Pat Buchanan is a mainstay of the Nashville music scene and was a founding member of the well-respected power pop group Idle Jets whose 1999 release Atomic Fireball garnered rave reviews. Pat’s new single “Sandbox” is a look back at Brian Wilson’s late ’60s state of mind.
Clean Spill is a Santa Barbara laid-back rock band that just pushes my buttons. These guys are literal beach boys; frontman Pat Curren’s dad is a world champion surfer, and he and bassist Geoff Shae, guitarist Cameron Crabtree, and drummer Charlie Fawcett can often be found out riding waves in between band practices. Get the full EP “Nothings On My Mind” on Amazon
The Armchair Oracles, Norway’s best-kept secret has a new single out! The band is Atle Skogrand (vocals/guitar), Jan Ove Engeset (bass), Charlie Wise (drums) and Bjorn Gamlem (guitar) and they’ve played at IPO festival, so you know they’re good! Get it on CD Baby | Amazon
Karla Kane is our final treat, an autumn gem written in England by Martin Newell (Cleaners from Venus)and performed/arranged in California by Karla and her pals; KC Bowman, Khoi Huynh, Bradley Skaught and Gina Sperinde. The song is being released in conjunction with the autumn issue of Big Stir Magazine (in which Kane interviews both Newell and Robyn Hitchcock).
Karla Kane is the main vocalist behind The Corner Laughers, and she’s branched out with a sweet folk-pop album. Kane uses her ukulele to weave a simple melody full of traditional old world charm and her lithe vocals are like a warm comfy sweater on the title track. “Wishing Tree” is closer to The Laughers style of melodic pop, with angelic harmonies and minor chords with spoken word poem by favorite Martin Newell.
The Anglo-centric theme continues on the simple “Skylarks of Britain.” The joyous “Lilac Line” is another gem with a spritely chorus of “Lolly Leopard, I could live forever with you.” and the lovely “Don’t Hush, Darling” is a lullaby of female empowerment. Even The Laughers favorite “Grasshopper Clock” gets the unplugged treatment. The spartan arrangements keep the songs intimate and make this a great album for a quiet night. Amazon
The Forty Nineteens “Good Fortune”
If Karla Kane is a bit too mellow for your mood, then you can’t go wrong with California based band, The Forty Nineteens. This is power pop with a garage band ethos and the hook-filled opener “And Such and Such” makes it easy to come on board. There is plenty of variety here as “Easy Come Easy Go” has a punkier approach, and “My Camaro (Have Some Fun)” mines the retro guitar melody from “Tequila.”
The band tries a psyche-pop turn with “Purple Microdot,” and the vocal harmonies don’t quite work – but its trippy all the same. Thankfully there are lots of good songs here, and rarely did I hear a dud. More recommended songs are “Let Love In,” a great cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Time is On My Side” and the sweet finale “Two Pillows.” Highly Recommended.
In the liner notes it asks “Who is immune to the charms of airy female vocals and ukulele, with lyrics full of pith (but not vinegar)?” Not me (that’s for sure). Led by the harmonies of Karla Kane, with bassist Khoi Huynh, drummer Charlie Crabtree, and guitarists KC Bowman and Angela Silletto, the indie band’s latest features a who’s who of indie power pop guests (Allen Clapp, Anton Barbeau, Mike Viola). The irresistible melody of “Grasshopper Clock” is full of weaving harmonies sure to please and the “Bells of El Camino” is a little more twee pop, think The Essex Green meets Saint Etienne. This approach follows the next several songs here, and standouts include “Laughing Stars” and the solo ukulele ditty “Twice The Luck” is such quirky fun, you expect it to be the theme song for the next Zooey Deschanel show.
And then it shifts to more catchy themes, all based around San Francisco. The piano led theme to area’s tallest skyscraper “Transamerica Pyramid” is a perfect summer tune with handclaps and Beach Boys styled harmonies. The sunshine-pop melancholy of “8:18” is full of anticipation, and even “Chicken Bingo” has fun with the band’s West Coast image. “They asked us where we came from, we said “San Francisco” –They asked again we said “Outer Space,” and the ending track “The Perfect Weather” is a long love letter to the city by the bay. Fans of The Agony Aunts will also love the composition and tight arrangements. Rarely does such a beautiful pop album arrive, it deserves to make my top ten list this year for sure.
