Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

A Tribute: Bruce Brodeen

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You know, there simply would not be a Power Popaholic blog without the existence of one man. That would be Bruce Brodeen, founder of Not Lame Recordings. When Not Lame started in the 90’s, I was instantly hooked on the music they were selling. Bruce developed a devoted and rabid following, and his mail order fanzine/catalog was always read cover to cover for the latest power pop. Luckily, the genre was also going through a huge renaissance during that time. Artists like Jellyfish, The Posies, and Matthew Sweet got on the radio airwaves, but fewer heard the joyous sounds of Myracle Brah, The Shazam or Martin Luther Lennon. Not Lame along with the Audities mailing list was one of the few resources you could count on to discover “new” bands that fit the power pop genre. Much later Bruce went online with his own site, Pop Geek Heaven.

Through Not Lame, I also met up with David Bash who ran the music festival International Pop Overthrow. It was the only time I met Bruce face-to-face, along with the band Blue Cartoon in a small bar in New York City. My brother and I got to the show early and we were lucky enough to talk about the IPO artists and I tried to pry out any information on upcoming acts. After a decade of buying music, going to shows, and being a general “fanboy” of the genre I decided to blog about it. Mr. Bash inspired me to follow his footsteps with Power Popaholic Fest, but that’s another story for another day.

I write today to wish Mr. Brodeen a glorious retirement at the end of this year. He has earned it and spawned a dedicated legion of power pop evangelists. There are still so many bands Bruce knows about that I haven’t explored, his Lost Treasures and Jangle Pop gems along with other rock bands that deserve to be heard. And the power pop community he helped cultivate will never be the same without him.  Best of luck Bruce, what ever you do next I’m sure it will be super, duper, highly recommended!

Propeller and Paul Bertolino

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Propeller

Propeller “Don’t Ever Let This Let You Down”

Propeller (the duo of Greg Randall and Will Anderson) have been consistently producing an album each year since 2013. And each album gets measurably better, with Don’t Ever Let This Let You Down being the best one so far. The opening jangle and steady beat of “Summer Arrives” is matched by the duo’s understated harmonies. The compositions are influenced by Teenage Fanclub, The Replacements, REM and others. “Lose My Way” is another catchy tune with hand claps and a swaying guitar floating above the melody.

The songs are highly accessible, including the energetic “Girl Gone” with a distorted rhythmic riff chorus and strong hooks. No filler here, and certain tracks opt for a heavier Westerberg styled vocal with guitar flourishes, like on “Days Collide.” Even the 4-minute closer “Something Blue” manages to enthrall. Never boring and highly recommended.

Amazon


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Paul Bertolino

Paul Bertolino “Toy Box”

It’s been a few years since we heard Mr. Bertolino but he’s back to kick ass on his latest 13 track album. Paul starts with a 70’s pop framework but isn’t bound by the period, layering different instruments and sounds when building each song. “Don’t Be So Sure” and “Inaccuweather” are distinctively Paul, with minor chords and rock guitar melody that suddenly shifts to a sad jazz saxophone at the end.

The melodic pop shifts are fast and require multiple listens to appreciate, like on “Super Sam” or “Thick As Thieves.” In a rare break, Paul rocks heavier on “Typical Girl,” but mostly keeps to dramatic pop like on “Sun House In Malibu” that showcases his vocal range and some light horns. While the narratives are soulful, they don’t always have a big hook. Some highlights include “Give Rest To My Mind” and “Face Among The Proud.” Definitely, give this album a look and you will find several favorites.

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Happy Labor Day!

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May your upcoming Labor Day weekend contain no labor.

So I will be taking a few days break over this long weekend, enjoy this quick review…

 

The Pengwins “Box Set Vol.4”

The Midwest power pop legends The Pengwins have been selectively releasing 2-sided singles in a box for a few years now. The latest includes “Go Away” with a great Elvis Costello vibe and a catchy melody to make it another Pengwins gem, thanks to a rougher lead vocal from Danny Pengwin. Lannie Flowers adds his unique voice to “Just A Dream,” like John Lennon with a Texas twang.  The demo doo-wop ballad “Ladybug” is included. One of these days I’d love to see a full Pengwins album, but these singles continue to keep me wishing.

SpyderPop Records

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This Is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio Volume 4 and Beach Fossils

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This Is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio Volume 4

Various Artists “This Is Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio Volume 4”

Dana Bonn and Carl Cafarelli host This Is Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio with Dana & Carl (Sunday nights, 9 to Midnight Eastern, www.westcottradio.org) and occasionally they have released compilations of great power pop. And like my own Power Popaholic Fest Soundtracks, the duo selects the artists and their tracks. There are times when I read Carl Cafarelli’s blog Boppin’ (Like The Hip Folks Do) and I feel like I’m reading the thoughts of a long lost twin brother. Although I didn’t grow up in Syracuse, I was a student there in my undergrad years and we seem to have the same cultural experiences and musical preferences (although my love of The Flashcubes pales by comparison.) But I digress…

Volume 4 is chock full of 29 tracks including a few radio IDs. Exclusive tracks from Pop Co-Op (with Spongetones Steve Stoeckel), Ray Paul, Circe Link and much more. All of the tunes are great, as Dana and Carl only select the cream of the crop for their compilations. Some of my favorites include Vegas With Randolph and Lannie Flowers “The Weekend’s Coming,” Lisa Mychols “Almost Didn’t Happen,” The Smithereens “Got Me A Girl,” and The Hit Squad “Best Of Me.” It pushes all those classic nostalgic power pop buttons, so yeah this is a highly recommended compilation. Oh yeah… on Carl’s blog mentioned above, you have an exhaustive bio of each track. Pick it up exclusively at Kool Kat Musik.

Kool Kat Musik

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Beach Fossils

Beach Fossils “Somersault”

Brooklyn based band directed by lead singer Dustin Payseur has a good jangling lo-fi indie pop sound. I was not familiar with the band, but its soothing opener “This Year” has elements of sunshine pop, especially with the classical strings added. The standout for me was the subtle piano pop of “Saint Ivy,” especially the smooth Beatlesque guitar coda.

Overall a nice summer album, with a relaxing slow jam “Rise” courtesy of rapper Cities Aviv in the middle. “Closer Everywhere” is another standout with its main harpsichord melody and the sleepy harmonies of “Social Jetlag” are charming. However, the lightweight songwriting makes other tracks here completely forgettable. Still, there is enough to demand your attention. Keep your eye on this band.

Amazon

Somerdale and Fernando Perdomo

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Somerdale

Somerdale “Maggie Says It Again”

During our last Power Popaholic Fest, I was honored to have Somerdale play and I got to meet the band and Jem Records Marty Scott.  He credits a review brought his attention to Somerdale, where they are featured on Jem’s roster with a re-issued release of last year’s album. It was my #8 top album pick of 2016 and now long sold out.

The re-titled Maggie Says It Again is expanded to 15 tracks with “Say It Again,” “Don’t You Know,” and “Broken English” as the new songs. They fit in perfectly —  with “Say It Again” being the best of the new crop. Overall the album rocks with that 70’s pop-rock influence, thanks in part to Chuck Penza’s lead vocals and those driving riffs. Fans of Badfinger, The Raspberries, The Who and Cheap Trick should not hesitate to grab this one, as it remains super highly recommended. Plus, its got an exclusive Holiday bonus song – “Merry Christmas Time.” No excuses!

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

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Fernando Perdomo

Fernando Perdomo “The Golden Hour”

As one of the most accomplished writer-musician-producers in California, Fernando Perdomo releases his 4th and (so far) best solo album. It starts with a dramatic piano intro and then the smooth slide guitar of “Sleep” mixes its Beatlesque bass line and layered harmonies to great effect. The tempo picks up with “Spotlight Smile” and its Californian hook “Magical love is here, won’t you let it near to your heart?” making it a great tune.

Fernando is a bit like Todd Rundgren it comes to songwriting and opens up with the self-examination of “The Light” and “Fine.” The dense song structure is memorable and his guitar skills are exemplary. His deep voice lends itself to love ballads like the memorable “Sunset” with its cascading chord structures, reminding me of a Burt Baracharch-Brian Wilson hybrid. No filler here and the rich production deserves your best pair of headphones. Additionally, gems like “Love Loss Repeat” and “I Feel (Therefore I Am)” lays out Fernando’s honesty in a Neil Diamond kind of way. Super highly recommended and another addition to our growing list of nominees for best album of 2017.

 

Amazon

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