Some acts really put on a show. For them, it’s never just some songs. There’s a concept behind what’s there and an order to the proceedings that is every bit as important as the choice of instrumentation and editing of the lyrics. Today’s acts know how to take the spotlight.

Ken Sharp falls somewhere between the Beach Boys and the 5^th Dimension. Except when he’s channeling David Bowie or the Beatles. Or Cat Stevens caught between his Brit poppy and pop-folk periods. His new album Welcome to Toytown features an astonishing 41 cuts, admittedly many clocking in at a brief 1-2 minutes. Still, that’s 41 distinct ideas he’s putting out there. One song does run a bit longer – “Toytown Suite” is a medley of three related songs that stretch to 9:43. Now I can’t possibly cover everything that appears here so I’ll leave 33 songs for your own self-discovery and give particular attention to 8 tunes that really grabbed me. Like “Just Hanging Around.” The flute, strings and ukulele are so late 1960s austere England, in a moody Moodies or Kinks mold. “In Betweens” nails that Beatle Paul at the piano. And just tell me “I am a Spaceman” is not a lost early Bowie b-side. “Listen” cranks up the handclaps and piano shots for a baroque excerpt from something off-Broadway. Sharp can even toss us back to the vaudeville era with the spot-on canter of “Got Your Number.” “Stuck in a River of Lies” sounds like the hit single to me. I love the acoustic guitar drive to this one. For a closer I pick the smooth Paul Simon-meets-Elliott Smith whisper vocal and low-key accompaniment of “When It Comes.” Set aside some time to spend with Welcome to Toytown. Trust me, you’ll want to stay awhile.

Bruce Moody revived his early 1980s recordings with a fabulous, sprawling package entitled Forever Fresh! to universal indie-scribe acclaim in 2020. But what comes after the belated happily-ever-after of releasing the songs of your earlier self? For Moody, that meant heading back to his old recordings cabinet to recycle even more ideas from his past. Yet on his new album PopCycle he doesn’t just echo his past efforts, he remakes those ideas, rerecording them while branching out from the sound and styles of his yesteryear. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pretty eighties. But this time around he draws from a broader set of influences from that decade. “I’m Gonna Tell Her Tonight” has a classic 1980s guitar pop sheen. “Shy Girls” has an energy I associate with early 1980s Hall and Oates vibe. “Little By Little” moves into a more pop techno direction a la a daytime Gary Numan. “Labels” is so that decade, both in sound and content. I love the vocal arrangements on tracks like “It’s Not Like Mine” and “Keep It Together.” Then “Turn Away” sounds like the should-be hit-single to me with its carefully calibrated arrangement. So ear candy. With PopCycle Bruce Moody shows the 1980s have still got a lot more to give.

What is Mo Troper trying to say with his new long, long-player Svengali? That he is some evil pop master dominating us with mesmerizing melody? Because I’d sign up for that. Gladly. This new album is certainly captivating, spilling over with 23 songs that punch up multiple styles and include a 6 part instrumental Svengali theme. Things kick off with “Bleach,” a bit of dissonant power pop bliss with blown speakers. The sound comes on like it is being stretched and pulled into shape. Then “A Piece of You Broken Through My Heart” offers a high definition contrast, all jangle clear and buoyant sunshine pop. “The Billy Joel Fanclub” is a bit more mysterious. Serious or satire? The ambiguity is so Troper. Light and dark constantly alternate here. From the rough garage Apples In Stereo “Spark World” and freewheeling punky “The Face of Kindness” to sweet sweeping seventies pop numbers like “You Always Loved Me” and “You Can Call Me Your Baby.” And then there’s the showstopper, “For You To Sing.” The melodic arc on this tune has a magnetic pull that insists on an instant replay. But I’m also charmed by the breezy rollicking flow of “Like I Do.”

As you can hear, underneath all the high production trappings are some great songs. Enjoy the show over and over again via the artist hyperlinks. You don’t even have to buy a ticket (but that would be nice).

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.