Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

The Genuine Fakes and Vegas With Randolph

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The Genuine Fakes

The Genuine Fakes “Issues”

The Genuine Fakes is an indie rock band from Stockholm, Sweden. While it has been nearly a decade since the solid debut, they finally are ready. With Jon Auer (The Posies) as a collaborator, the band produces stellar power pop with Johan Bergqvist (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards,) Mårten Bengtsson (bass,) and Johan Sundin (drums).

“Even With You” is a very good start with its quick tempo melody, requisite guitar rhythm and harmonies. The positive vibes of “Everywhere and All Around” recall The Wellingtons or David Mhyr, as the band stretches its emotional and musical range. The band works on both the soft and hard sides of the power pop spectrum, “Wither Away” is a lovely flowing melody and a highlight that will have you singing along. On “I Won’t Be Home Tonight”  Johan offers a very Jellyfish-like a bit of contrarian advice, about going out to see your favorite band and its brilliant. “In Color” gets a little heavier with bombastic riffs in the arena-like chorus, all about a soldier looking at a black and white photo as his thoughts drift. “My Very Best,” “In It For The Chase” and “Sorry” are additional highlights that hit the mark. Hard to argue that this shouldn’t fit somewhere on my top ten list. Super highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Vegas With Randolph

Vegas With Randolph “Legs & Luggage”

Vegas With Randolph’s fourth full-length album marks the band’s tenth year, and they are as sharp as ever. The guitars are quicker and rock a little bit more than past work. “You Could Say Yes” sets the tone with a very dense layer of guitars and percussion. Next “Jacob,” tells the story of gaining the courage to ride a “roller coaster” and another highlight would be “The Girl Holding Out For Me” with hooks aplenty and magical chord changes. There are no duds here, and the buzzing guitars rule each song but a handful standout amongst them. The sing-song catchy “Women In Airports” and Cars-like gem “Three Red Hooks” are a cut above the rest.

The core of Eric Kern and John Ratts songs are the anchor here with Brock Harris (guitars) and Andy Hamburger (drums) adding the power to it all.  Guests on the LP include Fountains of Wayne’s Jody Porter on “Chick Fighter” and Texas popster Lannie Flowers on his cut “The Weekend’s Coming.” Unfortunately, bassist Dan Aylestock passed away last year from liver cancer. The remaining band members dedicated their efforts to him, notably the ballad “I Have You.” Amazing work, and of course highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Valley Lodge and LowRay

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Valley Lodge

Valley Lodge “Fog Machine”

Since 2013 Valley Lodge was mostly recognized as a really good power pop band who supplied the song “Go” as the theme to John Oliver’s HBO show Last Week Tonight. However, with Fog Machine we need to bump up their status a little more. While the same flashy guitar riffs of that song appear in “Stand,” lead singer-songwriter Dave Hill goes the extra mile here to deliver a truly great power pop LP.

There are plenty of potential “hits” here. The layered harmonies and guitar melodies of “Stars Won’t Fall” start us out, and the super catchy “Come Back To Bed” is like a power pop version of Aerosmith. “I’m Gone” has sleigh bells, giving this gem a holiday feel. The glam guitars return for “It’s Alright” as “Keeping This World Alive” recalls The Raspberries. The band tunes go from testosterone-fueled chords to jangling rhythms but don’t fall into predictability with hooks everywhere. Honestly, not a dud amongst the 14 tracks here. Hard to find a single standout track, as each one is a jolt of high energy.  Not only highly recommended, but it makes my top ten of 2018 nominee list.

Amazon

Extra Arms

LowRay “Friends and The Fakers”

Minneapolis-based Americana rock duo LowRay, featuring singer/guitarist Daniel Fowlds and drummer James Irving produce a solid debut with more than its fair share of catchy rock and roll. The opening title track is a strong melody buoyed by chugging riffs and crisp harmonies. “Western Song” slows the pace a little, as Fowlds vocals resemble Jon Bon Jovi through its steady rhythm. The ballad “I’m Sorry” is a true emotional gem as he earnestly sings “doesn’t matter who’s right.” The catchy “8 Track Tapes” and “Waiting For You” both benefit from excellent guitar hooks.

While it can’t maintain the same level of catchiness all the way through, the musicianship is top notch. The ’70s styled strut of “Sooner Or Later” will have you yelling for more cowbell, and most of the songs here deserve repeat listens. Check out this talented band as they are officially highly recommended.

Amazon

International Power Pop: The Innocents and Tommy Lorente

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The Innocents

The Innocents “Teardrop Kiss”

The Australian band the Innocents started out in Tasmania circa 1975. Originally called Beathoven, they achieved some fame and were considered the Aussie version of The Raspberries until they split up in 1981.  But now they are reunited and with producer Michael Carpenter onboard.  Teardrop Kiss proves that you can always come back home.

The original members & high school friends Charles Touber, Greg Cracknell and David Minchin form the core of the band, and because they have not broken through to US audiences, they remain a well-kept secret to many power pop aficionados. That might change, as the opener “Every Moment Matters” is a classic gem with jangling guitars and hooks similar to The Shoes recent comeback.  The styles shift slightly as “Strangers In The Park” has a rousing middle eight and “Teardrop Kiss” is led by a wicked bassline. The gorgeous ELO-like harmonies are a highlight on “You’re Not The Man” and “Change Of Scenery” boasts a very Jellyfish-like composition. The band seems to defy age until the weary final track “The Mouse That Roared.” This is a great album, highly recommended and worth seeking out!

Amazon.uk

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Tommy Lorente

Tommy Lorente “Tommy Lorente & La Cavalerie”

There are few pure power pop artists from France, but Tommy is so busy we may not need more. Lorente knows how to rock, and shows it with each riff filled song with his band The Cavalry (La Cavalerie.) Unlike his recent solo work, this is all in the French language.  I’ve compared him to Kurt Baker, as they both take from the same rock influences. Even “J’ai Connu Mieux” starts with a “Johnny B. Good” riff, and “Ne Paire Pas de Nous” sounds like a French version of the Ramones.

But the limitations to this approach are clear, as lyrics become more important if the melodies aren’t that distinguishable. And if you don’t understand French, it just feels less compelling. I found a few standout tracks (in particular at the albums second half) like “Conquistador,” “Katrine” and the fuzzy filled guitar solo on “L’Opportuniste.” This is a great LP for Tommy fans and Francophiles, others may find that Stupefaction is more to their liking.

Caper Clowns and The Persian Leaps

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Caper Clowns

Caper Clowns “A Salty Taste To The Lake”

Caper Clowns are a band from Ferritslev, Denmark, and their sunny debut The Buca Bus came out in 2016. The band is Rick Kingo, Peter Højgaard, Christian Højgaard, Henrik Krogh and Søren Daugaard Jensen. Rick, Peter, and Henrik play multiple instruments, and the songwriting is spread out amongst everyone. The group doesn’t suffer from the sophomore slump and has been firing on all cylinders. In addition, the band has played at the IPO Festival in Liverpool at the Cavern Club these past 2 years.

The opener “The Way I Dream” is a wonderfully catchy composition, with its bouncy rhythm it sets the stage nicely. In contrast, “Lifeline” adds some darker guitar riffs but the chords change to sunshine by the end of the harmony-filled chorus. The Caper Clowns biggest strength is its diverse sound akin to The Wellingtons or Roger Joseph Manning Jr. The light acoustic guitar of “Kissing Daylight” is a winner, as well as the Squeeze-like magic of “Pretty & Underwear.” The album is both unpredictable and refreshing without a single filler track. Overall a great album that gets a top ten best nomination for 2018.

Amazon

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The Persian Leaps

The Persian Leaps “Pop That Goes Crunch!”

The Persian Leaps from Saint Paul, Minnesota has released this massive 18-song anthology presenting their best work over the years, remastered and remixed. The songs are full of blistering riffs and jangle-pop harmonies, selected by lead vocalist Drew Forsberg and producer Neil Weir. If you are unfamiliar, it will totally appeal to fans of Guided by Voices, The Smiths and Teenage Fanclub.

My favorites here include the very GBV-styled “Fire Starter” and “Picture My Reaction.” The catchy fuzz-guitar dominates most songs, and at times the tracks seem to blend together – but there is enough distinction on several standouts like “About The Lions,” and “Truth=Consequences.” The brand-new track “Time Slips” is a nostalgic song that Forsberg wrote in memory of his grandparents. Overall an excellent compilation that is highly recommended.

Amazon

Reissues: The Posies and Fastball

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Some of the greatest power pop ever was produced in the 1990’s. Omnivore has recently released expanded editions of these classics. 

The Posies Dear 23

The Posies “Dear 23” Expanded Edition

The major label debut from The Posies became an instant classic and put The Posies on the map. Like a modern-day version of The Hollies, the ambitious duo took notes from their Merseybeat forefathers and combined it with a Big Star-like attention to detail wrapped up in a baroque pop package. Remastered from the original analog masters; one CD containing the original album, plus enough bonus material to fill out the rest of the CD; and an additional CD of demos and other bonus material. Nearly all of the bonus tracks on this new reissues have never been heard before!

Omnivore Direct | Amazon
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The Posies Frosting On The Beater

The Posies “Frosting On The Beater” Expanded Edition

In the early ’90s, the Seattle grunge movement took over the nation’s airwaves, pushing other genres aside. The Posies answer to this was to add their trademark melodies and smart lyrics to all the current angst. The wall of distorted guitars and thick drum beats is a direct contrast to Dear 23, but the songwriting got even better and remains the band’s highwater mark. Similar remastering set up; one CD containing the original album, plus enough bonus material to fill out the rest of the CD; and an additional CD of demos and other bonus material.

Omnivore Direct | Amazon
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Fastball “All The Pain Money Can Buy” 20th Anniversary Edition

Fastball gave us an excellent example of when power pop and the nation’s musical zeitgeist intersected. The #1 hit “The Way” exploded on the radio, propelling All The Pain Money Can Buy to Gold status in only three months and Platinum another three months later. The release also received two Grammy® nominations, and the band won four Austin Chronicle awards for the album. This remastered 20th-anniversary edition contains the original 13 songs, plus 9 bonus tracks including rare B-sides, compilation tracks, and 4 previously unissued demos.

Omnivore Direct | Amazon
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