It’s pretty much consensus across the power-pop-osphere that The Lemon Twigs are the perfect distillation of all those elements that made melodic rock great in the 1960s and 1970s. They kinda sound like all sorts of things but not exactly like anyone you’ve heard before. But the much-deserved hype will not prepare you adequately for just how great their latest 45 is. It’s a double-sided tour de force. A-side “I’ve Got a Broken Heart” conjures so many possible comparisons. The opening guitar lick is so Beatles ’66 but when the vocals kick in it could be The Hollies. Then halfway through the bridge goes a bit wild, like Paul Revere and the Raiders, with an instrumental break that follows that is so early Monkees. This is power pop ambrosia! B-side “Friday (I’m Going to Love You)” is pretty cool too, with a slight country-ish tinge to the overall Monkees-meets-The Cyrkle poprock sound. Then just past the halfway mark things dip into a more Beatlesque psychedelic direction, only to pump up the lead guitar instrumental back into the main tune.
Just when you think this duo has really blown you away they come back with even more poppy hurricane force. Warm up your download finger because you’re going to want to hit repeat on this single over and over again. You can purchase it on bandcamp or other e-retailers right now.
In the rush to this year’s end there are plenty of late-breaking new-music headlines to keep up with. Like this mix of top stories covering effervescent pop to indie rock and roll and back again.
I look forward to new Tristen albums like I used to anticipate the release date of Suzanne Vega or Rickie Lee Jones records. The thing is, you can count on Tristen for great melodies cast amidst a range of adjacent but slightly different genres. The new LP is dubbed Unpopular Music and never was a title less apropos pour moi. Overall the vibe here is a sophisticated folk pop. Whether featuring endearing 12 string guitar highlights as on “Because Your Love is Mine” or a Peter Gabriel-esque vibe with the guitar licks on “Hey La” the atmosphere is sunny and positive. Tracks like “Rose and Thorn” really encapsulate the poppy folk feel defined here. There are departures though. “Skin of our Teeth” speeds things up a bit with a propulsive rhythm guitar and addictive lead guitar lines. I love the Shins-like organ lurking in the background throughout “Mona Lisa” or the driving guitar runs animating “Let Go.” This is comfort album, full stop. You can dive into Unpopular Music just about anywhere and thrive on its unique amalgam of sonic elements and hooky tunes.
Illinois boy now LA resident Andrew Pelletier is Fur Trader and The Tender Life is his sumptuous slice of retrospective poprock. The influences here seem evenly balanced between the sweet melodic intensity of 1970s AM fare and the cutting edge of 1980s new wave hooks. Opening cut “Maybe Love Knows the Way” blows things open with a glam rock groove where the beat wraps around a sometimes wispy, sometimes full-throated vocal. Then “Weekend Rails” exudes a late 1970s McCartney-esque vibe. “The Tender Trap” has that hushed folk pop veneer so popular in the late 1970s while “The Masses” definitely embodies the artist’s self-description as doing a baroque Sufjan Stevens. The next three songs steer things into the 1980s. “Don’t Turn on Me” dials up the decade’s synth-ful demeanor, “That’s My Love” builds into lush bit of ELO-ish guitar pop, but “Can’t Do Anything About It” is far and away the should-be hit-single in this mix. Though the lovely compressed 1980s poprock sound of “Stray Bouquet” has it running a close second. Then out of the blue comes a jazzy samba departure on “Julius Ceasar Look-Alike Contest.” I’m also keen on “Poltergeist.” The oh-so 1980s drum intro gives way to a neo1950s-meets-1970spoprock jive in such a delightful way. This record is timeless and so of this anything-goes-in-music moment. It’s got sleeper hit written all over it.
Vancouver grunge juggernaut Buddie return with Glass, an LP that smooths a few of their rough edges in the most creative way. Entry track “In the Glass Shell” combines all the usual Buddie elements, like an alternating light versus dark guitar attack amidst a developing dissonant melodic thrust. “Stressed in Paradise” heightens this effect with an eminently hummable tune bundled in layers of joyful dissonance. “Impatient” is aptly named, it is a song bustling with an energy looking to break out somewhere. But with “Golden” the album takes turn, giving off a more retro new wave kind of energy. “Crow” even features a decidedly lush drive to its wall of guitars. “Blackout” shifts the focus again, developing more slowly from an almost lurch-like folk pacing to something more uncontrolled and revelatory. Glass is Buddie leveraging their unique sound to take listeners to new and unexpected places. And I like it.
You read the news today, oh boy. And the news was good. Why wait for ‘film at 11’? Hit those hyperlinks to increase your exposure to these developing stories now.
The latest invasionary force emanating from Liverpool are the jangle-forward quartet Keyside. With just two EPs and handful of singles to their name they’ve been making waves throughout the UK since 2023 with their updated Britpop sound and socially conscious lyrics. Frankly I have difficulty understanding much of what singer Dan Parker is getting out, given his heavy Scouse brogue. But I know a should-be hitmaking sound when I hear it. New single “Rock My Love” is utterly captivating with its rippling reverb-heavy lead guitar lines. The overall aura has the impact of The Smiths or The The. When the lead guitar lick kicks in at regular intervals the vibe is electric. As they continue to tour their British isle this fall one can’t help but wonder what impact an entire debut album might have. My gut says, this is going to be La’s or Stone Roses big. You might as well get in on the ground floor now and avoid the bandwagon crush.
Keyside have all the usual internet real estate showcasing their wares. You’re gonna want to get caught up there.
There are so many great acts and accompanying singles, EPs, and albums coming at me I really can’t keep up. So today we play catch up and throw in a word or two about a host of great releases I’ve been sitting on. You can just spin the big wheel and drop in anywhere.
Indianapolis fuzz pop outfit Wishy are pushing the faders into the red all over their Planet Popstar EP. Opening cuts “Fly” and “Planet Popstar” offer up a bevy of distorted guitar hooks and vocals. “Over and Over” then cleans up the sound in a Sugar Ray sort of way. The EP shifts back and forth between a fuzzy and more pristine dreamy demeanor. LA band Momma also do dreamy but with a more conventional rock and roll backing on Welcome to My Blue Sky. Surefire single “Rodeo” launches with a killer lead guitar hook only to soften things up with a smooth, seductive vocal. “New Friend” is more soft, lilting acoustic guitar pop. Turning on Amazing Space’s recent album Parallel Dreams you’d be hard pressed to guess they’re from Bergen, Norway. They’ve really got the Americana sound down. The title track “Parallel Dreams” could be the Eagles. But other tracks diverge a bit from this formula. “Surrounded by the Absence” has great new wave-ish keyboards while “Go Easy On Me” vibes a dream-wash sibilance reminding me of fellow Swede The School Book Depository. Regina, Saskatchewan’s Christopher Sleightholm celebrates all things sunny and laid back on Still Summer. The style is 1960s reinvention with layers of jangle, pedal steel and Beatlesque melodic turns. “Summer Eyes” is so jangliciously Byrds. “Peppermint Fields” tips things toward the Bryds’ country turn. There’s also some serious instrumental guitar work here on tracks like “Hoppin’ Thru The Bog in Fog” and “Coyote at the Trailhead.”
It’s tough when a member of band becomes hugely popular and for something that has nothing to do with music. But that is the story of Post Animal when Stranger Things actor Joe Keery left the group in 2017. After a few albums apart Keery is now back with the band for a new album entitled Iron. The sound is very contemporary indie rock: sleek, intimate and subtley hooky. Obvious LP single is the singalong-ish “The Last Goodbye.” On Scarecrow IIThe Telephone Numbers dial up some serious jangle pretty consistently over the course of the LP. Standout jangling can be found on “Pulling Punchlines” with its propulsive wall-of-guitars sound and Grapes of Wrath vocals. “Goodbye Rock and Roll” is another standout. Taking things up to 11 for a moment Melvic Centre let a strong guitar grind wallpaper their album Trawler. But offsetting that are some great vocal harmonies. “First to Know” showcases how brilliantly these seemingly dissonant qualities can come together. While much of the album shades toward punk “Late Riser” and “Muddy Mae Suggins” unleash some serious melodic hooks. For me, Lawn’s new record God Made the Highway really takes off at track 3 with “Davie” and its ringing lead guitar work. “Barroom Wonder” is another lead guitar workout, deliciously drawing you in.
New Massage LP Coaster is a wildly inventive time-trip through an 1980s ambience that doesn’t sound in any way derivative. “No North Star” is Madchester jangly while “Daffy Duck” has a distinct New Order-ish vibe. “Without Your Love” has the period’s guitar tone down pat. Basically, the whole record envelopes you like a favourite fuzzy sweater. Durham UK’s Fortitude Valley have dropped some serious stylistic intensity into their recent Part of the Problem, Baby release. The guitar attack and pacing is relentless while the vocals ride over the musical drone with a distinctive air. Sometimes things are poppy, as on “Video (Right There With You).” Sometimes they are dissonant, like on “Totally.” Solid should-be hit single is “Sunshine State.” Nashville’s The Medium go all in for the team on their EP Sports! The atmosphere here is very Todd Rundgren meets 10cc, a 1970s compressed pop sound, particularly on “Feel the Dream” and “We’ve Got a Winner.” “Gimme Some Gas” is more a seventies rock and roll romp. Then “Me and My Glove” could be Harry Nilsson. Ottawa’s fanclubwallet shift the mood again to something more intimate and conversational on Living While Dying. This vibe is more contemporary, with compressed keyboard and hushed vocals. I love the hypnotic keyboard drone driving “Head On” forward. Then there’s the lush pop sound of “Do Over” with its otherworldly theremin solo. “New Distraction” sounds like the radio-ready song.
Get ready for some ripping reverb when you spin The Berries self-titled long-player The Berries. This is a guitar album, with fabulous nuanced amplifier tones all over its 10 tracks. Just check out the gorgeous spaciousness of the languid lead guitar guiding “Angelus.” Or there’s the striking back and forth between the guitar and vocals defining “Salt of the Earth.” I love the rippling Blue Oyster Cult-like lead guitar lines on “Lie in the Fire Again.” Toronto’s Vanity Mirror infuse a late 1960s psychedelic pop spirit over a lot of the tracks populating their Super Fluff Forever LP. It’s there strongly on “White Butterfly” while “Jack of All Trades” hits the Velvet Underground groove hard. But others lean into whimsy and piano. Or there’s “I Don’t Want to Hold Your Hand,” a brilliant inversion of Merseybeat sentiments. Sweet Nobody strike a more cinematic pose on Driving Off to Nowhere. The mood here is decisively moody, the vibe all indirect lighting and overflowing ennui. It’s there from the stark opening of “I Don’t Know When I’ll See You Again.” Mixing things up, a rippling guitar lead line gives “Revenge” a pulse-racing feel. “Home Sweet Hell” leans into a dark country vein. “Could You Be the One” sounds hit single-ish to me. Maura Weaver’s second solo album Strange Devotion is a collection of constant surprises. Each song is a carefully crafted sonic illustration, balancing both harmony and dissonance. “Cool Imagination” is the kind of song you instantly want to sing along with. “Do Nothing” is a brilliant example of alluring melodic minimalism. Meanwhile you also have tracks like “Breakfast” that go in a country direction.
I’ve spun the wheel on these fabulous albums, showcasing a few great tunes. But why take my word for it? Dig into the deep cuts on these LPs for yourself by hitting the hotlinks to the full album experience on bandcamp.
If you grew up in Canada in the 1970s there was a strong chance that someone at your home lived for the weekly fall-through-winter broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada. With a two-four of Canadian brewed beer nearby, everyone in the house would know things were getting underway when they heard the distinctive instrumental lick that defines the show’s theme. Now Toronto instrumental guitar starlets The Surfragettes have immortalized the rather formal and staid original by giving it a reverb-drenched remake. The track opens giving us the traditional lead line, all guitared up. As they crank it up they take a few liberties, particularly as they head past the most recognizable parts of the tune. There’s some strong organ playing here too. And they even throw in some 1970s era play-by-play to end things off. In the liner notes they remind us that the show is the longest running, most popular broadcast in Canadian history. That certainly makes it worthy of such a grand treatment as this. This foursome are certainly this games’ four stars!
Check all the great guitar goodness of The Surfragettes at their website and bandcamp pages.
In our newsroom some news is more breaking than others. But we comfort ourselves with the knowledge that our message is always new to someone. Certainly this combination of musical headlines have never appeared together before and, as you will hear, that is something special.
The Wellingtons don’t rush things. Their first three albums came out fairly close to each other between 2005 and 2008 before things started to stretch out a bit more with releases in 2011, 2017 and now 2025. Yet new album Baby Moon doesn’t sound like a record from a band coming back from an extended hiatus. It sounds like a band very much approaching a new creative peak. Opening cut “Always Gonna Be That Girl” has that unmistakable hit single elan. It’s got a genius arrangement that builds so effectively. Then before you can catch your breath “She Still Loves Me Now” launches another melodic broadside that more than hits the mark. “The Things We Did Before” swaps out usual lead vocalist Zac Anthony for Kate Golby and the choice really works for the song. This is an LP that sounds deceptively familiar, drawing from the band’s past power pop and pop punk strengths, but pushed further into new melodic territory. Take “Deadbeat Dad.” It softens the punk pop vocal just a little, reminding me of work from bands like Farrah. Or there’s “Lola,” a great poprock ballad with some swing. “I Won’t Turn Away” throws in some ELO-ish ‘woo oohs’ before alternating pop punk verses with a truly spectacular power pop chorus. Ripe for hit single-age too. There’s shades of the Beatles (“Sad Today”), Elvis Costello (“End of the World”; “Not Ready to Give Up”) or even The Zombies (“Sound Asleep”) on various cuts here. “Not Ready to Give Up” particularly sounds like it could be monster radio hit. And for a taste of jangle there’s “Better Me.” Then for the album closer the “The Long Goodbye” harkens back to band’s earlier pop punk sound. Baby Moon is a stellar release. It might just be the best yet from a band that has never let us down.
By the time you get to solo album #10 what’s left to do? If you’re Greg Pope, you drill down into the 1970s to reinvent a host of great motifs that defined that decade’s chart hits. On The Roar of Silence Pope revives sounds so familiar yet puts them to brand new uses. Listen to how opening track “Worthy Son” bang-on takes up the seventies AM radio-friendly folk pop of artists like Gerry Rafferty or Al Stewart. Surefire should-be hit single “Fallen Star” is framed around that recognizably restrained rhythm guitar sound so popular with late 1970s new wave bands. Over the course of the LP the whole decade gets a look in. Song styles range from the early 1970s psychedelic feel of “It’s All Pretend,” to the mid-1970s starkly endearing faux-folk of “Hours, Days and Years,” to the late decade Blue Oyster Cult-like blast of title track “The Roar of Silence.” And it couldn’t be the 1970s without ELO, which I hear shades of on “The Trick of the Light” and “Road Less Traveled.” There’s even a touch of Queen on the raucous “Immovable Feast.” I often compared Pope to Matthew Sweet and there’s a few here (“Layers of an Onion”; “Softer Than a Whisper”) that match his dissonant sweetness. Make room on your annual ‘best of’ list for another winner from Greg Pope.
With song titles like “Please Don’t Murder Me,” “Never Be Good Enough,” and “When I Die” you’d be forgiven for supposing that Trash Man would be a big downer. I mean, they titled their previous EP Moment of Bleakness. But I’m going to stop you right there. Dipping into their back catalogue was actually grin-inducing on multiple occasions. From the songs listed above the first comes off like some kind of twisted Merseybeat, the second a jaunty pop single, while the last is pretty dour, actually. On the other hand, the Moment of Bleakness EP is sorta upbeat in sunny indie-pop kinda way. Ok, on to their brand new EP Cool Until It’s Not because this one turns a corner. A whole bunch of the dissonant pop elements bubbling under previous recordings come to the fore here with a dramatic Weezer-like punch. Opening track “Eventually” sounds like it was cut from The Blue Album. Title track “Cool Until It’s Not” dials down the dissonance in favour of melodic sweetness while “Hole in my Heart” is all strummy acoustic guitar whimsy. “Barely Living” turns the ennui back on with a vengeance. And then everything ends with the musically light but darkly existential ballad “Where Does It Go?” Clearly Trash Man is one smart outfit, combining big questions and challenging music with admirable aplomb.
Juan Pablo Mazzola and Muchas Hormigas are Juan La Hormiga and together they offer up a pop folk vibe that steers into a Beatlesque Americana on occasion. Case in point: early single “After the War.” This is a lush pop song with a rootsy feel, lifted by their symbiotic vocal interplay. It kicks off the duo’s new EP Valencia, named for the Spanish town where they reside. The additional six tracks that appear here really deliver on the promise of that first 45. There’s more of that sophistico-folk pop with “About Us” and “The Most Beautiful Bride.” Some tracks hint a genres in various ways. “Cupid’s Arrow” works the pedal steel guitar in every so delightfully while “One Way Ticket” exudes a light shading of Merseyside. When I hear “Stereo” I imagine folk duo Mitch and Mickey from the A Mighty Wind movie updating their sound with a dash of 1970s folk rock sensibility. And then there’s “Play This Game” which conjures forth a 1960s folk duo extraordinaire. I can recommend a visit to this Valencia, you may want to stay awhile.
You can’t believe everything you see these days but you can trust your ears with these music headlines. And do your own research by hitting the hyperlinks.
Nothing leads like a story that bleeds. Poster for the movie Picture Mommy Dead courtesy James Vaughn Flikr collection.
Miami Florida band Stardust One have got a few recent singles out that are so reminiscent of a certain kind of mid-1980s smooth rock and roll. Acts like Mr. Mister, The Outfield and Bryan Adams come to mind. Their 2025 releases “All I Know” and “Almost Home” hit these marks and then some. Quality single-age for sure. But let me take you back to 2022 and their absolutely killer 45 entitled “Someday Soon.” Everything about this track is working overtime. From the sly opening that inches forward building tension with its subdued vocal and low key guitar, only to break out at the half minute mark. To the absolutely alluring vocal mix, which combines harmony and unison singing to fatten up the whole affair and give it that classic group vocal sound so well used by bands like the aforementioned Outfield as well as The Romantics. Here’s what I’m saying – this one is a winner. Even the instrumental break shakes things up, driving the song in a new direction and back again in a very inventive way. Looking for a sleeper hit? “Someday Soon” is a great lost maximum-rotation kind of song. Now if only the band would consider putting out an album …
Mentions of Stardust One fall light on the ole interweb. I could find only one album review. Their bandcamp page has merch but no music. They do have an Instragram page full of pictures and Facebook but it’s hard to get much detail about the band there. YouTube and iTunes are your best bet for finding their lone (as far as I can tell) 2017 LP Lonely Station and their subsequent handful of singles. All in all, these guys are ripe for a taste of that decades-in-the-making overnight success.
America: it is the best of countries, it is the worst of countries. Its bully face is on full display right now and has been in full force ever since 2025 became a thing. But the country’s silver lining can always be found wherever good people push back against the bullies. Like today’s featured artists. Each one draws a musical line in the sand with wit, compassion, and more than a few good hooks.
On their self-titled solo album debut Dish Pit Violet take aim at capitalism, bigotry, organized religion, the American Dream, and whole lot more. And seldom are such topics taken up with such delicious stylistic variety. “Hi I’m Violet” kicks things off with a Magnetic Fields kind of lyrical directness mapped against an incrementally expanding musical backdrop. It effectively sets the tone for what’s coming: straight-up social commentary set to alluring music. Violet then offers a truly liberatory take on success with “You Are My American Dream,” asking ‘can I get my kicks outside of this capitalist framework?’ and answering ‘I get my kicks when I talking to you.’ But the analysis goes deeper, noting that ‘working for someone else’s dollar, it will become your collar.’ Insight worthy of old German philosophers everywhere! By song #3 we’re primed for “Nobody’s Better,” the big production, crowd-singalong number and the album’s obvious single. It oozes the elan of those early 1980s dance numbers that defied categorization but still filled the dance floor. The bass line here really ties things together. For a second helping of singalong time check out “Rough String” and it’s catchy chorus. From there the album shakes things up, vibing a host of possible influences. “I Hate It When I Do That” exudes an airy Talking Heads kind of simple sophistication to my ears. “Back Up” launches right into some synth dance beats reminiscent of 1980s Soft Cell. “Tip-Top-Drop-Dead-Knock-Out” is the closest thing to a conventional pop song here and it’s still wonderfully eccentric. In terms of single-age, “I Hope I’m Ready For You” gets my vote with its hypnotic looping synth hooks. The LP draws to a close with two nouvelle vaudeville numbers, “You Picked Jesus Over Me” and “Sweetheart,” the latter offering some light McCartney-esque shading. Don’t let the garden-scene cover fool you, Dish Pit Violet is a record that mixes sharp hooks, biting commentary, and a whole lot of heart.
I’ve been a fan of David Woodard for a number of albums and EPs and with each release he tweaks what he’s doing in some interesting way. Everything Belongs maintains his unerring power pop chops but adds a layer of political insight that flashes a high degree of lyrical artistry. Take “Freedom Fries,” a rollicking rock number where Woodard sings ‘we grew up deep fried American, even the food was partisan’ where [we] ‘believed in truth and fries, served with a side of lies.’ Clearly Woodard is not holding back. The album opens with “Everything That’s Wrong with Everything,” a song whose ambitious scope reminds me of Alabama’s Lolas in both melody and message. “Scapegoat” is more of a chord cruncher that runs against the bully grain of American’s current dominant political strain. Then “Everything Belongs” guitar blasts through the hypocrisy of organized exclusion that is much of what passes for faith in today’s America. “Myth of a Nation” is even more hard hitting, calling out America’s bait and switch approach when it comes to immigrants and opportunity. “Metastupid World” leans into its critique of America’s current world leader pretend. However, the record is not all three-chord Chomsky lectures (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Woodard does pause to enthuse about “Coffee Houses” and “Baseball Cards.” Most importantly, the songs are brimming with his signature poppy hooks. And that’s gotta mean more satisfying fist-waving at those demos.
Minneapolis, Minnesota strummer Samuel Wilbur describes his latest album Ivory Tower as an ‘anti-capitalist end-of-the-world Rock Soap Opera,’ a description that really captures the critique suffusing nearly every song here. Sometimes it’s obvious, as on “Everything’s Falling Apart” or “Social Security Number.” But other tracks like “Hornet’s Nest” work up a metaphor to convey its message about inequality and the groupthink of those who struggle to maintain it. Stylistically, the record is harder to define, the material toggling back and forth between Americana and a cosmopolitan pop vibe. Opening cut “Everything’s Falling Apart” exemplifies this genre-crossing practice, nodding to 1980s English guitar bands while throwing in some American indie rusticity. “Social Security Number” gives voice to the information exhaustion we all feel with the endless requests for all manner of identification, with guest vocalist Dani Michaele casting quite a different spell over the band sound. Another guest vocalist Meghan Kreidler gives a modern Kate Bush wash to “Ivory Tower” while “The Remainder” begins all Beatles before heading into the 1990s. By contrast, “Tired” moves entirely into a modern pop indie sound, sometimes grinding along, sometimes offering sweetness itself. The record ends with a rumination on consumption in “Everything Repeats,” wondering if we can stop ourselves before it’s too late.
Art is another way to do politics. It can be hard-hitting, insightful and definitely more fun than door-knocking. Help spread the word!
Photo ‘House of Women’ film still courtesy James Vaughn Flikr collection.
Throughout the year I try to set aside seasonal songs for a range of holidays and I have to say the quality and quantity of Halloween fare has been steadily improving. Here’s a spate of fright night singles and a top rank compilation album dedicated to chilling, thrilling and haunting your playlist. Candy not included.
Justin Kereczsays he’s living in “Devil Town.” The song kicks off with a mournful tone, almost Springsteen-esque. But things pick up halfway through, adding drama and depth. Toronto’s The Suffragettes rewrite a classic classical-music instrumental as “Satan’s Holiday,” leaning heavily on surf guitar. And they don’t spare the tremelo. It’s corpse cool for sure. Bloodshot Bill takes us back to a 1950s rockabilly monster rock with “Meet the Count.” Goofy but offset with deadly hip lead guitar work. Victoria’s The Origin strike some lighter pop notes on their winsome track “So You Think You Can Necromance.” I love the wordplay! A dip into Crater Creek’s Horror Anthology could expose you to some chilling screamcore. But the two songs featured here are anything but. “Caveman” is 25 seconds of blistering narrative development while “See Through” adds a Beach Boys beach-party campfire feel to a lovelorn ghost’s failure to connect with his human target. And it can’t be Halloween without an appearance from those reliable holiday pop punksters Vista Blue. “I Didn’t Get Invited to the Halloween Party” works on so many levels. It draws from neo-1950s disaster song motifs, elevating and intensifying the elements with a 1990s punky panache. These guys never get old (hm? Are they zombies?).
The major event this Halloween music season comes from Big Stir Records in the form of a compilation album entitled Chilling, Thrilling Hooks and Haunted Harmonies. The record contain 41 tracks, divided between 21 songs by different acts associated with the Big Stir stable of artists and 20 short spoken word/sound affects ‘link’ tracks that give the package a semblance of a thematic show. The album is an obvious homage to the 1964 Disneyland Records release Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House, right down the spoken word/sound effects components and a cover clearly inspired by Paul Wenzel’s distinctive artwork from the original. But it is the music that makes this release so special. Let’s face it, thematic holiday albums can often feel like forced, slapdash affairs. Not this one. The 21 original tunes here are quality power pop, holiday or not. Opening musical cut “Ghoul You Want” from Librarians With Hickeys sets the bar high with its subtle, smooth Zombies elan. This is the hit single, surely. Not that the other 19 songs aren’t worthy of maximum Halloween-radio rotation. Really, this is such a solid collection of songs, though more than I can cover in detail here. Instead I’ll just single out three more tracks that really caught my ear. First up I’d draw attention to Splitsville’s “I Was a Teenage Frankenstein.” Plenty of power in the pop here, melding melody-rich vocals with striking rhythm guitars. Then The Gold Needles crank up some hypnotic lead guitar lines on “Ghost in the Airwaves.” I love hearing the reverby guitars ring. Last on, The Incurables give us a throwback to that 1950s meets seventies garage rock on “Halloween Bride.” The album’s short spoken-word segments performed by The Pepper’s Ghost Players could have descended into cringey cheese but instead evoke the fun over-the-top melodrama of 1960s monster movies. Chilling, Thrilling Hooks and Haunted Harmonies is a fabulous collection, lovingly crafted, expertly executed, and nicely priced. It’s a must-have double-album addition to your vinyl, CD, or digital music crypt.
I do the love the cheese of early 1960s fright night music/entertainment and, as you can see here, that tradition remains alive and well. Click on the links above to stock up on Halloween tunes while letting I. Jeziak and the Surfers guide you musically to the exits with their All Hallows’ Eve instrumental “Mummy Walk.”
Fall fairs abound in the small towns of many nations, with booths oscillating between the obvious and the obscene. In popular culture the ‘carnival’ particularly is often off the beaten track. In that spirit we offer up some musical acts that ride a fine line between family entertainment and not-ready-for-prime-time playing.
Let’s start with the most unready for prime time candidate, Uncle Funkle. The album is called Portrait of My Penis – need I say more? The album appears to have 46 tracks but nearly half amount to 30 seconds or so of AM radio send ups. And I’m not going to even try to capture what is going on here artistically. Every kind of style gets a look in, if only briefly, while the lyrical themes are typically wacky, decidedly unserious, and often obscene. But there are some good tunes and hilarious lyrics here. “Wilderness Survival” mocks end-of-times survivalists with a sing-along gusto. The electric guitars propelling “There’s Still Guitars in Country Music” seem to defy the ostensible genre-nod happening here but I’ll take them. “Last Night’s Dinner” is a 1950s derivative pop novelty number. And then late in the game comes a song that really rocks things up. “It’s All a Game” is the kind of a song that gets music nerds arguing about just where to draw the line between hard rock and power pop. Uncle Funkle may not be for everyone but the band is a great goofy blast in small doses.
Going in a totally different direction, The Lemons are suitable for everybody from kindergarten to the old folks home. The sound is seventies DIY, a bit folk rocky meets bubblegum pop. These guys could sub for the house band over at Schoolhouse Rocks, for sure. Another Yellow World is the group’s first record of originals in a decade and essentially takes up where they left off. These are mostly pretty pop tunes meant to be squeezed out of a small AM transistor radio speaker playing somewhere outside. Opening cut “Lemonade” is sweetness itself distilled into a minute and 16 seconds of melody. “I Love Lee” is so late 1960s radio ready while “Laura” begs to be a campfire crowd singalong. Despite the consistent aural texture of these recordings, there is variety. “Over and Over” reminds me of The Archies whereas “Honey” marries a brittle Byrds riffing to a stark vocal. Just when you think you’ve the measure of what is going here “My Submarine” throws in a garage rock feel. Closing track “Tallulah Falls” is real departure with its strong country vibe.
Dutch/Croatian artist Marina Tadic really is an original. Her Eerie Wanda records combine a performance art temperament with a folk pop aesthetic akin to Laurie Anderson, Suzanne Vega and Canadian Jane Siberry. Her best known work appears to be 2019’s Pet Town, a low key collection of sly tunes that gesture toward so many styles without really committing to any. It’s like the songs just take the shading but Tadic’s own inimitable songwriting and performance really define everything. Take “Rockabiller” as an example. It keeps us edging toward a more rocking blowout but Tadic never lets go the reins. The magic here is often in the subtle deployment of sounds. “Hands of the Devil” features a hypnotic use of handclaps. Opening cut and title track “Pet Town” gives you the whole treatment with a light, almost pixie-like playful array of strumming, keyboard notes and overlapping vocals. If there could a single from this collection, it would be the seductive “Magnetic Woman.” The project’s debut album Hum also has some great tunes, like the 1950s throwback “I am Over Here” and the Tristan-esque “The Reason.” By contrast, 2022’s Internal Radio moves in a decidedly more experimental direction.
Slip the needle onto Montreal native Bloodshot Bill’s latest album So Fed Up and you could be forgiven for locating him somewhere well south of the Mason-Dixon line. But as the presser for his 19th album spells it out, the sound is “equal parts wild-eyed ‘50s punk, greasy garage rock, and untamed hillbilly howl.” So in that sense it sorta belongs to everyone. And you’re gonna want a piece of this party platter. Things launch with the rockabilly dancer “Talk to You” before steadying the groove expertly on “Kissin Underwater.” “Rule Book” will get those heels kicking up pronto. “Say What You Want to Say” is just a classic 1950s country warbler. The slickest should-be radio single here would probably be “It Happens.” Personally I just love the guitar tones on this disc. “Please Don’t Break My Heart” kicks off with a Johnny Horton rockabilly guitar lead line before settling into a Nervous Norvus-style vocal. “The Very Thought of You” evokes the classic country sound Nashville seems to have forgotten with just a drop of John Fogerty-style swamp. Stumbling across Bloodshot Bill all I can say is ‘what a find!’
You’ve strolled down the midway at our online carnival and the treats are on display. Go ahead. Indulge yourself.
Photo ‘Almost Blues’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.
Poprock Record 