People write me. Really talented people. What can a poor scribe do but write about these great rock and roll bands?

With his band The Muggs Detroit rock and roll mainstay Tony Muggs has delivered 6 albums of distinctive heavy blues rock. But his solo albums have a decidedly different flavour. Under the Dude moniker he released 2012’s Kid Gloves and this year’s Autobiograffitti, the latter coinciding with his book of the same name, and the contents are more solidly pop. The vibe is very Beatles 1966. There’s whimsey, there’s drone, there’s sometimes even a heavy kick lurking beneath the poppy melodies. Having said all that, Kid Gloves’ opening cut “Not Exactly Where I Should Be” actually suggests a Monkees sense of fun. By contrast “Sweet Danielle” matches a more Beatles “I’m Only Sleeping” melancholy pop while “Two Minutes Hate” is more in “Tomorrow Never Knows” or “She Said She Said” vein. Then again “Soliloquy” sounds very Pugwash to me. A decade later the Beatles influences spread from 1966 to 1968 on Autobiograffitti. There’s a more loose, old school rock and roll vibe on tracks like “Ahh Geez Louise” or a touch of Nesmith’s country mode Monkees on “Devil’s In My Whiskey Once Again.” But other tracks like “Red Coat For Sale” are Revolver-era rocking tight. Both “Mary Mary (Quite Controversial)” and “You Are So Wonder” harken back to that “Doctor Robert” or “Paperback Writer” feel. Then the record ends on a more dreamy psychedelic pop note with “Tomorrow Is Promised to No One.”

The Mother Z’s are a brother and sister duo that have the DIY punky immediacy of Jonathan Richman or The Violent Femmes. It’s been almost ten years since they waved goodbye to fans with a variety of acoustic collections and b-sides. Since then brother Andy released a host of work as ARP! while sister Becca exited the music scene. But now they’re back together with a new EP Rest It Straight and the results are less frenetic, more acoustic, but no less engaging than their earlier work. “Non, Merci” launches things with a cool strut, evincing a Replacements kind of rough band togetherness. “Rest It Straight” offers up an alluring swing featuring a Spoon-like rhythm section. “Sheboygan” and “Meredith” have a country rock-folk feel akin to Rank and File while “Holy Smokes!” has the makings of an Americana classic. And don’t miss the tender openness on display within “Postcard from Chicago,” definitely the should-be single.

Collamer Circle represents some double-barrelled Vermont songwriting action from Justin Levinson and Ben Patton. I’ll admit, there were times when I thought I could discern when songs tipped more towards one writer or the other. For instance, having waded through Patton’s 12 fabulous albums, tracks like “Send Some Love My Way” and “Then and There” seemed to exude his distinctive turns of phrase and melody while “Mirabelle” just captured his penchant for old-timey whimsy. But for most of the album I couldn’t tell who wrote what, so aligned are these artists in their melodic MO. Opening cut “Madeline for the Win” is exhibit A, a classic Levinson/Patton cleverly structured pop song, both in tune and lyrics. Altogether I’d say the collaboration has a 1970s AM radio flavour. “California Sun” has a west coast beach sound washed with a bit of yacht rock. I hear something like Leo Sayer’s boppy pop singles on “Baby You’ve Arrived” while “I Need Somebody Now” builds to a brilliant melodic arc in the chorus. Then again, “Lead Me To You” could be seen as a more Beatlesque effort. But the record’s stand-out, should-be hit single is undoubtedly “Tin Foil Hat Parade.” This tune breaks out into more timeless poprock territory, conjuring the feel of any number great songs from Squeeze or Split Enz.

With his new Elephonic project Blow Pops and Lackloves leader Mike Jarvis attempts to distil the very essence of poppy rock and roll. And given a few plays of his new band’s self-titled debut I’d say he’s largely succeeded. Opening cut “Until the Sound” is a cacophony of sounds that still somehow gel together, vibing a load of 1980s English guitar bands. But other points reach farther back, reinventing a Merseyside feel on tracks like “Wonderin’.” I mean “Why Can’t You Listen” almost sounds like a With The Beatles deep cut, the song structure is so early Beatles but wrapped in a more contemporary sound. From there it’s like a tour of different decades, with the various songs accenting different pop music moments. There’s a 1960s Latin horns wash on “Durango,” a sunny early 1970s AM pop sheen to “Freedom Bells,” while “Rapid Transit” exudes a late 1970s penchant for acoustic rock with ominous overtones. And then we have songs that defy easy categorization like “Memphis UK.” This one swings with a “His Latest Flame” shimmy, touched up with some striking guitar flourishes. Really, Elephonic is an obvious ‘best of’ list addition.

Hard to believe people this talented have to write and send their own pressers but that’s what being an artist has come to today. Why not put paid to that effort by making it rain across the hyperlinked band sites added above for your convenience.

Photo ‘Mostly It Was Something To Fill Up Her Empty Days’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.