April March “In Cinerama”
April March (Elinor Blake) has done it all. A talented animator (Pee Wee’s Playhouse, Ren & Stimpy), she worked with tons of talented musicians from Ronnie Spector to Brian Wilson. Since her debut in 1996, she has touched nearly every genre of music from punk, jangle rock, and disco to psychedelia. April has worked with French songwriter-producer Bertrand Burgalat and is a huge fan of ’60s French pop.
Released as a vinyl-only in 2021, In Cinerama has April’s light unassuming vocal getting its real power when her overdubs create those powerful harmonies that are woven into each song. “Lift Off” is the first ray of sweet sunshine with harmonies and horns leading the way, overlapping each other. “Rolla Rolla” is a minimalist gem with Mehdi Zannad’s Caribbean-styled rhythm. “California Fall” is a slow tempo and layered melody that grows in complexity with a distinct harp and percussive backdrop. “Runaway” borrows a bit from those ’60s girl groups, and “Born” is another gorgeous track that reaches stellar heights. No filler here and highly recommended.
Dave Cope and the Sass “Julee”
After Dave Cope and the Sass were spotted on my radar in 2019 with his self-titled release, he decided to dig into his archive of early tracks to set up his newest album Julee. Sass really sounds like a lost classic from the peak of the 60’s British Invasion; The Kinks, The Small Faces, and specifically Roy Wood and The Move.
The title track is uncanny and would’ve been a big hit in that era. The Lennonesque piano starts “Let Me In,” but his vocal cadence and chord shifts are all Jeff Lynne. The marching rock of “Topsy Turvy” is another standout, and “Lost With You” is a McCartney-meets-Ray Davies slice of heaven. The era slowly moves into the 1970s by the album’s mid-point with “I Got Your Letter” and “Moonraker” which reminded me of late-era Marc Bolan. While some of the ballads feel a bit overdramatic, there is no filler amongst its 11 tracks. It hits my nostalgia sweet spot just right. Highly Recommended, and it slips into my top ten of 2022.
