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Monthly Archives: October 2019

Should be a hit single: Wyatt Blair “(I’ll Keep) Searching for You”

28 Monday Oct 2019

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Should be a Hit Single

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Wyatt Blair

Screen Shot 2019-10-28 at 9.53.10 AMHit play on Wyatt Blair’s latest release “(I’ll Keep) Searching for You” and you’ll notice the winning quality right away. First there’s the sibilant guitar reminiscent of all those early Pretenders singles. Then there’s an organ right off a mid-period Springsteen record. Finally, the record eases into a hooky groove that just doesn’t let go. It’s like it’s 1979 all over again. Blair’s previous releases mined the 1960s garage poprock sound to perfection on tracks like “Gotta Get Away” and “Won’t Back Down” (from 2018’s Inspirational Strawberries). “(I’ll Keep) Searching for You” is the third single in three months from an as-yet-unnamed future album project but, suffice to say, the material released so far advances his sound by a decade into the late 1970s/early 1980s. I can’t wait to see where he’s going next.

Blair is a record company founder, talent scout, record producer, and recording artist. So he’s busy. Check out his bandcamp page to catch up on his latest musical exploits. It’s literally hooks galore!

Around the dial: Pugwash, the Pernice Brothers, Berwanger, Slaughter Beach-Dog, and Extra Arms

25 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Around the Dial

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Berwanger, Extra Arms, Pugwash, Safe and Also No Fear, Slaughter Beach - Dog, Spread the Feeling, The Olympus, The Pernice Brothers, Up From Here, Watching a Garden Die

Screen Shot 2019-10-25 at 3.31.14 PMThe autumn has brought a seasonal gust of new releases and they arrive just in time to compensate for the fading sunlight and sinking temperatures. There’s nothing like a good melodic hook to amp up the joy quotient of a grey day. Today’s turn around the dial brings back some old faves and new discoveries!

Ireland’s Thomas Walsh is solid. Every release from his group Pugwash contains great songs and oh-so-interesting performances. His love of XTC regularly shows through but always in his own distinctive and original way. And the guy can write should-be hit singles! I couldn’t stop playing “Easier Done Than Said” from 2017’s Silverlake. Now he’s back with The Olympus E.P. and it’s just more of the good we’ve come to expect. “You Can Build a House on Love” opens with that familiar somewhat dark string section that haunts so many super Pugwash tracks, “August Born” is a bit more upbeat, while “Happy Again” adds a more rock and roll feel to the EP. This is another winning addition to the Pugwash canon.

Another no disappointment artist is Joe Pernice, with or without the rotating cast of characters that populate his Pernice Brothers outfit. Seemingly out of nowhere he’s got a new record and it’s a killer. Spread the Feeling goes from strength to strength songwise, kicking off with the lovely, superbly crafted pop gem “Mint Condition.” From there it’s a veritable rollercoaster of hooky tunes: the ear wormy poprock genius of “Devil and the Jinn,” the nice acoustic-based “Wither on the Vine,” “Throw Me to the Lions” with its catchy New Order-style guitar lines, and that poppy melodic treat “Skinny Jeanne.” There’s also more than few endearing slower tempo numbers like “Evidently So.” Another easy candidate for the ‘best of’ year-end lists!

Speaking of consistency, Lawrence, Kansas indie-cum-classic pop rockers Berwanger have another satisfying disc with Watching a Garden Die. Tracks like the opening cut “Long Way Down” and the neo-1950s early solo John Lennon sound of “Bad Vibrations” have those familiar Berwanger hooks and swing. But the lion’s share of the album is more introspective and low key, as on tracks like the acoustic “Even the Darkness Doesn’t Know” or the bass-dominant “Friday Night” or the mellow “I Keep Telling Myself.” Ultimately, this is a record satisfying in its familiarity while still pushing against its own self-imposed boundaries.

Looking for some ‘pared-down folk rock’? You get a mix of rockier material and a more swinging acoustic vibe on Slaughter Beach, Dog’s new LP Safe and Also No Fear. Paired example: “Good One” and “Heart Attack.” The former has a nice build up, laying some grungy rhythm guitar overtop an initial acoustic base, with some attractive vocal harmonies near the chorus. Meanwhile the latter has a sunshiney swing that will work its way into your head, helped along by its sparkly acoustic guitar anchor and spare embellishments. Ryan Allen’s Extra Arms are back with their sophomore effort Up From Here and it sounds like Fountains of Wayne doing a rawk tribute. Edgy power chords with some solid melodic hooks, particularly on tracks like “F.L.Y.,” “Coming in Waves,” “Hold Me (All the Time),” and “Up From Here.” Overall, this baby’s a bit harsher than our usual fare but hey sometimes you really need to jump up and down and punch the air. This is your gateway air-punching release for 2019.

So many talented bands and solid releases so far this year. Check out Pugwash, The Pernice Brothers, Berwanger, Slaughter Beach, Dog, and Extra Arms in more detail by clicking on the links.

Curvy light road photo courtesy Larry Gordon.

I get mail: David Woodard, Breakfast in America, Jonathan Pushkar and Ben Vogel

19 Saturday Oct 2019

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Poprock Themepark

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Ben Vogel, Breakfast in America, David Woodard, Johnathan Pushkar

Screen Shot 2019-10-19 at 2.45.01 PMPeople write me. They tell me about their band and/or new single/album. And what is impressive is I nearly always end up writing about them. Eventually. Today I gather together a bunch of avid self-promoters whose songs you deserve to hear now.

David Woodard wrote me a while back about his great single and EP of the same name, I Used to Be Cool. I loved it! The single was a slick and catchy piece of popcraft and the EP had other great songs, including a pretty impressive cover of the Beatles’ “Help.” Meanwhile the Lego video for “I Used to be Cool” was hilarious! But somehow his release slipped from my view. Now he’s back with another EP and it is even more impressive. Everything in Between has some superior jangle pop with “We’re Not Coming Back,” a cracking holiday tune in “Waiting for Christmas,” and a nice cover of Nick Lowe’s brilliant “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding.” But undoubtedly the standout track is the ready-for-chart-action single, “Nine Hundred Ninety Nine” with its unmistakable Matthew Sweet vibe. This guy is going places!

Edmonton calling with our next artist, Breakfast in America. Their name is taken from an English band’s best-selling album ever but their sound is self-described as ‘California surf grunge’. Confused? Check out the tunes themselves for clarity here and find some harmony-laden poprock gems – more laid back Tom Petty-meets-1970s California melody-rich rock and roll. Love their first single “Santa Fe” from 2017 and their follow up 2019 EP Side Hustle doesn’t disappoint either.

Next up a man that claims to “write songs for today’s audience like it’s 1965” and that about sums it up. On his debut LP Straighten Up Johnathan Pushkar ferries across the Mersey with considerable confidence on tracks like “The Girl Next Door” and “Isabella,” though there’s more than a little That Thing You Do and Fountains of Wayne here too (particularly on his note perfect cover of FOW’s “Hackensack”).

Spokane native Ben Vogel rounds out this letter bag with tracks from his debut album Whistling After Midnight. On his website Vogel describes his inspiration as Marshall Crenshaw, XTC, Squeeze and the Beatles and I’m like ‘hold up there, that’s four of my top ten acts all of time!’ I am so ready to love this. What Vogel offers is actually more distinctive, adding a strong 1970s soft rock and pop sensibility to the aforementioned influences. You can really hear it on “Leave This Town,” “Early Morning Hours,” and country-inflected “I Hope You’re Happy Now.” But the star moment here is “Cassidy” with its hooky guitar work and twist and turn melody. Very 1981, in a good way.

Up and coming talent deserves your financial attention. Take a trip internet-style to David Woodard, Breakfast in America, Jonathan Pushkar and Ben Vogel now.

Spotlight single: Screen Test “Notes from Trevor”

14 Monday Oct 2019

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Spotlight Single

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Notes From Trevor, Screen Test, The Flashcubes, Through the Past Brightly

Screen Shot 2019-10-14 at 1.18.49 PMMusic veterans Screen Test put out some of their best music in 2018 with their Stones album-title riffing compilation Through the Past Brightly. Featuring both new and older unreleased tracks, the majority of the record is made up of the more recent material and it is IMHO some of their finest work. And that’s really saying something for guys who’ve been gigging and recording since the late 1970s with The Flashcubes, Screen Test, as solo artists, and with a host of other projects. Of the record’s new tunes I really like “Make Something Happen,” “Tomorrow is Another Day,” and particularly the single-worthy “Best Seller” with its hooky Mersey-jangle lead guitar.  But the song that sings ‘hit’ to me without a doubt is “Notes from Trevor” with its killer build up and knock out earwormy chorus. Think of something filling the space between Pugwash and XTC and you’re in the zone. Or, as reader Fabian Byrne notes, very Smithereens! The band also have a great new tune worth checking out: “End of the Line.”

https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/01-notes-from-trevor.m4aNotes From Trevorhttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/02-best-seller.m4aBest Seller

Screen Test prove that it’s possible for bands to keep the creativity going at any stage of their careers. Surely that deserves some kind of reward? Click on their hot-linked name to find out more!

The single file: Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts, The Empty Hearts, Ezra Furman, and Signals Midwest

10 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Poprock Themepark

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Ezra Furman, Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts, Signals Midwest, The Empty Hearts

Screen Shot 2019-10-10 at 1.02.02 PMI’m always geared up for some great singles. I’m not the kind to insist on a whole album of hits. That can be so greedy. So let’s roll out some should-be hit single poprock radio fodder.

Screen Shot 2019-10-10 at 1.10.29 PMLet me say right at the outset that Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts’ new album This is the Sound is an all-round good time, filled with great tunes. It’s what we’d expect from a guy whose talents have ranged from his killer sunshine-blast solo album Hell of a Day to super outings with Bowling for Soup’s Jaret Reddick in People on Vacation. But there is something particular about “Feeling Like Falling in Love” on his latest album that really grabs me. Maybe it’s guitar hook that loops throughout the song or the effortless tenor of Ryan’s vocals but the song sticks with me. Or maybe you’re looking for something more old school new wave? Got just the release here with the latest single from The Empty Hearts. Described by some as a ‘garage rock supergroup’ I’d probably characterize them as a bit more smooth than that. Their latest “Coat Tailer” offers up the polished sheen of Romantics-style guitars with some cool Rubber Soul-ish background vocals. B-side “Run and Hide” is no slouch either with its mellow jangle and slight country vibe. Can’t wait for the full album follow up to these teasers.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/01-coat-tailer.m4aThe Empty Hearts – Coat Tailer

Screen Shot 2019-10-10 at 1.11.40 PMEzra Furman is undeniably one of most exciting artists to emerge over the past decade. Fabulously original, combining a punk-like sentiment with a solid mastery of 1950s and 1960s songwriting styles. He’s like a gender-fluid John Lennon – angry, tuneful, with a whole lot of something to say. His latest record 12 Nudes cranks the punk and snarl on most cuts but “In America” rides its wondrous ragged delivery over some killer hooks. I’d vote for this guy. Carrying on in a punky vein, Cleveland’s Signals Midwest take their sound in a more melodic direction with their latest EP Pin, particularly on the first single, “Your New Old Apartment.” The song goes in a number of directions with surprising musical adornments and ace vocal support from Sincere Engineer (aka Deanna Belos). Love the echo-y background vocal ‘oh oh ohs’ that show up late!

Imagine Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts, The Empty Hearts, Ezra Furman, and Signals Midwest all just waiting eagerly for responses to their songs like kids waiting by the tree at Xmas. Let’s end the wait and get on over to their web locales.

Slouching music listening guy photo courtesy Larry Gordon.

Superheroes

03 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by Dennis Pilon in Poprock Themepark

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Jill Sobule, Jim's Big Ego, Lazlo Bane, Paul McCartney and Wings, Superheroes, The Clique, XTC

Screen Shot 2019-10-03 at 11.24.52 PMDon’t get me started on superhero movies. Sometimes it seems like Hollywood makes little else. But songs about superheroes can be great. That’s probably because songwriters can’t simply rely on a green screen or endless explosive pyrotechnics. So let’s let it rip with these superhero song stylings!

Kicking things off is a band and a song with the same name. There’s not a lot of ink on the Danish group Superheroes, though leader Thomas Troelsen has gone on to produce a bevy of mainstream international pop superstars like Justin Beiber, David Guetta and Lil’ Wayne. Luckily, his band sounds nothing like them. Instead, the group vibes a 1970s art rock meets new wave sound, updated for the new century. “Superheroes” is a slow burn hook-wise but give it some time and its earworm qualities will grow on you. XTC offer up super melodies on “That’s Really Super, Super Girl,” from their Todd Rundgren-produced masterpiece Skylarking. A great locomotive blast of Andy Partridge wordplay and ornamental, guitar-driven poprock. Things slow down with the light acoustic swing of Jill Sobule’s bittersweet “Spiderman,” from 2009’s California Years. It’s a not-so-super superhero song but hey, she’s keeping it real.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/03-superheroes.m4aSuperheroes – Superheroeshttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/04-thats-really-super-supergirl.mp3XTC – That’s Really Super, Supergirlhttps://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/13-spiderman.m4aJill Sobule – Spiderman

R.E.M.’s “Superman” was immediately one of my fave cuts from what is probably still my top R.E.M. album, Life’s Rich Pageant. I knew it was a cover but I assumed The Clique were just some other 1980s Athens-based indie outfit and R.E.M. was sharing the love. Recently I found out that the original goes back to the 1969. Initially just a b-side, the The Clique’s version of “Superman” is a revelation! Recognizable but distinctly different than the cover and well worth a listen. Another recent discovery is Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Magneto and Titanium Man” from Venus and Mars. Apparently Sir Paul loves his Marvel comics and this treat is so 1975 Wings but also contains a few melodic twists. Nice video utilizing old Marvel kids cartoon footage. One of Jim Infantino’s musical vehicles is the often hilarious, always politically intelligent Jim’s Big Ego. But his turn at superhero songwriting is a bit more serious on “The Ballad of Barry Allen.” Apparently, being the fastest guy is not always such a thrill.https://poprockrecord.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/10-superman.m4aThe Clique – Superman

Rounding things out is Lazlo Bane’s addictive banjo-laden, superhero name-dropping “I’m No Superman,” though the tune is probably best known as the theme song on the long-running network sitcom, Scrubs. It’s the right sentiment to end on. Nobody’s really a superhero. Just get that through your thick pop culture heads. Except when melodic hooks are involved.

This post has mostly older releases but that doesn’t mean they don’t need some cash love. Click on the hyperlinks to show off your superness.

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