured here taps into a melodic, neo-folk sound that seems part Donovan, part Don McLean, and altogether moving in its earnest sincerity.

teddy_thompson-a_piece_of_what_you_need-frontAt the risk of turning this blog into a Teddy Thompson fan site, I had to feature “In My Arms” from his 2008 album A Piece of What You Need.  On his fourth album, Thompson exudes a new confidence, bringing all his disparate influences together into a bold new style, with “In My Arms” as a dynamic single.  The opening drums signal some classic poprock is being served up and Thompson does not disappoint.  The hooks are so subtle you don’t realize you’re being seduced until you find yourself singing along.  The accompaniment is both traditional and unusual: solid acoustic guitar anchoring the song, nice electric guitar flourishes, great background vocals, but then inserted here and there are what sound like video game sound effects and a killer, full-on, in-your-face organ solo.  In your own personal imaginary video, the top is down on the convertible, the wind is blowing through your hair (in the most photogenic way), and the radio playing this song is cranked.  Of course, this video captures the sentiment nicely too.

TF-No-Control-Art-lo-res4There is something very Dandy Warhols about the recent Turbo Fruits single, “Show Me Something Real.”  On their most recent recordings, both bands appear to combine a late 1990s rock sound with some classic late 1960s ambience, to great effect.  While a number of critics appear to be lamenting this latest shift in sound by the Turbo Fruits, I think it really works.  The fact is, you can only push a fratboy punk esthetic so far and then it is time to figure out where you really want to go musically.  With their latest album, No Control, this band demonstrates just the opposite and comes up with a winner, not just with this single but with other strong tracks like “The Way I Want You” and “Don’t Let Me Break Your Heart Again.”

Have we made the point that musical artists need money?  They do it for love, but they still need cash for food and rent so why not drop by the web portals associated with Patrick Boutwell, John Mark Nelson, Teddy Thompson, and the Turbo Fruits via these hotlinks.

Sam Weber has something to say

12 Thursday May 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Artist Spotlight

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Anybodys, Right Hearted, Sam Weber, Shadows in the Road, Valentina Nevada

IMG_6399Victoria’s Sam Weber has material that sounds deceptively simple but there is significant depth to his songs: subtle hooks, sophisticated production, and great arrangements.  His 2014’s debut album, Shadows in the Road, has so many great songs it is hard to showcase just a few.  Certainly “Right Hearted” has to be singled out as the obvious radio single.  While the intro might be a little long, when the acoustic guitar kicks in the song takes off, stratospherically so when the keyboard appears at the 1:17 point.  There is a very Sam Roberts feel to the hooks and chorus.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/02-right-hearted.m4aRight Hearted

From there the album moves in a number of directions, with influences as disparate as Bruce Springsteen, Daniel Lanois, and Warren Zevon, particularly on “Love in the Age of Lust.”  Other highlights for me include “Rolling,” “Peace,” “Something to Say” (that features a great organ), and “The Nerves” (with the great line ‘the words that keep my heart afloat are stuck inside my throat’). Each song is wonderfully layered sonically, with “Peace” and “Something to Say” also tackling social themes. https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/04-the-nerves.m4aThe Nerves

Weber’s new album, Valentina Nevada, is just about out, with its first single “Anybodys” grooving on a Van Morrison vibe.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/06-anybodys.m4aAnybody’s

IMG_6557Sam Weber and band appearing live in a Toronto living room, May 2016.

Check out the mini-documentary on the band, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, on Sam Weber’s Youtube page as well as the latest news from his website and Facebook page.  Photos by Ryann Hoxsey-Pilon, Toronto 2016.

Don’t tell my mother: Said the Whale and Mother Mother

07 Saturday May 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Poprock Themepark

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bright Idea, hawaii, Mother, Mother Mother, Said the Whale

gibson-cards-mothers-day-ad-19521Two Vancouver bands with striking similarities take us in a motherly direction in this post.  They were both formed in the mid-2000s and branched out musically from more stripped down roots and acoustic leanings in their early recordings to embrace indie rock, new wave, and even dance influences later on.  “Mother” is from Said the Whale’s 2013 album hawaii.  While overshadowed somewhat by the 1981-ish, new wave sounding hit single “I Love You,” “Mother” is a solid release in its own right.  Kicking off with a rather spare bass and drum sound, the vocals stand out for their effervescent quality, only to break out into a surging chorus laden with great keyboards and guitar lines, while the lyrics perfectly capture the transitional anxiety of young adults as the singer urges “don’t tell my mother till I pull myself together.”

The band Mother Mother are all about the vocals with a lead singer who has honed a highly original tone and delivery.  The band’s early material mixed a roots musical backdrop with quirky and fascinating vocal arrangements but over the years this has given way to a more indie rock/dance sound.  The single “Bright Idea” is a pop gem that is bit out of step with their other songs – indeed, it is not connected with any of their albums or EP releases.  This seems curious because “Bright Idea” is an infectious tune, with great vocals, handclaps and catchy hooks galore.

When not hanging out on the beautiful, laid back streets of Vancouver Said the Whale and Mother Mother occupy some space on the internet where you can download those missing tracks and catch up on upcoming live performances.

Spotlight single: Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones “Never Knew You’d Love Me Too”

02 Monday May 2016

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Spotlight Single

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Kelly Jones, Little Windows, Never Knew You'd Love Me Too, Teddy Thompson

500x500-2There is something quite wonderful about this impressive mash-up of late 1950s Felice and Boudleux Bryant-era songcraft with the fresh and contemporary sound of Thompson and Jones on this recording.  The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison – we could imagine any of them recording this song, but that does not in any way take away from what is accomplished here.  Great plinky piano, ghostly background organ, dead on handclaps, subtle guitar lines, and two vocalists who really know how to entwine a harmony.  “Never Knew You’d Love Me Too” is featured on the duo’s new album Little Windows, which mines a seam of old-time American cross-over country and western that can only be described as ‘delightful.’ This is all the more impressive when one considers that neither performer is a dedicated country artist (though Thompson’s catalogue does include various country songs and one previous dedicated country album), and yet somehow they have the authentic feel for the genre that, frankly, a great deal of new country lacks.  If we still had variety shows, these two would be your featured Saturday night special guests.

Find out more about this great collaboration on either Thompson or Jones‘ websites.

Blogroll

  • Absolute Powerpop
  • I Don't Hear a Single
  • Power Pop News
  • PowerPop
  • Powerpopaholic
  • PowerPopSquare
  • Powerpopulist
  • Sweet Sweet Music

Recent Posts

  • Singling out the stars
  • Lennon versus McCartney
  • Around the dial: The Small Breed, Electric Beauty, Turn Turn Turn, and Best Bets
  • Cover me! New Order “Blue Monday”
  • Poprock self-starter kit: Orchidales and Where Is Your Dog Now?

Recent Comments

Dennis Pilon on Singling out the stars
EclecticMusicLover on Singling out the stars
Dennis Pilon on Singling out the stars
thehappysomethings on Singling out the stars
Dennis Pilon on Lennon versus McCartney

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015

Categories

  • Around the Dial
  • Artist Spotlight
  • Breaking News
  • Poprock Themepark
  • Should be a Hit Single
  • Spotlight Single
  • Uncategorized

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • Singling out the stars
  • Lennon versus McCartney
  • Around the dial: The Small Breed, Electric Beauty, Turn Turn Turn, and Best Bets
  • Cover me! New Order “Blue Monday”
  • Poprock self-starter kit: Orchidales and Where Is Your Dog Now?

Recent Comments

Dennis Pilon on Singling out the stars
EclecticMusicLover on Singling out the stars
Dennis Pilon on Singling out the stars
thehappysomethings on Singling out the stars
Dennis Pilon on Lennon versus McCartney

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015

Categories

  • Around the Dial
  • Artist Spotlight
  • Breaking News
  • Poprock Themepark
  • Should be a Hit Single
  • Spotlight Single
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Poprock Record
    • Join 161 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Poprock Record
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...