Sugerdrag "Industry Giants"

Superdrag – John Davis, Brandon Fisher, Tom Pappas and Don Coffey, Knoxville’s perennial underdogs of power pop, have reformed after a 5 year breakup, and after what many thought was a troubled history with both the labels and thier own personal demons. And they sound pissed. In fact the opening raw punk rant “Slow to speak, slow to anger” is anything but. Like the band’s full-length debut Regretfully Yours, the bands energy level is high. Davis screams much of the hyperactive lyrics here, but on a few songs like “Live and Breathe”and “Try” we actually get a melody with the tube-amp distortion from the band’s dual guitar attack. “I Only Want A Place To Stay” is a welcome return to form as well, with rich textured guitar balancing out Davis. Unfortunately, the distortion on “Everything’ll Be Made Right” overtakes the vocals and “Cheap Poltergeists” puts bassist Tom Pappas out front for an Alice Cooper impersonation. “Ready To Go” recovers things, with a Replacements-like structure and great vocals with the lines “we’ve been waiting for so long.” And they sound like they mean it — it’s the best song on the album. The harder sound will sit well with fans of Sevendust and Taking Back Sunday, and turn off some fans of their earlier work like, Head Trip In Every Key. In some sense the band has left it’s melodic comfort zone for a “younger” demographic here and that’s okay, but for me it’s not as memorable or catchy. Still for Superdrag fans, there is enough talent on display here to listen to and appreciate this reunion.

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Shake Some Action "Touch the Sky" video

The band Shake Some Action started recording their third album and this time you can follow the bands progress on their blog. It’s a facinating process behind the music, and after it’s done the band will post a free download. Take a look at the band’s blog.

The Perms "Keep You Up When You’re Down"

If you want a great rockin’ head boppin’ pop album, Winnipeg’s The Perms latest “Keep You Up When You’re Down” will fit the bill. In fact this album pushes The Perms as a major player in the power pop genre. The opening single “Give Me All Your Lovin” is a catchy high energy song that sounds a bit like KISS meets Sloan.  This is followed by the gem “As You Were” with a driving chorus and roaring guitars along the lines of the Posies or Velvet Crush.  Both “Running Away” and “World To Me” continues to kick things up with harmonious guitars and vocals. The band flirts with a bigger arena sound on “You Don’t Know” but stop short of Bon Jovi/Def Leppard territory. Another slew of gems follow with the great melodies in “Nightshift” and the gentle vocal harmonies on “Who are you Fooling” recalling Weezer. The album is pretty consistent, with a bunch of good mid-tempo rockers like “Big Mistake” and “It Won’t Hurt Us At All.” I do hear a 70s rock element here with Thin Lizzy styled guitar licks, and Chad Smith’s deep vocals do seem to be channeling Paul Stanley. Every track is good here, and it ends just as strong as it begins with the excellent “Salvation.” If the Perms were not on your radar before — now is the time to pay attention. 

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This is a studio update on The Perms sound.

Morrissey "Years of Refusal"

Few artists are as timeless as former Smiths frontman Morrissey. On his ninth solo album, he’s as sharp as ever. Lyrically not too many people can get away with lines like “It’s not your birthday anymore, there’s no need to be kind to you.” There is not so much a single standout track (although “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” comes close), as this is a solid consistent album. Unlike earlier works, his optimism is on full display here. He even mentions “It’s a miracle I made it this far…” in the first track “Something Is Squeezing My Skull.” 

He swoons and croons many concepts here, from the fuzz rock of “All You Need Is Me” to the familiar and somber “It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore.” Producer Jerry Finn brings Morrissey’s torchy voice to the forefront here, as opposed to earlier albums emphasis on gloomy atmosphere. “Sorry Doesn’t Help” is another single-worthy fast paced track. If you never liked him before, this is at least his most accessible album. Even the last track “I’m OK By Myself” states an upbeat affirmation, and it’s a personal statement that puts an exclamation point on all the old stories about his personal life. Didn’t Michael Jackson do this when he made the single “Leave Me Alone?” In any case, “Years of Refusal” is a welcome addition to the Morrissey/Smiths catalog. For fans and non-fans alike.

The Poor Richards "The Poor Richards"

Well here’s some insanely creative and eccentric pop. With Beatlefest kicking off in New Jersey this year on March 27th, we present a group that certainly has a Fab fetish. The Poor Richards are R.A and J.A. Richard with an 18 song debut that recalls both The Pillbugs and The Spongetones, with a vast array of pop hooks. Opening with the bass lead “Remember, Remember” gets the celebration going, with enough well placed riffs and make it’s repetitive lyrics tolerable. One of the best songs here “Don The Suit,” is a Magical Mystery Tour era treat. The duo takes bits from different Beatles eras for “La La Love” with a touch of those DIY harmonies, that recall Chris Breetveld. “Mr. Travers” has a killer riff and structure, similar to “Day Tripper” and makes it easy to enjoy. Other tracks get a bit dodgy, as “All His Falling Downs” which plays off-sync until the wonderful chorus, in a clear nod to XTC. But for every miss, there are at least two charming tracks, for example “Norwegian Friend” guitar and piano recall Emmitt Rhodes. Some songs are clearly demos, and some are fun experiments (“Every Single Day”) that would be real gems if taken to the next level. If you noted all the bands I referenced then you’ll find this album is worth inclusion on your playlist.

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La La Love – The Poor Richards

Mr. Travers – The Poor Richard…