Category Archives: Poprock Themepark

Mainlining rock and roll: The Kryng, The Veras, and Chris Lund

15 Tuesday Nov 2022

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Today’s selections lean into rock side of our poprock brief. These are bands that know the joy of a good rocking out session. Definitely worth mainlining or, as the dictionary says, to ‘enjoy without restriction.’

I’ve been itching to write about The Kryng’s new LP Twelve Hymns to Syng Along ever since I snagged a copy a few months back. Fans will return to hear more of the 1960s-inspired, garage rock Beatlesque tuneage that filled out previous records. New listeners may hip to the Merseybeat but also appreciate the quality of the songs. “Our Love” kicks thing off on the right jangle footing. “Get” steps on that pedal, twinning harmony vocals and propulsive guitar work. Then the album alternates between dance stompers like “Deep Inside” and more period set pieces like “Roll-Anda” with its distinctive Monty Norman 007 aura. Or compare how “She’s a Dream” paints a psychedelic pop delight while “Don’t You Know” is a driving garage rocker that falls somewhere between The Yardbirds and the Smithereens. For Beatlemaniacs, “She Knows My Name” and “It Disappears” vibe a Beatles ’65 ambience. And then there’s “Although You’re Gone” which sounds both old and new, conjuring Rubber Soul, Bryds, and Monkees influences but also reminds me of Mississippi power pop outfit Lolas. Another hard to place number is “I Know ‘Cause I See” which sounds so now but also like a poppy version of Cream. Warm up the turntable, you will definitely satisfy your many party moods with Twelve Hymns to Syng Along.

Another highly anticipated release for me has been The Veras’ V is for Vera. The band teased us with a few early singles last year but then taunted us for months about the coming album. Now it’s here and what stands out for me is the tightness. This is a band that has played countless shows together over the years and it shows. “Sevens and Nines” jumps to it, opening the album with big organ and a swinging chunky guitar rhythm that defines this album. The influences here are strongly 1970s – Queen, Bowie, even Supertramp – but the output often slips into the 1980s. Listening to “If You Ain’t Got Love” I hear a touch of Madness filtered through 10cc. “She’s Into Magic” is another one that sounds so Farfisa organ fantastic. Another organ-centric number is “Winner Not a Sinner” with its ABBA vibe. Fun is definitely on the agenda of this album whether it’s the early 1970s sunshine pop feel on “Are You Having Fun Yet?” or the more Harrisonian psychedelic groove of “Ordinary Fun.” Then things shift pop punky on “Bad Dream” and glammy with “Spaceman.” “I Should Know Better” and “My Country Girl” have the big AM pop radio sound I associate with 10cc cut with a bit of Queen. The should-be hit single here is “Paper Cup Telephones” with its perfect meld of slick vocals, organ and guitars, animated by an on-point 1970s pop song swing.

With Indian Summer Chris Lund has produced a most perfect car+summer+girls rock and roll record. Is that Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander guest vocalizing on opening track “Everything is Fine”? No, that’s just Lund nailing the Cheap Trick formula. The song has got the vocal, the edgy guitar, and the band’s signature hint of menace in the melody. Or one can hear a bit of Brendon Benson here. But hey, it’s all Lund really – the genius is in how he puts it all together. This early excitement is maintained on title track “Indian Summer” as the sonic palate expands to a broader set of 1970s melodic rockers, perhaps a bit of April Wine. “Mary Jane” has a very Beatles feel, but like if they’d carried on into the 1970s while “Guarantee” has a “Don’t Let Me Down” pacing with an Odds-like melodic punch. In many ways the guitar playing is the star of this record, anchoring the various stylistic jaunts. “Down the Line,” “Killing Kindness,” and “Time Runnin’” show what Lund can do with a guitar, casting alluring lead lines against a solid wall of rhythm guitar. Then “Please Me” offers up a stark, mostly acoustic guitar number accompanied by very emotive Lennon-esque vocals, with some nice instrumental change ups throughout. The should-be power pop hit single here is “Military Girl.” This one’s got a killer set of hooks with just right level of jarring edge to offset the sweetness. While the weather may turn Chris Lund’s Indian Summer will always be in season.

Sometimes you’ve just got to go direct to the rock and source material. Today’s acts combine hooks with a rocking edge that can be oh so satisfying.

Photo credit: Herve Gloaguen “Hippies” from Le Livre de la Sante by Joseph Handler (Monte Carlo: Andre Sauret, 1968), volume 13: Adolescence, Hygienes, Viellissement.

Fright night set list

29 Saturday Oct 2022

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Given the everyday horror of the past few years – war, pandemic, the political right – it’s getting hard for a humble, candy-fueled monster holiday to compete. Luckily we still have the music. This post celebrates fright night with a set list of seasonally appropriate tunes covering a good range of monster diversity.

Justin Roberts gets called a kids songster but I think his tunes are for everyone who’s not quite finished growing up. He’s fun and whimsical and not afraid to be silly. And his songs will get stuck in your head like that gum on the underside of your chair at assembly. His “Trick or Treat” captures all the action of the nighttime candy run from a kid’s point of view and thus is an appropriate opening to our proceedings. The Freddie Steady 5 also strike just the right seasonal mood with their spirited cover of P.F. Sloan’s “Halloween Mary.” They take the tune out its original folk rock register to deliver a more pub rock easy-going party feel. Let the party begin!

Justin Roberts – Trick or Treat
The Freddie Steady 5 – Halloween Mary

Alright kids, we know you’re mostly here for the candy but deep down you’re also up for a bit of fright. Time to bring in the monsters. Don’t worry, we’ll ease you in with the pleasant Byrdsian psychedelic  vibes of Pseudonym on “Before the Monsters Came.” Then the elusive and mysterious Clovis Roblaine sounds like he’s cooped up in his castle on a hill at the start of his “Monster Love.” But as he gets going we’re transported to what sounds like a 1970s riff on all those old cartoony drive-in movie monster encounters. Like Rocky Horror but without all the cross-dressing. Then there’s Timmy Sean’s “She’s a Monster” from his poprock musical A Tale From the Other Side where the creature sounds very 50 foot women-ish put through a serious ELO soundtrack filter. So far the monsters are pretty low on terror but come with popcorn.

Clovis Roblaine – Monster Love

One band reliably up for a holiday musical tribute is Vista Blue. “Boy Beast” is the flip side to their Halloween single release “Victor Crowley” and I liked this b-side just a bit more for its imagery and pulsing energy. The band also appear on Radiant Radish’s timely, pumpkin-approved collection Time of the Season. The whole album is great, it’s free, and it also includes a band called The John Carpenter’s The Things doing a mad rush of a song called “Here’s The Thing.” It’s poppy and punky with some great early 1980s synth background runs holding everything together. Aimee Mann’s “Frankenstein” is obviously on point for our theme. Do I really need much of an excuse to include anything by Mann? No. But listen to the sophisticated lyrics here amid a layering in of so many interesting musical adornments. Talent bleeds out of this gal like an open wound. Indie darlings Kiwi Jr. serve up some “Wicked Witches” because it can’t be All Hallow’s Eve without some serious sorcery.

Aimee Mann – Frankenstein

Now if we really want to move into more scary territory we’ve got to get to the zombie and vampire portion of our programming. Modern horror definitely leans on these two players to up the terror quotient. Sal Baglio uses his band The Amplifier Heads to bring The Band back from the dead with his spot-on Band-like reincarnation of their sound on “Zombie Moon.” Warning, things get a bit hairy near the end (as they should). During a zombie apocalypse it’s all too easy to forget your partner’s many co-dependent observations about your shortcomings. Luckily we have B.A. Johnston to keep us focused with “You Will Miss Me When the Zombies Come.” Not that you’ll remember. Ok, on to vampires with The Orion Experience’s disco poprock vamp of a tune “Vampire.” The ‘ooh ooh’s so remind of those creepy Tommy Lee Jones photo shoot scenes from The Eyes of Laura Mars. Tired of those impersonal representations of vampires? Italy’s Bee Bee Sea give them some personality on the rollicking “Vampire George.” I love the Together Pangea vibe on this performance, combining swing with hooks and just a touch of punky swagger.

Our last stop on the fright night scare tour is ghost city, just so the mood will linger. Copenhagen’s Surf School Dropouts are such a curious outfit. Are beaches in Denmark much like California? Because they’ve got the California beach sound down. And just how hard is surf school anyway? Whatever. “Attack of the Ghost Hot Rods!” takes us back into the fun zone of this holiday with goofy lyrics, sound effects, and killer guitar licks. By contrast, Look Park’s “I’m Going to Haunt This Place” is more mellow, a bit maudlin. Haunting really.

Well kids I hope the candy was worth it. Because soon the frights won’t end when the monsters take off the mask. They’ll just be starting.

Make mine a single!

16 Sunday Oct 2022

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‘Disk jockey, make mine a single!’ or words to that effect might be heard somewhere sometime on request night. But what kind of song makes the cut? Today’s post offers you 21 selections to choose from. So get ready – it’s playlist stocking time!

The delicious tension driving “Square One” from New Jersey’s Sad Girls involves casting melancholic vocals against a backdrop of bright churning rhythm guitar work. A captivating melodic alchemy is the result. The song is featured on the band’s recent EP Wild Creatures, just one of many winning contributions. I mean, it’s no accident this mini-album contains a cover of the Split Enz hit single “I Got You.” Haunting, atmospheric, sometimes mournful – that’s Sad Girls’ basic MO. Jangle is alive and well in Paisley, Scotland, thanks to The Muldoons. Their 2020 debut album Made for Each Other has that sprightly yet dispirited feel of so many late 1980s Manchester bands (and that’s a good thing). But check out the rippling jangle propelling “Lovely Things,” aided by a great horn section (I have it on good authority they’re real). What a standout track! Melbourne’s Cool Sounds take a different approach. “Sleepers” is so loping-rhythm cool, ornamented with fab electric piano motifs, crystalline clear guitar riffs, and breathy vocals. The overall effect is hypnotic, lulling, but still hooky. Halifax Nova Scotia tunesmith David Myles is a little bit soft rock crooner, a little bit jazz sophisticate. His new album It’s Only a Little Loneliness has shades of gospel, country, and urban-tinged pop. Kinda like what Leonard Cohen was doing with this last few records. Just listen to how he arranges the various hooky adornments on “Mystery,” the eerie lead guitar lines hovering in the background, the stately female back-up singers, the ear wormy keyboard lick shadowing the ‘mystery’ lyric. Classy, cloaked in a bit mystery, yet totally 1980s AM radio friendly. The follow up to Bird Streets much-lauded 2018 self-titled debut album is just about out. Lagoon promises more of the same winning, jangle-infused Americana-styled poprock. Here’s a taste of what is to come with “Go Free.” The guitar work and mesh of harmony vocals suggests those other Bryds with a hint of easygoing Tom Petty.

Bird Streets – Go Free

Beatle cover bands are no rare thing. Some are great but many require a few pints to hit their Mersey stride. Then there are the masters, acts like Apple Jam and The Analogues who receive praise from the likes of former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick and Beatles archivist Mark Lewisohn. But that happens when those players set aside the Fabs canon to do their own thing? The Analogues, now dubbed The Analogues Sideshow, demonstrate it doesn’t have to be phony Beatlemania. “Don’t Fade Away” is clearly sixties influenced but in a timeless post-1980s poprock way. Are relationships like labour saving devices? That’s the angle Newcastle Australia duo The Tryouts are laying on us with “Washer.” The spare sounding verses meet dialed up chorus reminds me of Mo Kenney or Darwin Deez. Can’t wait for more from these two. Really, anything. Yotam Ben Horin’s new longplayer Young Forever has so many highlights for but some reason “Leopard” leapt out at me. Maybe it was the splash of shimmery guitar, perhaps it was lines like ‘I wanna be your Johnny Marr.’ But something really works on this particular tune, I found myself returning to it again and again. New Orleans band Lawn have got an art rock feel going on with their recent album Bigger Sprout. The songs are just a bit discordant and unpredictable and definitely memorable. But their opening cut is so should-be hit single. “Down” has an addictive guitar hook anchoring everything, rolling out like a Blue Oyster Cult mega-riff. But then it’s the pulsing rhythm guitar that takes everything forward in the chorus. You gotta hand it to Geoff Palmer. Doing a complete cover of Dee Dee Ramone’s near-universally hated solo record Standing the Spotlight takes guts and some pretty serious inspiration. But Palmer delivers. Check out how he takes a melodic promise that is just hinted at in Dee Dee’s original version of “Baby Doll” and breaks it wide open, elevating the track from a noble failure to a retro classic.

The Analogues Sideshow – Don’t Fade Away
The Tryouts – Washer

On his new solo record The Misfits Old 97s frontman Rhett Miller is not just spinning his indie rock Americana wheels. The whole enterprise has a 1970s polished crossover country-meets-pop feel. Reviewers have suggested there’s a 1970s Fleetwood Mac twist on “Go Through You” but I hear a pub rock meets Andy Kim kind of pop smoothness. Brooklyn’s Piano Movers have a low profile on the ole interweb – I could find only 3 songs. But what a trio they are. Lofi, indie, with a Jonathan Richman kind of earnest yet still laid back intensity. “Your Girlfriend’s Lover” is an acoustic guitar-strummy proto-feminist delight, with some basic but alluring lead guitar interludes. The vocals have a meditative sonic delivery, so soothing. Another Fruits and Flowers record label band is Oakland’s Odd Hope. I’ll admit, it was Jesss Scott’s striking, colourful album artwork that caught my attention here. As with its cover, the album reflects a colourful range of musical styles like a kaleidoscope. But my stand out fave is the mildly discordant, garage-y “Your Ending.” In style it stands somewhere between The Clash and Petty’s Heartbreaks and could be pulled in either direction. Former Disney animator, Pussywillows member, and arch Francophile, April March does everything with style. Her new album is Cinerama and like the lost projection process its named after it is all retro. And yet it sounds so now too. I’m singling out “Born” as your taste-tester song. Everything starts very pleasant, acoustic guitar and some double-tracked vocals but check out that sweet trebly guitar intervention that arrives 39 seconds in. Now it’s a dreamy confection of mid-1960s British pop single themes. The trick that the very Beatlesque Cupid’s Carnival manage to pull off repeatedly is throwing in just enough familiar Merseybeat-meets-early pop psychedelic elements to make your head turn but then deliver a great original song. Their latest stand-alone single offering is “You Know” and all the necessary moving parts are there: Lennon-esque vocal, Sgt. Pepper-era background vocals, and slow-burn hooky melody.

April March – Born
Cupid’s Carnival – You Know

It’s hard to put a label on just what It’s Karma It’s Cool is doing stylistically. There seems to be bits of early 1980s prog pop, a dash of new wave, and a whole lot of straight up poppy rock and roll. On their recent stand-alone single “A Gentle Reminder” I hear a synthesis that reminds me of early Split Enz with perhaps a Hoodoo Gurus vibe on the vocals. The organ is the star here, stitching together an impressive array of hooks and musical asides. Last spring Minneapolis Minnesota native Anthony Newes put out a quiet record of songs with long titles. His Dark of the Sea EP will bathe you in melodic sweetness, the songs rolling over you with effortless effect. With a vocal landing somewhere between Rufus Wainwright and Elliott Smith, “Take It From You Now You Take It From Me” steals into your consciousness like a cool wind on a warm day. For de-stressing there something very Enya here but with guitars. Chicago’s The Walkdown want you to hold for the hooks on their recent single “Jane Doe.” The verses have that deadpan, almost talky punk feel. But when they break out the chorus they step on the melody pedal and things take off from there. The rest of their catalogue is pretty solid too. Rich and Marvin are Rich McCulley and Marvin Etzioni and “Apricot” is their first joint effort. Like the fruit, the song is refreshingly sweet, delivered in a light country folk style. We’ve heard bands like the BoDeans and Los Lobos give us these kinds of acoustic forays as album deep cuts. Interested to see where this duo take things next. On their recent EP Unsolicited Advice for Your DIY Disaster Sydney Australia punky poprockers The Buoys give the boys both barrels. The songs coat a whole load of post-teenage angst in slightly harsh melodic goodness. The whole record is a mosh pit dance party but “Lie To Me Again” slows the pace, temporarily, before going hook nuclear in the chorus. The song may end but you’ll be humming it all day.

Song number 21 is special departure from a brand new band that specializes in a rock and roll aural assault. Dust Star open their debut album Open Up That Heart with a full on rocking tidal wave on “Nothing in my Head.” You can practically see the sweaty crowd levitating on the dance floor to this one. But I want to draw your attention to the more restrained title track with its Weezer meets Sugar Ray melodic roll out. There’s even an early Beatles or Cheap Trick vibe going in the late instrumental break. So much to like here.

Albums are great but sometimes you just need a stack of singles to turn a good night great. Click on the links to hear even more from these should-be up and comers.

Fall folk explosion: The Manana People, Merrym’n, Bats, Herr Wade, and Maestro Collage

09 Sunday Oct 2022

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Autumn sends us running for those cozy coffee houses, full of crazed beatniks and their guitars. Folk music is the price we pay for civilization after all (and caffeine served at reasonable prices). Fair warning: today’s post takes a rather broad swipe at the folk idiom. Some here may not even know their membership is paid up.

What do former capital cities do? One day you’re where the political action is and then it’s all about Berlin (again). That’s Bonn Germany’s crisis. Perhaps that explains The Manana People.  Their two albums tend to veer all over with no fixed address genre-wise. Of course, that makes for a special variety of tunes. 2019’s Princess Diana is a marvelous collection of freak folk oddities: a bit of Bombadil, some sixties country-folk, and a whole lot ironic detachment. The record is a celebration of horror, cinematic or otherwise. “Anthropophagus” riffs on a 1980 Italian horror film (featuring some German tourist victims, of course) while “A Silly Horror Song,” “People Don’t Know They’re Dead,” and “The Manana People Fight the Undead” develop the theme further. The songs are great, both fun and hummable, combining folk rock with the occasional 1950s space movie sounds. Opening cuts “Remember I Was Movies” and “We’re Seagulls” are representative of the twin foci, full of nice folky vocal harmonies and banjos on the former and country-folk plus spacey effects defining the latter. “Matchstick” offers something a bit different, vibing a cross fertilization between Jethro Tull and You Won’t. This year’s long player Song Cycle, Or Music For The End Of Our Times makes the horror more everyday but the songs remain the same, reliably good. “Amputated Memory” is a brilliant folk-plus journey, so warm and familiar, except when it isn’t. Outlier alert: “It’s All Really Messed Up.” This one sounds very 10cc.

For balladeer Bob Moston performing under the name the Merrym’n is all about Stoke-on-Trent, working class life, and endearing small town sentiment. Over the course of four albums and few EPs and singles he’s sung about “Cow Tipping,” “Brown Sauce,” “The Blue Rinse Brigade,” “Forgotten Railway Stations,” and more. The brief was evident on his 2015 debut album Black Over Bill’s Mother featuring “I Was Born in Stoke-On-Trent.” His home town loyalty reappeared on 2017’s Life, On VHS with “Ay Up, Ow At, Orate?” (local slang for ‘hello, how are you, are you OK?’). His musical approach ranges from ‘traditional’ to ‘going-electric’ kinds of folk – think Donovan or a less angry Jake Bugg. There’s plenty of the trad feel on the early and most recent albums, with a few in between. 2018’s Post-Industrial Apocalypse embellishes the classic folk ballad style of “The Night the Canal Collapsed” with some gritty organ and rumbly guitar, while the vocal style reminiscent of Australian balladeer Darren Hanlon. By contrast, “Working Class Area” sounds a bit more Billy Bragg. For the more electric ‘new folk’ sound “Anna of the Five Towns” and “North Wales Expressway” turn up the electric guitar amplifiers. But for something different again, 2021’s More from Merrym’n moves into pop folk territory with the lilting, hooky “Statue of Josiah.” With his focus on class and home and writing memorable tunes Merrym’n is working all sides of the Stoke-on-Trent folk street.

Growing up is hard to do. That’s the message on Blue Cabinet, the new album from Nashville band Bats. Teen alienation appeals mostly to those going through it but sometimes a writer can draw the not-so-innocent bystanders in. Bats’ creative force Jess Awh is that kind of writer. The images here are oh-so relatable, regardless of age. Sonically the record has an assured Mary Lou Lord pop folk style with some country shading here and there. “New Job” sets the tonal scene, effectively capturing the heartbreak of teen friend separation. “We All Miss the Football Season” is a bit poppier while maintaining a dark lyrical demeanor. Keyboards are the star on this track, adding a droll undercurrent. Some tracks here are straight up folk country ballads, e.g. “Violets” and “Spinnerbait.” Others like “Cooking with Sarah” and “Quonset Hut” glow with a more buoyant poppy folk feel. Then “Signal Ridge” breaks all the rules with a melody that is equal parts country and jazz tinges. Radio ready single vote goes to “Golden Spoon.” Such smooth vocals offset by some sweet fiddle work.

Herr Wade is a duo comprised of Germany‘s Sebastian Voss (Nah…, The Fisherman and his Soul, Cinema Engines) and Norway’s Jørn O. Åleskjær (The Loch Ness Mouse, Monobird, Sapphire & Steel) and together they’ve created Dreht am Kabel, a record that defies easy sorting by genre. Folk seemed as good as any other possible description. What I love here is the anarchic mix of styles and instruments. Opening cut and title track “Dreht am Kabel” sounds so 1970s folk underlaid with ominous keyboards and what sounds like a helicopter flying near the studio. “Lass sie an” clips along, more 1960s upbeat yet mellow pop. “Bitte sag nicht” has a more mannered 1960s cinematic pop vibe. Then “Askim” gives off the rippling air of an A-ha single. Bossa nova makes an appearance on “Nur Ketchup” cut with some jazzy horns. The record is mostly sung in German, which sounds cool in English and just clear and straightforward to Germans. For a spot of Norwegian, check out “Altenberge.” Overall I’d say Dreht am Kabel is a mad happy collection of sonic treats, one the whole extended family will enjoy.

Imagine They Might Be Giants on a turn down day and you might have a Maestro Collage record. The band sometimes sound bubbly and winsome but their lyrical content is more akin to Fountain of Wayne’s troubled suburbia. Magnetic Fields are probably a better comparitor on their 2020 debut album Otter. Just check out the twin surge of acoustic guitars and homoerotic imagery. 2021 EP Studio 54 dials up the not-so-subtle social critique of ‘socialite excess’ in a jaunty Elephant 6 style, particularly on the almost title track “Wine at Studio 54.” Then late in 2021 the band released their magnus opus LP New York, a sprawling love letter (or restraining order?) aimed at their home state. Like Stephen Merritt’s 69 Love Songs this release is crammed with diverging musical styles and pointed social commentary. The original release had 20 songs, the re-release 25. “B-B-Barricade” is one part folk dirge, one part of church hymn. “Montagues and Capulets” is an alluring spoken word folk drone. “Float Over D’arcy” brings a bit of guitar distortion to an Apples in Stereo feel. The extended LP version even caps its NYC cred with mean covers of the Velvet Underground. But my fave track amid all this goodness is “State of Sugar Maple,” a rather out-of-character straight-up poprock single.

Dig out that wool overcoat and scarf now or all the best seats will be gone. Folk, creatively defined, is breaking out all over this fall. Get your curated collection started here.

Photo courtesy Alex Streif.

Seismically sixties: Monogroove, The Lings, The Ramalamas, and Tony Molina

01 Saturday Oct 2022

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Get ready to shake your groove thing because today’s acts can’t be contained. Something’s gotta twitch in time to these beat crazy tunes from bands that wear their love of all things 1960s on every appendage.

Monogroove might come from America’s west coast but stylistically they’re all over the map. Their most recent LP Into the Sun has a distinctive 1960s California pop feel, except when its giving off a very English pop vocal vibe. Then at different points you’d swear record’s genre is psych pop, only to have things switch to early 1960s sweetheart rock and roll motifs. No matter, “What I See In You” is a great album opener, with a guitar reminiscent of the chime on Gene Clark’s “So You Say You Lost Your Baby.” Then “Walk in the Park” takes us in a more English 1960s pop vocal direction. By the time “Down On” cranks up like an slow homage to “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” we’re well into serious 1960s psych pop territory. And it’s just at that moment that things turn even a bit more retro, going all early 1960s girl group and neo-1950s on “Hold Onto Me” and “Darlin.” The 1970s get a look in on “Me In You” with its Kinks-like dirty rhythm guitar and sweet suite of vocal turns while “Here I Stand” sounds more seventies soft rock. I love the psychedelic lead guitar line that sets up “Time Out” and “SPCA” is a bit of glam bubblegum fun. And is it just me or does “I Only Know” kick off with an ace CCR acoustic guitar/bass groove before settling into a 1970s pop country ballad? Don’t judge this band just by their stylish sixties psych rock album cover. They’re that, but a whole lot more.

I can’t decide if Italian band The Lings are more retro 1960s or that particular 1980s brand of sixties-nouveau. On their new self-titled debut album there’s a crisp buoyant sound I associate more with the latter, like that cool breeze accompanying some early morning sunshine.  First up “The Worst of You” has an endearing 1960s spy movie feel, its spare guitar lead lines and echo-y vocals lending mystery to the proceedings. And that’s basically the formula here: a variety of carefully chosen, moody guitars working in tension with ever-so-pleasing harmony vocals. Listen to how “Little Josie” combines chugging rhythm guitar with vocals that remind me of bands like Stornoway while “Blue” arranges it guitar parts as a kind of reverby canvas for the singers. I’d swear that’s Jake Bugg guesting on vocals for “Holocene” while the tune draws out an early Beatles atmosphere. From there the record is like a variety show sampling of styles, from rocking rave-up on “Freaky Cheesy” to the 1980s folk rock of “Grace” to the heartland FM rock radio feel fueling “Never Ending Lonely Rush M.A.” Singling out a single I’d go with “Let Me Out” given its Shadowy Men tremelo guitar and sophisticated melodic turns in the chorus. But I’m also partial to the rocking lurch defining “Hometown Kids” and its Proclaimers-like sing-along vocals. After playing this album loud I think these guys might just be worth a trip to southern Europe for a live show.

Needle dropping through The Ramalamas 2019 greatest hits collection Carnivorous Plants for Sale the band seemed to be headed in a swampy Jayhawks or Blue Rodeo direction. But their new release Le Cape Noir suggests a different road altogether. The presser describes the album as the soundtrack to an ‘imaginary long lost 1968 cult psycho-thrilller/horror/drama classic’. That’s quite a detailed order. “Funtastique” is the show opener but it’s less an opening credits reel than a B52s-inspired dance grind. “Moondog” much more sets the mood for this mock soundtrack with its Russ Meyers Beyond the Valley of the Dolls vibe. Then “Le Cape Noir” is totally the period, coming on like a rogue Ventures with the main guitar giving off plenty of drama and menace. Another highlight is “Espiritismo” with its spooky otherworldly vocals and guitar work. “The Night Tide” is another tune fully in character, a psych rock Jayhawks launching the revenge of the rumbly guitar. “Love Theme from Le Cape” also sounds so like an early Bond album deep-cut instrumental. The rest of the album tends to revert to the band’s signature swampy, psych rock style, like they’ve transformed into the act hired for the closing-of-set party.  But that doesn’t detract from the record’s playful sense of fun. Indeed, “Death in the Pot” is a real a Saturday night dance stomper.

What Tony Molina proves is that acing the sounds of yesteryear doesn’t have to leave you stuck in the past. His new long-player Into the Fade is a veritable candy store of sixties and seventies sonic sweetness that nevertheless sounds timeless. The variety here is breathtaking. “The Last Time” combines Thin Lizzy guitarmonies with a Weezer poprock sensibility while “Not Worth Knowing” is more like a sixties-influenced Teenage Fanclub. I know I hear FOW everywhere but “Leave This Town” sounds like a fuzz-enhanced version of the band. Beatles motifs are popped into a host of songs throughout the album: the instrumental break in “Don’t Be Far” that is reminiscent of A Hard Day’s Night movie soundtrack deep cut, the “Strawberry Fields Forever” mellotron opener to “Songs For Friends (Slight Return),” some “Michelle” worthy acoustic guitar work on the instrumental “Ovens Theme pt.4,” and the “Julia”-esque vibe all over “Years Ago pt.2.” And just when you think you see where things are going Molina throws a curve. Like the creative piano solo that pops out in the instrumental break of “I Don’t Like That He.” There’s even a pop punk energy to “Fuck Off Now” and “All I’ve Known.”  They nicely contrast with the low-key, acoustic Elliott Smith aura of “Four Sided Cell.” But I think my fave from this collection is the languid, Teenage Fanclubby “Burn Everyone.” Into the Fade is a set of bright shiny things, all so different yet still amounting to an enjoyably coherent listen.

Everything old is new again in music, if you know how to reinvent your influences. Today’s bands do that, harnessing the past to make the here and now just a little more groovy.

Click on the links to find the mp3s of these artists. For CDs and vinyl of The Lings and Tony Molina ease on over to Kool Kat Musik.

Pretty pretty poprock: Nick Frater and Ken Sharp

22 Thursday Sep 2022

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Some artists are meticulous. Their albums often sound free and easy but that belies the hard work that has gone into them. Today’s featured acts are those kind of inspired craftmen, carving pretty pretty tunes out of the basic raw material of the popular song.

Nick Frater is serious about old stuff. His music is replete with references to musical styles from the 1970s, lovingly taped on vintage recording equipment from the era. But his recent long-player Aerodrome Motel doesn’t so much harken back to yesteryear as remodel those familiar sounds for a new age. I mean, sure, I could say that “The Pleasure is Mine” flows like a Squeeze Cool for Cats era character sketch. But it doesn’t just conjure the glory of Deptford’s favourite sons. These songs stand on their own. Take “Love Heist,” a killer bit of buoyant pop songwriting that I would suggest is merely elevated by some Supertramp-worthy keyboards fills. Or I could say I hear a bit of Jellyfish in “Stuck in My Ways” or 10cc in “Aerodrome Motel” or Fountains of Wayne in “American Expressways.” But that’s just a rough way of saying ‘if you like those acts, you’ll love this’.  Lining up the should-be hit singles, I’d vote for “Rough and Tumble” with its great horns and programmed keyboard runs. Or there’s the Beatlesy (with just a touch of ELO) “Dear Modern Times.” What a gorgeous tune! The spacious piano opener and striking vocal arc that kick off the song are utterly captivating. I also like the darling “Dancing with Gertrude” and the stand out yet simple guitar lead line defining “No Hard Feelings.” By the time we get to “White Courtesy Phone” we’re ready for this last-dance, shuffle-the-patrons-out-the-door song. Frater’s put together a game changer here. While some prior albums have sounded like lovingly crafted period pieces, Aerodrome Motel is more a timeless distillation of the past with songs that sound good whether it’s yesterday, today or tomorrow.

With I’ll Remember the Laughter singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music scribe to the stars Ken Sharp offers us a record of delicious indulgence, a collection of 50 songs! The package is like a chocolate box with no bottom. As a clever curator of 1970s-era styles Sharp basically brings your favourite acts from that decade back to life to record one more should-be classic. The range of pop genres here is incredible: beach tunes, Philly soul, glam rock, baroque pop, and more. Album opener “Maybe Next Summer” sets the scene, crossing the transom from the sixties to early seventies with a strong Beach Boys vibe. From there it is a very rapid ride over a wide variety of stylistic riffs. You may note elements of late-period Lennon-esque Beatles on “Nobody Told Me the World Was Round,” some Philly pop soul on “Philly Get Back,” a Paul Simon session with Big Star on “She Will Be” and a McCartney “Let Me Roll It” grind to the guitar on “Shut Out the Lights.” The record also has a few inspired covers, like the two recovered Rick Springfield gems “Comic Book Heroes” and “I’m Your Superman.” There’s too much here for me to cover every song – let me single out some of my faves. As much as I too recall fondly all the 70s song motifs on this album I’m more drawn to the jangly, almost new wave cuts. Like the sharp glam feel of “It Pays to be a Rock and Roll Star” or the hooky guitar lead line heavy “Somewhere South of San Diego.” I love how the rhythm guitar rings out on “Maybe You’re Right.” “No More Silver Lining” has an almost Blue Oyster Cult or Moody Blues hint of menace in the melody as well as some tasty guitar work. “Between the Lines” is just perfect poprock circa 1979 with winning guitar runs plus soaring, melodic vocals. This is the hit for me. Then there’s the lighter, more acoustic “Down in Monterey.” Lovely, hypnotic, pop folk. What we have here is really a ‘make your own album’ affair, one where listeners could selectively assemble their own seventies mini-album. Or they could just hit play and party for days.

Hit play on these albums and it’s easy to believe to world is a more pretty place than it may appear. Sometimes hearing is believing.

Photo courtesy of The Vinyl Factory.

Back to class with The School and Pushy Parents

05 Monday Sep 2022

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In my neck of the woods it’s back to school time for just about everybody. Now if this were a movie there’d have to be a transition-to-school montage and event-appropriate music to mark the occasion. To that end we turn to Spain’s superior power pop record label Elefant to provide talent in sync with our theme. And boy do they deliver.

Legend has it that Elefant signed Cardiff’s The School after playing just four live shows in 2008. Since then the band have taken a go-it-slow approach to releasing material, putting out just 3 albums since 2010 and spate of stand-alone singles and EPs. What hasn’t changed over time is their loyalty to an early 1960s girl group-meets-English dolly bird sound, with the occasional nod to more upbeat Mod dance numbers. You can hear this variety on their debut album Loveless Unbeliever with tracks like “Valentine,” “Hoping and Praying,” and “Is It True.” Yet the vibe is not merely a retro revival. Tracks like “All I Want To Do” have got the updated 1960s aura that Tracey Ullman managed to capture in the 1980s while “Can You Feel It” has the energenic imprint of The Primitives. Still, if I’ve got to single out just one tune, I love the stylistic melange going that is “The One Who Left Me” with its great horns, Zombies-like breathiness and unpredictable melodic turns. Keyboards come to the fore on the band’s follow-up Reading Too Much into Things Like Everything in 2012. But the early 1960s sonic teenage melodrama remained the same on cuts like “Stop That Boy!,” “That Boy is Mine,” and “Some Day My Heart Will Beat Again.” Though this time out I prefer the more rocking numbers like “Why Do You Have to Break My Heart Again?” and the Farfisa-drenched “Never Thought I’d See the Day.” The band’s final album Wasting Away and Wondering from 2015 sees things heading into Holland/Dozier/Holland territory with “Love Is Anywhere You Find It” and reaching Dusty Springfield-levels of heartbreak on “Don’t Worry Baby (I Don’t Love You Anymore).” But the standout should-be hit single here is undoubtedly the propulsive and ear-wormy “All I Want From You Is Everything.” Oh, don’t miss “When He Kisses Me” from the Never Thought I’d See the Day EP – this is some skip-along, can’t stop smiling fun.

What would school be without pushy parents? Less toxic, sure. But the band Pushy Parents just want to make sure we get the melodic message they’re putting out. Coming together as a kind of one-off super group in 2011 Elefant managed to get them to put out one EP, the enigmatically titled Secret Secret. The quartet of songs assembled here are like a chocolate box selection, lusciously different but clearly by the same maker. Both “Secret Secret” and “Hold Me Tight or Let Me Go” sounds like something you think you know but they go unexpected places (e.g. check out the inventive bridge in the latter). The band’s presser links “He’s My Saturday” to Nancy Sinatra stylistically but what I hear is totally Lesley Gore in its bumptious melodic swing. Then there’s “Dear John” which sounds at times like an understated Pet Shop Boys, at others like a deep cut from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode Once More, With Feeling. What a gem this one-night-only performance turned out to be.

The fun is just starting for kids, parents and teachers. Let’s enjoy it before the inevitable crying begins.

Photo courtesy Queensland State Archives.

Out in the country: The Oh Wells, Orville Peck, and Cowgirl

31 Wednesday Aug 2022

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Before the summer slips away there’s time for one last trip to the country. A decidedly rocking melodic bit of the country, that is. Today’s troubadours are stylishly intersectional in their musical tastes, interspersing a broad country élan with a load of other musical noise. Really good noise.

I got turned on to Seattle’s Oh Wells last May with the release of their EP Dakota. Halfway through opening cut “The Day We Kissed,” mesmerized by its buoyant, driving acoustic guitars and lovely vocal harmonies, I knew I was on to something special. Definitely going into the to-be-reviewed pile, I thought. But months later I am confronted with Alice, a whole new Oh Wells album coming out now, and I’ve yet to laud their previous recordings. So let’s play catch up. Dakota is defined by a broad, warm acoustic feel. “Angel of Mine” has a Elephant 6 low-key pop aura, very Apples in Stereo at times. “Wafflehouse Waitress” and “Loverville” muscle up the sound while “Without You” is more Crosby, Stills and Nash-influenced. Altogether the EP was a striking debut. Yet just three months later the band is back with an even more stunning sound. It’s like Oh Wells have caramelized the pop portion of their previous sound on their new long-player Alice, sweetening the hooks and filling out the sound. “Someone Walks Away” has the melodic pop sheen of Guster or Good Old War. “You Know the Way Home” is a more rocking in the vein of recent work by The Cactus Blossoms. The rest of the album then ably hits a variety of country rock marks: “Warmer Weather” and “Devil’s Bride” have a smooth Foster and Lloyd vibe while “Black and Bloom” and “Alice” dip more into traditional country territory. And then there’s “Oh Well,” a gorgeous, layered slice of country pop perfection. “Optimist Prine” rounds things out with a stripped-down tribute to Maywood’s modern Mark Twain. This is sweet, textured country-folk-pop of the highest order.

In 2019 I said Orville Peck was primed to explode and boy did he ever. His debut album for Sub Pop Pony caught on with an eclectic mix of fans, exuding a hip cool that can’t be bought or manufactured. Before you or I knew it, he was duetting with the stars and signing major label deals. The result is this year’s Columbia Records release Bronco. Now we’ve all read this script before and know how it can go terribly wrong. But Bronco doesn’t steer wrong. If Pony seemed a bit tongue-in-cheek, this record abandons irony. It really is a melange of great rock and roll and country styles delivered straight up: Elvis obviously, but also Roy Orbison and, as Peck admits in interviews, Dolly Parton. “The Curse of the Blackened Eye” is so late 1960s Elvis in smoky ballad mode. Peck’s voice is shiver-inducing and the musical backdrop is understated and alluring. Another standout track is “Lafayette” with its uneven tempo, great, dark story song demeanor, and killer chorus. “Bronco” and “Any Turn” are more like an early seventies Elvis stompers. “Hexie Mountain” draws on a more Gordon Lightfoot ballad style. And then the album wraps up with “All I Can Say,” a gorgeous ballad performed with bandmate Bria Salmena. Gonna be hard defying the magnetic persona that is Orville Peck after this record settles in on the public consciousness.

Somewhere in the dark north of England a band called Cowgirl is ready to defy your expectations. You might listen to a few singles and think ‘punky’ or sixties-influenced garage rock and roll. The band themselves lean on the Jesus and Mary Chain label as self-description. But there is so much more going on here. What appears to be the band’s debut EP Cowgirl gives off a fresh Travoltas-like rock and roll blast. Then their 2020 album X Tracks mines early 1980s new wave for some pretty sweet guitar excess. Take “I’m Always Lost” with its relentlessly Plimsouls-era sonic attack. The guitar lines are etched in my brain – in a good way! “Nothing to Say” is just a sunny poppy rock delight. “Could Never Explain” has a guitar that rings out with a Clash-like impatience and hookyness. Later in 2020 the double A-sided single featuring “Only Lasts a Moment” and “Hold Me” shifts between dreamy pop and jump-out-of-the-speakers psych rock excitement. Then a few months later “Caroline” is going all VU-meets-punk. Surprisingly the band’s most recent LP, also simply dubbed Cowgirl, has a consistent sound – and what a very good sound it is. Guitars to the front, melodies buried deep but never lost in the mix, and smooth vocal delivery. “Figure It Out” and “Without You” showcase this combo nicely, though in different ways, the first with clear, elegant guitar lines, the latter leaning on a more dirty guitar mix. Ok, Cowgirl may not be that country but they’re so good I feel I had to shoehorn them in here anyway.

Country or no, today’s acts are worthy of a trip to the far reaches of Bandcamp or Spotify or wherever you take your musical journeys.

Heat seeking singles

20 Saturday Aug 2022

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The surging summer heat of late August really could do with a soundtrack all its own. What better way to fill that void than this 21 single salute? Strap in, here’s another slew of could-be hits for your perusing pleasure.

How did I miss Ducks Ltd.’s fall 2021 release Modern Fiction? Could be the name switch up from Ducks Unlimited. I guess you can have too much of a fowl thing. Critics have been all over “18 Cigarettes” from the new album and hey it’s great but I’m all in for the strummy magic that is “Grand Final Day.” It’s got jangle, New Order-worthy bass work, and some killer percussion.  The overall effect is very Cure-like. “Fit to Burst” is another favourite with its discordant lead guitar lines. Netherlands sixties-style rockers The Kryng have a new album out, Twelve Hyms to Syng Along, and a full review will be coming. Right now I return to their previous single and the driving-fun stomper b-side specifically, “Twenty Two.” This one is dancing shoes approved! It’s a full-on 1966 Top of the Pops go go-ing classic. A band experiencing a reanimation after some time away is Minneapolis rockers Flipp. Time has smoothed the pop hooks in their material, i.e. less Kiss more Romantics. Their new album Too Dumb to Quit kicks off with “You Can Make It Happen” – check out the riveting cowbell and slashing guitar chords opener! This is a song that pulses with urgency but these veterans know how to pace our interest, giving the tune plenty of sonic space and changes in tempo. Fans of The Tearaways and The Empty Hearts will love this. Rural France member Tom Brown has got a thing for Tom Petty, obviously. The most recent RF record had a song called “Teenage Tom Petty” and now he’s got a side band dubbed Teenage Tom Petties. Well if loving Tom were a crime a lot of us would be doing time. TTP gives this Tom a chance to go for a bit more rough sound than Rural France but without sacrificing any hooks. “Boxroom Blues” has a muddy feel to its mix but the lead guitar grinds out a relentlessly melodic line throughout. Things get turned up to 11 on Robby Miller’s new single “Staying for the Weekend.” It rides pretty close to going all rawk with its distortion and waka waka guitar effects at times but Millar has a knack for melody that ultimately reins in any guitar excess. An album of rocking Millar tunes surely can’t be far off.

Fresh should get an award for best fake-out opener to a song. The alluring distorted guitar hook that launches “Deer in the Headlights” says punky combobulations coming right up. But then things veer into a sophisticated pop vibe reminiscent of The Sunday’s debut album. The riff then keeps coming back in, jostling the listener – but it totally works. Just one of many creative contributions to the band’s new LP Raise Hell. Chicago’s The Embryos clearly spent some time taking in the mammoth Beatles’ Get Back documentary during lockdown because their new single “The Tone” is a subtle love letter to the sound of those sessions. The vibe kicks off casual, like a rehearsal session, but as the song advances things tighten up, adding more and more polish and nuance. The Demos “Streetlight Glow” is calling up so many different possible comparisons: the spooky background vocals sounds Zolas, the acoustic guitar-anchored verses has a Farrah feel, the electric guitar shots is so Vaccines. Despite this variety it all hangs together, descending into sing-along goodness near the end. The track is from their stylishly designed new long player 24 Hour Hotline featuring a stunning candy apple red Western Electric model 500 telephone. Monica LaPlante is a solid rock and roll gal. I mean, listen to her version of Echo and Bunnymen’s “Do It Clean” – it’s like she put it through some kind of B-52’s dance machine. “Selfish Bitch” is another good time rocker. But then other tracks exude a Chrissie Hynde cool. The 2019 single with “Tinted Lights” and “Opposite Sides” doesn’t just feature an classic looking cover, both tracks have a sublime sophistication. “Opposite Sides” is particularly striking, like Peggy Lee with a Nancy Sinatra swagger floating over wonderfully ominous musical textures. It would be great to pull all Laplante’s various singles and EPs into one great big album for easy appreciation. The Veras‘ new single “Sevens and Nines” has a wow-guitar chunkiness to it. There’s something very 1970s to the monster electric guitar chord attack, a bit glam with a touch of BTO swing. This one’s a party-time crowd-pleaser! You can preview a few more tunes from their upcoming new LP V is for Vera on their website.

Time to turn down the lights for a mellow moment with Franco-American duo Freedom Fry on “True to Ourselves.” This starts off spare but just wait until Marie Seyrat gets to the line “Well it’s you and me, my friend till the bitter end …” Bliss! Very early 1970s folk pop in a Poppy Family way. Former (and current, I guess) Ride guy Andy Bell keeps releasing singles from his super solo record Flicker but the latest “Lifeline” contains a special treat, a cover of Pentangle’s “Light Flight” from their 1969 album Basket of Light. I love the English twist on sixties folk rock with its unique guitar tunings and medieval aura. Hard to live up to guitar masters like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn but here Bell proves he’s no slouch. Speaking of the Middle Ages, The Happy Somethings give a solid folk footing to their paean to Everything But the Girl’s female vocalist on “I Wish You Could Sing Like Tracey Thorn.” Who doesn’t? They offer two versions on this double b-side, both delightful in their own way. Austin’s Wiretree deliver their reliable strummy goodness on a recent one-off single “Inside.” No breaking headlines here, just the usual quality merch, a dreamy mix of acoustic guitars and swirling vocal harmonies. Or for something completely different, check out Lysa Mychols and Super 8’s expert deconstruction of The Who’s “I Can’t Explain.” Powerpopaholic called it a ‘beatnik version’ and I’d have to agree, right down to the finger snapping and period wardrobe in the video.

Time now for the Jeff Lynne portion of our programming. Starting with Phil Thornalley. Phil’s usually that man behind the curtain, writing, producing and playing on hits for all sorts of people without taking the spotlight himself. He recently launched a strong solo effort with his Astral Drive project, particularly the should-be hit single “Summer of ‘76” (reviewed here). And his soon-to-be released solo effort Now That I Have Your Attention promises to be a winner if this pre-release single is anything to go by. “Fast Car” is a loving homage to everything ELO. It’s got the strings, the pumping piano, the army of background vocals, and an earwormy set of melodic hooks. Another artist working some Lynne-isms into their new song is Bill DeMain, co-songwriting partner to a load of should-be stars and one half of Swan Dive. “Lone Ranger” is a brilliant riff on fame and heroes well past their sell-by date. But musically it’s like a easter egg hunt for ELO motifs. Pretty genius stuff here. The Rooftop Screamers offer a more distant echo of Lynne influences on “The Great Unknown.” It’s there more in the melange of sounds, the organ, Tim Smith’s great vocals, and the song’s relentless hookiness. Another drip released single on the way to a new album undoubtedly. Belfast’s Neil Brogan combines a wonderfully weird set of styles on his recent album Things Keep Getting in the Way. Not so much ELO as the melodically-folky, sometimes-rocking sound of acts like Darren Hanlon, Hayden, and Ron Sexsmith. Title track “Things Keep Getting in the Way” is a case in point: the sonorous guitar lines jump out but the vocals are so folky understated. Now get ready for a bit of joy wrapped up in a new single from Drew Beskin and the Sunshine, “Spoilers.” The opening instrumental roll out is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, the chorus is so uplifting, and the musical breaks just bolster the good feeling. A single from the much anticipated upcoming album Somewhere Sideways Same as You.

We wrap up this batch of singles with a brand new cut from Frank Royster. Those familiar with Royster’s two phenomenally good but overlooked solo albums understand what good news this is. “Open Door” has a hint of The Smithereens songwriting stamp all over it while it’s message of faith is in your face but curiously not jarring. This is the second new single from Royster this year in anticipation of an album coming in 2023.

Frank Royster – Open Door

Whew, 21 options for your end-of-summer playlist. Surely something here to tickle every fancy.

Photo courtesy merobson.

I get mail: Brother Dynamite, ABOB, Richard Turgeon, and Walcot

11 Thursday Aug 2022

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They get to me. The self-promoters with their musical wares. They write emails, they messenger me, they hit me up through my blog’s Facebook page. And I love it! Each message is like a mini-present just waiting to be opened. I always wonder what’s inside. Not every letter has the right address but most do. Case in point: today’s mailbag is full of dynamite poprock that is definitely worth a read, uh, I mean, listen.

New York City’s Brother Dynamite have been making music for decades but only just got around to releasing their debut album, If We Dare. Talk about late bloomers. The sound is poppy rock and roll, with just a hint of what we used call AOR (album-oriented rock). This used to be all over FM radio in the 1980s. LP opener “Summer’s End” sets out the brief with a great hooky swirl of overlapping electric guitars offset by Shawn Moynihan’s unique vocal attack. The hook in this song has the addictive guitar grind of Blue Oyster Cult in their most poppy moments. Then “Everything Changes” definitely brings to mind smooth melodic rockers like Fastball, Everclear and Semisonic given its easygoing jauntiness. Other tracks in this vein include “You Could Do So Much Better,” “This Time,” and hit single-ish “You Cannot Bring Me Down.”  But the album is also defined by some dynamic vocal work that might be more associated with the likes of Supertramp or Styx, particularly notable on “Lucky Me” and title track “If We Dare.” And then there’s the ballads. “All Your Life” kicks off with a Paul Simon-esque fingerpicking bounce, only to build to something bigger. “Until the Stars” is a grand lead guitar-led ballad worthy of an ocean of waving Bic lighters. “Beautiful Lie” is just a gorgeous tune, sometimes vibing a Band On The Run McCartney, sometimes sounding more pop Eagles. With If We Dare Brother Dynamite recall the best of 1980s poprock, without all the hair product and spandex.

A turn through Andrew Bobulinski’s back Bandcamp pages suggests he’s an artist just toying with us, stylistically that is. After a long stint in heavy metal bands Bobulinski’s solo career has been careening all over the indie poprock map, from Weezer-like slathered guitar and sibilant vocals to horns aplenty over 1970s-ish soft rock. His latest project is an ABOB release entitled ABOB’s Summer Home. The songs have that breezy 70s pop feel, contrasted with some punchy horns on “Sabrina Knows” and “Talk to Her.” My fave here is the less 70s title track with its KC Bowman-like vocal sheen and straight up poprock hooks. For a more rocking demeanor, click a few pages through to Bobulinki’s earlier releases, particularly the EP entitled 2015 and the dynamite longplayer Suburban Apocalypse. The latter record has got some serious variety, from edgy guitar-distorted numbers like “Right Where You Wanted to Be” to more jaunty rock and roll with “Johnny Utah.” My fave is the killer 1960s retro-remake Bobulinski pulls off on “There’s a Reason.” Perfection! ABOB may be a musical enigma but I like mysteries. Just another fab export from Birmingham, Alabama’s bustling music scene.

I don’t usually need a message from Richard Turgeon to remind me about his latest record – I’m on it. But his latest release Rough Around the Edges has piled up a load of glowing reviews so quickly I’m looking positively out of the loop. Now I was out of the gate early reviewing his fabulous opening cut here “Better With You” last March, describing it as a ‘shot of feel-good guitar-oriented power pop’ with just the right amount of Matthew Sweetener. And this album banks on that formula. There’s a Sweet-ness to most songs here, perhaps cut with a bit of Weezer. But that just says Turgeon has achieved a trademark-able sound and songwriting style that lends his albums coherency though never sameness. The record’s first three cuts – “Better With You,” “I Never Loved You,” and “Please Take Me Back” – all deserve heavy rotation on what’s left of rock radio. They’re a masterclass in how to weave a solid hook into your song. In addition to these reliably hooky guitar wonders, the record does take some chances too. “7 Stories” is a bit more mellow, vibing a glorious Lindsay Buckingham/Well Wishers vocal style in the chorus while “Goodbye Home” has a languid Marshall Crenshaw deep cut feel. Or there’s “You Always Believe” which opens with an uncharacteristic solo piano before adding in Turgeon’s signature guitar sound. And check out the melodic shift in the chorus – it almost sounds like something from The Smiths. As Rough Around the Edges is Turgeon’s seventh album in just five years, there’s really nothing rough about it. He just keeps turning out should-be hits, waiting for the world to catch up.

I closed out 2021 with a brief notice about Chicago band Walcot and their single “Dreaming Away.” I really liked the song’s 1970s happy vibe, it’s jaunty B.J. Thomas-like demeanor. Now it’s back as part of the band’s recent EP release Songs for the Disenfranchised, appearing with “Another Man” and “It Feels Alright.” The trio make for a winning combination, sharing a similar smooth poprock polish. “Another Man” makes harpsichord sound cool on a tune that seems one part Paul McCartney, one part mid-period ABBA. By contrast, “It Feels Alright” has a more contemporary pop radio feel, like something from an early Sam Weber or Ron Sexsmith record. My only complaint about this EP is its brevity. With just three songs it’s all over in just 8 minutes. Serious boo hoo! Perhaps think about Songs for the Disenfranchised as more of a maxi-single teaser for an album that can’t arrive soon enough.

Clearly today the mailman brought me no more blues. After all, this is a poprock site.