Timothy Nelson & The Infidels “I Know This Now”

Based in Perth, Australia Timothy Nelson has a reputation as the “must-see” band in that corner of the globe and he’s also great example of a band that blends alt. country and power pop. The jangly, guitar is reminiscent of Big Star and Wilco, with lush, melodic arrangements and plenty of steel pedal twang on the slower tunes.

The slow build of “You Don’t Know What You’re Waiting For” is typical cowpoke pop, but the gorgeous harmonies on “Run For Cover” are more what we love. The songwriting compares to Gary Louris (Jayhawks) and its the focal point of the album.  Another single that just gives me goosebumps is “Nothing’s In Tune,” with its sweet chord progressions and key shifts – it’s the only pure pop play here. Boasting a large, lush and world-class sound, the 12-track album contains not only the band in full swing but a variety of added delights such as strings, horns, auto-harp, mandolin and harpsichord, resulting in a very big, bold statement of ideas for a first record, exactly as it was intended and even better it was mastered at Abbey Road studios in London. The other songs are all decent, but these singles will keep you hooked for multiple listens. Seek it out!

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I Can’t Believe It’s Not The Beatles: Rock Band

This is a bit of good natured fun by animator Harry Partridge for BBC. I especially like the Ringo-like voice over and Oasis “Spat Mode”. You can even download the spoof Oasis song in the video here called “Fags n Booze.”  All the bands mentioned have been accused in the music press at one point of being “a copy” of the Fab Four. It’s a common lazy critique by uneducated music snobs — when we all know these bands have more depth than that and the Beatlesque tag should be worn proudly, not viewed derisively. Otherwise… where are the Monkees in this spoof?

A Band Called Mithras “No Bargain Or Reprieve”

Detroit native Bob Wilson (vocals, bass) has a great love of classic rock and pop influences, and it shows in this impressive debut. The opener “Sound Loses Strength” is very much a combination of The Beatles and Pearl Jam. A strong cover of the Left Banke’s hit “Don’t Walk Away Renee” follows, but the most distinct track here “I Am The Great Wallenda” has elements of both The Jellyfish and The Rembrandts, with the acoustic strum leading to an electric chorus. “Night Rider” leans a little too close to Pearl Jam, as Wilson even uses Eddie Vedder’s vocal inflections.

“The Wayback Machine” is an interesting juxtaposition of the Kennedy assassination to sing about the “butterfly effect.” Another real gem here is the sweet piano ballad “Ruby” that proudly made it onto the IPO compilation this year. A few tracks like “You Can Always Tell A Victim” sound overindulgent, with loud psychedelic flourishes. However, there is enough here to get really enthusiastic about.”Thumb” is another standout with its paranoid chorus “Never trust anyone with, anything that’s bigger than your thumb.” “Bad Seed” is another Jellyfish/Imperial Drag styled gem that ends things on a very strong note. Nothing predictable here, so dive right in and enjoy.

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Gary Ritchie “Hum, Sing, Repeat!”

Some power pop has the same effect as your favorite comfort foods, it may not be too fancy but it really satisfies that craving. Gary Ritchie has done some great lo-fi pop previously, and this all-new album does an even better job. The songs are all short melodic gems that follow the Beatles meets Nick Lowe template. In fact Gary tells us in the liner notes who the influence is for each song, like “This Time Around” has a touch of Tom Petty and The Who. Some tunes fall very easily into the Merseybeat revival like “Pretty Little Gina” and “Hear From You.” The melody lines and composition is really strong here, “Alright” being a really good hook-filled example in the Pezband-Kinks mode.

And Gary simply doesn’t recreate the riffs, but builds his own songs along the classic guidelines. The song “When I Grow Up,” really hits home to aging pop fans with lyrics; “will I age like a vintage wine/ or be a drunkard in my prime when I grow up?” and the defiant “I won’t” over the chorus answer the question. There are a whopping 18 tracks here, and just about every song resonates fun and nostalgic warm feelings. And its not all one style, “Fancy Two Tone Car” is a countrified rocker that combines the Bryds and Eddie Rabbit and the Rick Springfield styled “Could Have Been Love” are both catchy nuggets. Great job, Gary!

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Richard Snow and The In-Laws “Am I Really That Boring?”

From Nottingham England, Richard Snow is known for his jangle fueled guitar and impressive melodies, evidenced in past releases. Richard formed his band The Inlaws in 2005 so he could bring his music to a live stage, and now includes the band in his third release. Opening with the gorgeous “Stop Your Crying?” is the kind of ballad that combines The Byrds jangle and Steve Winwood styled harmonies. The updated merseybeat is more pronounced on “Middle Class Girl” and the acoustic sadness of “If You Don’t Rescue Me” is a sweet folk diversion, with a nice choral coda.

The album’s centerpiece “21st Century” is another gem with some Mod backing vocal touches, and its retro theme, “It’s modern life I fear… the 21st Century sucks.” Another impressive ear-worm “Take Me Back Home” with its multi-tracked chorus is both simple and very catchy. Occasionally the rhythms on songs can get predictable but it’s performed with such skill, it’s hard to complain. Every song here is good, without any filler to be found – and a special treat is the title track with it’s wicked riff that builds and its obsessive-compulsive lyric “Am I really that boring? Yes I am, and I don’t care.” Fans of jangle rock  and smooth harmonies will love this album. Highly Recommended.

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