Tag: scott warren

Scott Warren and Stay

powerpopaholic
Scott Warren

Scott Warren “Good Love”

Scott Warren (Signal Hill Transmission) brought together the same cast as his 2012 effort Dyed In The Wool, but this time with a big studio sound complete with horns and string arrangements.  Starting with the solid “Good Love” it’s one of the best openers this year, with melodic muscle in the chorus. “Cold Feet” is worthy follow up, with a wicked guitar solo at the break about a hot-and-cold love affair.

“Idle Hands” recalls Matthew Sweet’s dense bed of drums and riffs, but then he slows down for “Why Won’t You Come Around?” before it builds up to a bluesy crecendo that knocks it out of the park. A few country styled songs are wedged in here, but don’t resonate as strongly as the rock. The ballad “Fall in Line” is a good palette cleanser for the Fleetwood Mac-ish “When I Get Away From You.” A slow tempo cover of Lindsey Buckingham’s “Trouble” closes things out. This is terrific album that deserves to be heard. Highly Reccomended!

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Stay

Stay “The Mean Solar Times”

Barcelona based Stay are a psych-rock collective that bears more than a passing resemblance to Oasis, as the new album The Mean Solar Times was produced by Owen Morris (The Verve, Oasis) and features a guest guitar slot for Andy Bell (Ride, Oasis, Beady Eye). There is a solid Britpop vibe mixed with some psychedelic rock and so fans of both genres will enjoy the interplay of synths, organ, harmonies and great lead guitar riffs perfectly executed on “Pinkman.”

Fans of The Byrds will dig “You Know It’s Alright” with its easy going chorus and jangling bed of guitar rhythm. And while “Dirty and Alone” and “Always Here” have that Manchester vibe similar to The Stone Roses, the sitar is thrown in to give it a retro gloss. No real duds and a highly recommended trip through your headphones.

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Scott Warren and Sara Melson

powerpopaholic

Scott Warren “Dyed In The Wool”
Formerly of Signal Hill Transmission, Warren gives us his 2nd solo effort. The bouncy opener “Divisible/Indivisible” leads with Beatles styled brass and handclaps. “No One’s Home Anymore” is a solemn mix of “Elenor Rigby” till you get to the fast paced chorus. My favorite here is “When She Comes Around” a gentle love song with a great bass line and catchy jangle chorus.

The stripped down, sparse approach concentrates on Scott’s lyrics and composition, this works well on “Guess I Should Tell You.” And it also works magic on simple pop treats like the “Dime Novel” and the Shins styled “Sinking Feeling.” Even the slightly psyche-pop closer “Tongue-tied” is a marvel of melody with natural sound effects. After several spins this album grew on me like a well worn pair of jeans, and would make a excellent headphones album on a quiet night.

Sara Melson “The Beachwood Canyon Sessions”
Sara Melson is one of those artists, who have such a lovely voice you wonder “How come I never heard her before?”  – especially since her debut Dirty Mind from 2008 was considered a folk pop success and she’s been a TV actress. Since that time Sara left her label, sold songs to TV and like Jeff Lynne of ELO, has decided to re-record and reinterpret some of those songs in a stripped down manner for The Beachwood Canyon Sessions.

Coming at these tunes fresh, Sara breathes real life into them, the songs have spiritual quality with “Birthday Prayer” where she looks back and forward at once. The optimism of “Never Been Hurt” is tempered with caution after the chorus where “…my fear has got no chance of winning.” Each track charms and let’s Melson’s personality shine through. Fans of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Sarah MacLachlan will savor this.