Category Archives: Poprock Themepark

Geek rock rules!

20 Friday Jun 2025

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I was minding my own business scouting out new Jonathan Coulton material on iTunes when out of the corner of my eye I spotted some crazy song titles in the ‘listeners also bought’ section. There seemed to be a heavy focus on superheroes and celebrating nerdiness. Well before I knew it I had needle-dropped my way through a hitherto unknown genre to me – geek rock. You can find plenty of essays online to tell you all about it but, suffice to say, it tends to be defined by quirky songwriting, a passion for outsider culture, and plenty of hooks. Here’s just a smattering of what this scene has to offer.

In many ways Chicago’s I Fight Dragons are the poster child for this genre with song titles like “Geeks Will Inherit the Earth,” “Save World Get Girl” and “No One Likes Superman Anymore.” Their on-the-cheap videos are pretty fun too. Personally I’m keen on “cRaZie$” from their 2011 album Kaboom! where they lampoon the cabin-in-the-woods horror genre. Now if you want an act that commits to the bit, check out Harry and the Potters. They have released something like four albums, six EPs and host of one-off singles and every song inhabits the Potter universe. As I don’t really know just where to start here, I’m featuring a cool track from the band’s last long-player Lumos entitled “The Banality of Evil (Song for Albert Runcorn)” that features a great guitar solo. Kirby Krackle dives deep into the geek rock bag of tricks with songs about superpowers and evil villains and the need for proper insurance for henchmen. But another side of the genre is all about riffing on recent pop culture. KK excels here with a load of stand-alone tunes, like this paean to Stranger Things heroine “Eleven, I’ll Wait For You.”

Given its goofball tendencies the geek rock genre can attract more than few one-off ‘we’re just passing through’ efforts. Grandpa Griffith have a whole album of songs about talking monkeys and unstoppable robots but nary a write up anywhere. Oh well. “Aquaman” from their LP Electric Scooter Holiday Blowout is worth grabbing your attention. Mark Aaron James also has songs about superheroes (“Aquaman’s Lament” “Batman’s Reply”) and science fiction TV obsession (“Shatner at the Convention”). But he also embodies the genre’s tendency for self-reflective protagonists.  Both “This Song’s About” and “This Song Would Be Better” have the singer tied in knots about what his songs mean and the meaning of success, in a style that marries Glass Houses era Billy Joel with early Elvis Costello. Unfortunately, neither is posted on bandcamp so you’re getting more Aquaman. Buffalo’s Ookla the Mok are spilling over with talent. It’s all here: superhero riffing, geek convention in-jokes, popular culture call outs, and monkey concept albums. But behind the jokey-ness is serious musical talent, akin to They Might Be Giants. You won’t go wrong dialing in to any of their albums but I’m starting you on “Medieval Evel Knievel” from their Nerdvana EP. Funny and oh so well played.

Grandpa Griffith – Aquaman

Jonathan Coulton definitely has plenty of geek rock material but I’m wrapping this feature with a song from his 2017 Solid State record that is simply a straightforward should-be hit single, “Sunshine.” There’s still plenty of Coulton’s lyrical cleverisms with lines like ‘The roaches took the kitchenette We just let it go.’ But the hooks in this chorus are blindingly good.

Get your geek on with any of these fine artists wherever geek rock is sold (hint – hit the hyperlinks for the e-store).

Photo: fragment of mast image from Ookla the Mok bandcamp page.

What’s in a name?

08 Sunday Jun 2025

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I love interesting, off-the-beaten-path band names. And in today’s get-your-attention economy you’ve pretty much got to do all you can get eyes and ears on what you’re doing. So here are few recent finds with fun, out-there monikers.

As soon as I saw Megan From Work as the band name I knew I was going to check it out. It just conjures up a perfect image filled in by whatever work experience you’ve suffered from work. Anyone referred to as being that person ‘from work’ really says a lot about the connection or lack thereof. The band just put out a long-player last October and Girl Suits is great but now they’ve got a brand new single that to my ears moves into a slightly new sonic space. “Life Into a Movie” has an 1980s pop sheen not unlike The Motels or ‘Til Tuesday. Aukland New Zealand’s Dead Famous People have got an interesting story, getting started in the 1980s being briefly signed to Billy Bragg’s Utility Label. But nothing much happened then. More recently they’ve gotten back together to record new and old material and re-release a few lost gems. “Looking At Girls” from 2020’s Harry just springs out of the speakers with a bright energy. “Traitor to the Cause” from 2022’s Lost Person’s Area is biting and condemnatory in an unexpectedly pleasant poppy way. Their new record Wild Young Ways promises to resurrect a host of lost material and from the pre-release material I’m the loving singalong-worthy “Little Flashes of Yesterday.” Like Everything but the Girl or Allison Moyet with an acoustic guitar.

Northville, New York’s Frown Town’s vocal sound reminds me Canned Heat’s Alan Wilson at times and at others Elliott Smith. That’s range. It’s all there on the band’s new album Dark Green Curtains. The presser claims the record is a folk rock effort drawing on both Elliott and Paul McCartney and I can hear that. “Stranger to Everyone” and “Rich and Famous” definitely sounds like Smith/McCartney musical love children. “The Note” has the folk covered.  There’s also a great rendition of Jo Stafford’s 1952 hit “You Belong to Me.” Miami Florida has produced Mustard Service, a band with an unusual name and an arsenal of weirdly cool tunes. Previous album Zest Pop had tracks like “I’m Sorry I Hit You With My Flip Flop” and “Get F*cked.” The new record Vice City Magic has a tighter rock sound on “Big Time” and “Going Nowhere.” Except when the songs blow out into a big spacious 1970s vibe going a la ELO.

Stuttgart Germany’s Travelin’ Man is not a far out name but when you combine it with the band’s kooky material, it’s really something else. Most of what you’ll hear on their twenty song LP Let Others Do the Thinking is pretty gritty dark nightclub rock and rolling. It’s a solid garage feel, with just a touch of the Velvets showing up regularly. But the standout track is the goofy, propulsive “My Buns Are Burning.” It could mean anything, the more far out the better.

Nothing like an out-there name to stick in your mind. Along with some hooky tunes, of course.

Photo ‘Grand Theatre, Rocky Ford, Colorado’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Poolside playlist

23 Friday May 2025

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We stand on the precipice of summer. Time to start stocking the poolside playlist. Doesn’t really matter if your particular pool is Olympic or inflatable, if you get the music right. So here are 21 tunes to get you started.

Seems the Stranger Things cast can’t stop multi-tasking. The latest to offer up some serious single-age is Finn Wolfhard, who was also the first in a way if you count his earlier releases with bands Calpurnia and The Aubreys. So far I’m loving what I’m hearing from his upcoming LP Happy Birthday, though it was hard to choose between the currently available singles. “Choose the Latter” has a great jangle while “Objections” reminds me of The Shins given its tight, tidy propulsive-ness. Adelaide, Australia’s Mode hit the intensity pedal on stand-alone single “Strange Girl,” with guitar hooks aplenty and what sounds like a horn section supporting a dynamite poppy melody. Philadelphia’s Labrador ride in on a wave of organ before Pat King’s southern fried rock vocals come in to completely change up the vibe on “Dry Out in June.” Between these two elements and the manic lead guitar work this is a band with very unique sound. I know Andy Shauf from this poppy folk numbers but I didn’t realize he had a band too. Foxwarren return after eight years with their second LP simply entitled 2. “Listen2me” has got a great aura going. The instrumentation here has a painter’s eye for sonic colour. When Larry Rosembaum isn’t busy touting The Dreambots he’s got another vehicle you should check out: The Super True. “Eyesore” has a curious melodic arc that bends and comes back, enveloped by some fabulous Beatlesque guitar work. “Right Here” is no slouch either with nice jangle lead guitar and harmony vocals.

Jeff and his Army of No One melds an arresting mix of sounds on his latest song “I’m Coming Back Tonight.” Elements of California 1970s rock mix with breathy pop folk and crunchy electric guitars for a track that builds in intensity as it goes along. Lowmoon shift the mood decisively with a New Order-ish thrumming sensibility on “Find a Reason.” The lead guitar work carries the song, tripping along with a sparkly resonance.  The Needmores sound a bit punky off the start but when their single “Lookin’” gets going there are wonderful melodic details tucked in here and there. The chorus borders on Beatle-manic with its chorused vocals. Vienna waits for you on Oehl’s new album lieben wir (we love in German). Everything is lush and stately, perfectly framing the standout vocals. The instrumental choices all over this record really are exquisite with strings and horns and synths all deftly deployed. Particularly on the obvious single, “I Love You.” Get ready to float away with this dreamy number. Upping the jangle quotient California’s Now couldn’t sound any more 1980s English. “In Pathécolor” exhibits a captivating rough and ready C86 sound.

For such a quiet song Sally Spitz’s “Tag Your Sign” exudes something big. This is mostly acoustic guitar and vocals, tarted up with a bit of record scratching. But the overall effect sounds like a bona fide classic, reminding me of Terence Trent D’arby’s impact. Martin Luke Brown sounds a bit stripped down and spare, but listen closely for the delicately arranged sonic layers on “To Be a Man.” There’s something Bill Fox or Chris Staples about the evocative sensibilities here. It’s soothing, intriguing, and mysterious all at the same time. Then for pop grandeur we can turn to Grant Lindberg on his recent single “Threes.” There’s a perfect blend of mellotron-like keyboards and crunchy, searing guitars. Meditative with a touch of dissonance as things develop. Clashing guitar chords launch Autocamper’s new song “Again” with a Lou Reed-ish vocal. It’s a winning combination, nuff said. Former Cheepskates member Tony Low has his own album to do. Well, an EP actually. From Really Real I like the opening track “Big Warm,” a sort of rocking singer-songwriter number that conjures a very 1970s feel.

Somehow I missed a new Andy Partridge release in 2024. Working with Chris Braide as a duo they released the Queen of the Planet Wow! EP. Most of the material is pretty pop loungey with Braide up front vocally for nearly all the tunes. But opening cut “I Like ‘Be’ With You” bears the clearly recognizable imprint of Mr. Partridge, his characteristic melodic turns and vocal inflections fully on display. “April in New York” also has a few strong Partridge moments, but only sporadically. Damn, I miss that era of regular XTC releases. NYC’s WYLDLIFE may also conjure memories of bands gone by. On “Fast Dreams” I hear both Springsteen and Tom Petty buzzed up on some kind of speed and the effect is pretty pleasing. West of the Mersey River, West Kirby’s West Coast Music Club have been putting out EPs every few months or so like clockwork this past year. Just to give you taste of what they’ve got going, check out “Summer Loving” from April’s Need You Beside Me EP. The looping lead guitar hook lulls you with hypnotic effect before the hooky melody grabs you in the chorus. Crossword Smiles have a new album Consequences and Detours and its full of their usual mellow poppy delights. Dip in anywhere and get a hint of the 1980s, a bit of Haircut 100 on “Girls Club” or Crowded House on “Counting by Fives.” But I’m gonna cut to the chase here and feature the should-be hit single: “Navigator Heart.” The opening guitars have a new wave crispness but what follows just won’t stop offering up delightful melodic turns and twists, particularly in the chorus. Instant replay mode here. Keelan Donovan’s “The Influence” has a spooky demeanor, a deeply personal song working the singer-songwriter seam pretty hard, with a touch a gospel emerging from time to time. Very moving.

Last up, the laconic, low-key recent track from Wallows cheekily entitled “Your New Favorite Song.” There’s so much going on in this mellow tune, the instrumentation carefully staged like a musical diorama. There’s folky acoustic guitar, a horn section, single piano notes, flute, and much more, not to mention an intimate, seductively quiet vocal. You want more? There’s an EP called … More.

Music for the pool, check. Now we just need sunshine. Gather your choice tunes from the above list by clicking through the hyperlinks.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Along the river Mersey

18 Sunday May 2025

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Merseybeat is the gift that keeps on giving. Whether full-blown homage or just an inflection there’s no mistaking that distinctive beat group influence. Here’s a crew of artists that all channel a bit of John, Paul, George and Ringo in their own creative ways.

It seems fitting to kick things off with Rad Venture’s aptly named long-player Merseyside. Owing more to the non-Fab acts in the roster (e.g. Gerry and the Pacemakers, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Big Three, etc.), what makes this record special is its expert replication of both the song styles of the period and its sonic hue. There’s something gritty, a bit pinched, and live-sounding to the recordings like “Please” and “Don’t Call Me.” “It Could Be You” nail the harmony vocals of the era. And check out the snappy lead guitar opening “Too Late Tomorrow.” Closer “Fog on the Mersey” casts a perfect 1963 instrumental mood. The Pale Lights lean more toward The Searchers on their recent self-titled LP,  particularly on “You and I.” But there’s a touch of Roddy Frame and Lloyd Cole there too in the vocals. So many tunes here sound like a later period of poppy beat group material, perhaps circa 1966, but the Mersey vibe infuses it too, particularly on tracks like “Girl on a Bridge” and “Golden Times.”

In listening to Cherrystone I kept thinking ‘man, these guys remind me of someone.’ Ok, The Beatles, obviously. But with a bit of digging I discovered the band is the precursor group to Cupid’s Carnival. This iteration of the band only put out one LP (entitled Our Life) but what a corker. Title track “Our Life” is Lennon spooky good while “Girl” anticipates the unique Cupid’s Carnival sound to come. But my faves are “I’m In Love” and “I Need Her” where the vocals veer strongly into Glenn Tilbrook territory. I’m not saying the Sorry Monks is always on the road to Liverpool’s Pier Head on his new album Perfect Hour but there are some strong indications he’s been there at some point. “I Can’t Make It” has a spot on Lennon 1965 vibe going while “I Know What’s On Your Mind” harkens back a bit further to that more sweet and innocent 1963 feel. “(It’s Just The) End of the Year” should get a honourable mention too.

Cherrystone – I’m In Love

Brazilian Banda AL9 have got an eerie Beatles sound-alike thing going on. So far they’ve got an EP and two albums out, the latter recorded in both Portuguese and English versions. The EP Isso E has got a bit of Brazilian jazzy flair which is pretty special but the most recent album The Ninth King (or O Nono Rei in Portuguese) hews more to the Merseybeaten track. “California” is so damn catchy, the lead guitar line and The Romantics worthy clapping demand an instant replay. “The Only One” sounds very early Fabs. “Movie Star” is more rocking, with a bass line that is positively addictive and a strong nod to “Drive My Car.” “My Love” hits the Help! era sweet spot. “You Called Me Up” is the single-along hit single. Clearly these guys love the Beatles but they are no slouches in the songwriting department. It’s one thing to ape the masters, it’s quote another to use their influence to drive your a unique contribution like these guys do.

 A stroll along the river Mersey. That would need music, yes? We’ve rounded up some pretty Merseylicious options here. Click on the links and fill your own ‘ferry across the Mersey’ playlist.

Photo: Tom Wood ‘Woodside Ferry Terminal 1986’ courtesy The Guardian, “Ferry across the memories: all aboard the Mersey crossing – in pictures,” January 24, 2018.

Cover Me: Squeeze “Up the Junction”

04 Sunday May 2025

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Unlike the Beatles (to whom they are often compared) Squeeze has not seen its catalogue widely covered by other bands. I think that has to do with the fact that there’s something so idiosyncratically Squeeze about the compositions and their performances. And if there ever was a cut that seemed especially uncoverable it might be their south London lament “Up the Junction.” Taking its name from Ken Loach’s 1968 film adaptation of Neil Dunn’s novel, the song gives voice to a distinctively English working class cultural representation – the kitchen sink drama. I’ve always found the song more than a bit melancholy, starting with the narrator’s surprise that he got the girl (‘I never thought it would happen with me and the girl from Clapham’) but ending up with him on his own (‘alone here in the kitchen’). Still, the song and its story are clearly engaging, as confirmed by its rise to #2 on the UK charts in 1979. The video features the band playing in front of a literal kitchen sink.

Covers of “Up the Junction” were rare until the new millennium. I’m telling you, nobody thought it would be possible to divorce the song from the Squeeze’s distinctive performance of it. But over time the rules of coverage have appeared to change, allowing public appetites to drift in wholly new directions. Lawnmower Deth’s early 1993 cover gave the tune a pop punk blast, which suited the song’s repetitive verse-heavy structure. From there we wait until 2006 for two covers that share a working class performative style. In some ways Lily Allen was always going to be an obvious choice to cover the song, given her London background and strongly accented singing style. Then there’s Chris DIfford’s countrified solo version of the song from his South East Side Story album, with able vocal accompaniment from Dorie Jackson.

Chris Difford

Things definitely get more creative into the next decade. In 2010 The Hotrats offer up an ethereal rumination on the tune. Then the legendary They Might Be Giants inject their own idiosyncratic energy into the song, complete with accordions. The Capitalist Kids’ 2013 version rocks things up a bit more that we have come to expect with this song, amps cranked. But if you looking for something really different check out Renee Cologne’s very contemporary sounding 2019 version from her Coverlings album. It puts the song in a very different musical register.

They Might Be Giants

As lockdown kicked in 2020 would become the year of covers album and it seemed a lot of people had time on their hands to discover Squeeze. Typical was Amelia Street’s lovely intimate duo acoustic guitar take. But Particular People’s more rock and roll treatment also works. Dodgy Accent lightens the mood of the song with uncharacteristic instrument choices. The Lathums breathe some youth back into the song with their sweet cover on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show in 2021. 101 Part Time Jobs don’t so much cover as deconstruct and mumble a 15 second crib of the song which somehow still has its own charms.

Our most recent versions return to more familiar rock and roll territory. Chris Catalyst’s 2024 take adds some grandeur, depth and occasional menace to a track that typically lacks all three, with guitars prominent in the mix. In many way Davey Lane’s version from the same year returns to the guitar-centric feel of the original. Last word here goes to songwriters Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford performing a duo acoustic version of the song at the Glastonbury Festival accompanied by a marching band kazoo chorus near the end. Fitting really.

Squeeze continue to put our new music. You can follow their adventures on their website and various social media accounts.

Photo: Up the Junction movie card.

Country-style!

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

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The borders between genres can be hard fought and nowhere has that been more true than country and western. The self-proclaimed music of ordinary folk has always had its own establishment gate-keepers and today their job appears to be to disavow any connection with their 1950s/1960s past. Guess that leaves the field open to others wishing to take up that country-style.

Australian Patrick Wilson adds a folky vocal charm to his countryfied 2023 release It’ll Be Alright. The delight here is in the delicate touches of pedal steel adorning “Medicine” and “All You Could Do.” Or the slight jangle guitar interventions colouring “Leave My Love” and the radio-ready single “Here Comes Another One.” “Other Side of the Line” weaves a winning rockabilly lead guitar line throughout the song. And then there’s “Coffee Song,” a stylistic departure that cranks the electric guitars amid a definite sense of dread. You don’t have delve very deeply into Gary Louris’ Dark Country release to know he’s a member of the Jayhawks. It’s there in the vocal, the song structure, the easygoing assurance propelling any given song. Opening cut “Getting Older” sounds pretty Jayhawks for sure. But the departure on this solo effort can be found in the striking guitar work. “Couldn’t Live a Day Without You” has some sparkling acoustic guitar picking framing a touching sentiment. By contrast on “Blow’em Away,” ooh, that acoustic guitar ring contributes to a very spooky feel. “Two Birds” works its acoustic guitar into a more folky blues vein. And for something different “Living on my Phone” moves the sound into a slightly ethereal direction.

The full impact of Brett Newski’s new album ameriCONa Pt. 1: Educate Freeloaders to Buy Art is coming soon but from the pre-release singles his signature Velvets-meets-Tom Petty stroll is as vibrant as ever. Recorded with backing band The Bad Inventions the opening track “Jesus Freak” has got plenty of Lou Reed attitude and a languid Stones-in-country-mode amble. “Narrow Escapes” has a more insistent lurch and alt-poppy sheen. I’m not sure Newski’s anti-Spotify crusade is going to take off but with this album it sure deserves to. You only have to look at the cover of Sweet Pete’s new album Three Ring to get a pretty good sense of what you’re in for. It’s the place where old time rock and rollers meet up with rough and ready country toughs at the truck stop. There might be mesh fencing in front of the stage for when the bottles fly. Opening cut and title track “Three Ring” sets the scene with a rollicking Nick Lowe vibe. “Carnival Queen” and “Private Eye” lean a bit more country. “Big Trouble” reminds me of Brad Marino’s recent solo work. “Can Opener” is a garagey dance number that sets the tone for the party to come while “My Inner Heel” is a bit more low-key, slinky, sung in a Ben Vaughn deadpan. Personal fave: “Dutch Hex” has a delightfully subtle hook in the chorus.

I’m a sucker for Patsy Cline and all those who took inspiration from her, people like K.D. Lang and Neko Case. So when I got wind of Chaparelle’s new LP Western Pleasure I knew I’d found something special. The twin vocals of Jesse Woods and Zella Day could be seen as just another hipster dalliance with country, a sort of She and Him sequel. But I hear a deeper connection here. Day aces a classic 1962 country vocal vibe on the aching opening number “Bleeding Hearts.” Then “Devil’s Music” add some honky tonk to the mix. A more contemporary country sound? “Playing Diamonds Cashing Checks” covers that nicely. Sometimes the authenticity comes through in the instrument choices, like the organ anchoring “Bad Loving,” the slide guitar teasing “Baby Jesus,” or pedal steel guitar undergirding “All Things Considered.” Then again, tracks like “Heart Broke Holiday” deliver the sentiment you’d expect from the title. But “Sex and Rage” is opposite, offering an understated American Songbook feel. I wouldn’t be surprised to see “Inside the Lines” end up as a break-out single, given how it veers over into folk pop. Album shocker is definitely the dramatic re-invention of Whitney Houston’s “Dance With Somebody.” If you love The Catus Blossoms or the Ruen Brothers you’ll be adding Chaparelle to your playlist before long.

Country is indeed a style, long severed from its origins in the Appalachian mountains, western plains and the Texas desert. But that doesn’t mean its inauthentic. The vibe is alive and you can feel it in stereo by clicking the links above.

Photo ‘John Baeder’s Road Well Taken’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Smoking jacket required

17 Thursday Apr 2025

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Sometimes we go classy here at Poprock Record. Sure, generally we like rambunctious guitar-centric beat group stuff. We love the thrill and the rush of great hooks. But every now and then we crank the mood lighting, fish out the Gauloises from their hiding place, and let loose the expensive cognac. And feature some classy artists who are not afraid to show off their smarts.

Few artist pressers contain quotes from Kurt Vonnegut but Rich Restaino’s no ‘strap on a guitar and go’ performer. There’s lyrical depth in the contributions to his recent EP Mostly We Lie. The title track calls out the short game many are playing, too often going for self-interest in the here and now. Then “Man Has Shit For Brains” has a tin pan alley kind of rough melody and wisdom. Restaino doesn’t paint a pretty picture of contemporary manhood here. “Every Cliché You’ve Heard is Partly True” rocks up the talking blues to good effect while “Life is for Losers” has a country shading. Personally, I’m loving the low-key jazzy pop coating “Don’t Fall Asleep on Me Just Yet.” This is a kind of well-crafted protest music from a man who clearly cares, despite his biting critique.

Just one run through his latest LP you know Lane Steinberg truly is Mr. Lane. This record is all class, bottled and displayed sonically over 12 sophisticated tunes. This time out Steinberg strikes a decidedly soul note on a number of songs, in an early 1970s Philly soul or Motown kind of way. “Number One” falls somewhere between cool jazz and early Hall and Oates. Then on “Than U” Steinberg vibes Smokey Robinson’s falsetto on a jazzy slow swing of a song. “The Words I Love You” moves the needle to a more pop position with some simple jangly lead guitar and a great pop vocal. “Pleasantville Sunshine” is more supremely pleasant pop. Steinberg is the master of the aching vocal, as exhibited on “Best Tears I’ve Ever Cried,” a track that sounds like a lost Beach Boys deep cut. Or check out what he does on “Wistful Baby Blue,” creating a kind drone with a slow, meditative ballad. Personal fave: “The Loneliest Man on Earth.” The vocal is so alluring, draping a mournful yet light pop crooner of a song, artfully framed in a spare jazzy arrangement.

Chris Church has got a philosophical bent that comes out all over his new record Obsolete Path. Titles like “What Are We Talking About,” “I’m a Machine” and “Tell Me What You Really Are” kinda give it away. The opening title track bristles with a gentle tension, preparing us for something contemplative. From there the records shift into its rock groove, a distinct new wavey 1970s California rock vibe that’s up front on tracks like ”Sit Down,” “I Don’t Want To Be There” and “The Great Divide.” In a related vein both “Tell Me What You Really Are” and “Running Right Back to You” operate in an adjacent musical space, the first registering strong hints of Walter Egan, the latter conjuring more of a sombre Fleetwood Mac. But musical departures abound here. “She Looks Good in Black” could easily be a Marshall Crenshaw single. “Life on a Trampoline” has a sonic shiver reminiscent of The Police sound on Ghost in the Machine. Then you have “I’m a Machine,” a selection that reminds me of a distinct early 1980s poprock sound I associate with Robert Palmer or Moon Martin.

There are bands that put out so much music that by the time I get round to covering them they’ve already got new stuff out. That’s pretty much Go Set Go to a T. Their most recent LP (as of today) is Pre-Shattered Glass and it brims with taut social observations, all delivered with an unmistakable DIY poppiness. Think the Smiths without the all the moaning and fewer jangly guitars. “Why Am I An Extra In The Movie Of My Life” goes where you think it might go but that takes nothing away from its relevance. A lot of songs here deal with the challenge of coping with modern life. “No Way Back Man” incorporates a bit of the Batman theme by way of recounting all the ways the singer is struggling with. “Broken Girls Loving Broken Boys” updates the class kitchen sink relationship drama. “Adios Motherfuckers” even makes suicide sound a bit chipper. “Debt, Rent, and Letting People Down” again is pretty straightforward audio verité. Personal fave: “The Seconds We Spend” with its lovely ‘whoo hoo’s and a hushed main vocal treatment.

Mae Martin’s new album I’m a TV is a lovely, slightly spacey place to be. They’ve got something to say but they’re not going to fight for your attention. The record is like an invitation to join Mae in a quiet booth somewhere for a chat. “Try Me” is practically a personal invite with its slightly hushed tone and languid lead guitar lines. “Good Dream” becomes a bit more insistent, in a ‘hey get up here a sway to the music with me’ sort of way. The vocals fall somewhere between Suzanne Vega and Elliott Smith in terms of their shivery warmth. “Big Bear” comes on with a contained cinematic sweep to start before the swirl of vocals start lapping up like the lull of the ocean tide. You get a lot of variety here, within the cocoon of Martin’s consistent sonic styling. There’s the hit single-ish “Stowaway” with its slick gentle hooks. The lush “I Love You So Much” which musically mimics the tentativeness of its lyrical content. You get folk pop on “People Get Back Up.” There’s even a light country kick to the pedal steel pop of “No Cowboy.” Hit singles? Sure. There’s the aforementioned “Stowaway” and “Garbage Strike” is another candidate with its quiet, sneak up you hooks. And then there’s “Quiet Street,” so quiet, so spare, so moving. And that horn section. As a full album experience, I’m a TV is gorgeous, full stop.

To cap off our classy interlude, you have to tune in to Lydia Loveless doing a 1950s ballroom version of Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do.” You don’t get a classier mix of piano and heart-wrenching vocals than this.

It’s late (or early). Grab your jacket on the way out.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Selections by Ava: Djo, Role Model, and Japanese Breakfast

11 Friday Apr 2025

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When people find out I write a music blog they routinely ask where I find all this new stuff. Early days I would scour a load indie music sites and other blogs but over time I’ve found that most of what I end up writing about just falls into my lap, via a variety of sources. Record labels send stuff, artists contact me directly, and folks just tell me about what they are listening to. Today’s post is door number three. Ava is a twenty-something music fan who likes soundtracks and poppy material that stretches from emotive folk to elevated power pop and she has put me on to three fabulous, supremely talented acts.

Djo wins the award for novelty origins, being the work of Stranger Things actor Joe Keery. Fame may get you onto a playlist but usually some talent is required to stay there. A tour through his third LP The Crux answers the talent question in the affirmative. Opening cut “Lonesome is a State of Mind” comes on like a Mark Everett’s solo project ‘E’ with its stylish, curt melodic twists and turns, adding a jaunty element in the chorus. Early release singles “Basic Being Basic” and “Delete Ya” have that cheeky Bleachers combo of 1980s-meets-contemporary sonic motifs. “Link” hits the Hall and Oates marks hard, bringing the duo’s trademark vibe up to date for now. The guitar playing on this record is sometimes light and ethereal, as on “Potion.” Here the Hall and Oates influences marry nicely with early 1970s McCartney. “Charlie’s Garden” moves into more demonstratively Beatles territory. Things do get a bit more rock edgy on tracks like “Gap Tooth Smile” and “Back On You,” harkening back to Keery’s former band Post Animal. I’m also partial to the more reflective, winsome contributions here too. Both “Golden Line”  and “Crux” lean on melancholy piano to good effect.

Though he started his musical career working the rap side of the street Role Model now offers pretty catchy guitar-based bedroom pop. With the re-release of an expanded version of 2024’s Kansas Anymore, now rechristened Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye), he can squeeze his recent hit single “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” onto the collection, along with a few others gems. The track is earworm good with its warm, acoustic guitar pop country swing, definitely an ‘immediate repeat’ selection. What is striking about this album is its airiness, the roomy separation between Tucker Pillsbury’s clean vocals and his often rather spartan approach to instrumentation. I mean, a track like “Oh Gemini” could easily slip onto a record by Joshua Radin or Calexio. In fact, the album is basically divided between a load of these gorgeous low-key folk numbers and a number of more energetic pop workouts. “Writing’s on the Wall,” “Deeply Still in Love” and “Scumbag” all pick up the pace while “Look At That Woman” falls somewhere in between. Standout tracks: “Superglue” with its ear-catching ‘whoo hoo hoo’s and closing number “The Longest Goodbye,” a Lyle Lovett winking tribute to country formalism.

Sometimes a record is a feast for the ears. Japanese Breakfast’s latest LP For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women) is on that menu. The sonic impact of each of the individual tunes is deliciously distinct. Every instrument so carefully placed in the mix they emerge like landscape portrait details you notice as your eye sweeps across the picture. Feel how the timbre of the stringed instrument carrying “Orlando in Love” lets the vocal float somewhere above it. Or check out how the wavery keyboard effect on “Mega Circuit” gives the song a forward propulsion. Another aural standout is the sonic melange created on “Picture Window” with its melodic hints of light and dark. This might seem off brand but I hear a stong Jill Sobule kind of vocal intimacy from songwriter and lead vocalist Michelle Zauner. In the places the album alternates between a kind of orchestral complexity (“Honey Water”) and embroidered folk simplicity (“Little Girl”). Gorgeous doesn’t begin to really capture the beauty here.

I like think I’m eminently teachable. I’ll take direction from anyone if it leads me to great melodic tunes. So thanks Ava! And all the other Ava’s past and future who continue to give me great suggestions.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Song sung spring

30 Sunday Mar 2025

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

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Winter hasn’t quite got the memo. Time to move along. I’m ready for spring to be sprung, full stop. Perhaps a few singles could help signal a seasonal shift? Probably not. But hey, we’ll all feel a whole lot better.

NYC’s Strange Neighbors are building up to something with the slow drip of singles they’ve been putting out these past few months. I’m not sure a single LP is gonna be able to contain the excitement from jumping the grooves if their latest song  “Hate Me Less” is anything to go by. It’s a sometimes jarring, sometimes smooth slice of hooky pop single-age. With hardly any dust settling on their late 2024 EP release Butter Valley Malcontent The Bret Tobias Set return with a few new singles, like “It Begins With Lean.” This one is just the change of mood we need, so light and shimmery and uplifting in a 1980s English guitar band sort of way. Baby Scream’s Juan Pablo Mazzola has a new project with Muchas Hormigas called Juan La Hormiga. Wow, this is a change of pace. “After the War” has some of Mazzola’s signature Lennonisms buried in the mix but overall the song is a lovely hushed affair with a melody like a warm embrace. The lap steel guitar solo is just an added element of grace. Geoff Palmer keeps mining that stripped-back poppy rock and roll on his soon-to-be released EP Kodak Flash. Case in point – “Bye Bye Baby.” So straightforward, so simple really. Just driving guitar chords, swoon-worthy background vocals and a hook so big it won’t fit in the trunk of your car. Peter Baldrachi has a fabulous new long-player out (but more on that later – full review to come). Right now check out his killer single from that latest release entitled “Tomorrow.” It’s got overlapping hooky guitar lead lines, a seductive vocal mix, and a strongly positive vibe. Like the Jayhawks meet The Church.

Described in a presser as ‘[p]rolific, mysterious, heartbreaking, dumb’ or more simply as a ‘LA-based lo-fi stoner pop band’ I’d just add that The Memories are full-on fun. There’s nary a release from this band that doesn’t make me smile. Their latest single “Too Weak to be Strong” is no exception. It’s an ambling stroll of good-time low-key pop, equally at home near the campfire or indie coffee shop. Few bands can make ‘uhhhn’ sounds like pop heaven but that’s what you get on Wavves new single “So Long.” The song’s lineage is pop punk but with all the edges sculpted into something rocket smooth. The vocals here meld with the rest of the sonic attack in a wonderfully seamless way. Forgive me if I’m reaching back in time to feature a song from Lydia Loveless. I feel like I’m constantly catching up on this fabulous artist. Here I’m dipping into her 2023 album Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again for the electrically charged spirit of “Poor Boy.” It combines pop, country and sibilant-sounding guitars in a totally unique way. We had to get to Portland eventually and Borderlines fills our quota with their pop punk ode “Okay Socrates.” Accent on pop here with buzzy guitars. The song is about a fear of growing old but somehow doesn’t sound like a downer at all. Speaking of old, even tried and true geezers can still cut the melodic mustard, given the right project. On The Coward Brothers LP Elvis Costello and T. Bone Burnett revive their collaboration from the King of America sessions that produced the one-off single “The People’s Limousine.” Check out the interesting vocal interplay on “Always” or the more Americana “Smoke Ring Angel.”

Scoopski‘s Jim Lorino needed a vehicle that would allow him to rock out a bit more while maintaining his love of clever melodic hooks. Enter The DelCobras, where the amps go up to 11 but the melodies remain oh so sweet. You can really hear the fun they’re having cranking through “The Turnaround.” I have a feeling there’s gonna be more where that came from. Looking for a blast of 1963, perhaps a bit of folky pop simplicity? Thee Holy Brothers nail the era on their new single “Come Shine Love.” The harmonies are gorgeous and the lead guitar is so evocative of the period. Switch this on and drift into a 1960s musical diorama. Eclectic Music Lover put me on Secret Postal Society and their latest song “Autumn Leaves.” What an ambience going on here, reminiscent of 1970s folk pop or more recent lush vocally-focused folk bands like Fleet Foxes. Mooner main man Lee Ketch has an experimental EP out entitled Spiritual Milk for American Babes and it is wonderfully, creatively, ‘out there.’ As a single “Living Will” perhaps comes off a bit more mainstream as grungy, country workout. Caleb Nichols hit Valentine’s Day with the holiday timely “Love Lies.” It is wah-wah pedal drenched with a vocal wash so Elliott Smith good. Definitely a worthy song collection addition. But while there, check out the tasty “Little Red Peugot.” It’s like The Shins on a folk roll.

Spanish power poppers The Feedbacks jack into the zeitgeist of our times with the sadly timely “Hate Is All Around.” The song has a Elvis Costello surf vibe and that is one killer combo. The McCharmlys charmed me right out the gate with their self-titled debut long-player. So my breath was definitely baited for their new single “You’ll Be Fine.” It does not disappoint, combining old school sixties songwriting with some garage-y lead guitar work. B-side “Break My Heart” is pretty chanteuse perfect too. Oslo Norway’s Death By Unga Bunga unleash the party vibe on “I’m Really Old” from their recent LP Raw Muscular Power. The AM radio pinched vocal treatment perfectly offsets the slashing electric chords. Wonderfully seventies manic. It is so hard to pick just one song from Eric van Dijsseldonk’s recent album Half Time. There’s the laconic Freedy Johnson-ish “Best Kept Secret.” Or the more rumbly, slow-moving “Maybe Not Today” with its constant bursts of jangly guitar. But I’ve decided to settle on the poppy title-track “Half Time.” Seems full of good sentiments for this moment in time. Somehow I missed Pete Donnelly’s late 2024 release Never Gonna Worry, notably produced by Mike Viola. Dip into it with “Dancing Daydream” for a bit jaunty, uplifting popcraft.

It’s a wrap on this singles shindig with something a bit more serious from music veteran Jim Basnight. He’s got a pair of singles that put America’s current political plight cleverly on display. And they’re great songs to boot.

Nazis Over There
So F*cked Up

It’s been a long lonely winter of discontent this year. I suspect the discontent is going to continue for a while but hey, maybe a song in our heart will warm things up.

Photo ‘Charles Sheeler Bucks Country Barn’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Extra Texture: Wilderado, Jake Bugg and Will Stewart

06 Thursday Mar 2025

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Rock and roll represents a dynamic synthesis of rhythm and melody but an oft overlooked dimension is texture. Think the Beatles shifting from Rubber Soul to Revolver. A big part of that great leap forward happened in the overall sonic attack. Today’s artists all attend to matters of texture but in delightfully different ways.

Sometimes a record has a consistent sonic texture shaping the whole LP. Wilderado’s recent long-player Talker is exhibit A of that sort of thing. Words like ‘intimate’ and ‘hushed’ come to mind in trying to describe the vibe. The songs are like a theme park with different rides, they’re different and kinda the same too. Title track album opener “Talker” slow waltzes you into the centre of this other-worldly, slightly fuzzy dance floor. It’s the kind of song you can slow sway to all night. “Bad Luck” has a slightly more urgent, insistent feel but really it’s in no hurry.  By contrast “Simple” swaps out its measured slow verses for a positively upbeat chorus. Three songs in, you should be starting to get the feel for this record. It’s a mood. It varies but never really shifts where it’s at. You can hear things here that might remind of other acts. “Higher Than Most” sounds a bit Springsteen or Tom Petty. “Coming to Town” and “Longstanding Misunderstanding” remind me of Rogue Wave. There’s even a hint of SWMRS on “What Was I Waiting For” to my ears. And then there’s “Sometimes,” the low-key should-be hit single.

In so many ways Jake Bugg’s recording career has amounted to one long attempt to outrun the long shadow of his much-celebrated self-titled debut album. Each record since seems to have struggled to stand on its own in the face of fan and critic expectations. But with album number six Bugg seems more comfortable than ever with his own preferred melange of musical styles, mixing neo-folk, country, sixties rock and roll, and more modern pop motifs. A Modern Day Distraction opens with the electrifying pulse of indie rock number “Zombieland.” The guitar work is ferocious while the tune is hooky, particularly in the chorus. Then “All Kinds of People” breaks out an updated Bo Diddly beat. Both songs feature lyrics that speak to the struggles of working class people and here Bugg remains connected to the social critique that has long animated his work. “Breakout” is more frantic fun, evidence of Bugg’s talent for poppy tunes. The latin guitar solo here is just a special treat. An obvious should-be AM radio hit would be “Keep On Moving,” though the poppy rock of “Waiting for the World” comes a close second. Fans of Bugg’s more folky demeanor have come great cuts here with “I Wrote the Book,” “All I Needed Was You,” and his touching testament to loss “Never Said Goodbye.” He also offers up some decidedly Beatles-meets-Oasis chops on “Got to Let You Go” and a La’s/Cast echo on “Instant Satisfaction.”

Alabama’s Will Stewart has always been hard to keep a sticky label on. Previous album Country Seat and a raft of EPs seemed country steering towards roots with splash rock guitars here and there. But his new LP Moon Winx comes on like a blockbuster, suddenly jamming together all those past loose threads of musical influence into a one beautiful coherent synthesis.  I mean listen to how he opens “Regulars” with a few Beatlesque psychedelic pop notes before resolving into a Wilco-ish bit of Americana. The record kicks off with “Penny,” a solid gold should-be hit single if ever there was one. Everything is working on this song, from the punchy vocal delivery to the constant accompaniment of droning jangly guitars. Another strong radio ready number is “Bird in the Hand.” At other points, Stewart’s ear for classic retro musical tones is equal to J.D. McPherson, particularly on “Firebird Fever.” But in a way these could be seen as outliers on an album remarkable for its sonic restraint, with Stewart deploying different instruments like a miserly conductor. Tracks like “Mighty Fine” and “Til We Hear the Radio” hold back but don’t lack for intensity. Others just have a stately ballad delivery. Here I’m thinking of “The Arkestra at Dreamland” and the lovely “Late for the Banquet.” Then there’s the heartstrings-pulling story song “Roxy Blue,” lathered in mellow organ and pathos.

Some music rubs you the right way. That’s texture for you, the unsung spice that makes poprock tunes even more special. Get your extra texture by following the hyperlinks above.

Photo courtesy Indabelle Flikr collection.