Tag Archives: Strange Neighbors

A decade of Poprock Record

04 Thursday Sep 2025

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since I started writing Poprock Record in 2015. When I began I was concerned about posting enough and finding enough material. With 740 posts mounted over the past decade and nearly half a million words written about pop rock it would appear that neither issue has proven to be a problem. What I couldn’t have anticipated is how much I would learn about a music genre I thought I had a pretty good handle on or how much I would enjoy shining a light on so many talented people and their fabulous music. Sure it’s been a challenge keeping the blog going amidst all the rival demands from life, work, family and crazy world events. But just when I was feeling a bit over-stretched I’d usually come across some absolutely killer hook-filled single that I knew I had to feature pronto. This place has also been a great outlet for creativity, commentary and a good deal of silliness. Whether riffing on popular culture or drawing in themes from my day job (politics!), coming up with new and novel themes for posts and making them work has made me a better writer. I discuss all these issues in my five year anniversary post here so I won’t belabour the points again. Suffice it to say, I’m still loving finding new music. I still feel that teenage excitement when a song really grabs me with a solid hook. And that makes me want to see the artist succeed and share it far and wide.

To celebrate producing a decade of Poprock Record I want to return to just one song from each of those ten years. I’m not saying these were the best song of the year or necessarily my favourite (though I’m not saying they weren’t either), they’re just a taste to remind me and you of where we’ve been or, if you’re just joining us now, what you’ve missed (but can still catch up on). Think of it as a Poprock Record sampler album. Hyperlinks will take you to the original post while the songs themselves appear below.

Family of the Year (2015) blew me away with their single “Make You Mine.” It’s such a perfectly crafted poprock single. Commercial without being derivative, it’s the kind of ear worm that compels you to hit repeat. Public Access TV (2016) demonstrates the stretch of our focus to acts with grittier, alternative tracks like “On Location.” Wiretree (2017) take this even further giving a very contemporary stamp to the vibe on “J.F. Sebastian.” But who am I kidding? So much of what I cover features cleverly recycled and reinvented motifs from the 1960s. Case in point, Daisy House (2018) on “Open Your Eyes.” The elements may be transported from another decade but they come together with timeless impact. If I could bottle Jeff Shelton’s sonic wash you’d have my blog in one readily consumable form. His band The Well Wishers (2019) “Feelin Fine” is poprock adrenaline from start to end.

Family of the Year – Make You Mine
Public Access TV – On Location

Gregory Pepper (2020) taps into another strong vein taken up on this blog: outsider and baroque pop themes. His songs are literate without being pretentious. The instruments are all over the map and the songs themselves nearly always short and concise. “Unchained Mystery” is from his brilliant concept album I Know Now Why You Cry. Jangle is another strong hue that appears in post after post, Scottish jangle particularly. I started with Dropkick but when their related band The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness (2021) got going, it was heaven. “Don’t Mind” reflects well on their oeuvre. Then there are acts that hit the hooks hard, all the while sounding so pleasant. Dazy’s (2022) “Rollercoaster Ride” is an earworm central example. I also love when acts remake the genre with a bit of verve. Strange Neighbors’ (2023) “Hotline Psychic” is fun and hilarious and oh so catchy. Another poprock seam widely mined here are acoustic numbers, broadly defined.  “Morning Sun” by Used (2024) is gentle and lilting but no less engaging.

Used – Morning Sun

There you have ten years in ten songs. That makes sense if we’re counting years September to August. But if we’re counting calendar years this blog’s coverage has actually fallen across eleven (2015-2025). So I feel the need to squeeze in another choice. Keyside (2025) are a great example of how the basic rock and roll guitar combo remains appealing to some in the new generations. Their single “Nikita” is terrific blast of guitar pop goodness.

Let me end by thanking the artists. It’s been great promoting your work and interacting with so many of you over the years. Here’s to another decade of championing your music! And to my readers, thanks for coming along, your positive comments, and sending in so many great suggestions. You ultimately make this all worthwhile.

People pleasing Strange Neighbors

22 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by in Artist Spotlight

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

,

Looking for a good time? You won’t go wrong giving a spin to Strange Neighbors second long-player People Pleasers Pleasing People. New York City’s premier sardonic popsters deliver ten new tunes full of whimsy, social critique, and killer hooks. And a bit of heartbreak. The trio of pre-release singles that came out over the past year captured this melange of moods nicely. “Influencer” is a merciless takedown of the onslaught of online narcissism being dressed up as a career choice. And you can even dance to it. “Without a Head” and “Hate Me Less” are more self-reflexively about coping with love lost. If it feels good to feed bad then these tune will have you feeling great.  Stepping back to take in the album as a whole, it’s hard to put my finger on just what kind of sound is going on here. Reviewers tend to refer to a general 1990s alt/indie vibe but what I hear is both more light and dark. Opening track “Crush” is fun and poppy, like the Go Go’s running at half-speed. Jangle is definitely a key element in a lot of songs, setting the scene for tracks like “Retrograde,” “Whenever We Fall” and more subtly on “You Got Love.” When you combine that with Aiden Strange’s distinctive vocal attack I sometimes feel it’s as if Debbie Harry had joined REM. Check out how it all comes together on the magisterial jangle fest that is “Beer at the Bar.” Other highlights here for me include “Silk and Cyanide” with its edgy guitar tone and the country hoedown stomper “Your Last.” The latter’s Bakersfield-sound country-snap guitar work is positively delicious.

I can confidently say that People Pleasers Pleasing People is heading right on to my ‘best of the year’ pile. Get your copy at the band’s Bandcamp page and let the pleasing begin.

Song sung spring

30 Sunday Mar 2025

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Winter hasn’t quite got the memo. Time to move along. I’m ready for spring to be sprung, full stop. Perhaps a few singles could help signal a seasonal shift? Probably not. But hey, we’ll all feel a whole lot better.

NYC’s Strange Neighbors are building up to something with the slow drip of singles they’ve been putting out these past few months. I’m not sure a single LP is gonna be able to contain the excitement from jumping the grooves if their latest song  “Hate Me Less” is anything to go by. It’s a sometimes jarring, sometimes smooth slice of hooky pop single-age. With hardly any dust settling on their late 2024 EP release Butter Valley Malcontent The Bret Tobias Set return with a few new singles, like “It Begins With Lean.” This one is just the change of mood we need, so light and shimmery and uplifting in a 1980s English guitar band sort of way. Baby Scream’s Juan Pablo Mazzola has a new project with Muchas Hormigas called Juan La Hormiga. Wow, this is a change of pace. “After the War” has some of Mazzola’s signature Lennonisms buried in the mix but overall the song is a lovely hushed affair with a melody like a warm embrace. The lap steel guitar solo is just an added element of grace. Geoff Palmer keeps mining that stripped-back poppy rock and roll on his soon-to-be released EP Kodak Flash. Case in point – “Bye Bye Baby.” So straightforward, so simple really. Just driving guitar chords, swoon-worthy background vocals and a hook so big it won’t fit in the trunk of your car. Peter Baldrachi has a fabulous new long-player out (but more on that later – full review to come). Right now check out his killer single from that latest release entitled “Tomorrow.” It’s got overlapping hooky guitar lead lines, a seductive vocal mix, and a strongly positive vibe. Like the Jayhawks meet The Church.

Described in a presser as ‘[p]rolific, mysterious, heartbreaking, dumb’ or more simply as a ‘LA-based lo-fi stoner pop band’ I’d just add that The Memories are full-on fun. There’s nary a release from this band that doesn’t make me smile. Their latest single “Too Weak to be Strong” is no exception. It’s an ambling stroll of good-time low-key pop, equally at home near the campfire or indie coffee shop. Few bands can make ‘uhhhn’ sounds like pop heaven but that’s what you get on Wavves new single “So Long.” The song’s lineage is pop punk but with all the edges sculpted into something rocket smooth. The vocals here meld with the rest of the sonic attack in a wonderfully seamless way. Forgive me if I’m reaching back in time to feature a song from Lydia Loveless. I feel like I’m constantly catching up on this fabulous artist. Here I’m dipping into her 2023 album Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again for the electrically charged spirit of “Poor Boy.” It combines pop, country and sibilant-sounding guitars in a totally unique way. We had to get to Portland eventually and Borderlines fills our quota with their pop punk ode “Okay Socrates.” Accent on pop here with buzzy guitars. The song is about a fear of growing old but somehow doesn’t sound like a downer at all. Speaking of old, even tried and true geezers can still cut the melodic mustard, given the right project. On The Coward Brothers LP Elvis Costello and T. Bone Burnett revive their collaboration from the King of America sessions that produced the one-off single “The People’s Limousine.” Check out the interesting vocal interplay on “Always” or the more Americana “Smoke Ring Angel.”

Scoopski‘s Jim Lorino needed a vehicle that would allow him to rock out a bit more while maintaining his love of clever melodic hooks. Enter The DelCobras, where the amps go up to 11 but the melodies remain oh so sweet. You can really hear the fun they’re having cranking through “The Turnaround.” I have a feeling there’s gonna be more where that came from. Looking for a blast of 1963, perhaps a bit of folky pop simplicity? Thee Holy Brothers nail the era on their new single “Come Shine Love.” The harmonies are gorgeous and the lead guitar is so evocative of the period. Switch this on and drift into a 1960s musical diorama. Eclectic Music Lover put me on Secret Postal Society and their latest song “Autumn Leaves.” What an ambience going on here, reminiscent of 1970s folk pop or more recent lush vocally-focused folk bands like Fleet Foxes. Mooner main man Lee Ketch has an experimental EP out entitled Spiritual Milk for American Babes and it is wonderfully, creatively, ‘out there.’ As a single “Living Will” perhaps comes off a bit more mainstream as grungy, country workout. Caleb Nichols hit Valentine’s Day with the holiday timely “Love Lies.” It is wah-wah pedal drenched with a vocal wash so Elliott Smith good. Definitely a worthy song collection addition. But while there, check out the tasty “Little Red Peugot.” It’s like The Shins on a folk roll.

Spanish power poppers The Feedbacks jack into the zeitgeist of our times with the sadly timely “Hate Is All Around.” The song has a Elvis Costello surf vibe and that is one killer combo. The McCharmlys charmed me right out the gate with their self-titled debut long-player. So my breath was definitely baited for their new single “You’ll Be Fine.” It does not disappoint, combining old school sixties songwriting with some garage-y lead guitar work. B-side “Break My Heart” is pretty chanteuse perfect too. Oslo Norway’s Death By Unga Bunga unleash the party vibe on “I’m Really Old” from their recent LP Raw Muscular Power. The AM radio pinched vocal treatment perfectly offsets the slashing electric chords. Wonderfully seventies manic. It is so hard to pick just one song from Eric van Dijsseldonk’s recent album Half Time. There’s the laconic Freedy Johnson-ish “Best Kept Secret.” Or the more rumbly, slow-moving “Maybe Not Today” with its constant bursts of jangly guitar. But I’ve decided to settle on the poppy title-track “Half Time.” Seems full of good sentiments for this moment in time. Somehow I missed Pete Donnelly’s late 2024 release Never Gonna Worry, notably produced by Mike Viola. Dip into it with “Dancing Daydream” for a bit jaunty, uplifting popcraft.

It’s a wrap on this singles shindig with something a bit more serious from music veteran Jim Basnight. He’s got a pair of singles that put America’s current political plight cleverly on display. And they’re great songs to boot.

Nazis Over There
So F*cked Up

It’s been a long lonely winter of discontent this year. I suspect the discontent is going to continue for a while but hey, maybe a song in our heart will warm things up.

Photo ‘Charles Sheeler Bucks Country Barn’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.

Under the influence of Strange Neighbors

28 Tuesday Jan 2025

Posted by in Artist Spotlight

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Ever since they popped up on my radar with their wickedly cutting “Hotline Psychic” I’ve been loving just about everything coming from New York City’s Strange Neighbors. Their songwriting manages to work up a double whammy of sardonic lyrical wordplay combined with perfectly executed melodic hooks. Every. Damn. Time. Their latest single is no exception. “Influencer” relentlessly mocks the empty commercial influencer culture that offers ‘help’ at every turn for just a tiny bite of your attention economy. It might sound preachy if it weren’t so damn hummable. Really Strange Neighbors are masters at the hit-you-in-the-face hooky chorus. You thought you were enjoying the set up and the verses but the chorus takes things to a whole new level. There’s something about Aiden’s lead vocal (alternating with Zach in parts here) here that adds a ‘unreliable narrator jolt to the proceedings. The zing isn’t obvious and, for some listeners, may take time to sting. But it’s there.

If you like what you hear here (and heard on past releases) there’s good news in the shape of a whole new Strange Neighbors album due out soon. I can’t wait to fall under its influence.

Poprock Record’s should-be hit singles for 2024

04 Saturday Jan 2025

Posted by in Should be a Hit Single

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Time to rev up our annual Poprock Record should-be hit singles list of songs we’ve featured at some point during 2024. Let’s be honest up front, we barely scratched the surface of all that was going on out there music-wise, even within the confines of our own narrowly defined genre (what I’ve been calling poppy rock). As I peek at the lists of other melodic rock taste-makers I see loads of great acts I somehow missed out on. Oh well. There’s only so much needle-dropping your scribe can do. From what we did manage to cover I just want to take this space to remind you of some stand-out tracks. So today we single out 50 should-be hit singles from 2024, songs that deserve another shot at chart glory. Click on the hyperlinks to hear each of the songs and read the original write ups.

Drumroll please, here are Poprock Record’s top 50 should-be hit singles from 2024:

1. Wons Phreely “The Faithful Heart”
2. Real Estate “Water Underground”
3. Used “Morning Sun”
4. Lo Fi Ho Hum “Never Been in Love”
5. Tamar Berk “Good Impression”
6. Frank Royster “Someday”
7. Wifey “Mary Ann Leaves the Band”
8. Peter Freebairn “I Got Lucky (I Got You)”
9. Mo Troper “A Piece of You Broken Through My Heart”
10. The Well Wishers “Good Side”
11. Blitzen Trapper “Hello Hallelujah”
12. Chime School “Wandering Song”
13. Strange Neighbors “Tell All Your Friends”
14. Steven Wright-Mark “Summer Sky”
15. Brent Seavers “Till It’s Over”
16. Ducks Ltd. “The Main Thing”
17. HOA “Push Man”
18. Dom Mariani “Jangleland”
19. Randy Klawon “She’s More Than I Want”
20. Kenny Michaels “Must Be This New Love of Mine”
21. Laughing “Bruised”
22. Cal Rifkin “Big Star”
23. Stephen Schijns “Carry On (The Way It Has To Be)”
24. 2nd Grade “Live From Missile Command”
25. Love Burns “What To Do About Us”
26. The Fatal Flaw “Stop Pushing Me Away”
27. Marc Jonson “November Paintbrush”
28. Sunken Planes “There’s a World”
29. Pale Lights “Twisting the Knife”
30. Paul Collins “In Another World”
31. The Rockyts “Without You”
32. Ward White “Our Town”
33. The Cynz “Crow Haired Boys”
34. Sad About Girls “She’s Not Here”
35. David Woodard “The Last of the Full Grown Men”
36. The Reflectors “Supernova”
37. Mark Alan Lofgren “Ne’er Do Wells”
38. The Dreambots “Tightrope”
39. Ethan Beck and the Charlie Browns “Does This Bus Stop at Douglas Street”
40. The Newds “God of Small Things”
41. Motorists “Phone Booth in the Desert of the Mind”
42. Neon Bone “Don’t Fall in Love With Her”
43. SidePlay “Hit the Road Mac”
44. Caddy “In a Heartbeat”
45. Glenn Erb “Dashboard Jesus”
46. Brother Dynamite “The Girl’s in Love”
47. Pony “Freezer”
48. Jupiter Motel “Playing with Ghosts”
49. Newski “Banking On Never Breaking Down Again”
50. Teenage Tom Petties “She Kissed Me in Seattle”

Music blogger extraordinaire Eclectic Music Lover put me on to Won Phreely’s captivating single and I was hooked. Both Real Estate and Used struck me as mining that elegant Shins brand of manicured poprock. Lo Fi Ho Hum grabbed my attention with his quirky, amusing video but his melody lingered long after. Tamar Berk just goes from strength to strength in her songwriting and you can hear it here. I could go on. This is a list bursting with jangle and heartbreak – and hooks, of course.

Next up, Poprock Record’s most inventive covers from 2023:

1. The Half-Cubes “Make You Cry”
2. Mattiel & Troy Stains “Somebody’s Knocking”
3. Super Ratones “Troubled Times”

The covers just keep on coming and I’m fine with that. Poprock veterans The Half Cubes gave us a double album of carefully curated pop hits from the past but it was their cover of The Sighs’ signature song that really floored me. Georgia’s Mattiel could sing the phone book and keep most people happy but her cover of Terri Gibbs’ 1981 hit is nothing short of transformative. Then there’s Super Ratones doing Fountains of Wayne. Lovely and timely.

It’s been a tough year. It’s been a year full of great songs. We’ll certainly need more of the latter in the days ahead and Poprock Record with be there to bring you more should-be hits. So click on the links above to remind yourself how good 2024 was and make sure to visit the artists and wave a little cash in their direction.

Photo courtesy of Sunsju Flikr collection.

Songs for a summer soiree

14 Sunday Jul 2024

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Clinking glasses beneath a dusky summer sky. You need music for that. Definitely. Here’s a curated list of party-approved poppy rock numbers suitable for friends, fading sunshine and a night full of stars.

LA’s The Dreambots thread some 1980s jangly guitar throughout their debut single “Tightrope” but that’s almost a distraction compared to the subtle earworm this melody turns out to be. The song’s main guitar tone reminds me of Steve Addabbo’s distinctive sound on Suzanne Vega’s self-titled debut LP back in 1985 but here it serves a totally different kind of tune. Repeated listening will just lead to further repeated listenings. Strange Neighbors were one of my fave finds of 2023. Their single (“Hotline Psychic”) and EP (Party of None) were number one on both my year-end singles and EP charts. They were that good. Some might say there’s nowhere to go from there but one listen to the band’s new single “Tell All Your Friends” and you’d know that’s wrong. The striking guitar lines, the harmony vocals, the build-up to a great killer chorus: this is the stuff of greatness. The internet is allowing a lot of old bands that didn’t quite make it to relaunch, if not for the big time then at least a smidgeon of the attention economy. The Hollywood Stars got a few record deals in the 1970s but never took off. Now fifty years later they’ve got a new album Starstruck. I’m really digging the Stonesy/Springsteen swagger of “Walking With an Angel.” Montreal’s The Wesleys also present as a contradiction. So much of their self-titled debut album almost leaps out of the speakers with high degree of rock and roll ferocity and menace. And then there’s “A Lot To Lose,” a gentle, almost languid jangle affair that floats a dreamy vocal over everything. Ever reliable guitar pop-meister 65MPH is back again with “Again.” This time the crashing guitars have a Bond-esque intrigue and Jam-worthy Paul Weller vocal attack.

New Jersey’s Sad About Girls is having a very productive 2024, releasing their third EP of the year Sad To Go in May. There’s some slow meditative material here and then there are songs that really cook. Like “Expect To Lose” with its ripping lead guitar lines and magnetically hooky chorus. “We Didn’t Do Anything Last Year” is another winner with its Everything But The Girl flavour. Another band with two really hot tracks on their most recent album is Melbourne’s Lava Fangs. From Sub Auroram “Photograph” really lands in the Jayhawks ballpark while “Lost For Words” motors along shifting its melodic attack in the most delightful ways. Nick Piunti delivers his signature refreshingly old-fashioned poppy rock and roll on his new one-off single with The Complicated Men, “Bottle It.” Attractively packaged and performed with a Bryan Adams easygoing feel. Most of The Twins of Franklin album This Life is a folky Americana excursion, delivered with a First Aid Kit freshness. But “Life By Design” is something else. The propulsive acoustic rhythm guitar keeps things thrumming on this song, only to be elevated by the electric shock vocal harmonies in the chorus. The title track from George Marinelli’s recent hybrid greatest hits/new material mega-album Except Always has to vie for attention with 25 other songs. But it’s got some notable features, like a Stones rhythm guitar sound and chorus hook that really delivers.

Papa Schmapa main man Joe DelVecchio put me on to a new project he’s got going and the vibe is so NRBQ it could be mistaken for those Louisville sloggers. The new band is SidePlay and the song I can’t get enough of is “Hit the Road Mac.” It’s got boogie and an old man kind of cool. Little Roger has got a ticklish question to put in his recent single “Does Susie Like Boys?” It’s the kind of query that could easily go wrong fast but Roger’s whole delivery seems supportive. The guitars here are so 1970s AM radio while the vocal reminds me of Billy Bremner in his more tender moments. Out of the blue former Irish band The Fireflys frontman Barry J. Walsh pops up with his first solo effort in decades “Rescue Me.” The song is a distillation of essential 1960s sounds: swinging London, Merseybeat, some pop psychedelia, and more. Let there be more is all I can say. Everything about Gary Kaluza’s single “On the Waterfront” says ‘classic’ – from the Silencers/Simple Minds guitar tone, to the stentorian singing from what sounds like the back of an empty echoey church, to the video with its Bogey and Bergman imagery. It’s not a new song but a very worthy re-release for sure. Perennial 1990s throwback Richard Turgeon swore he would take some time off from the last half decade’s punishing schedule of constantly writing and releasing new singles, albums and covers. But just seven months after this last album he’s back with a new single “This is the Last Song (I Write For You).”  What can I say? It’s reliably Turgeon great! And I highly doubt it won’t be followed by more good tunes to come in the days ahead.

SidePlay – Hit the Road Mac

Jon Hyde’s new album The Sad Lights is solidly in Americana territory, neither poppy nor rocky for the most part. But title track “The Sad Lights” swerves a bit into our lane with a very hum-able melody that ambles along with a peculiar but captivating charm. I love the mood that The Chris Vandalay Project strike on their new single “Better Than Before.” The synth suggests late night, a bit of indirect lighting, and some serious introspecting going on. The overall sound really reminds me of Liverpool’s Black from the 1980s. Cal Rifkin return with a single named for every power pop fan’s fave commercially unsuccessful supergroup, “Big Star.” The song’s connection to that Memphis combo is both lyrical and sonic, popping up in the tune’s narrative and overall jangly sound. And the song’s arrangement is outasight. Kurt Hagardorn has an exciting new project that concentrates his poppy rocky tendencies even more than his exemplary solo efforts. His new band is The High Elves and their debut single “Thirsty and Blue” is full of 1970s Steve Miller guitar tone and a killer rhythm guitar swing. It’s impossible not to hip sway within listening distance of this song. More please! The latest outing from The Bret Tobias Set is positively mercurial in its instrumental choices. “Fait Accompli” has got shoe-gazey vocals, slashes of reverby guitar, and an organ timbre straight out of a Vincent Price horror movie. And that is a very good combo.

When they’re not busy turning out great tunes for Starbelly Dennis Schocket and Cliff Hillis also like to put out duo numbers. Their newest is a sweet walk down melody lane boasting a title that gives away its inspiration. “For Everly” could be a certain brothers act circa 1965 or something more modern, say a nice deep cut from one of those Don Dixon and Marti Jones albums.

Your summer soiree is practically ready for guests with a song list like this on standby. You just have to strike up the bands.

Photo courtesy Tom Magliery Flikr collection.

Poprock Record’s 25 must-have LPs for 2023

05 Friday Jan 2024

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The traditional rock and roll album ain’t dead, not by a long shot. Usurped for sure by new commercial formats and changing consumer listening patterns but the album – as a distinct collection of songs (sometimes forming a coherent whole) – remains the default mode of delivery for a wide swathe of guitar-based popular music. Proof? There was simply no shortage of fabulous, super-charged, pop-rocking long-players and extended plays to spend time with throughout 2023. From this embarrassment of musical riches we’ve whittled down a few different lists of LPs and EPs we feel rank as having ‘must have’ status. There’s something for every taste that falls somewhere across the broad, rather idiosyncratic category of ‘poprock’ we employ here. So dive in, see what you think, and do let us know about whatever egregious oversight you think we’ve undoubtedly committed. The hotlinks take you to the original reviews.

Cue drumroll – here we have it, Poprock Record’s 25 must-have LPs from 2023:

1. The Decibels When the Red Lights Flash
2. The McCharmlys The McCharmlys
3. The Parlophonics Dying of the Light
4. Miss Chain and the Broken Heels Storms
5. Buddie Agitator
6. Taking Meds Dial M for Meds
7. Good Shade Think Spring
8. Talking Kind It Did Bring Me Down
9. Caleb Nichols Let’s Look Back
10. Thomas Walsh The Rest is History
11. Steve Marino Too Late to Start Again
12. The Summertimes The Summertimes
13. Nite Sobs Fade Out
14. Bory Who’s a Good Boy
15. Richard Turgeon Life of the Party
16. The Small Square Ours and Others
17. Dave Kuchler Love and Glory
18. Classic Traffic You Want It? We Got It!
19. The Blusterfields The Blusterfields II
20. The Tubs Meat Factory
21. The Roves Needle Factory
22. Best Bets On an Unhistoric Night
23. The Blips Again
24. Erik Voeks and The Ghosters It Means Nothing Now
25. Rachel Angel Midnite Heart Attack

This year’s list tipped more toward some classic genre distinctions. The Decibels are beat group heaven for me and When the Red Lights Flash just proves their mastery of this form and seemingly bottomless creativity with it. By contrast, The McCharmlys conjure the ghost of 1950s west Texas rock and roll (even though they’re from California), effectively reinventing it for today. For a different slice, we’ve got the highly sophistico-pop of The Parlophonics. Such great songs, delivered so smoothly. And so on. Our list has got jangle (Buddie, Bory), new wave revival (The Blips, The Blusterfields), country tinges (The Tubs, Rachel Angel), and straight up melodic rock (Richard Turgeon, Dave Kuchler). Long may the LP reign in what’s left of the rock and roll universe.

But there’s more. The ongoing revival of the extended play record format has led to this list, Poprock Record’s must-have EPs from 2023:

1. Strange Neighbors Party of None
2. Joe Dillilo Superhero Star
3. Super 8 The Plus 4 EP #1
4. Dolour Sun on my Brain
5. Hearts Apart Bang! Wrong Again
6. Jose’s Bad Day Hi! Let’s Eat
7. Cal Rifkin Better Luck Next Year

The Strange Neighbors EP was hands down my favourite thing about 2023. It brought back a familiar teenage rush of excitement that used to accompany the discovery of something so cool and earworm addictive it just had to be played over and over. Also cool was Joe Dillilo’s oh-so smooth collection of songs, which saw him transitioning from behind the mixing board to the spotlight with ease. And what about Super 8’s alter ego project The Plus 4? An absolute jangle blast. EPs can be such a concentrated blast of melodic goodness, leaving you wanting more.

Before you go there’s one more album we’ve got to highlight. It’s a record so good we had to give it the special award of awesome poprock merit for 2023:

The Flashcubes Pop Masters

As I wrote in the original review, Pop Masters gives you “12 new wave era should-have-been hits, stylishly re-energized” and “celebrates what might-have-been with selections from bands that should have broken big but didn’t.” But the band don’t just celebrate the great songs of bands like The Pezband, The Spongetones, The Paley Brothers and The Shoes, they share the spotlight with them in what amounts to a series of power pop band duets. Let’s face it, this project could have gone very wrong. But again, from the original review, the “results are a pumped up, adrenaline-fueled romp through a host of power pop classics … where every cut is a highlight …” Believe the hype. The Flashcubes are, indeed, pop[rock] masters.

Spend some time with these LPs and EPs and I think you’ll agree, melodic rock and roll is in good health if not wealth. But you can help change that for the price of triple shot latte from your favourite beverage store. Go on, skip the coffee queue and click the links to these artists.

Photo courtesy Chris Friese Flikr collection.

Poprock Record’s should-be hit singles for 2023

01 Monday Jan 2024

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2023 was another banner year for melodic rock and roll. Here at Poprock Record we could spotlight only a small portion of what was go on. Still, we kept busy, writing 58,000 words over 77 posts about literally hundreds of artists. And we liked them all – that’s why we wrote about them. But some tunes had real staying power for our team of singles inspectors. So today we single out 50 should-be hit singles from 2023, songs that deserve another listen and a shot at chart glory. Click on the hyperlinks to hear each song and read the original write ups.

Getting to the main event, here are Poprock Record’s top 50 should-be hit singles from 2023:

1. Strange Neighbors “Hotline Psychic”
2. Taking Meds “Memory Lane
3. The Decibels “Why Bother With Us”
4. Good Shade “When Will You See”
5. The Goa Express “Portrait”
6. Billy Tibbals “Onwards and Upwards”
7. Strange Neighbors “Whoa! Is Me”
8. Ransom and the Subset “Perfect Crime”
9. The Tubs “I Don’t Know How It Works”
10. Buddie “Class Warfare”
11. Dignan Porch “Electric Threads”
12. The Tearaways “Easier Done Than Said”
13. Chris Church “One More Change to Get Over You”
14. The McCharmlys “Love Me Too”
15. Eyelids “That I Can See You Better”
16. The No Ones “Phil Ochs is Dead”
17. Canadian Invasion “Catch a Falling Knife”
18. Thomas Charlie Pederson “Yesterdays and Silly Ways”
19. Kevin Bowe “Put Me Out of Your Misery”
20. The Summertimes “Inside”
21. Gosh Diggity “Blast Off”
22. The Midnight Callers “Girl On the Run”
23. Parallax Project “Mary Houdini”
24. Dan Kibler “Don’t Go for the Money”
25. The Kind Hills “Let Youth Take Over”
26. Cal Rifkin “Break My Heart”
27. Ratboys “Morning Zoo”
28. Hurry “Like I Loved You”
29. Thomas Walsh “A Good Day For Me”
30. The Newds “The Street Leads to the River”
31. Dave Kuchler “She’s Rather Be With Me”
32. Hardwicke Circus “Everyday I Find Luck”
33. Worriers “Trust My Gut”
34. Tony Marsico “Rocket Girl”
35. Jean Caffeine “I Don’t Want to Kill You Anymore”
36. The Exbats “Like It Like I Do”
37. Dazy “Forced Perspective”
38. Miss Chain and the Broken Heels “Storms”
39. Bill Lloyd “Keep the Place Clean”
40. Kurt Hagardorn “Tractor Beam”
41. Nite Sobs “Julie Ann”
42. Turn Turn Turn “Power”
43. The Rockyts “I Get High”
44. The Blusterfields “Fear of Depths”
45. Dropkick “Telephone”
46. The Scarlet Goodbye “Angel Dust”
47. The Amplifier Heads “When We Go Home Again”
48. Steve Marino “Satisfy You”
49. Justin Levinson “I Need Somebody Now”
50. Moon Mates “Not Today”

New York’s Strange Neighbors grabbed me early in 2023 with their killer 45 “Hotline Psychic” and never really let go. The lyrics are so spot on, the chorus is mesmerizing, while the instrumental break threatens to break out into Blondie’s “Rapture.” The band is so good they placed another tune in my top 10, the delightful jangler “Whoa! Is Me.” Then Taking Meds and Good Shade seemed like two sides of a very good coin with songs that featured surging insistent hooks that simply demanded replay. The Goa Express tipped toward punk but without sacrificing melodic depth. And The Decibels returned with the modern beat group sound they own. There’s variety in this list, proving genre is no barrier to delivering poprock hooks.

Moving on, here are Poprock Record’s most inventive covers from 2023:

1. Juliana Hatfield “Don’t Bring Me Down” (Electric Light Orchestra)
2. Mo Troper “Citgo Sign” (Jon Brion)
3. Arthur Alexander “It’s Not Love Anymore #2” (The Sorrows)
4. The Jangles “Here Without You” (The Byrds)
5. The Flashcubes “Have You Ever Been Torn Apart?” (The Spongetones)

Covers remained fertile ground for music veterans and indie new-comers alike this past year. Juliana Hatfield delivered a whole album of ELO songs, mixing things up with a nicely curated collection of chart hits and deep cuts. Mo Troper introduced a new generation to the genius of Jon Brion with his album tribute, Troper sings Brion. Arthur Alexander covers himself, sort of, with his ace reinvention of the Sorrows’ “It’s Not Love Anymore #2.” And both The Jangles and The Flashcubes covers really revive some great songs for the here and now.

Rounding out our lists, here are Poprock Record’s top 5 folk pop singles from 2023:

1. Rachel Angel “I Can’t Win”
2. Talking Kind “Trouble”
3. Hovdy “Jean”
4. Benji Tranter “Speed Camera”
5. J. Matthews “Wanderlust”

While most of our coverage is pretty poppy we do shift into the folk lane from time to time where the melodies are strong or I just have a particular interest.

Another year, another slew of great songs. Click on the links to remind yourself how good a year it really was and make sure to let the artists know what you think in cash and/or commentary.

Photo courtesy of Raymond Clarke Images on Flikr.

Life at 45rpm II

22 Tuesday Aug 2023

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In round II of our Life at 45rpm postings some old and more recent favourites make a re-appearance, along with some totally brand new acts. Let the spinning commence.

Any day there’s new material from Pugwash main man Thomas Walsh is a very good day indeed. Rumours abound that “A Good Day For Me” is the advance single from a Walsh ‘solo’ outing to be entitled The Rest Is History (thanks PowerPopSquare!) due later this year. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Hit play on this single and drink up all those Pugwash-isms you’ve been missing. This is first-rank wistful, spring-breeze-in-your-hair poprock. Walsh conjures elements of Brian Wilson and Jeff Lynne here but mostly you’re just going to hear that classic Pugwash sound. Walsh is finally back and in fine form. Another welcome returnee is Seattle’s Ruler. His 2018 LP Winning Star Champion ruled my playlist for months. His new album is Extra Blue and High and the tunes are still winning. I’d pitch a double a-sided single just to capture his many moods. “Price Tag” shifts between high and low melodic attack with plenty of buzzy guitar in the chorus and instrumental break while “I Thought You Were There” has a more low-key Aimee Mann tempo and subtle hooks. Another new album packed with strong material is the latest from Steve Marino, Too Late to Start Again. There’ll be more coverage of Marino to come but for now sink your teeth into the album’s opening cut “Satisfy You.” It all starts so innocent, just some simple psychedelic guitar. But before you know it Marino has cast a hypnotic spell as the whole band comes in and a bit of vocal call and response gets going. Simple yet so striking. A band I’m glad to see promoting new material is the energetic Indonesian pop trio Grrrl Gang. When I discovered “Pop Princess” a few years back it was serious replay time. Their new album Spunky is just about out so to tempt you, I’m focusing on “Blue Stained Lips.” I’m hearing a strong early Go Go’s sonic palette at work here. Also in the ‘missing you’ file for me is Sofa City Sweetheart – loved their 2019 long-player Super(b) Exitos. Now we have a new single “It Wasn’t You.” At first listen it seems breezy but there’s a complicated melodic undercurrent that gives the tune a unique and engaging character.

Victoria BC outfit The Origin were out and about in the first decade of the new millennium then broke up. But nothing like a pandemic to spark reunions. Since 2020 new material has been coming out and their latest single suggests there is no end in sight. “I Pour Myself Out” rocks the keyboard in a way that reminds me of Scouting for Girls, with a similar ear for good hooks. Long Island pop punkers Black Suit Youth sweeten their sound and soften their attack somewhat on “Outsiders,” their new stand-alone single. There’s an ever so slight hint of Green Day in the melodic mix and that is no bad thing. Sea Glass and Sky Adler’s song “Weekend” starts off so slacker pop but then builds into a bit of a party jam. I love the stripped down acoustic guitar opening and the contrast with the energy in the chorus makes everything take off. The vibe is very Front Bottoms meets Sugar Ray. The Feeders are a band I’ve meant to write about, usually after I’ve purchased some new release. But somehow I’ve overlooked them, which is no negative comment on their high quality tune-age. Really, you won’t go wrong with anything from their catalogue or Sam Vicari’s solo work. Now let’s end the coverage drought on this band by focusing on their new song “Congratulations, By The Way.” It’s a grinder, a rocked up re-invention of a classic mid-1960s song style not far different from the fine work of The Friends of Cesar Romero or The Blendours. Another sonic blast from the past can be found on Richard Snow and the Inlaws new single “Analogue Calls.” It’s not just the concept that conjures the technology of yester-year, the tune’s whole vibe is so late 1970s poppy rock, the kind the radio used to play. Radios? Like phones mounted to the wall, they’re just about gone too. Both the artwork and song here would make a killer physical 45.

On “Revenge Body” Athens native Drew Beskin conjures up an intimate atmosphere that sounds one part Peter Gabriel, another part Sam Weber. The keyboard and percussion mix are in a perfect tension here. Can’t wait to hear what else is lurking on his upcoming EP Garrett. Brighton UK’s The Evening Sons ride a wave of hooky distorted rhythm guitars on their power pop blast of a single “Superspreader.” Terms like driving, relentless, and onslaught come to mind in trying to describe this song, but all in a good way. This is the first single from a soon-to-be released LP entitled Tracks. The critics were all over the last Uni Boys last album Do It All Next Week and rightly so, it was an ace 1970s power pop reinvention. Well another LP is on the way (Buy This Now!) and if the promo single is any indication, get ready for a drive to accolade city. “I Want It Too” mines the same 1970s poppy rock and roll feel of previous releases, though this time I hear some 1977 Nick Lowe or those young Irish upstarts The Strypes. The Whiffs only just released their last album Scratch N’ Sniff last March but here they are with a new double a-sided single. I mean, bands usually milk an LP for a few singles before reaching for new material. Not that I’m complaining. “Satellite” b/w “As I Am” is a great 45 with the former cut reminding me of  the loose rock and roll fun of The Connection while flip lets the lead guitar really ring. Chicago native Matt Tiegler returns with a new song, anticipating his long awaited third album Hands Free Down Hill. The painted cover art really captures the album title sentiment. The album pre-release single is the jangly “Dream (Reason for Living),” a light poppy rumination on connection, sung with an Al Stewart folk rock intensity.

West Kirby’s West Coast Music Club crank up their jangle machine on a new single entitled “Sick and Tired.” But with a difference this time. The song so reminds me of the melancholy strains of Pugwash, with perhaps a strong dose of The Byrds coming in on the instrumental break. Strange Neighbors return after releasing one of the strongest EPs this year (Party of None) with a stand-alone single, a cover of the late Gin Blossoms co-founder Doug Hopkins track “Quiet Beat.” It’s a gorgeous tune, perfectly suited to the band’s unique guitar/vocals combo. Italian composer/guitar player Andrea Calvo is Grand Drifter and the songs on his new EP Paradise Window sound deceptively simple. But the magic is in the arrangements. As Subjangle records honcho Darrin Lee dubs it, this is Burt Bacharach-ian ‘sophistico-pop.’ Take “As the Days Change.” I love how the acoustic guitar anchors things, only to have a delicate single note piano riff float over everything. Captivating with a Josh Rouse kind of pop maturity. Speckled Bird offer EP #2 this year with Captain Maximus and it’s four songs are a quality quartet. But “Paint It” stands out with its saucy psych pop insouciance. It dabs in a variety of musical elements with an artist’s eye for detail. How much do I love Big Country? A lot. But not to the point where I won’t consider other versions of their songs. Like I love what Ted Leo and the Pharmacists do to BC’s “Inwards.” Early on it hews pretty close to the original but then innovates in the instrumental breaks.

West Coast Music Club – Sick and Tired

Wrapping up this second instalment of Life at 45rpm the irrepressible Exbats with their new single “Like It Like I Do.” I love the garagey feel of this band, though this song sounds a bit fuller than past releases. It’s got a hip-shaking sixties vibe that the Bangles would have owned. More to come with a whole new album called Song Machine.

Life at 45rpm is hard to maintain for long. With all these new tunes you can take a break, catch your breath, and then hit the links for more.

Photo courtesy Simon Collison Flikr collection.

Should be a hit single: Strange Neighbors “Hotline Psychic”

08 Wednesday Feb 2023

Posted by in Should be a Hit Single

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, ,

I was listening to Strange Neighbors new EP Party of None, enjoying the first few tracks, minding my own business. I had assigned it to an upcoming ‘breaking news’ post, largely on the basis of my positive reaction to the rollicking opening cut “Whoa is Me.” I love the slashing guitars and new wave Natalie Merchant vocal. I think track 2 “Skeleton Boy” is another winner, though here the vocal tipped more toward Amy Rigby in her prime. But I was not prepared for track three, with its stark opening guitar chords and arresting verses that give scant hint of what is to come. Then “Hotline Psychic” hits the chorus like a rush of adrenaline that just goes on and on, with lyrics that are hilarious and oh so cutting. There’s a febrile energy at work in this song that will have you hitting replay over and over again. Frankly, track 3 stalled my encounter with this EP because I knew I had to feature “Hotline Psychic” as a ‘should-be hit single’ pronto. Now, as a bonus, the two remaining tracks on this EP also keep the poppy rock dynamism going, particularly “Window Watching.”

So click on “Hotline Psychic” and see if you don’t agree, it’s a should be monster hit. And then stay for the rest of Party of None, it’s one of those too-good-to-be-true EPs – as in, total enjoyment.

You can check out Party of None and Strange Neighbors’ excellent back catalogue at this Bandcamp party stop.

Photo fragment from “Hotline Psychic” 45 cover designed by band member Zach.