Category: Power Pop Review

Your Academy and The Trafalgars

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Your Academy

Your Academy “#2 Record”

We get it, you love Big Star. Your Academy, the self-declared successor of Memphis power pop, gives us a new album with a solid pedigree that includes former members of The Scruffs, Dwight Twilley’s band, and Crash into June. “Marilu” is a pretty good start, with a solid riff-based gem with handclaps and harmonies layered on top about sexy 80’s TV sitcom star Marilu Henner. Next, “Miss Amphetamine,” is a buzzing power pop gem, that could be easily mistaken for The Well Wishers.

Many songs directly refer to the band Big Star, lyrically and musically, “Our Star,” is about a made-up chat that Alex Chilton had with the ghost of Chris Bell in 1985. “Just a Little Out of Tune” and the excellent “My Near Catastrophe” are standouts. There are no real duds here, and with only ten tracks, there is no filler either, but many songs sound a little too similar. However, repeated listening is essential for this one to appreciate the musical craftsmanship on display. Highly Recommended.

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon


The Trafalgars

The Trafalgars “About Time”

Rhys Bowkett of the Australian band The Trafalgars says that Sloan, Even, and Rinehearts are some of the bands that have influenced him and that he holds in high regard. All great bands. By doing this, he describes the album’s sound; a mix of catchy power pop with solid guitar work. “Company Time” mines this best, catchy melody with a solid jangling rhythm guitar. They have a seamless blend of nostalgic guitar riffs, echoing the spirit of 1960s London while infusing it with infectious energy. “Davey Parker” is another standout here.

While the lyrics are simple, they suit the material well. Elements of glam (a la Sweet) are in “She’s My Girl,” but songs don’t always stick, for example, “Start Again” feels very repetitive and formulaic. No ballads here also mean that the band has the pedal to the metal, with the same tempo, and it can get a bit tiresome. However, the band does channel the energy well, and fans of retro pop will enjoy it. It’s music that deserves to be heard.

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Spring singles, EPs: Yoasobi, Lolas, Red Dwarf Star, Daz & The Demons, Sam Evian, The Armoires

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I’ve been a fan of J-pop (it’s a guilty pleasure), and I’ve enjoyed YOASOBI since I first heard their “Monster” about three years ago in the Netflix Beastars anime. They are poised to break out since their English songs are just as good as the Japanese language versions. “Adventure” is a great example of that sunny J-pop melody loaded with catchy hooks. E-Side-3 is the very latest from this talented artist. Next, the criminally underrated Lolas have been very active lately, and they deserve props for the rich jangling melody, “Work is the Blackmail of Survival.” Red Dwarf Star is something I don’t always feature (psychedelic heavy rock), but I just love this deeply atmospheric track, that reminds me of Pink Floyd and Soundgarden. Daz & The Demons have a great power pop sound, check out “You Wait For Something” and “Barcelona.” Sam Evian‘s new LP is only 9 tracks (so it’s like a big EP), and it embraces a spontaneous spirit; listen to “Wild Days” and my fave here, “Jacket,” with its “la la la” drops. Don’t look now, but The Armoires are back, and they “Absolutely Mean It.” A great advance single – enjoy!




Dave Cope and The Sass and Dent May

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Dave Cope

Dave Cope and The Sass “Hidden From The World”

Philadelphia’s Dave Cope and the Sass’s sixth album, Hidden From the World, is a triumph. A playful mix of styles that combines power pop, folk, and alternative elements makes for an exciting and varied listening experience that covers a lot of emotional ground. Influences vary throughout the album, from Big Star, Nick Drake, Todd Rundgren, Brian Wilson, Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney, and more. It’s a very personal album dedicated to his brother, who passed away recently.

Starting with “All Alright,” it hooks you with a fantastic riff before the folk acoustic “Just A Dream I Had of Lizzie.”The jangling title track, “Hidden from The World,” is insightful, and the bouncy “One Hell of A Ride” has a great sitar rhythm. Cope keeps churning out great, memorable songs here. The intricately arranged “Crooked Picture” recalls Pugwash, with a forceful anguish that “some things never change.” “Next to Nothing” and “Precious Heart” are both sweet gems with a catchy, singable chorus. Not a single false note here, and “Settle Down” is a soulful rocker with a touch of Andrew Gold and Motown. Overall, it’s a brilliant album that deserves a spot on my top ten for the 2024 list. Super highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


Dent May

Dent May “What’s for Breakfast?”

Dent May is a musical chameleon who can set a mood better than almost anyone. Dent May’s latest album has beautiful melodies and is easy to get into. The opener, “You Already Know,” is a light, airy, upbeat song that encourages the listener to live their life to the fullest, with a clever, slow chorus. “Keep Me In Mind” isn’t as catchy, but still engaging. Another early standout is the fast-tempo “One Call, That’s All,” with handclaps and bright, almost falsetto vocals.

“Coasting On Fumes (feat. Jordana)” has interesting back-and-forth vocals, but May veers into easy listening territory with “Kiss Me In The Rain,” and the songs don’t stand out as much. He tries some pretty psyche-pop touches on “Cactus Flower,” but the chorus doesn’t quite bring it home. The light soul beats and basslines on “Let’s Take It From The Top” sound like demos from disco-era Bee Gees. Nice, but it fails to stick like the first three songs here. Still, this is music that deserves to be heard.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Tax day singles: Lindsay Murray, Orbis Max, Fallon Cush, Tony Marisco,The Krayolas, Tommy Keene, The Blusterfields

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“Fields” features Lindsay Murray (Gretchen’s Wheel) and Orbis Max with drums by Daniele Silvestri. Neil Christie (Emperor Penguin) produced the video. The song compares the end of a relationship with the shifting of a landscape and how even the most permanent landmarks crumble to time and “progress.” Fallon Cush returns with a lively blues-rocker “Sweet Johanna” and Tony Marisco has a sweet EP of jangling songs, fans of The Byrds will certainly enjoy this, check out “Sleepwalker.” The Krayolas honor Dwight Twilley with a classic cover of “I Hear You Knockin’.” The late great Tommy Keene is always worth revisiting, a new digital EP was recently released so don’t hesitate to check it out. A new band to me is The Blusterfields, “Everyone is Dead” fits well with this group, with some jangle and harmonies. Finally, a freebie — RumBar Records After School Special is a 5-song EP with pop-punk artists like Pavid Vermin, J. Prozac, The Cretins, WiMP!, and The Glimmer Stars. Enjoy!





The Cynz and BMX Bandits

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Cynz

The Cynz “Little Miss Lost”

New Jersey-based The Cynz is the duo of Cyndi Dawson and Henry Seiz, and although they’ve been around for several years, it took Jem Records to shine a brighter light on their songwriting prowess. Cyndi’s punk attitude and Henry’s melodic rock style are perfectly balanced here on Little Miss Lost, with assists in production from a bevy of stars: Kurt Reil (The Grip Weeds), Michael Giblin (Split Squad), and Tommy Kristich (The Jellybricks). Even Smithereens legend Jim Babjak plays on a track! With all this in the mix, you will have a great album.

Cyndi’s vocal stylings resemble Brody Dalle (The Distillers) and Joan Jett. The inspiration for the record came from Cyndi’s preadult years when she lived a bit dangerously. There are so many good highlights here: “Crow-Haired Boys,” the 80s jangle of “You Would Not Miss Me,” “When We Were In Love,” “Tell That Girl To Shut Up,” and “Narrow Hips.” Another excellent song is the Smithereens cover “Room Without a View,” and Jim Babjak’s guitar riffs make it even better.  Highly recommended!

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

BMX Bandits

BMX Bandits “Dreamers On The Run”

The 1990s may have seen the careers of former bandmates Teenage Fanclub, Soup Dragons, etc. overshadow those of Scottish cult pop legends BMX Bandits. Still, they remain mainly the home base of Duglas T. Stewart (vocalist & guitarist). After a run of excellent albums through 2017, Duglas has gradually expanded his style with more quirky folk, and unexpected musical turns. Dreamers on the Run is ambitious and more experimental than usual.

The record starts with the title track, a dreamy melodic folk song with Duglas’ wispy, mature vocals. This is followed by “Setting Sun,” a catchy pop song, and then “Time to Get Away, all about the joys of a beach vacation. Subtle harmonies and light strings make these very enjoyable. Then it takes a dramatic turn: “Cockerel’s Waiting,” is like a Broadway/circus ballad about finding love, but gets weird with the next song, a repeating stanza, “My Name Is Duglas (Don’t Listen To What They Say).” I preferred the straightforward “The World Was Round,” as opposed to the experiments here; like the 8-bit music of “Digital Dreamers.” Overall, it is a mixed bag that most fans will enjoy.

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