The animated video is from The Dowling Poole, the track is taken from the album ‘Refuse’ which is available to buy on Bandcamp here. Really great singles this month and my faves so far; The Rallies kill it with “Must Be Love” a power pop classic in the making. The queen of power pop, Lisa Mychols also returns with The Masticators for an excellent freebie “Here’s A Boy” and Nashville band The Nobility‘s ballad “Poison Mind” recall The Bee Gees styled falsetto. If your tastes are more old-school, The Low Spirits deliver the freebie “Outta Sight” with its textbook ’66 Animals style, and Geoff Palmer’s side project The Guts has a punk pop gem with “O.F.S.C.” Finally our old friend Cliff Hillis has a sweet new EP out, but since this is a singles post, his new single is a catchy sing-along about the “coolest scuba diver we know.” He should tour kindergartens with this (is this how Raffi got started?).
Tag: Lisa Mychols
Ho-Ho-Holiday Music: It’s beginning to look a lot like…
Well… here we go again. Enjoy the sounds while we countdown the days until the new year and my year-end top 10 list. I have several more reviews to post and of course, brand-new Christmas music. I made an exception with The Minus 5, but everything else here is new. Both Vista Blue and The Happy Somethings are a “name-your-price” download. Enjoy!
A Very COVID Christmas: Ho-Ho-Holiday Singles!
COVID has allowed many musicians to develop holiday music early, and this year boasts a bumper crop of great singles. In fact, it seems everyone had time to record “Jingle Bells” this year. But I enjoy the variety and originality of most of these Christmas tunes here. Grab them quick before they get as stale as Grandma’s fruitcake in January!
Happy Labor Day Singles and EPs! Erik Voeks, Brent Windler, Vista Blue, The Junior League, Ken Sharp, Lisa Mychols & Super 8
Enjoy these fresh singles for the long weekend.
Erik Voeks has been one of my favorite DIY rockers for years, but this timely political gem is one of the best singles I’ve heard in a long time. His new band The Ghosters have bumped up his stock quite a lot here!
Brent Winder the singer/songwriter for “Sons of Great Dane” is back working on a new solo album, and this single “Around The Bend” is a richly arranged gem. It’s a FREEBIE that shouldn’t be missed.
The ever-present Vista Blue is back, saying goodbye to summer in a mashup of Ramones and Beach Boys glory. Speaking of the Beach Boys, are you a fan of Brian or Mike?
The Junior League (Joe Adragna) kicks major ass here with Scott the Hoople on this Monkees meets Dylan single “Summer of Flies.” Great summer tunes on this EP.Ken Sharp gives us “Halyx Rising (Lora’s Song).” It is a Queen-like gem that dazzles with the effects and guitar riffs. Inspired by a new documentary, “Disneyland’s Forgotten Sci-Fi Rock Band.”
Lisa Mychols and Super 8 dropped some “bonus” session tracks from their latest album. These sessions are a glimpse into the recording process and “unplugs” these cool songs.
Szuters and Lisa Mychols & Super 8
The Szuters “Sugar”
The Szuter brothers; Mike and CJ were always guitar heads that played melodic rock, much like The Lund Brothers. In the late ’90s they formed The Szuters and let loose a great rare LP in Japan, but then changed the band to heavy alt-rock and their name to Magna-Fi. They ended up at Ozzfest in 2004 supporting Sevendust, but the band faded from view six years later.
Coming back to their power-pop roots, “Sugar” is everything we missed from The Szuters, and it lives up to the title. Opening with the Beatlesque “Two We Will Always Be” its a super catchy melody with sticky sweet harmonies. The piano-based “Don’t Lie To Me” is another winner, with a wild psyche-pop riff mid-break. Fans of The Raspberries and Cheap Trick will love “Baby Don’t You Be So Blue,” and “She’s Coming Home With Me.” The Beatlesque gems return with “If You Only Knew” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry.” They turn up the amps for the heavier “Good Thing,” and not a note of filler anywhere. It’s a perfect balance of melodic sweetness and guitar crunch. Easily gets a top ten nomination for my year-end list. Highly Recommended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN9i0UaRZx0
Lisa Mychols & SUPER 8 “Lisa Mychols & SUPER 8”
The “Queen of Power Pop” Lisa Mychols joins forces with British psyche-popper Paul “Trip” Ryan to deliver this playful confection for the ears. Lisa’s light harmonies open thing on “What Will Be?” a hippie-infused psychedelic intro that seamlessly blends into the bouncy “Trip & Ellie’s Music Factory” and this is where the chemistry of the two artists play to each other’s strengths.
“Time Bomb” is another great example of kaleidoscopic pop. The tone of the music ebbs and flows from romantic (“Honey Bee”) to wry humor (“The Monkee Song”) but never loses momentum. It does mellow significantly towards the album’s second half with “Your Summer Theme” and “Laguna Night To Remember.” Mychols vocals are as lovely as ever, and Trip even adds his vocal lead to the acoustic “Peaceful.” This is music designed to relieve stress, so spin it and snap along to the music. Highly Recommended.
