Monthly Archives: July 2023

Sweet sweet Matthew

28 Friday Jul 2023

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The 1990s saviour of power pop was undeniably Matthew Sweet. While others indulged in the raw muscularity of grunge or the dissonant hooks of Weezer Sweet offered up album after album of supremely confident melodic rock tunes, successfully updating previous decades of the genre. Like many people I caught on to Sweet’s work via 1991’s Girlfriend and his damn near perfect poprock single “I’ve Been Waiting.” But as I continued to follow his career I discovered that Sweet didn’t just belong to the power pop crowd. He had an alter ego that vibed a rock god persona, complete with chunky power chords and blistering guitar solos. In fact, each of his post-Girlfriend albums showcased this dualism – poprock versus rock god – to some degree. Given our biases here at Poprock Record it won’t surprise you that we’ve scoured his catalogue for the hidden and not-so-hidden poppy rock gems you can find on every Matthew Sweet LP.

Sweet actually gets his start in eighties and listening to 1986’s Inside and 1989’s Earth it shows. The debut bears the production marks of that decade with its gated drum sound and punchy keyboards. Inside was Sweet’s only record for label behemoth Columbia and with ten different producers involved it’s pretty clear they weren’t sure what to do with him. Still, it’s a remarkably consistent-sounding the album. I’d single out the Don Dixon-produced “This Above All” and David Kahne-helmed “Blue Fools” for special mention, in part for the fabulous guest background vocals from Aimee Mann on the former and two of the Bangles on the latter. Three years later Earth turned in a more textured synth performance, enhanced by the arrival of Sweet’s own signature background vocal style, clearly evident on “Vixen.”

Blue Fools
Vixen

Yet it was the 1990s that marked the artistic arrival of Matthew Sweet. That decade witnessed him produce five solid albums, all full of hooky wonders and explosive guitar solos. Girlfriend practically blew a hole in 1991, its 15 tracks were so consistently good. It’s easy to declare “I’ve Been Waiting” the album’s master cut but which track would you rank second, or third? I’m torn between “Thought I Knew You” and “I Wanted to Tell You.” Two years later Altered Beast offered up a fatter, rockier sound compared to its more spare, acoustically-guitar driven predecessor but the hooks came through on cuts like “Time Capsule,” “The Ugly Truth” and the sixties jangled “Devil with the Green Eyes.” 1995’s 100% Fun stands second to Girlfriend in terms of commercial appeal and stark hit singles potential. “Opening cut “Sick of Myself” is an obvious monster hook machine. But there are other killer should-be hits here, like the exquisite “Get Older” and more subtle “We’re the Same.” And I love the eerie, spooky feel to “Walk Out.” Another two years gone and 1997’s Blue Sky on Mars continued to deliver both light and heavy poprock numbers like “Until You Break,” “Back to You” and “Where You Get Love.” “All Over My Head” even manages to combine a bit of both. Sweet rounded out the nineties with 1999’s In Reverse, tipping the sonic balance back to pop with numbers like “If Time Permits” and “Future Shock.”

Thought I Knew You
Devil with the Green Eyes
Get Older
All Over My Head
Future Shock

Into the new millennium Sweet’s focus shifted somewhat from strictly solo releases to include the folk rock Thorns album with Pete Droge and Shaun Mullins and his series of Under the Covers albums with Susanna Hoffs. His first two solo albums of the new decade were initially only available in Japan, 2003’s Kimi Ga Suki and 2004’s Living Things. From the former “I Don’t Want to Know” sounds like a Girlfriend deep cut and “Wait” is pretty jangle special. Meanwhile “Sunlight” is the go to cut from the latter. 2008’s Sunshine Lies was heralded by some as Sweet’s comeback album but it didn’t spawn any break out hits, though “Brydgirl” and “Around You Now” sound reliably hit-worthy. By 2011 Modern Art definitely sounds more experimental, though the Sweet formula hooks are in evidence on “She Walks the Night,” “Another Chance” and “Sleeping.” The long gap until Sweet’s pair of Tomorrow albums in 2017-18 was worth the wait, producing 29 tracks. Between Tomorrow Forever and Tomorrow’s Daughter the latter really delivered for me, particularly jangle perfect “I Belong To You.” Later the same year he released Wicked System of Things and here I’d point you to “Eternity Now.” 2021’s Catspaw is Sweet doing all the things both fans and critics laud him for, i.e. layering on loads of hooks and disharmony, like on “Challenge the Gods” and “Come Home.”

Sunlight
Around You Now
She Walks the Night
Come Home

In the 1990s we fans of Matthew Sweet patiently waited for the stratospheric take-off we were sure was coming for this artist. He consistently delivered but somehow never arrived, commercially that is. Instead, we’ve got a sweet sweet canon of melodic rock and roll to rediscover again and again.

Complete your Matthew Sweet hook library by visiting him online.

Words just get in the way

21 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

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Who need lyrics anyway? Some artists just want to get right to the musical point. Like this crew of topnotch poprock instrumentalizers. Without words you just need to get your hummer tuned and ready.

Toronto’s Cameronoise is Tim Cameron, one man band. He described his 2022 self-titled debut EP as ‘Booker T & The MGs meet The Smithereens in Paul McCartney’s attic.’ You can definitely feel the dynamic tension he creates between his Stax-Volt approved organ lines and power pop guitar chords. So far he’s got two EPs out in 2023. Racing to the Next Red Light has got a killer should-be single going with “I’m Not Bitter.” These are some serious 1965 Mersey-ish keyboard and guitar hooks. His more recent Henry Shade of Winkler definitely wins the cheeky album title award. And it’s a damn fine listen. Stand out track this time is “Alternative Batgirl.” Great hooks on both guitar and organ and such a fun arrangement evoking biff-bam-pow good times.

Freehold Township isn’t right on the Jersey shore but you wouldn’t know it listening to locals The Volcanics blast through their surf-drenched long-player Concrete Carver. Man do they nail the 1965 surf rock sound and do it with a kind of sophistication usually reserved for jazzier exploits. Title track “Concrete Carver” should get anyone dancing even in the toughest beach sand. “Whiplash” hits all the Ventures notes effortlessly. When “The Ripper” came on it took all my self-control not to grab a surf board and hit the waves. You’d swear every tune here was designed to float up behind a Hawaii 5-O set deck – the album’s cinematic quality is inescapable. My favourite cut here is probably “Lollygaggin’.” It has such a joyful lead guitar bounce, reminding me of those ace instrumental melody-makers Los Straightjackets. For contrast there’s even a few lovely slow dances for you and your baby, like “Surfer’s Melody” and “Scenic Route.” Basically people, if loving this is wrong I don’t want to be right.

This next record is really something special. Oita Japan band The Routes perform ten classic tracks from Kraftwerk but in a distinctive 1960s guitar instrumental style. If ever a concept  might be in danger of going too far you might think this would be it. But The Routes 2022 album The Twang Machine is a remarkable synthesis of seemingly antithetical styles that somehow works in spite of this tension. The guitar playing is deliriously good, the keyboards sly and subtle, while the overall song arrangements are inventive and brilliant. Opening cut “Computer Love” will get into your head with its rippling lead guitar lines and careful emphasis on the song’s heretofore obscured killer hooks. From there Kraftwerk fans can just take in the glorious, madcap, otherworldly character of these reinventions of Kraut rock.

On 14 Bullets from the Spaghetti West you get a mix of gunslinger-movie instrumental classics played with an exaggerated western aplomb. There’s electric and acoustic guitars, whistling, sombre vocal choruses, and plenty of sad, sonorous trumpet. The band is Melbourne Australia’s The Counterfeit and they have got the American west via Italian film biz chops. All 14 songs here are played beautifully – you can let the needle drop and have the record play through without skipping a beat. But the stand out tracks for me were the soulful, sad “Jerry’s Theme,” the arch, ceremonial “A Fistful of Dollars” (that trumpet player is earning his fee here), and the haunting, whistle-drenched “Spaghetti Time.” Fair warning: frequent listening will undoubtedly have you digging out your old Clint Eastwood DVDs for repeat movie nights.

Toronto’s Phono-Comb were a short-lived side project for members of The Sadies and Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. Their one album is nearly all instrumental, offering up dirty surf and garage rock tunes. The songs are mostly just good fun, like watching a great bar band entertain the locals. But a few tunes really stand out. “Pummelled” starts slow but builds up a hooky melody, bending it into various shapes before returning to the main theme. “Clogs from the Crypt” and “Cliffhanger” both eventually rock out in a great party way. But the album’s exceptional track is undeniably “Marvin.” It’s rollicking easygoing pace is elevated with some signature SMOASP lead guitar work.

Think of instrumentals as lyrics-reduced tune-age. And you can make up your own song meanings without all those busy words getting in the way.

Image courtesy Brian Scott.

Breaking news: The Parlophonics, Diners, The Goods, and The Foreign Films

15 Saturday Jul 2023

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My news team takes a creative approach in defining just what is ‘breaking’ or not. Some of our acts have just come out with their new release while others hit the racks a while back. Needless to say, they are all ‘breaking’ to somebody somewhere. We’re going with that.

Words like ‘lush’ and ‘exquisite’ come to mind as you play through The Parlophonics dynamic second long-player Dying of the Light. This is sophisticated poppy rock of the highest order. Opening cut “Fill My Sky” sets the stage, mixing strings and sitars to create an eastern-influenced tapestry of sounds, punctuated by a few David Gilmour-worthy lead guitar solos. The ambience reminds me of Lord Huron’s Long Lost sound. That vibe is also definitely present on “Heaven Can Wait,” this album’s obvious should-be hit single. But this record defies easy categorization. Tracks like “Reading Kerouac” change things up, exuding a Style Council peppiness. So too “These Days” is light sunny pop. Contrast that to the sombre folk pop feel on “Believe in Something,” “The Dying of the Light” and “Paper Smile.” Then again I can’t help but hear a strong 1970s pop tradition here too, falling somewhere between Fleetwood Mac and Abba on cuts like “Underneath the Blue Sky” and “Song for a Lost Friend,” the former riding a seductive, hooky lead guitar lick and glossy vocals while the latter hits the chord changes hard, accompanied by a wall of vocals sing-along style.  More rocky pop gets a look in on the album closer “Staring at the Sun,” the slight Oasis vibe unmistakeable. Despite all this variety Dying of the Light has a coherent sonic stamp to it. It’s a record-of-the-year list no brainer.

Diners new album Domino has an edgier, rockier feel to it compared to 2020’s Leisure World. I really liked Leisure World but I’m loving this new sound. You can definitely hear the influence of producer Mo Troper pushing the treble to the edge, both on guitar and vocals. Opening cut “Working on My Dreams” clearly signals this shift, slinging guitar chords with a real rock and roll swing. From there this new intensity takes different forms, like a rockier Apples in Stereo sound on “Domino,” a bit of Latin hustle in “So What,” or some straight-up Velvets strut on “Someday I’ll Go Surfing.” Half way through the record “The Power” lands with a thump. This is slicker, poppier bit of business, definitely the should-be hit single. The rocky impact here can be subtle. “I Don’t Think About You” is a more stripped-down affair but still the guitar rings out with emphasis, effectively framing the more lofi vocals. The album does include examples of Diners more classic curio, low-key pop material with songs like “Wisdom” and “Painted Pictures.” Personal fave – “From My Pillow.” This track bubbles with a rocky pop energy akin to bands like The Friends of Cesar Romero. With Domino Diners have definitely come out swinging and they don’t miss.

Oakland’s The Goods are the power pop shot in the arm you’ve been longing for. Their new self-titled EP The Goods is a 4 song blast of poppy rock goodness clearly drawing from indie stars like The Jam and Matthew Sweet and in step with more recent acts like The Rubs and Uni Boys. “David Jones is Dead” leans in with some Cheap Trick heavy guitar but quickly the song’s hooks overpower everything. By contrast, the lead guitar carrying “Dear Angeline” is light and poppy and delightful. “I’m Not the Only One” has a more Replacements rocky pop vibe. “Hear Me” sounds like it falls somewhere between Matthew Sweet and Marshall Crenshaw. Trust me, you need to get The Goods. My only complaint is, just four songs? Really? A full of album with this power pop template is a sure-fire winner.

Hamilton’s The Foreign Films celebrate the many flavours of 1970s AM pop on their recent record Magic Shadows. The whole affairs feels like a celebration, sponsored by Jeff Lynne. Seriously, kick off track “Cinema Girl” has a very ELO stamp, with a hint of early Springsteen stream-of-consciousness vocals. The ELO vibes carry though the album on a host of songs like “Rain Clouds (Sunshine in Your Heart),” “Midnight Movies,” and “Time Machine.” There are departures, of course. I agree with Sweet Sweet Music’s take on “Perfect Future” as a song that sounds like a marriage of Sparks and Roy Orbison. Or there’s the Hollies stamp on “Sparks in The Dark (Merry-Go-Round)” right down to the hooky lead guitar line and harmony vocals. Then “Cosmic Lover” cranks up the glam machine, vibing very “Spirit in the Sky” big guitar hooks. “Into the Light” could easily be a Tom Petty deep cut. “Daydream in the Sun (UFO Radio)” is an updated 1950s style vamp. Magic Shadows is an eminently playable slab of poppy rock – turn it on and let your cares drift away.

In terms of killer melodic rock, you’re sort of all caught up. Well, actually, no. There’s tons more to discover. You’ll just have to wait for film at 11.

Photo courtesy James Vaughn Flikr page.

Spotlight single: Davoli “Sunny Day”

09 Sunday Jul 2023

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Our summertime spotlight single would appear to be focused on the weather but that’s just a ruse designed to obscure an exploration of some darker themes. After a year of intermittent singles releases the most immediate vibe from Nottingham’s Davoli is a Jeff Tweedy Americana sort of feel. It’s the prominence of acoustic guitars in the mix and the slight twang embedded in proceedings. But on this most recent 45 he pushes the pop pedal a bit harder, shifting the results into a more Ben Kweller or Brendon Benson territory. “Sunny Day” has both a timely summer theme and a hooky strummy tune. It kinda sneaks up on you, kicking off with an even tempo and pacing, but throughout the lead guitar throws out striking licks and interventions that jar the listener in most pleasant ways. Vocally I hear Benson’s candy-coated, AM radio-worthy smooth delivery tying everything together. And yet the song’s sunny musical disposition seems strangely at odds with its more melancholy lyrical themes. Maybe that’s the tension that helps make this single soar. In terms of the arc of this artist’s musical development, I like where this is going. Past singles were great but this new direction has a bit more heft and impact to my ears. An album’s worth more of this good same would not go amiss in my record collection.

Deets on Davoli are sparse but you can check out his quintet of singles here.

Rollercoaster photo courtesy Swizzle Studios.

Around the dial: Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets, Dolour, Vanity Mirror, and The Midnight Callers

03 Monday Jul 2023

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Turning the radio dial used to be hard work sometimes if you wanted to find that perfect song. But this station has got your hooks if melody-driven rock is what you favour.

Minneapolis native Kevin Bowe has run with some pretty impressive company over the years, working with the likes of The Replacements, Wilco, Freedy Johnston, and many others. His early solo records were often compared to them, filed loosely under a broadly defined ‘Americana’ label. But listening to his new album Half Past Never Bowe shifts into a more commercial 1980s poprock lane I’d compare to work from Rob Fetters, Michael Slawter and Bill Lloyd. Just listen to the magic hit-single worthy melange of sound that is “California Sober.” The sparkling electric guitar lines buffet a smooth vocal melodic hook that just keeps on giving. Then “Put Me Out of Your Misery” eases in slow and easy, only to turn on magnetic hooks in the chorus. The Americana roots are still there, evident with the unmistakeable Tom Petty strut defining “Only Child” and the touching country ballad “Another Word for God.” And there are few stylistic departures, like the dreamy, achingly beautiful great American songbook-ish “I Hate Falling in Love.” But on the whole this record further develops the poppier sound Bowe experimented with on 2018’s Every Part of the Buffalo. Tracks like “Half Past Never,” “If I Was You” and “Hurt Me Beautiful” are straight-up melodic rock and roll of the first order. With Half Past Never Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets have got a winner, a record that turns killer choruses into a kick-up your heels good time.

Dolour‘s Shane Tutmarc is a master of many musical styles but on his new EP Everything I Need they cohere into a distinctive sound. And that’s impressive because the five songs included here range from ear-wormy AM radio singles, to light and sunny pop, to synth-driven hook-traps, to country-tinged poprock. Title track “Everything I Need” kicks things off and sets the tone for the EP. The song begins with some edgy rhythm guitar but quickly morphs into a smooth AM radio-sounding hit. Then “Have I Finally Gone Insane” offers up a delightful dollop of updated sunshine pop. It’s got the light pop cadence of an early seventies Sedaka with McCartney in the producer’s chair. “When the World Stops Ending” has an attention-grabbing opening synth that just keeps returning to reel you in to a song with a Naked Eyes mellifluous melody. Things go a bit pop soul on “Moves Like Miyagi” in a very in Hall and Oates way, though Phil Thornalley has also been working this seam more recently. Album closer “The Comeback Kid” sounds like a super-charged Cactus Blossoms. The tune is pure poprock but the vocals give it a country tinge. In an interview with Sweet Sweet Music Blog Tutmarc tells us Everything I Need is really just half of a new album coming out later this year. I guess that means I don’t quite have everything I need yet.

The Electric Looking Glass members have a new project that takes their retro vibes in a slightly different direction. Basically, if their old band was Haight Ashbury then the new Vanity Mirror is more swinging London. On their debut record Puff the musical atmosphere shifts between late sixties Kinks and Moodies to early seventies solo McCartney and Emitt Rhodes. Opening cut “(I First Saw You There on) Tinpot Lane” sounds like something released on the sixties era Pye records. The keyboards and electric guitar have a brilliant brittleness while the vocals ooze baroque ambience. By contrast, early single “Tuesday News” is more Badfinger at Abbey Road. I hear Ray Davies listening to “Girl Feeding a Swan,” a whole lot of early solo McCartney on “Somehow You Know,” and a definite 1970s Lennon feel infusing “Look at the Clouds.” Meanwhile “Talking Walkie-Talkie Rice Krispies Blues” hits all the psych pop marks. Not everything here is time tripping though. “Dandelion Wish” could easily fit onto any recent Mo Troper album. Vanity Mirror look and sound like a yesterday you can still love today.

The 1970s had more than few over-the-top rock and roll moments where rough lead guitar riffs combined with a show tunes-like vocal precision. You can hear it from Alice Cooper in his poppier moments, Queen and Meatloaf obviously, and ELO when you wanted to meld classical and rock elements. But beneath it all were just great, feel-good rock songs. The Midnight Callers ace this challenging formula on their new LP Rattled Humming Heart. There are so many strong songs here but I’m going to point you right to the should-be monster hit single. “Girl on the Run” is a majestic rush of classic rock hooks right out of the Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen playbook. The jangly lead guitar runs bristle with pent up energy, the rhythm section shifts between strutting and breaking wide open, while the vocals alternate tenderness with desperation. Really, I’ve worn out the replay button on this one. Another track ringing the hit singles bell is “Baby Let Me Be.” What a perfect balance between deep rock guitar riffing and a heavenly vocal arrangement. “What Goes Around” does something similar, though here the blasting guitar chords and lead lines are disciplined by a wall of harmony vocals. 1970s musical shout outs are all over this record: a glam rock groove defining “New York Tramp,” some Thin Lizzy on “Step,” an echo of Queen or ELO on “Without Ya,” and even an updated early Beatles vibe on “The Plan.” And then “Maggie” changes things up with a more poppy acoustic ballad. Good thing it’s summer because Rattled Humming Heart really should be your go-to party record.

Girl on the Run

Radio may not be the heart of rock and roll anymore but here the should-be hits just keep on coming. Follow the links above to dive deeper into these recommended playlist additions.

Photo courtesy of Joe Haupt Flikr collection.