Powerpopholic

The Cherry Bluestorms "Transit of Venus"

May 25, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

I recently unearthed this “lost” gem of an album from a few years ago, “Transit of Venus”, the debut album from The Cherry Bluestorms, is a modern pop album with a well placed nod to the classic rock genre (also named one of David Bash’s top 100 pop albums of 2007). Starting with a stellar cover of The Beatles’ “Baby, You’re a Rich Man,” the duo of Deborah Gee and Glen Laughlin (The Dickies) add a nice psyche-pop touch to a full arena rock sound. They collaborate the style well on “Daisy Chain” and fans of The Grip Weeds will really flip for this group. The rich production work and composition of “Here” bring to mind both Chrissie Hynde and Annie Lennox. The music leans less on the sixties influences by the albums’ mid point and the great guitar work and Gee’s smooth vocal approach continues on the gems “Violent Heart” and “While You Were Away.” The male-female duet of Gee and Laughlin return with the excellent “Fear of Gravity.” The songwriting overall is strong throughout the entire album, so no real filler either. Overall, if you missed this one — it’s both fresh and accessible, so give it a chance. Fans of Heart and Jefferson Airplane will also enjoy it thoroughly.

MySpace | CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik

Skoober FREE "Skoober" EP and some cool news

May 24, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

Wow! a new Skoober EP and it’s for FREE if you tell your friends about it through NoiseTrade. This EP continues the brilliance of the debut album, and it doesn’t let up with some wonderful power pop. Notably “Sucks To Be You” is one of the best new singles I’ve heard in a while. Tawni Bates just gets better with each listen and Andy Weaver’s guitar work sparkles on each track, especially “Don’t be The One to Leave.” Just stop reading and get this one quick!

THIS JUST IN: Charlotte Pop Fest is slated for September 24-27.
This looks to be bigger and better than last year with a simply amazing line-up including The Posies, The Spongetones, Myracle Brah, The Singles, Cliff Hillis and many more. I have to give James Deem credit for putting together this awesome festival which will give IPO a run for it’s money this fall. Learn more at www.charlottepopfest.com

Girl in a Coma and The Calico Brothers

May 21, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

Girl in a Coma “Trio B.C.”
This Texas band, composed of sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz (on vocals and guitar and drums, respectively), and bassist Jenn Alva was launched in 2007 with support from Blackheart Records (Joan Jett’s label). The Diaz sisters chose Trio B.C. as the album title because it was the name of their grandfathers tejano band in a the 50s. Nina Diaz vocals really stand out here, like a mix of Jett, Lene Lovich and Chrissie Hynde. The album is full of punk rock energy, great examples of this are “Static Mind” and “Baby Boy.” The soulful songs “Vino” and “El Monte” show a maturing band hitting it’s stride. The highlight of the album hits with “Pleasure and Pain” full of guitar hooks and harmonies through a crunchy guitar buzz. “Joannie In The City,” the is lone track produced by Joan Jett and is full of aggressive and addictive guitar hooks and a driving bassline that drives the song into your brain. The band takes influences from many sources (new wave, punk, rockabilly) and still pushes through it’s Latin identity, most notably on “Ven Cerca.” Keep your eyes on these women — they know how to rock without faking it.

MySpace | Amazon

Calico Brothers “Tell It to the Sun”
In the farway land of Waitakere, New Zealand, the Calico Brothers broke into the modern music scene in 2008 with their debut EP, God Left Town. In the basement studio, Chet O’Connell (guitar), Jimmy Calico(bass) and Robbie Calico(drums) finished their debut full length “Tell It To The Sun.” This is gentle folk pop with a country twist, and it opens with the shimmering title track, complete with harmonica and slide guitar riffs. The wonderful songwriting pulls this album above the ordinary with the Lennonesque “Is There Anyone There?” and “Up For Air.” Fans of Wilco, Jayhawks, America and CSN will surely enjoy the wonderful harmonies and subtle Telecaster sound. The low key ballads are not that exciting, but the mid tempo pop gems more than make up for it. “Tread Carefully” sounds like a Gerry Beckley classic and “Weight Around My Heart” is another well written single. The heavy echo effects on “Always Said I’d Do” distract a little from the melody, but it’s still a keeper. This is a fairly successful album, with perfect rural pop songs for a sunny day.

MySpace | CD Baby

Simon Felton "Failing In Biology"

May 20, 2009May 31, 2018 powerpopaholic

So I guess Jeremy isn’t the only label exec that can play a tune? Pink Hedgehog Records’ owner Simon Felton has his own debt out now. No stranger to this, he’s also the bass player for the band Garfields Birthday. Simon is assisted by both Anton Barbeau and Alan Strawbridge (Lucky Bishops/Cheese) and that’s considerable pop muscle! The album sounds a bit like The Spongetones “lite”, especially the opener “Mister Magic Eyes” with it’s jangley pop guitar strumming. Some of the songs have a slight psychedelic touch like “Paisley Man” and it reminds me a bit of Gerry and The Pacemakers. Another highlight is the warm and fuzzy “The Latest Thing” which is a subtle dig at newer bands lack of success, done in a Beatlesque style. Another fun observation is the song “(It’s Not) Rocket Science,” which opens with the line: “In the time it takes to sing this song/You could probably write a better one.” The entire album was recorded in six days on a very tight budget. You wouldn’t notice this as the musicianship is excellent, but the hooks aren’t as strong as they could be here. The slower ballads “Wait And See” and “Goodbye” are a bit too placid to be memorable either. Compared with Garfield’s Birthday, the album is admittedly lightweight. But for fans of jangle pop and soft AM radio classics you will find plenty to like here.

MySpace | Simon Felton.com | Kool Kat Musik

The Resonars "That Evil Drone"

May 19, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

Tucson, Arizona power pop veterans of the retro 60s sound, The Resonars last year put out one of my favorite albums entitled Nonetheless Blue. Their latest release, That Evil Drone, shows that the last album was no fluke. Much like its predecessor, The Resonars sound is focused on psychedelia in the Beatles Revolver-era. The chiming guitars and vocal harmonies of “World Apart” will thrill you. The fast paced fun of “No Black Clouds Float By” builds on the Monkees styled jangle and hyper-guitar solos between the chorus. Leader singer/songwriter Matt Rendon has absorbed every significant guitar style of the sixties era from McGuinn to Hendrix to Clapton. I’m not sure if The Pillbugs continue as a group, but The Resonars are rightly worthy of the crown for retro-pop this year (sorry, El Goodo it was close but they take it). “Run Kodiak Run” is an excellent instrumental with driving fuzz guitars, Rickenback lead and slightly distorted bass. “No Horizon” is another catchy gem, along the lines of New Colony Six and Paul Revere and The Raiders. By mid album, with “Black Breath” and “She Did” it shows more garage roots, similar to The Seeds sound. “Bird Using Bird” has that smokey blues feel that the Yardbirds used to do so well. And another instrumental, “Yes Grosvenor” is simply a masterful guitar exercise. That Evil Drone is an amazing album, considering that their music is technically complicated and spot on accurate to the period.

MySpace | Kool Kat Musik | Not Lame

Listen to “No Black Clouds Float By”