The Outsiders knew a thing or two about time. Despite some cool organ and a great horn section, time turned out to be a jealous mistress for them. The albums covered in today’s post return to this theme of time, whether borrowed, remembered, or left behind.

In our last review of Sergio Ceccanti we applauded his 1960s genre-fluidity and deft use of multiple guitar tones. But with his new LP Leave the Past, Don’t Look Behind he’s achieved a degree of sonic consistency that really makes the album stand out. The basic formula is evident on opening cut “When You’re Away” where a candy-coated vocal melody is punctuated with distinctive keyboard shots and a decidedly retro lead guitar break. Then as follow-up track “Waiting for You (in a Lonely Town)” gets going it hits you, the musical landscape here is very Jeff Lynne/ELO. What a (pleasant) surprise. Another departure here is the number of low-key mid-tempo numbers like “Grey Cloudy Sky,” “Burning Sun,” “Will You Miss Me,” and “Secret Garden.” They’re all dreamy pop but with a bit more heft than one might expect. And if the guitar was the star on the previous outing, the organ is working hard for MVP on this time around, particularly on “You Don’t Really Care” and “The Dead Leaves of my Soul.” Should-be hit singles on this release for me would include title-track “Leave the Past, Don’t Look Behind” but especially the swinging “I’ll Run Through The Rain.” Of course, if you’re not ready to leave the past, you could look back with the closing track “The Words We Used to Say” which harkens back to Ceccanti’s previous album’s sound.

The debut LP Borrowed Time from Detroit’s Mod Lang is nothing less than sizzling. Taking their name from a Big Star tune, the band effortlessly stretch across the Beatles timeline and into the 1970s power pop all over this record. Opening cut “What I Can’t Have” weaves a very subtle Beatlesque threat throughout the tune. It’s there in the economical lead guitar work and the curt vocal turns and harmonies. “In Advance” starts us moving between Beatles influences and a more obviously Big Star set of 1970s motifs. “Cocomode” even manages to combine a seventies boogie rock feel with an Everlys vocal sensibility. Then it’s back to the Fabs circa 1964-65 on “Those Words.” The band’s facility with the various Beatles eras is impressive. “Fool In Love” offers up amazing vocal harmonies and an acoustic guitar feel in a very Rubber Soul vein while “Borrowed Time” shifts to a late Beatles sound, particularly the amped up lead guitar in the last half of song. By contrast, “TV Star” and “In the Morning” showcase Big Star-isms fro both their rock and folk tendencies. Should-be hit singles here for me would include the dynamite opening cut and the exquisitely vocalized “Try Your Love.” Borrowed Time is a must buy, a stunning piece of work.

Joyce Manor are a real enigma. One moment they’re pop punking their brains out, the next they’re swapping in folk-pop and power pop work-outs on their latest long-player I Used To Go To This Bar. The all-too-brief, not-even-2 minutes-long kick off tune “I Know Where Mark Chen Lives” falls somewhere between pop punk and The Killers. But that chorus is an all-out melody attack. “Falling Into It” shifts into a new sonic skin with a softer vocal attack and some nice synth touches before unleashing some tougher lead guitar work and vocals two-thirds in. But then there’s another surprise as “All My Friends Are So Depressed” dials up a sprightly folk pop feel. Love the rumbly lead guitar break contrasting some Smiths-like rhythm guitar chord changes. “After All You Put Me Through” is similarly poppy with a low-key vocal. From there the album leans mostly toward pop punk on tracks like “Well, Whatever It Was,” “The Opossum,” “Well, Doesn’t It Seem Like You’ve Been Here Before,” and “Grey Guitar.” A stand out exception to the pattern here is the more power pop title-track “I Used To Go To This Bar.”

Looks like time’s up for this packet-of-three post but you can continue counting the clock down with each of them at their web locales.

Photo courtesy Carbon Arc Flikr collection.