Are they the people that you meet when you’re walking down the street? I suspect not. But these two bands definitely deserve to be in your musical hood if you like something just a bit out of the poprock mainstream.
Human Barbie lives in Los Angeles. Like, duh. Where else would they be? I mean, Malibu was in the traditional brand somewhere. But there’s nothing plastic or assembly line about this living doll. Human Barbie the band is wonderfully warm and analog in its sonic signature. The group’s one long-player Get a Life contains such an interesting mix of instrument choices and song styles. Everything exhibits just a touch by a dreamy psychedelia, framed within spare guitar work and keyboards. Opening cut “We Disappeared” rides some solid harpsichord piano chords, punctuated by otherworldly synth lead lines. Altogether space agey. Title track “Get a Life” is contemplative, capturing a marked generational ennui with growing up. “The Truth is Coming” leans on keyboards to cast its uncertain glow, though the warm rumbly electric lead guitar break creates a nice juxtaposition. You can go back and forth in Human Barbie’s catalogue for plenty more great musical nuggets. “Nineteen 80” chugs along with a sombre poppy elan. “The Village Priest” is another winning stand-alone song, vibing mystery and a bit of folk rock. The band’s most recent single “Slow Down” has a fuller, more pastoral feel with an almost gospel shading in the sing-along chorus.
In the list of bands with a serious work ethic, Smug Brothers would surely get more than a footnote. Ok, there was that nine year break between albums one and two but since then they’ve been plying the record bins with singles, EPs and LPs with a clockwork consistency. Album number ten Stuck on Beta is almost out. From the tracks presently available the record is clearly following in the style of their previous LP In theBook of Bad Ideas with plenty of jangle. “Paper Jane” reminds me of those early Church records while “Take It Out On Me” has a rougher beat group edge but plenty of hooks too. While we wait for the full album release you won’t go wrong digging into the band’s catalogue. Check out “89 Lullabye” from their last album. Positively buoyant. Or you can enjoy the carefree poppyness of “It Seemed You To Me” from Application of a Twig. Or you could even reach back to Disco Maroon for the should have been a hit single track “My Little Crowd Pleaser.” Really you won’t go wrong needle-dropping your way through any of their LPs, there’s variety and plenty of it.
Sometimes you find the most interesting things poking round the shops in your neighourhood. Or looking further afield. Just because they don’t live next door doesn’t mean they can’t be part of your musical hood.
Photo of art by Mac Connor for the 1958 novel ‘Midtown Bomber’ courtesy zaza23 (Jessica)’s Flikr collection.
We stand on the precipice of summer. Time to start stocking the poolside playlist. Doesn’t really matter if your particular pool is Olympic or inflatable, if you get the music right. So here are 21 tunes to get you started.
Seems the Stranger Things cast can’t stop multi-tasking. The latest to offer up some serious single-age is Finn Wolfhard, who was also the first in a way if you count his earlier releases with bands Calpurnia and The Aubreys. So far I’m loving what I’m hearing from his upcoming LP Happy Birthday, though it was hard to choose between the currently available singles. “Choose the Latter” has a great jangle while “Objections” reminds me of The Shins given its tight, tidy propulsive-ness. Adelaide, Australia’s Mode hit the intensity pedal on stand-alone single “Strange Girl,” with guitar hooks aplenty and what sounds like a horn section supporting a dynamite poppy melody. Philadelphia’s Labrador ride in on a wave of organ before Pat King’s southern fried rock vocals come in to completely change up the vibe on “Dry Out in June.” Between these two elements and the manic lead guitar work this is a band with very unique sound. I know Andy Shauf from this poppy folk numbers but I didn’t realize he had a band too. Foxwarren return after eight years with their second LP simply entitled 2. “Listen2me” has got a great aura going. The instrumentation here has a painter’s eye for sonic colour. When Larry Rosembaum isn’t busy touting The Dreambots he’s got another vehicle you should check out: The Super True. “Eyesore” has a curious melodic arc that bends and comes back, enveloped by some fabulous Beatlesque guitar work. “Right Here” is no slouch either with nice jangle lead guitar and harmony vocals.
Jeff and his Army of No One melds an arresting mix of sounds on his latest song “I’m Coming Back Tonight.” Elements of California 1970s rock mix with breathy pop folk and crunchy electric guitars for a track that builds in intensity as it goes along. Lowmoon shift the mood decisively with a New Order-ish thrumming sensibility on “Find a Reason.” The lead guitar work carries the song, tripping along with a sparkly resonance. The Needmores sound a bit punky off the start but when their single “Lookin’” gets going there are wonderful melodic details tucked in here and there. The chorus borders on Beatle-manic with its chorused vocals. Vienna waits for you on Oehl’s new album lieben wir (we love in German). Everything is lush and stately, perfectly framing the standout vocals. The instrumental choices all over this record really are exquisite with strings and horns and synths all deftly deployed. Particularly on the obvious single, “I Love You.” Get ready to float away with this dreamy number. Upping the jangle quotient California’s Now couldn’t sound any more 1980s English. “In Pathécolor” exhibits a captivating rough and ready C86 sound.
For such a quiet song Sally Spitz’s “Tag Your Sign” exudes something big. This is mostly acoustic guitar and vocals, tarted up with a bit of record scratching. But the overall effect sounds like a bona fide classic, reminding me of Terence Trent D’arby’s impact. Martin Luke Brown sounds a bit stripped down and spare, but listen closely for the delicately arranged sonic layers on “To Be a Man.” There’s something Bill Fox or Chris Staples about the evocative sensibilities here. It’s soothing, intriguing, and mysterious all at the same time. Then for pop grandeur we can turn to Grant Lindberg on his recent single “Threes.” There’s a perfect blend of mellotron-like keyboards and crunchy, searing guitars. Meditative with a touch of dissonance as things develop. Clashing guitar chords launch Autocamper’s new song “Again” with a Lou Reed-ish vocal. It’s a winning combination, nuff said. Former Cheepskates member Tony Low has his own album to do. Well, an EP actually. From Really Real I like the opening track “Big Warm,” a sort of rocking singer-songwriter number that conjures a very 1970s feel.
Somehow I missed a new Andy Partridge release in 2024. Working with Chris Braide as a duo they released the Queen of the Planet Wow! EP. Most of the material is pretty pop loungey with Braide up front vocally for nearly all the tunes. But opening cut “I Like ‘Be’ With You” bears the clearly recognizable imprint of Mr. Partridge, his characteristic melodic turns and vocal inflections fully on display. “April in New York” also has a few strong Partridge moments, but only sporadically. Damn, I miss that era of regular XTC releases. NYC’s WYLDLIFE may also conjure memories of bands gone by. On “Fast Dreams” I hear both Springsteen and Tom Petty buzzed up on some kind of speed and the effect is pretty pleasing. West of the Mersey River, West Kirby’s West Coast Music Club have been putting out EPs every few months or so like clockwork this past year. Just to give you taste of what they’ve got going, check out “Summer Loving” from April’s Need You Beside Me EP. The looping lead guitar hook lulls you with hypnotic effect before the hooky melody grabs you in the chorus. Crossword Smiles have a new album Consequences and Detours and its full of their usual mellow poppy delights. Dip in anywhere and get a hint of the 1980s, a bit of Haircut 100 on “Girls Club” or Crowded House on “Counting by Fives.” But I’m gonna cut to the chase here and feature the should-be hit single: “Navigator Heart.” The opening guitars have a new wave crispness but what follows just won’t stop offering up delightful melodic turns and twists, particularly in the chorus. Instant replay mode here. Keelan Donovan’s “The Influence” has a spooky demeanor, a deeply personal song working the singer-songwriter seam pretty hard, with a touch a gospel emerging from time to time. Very moving.
Last up, the laconic, low-key recent track from Wallows cheekily entitled “Your New Favorite Song.” There’s so much going on in this mellow tune, the instrumentation carefully staged like a musical diorama. There’s folky acoustic guitar, a horn section, single piano notes, flute, and much more, not to mention an intimate, seductively quiet vocal. You want more? There’s an EP called … More.
Music for the pool, check. Now we just need sunshine. Gather your choice tunes from the above list by clicking through the hyperlinks.
Merseybeat is the gift that keeps on giving. Whether full-blown homage or just an inflection there’s no mistaking that distinctive beat group influence. Here’s a crew of artists that all channel a bit of John, Paul, George and Ringo in their own creative ways.
It seems fitting to kick things off with Rad Venture’s aptly named long-player Merseyside. Owing more to the non-Fab acts in the roster (e.g. Gerry and the Pacemakers, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Big Three, etc.), what makes this record special is its expert replication of both the song styles of the period and its sonic hue. There’s something gritty, a bit pinched, and live-sounding to the recordings like “Please” and “Don’t Call Me.” “It Could Be You” nail the harmony vocals of the era. And check out the snappy lead guitar opening “Too Late Tomorrow.” Closer “Fog on the Mersey” casts a perfect 1963 instrumental mood. The Pale Lights lean more toward The Searchers on their recent self-titled LP, particularly on “You and I.” But there’s a touch of Roddy Frame and Lloyd Cole there too in the vocals. So many tunes here sound like a later period of poppy beat group material, perhaps circa 1966, but the Mersey vibe infuses it too, particularly on tracks like “Girl on a Bridge” and “Golden Times.”
In listening to Cherrystone I kept thinking ‘man, these guys remind me of someone.’ Ok, The Beatles, obviously. But with a bit of digging I discovered the band is the precursor group to Cupid’s Carnival. This iteration of the band only put out one LP (entitled Our Life) but what a corker. Title track “Our Life” is Lennon spooky good while “Girl” anticipates the unique Cupid’s Carnival sound to come. But my faves are “I’m In Love” and “I Need Her” where the vocals veer strongly into Glenn Tilbrook territory. I’m not saying the Sorry Monks is always on the road to Liverpool’s Pier Head on his new album Perfect Hour but there are some strong indications he’s been there at some point. “I Can’t Make It” has a spot on Lennon 1965 vibe going while “I Know What’s On Your Mind” harkens back a bit further to that more sweet and innocent 1963 feel. “(It’s Just The) End of the Year” should get a honourable mention too.
Cherrystone – I’m In Love
Brazilian Banda AL9 have got an eerie Beatles sound-alike thing going on. So far they’ve got an EP and two albums out, the latter recorded in both Portuguese and English versions. The EP Isso E has got a bit of Brazilian jazzy flair which is pretty special but the most recent album The Ninth King (or O Nono Rei in Portuguese) hews more to the Merseybeaten track. “California” is so damn catchy, the lead guitar line and The Romantics worthy clapping demand an instant replay. “The Only One” sounds very early Fabs. “Movie Star” is more rocking, with a bass line that is positively addictive and a strong nod to “Drive My Car.” “My Love” hits the Help! era sweet spot. “You Called Me Up” is the single-along hit single. Clearly these guys love the Beatles but they are no slouches in the songwriting department. It’s one thing to ape the masters, it’s quote another to use their influence to drive your a unique contribution like these guys do.
A stroll along the river Mersey. That would need music, yes? We’ve rounded up some pretty Merseylicious options here. Click on the links and fill your own ‘ferry across the Mersey’ playlist.
Photo: Tom Wood ‘Woodside Ferry Terminal 1986’ courtesy The Guardian, “Ferry across the memories: all aboard the Mersey crossing – in pictures,” January 24, 2018.
New tunes show up in the damnedest places. This week’s discoveries come via social media, indie music platforms, and even my email in-box. Our ‘dial’ may be somewhat expanded from radio’s postwar heyday but the important thing is that the should-be hits keep on coming.
I stumbled across Liverpool’s Keyside when I caught their snippet of Squeeze’s “Up the Junction” as a TikTok reel. I immediately wanted more. Turns out the band have a few singles and two EPs, 2024’s Nikita and this year’s Michael (What’s Your Call?). The early stand-alone early singles “Paris to Marseille” and “Light Out” are delivered in such a strong Scouse brogue the lyrics are mostly indecipherable to outsiders, though no less delightful. The band are regularly compared to The La’s, Cast, Oasis etc. but songs like “Angeline” and “Down My Way” from the first EP channel a broader palate of influences: moodier, with jazzy inflections. “Nikita” is definitely a striking single. The formula is successfully reproduced on EP #2 with “Runaway” a strong opening single while “High to High” vibes strong Britpop. This is a quartet worth watching for what they might whip up for a long player.
It’s been five long years since Peter Baldrachi released his magisterial comeback LP Slow Recovery. There’s been a few singles since then, that’s true. But nothing stands in for a Baldrachi full album effect. So pull up and check out his new album Nothing Promised to get that feeling again. “Hard to Believe” kicks things off with a Peter Case vocal edge that successfully revives that driving Plimsouls sound. From there things get pretty country though not like you might expect. “Busted, Sad, Lonely and Blue” says country from the title alone but tune in for the Bakersfield sound. “You Brought the Love” balances tasty lead guitar riffs with sweet country pedal steel. Then “Go It Alone” sees the guitar work pulling the country feel in a jazz direction. “Wearing My Heart Around” dials up the honky tonk country vibe. But the coup de grace is undoubtedly the “In the Shadow” duet with Sonya Rae Taylor where a rumbly rockabilly lead guitar competes some spare country pedal steel to create real tension. Baldrachi does take a rocking turn or two as well. “Sometimes I Just Gotta Get Away” has a rollicking Replacements energy while “The Pieces of You” rides a great organ bed as you might hear on any number of Nick Lowe albums. Bookending the album is another hot should-be hit single, “Tomorrow,” a Matthew Sweet-worthy hooky guitar tune, with a hint of the Jayhawks in the vocal delivery. With Nothing Promised Baldrachi is back and as promising as ever.
The Jellybricks’ eighth release Dreaming in Stereo turns it out from the start. Opening cut “Age of Stupid” practically launches out of the speakers, the sonic assault evenly matching its pointed lyrical lash. Then the title track dials down the attack but cranks the melody meter with sweet guitar hooks and harmony vocals. “Sound of a Broken Heart” is almost a ballad, one that skips along over well-placed subtle hooks. “All About You” has a manic energy reminiscent of 1990s pop strut singles. There are times on this record you’d swear the band is doing some kind of new wave bait and switch. Both “Monday’s Never” and “Enchanted I Am” sound like different (equally good) bands, the former 1980s British, the latter 1990s AM poprock polished. There are so many great songs here I’ll just single out two more. After a rather jazzy experimental introduction “Follow That Girl” takes a jangle romp in new directions while “Shine On” closes things out with rocking bravado.
The search for great new tunes keep turning up trumps at this makeshift station. Click on the artist hyperlinks above to get a replay.
You may have seen him pop up on TikTok or Facebook reels doing the Okie folk troubadour thing, guitar strapped on in some kind of rural setting croaking out anti-establishment sentiment. If so, you know Jesse Welles is an amazing topical folk singer, nailing a Woody Guthrie vibe and totally on point politically in terms of what is happening to the American working class. But shift over to his recent album entitled Middle and you’ll see there’s a lot more to Welles musical oeuvre. Just to give you a taste we’re featuring “Certain,” my choice for the album’s break out single. The song opens with a slight country inflection before conjuring a bit of Bowie or ELO with the line ‘I am writing to you from earth stardate 2020 and 4.’ But as the song develops the lead guitar embellishments are 1980s strong in a Tommy Tutone or Greg Kihn way. The harmonica solo then bends the energy a bit toward Springsteen. Ok, maybe a lot towards Springsteen. Clearly this guy’s not just doing folk. Even when he offers up a stripped down acoustic guitar and vocal rendition of the song the feel is something much more than just an outdoor hootenanny. More John Fogerty than Bob Dylan, a heaping helping of Jesse Welles will both rock you and sate your thirst for populist truth telling.
Visit Jesse Welles online to keep up with his prolific output via social media or on a stage near you.
Unlike the Beatles (to whom they are often compared) Squeeze has not seen its catalogue widely covered by other bands. I think that has to do with the fact that there’s something so idiosyncratically Squeeze about the compositions and their performances. And if there ever was a cut that seemed especially uncoverable it might be their south London lament “Up the Junction.” Taking its name from Ken Loach’s 1968 film adaptation of Neil Dunn’s novel, the song gives voice to a distinctively English working class cultural representation – the kitchen sink drama. I’ve always found the song more than a bit melancholy, starting with the narrator’s surprise that he got the girl (‘I never thought it would happen with me and the girl from Clapham’) but ending up with him on his own (‘alone here in the kitchen’). Still, the song and its story are clearly engaging, as confirmed by its rise to #2 on the UK charts in 1979. The video features the band playing in front of a literal kitchen sink.
Covers of “Up the Junction” were rare until the new millennium. I’m telling you, nobody thought it would be possible to divorce the song from the Squeeze’s distinctive performance of it. But over time the rules of coverage have appeared to change, allowing public appetites to drift in wholly new directions. Lawnmower Deth’s early 1993 cover gave the tune a pop punk blast, which suited the song’s repetitive verse-heavy structure. From there we wait until 2006 for two covers that share a working class performative style. In some ways Lily Allen was always going to be an obvious choice to cover the song, given her London background and strongly accented singing style. Then there’s Chris DIfford’s countrified solo version of the song from his South East Side Story album, with able vocal accompaniment from Dorie Jackson.
Chris Difford
Things definitely get more creative into the next decade. In 2010 The Hotrats offer up an ethereal rumination on the tune. Then the legendary They Might Be Giants inject their own idiosyncratic energy into the song, complete with accordions. The Capitalist Kids’ 2013 version rocks things up a bit more that we have come to expect with this song, amps cranked. But if you looking for something really different check out Renee Cologne’s very contemporary sounding 2019 version from her Coverlings album. It puts the song in a very different musical register.
They Might Be Giants
As lockdown kicked in 2020 would become the year of covers album and it seemed a lot of people had time on their hands to discover Squeeze. Typical was Amelia Street’s lovely intimate duo acoustic guitar take. But Particular People’s more rock and roll treatment also works. Dodgy Accent lightens the mood of the song with uncharacteristic instrument choices. The Lathums breathe some youth back into the song with their sweet cover on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show in 2021. 101 Part Time Jobs don’t so much cover as deconstruct and mumble a 15 second crib of the song which somehow still has its own charms.
Our most recent versions return to more familiar rock and roll territory. Chris Catalyst’s 2024 take adds some grandeur, depth and occasional menace to a track that typically lacks all three, with guitars prominent in the mix. In many way Davey Lane’s version from the same year returns to the guitar-centric feel of the original. Last word here goes to songwriters Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford performing a duo acoustic version of the song at the Glastonbury Festival accompanied by a marching band kazoo chorus near the end. Fitting really.
Squeeze continue to put our new music. You can follow their adventures on their website and various social media accounts.
Poprock Record 