Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic Archives - Page 241 of 330

The 88 "s/t"

October 5, 2010October 5, 2010 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

The latest self-titled album from The 88 since they toured with Kinks frontman Ray Davies is an impressive effort that succeeds in being accessible and keeping your attention glued to a pile of radio-ready singles. Lead singer Keith Slettedahl’s vocals strut along, a little Oasis styled arrogance go a long way to support Adam Merrin’s awesome piano melodies. Fans of Supergrass will find solace in the Brit-styled chord structures and impressive riffs. The opener “Center of The Sun” is a perfect example of a song that balances rock and roll with a shot of sugary pop. Davies even lends his backing vocal on “They Ought To See You Now” and it’s one of the best tracks – it layers guitars and Hammond organ flawlessly. One thing I’ve noticed is how much better the songwriting and composition is compared to past albums that may have relied more on studio wizardry.

It’s also the most consistent album so far, without a weak song to be found. The energy and hooks cram every nook and cranny from the anthemic “After Hours” to slower tempo work on “Hold On.” Even the slow acoustic “Takes It Away” catches the magic of a weary blues based love song. The second half of the album isn’t as immediate on first listening, but just as satisfying as it grows on you. I’ve read a few critics say that “nothing’s new here” but that misses the point. Power pop is not about innovation, so much as getting the basics right and the 88 do. Easy to classify this as one of the year’s top ten albums.

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Radio Days "C’est La Vie"

October 1, 2010October 1, 2010 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

Radio Days are probably the best power pop band in Italy. Their 2008 EP “Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous” was a real stunner and they refined the sound and songwriting for this awesome full length release. Based in Milan, frontman Dario Persi combines the punk energy of Weezer with Beatlesque melodies and tight hook-filled choruses. “Spinning Round The Wheel” opens with breakneck speed, fans of The Knack and The Velvet Crush will connect with it immediately. This continues with the excellent “So Far So Close” chock full of impressive chord shifts and guitar riffs. The Weezer-like “Sleep It Off” makes listening to this collection of songs a true power pop pleasure. The first three songs are so great, the other tracks have a tougher time sticking, but they are by no means filler. “Elizabeth” has a Raspberries feel to it and “The Meaning Of Fire” has an easy listening style that grows on you pretty quickly, but no slow ballads are part of this album. The sound of the tracks tend to get homogenous, but that’s the only fault I can find here. Another highlight “Sweetest Lullaby” starts with a fantastic jangling intro, it’s a mid tempo guitar gem about looking back on past experiences that really resonates.

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Dead Heart Bloom "Strange Waves"

September 29, 2010September 29, 2010 powerpopaholic

Singer/songwriter Boris Skalsky (aka Dead Heart Bloom) weaves an imaginative tapestry of introspective pop on Strange Waves. Along with drummer John Hadfield and bassist Nathan Goheen, Skalsky’s vocals definitely recall early Bowie and the bands sleepy beats and echoing guitar bring early Pink Floyd or The Cure to mind. It certainly starts with a memorable song in the thematic “Someday Will Not Come Again.” The multi-layered guitar riffs in the Brydsian “Sentimental Cures” is sure to make Wilco fans sit up and take notice. The deep melodic ballad “Meet Me” is another moving folk pop composition.

A sense of dread hangs over “Don’t Worry For Me” and “Some Will Rise” but each track reaches deep into your musical subconscious. “Another Mistake” has a Paul Simon-like quality with acoustic guitar and bass leading a story of youthful recollections. The title track has an exotic feel, with maracas, sax, and Spanish guitar strums that sounds like a combination of The Alan Parsons Project and Love & Rockets. “Love Will Have Its Day” evokes the lonely spirit of Gordon Lightfoot. The strong compositions brimming with clear choruses and middle eights make this album a winner despite a somber tone for the most part. No filler either makes this a perfect rainy day album.

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Rusty Anderson "Born On Earth"

September 27, 2010September 27, 2010 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

Rusty Anderson is a guitarist with Paul McCartney’s band (along with Brian Ray) who produced an awesome debut album and now it’s followed by his sophomore effort Born on Earth. Filled with lush orchestration and solid song structure it starts with a heavy guitar bridge on the opening title track. You can definitely hear Paul’s influence on “Timed Exposure,” it’s got a sneaky hook that bursts into crunchy guitar riffage in the chorus “You’ve got a story to tell, when it’s over, timed exposure…” A few tracks get quite artistic and emotional (“Private Moon Flower” and “Under A White Star”) but remain solid rockers.

The gorgeous melodies come out when Rusty works the easy going ballads “Julia Roberts” with it’s slow shuffle, harmonica and the sunny strumming of “Where Would We Go?” But he is just as impressive when it comes to full bore guitar pop of “These Are The Days.” Unlike his boss, Rusty favors louder riffs when it suits the song. Loads of quality tunes and fans of hard driving arena pop will love this album.

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Joel Streeter and Adrienne Pierce

September 22, 2010September 22, 2010 powerpopaholic

Joel Streeter “Matador”
Bay Area singer-songwriter Joel Streeter is a true pop talent that continues his growth on the sophomore album “Matador.” The sound is similar to Chris Stamey or Paul McCartney building classic pop compositions through a dense wall-of-sound approach. He is assisted by over a dozen players including producer Jerry Becker (Train) to make this a highly polished effort. The hooks are all over the title track and the use of horns to support “Drive Away” bring to mind Squeeze. The mid-tempo songs “Baby Your Time’s Here Too” and “A Better Day” both have great Beatlesque melody and hooks in the chorus that don’t quit. Another highlight here is the piano bounce on “Man Of The Hour” where the guitar rhythm mimics “It’s Getting Better” prior to the rich chorus and the orchestral break in the songs middle. The multi-layered vocal harmonies on “Like A Bird In A Gilded Cage” recall early Crowded House. Fans of Jim Boggia, Marshall Crenshaw and the other artists mentioned will really enjoy this album. Not a bad track in the bunch, and plenty of memorable gems make it easy to recommend.

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Adrienne Pierce “Oh Deer”
Canadian Adrienne Pierce has a very distinct vocal that gets your attention. It’s a mesmerizing combination of Edie Brickell and Blossom Dearie that draws you in. She’s written music for TV (Grey’s Anatomy, Veronica Mars) and this is her third full length album. It’s safe to classify her as folk pop, and the opening “Amargosa Hotel” has the guitar twang and dreamy quality often found on Sheryl Crow’s work. The same feeling on “Black Sand” carries through, with a catchy beat to contrast her multi-tracking here. The storylike ballads like “Monsters” and “Arc De Triomphe” are soulful and effective. My favorite track though is the bouncy “Guilty of Everything” with a sweet melody and seductive confessions in the lyric. However, other tracks here seem self-indulgent (“Telescope”) or are just too sparse (“Nightswimming”), so you may want to pick and choose the keepers here.

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