Once upon a time jangle guitar player/singer/songwriter Dave Kuchler joined an already established New Jersey band to help deliver one of the most criminally overlooked poprock masterpieces of the early 1990s, the Soul Engines’ Closer Still. It’s Kuchler singing lead on that janglicious, hook-infested “It’s Just Another Day.” And then … nothing. A follow up got underway but sputtered out amid record company chaos and line up changes. Well, I’m excited to report that Dave Kuchler is back with a new solo album, It’s Pronounced …, and it’s definitely been worth the wait. Kuchler’s put together a collection of tracks that exudes a distinctive New Jersey rock and roll synthesis (think heavy doses of Hammond B3 and saxophone) with a particular accent on melody. Just check out the medley of influences on the album’s stellar opening cut “If I Saw You” with its Springteen-esque roll out that trades melody lines between electric guitar and sax, with hints of Byrdsian jangle hovering in the background. It’s an auspicious start that doesn’t let up over the album’s twelve tunes.
It’s Pronounced … brings together old and new, with six tracks representing recovered older material (some from the early 1990s, others from aborted Soul Engines sessions circa 2002), while others are newly recorded songs, supported by longtime Joe Jackson bass player Graham Maby and regular Kuchler collaborator/producer/instrumentalist Pinky Giglio. Beyond elements of what some might call a ‘Jersey shore’ heartland rock, the record covers a broad range of styles, from the neo-Mersey vibe of “Better Things to Do” to the Elvis-style rockabilly vocals on “Pull My String” to the Jackson 5-influenced “Go!” Who would have thought the world needed another cover of “When You Walk in the Room” but Kuchler aces it, adding muscle to the tune amid killer organ flourishes and spot on sibilant guitar work. But the highlights of this record for me are the double-barreled should-be hit singles, “Really Lasts” and “Slave to Katy.” The former cooks with an unrelenting Motown meets Stax-Volt pop soul dance groove, ornamented with an ear-wormy bells/keyboard effect that Bruno Mars used to good effect on “Marry You.” Originally recorded with the Soul Engines for the follow up to Closer Still, the cut sounds just as fresh and contemporary as ever. Meanwhile “Slave to Katy” illustrates how Giglio’s Hammond B3 organ work is the not-so-hidden star of this album (as well the sonic glue linking old and new material).
Kuchler’s It’s Pronounced … has the sound of a timeless classic, a paean to poprock songcraft and performance. It deserves a wide hearing. Find out more about on Kuchler’s Facebook page and get over to bandcamp to get your copy.
I guess I lived in a 1960s bubble. Growing up with my parents’ record collection it seemed that if the music was catchy and the performance was strong then it would be hit. But I think it was the stalling of Marshall Crenshaw’s career after Field Day that woke me up to fact that not all great music gets to be widely popular. There is an inescapable randomness to it all. You don’t get two more clear examples of the fickleness of the fame god than Soul Engines and The Someloves. Today’s tracks are red-hot bona-fide should-be hits.
The Soul Engines hail from the Jersey shore and apparently put out a few albums, though only 2002’s Closer Still is widely available. If their other records are even half as good as that one, the world is missing out on some pretty incredible music. The whole album is a pretty solid genre-crossing effort, a perfect melding of old rock and roll, Everly Brothers’ style country harmonies, and upfront melody. But two songs stand out as extraordinary efforts: “It’s Just Another Day” and “Tomorrow’s Girl.” I can’t stop hitting replay on these two tunes. “It’s Just Another Day” bursts open with a rapid fire smatter of jangly lead guitar that eases into the song with a nice organ backdrop. The guitars, organ and vocals play off each other with a sound reminiscent of a lot of western-style 1980s poprock like True West, Rank and File, and Canada’s Blue Rodeo. “Tomorrow’s Girl” kicks off with some great drumming that never lets the energy dissipate. It’s a tune with great swing and harmony vocals: the whole arrangement of the song is perfect, there just isn’t a note out of place. These songs would be in heavy rotation on Poprock Record radio!It’s Just Another DayTomorrow’s Girl
The Someloves are yet another example of the seemingly endless poprock talent pool that is Australia. Formed in Perth in the mid-1980s, the band released a handful of singles and just one album, 1990’s Something or Other. In this case, the lack of success is a bit easier to understand as one half of the band’s creative duo simply refused to tour in support of their recordings, killing their record deal. Still, there have been non-touring success stories in rock and roll and given how drop dead amazing their lone album is, the lack of accolades and gold records remains surprising. I mean, check out the killer roll out of “Know You Now.” It’s all ringing guitars and The Three O’Clock-style breathy vocals that builds to an catchy chorus and then back to more ringing chords. It’s an intense three minutes and 49 seconds of poprock. “Sunshine’s Glove” works a similar formula but ups the melody enrichment, allowing the ringing guitars to echo the hooks. Pretty addictive stuff as a kind of double A-side single. The good news here is that unlike the Soul Engines, a fabulous double CD greatest hits retrospective is available for The Someloves: 2006’s Don’t Talk About Us.Know You NowSunshine’s Glove
Poprock Record 