Marching into melody: Brent Seavers, Hanemoon, Wesley Fuller, and Svenssen

22 Friday Mar 2024

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Melodies don’t just happen, they require a setting, an introduction, a prelude before they are unleashed on the unsuspecting listener. Today we march into solid melody territory with four acts that know how to throw out a hook.

Brent Seavers enters Exhibit B into evidence of his poprock genius. And with songs like these, selecting a jury for this case won’t be a problem. Things kick off with two tracks that marry Beatlesque specs with a youthful performance worthy of The Strypes. Check the break-out lead guitar work on “Rollercoaster Ride” that vibes an “I Saw Her Standing There” intensity. Or note the nice jangle interlude and very Beatles bridge centring “Of Poetry.” Early Elvis Costello fans are going to love the cool organ work all over this record.  “Push Me Down” works the organ hard for a serious dance party tune. “The Noble Cause” reminds me of Mark Everitt the way the words seems to chase the tune all over the song, buffeted by a subtle bed of cool organ. “Stumbling” has a jamming strut, again supported by more great organ work. A keen ear can hear a load of other disparate poprock influences on this album, like Squeeze (“The Universe and I”), Plimsouls (“No Perfect Way”), Oasis (“Fuzz Off”), and yes The Decibels (“Raining In My Head”). Stand-out tracks for me include the lush 1960s ballad “Lullaby” and the should-be single “Till It’s Over.” The latter rides a lurching set of seductive hooks that will pull you in like a planetary gravity well. Exhibit B is all the evidence you really need that Seavers is guilty of turning out criminally hooky tunes. And he’ll probably do it again.

On Rain or Shine Berlin’s Hanemoon strike a balance between elements of jangle, rough edge folk, and indie rock. It’s a record all about sonic shading, where sounds become like different hues of colour. From the outset “My Circle Line” links the album’s lineage to bands like Teenage Fanclub, Dropkick, and more distantly the Byrds. “Why Don’t You Walk Away” has sibilant guitars up front, though the overall effect is more sombre than your typical guitar band. “When I Look Around” verges on poppy rock with a breathy Elliot Smith vocal. And are those jazz guitar chords I hear shading “Deeper Than Down”? Honestly the mood on Rain or Shine is more wet than dry. One imagines songs like “Old From New” soundtracking endlessly dreary rainy days, helping make things more bearable. But there are lighter moments too. “Let’s Do the Magic Thing Again” has a brighter tone, accented by gently rippling lead guitar, while “Got a Date Tomorrow” has a driving hypnotic quality. I love the subtle keyboard adds to the REM-ish, seasonal love-letter “Is It Summer.” Then record closer “Comets” comes on like a late-breaking should-be single. Sometimes a record captures or creates a mood, like David Sylvian’s Brilliant Trees. This is one of those LPs.

The opening cut of Wesley Fuller’s bold new long-player All Fuller, No Filler knows how to build tension. “Back to Square One” doles out keyboard lines like an outtake from Who’s Next, only to suddenly segue to a slow glam march into its main melody. It’s Fuller’s mastery of many different genres and eras of popular music that is so striking on this LP. There’s 1970s folk pop on “Jacaranda,” a definite Wings vibe to “Everything is Strange” and “All of My Dreams,” and even bit of disco kick on “The Velvet Affair.” But there’s never just one influence. The latter track synthesizes so many 1970s sonic elements: slick AM pop, dance, and a killer hook lodged deep in the chorus. Or listen to how Fuller expertly steers a straight-up AM pop feel into the emerging 1979 new wave challenge on cuts like “Alamein Line” and “Inside and Out.” On the broader song line-up, the record see Fuller alternate between perfectly crafted pop gems like “Pacific Coast Highway” and his penchant for hooky, dance-able stompers like “Trade War” and “House of Love.” I love how he borrows that Beach Boys echo-chambered organ to set the mood for a 10cc/Beatles pop workout on “Look No Further.” You get the picture – All Fuller, No Filler is a very special album, a testament to an emerging pop master.

Norwegian band Svenssen hail from the small seaside town of Bryne, about an 8 hour drive from the nation’s capital Oslo. But there’s nothing provincial about their brand of melodic rock and roll. On Svenssen Sings Falling Out of Fashion the band deliver four finely crafted pop tunes that harken back to Kinksian themes of societal disruption but the sonic vibe is more early 1980s to my ears. The opening cut and title track “Falling Out of Fashion” has a Madness/Split Enz pop intensity that exudes maximum fun. “Dutch Courage” slows the tempo, brightening the jangle somewhat. “We Are Animals” has a shuffle groove that is a bit more seventies. Then on the wrap-up song “Hair of the Dog” the atmosphere is more Man Called E to me. And then we’re done, all too soon. Come back Svenssen, bring more songs!

You can take these melodies to go. Just click on the links to package them up.

Photo of ‘Found Kodachrome Slide – Plant City’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Spotlight single: Frank Royster “Someday”

17 Sunday Mar 2024

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The reliably good Frank Royster returns with a retro-drenched mellow melody that locates Liverpool somewhere in 1960s southern California. The opening rhythm guitar gives off a strong Texas Bobby Fuller Four vibe, only to shift sonic templates with the addition of some bright 12 string electric guitar. When the track finally settles into its own groove the distinct Beach Boys and Beatles elements meld together effortlessly, producing something eminently listenable over and over again. Not surprisingly, the video features sun, sand and wistful Royster playing his acoustic guitar on a boardwalk as pictures of a couple I assume are his parents flash on the screen as well as footage of a couple more Royster’s age walk a beach hand in hand. The lyrics pitch the singer as hopeful (‘someday, I’m gonna make you happy’) while the images show successful couples growing old together. “Someday” is Royster’s third stand-alone single to be released in the last two years, preceded by “Miss Information” and “Open Door.” What is interesting is how all three land in slightly different musical registers, which bodes well for his upcoming album still in preparation. In the meantime, if you haven’t followed Royster’s past work you are in for a treat. Both 2007’s Through the Years and 2010’s Innocence is Bliss are solid efforts that fans of Don Dixon or Bill Lloyd will love.

You can preview Royster’s material on Soundcloud and YouTube (including a creative re-interpretation of Elvis Costello’s “Only Flame in Town”) or just hang with him at his website and Facebook locales.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr page.

Songs for weary travellers

14 Thursday Mar 2024

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Nothing fixes the mind on travel quite like winter. Particularly those last lingering months where you can feel the season ebb but not quite subside. But getting somewhere ‘not winter’ is an effort for those of us north of 40 degrees latitude. That’s why we’ve assembled some musical accompaniment for soon-to-be weary travellers.

Ottawa’s The Rockyts have evolved from an amazing 60s sound-alike beat group on their 2020 debut album to a sleek 1980s new wave machine with singles that have come out over the past year. “Without You” creeps into view with a Cars-like muted electric guitar and vocals, only to break out in the chorus with full band impact. Crowded House may not climb the singles charts like they did in their 1980s heyday but that doesn’t mean they can’t still craft a killer tune. Their new single “Oh Hi” has all the classic Neil Finn song markers. There’s lilting slow-build hooks around every corner and Finn’s ear for unusual instrumentation remains undiminished. Hard to find out much about Escape Artists except a Go Fund Me page from a Tennessee duo suggesting an album is on the way. So far I’ve found three singles – basically, a maxi-single. From those choices I think “Around the Block” is a delightful bit of Tom Petty name-checking poprock. ‘What would Tom Petty do?’ they ask with a driving sense of Petty-ish aplomb and his special mix of guitars and organ. The mysterious band 65MPH hail from Chatteris UK, a small market town near Cambridge. I can’t imagine that’s the speed limit there. Sonically, the band sound like they’ve been stamped from a Paul Weller-meets-Billy Bragg mould, and that’s no bad thing. Their recent single “Small Miracles” casts a plaintive vocal against a mostly solo guitar backdrop to good effect. I love the striking effect Spencer Segelov and Great Paintings get on “The Contender.” The lead guitar line carries the tune but the overlapping vocals gives the tune lift, with a choir-like transcendence. Very 1980s American college radio.

Crowded House – Oh Hi
Escape Artists – Around the Block

Ottawa’s (as in Canada folks) Robby Miller rides a fine line between good old boy rock and roller and smooth poppy rock. His recent single “Everything Is Nothing” combines a bit of both, with up front jangly guitars and a low key vocal carrying the melody. Reminds me a bit of some of the mellow hits from The Fixx. Last year mellow popsters The Kind Hills made my top 25 singles list with their uplifting song “Let Youth Take Over.” Now they’re back in a new guise as Seasonal Falls. Still mellow, but drawing from a different sonic palate this time out. The hush vocals and standout guitar tone on “Used To Be Fun” are both exquisite while the tune is amble-along-in-the-sunshine good. The Shop Window manage to combine 1980s indie guitar pop with a folkie vibe on “I Run.” The vocals hit me as a little bit Outfield while the guitar has a shimmer and ring reminiscent of The Silencers. Legendary Canadian band The Kings are primarily known for an FM radio staple (“Switching to Glide/This Beat Goes On”) that has been in near constant rotation since its release in 1980. And then, not much. They did have other great material but just couldn’t match that early success. Now if you’ve missing that signature Kings sound there’s good news – the band have a brand new album out called Longest Story Ever Told. It is uncanny how much it sounds like no time has passed at all. Check out “Always Off the Deep End” and see for yourself. Faraways are a completion story. Active in the 1990s they split early in the new millennium. But as Covid swept the planet all that down-time had former band members drifting back to their unfinished songs. The result is the aptly named EP Decades of Dormancy. The standout track for me is the psychedelic “Ruby Ring of Love” with its Sgt. Pepper droney vocals, sitars, and killer organ fills.

Faraways – Ruby Ring of Love

Since his standout solo debut album Class Act Mike Browning has been drip releasing engaging new singles. “Just One Day” has a western Texas Buddy Holly groove. This song sounds so freshly pressed out of a 1961 rockabilly scene or Everly’s Cadence records release. More Texas can be found on Get Set Go’s fabulous LP Outworlder, particularly on the intoxicating single “Your Boy.” The song seems so early 1960s simple and endearing but an increasing sophistication emerges and intensifies as it plays on. Drunk Dial Records promise to get their artists loaded and then have them record an original tune and a cover. Gentleman Jesse’s original “Where Time Stands Still” has a wildness about it, maybe one drink over the line, but still maintaining its energetic focus. Another act drip releasing a load of interesting songs is Scoopski. “Nocturnally Yours” brings together heavy dollops of nerd rock a la Weezer and straight up FM radio rock bombast. And the results are a freakin’ fun, hummable good time. Slaughter Beach, Dog put out a fab new record last September entitled Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling but didn’t have room for one last song. “I’m In Love” is a country-ish soft rock Valentines tune of a different order. Catchy and disturbing at the same time.

Feel the insurgent drive of Softjaw’s recent single “Pleased With Me.” It’s got 1970s group singalong vocals, Keith Richard guitar licks, and strong party vibe. There’s a looseness that is so tightly performed here. By contrast, Kevin Nichols keeps striking a discordant tone throughout “Looking at the Ocean” butting up against melodic hooks that just won’t quit. One part grunge, another part Swervedriver. Sixties holdovers Tall Poppy Syndrome get 2024 started with a song that draws from multiple decades on “This Time Tomorrow.” There’s a touch of psychedelia of course but also mannered Moody Blues vocals, pumping organ shots, and insistently strong hooks throughout. Of a particular time but also seemingly timeless. The Stanford Family Band are a wonderful throwback to that early 1970s dreamy pop on “Love Me a Bit.” It was an era where piano moved up into the spotlight on AM radio singles and Beach Boys stopped having hits but influenced everybody and everything on the charts. This group have got a heavenly arsenal of background vocals riding a solid bed of piano chords. Luke of Ulysses carry on our Cars revival tour on their single “Car Trouble.” Though I also hear Nick Gilder coming through their clipped vocal style. And then there’s guitar god moment in the middle. This is a great synthesis of styles.

Tall Poppy Syndrome – This Time Tomorrow

Wrapping up our 21 song support playlist for weary travellers is something I can’t quite put my finger on. Described as a mysterious Norwegian duo, Ivar and Tommy Go To Hollywood certainly get top marks for an inventive name. But what they represent musically on “Bore Me to the Moon” is less clear. Things start off very English guitar band or Front Bottoms but listen to what comes up in the background. The band put together a veritable tapestry of vocal interplay that buffets the indie rock guitar drone and deadpan vocal that is fronting the tune. I don’t know what it is but I like it.

You can get on the bus Gus and needle-drop your way through this audio travelogue. I don’t know where you’re going but I think you’ll enjoy getting there more with miles of melody to choose from.

Photo courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr page.

Smarty-pants poprock: Day Dreems, Lord Esme, and Pale Lights

09 Saturday Mar 2024

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Rock and roll was more loins than literary at the start. Beat over beatnik. Then Bob Dylan came along and made smart cool. The Beatles took notice and let loose a barrage of working class smarts, particularly from Rubber Soul on. Since then popular music has thrown up a whole raft of smarty-pants popsters then and again. Today’s post features a trio of brainy melodians, ready to wow you with music and words.

Day Dreems is here to denaturalize your world. Musically and lyrically that is. San Francisco and Portland music veteran Day Ricardo pulls together a brilliant rumination on gender, bodies, oppressive nostalgia, intolerance, ADHD, and more on this self-titled debut album. Musically the LP falls somewhere in between the exquisite melodies of Squeeze and Crowded House. “F Natural” creeps into being like a cut from that Difford and Tilbrook solo record, wending its way toward a big reveal that ‘natural’ isn’t always right or good. As Ricardo sings, “Silly humans sometimes get things right, like music and electric light.” The vocals on this album are so eerily Glenn Tilbrook at times, as on “Easy” and “Fountain of Truth.” Then “The Bad Old Days” takes an uber cool organ line to shift into the compressed pop territory of acts like Linus of Hollywood. Things can be wistful, like “Let’s Be Lonely” which evokes those early 1960s angst ballads. The record also has some real rocking turns, like the ADHD-exploring “Brain Drain.” At other points Lennon’s Walrus haunts “Lady Beetle” in quite an inventive way. By the end “There’s a Light” teases us with a lilting, beautiful tune whose vocal sounds like a cross between Neil Finn and Glenn Tilbrook. Day Dreems is a lush sonic treat, heavy with hooks, and something inspiring to say.

I’m not saying Lord Esme offer a treatise on analytical philosophy or anything but there’s something sophisticated lurking behind their smart LP design and endearing, mellow guitar pop. Take a good look at the cover of A Nice Sit Down. It’s eye-catching, radiating bright colours and a sense of fun. Introducing the record, both “Shane Warne” and “Cold Canberra Nights” have a folky dissonance lurking in their electric guitar combo style. But then “Succulent City” drew me in with seductive saxophone. So cool-jazz in an Everything but the Girl or Sade way. “Number in my Pocket” shifts things into a more shimmery guitar pop mode, though some great organ pops up pleasantly here too. “Alison Rhodes” rides an organ swell like a merry go round ride while “Booking a Flight” sets a mystery tone with a minor key. The sax returns strongly in the cool album closer “Lots of Money.” Maybe you never hung out at those hip coffee houses but put this on the spinner and people might think you did. In a good way.

I fell hard for Phil Sutton’s early 2020s band Love, Burns. I had an inkling he had earlier vehicles but never really followed up … until now. Waverly Place allows me to catch up on the 2000 and teens timeline of releases from Sutton’s previous project Pale Lights. Get ready for tunes oozing breezy pop goodness, peppered with striking lead guitar-led melodies. “Fourteen Stories Tall” captures this perfectly, seeming like a cross between sixties pop-folk and confessional eighties indie rock. Title track “Waverly Place” gives this formula a 1980s English vibe, kinda like Lloyd Cole or Roddy Frame. The guitar tones on so many songs here are remarkable. “Twisting the Knife” has a lead guitar chirp like a siren luring all jangle guitar fans to keep hitting repeat while the vocal comes off like a well-adjusted Lou Reed. The organ work here is pretty special too. “Dearest Virginia” sounds like a single to me with its insurgent quality, adding just a hint of Morricone to the background vocals. With 13 tracks on this career-covering compilation there’s a lot to enjoy – jump in anywhere. Personally “You and I” is my hands down fave. The chord changes so remind me of The Crickets’ “Don’t Every Change” (particularly as covered by The Beatles).

You don’t need a PhD in poprock to spot some smart tunes when you hear them – like these. It’s not homework or anything but a click on the links above will be its own reward.

Photo courtesy Marcu Ioachim Flikr collection.

An invite to The Parties

05 Tuesday Mar 2024

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I know San Francisco’s The Parties from two LPs and two EPs released between 2007 and 2010. There might be more releases out there but the band’s Bandcamp page is limited to this quartet. But what a formidable foursome they represent. There is a jocular rock and roll confidence to their performative stance, ably sustained by a generous load of jangle and a delightfully youthful demeanor. For this post I invite you to enjoy The Parties, featuring one signature tune from each release. Just enough to whet your appetite and get you primed for more.

It seems fitting to kick things off with the title track “The Parties” from 2007’s The Parties EP. There’s a strong late-1980s jangle-drone here I associate with The Primitives or The Church. While the rest of the album has a rough, almost punky elan, this single is a smooth sensorium of this kind of sound. On 2008’s Can’t Come Down “Cold Life” has a sunshine jangle feel that reminds me of the Cyrkle in their Neon period. Then the title track “Cryin’ Shame” from 2009’s Cryin’ Shame EP expands the sonic palate again, this time adding a Rank and File/Grapes of Wrath rocking folky feel, with jangle of course. By the time we get to 2010’s Coast Garde things have gotten much grander. “Suite: Feet Back On the Ground / I’m Sorry / Going Away Girl” is a seven-minute epic that breezes by, enveloping you in its magisterial Byrdsian charms only to segue to something more jangle pop in the end.

You wanna party? Check out all the other cuts populating their EPs and LPs at their Bandcamp site here. It won’t be an early night if you do.

Photo courtesy James Vaughn Flikr page.

Let’s get political

28 Wednesday Feb 2024

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Is it 2024 or 2020? Seems like déjà vu all over again this politics season. And given what’s coming we might as well gear up with the equivalent of all the musical super-PACs we can muster. I mean, I’m not saying music can save us from the coming political intrigue but it can soundtrack that dumpster fire in a most enjoyable way.

Speaking of ‘been there before’ The Eisenhowers capture our present groundhog day politics with their ditty “President Again is President, Again” from their 2023 LP Nudge Unit Blues. The song works A Man Called E or 1981 Elvis Costello vibe with whipsmart lyrics. The message here is very much wake up now or sleepwalk into disaster later. Meanwhile The Mockers wonder what it might be like to just give in and embrace where things are going culturally and politically on the cutting, hilarious and oh-so on the mark “Republican Girl.” The song itself is a winner musically, sounding so 1980s poprock, while the lyrics are razor sharp and incisive.

A key ingredient of politics in the twenty-twenties is paranoia and conspiracy theories. Pierre Englebert sings about the latter on “Conspiracy” from his recent almost optimistically titled album Things Could Be Worse. I love the ELO wash on the tune, as it delicately parses the creeping impact of ideas run wild. Defoe and Pronai give voice to probably the greatest hit of slogans from the past decade with “Alternative Facts.” The song strikes a slow groove and talk/sing vocals that wouldn’t be out of place on a 1980s version of the Velvet Underground. No surprise the lyrics mock the unfalsifiable confidence of those for whom belief precedes evidence. Midwest Handshake try to provide some insights into our contemporary political animal on “Home Team” from their recent LP skittish. They blame a side-taking culture and performance of opposition that seems rooted in little more than belonging to one group over another. Musically the track uses strings to create an ominous tension that propels the song along and is so in keeping with its sentiment. Tom Wilson cranks up a Robbie Robertson-like jam about what is presently going down on “I’m In Love With the System” from his 2006 album Dog Years. He seems to ask how much can we chock up today’s political ennui to a sense of disorientation that keeps people drawing within the lines.

If we’re going to get political we gotta talk about now and just what is to be done. The Lovely Basements provide a whole lotta of insight, talking up the past to inform our present moment on “What I Like.” And the tune is pretty catchy too.

If only Olivia Newton John had called for flexing our political muscles way back when, who knows? But, more positively, politics a is project always waiting to get started. You can join in now. It’s really not too late.

Photo ‘It Came From Outer Space’ courtesy James Vaughn Flikr collection.

Around the dial: Cast, Rich Arithmetic, Paul Collins and Declan McKenna

23 Friday Feb 2024

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Today’s radio waves feature four stupendous releases from reliably melodic rockers that take up the mission from different strengths. Get ready to do some involuntary humming along.

I was definitely late to the Cast party, only showing up in 2016. But I quickly became a die-hard fan of their canon. There was something shivery good about John Power’s haunting vocals while the band’s musical vibe seemed to deliver on what The La’s had only promised. The band did pop up with a new album in 2017 but Kicking Up Dust sounded more like a Power solo album but for the very Cast-alicious “Baby Blue Eyes.” This time round though I’m in on the ground floor with their brand new LP Love Is the Call and I can report it is a concentrated blast of everything that once made Cast so exciting. The songs here are strong, really sing-along good. John Power has clearly got his song-writing mojo back and then some. As Cast fans might expect, the acoustic guitar features strongly in a few songs here, like “Bluebird” and “Tomorrow Call My Name.” Seductive vocal arrangements also get a look in on the cathedral haunting “First Smile Ever.” But that won’t prepare you for the stunning hooks of should-be hits like “The Rain That Falls” and “Faraway.” “Love You Like I Do” and “Love Is the Call” up the rock quotient but without moving the melody needle any distance from superb. Trust me on this one, Love is the Call is the one you’ll really want to take.

Rich Arithmetic is like a painter who colours his songs with shades of musical yesteryear. And his new album Pushbutton Romance offers a wide variety of sonic hues: new wave, jangle, baroque, and a whole load of sixties vibes. “When You Want Somebody (To Make Love To)” starts things off strong, vibing early 1980s retro with just a touch psychedelia in the vocals. The distinctive guitar riffing throughout really buffets the tune. Then “Carry You (Redux)” steps on the jangle pedal and harmony vocals to good effect. Really, the guitar tones and vocal arrangements on this record are something else. Listen to how “Battered and Broke” uses some jazzy guitar to set a different pace from the rest of the album, more American songbook as a contribution. Or there’s the fab rumble guitar giving the instrumental “Saving Sunset” a cool Shadowy Men on Shadowy Planet strut. For vocals “Moral Blight” lays on some pretty sweet harmonies that really launch the tune in the chorus while in “You Are Always Right” it is the vocal arrangement that really shines, beautifully supported by some distinctive jangle and rumbly guitar work. The tune sounds Mersey but like the non-mop top bands. Other highlights for me include the folk rock “Bend the Arc” and Beach Boys-ish “A Teenage Hymn, Pt. 1: Tan All Over.”

If there was a godfather of power pop it might be Paul Collins. Member of the legendary Nerves with Jack Lee and Peter Case in the late 1970s, later making waves with his own Paul Collins Beat throughout the 1980s, Collins always seemed to be just this side of making it. But like the Velvet Underground, everyone who caught his act started their own power pop band. On his brand new record Stand Back and Take a Good Look Collins has decided to revisit a range of songs from his many bands and solo records, with help from the likes of Dwight Twilley, Prairie Prince, Richard X Heyman, and many others. The results are a rollicking good time. Opening cut and title track “Stand Back and Take a Good Look” puts the Nerves song into a swinging, easygoing register. “In Another World” strips the Americana coating off a track initially covered by the more country-ish Paul Collins Band – and I like it. Some songs hit the jangle just so, like “Liverpool.” Others slip into a more country feel, as on “You Can’t Go Back.” All in all, 67 year old Collins sounds in fine form here. Tracks like “I’m the Only One For You” sound as fresh and full of energy as anything from his deep catalogue.

On What Happened to the Beach? kid wunderkind Declan McKenna stretches his musical range, offering up dance, power pop, English folk, and efforts the defy easy categorization. There is a Bowie-esque sense of daring and curiosity to what is going on here. Yet amidst all this adventure and experimentation the results are always recognizably Declan. “Wobble” showcases this playfulness, with a McCartney-worthy falsetto and a carefully staged, sometimes overlapping introduction of different sonic tones. “Elevator Hum” is another interesting collage of sounds, sparse and airy, then building to a dance floor groove. “I Write the News” nails the 1970s English folkie vibe of John Martyn and Roy Harper before it scales up into something else completely. But the heart of the album for me is the set of radio-ready singles, “Sympathy” and “Nothing Works.” Both are just fabulous instances of melodic single-age, masterfully put together. Given all this variety, it’s clear Declan’s not done exploring yet.

What a quartet for your listening pleasure. Don’t be afraid to dig deep and often into these releases. Repeated listenings are the charm.

Over at Don’s place

16 Friday Feb 2024

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The ever amiable Don Valentine runs the shop over at I Don’t Hear a Single. I’m often over there, trying to keep up with Don’s prodigious productivity given his penchant for almost daily album reviews and a regular offering of singles on his ‘Listening To This Week’ playlist. But, inevitably, I end up having to pay close attention to his annual Top 100 Albums listing because I miss so much. Now Don and I don’t have exactly the same tastes but there is a lot of overlap.  If I had to reduce things to Beatles albums I’d say we both love melodic rock but I’m a bit more Rubber Soul to Don’s Revolver. Not surprisingly then I found a whole lot to love on his list that I think warrants some attention here.

San Diego’s Swive tout their alt rock cred, layered with male/female harmony vocals. The vibe is eerie, like a clean stab at nineties grunge. “Something” starts things off with a dissonant edge while “Race Car” rides its psychedelic guitar right into 1969. But as an album Stereophonic Stylings Volume One is really a variety store of musical choice. I love how “Bad Tendencies” pivots into a very different world of sound, adding some sweet twee to the vocal mix. By contrast, “Wire” has the anguished vocal pull of any random Guster song. My take on “Dead But Free” is that it wouldn’t be out of place as a B52s deep cut while “Second Floor” radiates a bit of Neko Case in full Furnace Room Lullaby form. Swive are really doing some stylish rock and roll here. The Kynd are the kind of band you’re sure you’ve heard before. And maybe you did. Shining briefly in the 1990s the band were MIA for decades until they resurfaced with some new material a few years back. Last year they released a new long-player Timelines but the title really should have been Timeless, the sound is so simultaneously 1966, 1984, and 2010. Listen to how “Workshy” exudes such a glorious Oasis reverby drive or the way “Saturn Eyes” evokes a mid-period REM feel. I feel the organ is the subtle star of this album on tracks like “Whispers and Tones” and “Spitfire Summer.” And then there’s the Badfinger pop buoyancy on “Song For Baby.” Timelines confirms The Kynd as the great lost Britpop band, back to reclaim their place in the pantheon.

Cherry Fez may come from Abington Township, Pennsylvania but the atmosphere shrouding Honeycomb Tearoom seems more London circa 1979, with a dash of folk rock and light jangle sprinkled in places. The former is captured best in opening cut “Her Metro Card” where a new wave arrangement melds to some nice jangle with a vocal reminiscent of Ed Ryan. From there things go very 1965 on “It’s Not Me, It’s You” while “Something Died” ambles along with a Rubber Soul-like metre. Another nifty jaunt of melody and clever lyrics gets captured on “Books That No One Read.” By contrast “It Wasn’t Meant To Be” has that pastoral 1970s English folk scene feel. Another band on a return ticket from the 1980s is London’s Cult Figures. Their album of new material Between US and Heaven is a strong collection. “Mr. Producer” sounds so indie poprock smooth – the single definitely. But title track “Between and Us and Heaven” comes a close second for hookyness. Then “Devotion” spools out with a Cure-like melodic intrigue. I also really like “Sitting Target,” which reminds me a bit of Fastball.

I think I was initially drawn to The Housing Crisis for the name if only because it was refreshing to see pop culture admit it’s a thing. Lyrically the band go easy on social commentary but it’s there. “Enough to Take Me Home” has got some particularly tart asides for a hazy, easygoing pop melody:

I don’t want to be a rockstar
I’m standing still when I’m singing and playing guitar
And I don’t want a thrilling memoir
I’m not courageous and my parents aren’t famous so I’m not making it very far

Mostly the mood on Astral Apartments is poppy indie singer-songwriter with folk-ish touches. Imagine Ben Folds pouring his mournful energy into playing acoustic guitar. Opening track “Better Weather” alternates between a more rock demeanor and reducing everything to just guitar and voice. I love how “Changes in the Shape of the Earth” balances the light with more dire tones. “Wonders of the Station Wagon” adds some tasty Super Mario sound effects to good musical effect. But for a change “Every Day (There’s a New Day Coming)” has a slowly seductive, meditative quality. LA’s The World Famous are a rock band that know their way around a clever melodic hook and their album Totally Famous offers them up aplenty. “Everyday Fear” steps on the lead guitar hook pedal and launches the record in a great rocking register. “Nobody in LA” adds a sweet, hush-like quality to the vocals that changes the vibe. Changing things up, “Delinquents” combines banging rhythm guitar chords and tasty licks in a must-dance number, with a nice acoustic guitar drop out in the middle. “Heartburst” adds an almost country-ish wash over its basic power pop structure. “Candy Clouds” sounds like a single to me with its soaring FOW melody amid chugging rhythm guitar chords, though “Hollywood Pawn” is the song that really leapt out at me from this album as maximum rotation radio friendly.

Is it wrong to pick up a book because of its cover? Only if you never open it up. Turnstyle’s graphic design on their 2023 album Citizens’ Handbook made me pause. These guys know how to package their wares in an eye-catching way. And why not, given how stylish these 10 quirky tunes are? At base, this record is edgy guitar poprock. But each song offering adds some extra sly element that expands its impact. Opening song and current single “Robots Working” rumbles its rhythm guitar low in the gut before developing its tune in a way that rides the line between art rock and a catchy chart contribution. “Plain and Simple” is anything but, layering in hooks and dissonant asides in a very pleasant tension. Then you have a track like “East 21st Street” kicking off in experimental mode only to settle into a hypnotic groove. The rest of the record is replete with delightful pop song workouts. Personal fave: I love the dirty guitar pop simplicity of “Band Shirt.”

Don works hard so the rest of us don’t have to. Thanks Don for immeasurably broadening my circle of possible poprock gems. Get on over to I Don’t Hear a Single to see for yourself.

Photo courtesy Kevin Dooley Flikr collection.

Breaking news: The Maureens, Liquid Mike, The Second Summer, and The Bret Tobias Set

11 Sunday Feb 2024

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The news is out all over town. We’ve been seen running ‘round with a crew of melodic rocking wonders – some new, others old favourites. But you can get filled in on all the details right here.

The Netherlands appear to have a sizzling melodic rock scene if bands like The Maureens are anything to go by. Five years on from 2019’s stellar Something In the Air album, #4 is here and Everyone Smiles as a title pretty much captures the audience response. Equal parts 1966 Byrds and Rubber Soul Beatles, the songs here feature a mix of acoustic and jangly guitars, a load of harmony vocals, and hooks to spare. The band also name check later influences too like Big Star, The Posies, and I’d throw some mid-seventies Wings into the mix as well. So no change of course from previous efforts but no less enjoyable for their consistency. “Stand Up!” launches the record, throwing everything the band does so well at the audience seemingly all at once: hooky lead guitar, heavenly harmony vocals, and a moving sentiment. There’s even a Sgt. Pepper era backward sounding lead guitar instrumental break. I hear plenty of should-be hit single material on this release, from the brilliantly arranged “Alison” to the sublime melody carrying “Start Again” to the lead guitar hooks buffeting “Lost and Found.” Contrasts abound too, with a sombre Byrdsian quality haunting tracks like “Fell In Love” or “Do You” leaning into the vocal harmonies to pretty much carry the tune. “Morning Papers” even strips things down to just vocals and acoustic guitar with poignant effect.

Everyone is raving about Liquid Mike’s most recent LP Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot and with good reason. Its combination of grungy guitars and earwormy melodic hooks are sublime. I stumbled over the band last spring and have been playing catch up ever since. This time out the watchword is variety. “Drinking and Driving” opens things up with a whole lot of dissonant tension before settling into a driving groove and a some surprising hooks. “K2” elevates the rhythm guitar work to carry things forward with a propulsive energy. Then “Town Ease” gives off a more shambolic party feel. Looking for a banger? “Mouse Trap” leans on its dirty rhythm guitar chords with a seductive intensity while the vocals remind me a bit of The Front Bottoms. By contrast, “Drug Dealer” has a more harsh FOW buzz. I love how the light lead guitar lick on “American Caveman” gives way to a thudding pleasant droney grind. Surprise ending? Oh ya. Title track “Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot” springs into action like a should- be hit single with a more smooth poprock sheen.

What I find so striking about Chicago band The Second Summer’s debut album is how consistent it sounds. Undertow is basically a collection of singles released sporadically over the past three years but together they cohere into a clear musical statement here. This is a band that balances edgy with smooth, offsetting ripping guitar riffs with seductive harmony vocals. Opening track “The Reason” effortlessly presents the brief here, driving the hooks home with ease. “Something” tweaks a nineties guitar heavy tune with an almost Byrdsian vocal charm. Tunes like “Invisible” and “Adults” move in on a more even-tempo poprock style while I hear a more edgy Teenage Fanclub vibe on cuts like “Undefeated.” Hits? I think they’re here. “Bad Feeling” sounds AM radio ready as this album’s should-be hit, though “Wonder Why” has also got a pretty killer, hit-worthy chorus.

Former Bigger Lovers guitar player Bret Tobias strikes out on his own with The Bret Tobias Set and a debut EP Pleaser Vol. 1. Where the former conjured a good time Replacements rock and roll vibe BTS is more psychedelic and jangly in a Church doing “Under the Milky Way” register. “Good Morning, Sunshine” has got that dreamy hazy guitar thing going overlaid with nicely subdued vocals. “Avoid the Minefield” presses into a more 1980s Simple Minds sound. Then “Bit of a Dick” offers a cleaner guitar sound even as it edges more into the psych rock scene with some ace keyboard/organ flourishes. Compared to the rest of the set “It Never Hurts Any Less (But You Get Fast)” comes off with a positively jaunty pacing, akin to the new wave era of Squeeze. And the video is a pretty fun DIY effort. The EP wraps with a droney mediation on a “Better December,” broken up midway by an uber cool organ instrumental break.

Now you’ve got the headlines, it’s time to do your own research. Click on the links to get more background on these breaking stories.

Photo “TV War” courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Spotlight single: Steve Rosenbaum “Girl from Seventeen”

06 Tuesday Feb 2024

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I seldom circle back to cover something I’ve already written about once but when I wrote about Steve Rosenbaum’s amazing lost album collection of rough recordings from the 1980s Have A Cool Summer! Summer​-​Pop Demos And 4​-​Track Gems 1979​-​1989 it was only available on 8-track for fifty bucks. Now it’s out for much less on Big Stir Records, ready for digital download, and oh so worthy of your attention. You can read my original review here but I’m returning to the collection after seeing a young Rosembaum doing a live version of “Girl From Seventeen” and it reminded me what a superior track it is. I can’t really explain its effect on me. In 1983 I was finishing Grade 12 and starting broadcasting school and really didn’t have a clue what I was doing. But anchoring me was the rock and roll that hit me in the solar plexus: melodic and jangly, drawing from the 1960s but still marching into the future. It was then that I really connected with the music of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, the Jam, Squeeze and probably most of all, Marshall Crenshaw. To my ears “Girl From Seventeen” is just so Marshall. The guitar sound, the chord changes, the echo on the vocals, the vocal line that stretches into the instrumental break. The  Beach Boys organ trill kicking things off is just the frosting here.

A lot of the 1980s frankly sucked for me but the bright spots were definitely the music. So thank you Steve Rosenbaum for giving me a little bit more of the best of 1983 with this track.

You can hang with Steve here. And why not buy his whole album from Bandcamp? If you dig this track you won’t regret it.