Category: Top Ten of 2016 Candidate

TUNS and Teenage Fanclub

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TUNS

TUNS “TUNS”

TUNS (named after the Technical University of Nova Scotia) is a Canadian indie “supergroup” consisting of Chris Murphy (Sloan), Matt Murphy (Super Friendz, Flashing Lights) and Mike O’Neill (The Inbreds). And TUNS doesn’t lean on any one member to make it special, it combines the strengths and experience of each member to deliver a pure power pop treasure.

Opening with the jangling upbeat melody of “Back Among Friends” where “good times, band times, never gets old.” Next “Mixed Messages” has a jaunty beat and winding lead similar to Squeeze, while the handclaps and thick riffs of “Mind Over Matter” just sink into your brain. The slow, hazy beat on “Look Who’s Back In Town Again” is infectious, just oozing psychedelic reverb.  Each track is a tightly structured gem and this 9 track album deserves a spot on my 2016 top ten list.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Teenage Fanclub

Teenage Fanclub “Here”
As a band evolves and its vision clarifies, you get a good feel of a where its members hearts and minds are at. And what the band feels at this point is pure love and gratitude. “I’m in Love” is the most optimistic song I’ve ever heard from the Teenage Fanclub, a rich uplifting melody and the hushed harmonies on “Thin Air” display their adult wisdom, a perfect example of Adult Oriented Power Pop (AOPP) with the comforting rhythm of electric guitars. The hooks continue on the song “Hold On” where Norman Blake gives his audience advice “Hold on to your life and your dreams.”

All these songs share a theme of enjoying the short moment of time we have left on this planet. From the chiming chorus on“The Darkest Part of The Night” to the guitar buzz on “I Have Nothing More to Say,” it stays on point.  The tempos gradually slow, so by the time we get to “Live in The Moment” a bit of message fatigue sets in. Vocalist Raymond McGinley soothing lead approaches a zen-like calm on “Steady State,” but goes darker on “With You,” where your fear that “life is short and life is long.” It ends on the sobering acoustic chamber pop of “Connected To Life.” Overall a solid, highly recommended album that crosses from joy to “disappear into shadows in the night.”

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqIkUaH5_M

The Legal Matters and Mason Summit

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The Legal Matters

The Legal Matters “Conrad”

On of the most anticipated releases this year was from The Legal Matters (Andy Reed, Chris Richards, and Keith Klingensmith) a power pop supergroup that impressed many 2 years ago. The band has matured into a more cohesive unit and Conrad feels more confident, more buoyant and pushes the boundaries of the term power pop to what I would call “Adult-Oriented Power Pop,” and if you listen to the new Teenage Fanclub album Here, you’ll be in similar territory.

The bands influences have blended into each other, and the sound is now to closer to Crowded House meets Jellyfish meets America. “Anything” is a mid-tempo opener with stunning harmonies in its chorus that’s just brimming with optimism. “I’m Sorry Love” is a Jellyfish-like ballad with multiple shifts in tone and warbling guitar lines. Next, “Minor Key” is a perfect mid-tempo offering and then the band lets loose on “Short Term Memory” about the ephemeral nature of musical hooks and asks “who killed all the rock and roll stars?” Another gem “She Called Me To Say” is a catchy tune with some great bass and shimmering guitar work.

There are also a few acoustic-driven personality sketches like “Pull My String” and “The Cool Kid” that are loaded with authenticity. We also get a very Posies-like power ballad “Hip Hooray” and it ends with the McCartneyesque “Better Days” explaining the dual message that better days are both behind us and in front of us. No filler, and not typical disposable music, this album needs to be digested over several listens. Overall this a meticulously crafted piece of pop that deserves to be somewhere in my top ten and earns my highest rating.

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Jayhawks

Mason Summit “Gunpowder Tracks”

LA singer-songwriter Mason Summit is musically wise beyond his 19 years, as Gunpowder Tracks is a sophisticated slice of chamber pop and American folk. “Cellophane Skin” starts out as a soft piano melody with complex lyrics and a tight arrangement. “Splatterpaint” builds from bare bones pop to a layered gem with light backing harmonies, similar to Elliot Smith.

“When Time Was Mine To Spend” is a great example of Summit’s descriptive lyrics that paint a picture of growing up. What helps is Summit’s detailed approach as he drifts across styles from jazz (“Detour” and the title track) to jangling folk pop (“Particles” “Last Time”). It may be a bit too “coffee house” for some, but he’s well on his way to stardom if he continues this path.

Amazon | CD Baby

Somerdale and Hector and The Leaves

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Somerdale

Somerdale “Shake It Maggie”

You couldn’t ask for a better self-referential intro than “Take It From The Top” with all the guitars, harmonies and catchiness. It even acknowledges that power pop is “so out of style its cool” and if you love the classic power pop sound (Badfinger, Raspberries, Cheap Trick) you’ll be hard pressed to find a better example on Shake It Maggie.

“Waiting For You” is a slow burning rocker with layered instrumentation that drives to a dramatic peak. “The News” picks up the tempo and that fuzzy guitar rhythm just sticks in your head. The thick slabs of riffs and chord structure on “Excuse Me” make it an irresistible power ballad. “Feel The Magic” is a little Bay City Rollers mixed with Slade, full of hand claps and smoking’ harmonies. Another one of my favorites here is “The Coolest Kid In School,” sounding like a lost song from teen 90’s movie soundtrack, its both sweet and wicked. Even though there are moments of meandering hard rock (“She’s Leaving California”) there is not a note of filler here. Get’s a nod as one of the top ten albums for 2016. Don’t miss it!

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik | CD Baby


Hector and the leaves

Hector and the Leaves “Sometimes In The Morning: EPs 2012-2106”

Hector and The Leaves (aka Tom Hector) is a London based folk-pop outfit who’s been putting out EPs for several years and this collection puts it all together.

“I’ll Be Leaving Soon” with its wispy, layered vocalizations sets the mellow mood. “Imogen” has Elliott Smith like acoustic guitar strums, and then the bouncy “Problems” offers up a warm hook that will coax the indifference out of any educated listener. The lush “California” with its hushed harmonies recall Curt Boechetter or The Brigadier with its beautiful “ba-ba-ba” chorus. There is some minor filler here (“Baumer’s Suit,” “I Ride My Bicycle”) but it doesn’t detract from the albums flow. “Good Times” and “Goodbye” has an almost pastoral dreamlike quality. You will either love this gentle full warm sound or it will put you to sleep. Either way it’s highly recommended mellow-out music.

Kool Kat Musik

Hector and the Leaves – On Your Own from rowan armstrong on Vimeo.

Nick Piunti and Look Park

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Nick Piunti

Nick Piunti “Trust Your Instincts”

Nick Piunti has reliably delivered another amazing album. “Trust Your Instincts” is everything exemplary about power pop, the title track layers fantastic guitar melody with a great message to “trust your gut.” The next track “One Hit Wonder” pokes fun at the rush of fleeting music success, with a nice key change in the final verse. Great harmonies and melodies are all over the songs, with Nick’s throaty vocals leading the charge, which I’ve previously compared to Bryan Adams. Back in the studio assisting is Ryan Allen (guitar,backing vocals) Andy Reed (bass, synth) and Donny Brown (drums, backing vocals).

Every song here is a gem, but some favorites stick out like “Dumb It Down” with its a magical chorus and “As Far As I Throw” has the catchiest riffs you’ll ever hear in modern rock music. You’ll also hear multiple influences, but unlike past albums its better integrated into Nick’s overall unique sound. Even without a slow ballad, this easily gets on my top ten album list for 2016. Was there any doubt?

Amazon


Look

Look Park “Look Park”

Chris Collingwood (Fountains of Wayne) goes out of his way to make Look Park feel different from his old band, and it does (to a point.) It’s much more of a “grown-up” softer sound without those guitar hooks thanks to producer Mitchell Froom. Starting out boldly “Shout Part 1” has a shimmering guitar rhythm with Collingwood’s distinct vocals. “Stars of New York” is more laid back ’70s yacht rock with its synth piano and strings.

There are gems to be found, like “You Can Come Round If You Want To” with its simple acoustic strums and “Aeroplane” with its catchy melody. Lots of pastoral sounds are found on “I’m Gonna Haunt This Place” and “Minor is the Lonely Key” where he seems to be channeling Sting. Not everything here works, but its worth exploration. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Cupid’s Carnival and Gleasons Drift

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Cupid's Carnival

Cupid’s Carnival “Everything Is Love”

We don’t know where Cupid’s Carnival has been hiding (yes we do), but thanks to Kool Kat Musik we can now discover the music of Roland Skilton and Thomas Gray. The band is an overtly Beatlesque treat at every level starting with the Harrison-like slide guitar riffs on “Girl.” After a psyche-pop “The Right Time,” it runs into the McCartney-like melody of “Working Girl” and then the layered arrangements on “The Magical Mystery Tour” styled “I Was The Boy.”

Literally no bad tracks here and “Summertime” is another sunny gem before a faithful cover of Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” featuring original Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher reprising the song’s signature organ parts. The piano echoing on “Our Life” and the title track are a dead ringers for John Lennon solo style. Even the ending track “Sunny Days” liberally takes from ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky.” Luckily, the all the tunes are a combination of original composition and recognizable stylings that make it into my year end top ten list. Don’t miss this one!

Kool Kat Musik | CD Baby

Gleasons Drift

Gleasons Drift “Gleasons Drift”

Pottsville, PA band with a lot of spunk is actually on their fourth LP, and its got those riff-heavy pub rock melodies similar to The Replacements or The Stones. The opener “Mixx/REM” is almost like Southern Culture On The Skids with its rural garage vibe, and standouts “Ghost In The Corner” and “Pumpkinhead Jones” makes a great showcase for the band’s energy. However things drift into dullsville with “Stop Draggin Me Down” and “Say Goodbye.” Still, enough here to keep most listeners around like “Stag Martyr” and the catchy guitar lead on “Acquiring Satellites.”

Amazon | CD Baby