Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Rocket Bureau and Co-Pilgrim

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Rocket Bureau

Rocket Bureau “Phantoms Ringing 67-73”

Is it possible to be so good at recreating an era’s sound you fool even veteran audiophiles?  Contrary to what the title of the album suggest – that these are not tracks from the late 60’s/early 70’s, but a new release by musician Kyle Urban on his 8-track reel-to-reel.

The energetic guitars start with “Silhouette” and it brings to mind bands of the past (20/20, The Plimsouls, Rubinoos) along with touch of the modern (The Well Wishers.) The song “Go Away Girl” has such classic beats and chord changes you’d swear it was a undiscovered hit single.  “Night Time” has a 50’s vibe similar to Sam Cooke, and “She Dreams In Colors” is a trip “Rain” styled jam. “Choozy Suzy” is another potential sure-fire hit and “Along Comes Sam” has a roots rock vibe with its layered guitars. Other songs have a similar Allman Bros. vibe like “Tuscaloosa Woman.” This is a “greatest hits” of sorts for Rocket Bureau and its diversity of style just proves Kyle is versatile as hell here. Not a single note of filler, and proof that DIY analog artists can rock it old school. Super Highly Reccomended.

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon


Co-Pilgrim

Co-Pilgrim “Slows To Go”

I missed this one late last year: Oxford band Co-Pilgrim has a distinct folk Americana influence, with California styled harmonies and slow tempo melodies. Fans of The Byrds, CSNY, and Teenage Fanclub are sure to enjoy this. “Slows To Go” swells into dreamy pop land right from the title track.

Lead vocalist Mike Gale glides through each track, “You Come Over, You Go” is a great example of crisp singing and the harmonies are especially good on “Flood Of Tears.” Some songs have a county feel, “Its A Blue Moon” makes use of lap guitar and gentle acoustic strumming. The style here is very consistent and lack of variety may seem frustrating to some listeners, but the vocal arrangements are so lush they are worth revisiting. Highly recommended.

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Torbjorn Petersson and Paul Melancon

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Torbjorn Petersson

Torbjorn Petersson “Kool as a Kat”

A series of song fragments sprinkled in with some genuine great tunes, Petersson shines on the shimmering melody of “Lisa Love.” And the layered “Shades of You” has a bit of a Traveling Wilburys vibe with Torbjorn’s understated vocal (which reminds me a little of Pete Shelley.) Although the song sketches are short, they are distractions here, so thankfully most of music that turns out to be full songs are really good.

This was all a project where Torbjorn was challenged to write and record an album in only one month. I’d say it was a success. More highlights include “I’m Telling You Now, ” the McCartneyesque “The Trouble With Love” and the epic closer “What If I Was Wrong.” As another huge bonus, this album is FREE download, so pick it up now!

Bandcamp only

Torbjorn Petersson

Torbjorn Petersson “Summerbound” EP

The following month, Torbjorn produced this follow-up EP and no surprise its just as good as the music made earlier. “Absent Minded Me” has an easy going melody and the catchy “What In The World” has shades of Jeff Lynne that make it a big highlight here. The backing “ba-ba-ba” vocals are also in “Love Went To Paris” a light romance story, and the fast paced message about the power of music are in “Two Minutes of Your Time.” No filler here and Highly Recommended!

Bandcamp only

Paul Melancon

Paul Melancon “Super Rocket X​-​1” EP

Its been a long time since I’ve heard from Atlanta musician Paul Melancon. Well he shakes off the rust and is working on his third solo LP. This EP is just a taste of Melancon’s magic — and its only 2 bucks. “Super Rocket X-1” boast a wicked guitar opening riff that repeats in the chorus that seems influenced by the following artists he covers here. A faithful cover of Pink Floyd’s “Time” and Radiohead’s “Airbag” follow. Also impressive is the Bowie cover “Rock n’ Roll Suicide,” sure I’d prefer more originals here, but now that I’ve heard some I’m on the look out for more. Stay tuned.

Donny Brown and Icecream Skyscraper

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Donny Brown

Donny Brown “Donny Brown” EP

Last year Donny’s talent floored me on his debut EP Hester Street, as his romantic ballads were great examples of songwriting. On his self-titled follow up, the asian strings of “14 Days” keep the pleasant melody from getting dull and “Now You Can Break My Heart” is another good mid-tempo sing along melody.

Then the standouts “Life of A Stranger” and “Just A Friend” take this EP above and beyond the average. The latter is a brilliant ballad about how a friendly kiss only lit sparks for the receiver and not the giver. Catch the slide guitar break midway through this instant classic. “Losing A Part of Your Soul” is another gem with its catchy chorus. “Reach Out” is a lightweight ending here, but this is still a very highly recommended EP.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


Icecream Skyscraper “Mercury In Lemonade”

Icecream Skyscraper is the unique collaboration between two power pop icons; guitarist Huw Gower (The Records) and vocalist Michael Mazzarella (The Rooks). The results are surprising, more progressive rock than pop on the opener “Problem.” One of the better songs here is the beautifully layered “Groove Back” with its piano/guitar interplay.

Mazzarella’s distinctive vocal vibrato turn the 7 minute psych-pop “Turmoil” into another treat. However most of the music settles into a mellow space as “Nineteen in 71” and “Mayday” seem like improvisational meanderings. Gower’s guitar will occasionally overpower the melodies, but sometimes it’s just perfect — like on “(Don’t Shoot) The Messenger.” Ending with a fun cover of Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman,” this is an album for the adventurous listener looking for a slow grower instead of immediate gratification.

CD Baby | Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

John Faye and Les Fradkin

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John Faye

John Faye “Meddling Kid”

With two decades in the music business under his belt, Philly rock veteran John Faye (Caufields, IKE) has truly gone solo where he plays every instrument on his newest LP. Fans of his past work will be glad to know that he’s just gotten better with age, “Mere Mortals” and “Back In The Day” are brilliant pop songs that touch on getting older without sounding old. The wonderful anthem “Keep On Hanging Around” almost dares the listener not to raise a fist in support of Faye. Like another late ’90s icon Adam Marsland, Faye has only mellowed slightly, he’s still got that fire on “Platonic” about ending up in “the friend zone.” Great stuff here that easily would’ve reached my top 25 if I heard it earlier!

CD Baby


Les Fradkin

Les Fradkin “Rehearsals for Retirement”

Guitarist Les Fradkin was one of the original members of the hit Broadway show “Beatlemania” playing lead guitar and the part of “George Harrison” in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago from 1977-79. He’s in good company, with fellow former cast members Glenn Burtnik and Marshall Crenshaw. Since that time Les has been busy making lots of music (20 solo albums,) pioneered a Guitar Synthesizer, and played with many bands including The Ventures, The Left Banke and David Sanborn.

Rehearsals for Retirement is a 30 track retrospective of his career with selections from his many albums. If you like lots of jangle and heavy gloss production, this is for you. The opener “Jangleholic” and its exactly what you expect it to sound like, with 12 string McGuinn styled rhythm. Fradkin’s selections are mostly a mixed bag, some sure sound like long lost hits from the early ‘70s like “I Can Never Saw Goodbye” and  “God Bless California.” There are some CSNY and Bryds influences on “Get It Together” and “Why Smiling.” So if you’re into rock with a unique point-of-view, this may float your boat.

Amazon | CD Baby

 

Honeywagen and Hooten Tennis Club

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Just one more week of reviews for 2015 – next week is our long-awaited year end “Best of” list!

Honeywagen

Honeywagen “Jamboree”

Kansas City jangle pop junkies, Mike Penner, Scott Christensen, Bill Ryan and Peter Cook are Honeywagen. I mentioned them in my review of IPO #18, but I wanted to hear the full album Jamboree. Reminds me a bit of  Midwestern roots band with Beatlesque flair, starting with “Angel” it has some barroom swing to go with those guitars. Plenty of Byrdsian jangle on “Another Hour,” although the vocals are a bit understated, there are lots of favorite influences here. “Five Point Oh” plays like an old Beach Boys car song and “Good Luck Tonight” is a little bit Big Star and Dwight Twilley combined. Recommended tracks include the high energy “Lose My Mind,” self loathing ballad “Loser,” and the Monkees-like “She Wants.” It was hard to find a bad song, which is a good sign of any highly recommended album. Check it out!

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Expected

Hooton Tennis Club “Highest Point in Cliff Town”

An astute powerpopaholic reader alerted me to this gem. Hooten Tennis Club combines arty noise-pop and power pop into something like Pavement meets Teenage Fanclub. Band leader Ryan Murphy, guitarist James Madden, bassist Callum McFadden and drummer Harry Chalmers formed the band in 2013, recording a cover of The Rolling Stones “19th Nervous Breakdown,” (hmm, this sounds familiar) then signed with Heavenly Records.

The sound is full of bright pop hooks and dense guitars on “Up In The Air” and jaunty catchy chorus of “P.O.W.E.R.F.U.L .P.I.E.R.R.E.” proves this band is more than just a messy impressionist pop band. Early singles “Jasper” and “Kathleen Sat On The Arm of Her Favorite Chair” are solid slices of life set to fuzz riffs, recalling the best pop of the ’90s. Not a single wasted note here, even the long four minute plus “Always Coming Back 2 You” held my attention. Brilliant indie pop that is highly recommended.

Amazon