So much news is breaking that we have to divide this installment into two parts. There’s more to love this fall and we’re here to help you love it with plenty of bands whose names start with ‘the’ or clearly own a pair of roller skates (or simply a brand new key).
What leaps out at you from The Tubs debut EP Names is the addictive jangle and vocalist Owen Williams freakish similarity to Richard Thompson. I mean, wow, I’d swear Thompson had thrown over his folk roots for a new sound, if the song titles didn’t tell me different. It’s there strongly on the opening cut, “Illusion,” with its super guitar-slashing peppiness, as well as “The Name Song” with its Futureheads kind of guitar intensity. The EP’s single “Two Person Love” also counterposes a solid rhythm guitar against some discordant lead work in an original and ear-catching way. The band also put out a debut single last year that doesn’t appear on this release, “I Don’t How It Works,” and that’s a shame because it’s a winner. But hey, you can just buy both and create your own special maxi-EP release.
Producer/engineer/songwriter/musical sideman to the stars Tommy Marolda is certainly a bit of an over-achiever. But power pop fans probably don’t know much about his professional work, they know him for his legendary 1979 one-man-band DIY album The Toms. The record is widely seen as a masterpiece of form and substance. But Marolda didn’t stop there – he’s continued to put out the occasional single or album. Like now – The Toms are back with another long-playing installment of Beatles-infused, indie poprock on Tomplicated. The album is 16 cuts long and you might as well relax and let it wash over you. The overall effect is a delightful distillation of 1960s melodic rock and roll, with a touch of psychedelic pop on “Pinball Replay,” some folk rock on “Too Many Yesterdays,” even a Beatles-ish jangle on “Hang On.” Last year’s advance single is the obvious radio should-be hit, “One Girl Parade,” but I’d vote “The World is Flat” and “Sunday Clothes” as close follow ups. Then there’s the very Lennon-ish “Daylight Wasting Time” circa 1967 or the lovely sunshine pop single “It Doesn’t Matter to Me.” Tomplicated is a love letter our musical past – you can definitely hear the influences – but it speaks with a timeless accent.
Four years after their debut album Things Under Control, Roller Disco Combo are back with a new EP, The Sun After the Rain. The Barcelona band offer up something familiar but also some new themes. “Indonesian Breakfast” is a discordant Teenage Fanclub workout but “Holes in the Grass” immediately shifts our gaze to a more folk rock feel. Then “Dear Mean” kicks off with fattened up jangle guitar and a melodic heft worthy of XTC. “City Lights” also rings the jangle bell but eases into an almost country vibe. Meanwhile “Happy Song” has an Americana feel going on. Altogether The Sun After the Rain showcases a band still exploring just how far they can take their influences and the results are very pleasing indeed.
Dose must be the one of the most anticipated ‘second’ albums to come out this year. The Brothers Steve blew up 2019, coming out of nowhere with their debut album (appropriately entitled #1) to make power pop ‘best of’ lists across the blogosphere. Now they’re back with another installment of their unique brand of melody-infused rock and roll and it is no disappointment. This time the album’s sonic structure is built around the acoustic guitar, which forms the base sound of most of the tracks. It’s there underneath the party vibe kicking off the album with “Get On Up” with its Stonesy ‘who hoo’ background vocals. Then comes the obvious single, “Next Aquarius” with its propulsive acoustic guitar driving the song forward like so many classic Kinks songs. The acoustic base anchors “She Will Wait,” a track with some clever melodic surprises, and the ear-wormy “Sugarfoot.” But another clear influence here is 1970s glam, with “Wizard of Love” a perfect evocation of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, and 1970s boogie rock on “Better Get Ready.” The 1960s influence should not be discounted. It’s there on “Griffith Observatory” with its Beach Boys meets 1950s song stylings alternating with a more new wave sensibility, and “Love of Kings” which vibes a more California 1960s Mamas and Papas sound. And then there’s “Electro Love” which sees sixties influence funneled through a New Pornographers filter. In the end, Dose is much more than its many influences, it’s a blast of timeless melodic poprock joy. Get ready to soundtrack your next party with this must-have release.
The news is out, all over town. But you don’t need to be running round. Just click on the hyerlinks to go right to the source and get your musical updates.
Top photo: Larry Gordon
Poor Myrtle. She’s only got Muzak® to keep her company through the long shift at work. If only she had access to this great new list of must-have LPs from 2019, helpfully assembled by Poprock Record, she might actually close that Henderson account and get off early. The lesson? You can take an oldies fixation too far. You don’t have to live in the past to love that retro sound. This year’s best-of round up of LPs from 2019 is definitive proof that everything old can be new again!
I really like the variety covered in this list. There’s everything from jangle (4, 11, 15, 25) and country (12) and Dylanesque stylings (21), to keyboard contemporary (8) and acerbic social commentary (10, 23) and straight-up Beatlesque poprock (17, 19). And there’s a lot of sweetness, like Mondello’s impressive 20 year labour of love (18). My number one album, Bombadil’s Beautiful Country, embodies this commitment to diversity. It’s got an overall indie-folk vibe but the songwriting and playing are so sophisticated that somehow the label fails to capture all of what’s going on. Believe me, it’s a 37 minute journey through a myriad of lyrical and musical delights. Close behind at #2 Matthew Milia’s Alone at St. Hugo represents an amazing synthesis of melodic rock influences, from the Beatles (obviously) to the more mellow Fountains of Wayne moments. It’s an tone setter – put it on and drift away! At #3 was #1. Confused? #1 was the name of the debut album from the power pop veterans behind The Brothers Steve and it did not disappoint. The record is like a veritable hit machine. I can only imagine that this was what it was like to get your hands on a new Beatles record in the 1960s: immediately engaging, inventive yet relatable, and with nary a bum track. And I could go on about every entry on this list … but instead just click on the links to go my original posts about the bands and you can judge them for yourself.
2019 had plenty of jangle, hooks, harmonies and melody to spare. From an initial list of over 200 songs I’ve managed to whittle my should-be hit single list to just 50 chart toppers for this year. Man, it was hard. Because I only post music I like this whole exercise is a bit like choosing your favourite child. Well, IMHO, the 50 songs featured here all have a strong earwormy quality to them. But let me know if you agree or disagree! Hit the links below to find each artist as featured in my original blog post this past year.
It’s been blasting in your ears for last two months I know: festive music! Typically the same 20 songs or so. But I refuse to Grinch out on holiday music simply because we’ve become tired of the classics and not-so-classic that dominate the airwaves and the shops. So as my [insert appropriate holiday commitment here] present to you, dear reader, I’ve scoured the poprock-o-sphere for some fresh holiday tune-age. And I’m happy to report there’s still a whole lot of great stuff to choose from!
Let’s start with a brand new blast of melodic punky goodness from 
Despite the un-Christmas-y climate, Los Angeles native 
Now for something a bit different, 
A very exciting batch of genuinely breaking bands and songs on this post that bridge the Atlantic, going the distance from California to Michigan to Uppsala, Sweden.
The Brothers Steve debut album #1 is a concentrated dose of poprock goodness. This baby is all killer, no filler, beginning to end. From the double A-side blast of “Angeline/Carolanne” to the hip-shaking good time feel of “She” to the tongue-in-cheek hooky hilarity of “We Got the Hits.” And it sounds especially sweet on blue vinyl! I love the mix of acoustic guitars, electric leads and sweet harmonies. Check out the mix on “C’mon Pappy” with its 1970s English power pop sound, particularly the vocal stylings. “Songwriter” ups the crunch with a great driving beat, adding just a hint of a “Paperback Writer” refrain on the chorus. “Carry Me” pushes the jangle pedal hard while the vocals have a lovely Byrdsian swirl. “Good Deal of Love” is my current fave, a track that would not sound out of place on any Marshall Crenshaw album. “Sunlight” has listeners exiting the album on a sunny, acoustic guitar-drenched mellow vibe. With three-quarters of the melody rocking heroes from Tsar in the band, perhaps it’s not surprising how strong this debut is. And yet it’s a clear departure from their earlier work in style and delivery. Look for this on my top album list this year, a ‘you-can’t-go-wrong’ album recommendation from Poprock Record.Good Deal of Love
Los Angeles’ Bleached advance from the punky beach esthetic that defined the sonic palate of their earlier work to a more confident glossy poprock sound on their new record, Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? It’s immediately apparent on the opening track “Heartbeat Away” – now the vocals are upfront and taking charge of the tune, to great effect. But that can’t prepare you for “Hard to Kill,” a delicious slice on late 1970s ska-influenced new wave. The track practically leaps out of the speakers, oozing Parallel Lines-era Blondie riffs and vocal mannerisms. The album is full of retro-brushed delights, from the Go-Go-ish “Somebody Dial 911” to the dreamy “Silly Girl” to the more straight-up melodic rock and roll vibe of “Rebound City” and “Valley to LA.” This is another full play recommendation. In a world of seemingly interminable single-teasing, Bleached have dropped an album that is worth putting on repeat at your next party.
Joe Sullivan’s Growing Up Schlockstar is more than a sequel to his 2014 debut Schlockstar, it’s a clear advance on what were already recognized as formidable talents as a songwriter and performer. The record teems with familiar sounds: a Glen Tilbrook-esque turn of phrase and delivery, a bit of Jeremy Messersmith’s understated wordplay, and riffs clearly paying homage to bands ranging from the Beatles to Queen. And the hooks! They’re slathered all over tracks like “Mr. Positivity,” “Greenfield Acres” and “Time Machine.” Fans of clever lyrics are going to love “Gifted and Talented,” “Cheerleader” and “Space Princess.” Anyone who can effortlessly name check Starbuck, Captain Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard in a song should get extra points!
Everest is actually the 2019 American re-release of In Deed’s 2018 record. Still, I think the band from Uppsala, Sweden can rest on their laurels a bit as Everest was their first release in 16 years. Luckily, it’s fantastic! From the attention grabbing opener “Another Start” (with its distinctive Killers-like guitar opening) and throughout the breadth of the album, it quickly becomes clear this is a group full of surprises. Indeed, the very next song on the record marks a striking shift in sound and tempo: “Five Times a Day” is a more melody driven tune, delivered with acoustic guitars and a lush vocal-focused sound reminiscent of work from Holland’s Sunday Sun. At other times In Deed channel a modernized mid-1960s beat sound on tracks like “Don’t Need, Don’t Care” and the jangle-heavy “According to You” or shift to a late 1980s UK poprock sound a la the Darling Buds or The Primitives on “Heart Attack.” Sometimes they just melodically rock out with great driving numbers like “Song to You” and “Flavour of the Month.”