Nick Piunti and Andrew Taylor

Nick Piunti

Nick Piunti and The Complicated Men “Downtime”

It’s no surprise that Detroit-based singer-writer Nick Piunti is one of my favorite power pop musicians. His music has always managed to get in my yearly top ten and Downtime is no exception. Nick is joined by a new backing band, The Complicated Men; Jeff Hupp (bass), Ron Vensko (drums), Kevin Darnall (keys), and guests Ryan Allen (Extra Arms) and Chris Plum (Brendan Benson). Piunti’s distinct vocal recalls a less grizzled Bryan Adams crossed with Mike Viola.

Downtime plays a little glossier and cleaner than previous entries, and Nick’s ability to craft a hook remains formidable with the opener “Upper Hand.” The guitar riffs of “Bright Light” are further boosted by a thick bed of rhythm, piano, and percussion. Next, the tone becomes wistful on the mid-tempo “Every High” where each high is measured against life’s low points. Nick’s ballads are just as impressive, with “All Over Again” and “Good Intentions” both looking back wistfully at the past. The energy is kicked up a notch on “Going Nowhere” and “Gonna Be Good.” The band sounds like it’s having fun here too, and there isn’t a note of filler within these ten tracks. Did you expect anything less? Super highly recommended.

Amazon


Andrew Taylor

Andrew Taylor “The Lockdown Session: April 2020”

Andrew Taylor (Dropkick) had a bunch of songs written from unused audio clips he’d been saving up over the past year and with the COVID-19 lockdown in April, he started recording and mixed them in his garage in East Lothian, Scotland.

Some of these tunes are simply amazing, like the gentle opener “Life Is Good” with its easy strum, fans of Teenage Fanclub will love it. Other highlights include “Not Running Out,” “Older,” and “When All I Have Is You,” is pure magic. While other songs don’t quite have the hooks to grab you, this is a surprisingly good addition to the Dropkick catalog. Plus it’s a “name-your-price” download, so no excuses to check it out! Highly Recommended.

Kool Kat Musik