Mike Viola and The Successful Failures

Mike Viola

Mike Viola “Paul McCarthy”

If there is anyone who’s well-loved in power pop circles, it’s Mike Viola. As a producer, he’s pushed artists like Panic! at the Disco, Andrew Bird, Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, and Mandy Moore to higher levels. As a musician, he’s built an amazing catalog of albums, both solo and with his band The Candy Butchers. And it’s Mike’s voice on that American pop classic “That Thing You Do!” written by Adam Schlesinger.

After several “quiet” years, Paul McCarthy has Viola clearly exploring his relationship to pop stardom and fame. “Bill Viola” gives us a slice of this past, expecting rock stardom, one foot in the future, and one foot in the past as he blurs narrative lines. His hard rock style on “Water Makes Me Sick,” notably recalls Joe Walsh as an inspiration. “Love Letters From A Childhood Sweetheart” is another solid ballad, about looking back to what could have been. The compelling guitar lines on “Scientist Alexis” have serious heft, but lack the hooks it really needs. But no matter, the title track “Paul McCarthy” is a fun imaginary tale of joining The Beatles at Shea Stadium, complete with a dreamy chorus “Do know you’re alive?” Viola coasts, then he immerses himself in the buzzing “Torp” with its bass rhythm and an earnest chorus. The awesome “You Put The Light Back in My Face,” recalls the great solo rocker of his past. Viola remains a dynamic artist that keeps his music fresh, and that’s what makes this album great, and always highly anticipated by fans. Highly Recommended.

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The Successful Failures

The Successful Failures “Wrong Together”

The 10th LP from New Jersey’s Successful Failures finds lead singer/songwriter Mick Chorba still knows how to jam with the best of them. The potent mixture of rootsy, indie-rock is evident in the opener “Millions of People.” It’s a great start, full of catchy riffs and inspirational lyrics. In the next tune, it goes into a less optimistic “Sunny Side of Town” with a little more twang and sadness. From there it feels more like a mixed bag. In some cases, the band recalls its earlier, grungier incarnation on “New City” and “The Worst of Our Kind.” Things seem to drag after this, with the simplistic “It Is the Rain” feeling like a kiddie rocker.

It seems to get more fun with the loose chorus of “Kids from Queens” which includes a blistering solo in the coda. The blues come back in “All I Really Want” and Chorba excels at this too. The ambitious “I Am of the Stars” proves the band does really good operatic rock with notable piano and guitar call-and-response. “Flying Cowboys” is a strong final track, and while this album isn’t as consistent as previous ones it boasts several great tunes. Still, a band that deserves to be heard.

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The John Sally Ride and The Successful Failures

The John Sally Ride

The John Sally Ride “Now Is Not a Great Time”

This third LP of The John Sally Ride continues their knack for sharp power-pop/rock songs. The four-man combo John Dunbar (Guitar, Vocals), Sal Maida (Bass), Joe Pampel (Guitar), and Sal Nunziato (Drums) boast a more focused sound, and “The Nicest Things” keep Dunbar’s understated, self-effacing approach but layer in more hooks. “Putting It Off” is another breakthrough tune that defines the band’s unique approach. “I Never Understood (Where I Stood With You)” adds a little Motown influence with its horns. The title track “Now Is Not A Great Time” and “He Doesn’t Know If He Snores” expand the scope of the band’s sound to include layered psych-pop flourishes.

Both “Far From Eaten Out” and “She Doesn’t Do Nostalgia” are comforting and compelling to listen to. “You Let Her Break Your Heart Again” is a superior ballad, but the songs don’t break much ground after this. Themes of bitterness and rejection are all over the album, so the sad-sack lyrical approach will wear out its welcome for some. But as far as the musicianship, it might be perfect timing. Highly Recommended.

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 The Successful Failures

The Successful Failures “James Cotton Mather”

New Jersey roots rockers The Successful Failures return with a nautical-themed concept album.  It features the guitar heroics of lead Mick Chorba and his crew; Ron Bechamps, Rob Martin, and Pete Smith. The anthemic “Naval Victories” recall The Who, Sloan, and Pearl Jam, and even better “A Coat For Dreams” rocks out with some dramatic melody lines across its 4-minute run time. The guitar fuzz kicks into overdrive on highlights “The Seas Roll Mountain High” and the AC/DC-like “Let The Power Go Through You.”

The layered harmonies on “Julie the Redeemer” are also very impressive, but despite these gems, the remaining songs don’t distinguish themselves and tend to blend into each other. Fans of heavily layered guitars will enjoy this, so definitely give it a shot. It’s music that deserves to be heard.

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The Successful Failures and Fernando Perdomo

Successful failures

Successful Failures “Pack Up Your Shadows”

As one of New Jersey’s most accomplished bands, The Successful Failures are not afraid to color outside the lines. Mick Chorba (guitar, vocals), Ron Bechamps (bass, mandolinvocals), Rob Martin (drums), and Pete Smith (guitar) start off with a series of Bluegrass-Country influenced songs that I’d expect more from Wilco or The Jayhawks. However, “Honeycomb” and “On Down The Line” are great catchy tunes, and Bechamps mandolin is front-and-center here.

“Murder ‘Neath the Silver Moon” is a great transitional story song, it reminded me of The Black Crowes, and that twang is joined by a strong lead guitar. “This Girl” continues the streak, with layers of rhythm guitars and a great chorus, it’s definitely a rocking “hit.” The band cuts loose on “More of The Same” with its Chuck Berry-like riffs, then slowing to a bluesy crawl mid-way through before it comes back roaring to life. Mick then comes back to the country-based bar songs, “Whiskey” and “Something Good.” No weak tunes are to be found here. The band seems to be excellent no matter what genre they play. Grab a shot of your favorite libation and listen up. It’s highly recommended.

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Fernando Perdomo

Fernando Perdomo “The Leo August Album”

Fernando has been very busy lately, doing some great collaborations this year with Justin Paul Sanders and Dave Kerzner (to name a few.) This is a concept album about a musician named Leo August who is on his death bed at the end of his battle with a deadly disease. The somber story is told through Fernando’s acoustic fingerpicking and first-person lyric.

There is a deep feeling of regret and sadness throughout, like classic Lee Hazlewood or Leonard Cohen. The melodies are very bittersweet. An early standout is “Release” is a song about Leo pleading to his fellow musicians to get their music out before it’s too late. The double meaning is all too clear, as Leo seeks a release from regrets. The psychedelic “Float Away” creates a dreamy soundscape, and “Fade Out” has the best message here; “I wanna live, till I die. I wanna get to say goodbye.” While this album has an effective narrative and mood, it seems stretched out to cover the 10 songs here. Still, it’s an effective downbeat album, and if you are feeling depressed, it will feel like Fernando is playing directly to you. Check it out.

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The Successful Failures and The Muffs

The Successful Failures

The Successful Failures “Saratoga”

New Jersey’s Successful Failures present their 7th full-length LP, “Saratoga.” Lead singer Mick Chorba starts with the echoing fuzz chords of “Because We Are Ghosts,” and despite the simple lyric, it commands your attention. The band shuffles along on its roots-like rhythm of “Love You So” with a terrific slow boogie bass midway through the song as Mick croons “Do you love me so?” While the songs feel very loose if you listen carefully, you’ll hear the subtle details in the composition. Like Tom Petty, it’s the augmented leads and chugging beat of a song like “Ocean and The Stars” that elevate it from average to greatness.

The band moves from the traditional blues on “Ruby, Ruby” to the very ambitious “Knoxville Suite” which incorporates some very Clapton-esque touches as reaches its zenith. The follow up “No White Knight in Knoxville” is a fast-paced anthem sure to get you tapping your feet. While there are several typical rockers like “Oh Diane,” it’s also good to hear the more experimental “Already in Two.” Overall another highly recommended LP.

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The Muffs

The Muffs “No Holiday”

When you want to count the great punk-pop bands of the genre, near the top of your list should be The Muffs. While they reference The Who, The Troggs, The Kinks, Ramones and Sex Pistols, they are completely original. As punks, they can make noise with the best of them, but its Kim Shattuck’s songwriting and the tight-knit playing that makes them so formidable. Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day) called Ms. Shattuck “one of my favorite songwriters.” So its with bittersweet feeling that I review the final Muffs album No Holiday. Kim passed away last week from complications of ALS (aka Lou Gehrig’s disease), but she left us a treasure trove of tunes in her wake. Written over a period between 1991 and 2017, the songs range from intimate ballads to punk expression. And at 18 tracks, there is a lot to wade through.

Starting with “That’s For Me” and “Down Down Down” its everything a Muffs fan expects, with the snarls, screams and punk guitars. But for the title track, Kim gets sweet with a big melodic chorus, as the next few songs are mellower than expected. “Late and Sorry” is another highlight with a perfect mix of the sweet and sour. Some great songs could have benefited from a fuller production, like “Sick Of This Old World” and “Happier Just Being With You.” On the whole, the songs showcase the band’s depth of emotion on gems like “Lucky Charm,” and “On My Own.” It’s a fine portrait of Kim’s many moods and she will not be forgotten. Highly Recommended.

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The video above is the last Muffs concert in South America

Wesley Fuller and The Successful Failures

Wesley Fuller

Wesley Fuller “Inner City Dream”

Wesley Fuller is an Australian singer/songwriter multi-instrumentalist and producer, who quickly received national attention with the release of his debut EP, Melvista. With a sound rooted in the late 70s and early 80s pop, this full-length debut is everything promised and more. Fuller reveals a growing maturity both technically and melodically, as you’ll hear influences from The Talking Heads, The Cars, The Bay City Rollers and Electric Light Orchestra.

The opening title track “Inner City Dream” is a glorious combo of T-Rex and Jeff Lynne. “Someone To Walk Around With” is another catchy gem lead by guitar riffs and tambourines, that reminds me of the hit that Jet scored with “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.” The 70’s cowbell and fuzz bass are joined by heavy synths in the equally amazing “Skyways,” but its honestly impossible to find any filler throughout the album. Another highlight is the infectious “#1 Song” about pop star dreams and “the chance of a lifetime.” Each song boasts a modern production sheen, with a finely crafted sense of pop songwriting – making the results pretty damn incredible. Overall the music varies in tone enough, with mid-tempo love songs reaching the album’s second half on “Wish You Would” and “Miranda Says” contrasting with the heavy anthemic and danceable first half. Makes my year-end top ten for 2017. Don’t miss it!

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 The Successful Failures

The Successful Failures “Ichor of Nettle”

The Successful Failures’ sixth LP, “Ichor of Nettle,” adds more roots rock influence to its power pop core. Fans of Tom Petty, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gram Parsons, and Cheap Trick will appreciate the band’s sound. Opening with “The Ballad of Julio Cuellar,” a real-life tale of illegal immigration with a sympathetic Julio “left to die” by his smuggler.

The hard-charging riffs of “Misguiding Light” are more of what we expect from Mick Chorba’s band, and its a great tune. My favourite on this album is the folk hero story “Sam Houston,” who was a “…Southern Democrat who followed his own rules.” It’s a great combination of melody, grit and Americana. The bluegrass acoustic “Tennessee Boy” is a romantic gem with a standout mandolin solo and great blue-collar anthems “PA Fight Song” and “The Shit That Drags You Down” are also highlights. A few missteps, like the plodding “The Devil Took A Liking To Me” and “All Rise” but at best these songs just aren’t as compelling as the earlier songs on this album. Highly Recommended.

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