The Britannicas “High Tea”
The power pop trio, comprised of Herb Eimerman (USA), Magnus Karlsson (Sweden), and Joe Algeri (Australia) are back! “Got A Hold On Me” starts our jangley Byrds-Beatles power pop goodness, written by Eimerman. Karlsson’s “Talkin’ ’bout Summer” is reminiscent of Chris Stamey till it gets to the harmony-filled chorus and Algeri’s hard guitar fuzz dresses up “The Moment Passed.” The psychedelic “Bleed Between The Lines” has a trippy retro Rickenbacker rhythm line. Unlike the debut, the tracks don’t feel forced into any Merseybeat template, and it feels like more of a group effort doing what they like and sounding natural at it.
Ironically none of the band members are British, although late ’60s rock is clearly the guiding influence. “A Shag and A Cup O’ Tea” could’ve been a real funny novelty song, but instead is a whimsical come-on. Each band member brings unique qualities for their respective songs, they work well on Kinks inspired “I Work At The Post Office” and Mod flavored gem “More Like Than Different.” The echoing production of “Will Someone Cover Your Fall” chugs along, then add to this an excellent cover of Del Shannon’s “I Got You,” and there are plenty of gems here to place this in the highly recommended category. Get it now!
Pujol “Kludge”
Tennessee punk rocker Daniel Pujol lays down a stylistic DIY styled punk pop album with frantic beats, distorted guitar chords and sound effects. The slow building “Judas Booth” leads to a the fuzzy glam chorus “The world don’t know my feelings” as it makes a confident melodic noise.
Next “Manufactured Crisis Control” is a classic punk ballad, but the big standout is “Pitch Black” a collection of crunchy chords and melody set to a toe tapping beat. “Circles” is another catchy song that’s slightly more pop (reminded me of Pretty & Nice). You’ll hear influences ranging from Slade, AC/DC, Cheap Trick and Redd Kross. The quirky, detailed production can be distracting but beneath the punk pastiche are some damn fine tunes. One of the most creative indie/rock/punk albums this year and worth exploring. Get a FREE sampler from Noisetrade.
