June is here and it’s gonna be hot! We open with a new single from Andrew Stonehome (we reviewed his last single in October) and it’s awesome! The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club drops another single from its upcoming LP, and it’s got a sweaty rocker vibe, so turn up the volume on that. Durham, UK band Martha blows the doors off with the Weezer-like brilliance of “Please Don’t Take Me Back.” We need to calm down a bit after that with Omaha’s Bill Sammon. His laid-back “Story Songs” EP is a Western pop gem describing his youthful days. My faves here are the jangling “There Goes Another One” and “Silver Star.” And like last month, Rum Bar Records sampler is another freebie that has the best of their line-up. My favorite Miss Georgia Peach tune opens it up with “Jackson,” and speaking of covers She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and Matt Ward) beautifully do The Beach Boys’ “Darlin’.” Enjoy!
Category: EPs
EP Reviews and more: The Lickerish Quartet, Nezrok, Hoover and Martinez, Butterknife, Rumstock!
The Lickerish Quartet “Threesome Vol. 3”
Ex-Jellyfish members (Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Eric Dover, and Tim Smith) finish the final piece of the triptych in Threesome Vol. 3. And there will be a Japanese release of all three EPs with some bonus material for fans, but this volume is a bit sober compared to previous EPs. Opening with “Fortunately” has the signature harmonies and melodies, as it states “no one really goes to hell,” but looks to Roger’s “New Days,” for a lush, if not slightly psych-pop epic about hope in a new era. Fans of his solo work will recognize some passages, but “You All Alone” and “In The Meantime” feel more serious, slightly prog, and feel stuffed with anxiety. Musically, it’s the strongest volume and is highly recommended. Get it now on Amazon.
Nezrok “The Human Race”
Nezrok is Chris Korzen (his last name spelled backward) with a few helpers ( Fernando Perdomo and Chris DeAngelis) on this collection of smooth tunes. Sounding a little like a combination of Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan, the title track is a solidly compelling composition with a classy guitar break. The Rundgren cover of “It Takes Two To Tango” is beautifully done, as with “St Valentine’s Day Massacre” written shortly after the tragedy of the Parkland, FL high school mass shooting. The songs are both bittersweet and oozing soul. Highly Recommended.
Hoover and Martinez “The 3P”
The duo of Jamie Hoover (The Spongetones) and Christine Martinez. “The Scene of the Cryin’” is truly magic, co-written by Catesby Jones (co-writer of “Country Club” recorded by Travis Tritt). Christine’s honey vocals are out front on “Tequila,” a light country-pop ballad. Check it out.
Butterknife “Staring At The Ceiling”
Boston project that’s been 8 years in the making. This is a FREEBIE with several good songs. “Stagefright” starts with a nice instrumental, but keeps your attention with a catchy chorus. “If You Say So” is part Nirvana, part Big Star and “Broken Telecaster” is loaded with emo-energy.
Rumstock!
Another wonderful Rum Bar Records FREEBIE Compilation, but this promotes an evening concert in Somerville, MA on July 9, featuring The Dogmatics, Muck and the Mires, The Gypsy Moths, and The Shang Hi Los! Concert tickets are here
Spring Singles: The Lickerish Quartet, Johnathan Pushkar, Kai Reiner, Squire, Nerd Magnet, the Vinyl Skyway, Richard Turgeon, Kerosene Stars, Nick Frater
As the season struggles to change, some of our favorite artists are making new music sure to warm the soul. Power pop royalty The Lickerish Quartet is back with their 3rd EP, and the lead single is aptly titled “Fortunately.” Johnathan Pushkar sojourned in Sun Studios, Memphis, and covered Elvis in worthy tribute. It’s been a long time since I heard Kai Reiner, and he’s dusted off and remastered “Cold Summer” from 2008, a worthy single, and London’s Squire reminiscences about “The Place I Used To Live,” but I like the Mod melody “The Young Idea” even better. Nerd Magnet gives us a joyous “Another Round,” and even if you don’t speak Japanese you’ll dig the power-pop vibe here. A band that really changed has been the Vinyl Skyway, as they focus on an acoustic ballad “Recover.” Richard Turgeon continues to put out catchy, crunchy rock, and his latest singles “I Never Loved You” and “Better With You” are the yin/yang of a relationship. Kerosene Stars avoid romance but sing about the “Purpose of a Friend” with an ’80s new wave feel. Finally, Nick Frater, who kicked ass in 2021 with a top-rated album, has some fun doing an entire EP of Rutles stuff.
Get the single “That All Right”
Top O’ the Power Pop Premieres: The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club and more
The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club’s new single gets a premiere exclusively on Power Popaholic! “Hold You Up” is the first single from the band’s upcoming album Please Stand By, to be released later this year. The rhythm guitar crunches along in a Weezer-like direction, as the lead riff digs its hooks in you. Add some handclaps and jangle, and there you have it – a super power-pop single.
The Afterglows, Sam Cook-Parrott (Radiator Hospital) and Michael Cantor (The Goodbye Party) make sweet harmonies for the lovelorn, comparisons to the Everly Brothers and Beach Boys are inevitable. A great FREE download.
A brilliant 4-song EP by Scott Robertson, mixed and mastered by Nick Bertling just deserves to be heard. Each song hooks you immediately.
This duo, The Creachies just trolls people like me, using “powerpop” in the LP title. Sounds like The B-52s meets The Cars, with some sweet tunes here; Check out “Rats” and “Skylar’s Hot Glue Gun.” Definitely worth exploring.
Winter Singles, Freebies & EPs: The Nobility, Whelligan, Brad Marino, Rigbi, Bloody Norah, Ryan Allen, Jay Byham, You’re Among Friends, Rum Bar Records
I waited long enough to restart all my singles reviews, so now it’s time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Nashville’s The Nobility has been leaking singles for nearly a year, so we have the newest share with “No Doubts” bringing to mind a western-themed 10cc, and London’s Whelligan and their single “In Our Name” is full of orchestral majesty and it also merits further study. Brad Marino fresh off his great 2021 LP, is back to banging out great power pop with “Girl, I Want You.” More appropriate to this bleak winter landscape is Rigbi’s emotional “I’m a Mess In Winter” as the sparse beginning opens up to a rich arrangement. Bloody Norah has a great reverb rock sound with harmonies on its single “Shooting Star,” so keep your eyes out for more, like the single “Joy.” Bloody damn good too.
As for EPs, the reliable Ryan Allen moves to a retro power-pop sound for I’m Not Mean, full of echoing vocals, and layered guitars; check out “Count With Me,” and the excellent “Cut Your Teeth.” Jay Byham is a Pennsylvania-based singer-songwriter with a bouncy acoustic “Tick Tock,” classic rocker “Just A Matter of Time,” and the gentle ballad “The Only One,” it’s a solid debut that deserves many repeats on your player. As for Freebies; Cleveland, Ohio’s You’re Among Friends take a very laid back approach on this new release, “Here in the Middle of the Pack” is like a stoner Spin Doctors tune and the melodic funk of “You Know What You Want” will appeal to NRBQ fans. Rum Bar Records has a loaded sampler as a Freebie too, get a ton of bang for your buck and you’ll discover a rocker or two.
Singles
EPs and Freebies