Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Detroit Autos and Ben Kenobi

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Autos Detroit

Autos Detroit “Second Best”

The Autos Detroit are a band from Barcelona, Spain with a love of American styled classic rock, and they deliver some impressive music. In the tradition of some great power pop, “Step On” is an understated opener with a strong lead vocal by Pedro Pasamontes, and its got some nice chord progressions and backing harmonies. “Just Before You Go” gathers more hooks than a fishing tackle box, and a terrific middle eight. The band also does quirky Anglo-pop on “Sunny Day” kind of like Ray Davies or the heavier psychedelic jam “Deception.”

Occasionally the vocals get very rough, like on “Moonglow,” where the grizzled lead is balanced by some nice group harmony. Added highlights include the Badfinger-ish “Lonesome” and “All Will Be Fine,” but honestly there isn’t a bad track here and its all sung in English with barely an accent. Considering Spain is a hotbed of great power pop artists, its no surprise I find a winner here. Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp only

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Ben Kenobi

Ben Kenobi “Women of Crenshaw”

Ben Kenobi is no Jedi Master, but he sure knows his way around a catchy guitar pop tune. He led the punk pop band Benzene in South Korea and moved to California in 2008. Eventually, he got around to collecting his songs into a solo album in 2015. Titled Women of Crenshaw, the songs range from folk to pop with influences from Dylan to The Beatles, but vocally he reminds me of Evan Dando (The Lemonheads.)

Opening with a guitar instrumental “Django Unchained” it is a bit hypnotic with a frenetic overlapping melody and rhythm. “Staring At the Star” is an introspective ballad about life in L.A. that resonates (kind of Ben Folds-like), and “Aspirin” is thinking out loud what to do with expired painkillers. Ben considers creative burnout on “Maple Leaves Don’t Fly” and does another instrumental this time in classical acoustic guitar on “Ben’s National Anthem.” We actually get a power pop song on “Ballad of McFly Jr.” And this year Kenobi has a new single out “Bury Me Down” and its closer to dance pop, bookended by more great instrumental work. Definitely, check it out or the force will not be with you (sorry.)

Amazon

The Wellingtons and Cait Brennan

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The Wellingtons

The Wellingtons “End of The Summer”

The Wellingtons are back, and I consider them one of the best Australian power pop groups when it comes to consistency of over the past 14 years. The densely layered melodies and strong guitar riffs on “Not Getting What I Want” opens this excellent album, with the happiest statement ever about the disappointment of not being a “rock star” in the Bon Jovi tradition. “Over and Done With” has the sharp duel vocals of Zac and Kate and the familiar subject of breaking up. Kate goes lead on the retro girl-bop “Please Be Nice” and “Making Faces in The Mirror,” and Zac brings the soaring power chords to “No Way Could Fail,” both style approaches are unmistakably fresh.

Each tune is distinctive, even the acoustic strums of the title track, a lovelorn ballad that plays like a split-screen musical number. What is especially satisfying is that the song quality doesn’t let up on the album’s second half. “1963” is a jangling gem and my favorite here the sunshine pop “She Rides The Bus” will just linger in your head for days. This is a great album that deserves your full attention, as it makes my year-end top ten list for 2017. Long live The Wellingtons!

Kool Kat Musik


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Cait Brennan

Cait Brennan “Third”

Cait Brennan returns with her crew (and producer Fernando Perdomo) with a soulful croon and creates less of a power pop album but more of a rock-soul combination. “Bad At Apologies” and “Stack Overflow” could’ve been done by Tina Turner back in the day, although the overdubbed backing vocals are a bit much for me. The album title is a nod to Big Star (and Cait recorded it at Ardent Studios in Memphis with the same equipment Alex Chilton and Chris Bell used for those iconic albums.) The wonderful “He Knows Too Much” is a big highlight here, full of power and emotion so as the voice-over says “treat her with respect.”

Lyrically Cait has improved considerably, as the sophisticated “A Hard Man To Love” is both retro and modern with a good hook in the chorus. The Prince-Bowie influences come up on “Caitebots Don’t Cry” and the Ziggy-like “Benedict Cumberbatch” (pronounced “Cumber-bitch.”) Some tunes are catchy gems like “Shake Away,” but the album’s second half is a bit shaky – and tries too hard. However, it ends well with the Elton-like ballad “Goodbye Missamerica.” Overall a worthy follow-up to Cait’s debut.

Amazon

EPs: The Tripwires, Mooner, and The Gunboat Diplomats

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Seattle band The Tripwires are an old favorite here, the band’s newest EP Fat City is chock filled with catchy rock and roll. Each track shines, but highlights include the fantastic guitar work on “Nothing of the Kind” and the rockabilly raver “New New New New New.”  Brothers John and Jim Sangster, along with John Ramberg and drummer Dan Peters are as tight as ever, so get this one – it’s super highly recommended. Get it on Amazon.

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It has been a while since we heard from Lee Ketch of Mooner, and here he’s teamed up with Kit Shields to make this album of covers. The duo earns major props for starting it with Jeff Lynne’s “Xanadu” and including the rarely covered Beach Boys oddity “I’ll Bet He’s Nice.” Oh did we mention this is a FREE download?

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The Gunboat Diplomats are a mixed bag. Some of this was just cringe-worthy, but they have a few decent power pop tunes here if you seek them out. “She Said” has a tight structure and a catchy chorus. “Sweet Abiding Love” and the Elvis-imitation “Crazy About You” have a vintage vibe and are fun to listen to. Another FREE download.

Corin Ashley and Ruby Free

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Corin Ashley “Broken Biscuits”

Corin Ashley is glad to be here, and we are glad to have him back. He was deep in the recording process when he suffered a stroke last year. Corin fought back to regain the ability to sing and play guitar again, and amazingly play on stage and finish this album in a single year.

There is something about “Little Crumbles” that reminds me of McCartney’s Back to The Egg. Like Macca at the time, its aggressive rock approach is a celebratory jam of rebirth. “Broken Biscuit #3” is a quick psyche-pop pastiche, then it launches into the gem “Wind Up Boy” with assistance from Tanya Donelly (The Breeders, Belly) which chugs along full of sweet strings and catchy couplets. The Beatle-isms are out in full flourish with “Edison’s Medicine” a not so distant cousin of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”

“Broken Biscuits #9” is the personal story of the struggles that left Corin “in tatters, scattered to the wind.” The combo of bouncy and bitterness on “In Appropriate Fashion” is straight out of the Elvis Costello playbook. Towards the end of the album, the songs are more elaborately constructed, “King Hollow” working quite well, while others seem to linger too long. The six-minute “Jellyfish” isn’t a tribute to the famous band (although there are a few musical cues) but the cruel fate that left him partially paralyzed. Overall a highly recommended album.

CD Baby

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Ruby Free

Ruby Free “Shades”

Lisa Cavaliere and singer-songwriter Rick Hromadka make up the duo of Ruby Free and they deliver an even better album on their sophomore effort Shades. They are aided by power pop veterans Joe Giddings (Star Collector), Jim Laspesa (Dave Davies, Susanah Hoffs), and Rick Gallego (Cloud Eleven).

“Take A Ride” is a rollicking road tune with the perfect mix of California attitude and a catchy chorus that makes this a great opener. “Walking Along” is fiendish hooky, like a Steve Miller Band classic that won’t leave your head. “Say Goodnight” and “Owe To The Man” are laid back gems that encourage repeat listens. Lisa also does a very capable solo cover of Karen Carpenter’s “Superstar” and Rick ruminates on the state of modern marriage in “Talk To Me.”

Shades allow both artists to shine together and on solo vocal leads. Styles vary enough from the country ballad “Billboards and Buses” to the Tom Pettyesque “It’s Not Your Dream.” Clearly, no duds here as it earns a spot as a nominee for my top ten for 2017 list. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | CD Baby

Captain Wilberforce and Your Gracious Host

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Captain Wilberforce

Captain Wilberforce “Black Sky Thinking”

After a six-year break, Captain Wilberforce (Simon Bristoll) returns with his reputation for compelling melodies. He’s got a smoother, more polished sound here thanks to his new bandmates; Carl Banks (drums), Rob Simpson (guitars) and Massimiliano Borghesi (bass/vocals). Opening with the grand sweep of “The Johnny Depp Memorial Cafe,” it has the feel of classic pop, think Elton John, Crowded House or Squeeze. “Good Times, You Said” is more of a McCartney ballad with heavy guitars punctuating the chorus. The very slow building “Someone To Love” makes good use of a guitar break, with acoustic flourishes or its the trickle of piano on “You Can’t Have Me” that gives the melody real depth.

The comparison to The Finn Brothers really stands out on “Lazarus” with its well-crafted harmonies. But my favorite here is the Beatlesque “King Of Decision” that mixes a wonderful piano bridge with layered guitar rhythm. Stylistically it has a little of everything, but the tone is mellow with an undercurrent of dark psyche-pop. Fans will appreciate all the little subtleties here, Simon’s songwriting is like an American version of Martin Newell.  Highly Recommended. Bonus: While it is a “pay-as-you-wish” download, Kool Kat has the album with a 5 Song Bonus EP included. So worth it!

Kool Kat Musik

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Your Gracious Host

Your Gracious Host “Boomerang”

Michigan multi-instrumentalist Tom Curless (aka Your Gracious Host) is back with Boomerang, as a rock tune is followed light pop ballad in alternating order. You will hear influences all over the place from Todd Rundgren to David Gilmour and everything in between. The title track is a catchy melody anchored by solid riffs, and “Never Been So Blind” has a booming drum kit alongside the harmonies and guitars.

I just found the heavier stuff more memorable than the mid-tempo stuff, for example, “Sweetness” is like a lost Bob Mould demo from the ’90s with its wall of fuzz sound and echoing beat. Bob Mervak is an equal partner here with his solid keyboard work, especially on the inspiring “You See Right Through Me.” While not everything sticks here, there are other notable tracks like the jangling melody in “Rest of us in the Third World” and the very Big Star inspired closer “Spritely.” This one is a grower, so stick with it and you will be impressed with these gems.

Kool Kat Musik