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Today’s featured artists have done the rounds on this blog many times. At some point I stumbled across them and I’ve kept stumbling over each new release since then. They’re just that reliable. So get ready to take a fall with me, all over again.
David Brookings is a nice guy’s nice guy. And he makes smoking good records, with or without his Average Lookings band. On Mania at the Talent Show Brookings strikes a minor key on many of the songs, exploring a more 1970s melodic soft rock vibe than previous, more rocking releases. The album kicks off with the acoustic guitar up front in the mix on the first three tracks, interposed between an eerie synth and timely pandemic-reflecting lyrics on “Hard Times,” buoying up the beat during “Keep It Real,” and casting a bright counterpoint to the otherwise somber feel of “Driving to Ojai.” The end of the 1970s witnessed the singer/songwriter folk thing shapeshift into a more hooky soft rock direction – think Al Stewart or Gerry Rafferty – and tracks like “One of Us Is Crazy (the Other One is Me)” and “Mystery of Time” take me there. Brookings throws a few surprises into the mix as well. There’s a great neo-1950s influence vamped up on “Women of L.A.” or more subtly felt in “Words Come Back to Haunt You.” Or there’s the more Hall and Oates feel lurking in the background to “Killshot.” He certainly nails the cover of Tom Petty’s “Magnolia” and does so without giving in to just doing a Petty impersonation (which is hard to avoid – the song is sooo Petty). But the undeniable show stopper for me here is the manic bubblegum fun that is “Mania at the Talent Show.” Perhaps a bit of Brookings autobiography? As the story unfolds it is hard not to see a miniature DB as the star of song’s show. And check out those blistering rock and roll solos!
If Mo Troper’s 2020 Natural Beauty was a perfectionist’s carefully-crafted poprock record then his new long-player Dilettante is a return to a rougher DIY/punky sensibility. But with Troper’s instincts for melody and hooks still intact. And at 28 tracks the record is a sprawling double album of White Album breadth, depth and eccentricity. First, the could-be hits. As the production style here is akin to a rehearsal-level Nick Lowe ‘basher’ approach (i.e. turn on tape, make beautiful noise) the finished product is not really AM radio friendly. But there are songs here that could top any playlist if 1977 punk had only triumphed over disco. “The Expendables Ride Again” is classic hooky Mo Troper. “Better Than Nothing” is all driving guitars floating under a divine Matthew Sweet melody. Another slow burn hooky winner is “My Master’s Voice,” aided by some lovely jangly guitar. Or there’s “Armpit” exuding a FOW sense of desperation and euphoria over a supremely catchy tune. Some of the tracks here seem little more than idea sketches but they still manage to flash serious brilliance, from the psych Beatles instrumental album opener “Total Eurphoria” to a Rubber Soul rehearsal session-like feel on “New King” and “Blake and Lanny.” Clocking in at less than a minute, both “Skyscraper Sized Bong” and “A Girl Like Andy” sound incomplete but I still love’em. Beyond the obvious hooks, Dilettante also features songs brimming with complexity. Give “American Dad,” “Velvet Scholars Line” and “Winged Commander” more than a cursory spin to uncover some rather unusual twists of melody. Personally, I think “Tears on my Dockers” is the star of this album, with a sound and structure of any bona fide classic of the 1960s-derived power pop genre. There’s also examples of Troper’s penchant for a McCartney-esque sweet simplicity on “Caleb” and “I Would Dance With You.” The album also includes Troper’s previously-released, aptly-named “The Perfect Song.” One listen to Dilettante and you’ll know the LP was misnamed – Virtuoso would have been closer to the mark.
Another Lolas album, another slice of poprock perfection. On All Rise, bandleader and songwriter Tim Boykin delivers the goods with 13 glorious gems that run both hot and cold, sometimes amping up the power pop, sometimes soothing us with delicate acoustic guitar flourishes. Album opener “Never To Be Mine” is a perfect distillation of the classic Lolas vibe with its out-of-the-gate rhythm guitar attack and seductively sweet vocal melody. Then “Storm the Heavens” tweaks the formula by adding a way cool instrumental break that features some distinctive sounding lead guitar and keyboards. I love the guitar hook opening “My Thoughts Have Been Replaced” and how it melds perfectly with Boykin’s Lennon in psychedelia mode vocals. The album shifts gears on “I Can Hear Your Beard Through the Phone” and “You and Me Will Always Be” by putting an acoustic guitar at the front of the mix and slowing the tempo. Clearly, Boykin’s not just a chord basher. Another shift can be found with the jaunty “Louise Michel” and easygoing pop of “General Assembly,” the latter feeling very Wings circa Venus and Mars. But I’ll save my poprock hero worship for “Pain in My Heart.” Everything about this should-be hit single works, from the catchy guitar work to the eminently hummable melody. It reminds me a bit of Screen Test’s superior single “Notes From Trevor” and a lot of great work from The Smithereens. Do yourself a favour, Lolas All Rise is a full album treat you really owe yourself. Now.
One can imagine Croydon’s Nick Frater rolling his trolly down the aisles of an imaginary 1970s rock supermarket looking for ideas after just one listen to his fabulous new record, Earworms. The ten tracks here are like a love letter to that oft-maligned decade of music. Because beyond the flash of disco, the fug of prog rock, and the full-on aural assault of punk, the 1970s were really much more about pop music. Think of the superstar chart dominance and stratospheric sales of the acts like the Carpenters or ABBA. Yet, at the same time, hooky melodies were also central to the success of more rock and roll outfits like ELO, 10cc and Queen. Opening cut “It’s All Rumours” gives the game away with its distorted glam guitar and Leo Sayer falsetto vocals in the chorus. Frater’s thrown down the gauntlet, he’s going seventies and doesn’t care who knows it. “Buggin’ Out” initially sounds kinda Abbey Road, particularly the guitar work, but then shifts into that 1970s neo-fifties aura that everybody was doing then, with a flash of Buddy Holly’s “Raining in my Heart” buried deep in the song. “What’s With Your Heavy Heart” is one of my faves on this LP with its gently rollicking Wings-ian feel. From there the album goes very English, vibing 1970s UK pop acts like 10cc on “Not Born Again,” Gilbert O’ Sullivan on “Lucky Strike” and even Queen on “How to Survive Somebody.” Things veer near yacht rock with a dab of Carpenters on “Star Crossed” while I could hear ABBA easily covering “The Unbroken.” Aside from the faithful rendering of the 1970s sonic palette, Frater also manages to capture the histrionic over-the-top lyrics of the time, for instance, on “Who Says I Need a Plan At All.” If you’ve been longing for simpler musical times sans the sticky polyester, get Earworms. Your ears will thank you.
Nothing says welcome like a wad of cash. Slip on over to the web locations of these artists and get friendly with their latest releases.
Banner photo: Fred Herzog
No pandemic is gonna stop us twisting that radio dial to find out just what is out there music wise! Today’s featured acts take ‘moody’ and ‘strange’ in all sorts of melodic and unexpected directions.
All my favourite poprock artists are growing up. Here with another 30-something pre-midlife crisis album is Mo Troper and his wrenching pain and discomfort adds up to 34 minutes of sweet sweet listening pleasure for us on his latest, Natural Beauty. Similar to Gregory Pepper (whose recent I Know Why You Cry is another winning sonic rendering of 30-something issues), Troper is toting up his 20s shortcomings with a bevy of frank, focused, but still melodious tunes. And like Pepper, Troper’s latest may be his most mature, fully realized work to date. “I Eat” kicks things off and sets the tone for the album, with its serious theme and carefully manicured production. Natural Beauty is just full of wonderfully layered sounds, strikingly varied keyboard flourishes, and an often naked honesty on the vocals front. Then again, “Your Boy” is the other side of this record, a textbook poprock masterpiece, anchored by a brilliant La’s-like jangle guitar hook at the start which just keeps mutating across piano, electric guitar and a slew of melodic vocals. This song is the soundtrack to a 1960s montage sequence where the boy meets a girl and joins a band and then a host of happy stuff happens. More serious themes emerge on “Potential,” “Lucky Devils” and “Better Than Nothing” but still they remain perky, poppy numbers. Possible influences abound here, with perhaps a bit indie 10cc or McCartney-meets-Morrissey on “In Love With Everyone” or a McCartney/Shins combo on “Your New Friend,” while “Everything” really reminds me of Apples in Stereo’s “Seems So” period. Personal fave: the new wave-ish “Almost Full Control” with its hypnotic bass work. For me, Natural Beauty is heading straight to the ‘best of 2020’ list, a must-have-the-whole-album release.
Melbourne’s Danny McDonald is a veteran of the Aussie indie music scene, playing on over 70 different projects since the early oughts. But one listen to his latest EP Modern Architecture and you’re going to be wondering where has he been? How has a guy this talented kept such a low international profile? Right out the gate, McDonald grabs the listener full force on the supercharged power pop should-be hit single, “Cordyline,” with its Big Star hooks and Brydsian background vocals. Then things rumble-guitar along nicely on the touching, rootsy duet with Anna Burley, “The Suburb I Grew Up In.” The 58 seconds of “Judge Me for my Art, Not Where I Live” sounds a lot like a punked up treatment of a great lost Plimsouls track. “Commuters Lament” vibes just a little Jayhawks while “Keeping the Dogs at Bay” is in the same vein as Richard Turgeon’s stolid stripped-down rocked-up pop. My only complaint about Modern Architecture is that is all ends too soon!
Another winning act from Melbourne is Adam Madric’s latest project, Pure Moods. On their debut album, Upward Spirals, there’s a fleeting Teenage Fanclub vibe at times, but on the whole this record is marked by a distinct sound – the rhythm guitar. More than is typical, it’s up front in the mix, anchoring the sonic portrait of the band. I love what sounds like an envelope of sound, the jangle drone, that opens the record on “Tide” and remains on “Backwards World.” Things shift gears with the title track which grooves along with a very 1970s soft rock rhythm guitar – that is until the Kraftwerk keyboards kick in and the whole thing slides in a different direction. There’s a tempo uptick on “Sideways Glance” and the jaunty “Sparkle” and both tunes shine melodically. Pure Moods’ Upward Spirals makes for intriguing, ultimately enjoyable listening with catchy songs that ride the tension between their lively musical performance and Madric’s somewhat low key, alienated vocals.
Taking a spin through Strange Passage’s Shouldn’t Be Too Long makes you realize just how good all those Morrissey solo albums could have been if they’d just sounded like this. And these guys are not even from some dreary northern British former industrial town but they’ve nailed the jangle alienation of the Mopster and his guitar pals. Seriously though, the songs here bubble with Smithian fun, like the energetic “Cloying Melody” with its rush of guitars and R.E.M.-meets-The The vocals. From the opening cut, “Idle Time,” it’s clear this is a really strong outing song-wise. Frankly, I can’t find a single track I wouldn’t hit replay on. Ok, maybe “Shouldn’t Be Too Long” seems special for cranking the sparkle on the guitars or “Ode” for being so Paul Simon doing Morrissey. Despite the comparisons, Strange Passage are not some wannabe something else band. They work this sound into something quite their own and it’s a pleasure to hear.
Who needs black Friday and interminably long line-ups when you can just hit ‘buy track’ from the comfort of your own electronic device? Doing some e-music shopping today instead would be my advice. And, luckily for you, Day 5 of our solid-week-of-singles event ends today with a strong set of poprock suggestions to go musically shopping for. Swiss producer David Langhard is the force behind Howlong Wolf and our featured song “You Made It (Into This Song)” from their latest album Norwegians Can’t Refuse. I love the muscular slickness of the production here. Back when AM radio used to both reflect and influence popular tastes, this is just the sort of polished poprock that ruled (and rightly so). New Jersey’s Joe Normal and the Anytown’rs are slick too, but in a different way. Their killer single “Don’t Hurt Me” exudes classic rock and roll radio, with a nice melodic undercurrent. In that brief time when the FM dial was the new rock trendsetter in the 1980s, this baby is just the sort of thing that blasted out of cars all over town. Jordan Jones’ album is titled Self-Titled and it’s being written up across the powerpop blogosphere but what is interesting to me is how everybody seems to choose different tunes to focus on. Personally, I’m loving “Waiting” with its 1960s-meets-1980s hooky sound and distinctive guitar ring. We here at Poprock Record loved Propeller’s 2017 LP Don’t Ever Let This Let You Down. Now they’re back with a neat EP entitled Three Steps to Better Listening and it’s not false advertising. “There Goes a Day” has a big shimmery guitar sound and layered vocals reminiscent of The Mighty Lemon Drops or Matthew Sweet or The Primitives. Is this a prelude to a new album? Yes please! Another highly anticipated release for this blog is anything by Portland’s wonderful music eccentric Mo Troper. We gushed over his stunning 2017 LP Exposure and Response and gasped when the Bond franchise didn’t snap up his should-be Bond theme “Never Dream of Dying.” Now he’s back with a pre-release single from his forthcoming 2020 album Natural Beauty and it’s another winner. “Jas from Australia” is a sneaky piece of pop goodness, slightly jarring but ultimately ear-wormy in its effects upon repeated listenings.
2017’s Exposure and Response heralded the arrival of Portland’s Mo Troper. All the punker, outsider ferocity of his previous recordings found themselves melded into shiny perfect poprock here, albeit still coated with a heavy of dose of hipster alienation, particularly on the vocals. As we await a follow up, Mo decided to throw this at us: “Never Dream of Dying,” a pretty stellar, spot-on rogue James Bond theme. Things start out so Bond circa 1970s with full on orchestrated tension before dissolving into a deceptive ballad (you can just see the silhouetted girls with guns float by). But wait, he’s not done, Troper’s got a Macca-worthy Bond bridge and an orchestral big finish! “Never Dream of Dying” is a delightful bit of fun from a guy who has the pop culture chops down.
I get by with a little help from my friends. Because I can’t possibly keep up with all the great new music coming out every day, other blogs are a reliable source of new material. And I’m proud to say that I think my blogroll is a finely curated list of sites that really deliver on content. In fact, they’re so good I can’t visit them too much or I’ll just want to write about all the things they’ve already posted! But sometimes cruising through the blogs reminds me of hitting the record shops when I was younger. Vancouver in the early 1980s had a plethora of new and used record stores: Kelly’s, A&A Records, Track Records, Neptune Records, and, of course, the main new records shop, A&B Sound. A&B focused mostly on selling stereo components (I bought my first tape deck there on layaway!) but used albums as a loss leader to get people into the store. Their signature ‘featured bargain’ bins (where they stacked records flat on top of each other) crowded the front of the store and usually sold for $4:99 when the going price for an album was typically anywhere from $6:99 to $10:99. I would buy records I had no clue about, just because they looked cool and were cheap. Such bargains included New Order’s Power Corruption and Lies, Men at Work’s Business as Usual, and OMD’s Dazzle Ships. Well, the record stores, like the book stores of my youth, are largely gone. But the excitement of finding new music lingers on, now re-platformed to the blogosphere!
Absolute Powerpop may not generate the volume of blog posts he once did, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t paying attention. His best of lists for 2017 were colossal: a top 100 singles, top 20 EPs, top 10 Americana and top 100 albums list. I snagged eight new artists that really caught my ear. But I want to draw your attention to 
Powerpopaholic is the godfather of power pop blogs. Given the range and depth of his coverage and sheer volume of posts, if a band or song is somewhere on the power pop spectrum it will eventually appear here. I snagged five new bands from his Top 30 list this year but have chosen to showcase 
I only picked one new artist from I Don’t Hear a Single’s many ‘best of’ lists but that’s because I’ve been nicking great stuff from him all year! Berwanger, Mothboxer, Daisy House and many, many more. IDHAS is an early finder – bands show up here that inevitably show up everywhere else, but a few months later. And he has a particularly good handle on the British and European scene. Having said that, my find from IDHAS is 
Powerpopulist seems like a machine that scours the internet for freely offered up tunes from great indie bands you’ve yet to hear of. I am constantly blown away by his industry – so many bands! So many tunes! His tastes typically run a bit harder than mine but he does love his jangle. His ‘best of’ list ran to 109 songs, from which I scored five acts that are real keepers. 
Poprock Record 