Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Big Sunset and Richie Parsons

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Big Sunset

Big Sunset “Big Sunset”

Portland musicians, Jay Caruso, and JP Ramos are the core of Big Sunset, a five-year collaborative project. Both worked with a band called The Contestants, then Caruso explains “I really loved the way JP Ramos wrote and that our voices worked well together. I reached out to JP to see if he wanted to write some songs together. Both JP and I are huge Jellyfish and XTC fans.” And that comes across on this labor of love.

Starting with the swirling rhythm of “My Head Is Attached,” Big Sunset boasts a variety of instrumentation from strings, horns, organ and sets up the carnival-like atmosphere. “Beautiful” is a waltz-timed tune with a Jellyfish-like approach, but the melody isn’t as sticky as the hypnotic “The Night I Was Murdered” with its delicate acoustics and deep cello strings. This dream-like approach also works on “Wolfing” and “Invisible Men” is another highlight featuring Beach Boys-like harmonies and musical subtleties that recall ELO. While technically brilliant, it lacks the hooks that their influences possess. Still a worthy LP for fans of the genre, and it certainly deserves discovery.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik
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Richie Parsons

Richie Parsons “Black Throated Blue”

Boston musician Richie Parsons is back with his new Kickstarter funded LP (produced by The Posies Ken Stringfellow, who also sings and plays on everything.) A full band is in the studio featuring Doug Harper (guitar), Frank Dehler (bass), Malcolm Travis on drums, and Parsons on lead guitar and vocals. Parsons approximately sounds like a combo of Jonathan Richman and Chris Stamey. The hi-energy opener “Beverly” captures Parson’s pop-rock sound perfectly. “Winter’s Dream” is another winner, a love song with a chugging melody and hook-filled chorus. And “Six Hours Ahead” name drops The Raspberries, as he goes to “a punk rock show.”

The album takes a somber turn mid-way on “Rainy Day” which has Bacharach-styled orchestration with horns and strings. The twang of “Here I Am” is a rootsy Western blues tune, and the Farfisa organ of “Tomorrow” is reminiscent of The Doors. The production is strong throughout the album, although it runs out of hooks toward the last few songs. Overall a very good album that’s highly recommended.

Amazon

Bill Lloyd and Creamer

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Bill Lloyd

Bill Lloyd “Working the Long Game”

Bill Lloyd has been a power pop paragon since his 1987’s Feeling the Elephant, but hasn’t emerged with new original music for a while. To remedy this he signed on to Spyerpop Records last year and put together a cover LP, Lloyd-ering. But now Bill brings us a classic LP that is his best yet. Each tune is carefully constructed, evokes all the right influences, and features guest songwriters Aaron Lee Tasjan, Buddy Mondlock, Graham Gouldman (10cc), Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick), and Scot Sax (Wanderlust).

Opening with the catchy “Satellite” it’s an easy going melody that recalls Tom Petty, then it goes straight to the glorious Beatlesque title track which explains Lloyd’s obvious persistence. Each song is a distinctive treasure, riffs disguise the subtle bass line of the joyous “Make That Face” and they work just as well with the acoustic heartbreak of the ballad “Wake Up Call.” There is a healthy dose of retro-hits like “Go To Girl” and “What Time Won’t Heal,” but when Lloyd rocks he doesn’t fool around. “Merch Table” is a solid rocker about playing live, he sings “It’s been a decade since you bought new music, got rid of all your old CDs/ You want to clutter up the house with new songs like these?” If it all sounds like this, then absolutely. No doubt here, it makes my top ten list for 2018 and is super highly recommended.

Amazon | CD Baby
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Creamer

Creamer “Creamer”

Nashville singer-guitarist Philip Creamer is a new force to contend with in the power pop community. His distinct sound gets its style mining classic ‘70s influences, just imagine if Elton John joined Big Star playing The Raspberries. If that sounds like an earful, you are correct. Creamer starts with the epic scope of “Daydreamer,” with its gentle building melody, deep chords, and impressive crooning. And power pop fans will find the opening bridge of “Record Machine” irresistible with its “ooh-ah” bridge, riffs and handclaps that sound timeless. Creamer tends to extend his songs for both dramatic effect and musical variety, as demonstrated on the infectious “Drugs No More” and “Ride or Die.”

The album’s first half can do no wrong, and he starts to spread beyond the Power Pop and Glam genres on the second half. He gets funky on “Magic” where he’s looking for some “real rock and roll,” and dazzles with Queen-like bravado.  In fact, there isn’t a weak song on the album, except the overtly religious ballad “White Dove.” Overall another contender for top ten album of 2018. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

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Ward White and Arthur Nasson

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Ward White

Ward White “Diminish”

Ward White is back with the strong Diminish, and his emotional Bowie-esque vocals carry the album to different places with progressive rock and pop overtones. “Titans” starts with a strong sci-fi theme, but “Noise On 21” is even better with its combination of memorable chorus and instrumental excellence. White’s vocals are so well nuanced, he could probably sing the phone book directory and make it sound great.

White’s dramatic storytelling (a big strength) continues on “Back to The End,” and “Flood.” The snappy “Watch The Hands” is another gem with some very inventive lyrical phrases. Long-suffering protagonists and dark humor are the focus on “Uncle Bob (Akron)” and “Cowboy,” with the latter one of the most elegant compositions I’ve heard this year. Ward is an acquired taste, but very satisfying for those looking for a unique POV and solid musicianship. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Arthur Nasson

Arthur Nasson “Whack Mythology”

Indie singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Arthur Nasson is one of those prolific “should-be-famous” artists that deserve attention. With his latest Whack Mythology, he skewers convention on the opener “Superman” about how real heroes aren’t flying in the sky. Like Todd Rundgren or Randy Newman, Nasson’s melodic senses are evident in each song, on top of the fact that he plays every instrument and sings all the vocals.

The catchiness of “Books About It” shines through the organic styled production as a standout, and the soulful “Going To Mars” and “Out To Sea” are brilliantly written ballads. At times the echoing drums overshadow a song, like on “Sky Fell Down” but it helps the atmosphere on “All Seem To Hear.” Overall a very good album and Nasson is one of the few independent artists who deserve to be heard more often.

Amazon | Itunes

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Happy Thanksgiving! Feast on this: The Grand Levè and holiday singles

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TGL

The Grand Levè “The Grand Levè”

Remember Longplayer? Well, Göran Hjertstedt (the lead from that band) has a new project that continues to draw its influence primarily from Electric Light Orchestra and Queen. The slow building “And Light Appeared” is a very majestic instrumental introduction full of pomp that demonstrates the rich orchestration. “Ride The Wind” is a compelling Wilbury-like track with a very sweet slide guitar over a steady strum. “Two to Tango” follows as a blues-influenced number about a love of dancing like Fred Astaire, and “All in The City” is a synth and percussion-heavy melody with all those great ELO stylistic touches.

At times music’s glossy bombast threaten to overwhelm those multi-tracked choruses but thankfully most of the songs are strong enough to let those melodies stick. “What Am I Gonna Do (Lunar City Heartache)” is an excellent mid-tempo power ballad, and the shimmering instrumental “Memory Lane” is a fitting end with its superb guitar solo that reminded me of Boston’s Tom Scholz. Overall a highly recommended album that demand’s repeat listens.

Amazon | CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik

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Now have some dessert! FREE Holiday singles from Herb Eimerman and Richard Turgeon

Lastly, but by no means least – a new single by The Weeklings! Get “Running Away”

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The Beths and Everet Almond

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The Beths

The Beths “Future Me Hates Me”

Auckland, New Zealand indie-rockers the Beths have a terrific debut that checks all the right boxes. Lead by the angelic vocals of lead singer Elizabeth Stokes, she hooks you right away and keeps you listening. The album focuses on her lack of confidence, self-doubt and does it with tight songwriting and punk-fueled energy. Prior to forming the band, all four members studied jazz at the University of Auckland, but this ain’t jazz. It is pop perfection.

It starts out slowly with the unassuming “Great No One” but by the chorus, you are hooked. The title track is a mainstream “hit” if ever there was such a thing with buzzing riffs underneath Stokes high chirp and soft emotions. “Uptown Girl” is a frantic power pop gem with innocence and fun riffs that don’t quit about “going out tonight.”  Jonathan Pearce is an excellent guitar lead as his riffs on “You Wouldn’t Like Me” and “Happy Unhappy” push the narrative along. The chaotic “Little Death” is more introspective, as the longer songs here tend to be. “Whatever” is the final catchy gem. There are so many good tunes here, all memorable, that grow on you very quickly. This makes it a nominee for my top ten of 2018 list.

Amazon

Everet Almond

Everet Almond “Everet Almond”

New York singer-songwriter and drummer Everet Almond was on my radar in 2015 with his first EP, but this year he has released a boatload of music. This self-titled LP starts with a very Beatlesque gem “Local Magistrate” full of big piano chords and harmonies. The bouncy “I Love You” is another pop gem that’s got some McCartney DNA and the easy strumming style of “I Saw Her In The Morning” is another compelling acoustic tune with a sweet middle eight.

The piano tunes “Beautiful Neighbor” and “Anytime You Need” recall late era Stories with its harmony-laden choruses. Most everything here works, and he continues to produce EPs that are worth exploring. And if you want to explore the whole bag of Almond’s past work, Kool Kat Musik has several other collections including Windsor Field and Introduction to Everet Almond. So far everything here is highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik