Category Archives: Breaking News

Breaking news: Afterpartees, U.S. Highball, Fastball and Young Guv

04 Monday Apr 2022

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This edition of the news contains a superstar quartet, with material literally hot off the presses. These very new releases are headliners all, teeming with should-be chart-climbing tunes. Set your mood ring to maximum joy.

Self-described ‘bleeding hearts power pop band’ Afterpartees mix an earnest yearning with blasts of quirky youthful fun on album number three Family Names. The opening cut and title track showcases a lot of what follows: an engaging, playful melody, some almost jazzy guitar riffs, and a cramped, endearing 1980s vocal intimacy. Then “Melatonia” rocks things up a bit more with some New Order-worthy guitar lines and chord strumming. The band cite Parquet Courts and Jonathan Richman as influences as you can definitely hear a bit of that going on when “I Don’t Want the World to Stop” plays. But at other times the band channels a laconic Lou Reed wild side vibe on tracks like “The Bunn.” This tension between a rockier sensibility and a more contemplative jazzy pop mood defines the album. “The Parade” and “Running Around” get rockier, with some great organ and catchy lead guitar lines carrying the tunes. Then “Every Cowboy is a Winner” and “Poolside, Midnight” revel in their quirky pop lack of convention and bouncy punch. “Some People Are Talking” is a real treat, like Jonathan Richman meets the Rolling Stones in midtempo single mode. Family Names is really something different but still oh-so relatable.

As charter members of the Caledonian jangle mafia, Glasgow’s U.S. Highball do not disappoint on album number three A Parkhead Cross of Mind. The sparkling guitars jump out all over this place on this record. Not that there aren’t surprises. Gone are the lingering folky affectations that were a key element of the duo’s debut Great Record in favour of a more consistent loud pop sound. The record opens with the distinctive punchy guitar of “Mental Munchies” but when the vocals kick in it’s all ‘welcome back boys.’ “Double Dare” also starts in a new register, the programmed drums and keyboards a departure but, really, the tune and vocal performance are so reliably familiar (in a good way). So despite what appears to have been a concerted effort to give this record a new sound the results really just build on of the band’s two great strengths, solid guitar-based tunes and uplifting vocals. The experimentation is sometimes exquisite, like the effective Johnny Marr guitar resonance that opens “By the Clydeside.” But I’m a sucker for a great hooky guitar chord-led song like “(You’ve Got To) Activate a Carrot” and “Jump to the Left.” “Down in Timperley” kicks off with a vibe that is very Squeeze “Another Nail in My Heart” before blooming into its own perfect pop confection. “Almost Cut My Hair” owes more to Crowded House than Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (this is, in fact, a totally different song from the CSNY tune of the same name). Then there’s the big vocal numbers like “Grease the Wheel” and “Bleatings from Yorkshire” with their uplifting harmony singing. You might notice A Parkhead Cross of Mind for its stylish colourful cover but it’s what inside that will capture your heart.

Ever since Fastball charged back into the limelight in 2017 with their fantastic Step Into Light album (after an eight year absence) they’ve been regularly releasing strong material. Their new EP is Soundtrack and while just four tunes long they’re all a treat, worthy of a band with a reputation for solid indie Beatles-inspired hooks. I mean, just listen to the roll out to opening cut and title track “Soundtrack” – perfection! The guitar lead line locks into the song like a long lost puzzle piece. It’s a time trip to the best 1981 hit-oriented FM radio of Tom Petty or Greg Kihn. “Chump Change” goes from zero to serious rocking pretty much instantly, with an almost CCR-like intensity. “House on the Edge of the World” is a bit more wistful, with a SoCal feel and a very cinematic lead guitar line that haunts that last third of the song. “Electric Cool-Aide” is just great poprock that I could hear Marshall Crenshaw or The Smithereens covering. Gentlemen, more please!

Fastball – Soundtrack
Fastball – Electric Cool-Aide

The indie music media are all over Young Guv’s new album Guv III and why not? It’s a non-stop jangle fest, crammed with hooky tunes that spill out into adjacent genres. “I Couldn’t Leave You If I Tried” opens the album with a very Matthew Sweet guitar feel but then quickly takes Brydsian flight. So far, no surprises. But with “It’s Only Dancing” the mood shifts to a decidedly late 1970s vibe, still jangle but now more pop. Kinda like what Daniel Romano’s been putting out for years. “Lo Lo Lonely” is different again, with a bit of glam impact accompanying the Marc Bolan wash on the vocals. The rhythm guitar opening “Only Wanna See U Tonight” sounds almost naked, there’s so little sibilance, at least until it gets going. The song has a very 1970s AM pop feel, some Big Star in the vocals, with a Harrison lead guitar solo slipped in the middle. “Good Time” trades Tom Petty Americana influences with a Partridge Family pop polish in the chorus. “Same Old Fool” is a straightforward jangle wonder. And check out the roll-out lead guitar line kicking off “She Don’t Cry For Anyone” – wow! Is it an homage to late 1960s British garage rock or late 1970s American new wave? Either way, get your skinny tie on. The album ends with another surprising turn, hitting the tempo brakes on “April of My Life,” sounding very Beatles 1967 psychedelic pop. Apparently Guv IV is due out later this year. Hard to imagine what the band can deliver to top this.

You’re going to want to stop the presses to catch your breath given these fabulous releases but do not touch that dial. Just let it all wash over you. Good news like this can’t be held back.

Breaking news: Novelty Island, Sweet Nobody, Suburban HiFi, and The Shivas

19 Wednesday Jan 2022

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It may be a brand new year but we’ve still got a load of records from last year that really deserve more time in the spotlight. Damn all those other blog ‘best of’ lists! I’m playing catch up again … Alas, today’s breaking news may or may not be all that breaking to everybody but they’re definitely worth a listen.

You’ll find Novelty Island in the ‘McCartney circa 1968-73’ chapter of your Beatles encyclopedia. Band leader Tom McConnell has clearly deconstructed everything from Paul’s White Album contributions to the entirety of Band on the Run and the influences abound on How Are You Coping With This Century? The results are both highly pleasing and not derivative in the least, in part due to McConnell’s ace song-writing. “This Bird” kicks things off with a light acoustic guitar touch, only to build and soar melodically in the chorus. Then “Cowboy on a Bicycle” grabs you with its addictive banjo riffs and male girly group vocals. What’s going on here? McConnell keeps you guessing. “Michael Afternoon” is equal parts crunchy electric guitar chords and an almost baroque vocal approach. “Ladybird” is all whispery, McCartney-like whimsy wrapped in a delightful acoustic ballad. Only with “Jangleheart” does a more conventional band sound finally make an appearance, vibing Big Star in a big way. “Blank Wine” is also a bit of a departure, more of a Todd Rundgren workout. But all things come back to McCartney elsewhere (in a good way) with a particularly Wingsian finish on “Yes.” Man, he nails those vocals!

Sweet Nobody should get the award for most apropos album title of the past two years with We’re Trying Our Best. No kidding. And like the rest of us the record is all over the map in terms of mood and emotional self-regulation, ranging from free-wheeling, surf-tinged rocking abandon to low-key, melody-infused ennui. The record opens with “Not a Good Judge,” a track effusing the uneasiness of our times, delivered with an almost Suzanne Vega degree of emotional distance. “Why Don’t You Break My Heart” is the should-be hit single for me here with its great big chorus and rolling shots of jangle. “Five Star Diary” comes on a bit stronger so don’t even try resist the wall of sparkly guitar. This is like the Primitives in low gear with a chorus that also reminds of Kirsty MacColl. “Million Yard Stare” is defined by a mesmerizing electric guitar lead line opener that then threads its way throughout the song. Meanwhile “Other Humans” teems with restrained passion. Like a great country song, it sounds like it is about to break wide open at any moment. I could hear Neko Case doing this number or the fab country jangle bonus cut “Disturbance.” For a bit of dark-tinged surf rock see “Little Ghost.” On the other hand, there’s a definite Sundays or Cardigans feel to “If I Should Die Tonight.” On reflection, forget the ‘trying our best’ schtick, this is a band is not just trying, they’re doing.

I love E minor rock and roll. Often dubbed the ‘sad chord,’ all the greats used it (e.g. the Yardbirds, Big Star, REM, etc.) and it’s all over Suburban HiFi’s late 2021 release Superimposition. First cut “In Her Reverie” delicately juxtaposes its various musical elements: intoxicating acoustic lead guitar work, striking electric guitar shots, and chilling FOW-worthy vocals. Then the opening guitar lick of “The Year in Pictures” knocked me back into 1979, the song so captures the brilliant, brittle intensity of the sound at that time. “Space Between Us” also exudes a late 1970s feel but the keyboards and drums are more characteristic of the disco/pop crossover AM radio hits of the era. Yet if I had to boil it all down, the material here mostly reminds me of all those hooky mid-tempo tunes cranked out by Fountains of Wayne in the late 1990s. I mean, check out “Beamed In.” If that’s not Chris Collingwood handling the vocals it’s a pretty fair imitation. Or there’s “Fight on our Wedding Night,” a track that both sounds FOW and has the observational chops of Collingwood lyrics at their dire best. On the other hand, “Vinyl on the Radio” sometimes sounds very Elvis Costello, sometimes somewhat Walter Egan. And there’s melodic outliers, like the wonderfully weird “Potemkin Honey” with its great interplay between bass and organ and the main melody. Seems to me Superimposition is the kind of interruption we could all use more of.

I’m definitely late The Shivas party, only coming in on album number 7, the new Feels So Good // Feels So Bad. From what I’ve read they were a hot teenage mess of rocking riffs and punky ‘tude when they started out fifteen years ago. What I hear now is a mature band balancing the rock with more tender tunes, firmly in control of their unique sound. Opening cut “Feels So Good” is an intense, gripping, almost dirge-like psych rock workout. “Undone” adds a strong melodic undercurrent to the rocking riffs, aided by some cool organ. Then comes the first obvious should-be hit single, the alluring midtempo number “Tell Me That You Love Me.” The feel is a very 1966 British dolly bird belter of a tune. Dusty Springfield anyone? Or, for a more American take, I could hear The Ronettes making this their own. Riffs remain central on tracks like “If I Could Choose” and “For the Kids.” But the latter is also marked by some ghostly, almost Fleet Foxes vocals, which also pop up on “You Wanna Be My Man” and “Sometimes.”  Then there’s the tender American Graffiti-revisited sound worked into songs like “Don’t Go” and “Please Don’t Go.” Contrast them with “My Baby Don’t,” a solid rocking down the highway tune, and you get a sense of the impressive breadth of accomplishment here.

Well there’s all the news that fits, for now. You’ve got the headlines, now it’s up over to you to follow up on the stories. Thanks to Koolshooters for the cool mast photo.

Breaking news II: The Friends of Cesar Romero, Robert Ellis Orrall, theCatherines, and BPM Collective

17 Sunday Oct 2021

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News keep breaking on the brand new poprock music front. In our second news episode in as many days we kick out the rock and roll jams, shine up our jangle, and court some seriously superior songwriting. Grab these headlines and have a party!

I only recently discovered The Friends of Cesar Romero with their sparkling single “Summer Boyfriend.” Now I’ve discovered they reach a whole new level of visceral rocking greatness via their just released album War Party Favors. This is a band that comes on strong, often with a wall of rock and roll guitars and a strong vocal assault. The record’s opening title cut “War Party Favors” exemplifies  this ‘tude with its punky, you’re-on-a-thrill-ride abandon. But you never have to look far on any FCR effort to find some laconic melodies and irresistible hooks. Like those alluring guitar riffs all over “The Lonely Popular Girl” that keep drawing you in, waiting for more. Or “Neon Teens” which comes on like some kind of Joan Jett deep cut, alternating demure verses with anthemic choruses. Then there’s “Beauty and the Broken Heart,” essentially a Phil Spector girl group song cast in more rock and roll register. Personally I’m loving “Thinkin’ About Leaving’” with its hooky lead guitar work and very Phil Seymour vocal, as well as the stunning Buddy Holly-doing-new-wave masterpiece, “Baby How Long.” I could describe them all but hearing them will make you a believer. And with 16 tracks for the price of a single album War Party Favors is definitely value for poprock money.

Robert Ellis Orrall is the man behind the hits and hit-makers as a songwriter, producer and record label impresario. He himself had a few major label deals, he did make the charts a few times back in the day, but over his long career he’s mostly avoided the spotlight for himself. Until recently. With a global pandemic unfolding Orrall decided it was time to make a musical statement of his own. And readers we are the lucky beneficiaries because REO not only writes great songs, he’s great at performing them too. Sometimes funny, often smartly political, always engaging musically, previous releases have included clever tunes like “Trust Me, I Work for the Government,” “Clear Channel,” and “Al Gore, the Musical.” But this review is about his latest release, 467 Surf and Gun Club, named for his Memphis record label flop house. There’s a low-key rock opera feel to the musical proceedings, with a number of songs offering up exposition on Orrall’s record label locale and what took place there. Our hero emerges from “In Dreams” to a musical landscape defined by dreamy Beach Boys harmonies. On “Morning Song” our protagonist gets ready to take on another rock and roll day. Then “Here in our Backyard,”  “467 Surf and Gun Club” and “Welcome to Paradise” are like musical montage sequences that fill in all the details. Stylistically, the Beach Boys influence is up front and all over this record, occasionally tempered by a flash of Hall and Oates in the hooks department. Other influences abound, like the obvious love for the Beatles on “Iceberg” or Todd Rundgren on “Miserable.” In terms of a clear hit single, there’s no contest: “Sunshine” is a joyous 2 and half minutes, full stop. It’s what truly great 45s are all about. With 467 Surf and Gun Club Robert Ellis Orrall may be closing up shop on one musical era but the door is clearly opening up on another.

Morning Song
Here in our Backyard
Sunshine

This is a somewhat new sounding theCatherines long-player. Sure, the curio poprock songwriting is still going on. And there’s plenty of that jangly guitar we’ve come to expect from this combo. But Sink Into Oblivion is a departure of sorts. First, it has cleaner, less DIY sound. You can really hear the vocals, now more up-front in the mix than ever before. Second, the songwriting ambition here casts a wider net. There’s a Style Council urbane sophistication to tunes like opening cut “You Never Have Any Self-Doubts, Do You?” or a Pet Shot Boys panache all over “Let’s Write the Book of Love.” Of course, there’s some good old fashioned theCatherines here too, apparent on “Love is Just Far Away Today” and “Where Have I Gone Wrong.” But check out the café jazz pop stylings on “You’ve Got It All Wrong,” “Kid P.” and “Terrible Loser.”  Or the classy piano opening to that cool slice of 1979 melodic pop, “Sappy Together.” The band also conjure up some Bacharach and David for “Like a Song by Nichols and Williams” and give an Attractions-like backing to “At Least Your Bird Can Sing.” But my fave contribution here “Lift Me Up To Your Level” with its terrific guitar/keyboard interplay really adding something special to an already solid tune. On Sink Into Oblivion succumbing to stupor never sounded so good.

Maybe it’s just my faulty memory but alongside the rock and MOR bombast of the 1980s were a host of super 1960s-inspired, melody-focused rock and roll outfits. To my ears, Seattle’s BPM Collective nail that sound. Their debut EP Catastrophe Girl is a stunning showcase of poprock styles from that decade, and they’ve got it sounding fresher than ever. Just give the title track “Catastrophe Girl” a spin to get swept up in a soaring melody and driving mix of distinctive organ and guitars. The vibe is so familiar, like an early Bangles or mid-period Don Dixon tune. And while the “Adelaide” sung about here is probably in Washington state, the song does have a haunting Down Under music scene kind of feel. What I find so impressive about this EP is the remarkable range of songwriting across just five songs. Note the touch of Merseyside on “Mr Congeniality” or the hint of Roxy Music in the chorus of the otherwise Americana poprocking “Something to Dream About.” And then there’s the Orbison-esque vocal turns of phrase colouring in the sombre “The Valley.” Wow. This baby is heading for the ‘best of the year’ lists for sure.

Don’t wait for any film at eleven. Go right now to the hyperlinked names above to get more on these breaking stories. It pays to stay informed.

Breaking news I: The Tubs, The Toms, Roller Disco Combo and The Brothers Steve

13 Wednesday Oct 2021

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So much news is breaking that we have to divide this installment into two parts. There’s more to love this fall and we’re here to help you love it with plenty of bands whose names start with ‘the’ or clearly own a pair of roller skates (or simply a brand new key).

What leaps out at you from The Tubs debut EP Names is the addictive jangle and vocalist Owen Williams freakish similarity to Richard Thompson. I mean, wow, I’d swear Thompson had thrown over his folk roots for a new sound, if the song titles didn’t tell me different. It’s there strongly on the opening cut, “Illusion,” with its super guitar-slashing peppiness, as well as “The Name Song” with its Futureheads kind of guitar intensity. The EP’s single “Two Person Love” also counterposes a solid rhythm guitar against some discordant lead work in an original and ear-catching way. The band also put out a debut single last year that doesn’t appear on this release, “I Don’t How It Works,” and that’s a shame because it’s a winner. But hey, you can just buy both and create your own special maxi-EP release.

Producer/engineer/songwriter/musical sideman to the stars Tommy Marolda is certainly a bit of an over-achiever. But power pop fans probably don’t know much about his professional work, they know him for his legendary 1979 one-man-band DIY album The Toms. The record is widely seen as a masterpiece of form and substance. But Marolda didn’t stop there – he’s continued to put out the occasional single or album. Like now – The Toms are back with another long-playing installment of Beatles-infused, indie poprock on Tomplicated. The album is 16 cuts long and you might as well relax and let it wash over you. The overall effect is a delightful distillation of 1960s melodic rock and roll, with a touch of psychedelic pop on “Pinball Replay,” some folk rock on “Too Many Yesterdays,” even a Beatles-ish jangle on “Hang On.” Last year’s advance single is the obvious radio should-be hit, “One Girl Parade,” but I’d vote “The World is Flat” and “Sunday Clothes” as close follow ups. Then there’s the very Lennon-ish “Daylight Wasting Time” circa 1967 or the lovely sunshine pop single “It Doesn’t Matter to Me.” Tomplicated is a love letter our musical past – you can definitely hear the influences – but it speaks with a timeless accent.

Four years after their debut album Things Under Control, Roller Disco Combo are back with a new EP, The Sun After the Rain. The Barcelona band offer up something familiar but also some new themes. “Indonesian Breakfast” is a discordant Teenage Fanclub workout but “Holes in the Grass” immediately shifts our gaze to a more folk rock feel. Then “Dear Mean” kicks off with fattened up jangle guitar and a melodic heft worthy of XTC. “City Lights” also rings the jangle bell but eases into an almost country vibe. Meanwhile “Happy Song” has an Americana feel going on. Altogether The Sun After the Rain showcases a band still exploring just how far they can take their influences and the results are very pleasing indeed.

Dose must be the one of the most anticipated ‘second’ albums to come out this year. The Brothers Steve blew up 2019, coming out of nowhere with their debut album (appropriately entitled #1) to make power pop ‘best of’ lists across the blogosphere. Now they’re back with another installment of their unique brand of melody-infused rock and roll and it is no disappointment. This time the album’s sonic structure is built around the acoustic guitar, which forms the base sound of most of the tracks. It’s there underneath the party vibe kicking off the album with “Get On Up” with its Stonesy ‘who hoo’ background vocals. Then comes the obvious single, “Next Aquarius” with its propulsive acoustic guitar driving the song forward like so many classic Kinks songs. The acoustic base anchors “She Will Wait,” a track with some clever melodic surprises, and the ear-wormy “Sugarfoot.” But another clear influence here is 1970s glam, with “Wizard of Love” a perfect evocation of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, and 1970s boogie rock on “Better Get Ready.” The 1960s influence should not be discounted. It’s there on “Griffith Observatory” with its Beach Boys meets 1950s song stylings alternating with a more new wave sensibility, and “Love of Kings” which vibes a more California 1960s Mamas and Papas sound. And then there’s “Electro Love” which sees sixties influence funneled through a New Pornographers filter. In the end, Dose is much more than its many influences, it’s a blast of timeless melodic poprock joy. Get ready to soundtrack your next party with this must-have release.

The news is out, all over town. But you don’t need to be running round. Just click on the hyerlinks to go right to the source and get your musical updates.

Top photo: Larry Gordon

Breaking news: The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Fishboy, Lo Talker, and Kevin Devine

02 Wednesday Jun 2021

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Today’s breaking news is a bit off the poprock beaten track. All the artists have something somewhat mysterious and unique going on. They want your attention but they’re gonna get it on their own terms.

Kayleigh Watson from UK indie music site The Line of Best Fit had the best description of San Francisco’s The Reds, Pinks & Purples: ‘depresso pop’. On Uncommon Weather, the band’s first long-player, these guys are so down they make Morrissey look up to me. Seriously, the style is a lofi, almost shoegazey take on The Smiths, though without being derivative. Not that this record is a total downer or anything. In fact, opening track “Don’t Ever Pray in the Church in my Street” has a great bouncy lead guitar line, almost drone-like, that could certainly get the dance floor bopping. At the other times, the band channels other indie lowkey jangle outfits like The Catherines on songs like “I Hope I Never Fall in Love.” Of course, song titles like “A Kick in the Face (That’s Life)” and “The Biggest Fan” certainly give the Mopester a run for his money. Meanwhile “The Record Player and the Damage Done” is a deceptively jaunty journey into vinyl ennui. Overall, this record is a state of mind, a mood. If you’re a bit out of sorts, feeling out of phase, Uncommon Weather will soothe your troubled mind. Turn it on and let the reverb take you away.

Hailing from Denton, Texas, population just 150,000, Fishboy sound instead like a sophisticated big city concept outfit, with recordings that vibe a pretty hip off-Broadway musical style. Exhibit A: their brand new concept album, the mock-holiday dedicated Waitsgiving. You could be forgiven for thinking that this album is some brilliant mediation on our current pandemic situation but actually the whole thing is just an unrelated flash of brilliance, another installment of the band’s bent for ‘intricately plotted’ story albums. Now there’s a story threaded through these songs here but there’s also just great songs. So listen to the whole thing for a fun show or just tune in to specific songs for some hooky tunes. Personally I love opening track “The First Waitsgiving (Waitsgiving Founder)” with its show tune feel and melodic hints of Fun and Weezer layered in here and there. Or early video “Greatness Waitress” charges along with a staccato tempo that is all caged melodic energy. And then there’s the alternative universe hit single, “The Last Waitsgiving,” a song that pays repeated listening to firmly get under your skin. Looking for something a bit more ambitious than just a collection of hummable songs? Fishboy have your album right here.

Athens Georgia’s Lo Talker have been described as folk rock and psychedelic but the harmonies and dreamy guitars remind me more of bands like Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper (in acoustic mode). The band’s debut album A Comedy of Errors has a sparse but lush attack, the overall sound tends to sneak in place, adding sonic layers and unusual elements but never crowding the songs. The formula is all there on opening track “Heaven in Drag,” a musical mélange sealed with an alluringly emotive vocal. Sometimes the sound is very poppy folk, as on “Nero in the News,” but at other times it’s just a lovely swirl of different melodic hues, a bit of keyboard, some driving acoustic guitar, as captured on “Astral Humming.”  There are a few departures, like the upbeat pop swing animating “No Champagne” or even the hooky 1970s AM radio throwback style on “Automatic Love.” For a new band on their debut record, the result is strikingly coherent and established, like something they’ve been crafting for years.

I love Kevin Devine and I don’t care who knows it. I’d heard a few of the solo tunes over the years (“Bubblegum”; “She Can See Me”), I had those great Bad Books records, but it was his 2016 release Instigator was the revelation for me. I fell hard for his biting socio-political analysis and the tunes. Oh, those tunes! I was fortunate to see him play the album solo in a small club in Toronto and the performance was pure magic. Recalling his live rendering “I Was Alive Back Then” still gives me shivers. So news that Devine was hard at work on a new album got my attention. He’s been showcasing new material over this past year as he works out just how to present them and even released a few demo versions and some inspired covers to tide us over until the new record comes. You can hear them all on the very satisfying full-LP length Out in the Ether, split between five new songs and five covers. The covers are delightfully inspired reworkings of songs from indie darlings (Elliott Smith, The Strokes) and big name acts (Bruce Springsteen, Sam Cooke). But the main event here is clearly the new songs – and they’re sounding pretty damn good. “Go Haunt Someone Else” is a classic Devine pretty little tune, with nice background vocals. It works as an acoustic number but it will be interesting to hear if he expands the sonic palate on this one. On the whole the originals are wistful and longing in execution though “You’re My Incentive” hints at something that could be taken up in a more dramatic fashion, if that’s what Devine has in mind. So, overall impression: promising stuff from a guy who never disappoints.

I can’t get enough of classic poprock AM radio hits but I’m also partial to acts who bend the formula a bit, who press at the edges of convention, who push the audience to hear the familiar in a different way. The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Fishboy, Lo Talker, and Kevin Devine all defy the easy and obvious paths in songwriting and performance. Reward them with your attention.

Breaking news: Aaron Lee Tasjan, Benny Hayes, 3 A.M. Again, and Chris Church

02 Friday Apr 2021

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This just in from the teletype, my breaking news is not always so ‘breaking’ timewise. Oh well. I’m sure what appears here will be news to someone. Today’s post brings us old reliables and new discoveries, in equal measure.

I’ve run out of superlatives to describe all the great things that Aaron Lee Tasjan is. He topped our 2018 must-have LPs list with Karma for Cheap and I’ve gushed all over everything he’s put out since then. Stylistically, Tasjan has that Nashville rock and roll vibe going: shades of sixties country, more than a little Orbison tenderness in the vocals, and an unerring ear for rock and roll melody. But Tasjan’s new album Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! marks out new territory, pushing his songwriting and performance into new lyrical and sonic geography. Keyboards gain more prominence here. “Up All Night” has Tasjan’s vocal floating over a synth hook whose relentless texture propels the song forward. Lyrically Tasjan’s connects the 1970s gender bending rock and roll of Bowie and others to the present on “Feminine Walk” while celebrating the women of his past on “Sunday Women.” Perky poprock numbers are in abundance here, like “Computer of Love” and “Cartoon Music.” And there’s still plenty of this artist’s warm Wilbury’s song stylings on tracks like “Another Lonely Day” and “Don’t Overthink It.” Elsewhere Tasjan’s not afraid to give a song space to breathe.  “Now You Know” ambles along pleasantly, building ever so slowly to the most subtle of killer hooks. “Not That Bad” is another of Tasjan’s beautiful acoustic ballads, melding a bit of McCartney with Elliott Smith. Meanwhile “Got What I Wanted” is so wistful McCartney circa McCartney II. Altogether, this record is a delightful surprise from an artist who regularly delivers the poprock goods.

I first cogged on to Benny Hayes with his The Good Good Things project, particularly the title track of the EP Soundtrack 2000. I loved the marriage of the slightly discordant vocals with his self-described guitar pop style. Hayes is back with a new EP Night Drives that retains the guitar pop but with an overall package that sparkles a bit more. There something very early Everything But the Girl or Housemartins going on here, like Hayes is the punky younger brother turned loose in the studio. It’s there on the opening tune “Authentic Me” with its up front acoustic guitars and in-your-face vocals. “Don’t Make Me Go” has a smoother feel, a bit of acoustic pop soul, with a tasty melodic guitar solo. “Night Drive” harkens back to Hayes more discordant guitar pop past, with another very engaging solo guitar near the end. “Sunshine” sounds like the single to me. Night Drives is mostly a guy, his guitar and voice, but somehow Hayes makes great big beautiful noise that just right for your car radio.

If you’re looking to get caught up with Boston shoe-gazey jangle band 3 A.M. Again then Come Back from the Sun is the album for you. Combining tracks from a number of previous EPs and long-players, the collection is a mammoth 20 track set that is very attractively priced. The record opens with a solid should-be hit single in “I Can Always Tell the Difference,” a song that builds nicely with a lilting swing and breezy melody. Folkie acoustic guitar work defines this album, definitely shading the distinctive feel of songs like “Painted from the Moving Train” and beautiful instrumentals like “Thatcher Road.” But sometimes the tempo picks up a more rocky demeanor on songs like “Bring Me Out” and “No Help When You Were Young.” There’s a sixties psychedelic pop feel to “You Should Let Me Love You” while “Not Willing” exudes California sunshine pop. I love the late 1960s acoustic guitar folk feel and CS&N vocal style on “Does It Help.” This record is the perfect accompaniment to a sunny day out walking somewhere.

I thought I knew Chris Church. I’ve reviewed more than a few of his singles and albums. His guitar work is typically highly finessed with just a bit of grit thrown in, coating but never obscuring the basic melodic strengths of his songs. But Game Dirt is a game changer. Here Church conjures up the ghosts of the mid-1970s California country-tinged rock and roll scene of Warren Zevon or Walter Egan, mingling them with some of the most genre-stretching material of his career. “Learn” opens things up with strong dose of David Lindley/John Fogarty bluesy rock but then “Faderal” shifts gears, an urgent, original dose of poprock that seems to owe more to arty bands like Split Enz or mid-period Squeeze. “Fall,” “Lost,” and “Trying” then sets the tone for much of what follows, a easygoing 1970s westcoast feel, a bit Fleetwood Mac, a hint of the Eagles, even a little Marshall Crenshaw on the last entry. Some signature Church guitar returns on the should-be single “Know” where the guitar hook winds itself around the central vocal melody with propulsive force. Country comes to the fore in a down-home rollicking sort of way on “Smile” while “Sunrise” has a  very Jayhawks ambience. Looking for some nice pop hooks and a bit of jangly guitar? “Removed” will fit the bill. Basic takeaway: Game Dirt is a remarkable piece of work from an artist that clearly still has a few surprises for us.

I’m always thrilled to find new artists or old artists scaling new heights. Visit Aaron Lee Tasjan, Benny Hayes, 3 A.M. Again, and Chris Church to get the lowdown on both these new records and their glorious past releases.

Breaking news: The Airport 77’s, Peaces, and Timmy Sean

28 Thursday Jan 2021

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Things may be looking up if these early 2021 album releases are anything to go by. The guitars are blistering, the harmonies are heavenly, and the hooks are earworm def con one. There’s something for a variety of tastes here, from jangle to 1970s CanCon to rock opera. Set these loose on the stereo, cranked.  

The power pop blogosphere is currently going bonkers over The Airport 77’s debut long player Rotation. Well, everything you’ve heard is true and then some. These guys have definitely got the movie beat with their relentless 1970s new wave vibe. Album opener “Christine’s Coming Over” blasts off into obvious The Knack and Cheap Trick territory. But not far into “(When You’re Kissing on Me Do You Think of) James McAvoy” I’m hearing some distinctly west coast Canadian late 1970s rock and roll like Chilliwack, Trooper, or Prism, particularly on the vocals. I love the bass and rhythm guitar interplay on “Shannon Speaks” – so reminiscent of early Costello. Even the remakes sparkle here, like the Springsteen-esque take on Bram Tchaikovsky’s “Girl of my Dreams.” There’s just not a bum track on this record so close your eyes and it’ll be 1979 all over again. But just the good stuff.

The opening of Peaces “Heathens of Love” is so alluring, magnetically pulling you in with its jangly Brydsian charm and indie Traveling Wilburys elan. But from there the song goes on in its own endearing way. As the title track to the band’s debut EP, it perfectly captures the group’s easygoing feel and ear for subtle melody. “40 Days and 40 Nights” sounds bit more Replacements to me while “Sorcerers Get All the Girls” is as hooky as it is fun. And then the marvelous “I Want You Back” caps things off, a stellar bit of pop songcraft enhanced with a deft application of reverb drenched guitar work. My only complaint here that the EP is just four songs. Unhappy reviewer face! Oh well, with this much talent a proper album can’t be far off.

I’ve always thought of Timmy Sean as a man out phase with his musical time. His songwriting is so Beatles-meets-the-Eagles while his production and performance is all 1980s big commercial bang. I say that with love because I’m a fan of that decade’s smooth AM-friendly hit sound (well, some of it anyway). That creative tension remains on Sean’s ambitious new album A Tale from the Other Side, a rock opera that is perhaps a bit more Dennis DeYoung than Pete Townshend. For an instant hook rush, dial in the rollicking early release single “In California.” Or check out the Oasis-y “The College Year.” I’d swear “My Jaded Love” is right off a 1983 playlist from somewhere, Sean so nails the sound and style of that year. The rest of the album is chock full of melody pleasers, like the Beatlesque “Over and Over Again” and swinging “Back to You.” Currently I’m hitting replay on the magisterial should-be hit single, “She’s a Monster” with its wonderful jaunty feel and ELO touches on the background vocals. And I’m also partial to the album’s near closer, the somber, touching, mostly acoustic “I’ve Returned.” As the bells toll and groove runs out on this record I can definitely say A Tale from the Other Side has been worth the ten year wait between Sean solo releases.

The Airport 77’s, Peaces, and Timmy Sean are three good reasons to buy some new music. Amble over to their internet real estate or check out the usual e-music shopping stops and make it so.

Breaking news: The Happy Fits, Mom, The Well Wishers, Eugene Edwards, SLD, and Marshall Holland

01 Thursday Oct 2020

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Today’s breaking musical stories are all destined for 2020’s parade of ‘best of’ lists come January next. They’re that good. Not just a few strong tunes but full album experiences. Break out the bank card because you are going to want to explore the full story behind these headlines over and over again.

Despite releasing an EP in 2016 and an album in 2018, New Jersey’s The Happy Fits appear to be asking listeners to take sides with their new record, the aptly named What Could Be Better. The previous releases were great but there’s no denying that this new record has the mark a band suddenly in complete control of their muse. All their quirky musical elements really come to together here, from the masterful vocal arrangements to the inventive songwriting to the surprising, delightful incorporation of a cello into rock and roll. Comparisons to marquee acts like the Violent Femmes and the Killers bear fruit on “Go Dumb,” the blood-rushing spare rocker that opens the album, as well as “Hold Me Down.” But I also hear less well-known indie darlings like Everything Everything, particularly in the vocal attack on these cuts. But then things change. Both “No Instructions” and the title track have a poppy melodic wonder I associate with Dutch group Sunday Sun. “Moving” sounds so early 1960s girl group songwriting-wise but twists things with a distinctive interplay on the vocals, adding depth with a splash of cello here and there. And “The Garden” stops things cold with another transition, this time to a kind of Fleet Foxes folk fragility. What Could Be Better is a slice of pure musical excitement. It somehow manages to be relentless and refreshing at the same time. A must have.

I know I’ve been banging on about Swedish melodic rockers Mom all summer but, come on people, this is what the game is all about: jangly guitars, slightly distorted vocals and hooks coming more regularly than the 4:50 to Paddington. Now the band’s new album Pleasure Island is officially out and it’s a delight from start to finish. Looking for a fresh take on the early Cars-era of new wave? This record is your put-it-on replay date. The LP kicks off strong with the single-worthy “I Want You To Feel What I Feel.” Other should-be hit singles for me would include both “Suzie (Use Me)” and “Better Than You.” The album features some nice jangle on cuts like “Talk to Me,” “Ordinary Girl” and “Don’t Leave With My Heart,” a bit more of a rocky feel on “Cry No More Tears,” and offers up a distinctive organ solo on “Tonight.” There’s even a bit of a Cheap Trick-meets-Suzie Quatro feel on “High Demand.” Pleasure Island is a clearly defined musical destination you are going to want to visit regularly.

Another Well Wishers record is always a welcome bit of news. On this 11th outing for the band, Shelf Life is nothing but melodic goodness. “We Grow Up” kicks things off with the familiar, signature Well Wishers wall-of-guitar sound, overlaid with those perfectly compressed AM radio vocals. I love the opening guitar build-up that introduces the song. There’s something very Matthew Sweet going on here and not just the should-be hit single aura. Then “My Desire” shows just how to put the ‘power’ in power pop with big crunchy guitar chords swathed in harmony vocals. “Secrets and Lies” alters the pacing, toning things down just a bit with an XTC-like poppy feel and just a hint of jangle. In different ways both “Father of the Bride” and “All the Same” channel a Fountains of Wayne style to me. Other tracks manage to salt in a few subtle retro influences: an addictive CCR-sounding lick grinding through “Who Cries,” a bit of Eagles’ acoustic rhythm anchoring “Holidays Await,” and a Beach Boys-taking-a-run-at-power pop moment on “Lonely Song.” My ears are still ringing, in a good way.

In 2004 Eugene Edwards lit up the indie music scene with his stupendous debut album My Favorite Revolution. It was a staggeringly good collection of poprock tunes, channeling everyone from Tom Petty to Elvis Costello. It seemed like the start of something big. Then … nothing. Edwards joined Dwight Yoakam’s touring band in 2012 and can be seen all over twitter plugging Fender guitars as recently as last week. Albums of new material? Not so much. That is until A Week of Sundays quietly showed up on various music platforms last summer. And by quiet I mean ziltch promotion, nada, nothing. Even Edward’s Facebook and twitter pages contain no mention of the record at all! A crazy way to run a career but hey, I can say this, the product is solid. It’s fun from the opening riffs and party feel of “Good Old Days” and the straight-up rockier sound of “Did You Kiss the Missus.” There’s also a few exquisite slow dance moments on tracks like “The Best Man” and “Lo and Behold.” Influence-wise I hear a lot Squeeze on this record from “Irregular Heartbeat” to “Who’s Gonna Hate You When You Go.” “Person of Interest” takes off with a classic Chuck Berry opener but then segues to a sound reminiscent of Squeeze’s Argy Bargy. “There’s No Secret” is a rocking vamp but with some tasty melodic hooks buried in the tune. Edwards even offers up two versions of the title track, the latter with a decidedly ska feel. Tell your friends, Eugene Edwards is back and ready to be noticed.

Eugene Edwards – Good Old Days
Eugene Edwards – Irregular Heartbeat
Eugene Edwards – Person of Interest

Brooklyn’s SLD sound like a blast of the very best seventies poprock. They are channeling a bit of ELO, Klattu, Badfinger, and especially mid-period Wings over their new very long-player Lost. You can practically hear the sunshine and taste the California ice teas on “He’s Got You Now,” the killer opening cut. Both “Right Place Wrong Life” and “Fly Away” have that recognizable mellow 1970s McCartney touch. “No Way” even manages to rehabilitate a bit of disco guitar and space keyboards for good effect. Vocally I hear Glenn Tilbrook on a host of cuts, specifically “Don’t Want to Get Over You” and “Midnight Eyes.” Meanwhile, an ELO ambience haunts “12 to 5,” “Lost” and “Last Night.” I love the anthemic hooky changes on “Only the Sky” and the mild Oasis vibe “You’re Not Me.” It’s rare for a band that nails such a stylized period sound to somehow still escape a retro tag but SLD do it, largely on the basis of some strong songwriting and damn fine performances.

On Paper Airplane Marshall Holland manages to be retro and topical at the same time. The album is suffused with a strong 1970s sensibility, clearly evident on songs like “Look into My Eyes” and the title track. But the record is not merely retro. The album’s opening cut “Our Fate” takes up contemporary concerns about policing with just the right balance of urgency and restraint. “When the Rain Comes” then shifts the mood completely with the aid of jaunty late 1960s keyboard shots. “A Hand Holds a Bird” puts the acoustic guitar up front, mellowing the listener out in a very Simon and Garfunkel sort of way. Three cuts in and Holland has punched up three distinct moods without jarring anyone. What holds everything together is the album’s over-riding style, a synthesis of a rather cheery Elliott Smith with an up-tempo Sufjan Stevens, captured wonderfully on “Waiting for that Peace & Love.” I love the breezy summer feel on “Don’t Do It” and the sweet variety of guitar sounds blanketing “I’m Checking Out.” Back to politics, “Whatcha Gonna Do” is the most melodic put down of Trump anyone’s ever produced. And despite all this variety, the album plays like a smooth listen. Paper Airplane is like a visit with an old friend, comfortably familiar but full of surprises.

Today’s news comes from a town where everyone lives on Quality Street. The Happy Fits, Mom, The Well Wishers, Eugene Edwards, SLD, and Marshall Holland all deserve top ratings for their efforts. Forget the film at 11, check them out now via the convenient hyperlinks. Physical copies of bands 3, 5 and 6 can be obtained from Kool Kat Music.

Breaking news: The Vapour Trails, Nick Piunti and the Complicated Men, Bill Lloyd, Richard Turgeon and Ed Ryan

22 Monday Jun 2020

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Screen Shot 2020-06-22 at 3.21.25 PMWith records that are all hot off the digital presses, this is definitely a timely episode of breaking news. And the anticipation is high for these five artists because they regularly hit it out of the poprock park. Have they done it again? Spoiler – get ready for some jangling good times.

Scottish jangle stalwarts The Vapour Trails wrap their new album Golden Sunshine in sixties pop psychedelia and the results are out of this world. The opening title track rides that fine line between melodic tripping and more free-form musical extemporization. The sound is a new sonic frontier for the band, melding sixties influences with 1980s reinventions of those themes from bands like The Stone Roses and even mid-period Grapes of Wrath. This carries on with “Dr. Barnes” which offers up a hooky sitar-like rumination on the traditional psychedelic sound. But the band doesn’t push the theme too far, returning to more familiar jangle pop on “Lonely Man” and “Why Wonder Why?” Then there’s the magnificent “Behind You” with its stunning “Day Tripper” like lead line. Nobody throws down 1965 lead guitar work quite like this band – I mean, just wait for the sprightly lead guitar instrumental break – heaven! This song alone is worth the price of admission. Other ear candy moments include acoustic guitar-driven “This May Be the Time,” with its distinctive drum feel and lovely harmonies, and beautiful, understated “Seabird.” With The Vapour Trails you might come for the jangle but you’ll stay because they offer so much more. This is a band that has yet to reach its musical summit and I’m loving the ride.

You only need to hear about ten seconds of the guitar hook kicking off album opener “Upper Hand” to know you are in for something special with Nick Piunti and the Complicated Men’s new record. Piunti’s been at this a long time and he knows where he fits into the power pop pantheon so Downtime delivers the taut melodic rockers we’ve come to expect. Needle-dropping this record, I sometimes hear the Beatles or early period Bryan Adams, Mike Viola, or the under-appreciated Odds. But really this record has a timeless, classic poprock sound all its own. All the songs on this release are pretty strong but click on “Bright Light” for a masterclass in melody-drenched rock and roll, featuring some heavenly background vocals. As for the rest, well how do you pick out highlights when everything is so good? You won’t go wrong with the Bryan Adam-ish “Every High” and “Never Belong to Me” while “Contract” has a great blast of guitar driving it along and a very Odds-like chorus. My personal fave is the Squeeze-meets-Tom Petty “Gonna Be Good” with its hypnotic occasional keyboard backdrop. And just to show he can slow things down, “Good Intentions” offers up a lovely acoustic guitar and piano number. All the hip indie bloggers are talking up Downtime. Don’t be left out.

With a career like Bill Lloyd’s you might expect him to kick back and take it easy. He’s played with so many cool artists, put out a great body of work as one-half of Foster and Lloyd, and has countless killer solo albums to his name. But Lloyd’s got more music to share and the message from his new Don’t Kill the Messenger is definitely positive. Why? It’s the songwriting. Lloyd keeps churning out listenable tunes, delivered in his comfortable poprock style. Put your ear next to “I’ll Take It From Here,” particularly when Lloyd leans on ‘Amanda’ in the chorus, and tell you me you haven’t caught something you can’t get out of your head. Similar hooks can be found in songs like “Not This Time ‘Round” and “Sorry, But I’ve Got to Take This.” I did do a double-take on a few tracks, mistaking them for cuts from some new Marshall Crenshaw album (like “Don’t Kill the Messenger,” “Undone,” and “The Girls of Sylvan Park”). At other times, the songs reminded me a little of Ben Vaughn (“I’ve Had Enough of Your Love”) or some good old pub rock (e.g. “Kake’ n’ 8 it” and “You Got Me”). And Lloyd cooked up a few surprises, like the Talking Heads-ish “Etch-A-Sketch” and the breezy, instant standard “Kiss of the Summer Wind.” So you don’t need to hesitate over this album. Paraphrasing Merle Travis, a record from Bill Lloyd is like money in the bank – guaranteed!

Richard Turgeon kicks off his new album Sea Change with some ominous chords ringing out over “Never Leaving California,” perfectly capturing the enduring sense of dread that defines out times. The song’s chilling POV is the rumination of a mythical Charles Manson follower, drawn into the myth and mayhem of a particular moment of time for the Golden State. From there Turgeon grinds out his distinctive Matthew Sweet-meets-grunge sound on winning, timely tracks like “Still Not Ready to Die” and  “Running for Your Life.” Sea Change confirms Turgeon as a veritable hook machine as the songs here are all just brimming with catchy melodies. I mean, check out the ear worm choruses of “Car Crash” and “Cull the Herd” for a quick confirmation. And then there’s the real treat, the bliss-inducing, obvious should-be hit single “Higher” – power pop perfection! This record also features a few nice departures from the usual, like the Weezer-vibing “Jolene,” the low-key dreamy “Sunset,” and the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young-like vocalizing on the “The Journey,” with its cool sparse finger-picking opener. This record just confirms why Turgeon keeps showing up on so many ‘best of’ lists each year.

On Even Time Ed Ryan returns to his roots, re-recording some tunes from previous bands The Rudies and Jupiter Jets, as well some new material. Having noted that, opening and title track “Even Time” marks a bit of a departure for the normally guitar-oriented Ryan with a reliance on keyboards to anchor the tune that adds just a bit of dramatic tension. There’s also some refreshing naked acoustic guitar here on “I’ve Got the Smile” and the rollicking “I Want to Go.” But worry not, power pop Ed is here full force on should-be singles like “Say What You Will” and “Let It Out,” with some catchy neo-1950s background vocals elevating “Never Lied to You.” “Here and Now” kicks off with a blast of Springsteen-like energy before settling into a solid rocker. I really like the nice change of pace with the piano-based “Everywhere,” a delightful tune with shades of Styx in places (and that’s not a bad thing, in this case). Ryan then wraps things up with  a return to tradition on “Make It Through the Night,” a track that really captures the classic power pop sound of late 1970s sound, complete with punchy chorus. All in all, Even Time marks a welcome return to the studio for this music veteran.

For digital access, click on the artist names above. For compact disc or vinyl, visit Futureman/Big Stir records for The Vapour Trails and Kool Kat Musik for Nick Piunti, Bill Lloyd, and Richard Turgeon. With so much news breaking, it’s hard to keep up with all the new releases. That’s what we’re here for. These releases are all Poprock Record Grade A-approved long-players. Imbibe with confidence.

Breaking news: Chris Church, Mothboxer, The Stick Arounds, and Ex Norwegian

25 Saturday Apr 2020

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Screen Shot 2020-04-24 at 6.30.24 PMThe thing about news is that it’s always coming from some point of view. You think corporations own media empires and don’t influence what they produce? But that doesn’t mean everything is fake. You have to ask questions about where your news is coming from and what it is saying. For instance, this station is obviously biased towards covering melodic rock and roll. Sorry death metal fans! But today’s headline acts are loaded up with hooks – that’s a fact!

In one of the most anticipated releases of 2020, Chris Church delivers a welcome dose of his distinctive ‘heavy melody’ on Backwards Compatible. The record vibes a harder rock edge than your typical power pop release but still manages to hit some pretty impressive melodic marks. Some tracks are straight up power pop, like “Something’s Coming Fast,” the delicious slice of Matthew Sweet-inflected songwriting/playing that opens the album, or the rollicking rush of “Pop Dreams” that closes it. Others have a bit of ‘rawk’ around the edges, like the Van Halen touches on “These Days” and “Too Deep,” though I also hear a hint of Hall and Oates in the chorus of the latter. I love the relentless hooky riffing propelling “Dumb It Up” and “Begin Again” as well as the chunky poprock swing on “Kiss It Goodnight.” The marriage of melody and metal reminds me of Blue Oyster Cult at times, perhaps with some Crosby, Stills and Nash-style background vocals mixed in, particularly on songs like “Left in the Summer.” My own juke box jury says Backwards Compatible is a winner, a raucus 46 minutes of superior tune-age that will bend your ear in good way.

On Accelerator, Mothboxer move in a bit of a different direction than previous releases, wrapping their indie melodic temperament in a more complete coating of hooks. It’s all there on the opening cut and title track: “Accelerator” sidles up to the listener with a swinging, rocking ease only to latch on for dear life in the earwormy chorus. A definite single! Other points on the album clearly hit the XTC target (as on “Feel Something”) or go deep into Beatles ’66 territory (e.g. “Under Water,” “Can I Go Now”). By contrast, both “Long Time Coming” and “Funny How It Is” have a touch of psychedelic pop about them, while “Any Time” rolls out a spacey, pop soul feel. Altogether, Accelerator is a lovely collection of stylistic poprock set pieces (you get the vinyl from Kool Kat here).

Lansing is the town that The Stick Arounds stick around in, capital city of Michigan. Besides running the state, what else is there to do but sing in rock and roll band? In this case, that’s a good thing as their Hot Singles Club album is a bracing dose of melodic rock and roll, with discernable country and Americana touches. Let’s start by applauding the reverb-drenched guitars that define “Speed of Sound” and “Microscopic” or the spot-on Byrds-meets-Jayhawks vibe on “Laugh and Minute” and “Connection.” But the Stick Arounds won’t be contained by one style or sound. “Wait” is more a straight up Stones-y rocker, while “Fire and Rescue” has a bit of an REM halo, and their version of “That’s How I Got to Memphis” is a country love letter. Personally, I love the Bobby Fuller Four stomp fueling “Forward in Rewind” and the album’s not-so-hidden jem, the alt sure-fire hit single cover of Beulah’s “Gene Autry.” So, in a word or two, maximum fun. Indeed, Hot Singles Club can be the sound of party-time Saturday night whenever you hit play.

Two separate new albums from Ex Norwegian? There’s a bit of sleight of hand here, as one is the band’s new album – Hue Spotting – while the other – Spotting Hues – is the collected cover versions they’ve been posting weekly for some time. But both hit the poprock sweet spot, with more than just a splash of psych pop thrown in for good measure. Hue Spotting’s opening track, “Fear Backwards,” gets things swinging with a melodic Robyn Hitchcock élan and catchy chorus while “Bloody Parrots” uses its keyboard riff to get inside your head (in a good way). I think “Something 2020” is my favourite track sounding like something from a late 1980s teen movie soundtrack (in that brief moment when some pretty cool bands were getting exposure). Meanwhile, “Your Mind is Mine” does a clever bait and switch with its opening screaming guitar trading places with a hooky chorus – very nice! Hue Spotting’s accompanying album, Spotting Hues, is like an archival tour of late 1960s/early 1970s rarities from bands with names like July, Apple, Magic Roger and Dr. Strangely Strange. Fun stuff here for both the innocent tourist and more serious collectors and psych esthetes from your favourite exes.

That’s the breaking news, but don’t take my word for it – check out these headline-grabbing acts for yourself and see if Poprock Record isn’t a news source you can trust. Click on over to Chris Church, Mothboxer, The Stick Arounds, and Ex Norwegian to get your fact-check on.