Livingstone Daisies and Golden Bloom

Livingstone Daisies “Don’t Know What Happiness Is”
Thank you Pop Boomerang Records! The Livingstone Daisies have crafted a record that is authentically Australian yet tips it’s hat in appreciation to bands like Teenage Fanclub, Tom Petty, The Jayhawks, and Big Star.

The superb opener “Wednesday” jangles through with those heavenly harmonies thanks to lead singer/guitarist Van Walker. “Redhead” is another gem that recalls Jeff Lynne magic in the chorus, and Wilburyesque ballad “Safety In Numbness” has Walker gruffly evoke Bob Dylan. “Everything has Got To Go” and “Keep Searching” keep those hooks coming. Each song has a strong melody, with the exception of a morose organ finale “I Still Believe In You,” which improves down the stretch. Overall an exceptional debut.

Bandcamp | Amazon

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Golden Bloom “March To The Drums”
Singer/songwriter Shawn Fogel returns! The light “Rhyme the Reason” flows along at leisurely pace, and a sunnier point of view than Fan The Flames. The best track is the hook filled melody of “You Go On (and On),” it has a bouncy Coldplay-like quality. The second standout is “We Have Grown” with rich harmonies and a majestic anthem that you’ll be humming along to at some point. The music stays in the realm of guitar and keyboard, with some synth noodling here and there. While the EP lists six tracks, three of them are clearly instrumental padding. But those three real songs are pretty impressive.

Goldenbloom.net | Amazon | Bandcamp

Crusaders of Love, The Maladaptive Solution and French Club

Crusaders of Love “Take It Easy… But Take It!”
Hailing from Lille, France, Crusaders Of Love gives us a sonic power pop assault. Starting with “Never Grow Up” it’s part Ramones, part Plimsouls, with a generous helping of Big Star. The chiming guitars continue on “It All Ends that Way” and its all classic three chord riff style with a big bouncy Glam beat. It doesn’t do anything new here, but fans of early 80s punk (“Realm of Death”) or 60s jangle rock (“Next Summer”) won’t mind at all. Have a blast and do some air guitar to this one.

Amazon | Itunes | Bandcamp

The Maladaptive Solution “Heal” EP
Billed as “Middle Age Symphonies To God” the band is a collective of Brad Beard, Jimmy Haber and power pop legend Micheal Carpenter. It starts out of the gate living up to those lofty expectations with “Abacus (Count on You)” a rich blend of electric guitar and harmonies. The remaining tracks are also richly layered power pop, sounding a bit like The Gripweeds or Teenage fanclub. It’s a short EP with only 4 tracks, but definitely worth your time.
Amazon | Bandcamp

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French Club “Sh*t Talk”
French Club is a chaotic mix of rock, punk, ska with a melodic tilt that you don’t hear everyday. The title track is slow to start but then leaps into a rant with a lively horn melody in the chorus. The somber “October” follows this up with a duel vocal male-female lead followed by a harmonized wail. It goes full DIY punk on “In The Basement” with a spirited bass lead. This style is continued on “Jamaica” and “Rattle On” featuring the talented Lily Zwaan’s vocals. So, if you’re in the mood for something different, here it is.

A Fragile Tomorrow and The Honest Mistakes

A Fragile Tomorrow “Be Nice Be Careful”
What started as an alt. rock band with a few good songs on Tripping Over Nothing has moved decidedly to the more popper side of genre. That’s a good thing, as well as enlisting Mitch Easter (REM, Let’s Active, Sneakers) as co-producer. Leader Sean Kelly does a wonderful job on the opening track “Don’t Need Saving,” full of minor chords and chiming guitar strums.

The earnest melody of “Cooked Smiles and Greedy Hands” is a fine composition that echoes The Lemonheads or Toad The Wet Sprocket, with hooks and harmonies in all the right places and a guest vocal with Don Dixon. It loses a little momentum with the bland “Loyalty Lies,” but the steady jangle in “Blank Paper” helps make it an excellent tune about the songwriting process. Clearly the country influence is still here with “Intentions” and “My Home.” Another standout tune is “Kernersville” and doing the background harmonies are The Bangles (Vicki and Debbi Peterson), Susan Cowsill with Mitch Easter on guitar. “Three More Hours” is another fantastic song. With 14 tracks, there is a lot to like here, but it still sounds like a band in transition in spots. The band has been touring with many top-name headliners (Drivin’ and Cryin’, The Bangles and Matthew Sweet) so I expect great things from future AFT releases.

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The Honest Mistakes “Sundowning” EP
After a good debut album, this Baltimore band fine tunes it’s sound. Near perfect opening on “Cry” with hand claps and solid riffs, the band has a much better command of melody than ever before. Vocalist Joylene Dalia effortlessly harmonizes on “The Leaves” and guitarist Chris Ehrichs ever present strum make it a casual breezy single, and then on “Put Those Things Away” the pounding percussion and angular rhythm take center stage. This is a highly recommended EP, fans of 10,000 Maniacs and Blake Babies will thoroughly enjoy this one too.

CD Baby | Amazon | Itunes

John Hopkins and Sam Page

John Hopkins “Sunlight Madness”
Arkansas based pop composer John Hopkins developed this love letter to The Beach Boys SMiLE era and its a wonderful eclectic pop album with bits of DIY folk, and orchestral dream pop. “Morning” starts us with Wilsonesque harmonies in a chant with an awesome a Capella rhythm. It leads in the title track, with effective vocal and guitar flourishes and a rich chorus, ending with rich orchestral interludes between each song. Each track fades seamlessly into each other, often reminding me of Paul Steel’s April & I.

Sometimes the unusual atmospherics (“Downriver”) can get in the way, but that’s a minor point. Each theme is impressive, big standouts include “As You Walk Alone,”  “Ceridwen” and “Sunny Sunday Afternoon.” Harmonies and melodies also recall The Association especially on “Clover,” the best track here. For fans of Sunshine or Baroque Pop this is a real treat. After a few listens the magnificence of this album will sink in, despite a few rough edges. This is a brilliant mood piece that would’ve made my top ten last year.

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Sam Page “Breach”
After his spirited EP debut, Sam Page has a full length album. He lists his influences as Matthew Sweet and Jack White but on his opener “I Don’t Want To Think About Her Anymore” I also hear some Southern Culture on The Skids and The Presidents of The USA.  The guitar melody of “Hold On” has a pretty strong Weezer influence and “Now I Know” has a steady hook that keeps it memorable. Page has a way with bluesy rhythms and lyric on “Pheromones” that make it infectious fun. The guitar skill and warbling vocal on “Thinking About Thinking” is another charmer that brings his background as Philosophy professor in play. This is one performer with potential you cannot ignore, so check it out.

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