Category: Top Ten of 2013 Candidate

Free Music Tuesday: Gleeson, Ghost to Go and Hector & The Leaves

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I got a late start to the week, but the goodies are here, and all this music is available as name-your-price, or free download from Bandcamp:

Gleeson is out of Austin, Texas this band has been quietly toiling away for over 3 years on this massive 22 song album. Lead singer Ty Chandler gives us a great multi-faceted approach, “Pro Tool” is similar to Sloan, “Queen of Boulevards” channels ELO strings with a Fountains of Wayne. They prove to be adept at alt. country with “Out Of My Mind,”similar to The Jayhawks.  “Meanwhile Back At Home” shifts around like a Jackdaw4 or Bryan Scary song. They even cover Guided By Voices'”Smothered In Hugs” and Big Star’s “Blue Moon.”

They are all over the map stylistically and prove they can do it all. The bottom line is that each song is melodically sound and demands repeat listening. It makes my top ten list this year, so you have no excuse not to get this and spread the word. You can also get it from CD Baby, if you wish to donate $9.99


Ghost to Go is a Brooklyn based garage pop band, and they approach “Icy” with the same gusto as Jet’s fave “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” Influences include The Rolling Stones and The Replacements.


Hector and The Leaves gives us some great power pop, starting with the catchy “Problems” its the kind of debut that gets noticed. “Goodbye” has those  light harmonies that float above the guitar and piano. Fans of Elliott Smith, The Beach Boys and Paul McCartney will just love this. One of my favorite EPs this year. It will make my top ten too!

The Charlie Watts Riots and Any Version Of Me

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The Charlie Watts Riots “A Break In The Weather”
Albany based guitar-pop band the Charlie Watts Riots don’t agree on all their musical tastes—though they do share an appreciation for snazzy suits. But bassist Mike Pauley, guitarist Seth Powell and drummer Joe Putrock can cite one primary influence that brought the Charlie Watts Riots together; a love for rock and roll and that rush of combustible energy when they play. They showed potential on their debut, Long Story Short – but now they sound a lot heavier with even better melodies.

Like a power pop version of Nirvana, the dual layered guitar attack of “Bottom” sets the stage. “Curtains” is a mix of Fountains Of Wayne with Foo Fighters.  “Luanne” has a slow build but quickly becomes a fast paced single that won’t leave your head. Each tune keeps you interested, fans of Superdrag and The Posies are sure to love this. Like The Connection, this band has a command of melodic riffs and minor chords aplenty.

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Any Version Of Me “We Are You”
This is the fifth album by this mysterious Frenchman, and here he slowly moves away from this Brian Wilson influences to incorporate a more rounded sound. The opener “Can’t You See” is familiar, but he shifts with electronic synths on “Six and Three.” The barebones acoustic title track shows us a folkie side, but “No Answer” is a much stronger tune and the up-beat “Why Feel So Blue?” is a real charmer, like a Left Banke tune. My favorite here is is “Goodbye” which is kinda if Sondre Lerche played The Monkees. Lots of fun and best of all the download is FREE.

The Nines “The Nines”

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This is the first major release of new material since the Nines’ critically acclaimed album Gran Jukle’s Field. Amazingly, Steve Eggers has come a long way from his 1998 debut on EMI, to working with a Who’s Who of power pop music gods including Andy Partridge (XTC) and Jason Falkner (Jellyfish). This new self-titled album is another pop masterpiece.

Starting with a disco funk bass (shades of Bleu here) intro, Eggers works magic on “Backseat” into an ultra hooky single. With the crowd noise, you almost feel like you’re attending a revival of Frampton Comes Alive! The piano rocker “Far Away” is a perfect segue full of contradictions like “Leave. Please stay. Doesn’t matter now” with an ELO styled middle eight. “Jackie Smokes” is a tonal shift with a heavy guitar and synth, but full of intricately layered vocals – sounding both modern and classic all at once. A few more songs heap on synths and elctro beats, but Steve’s melodies are underneath it all.

“The Virtuous Man” multi-layers the vocal and acoustic guitar with Andy Partridge, and it’s such a great song it makes me miss XTC even more. A fully orchestrated, slickly produced “Seasons” will please McCartney fans, but Steve feels most at home at the old piano with mid tempo ballads like “On The Slidelines” and “Martin.” No one could sing these songs with more earnest. “Goodbye” is another sweet ear confection that would’ve fit neatly on Macca’s Tug of War. Not a single misstep or filler track, and an easy nominee for my 2013 top ten year end list. Welcome back Nines!

CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik

The Junior League and Gary Ritchie

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The Junior League “You Should Be Happy”
After a few solo projects, Joe Adragna puts his sweat into a new Junior League album. Starting with “Keep It Home,” its an excellent roots rocker, assisted by buddy Scott McCaughey (The Minus Five). “Hey Misery” is a Beatlesque piano tune with Pet Sounds styled bass and horns, and even a sax solo. The next song, “One Step Forward (Another Step Back)” has even more Beach Boys styled instrumentation and harmonies.

Adragna then shifts back to a strumming acoustic guitar on the excellent “Samantha Smile,” with a hook filled chorus that reminds me of The Autumn Defense. The heartache ballad “Charming” has a very distinct Queen-like quality in the guitar and strings coda. In fact, the best written ballads I’ve heard this year are found towards the albums end. No filler here, its exceptional all the way around and makes my top ten of 2013 nominee list.


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Gary Ritchie “Near The Alley”
Chicago based Gary Ritchie gives us a follow-up to Hum, Sing, Repeat from 2011. This time we start with the title track from his last album “Hum, Sing, Repeat,” a loving nostalgic look at rock back in Richie’s childhood. With his partner in crime Jeff King (bass, guitar, keys) they play through a terrific collection of songs. “Victimized” and “Charming Life” are catchy melodies that compare well to The Romantics.

The band takes on early Beatles simplicity for “Hear My Pleas” and then it’s back to the guitar riffs of “Midnight Lovers,” which sounds like a lost Raspberries tune. Clearly Ritchie knows his classic power pop, as “Back To You” has some Badfinger-styled guitar. The quality of tracks vary after the mid point, but standouts include “Invisible Man” and “Pull Your String.” Rock on, Ritchie!

CD Baby | Amazon

Wyatt Funderburk “Novel and Profane”

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Wyatt Funderburk is a Nashville musician, songwriter and producer. He’s been behind some of the best power pop of the past few years, producing and mixing for The Wellingtons, The Connection and Kurt Baker most recently. He’s also worked with Bowling For Soup, Linus of Hollywood and Silver Sun. But now Wyatt is on the other side of of the mixing booth crafting his first big solo album.

It’s pretty clear Wyatt has a knack for catchy hook-filled melodies and solid musicianship. Starting with the phrase “How was Your Summer?” we go on a melodic thrill ride with the song “Summer.” Next, “You Know What To Do” is a plea to girl to leave an abusive relationship, a mid-tempo slice of genius that recalls Roger Manning Jr. Each song is done with relatively restrained instrumentation and production, so the songwriting can stand out. Similar to Mike Viola or Adam Schlesinger, Wyatt twists those minor chords in each track, along with a ray of hope in each lyric. The lovely country beat and steel lap on “Feeling Good Tonight” is a welcome shift in tone, the epic “Nights Like This” gets to the heart of the album’s theme, and “Love Will Lead the Way” charms with its Tom Pettyesque rhythm and simple message. Although I felt “Try To Be” really deserved a lush multi-layered treatment, each track is a gem and it easily gets a nod for my top ten of 2013 list.

Now usually I like to wait for a full release before a review, but his one is too good to miss. Full release on August 27.

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