Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

The Stereo Twins “Good News”

powerpopaholic

Power pop veterans, Brandt and Matt Huseman (Greenberry Woods, Splitsville) continue their musical partnership with this new incarnation – The Stereo Twins. The brothers set forth a tough challenge for themselves; to write and record an album about Jesus without having it obviously be preachy Christian rock. Not that there is anything wrong with that, one of the best religious power pop albums out there has been Rick Altizer’s  Scripture Memory from 2007.

The Husemans still have the talent and skills to make great music, and the album partly succeeds in delivering a Christian message without being overtly religious. And they start with a simple spiritual guitar folk song “J2J” which highlights those solid harmonies in the style of the Everlys. “All That I Know” does sound like written scripture to rock music, but then the album takes off.

The gentle inspirational message of  “Stars Shine” builds to a memorable chorus and is an excellent single. The follow up “Mariamne” is more like classic Splitsville and a real gem here. “Signs and Wonders” has plenty of jangle and hooks to be a big hit as well. The riffs and synths continue on the short but catchy “Phony” about being pious without faith. Fans of the Beach Boys styled Pet Soul will enjoy the heavenly “Hymn” with the 3-part harmonies and the beautiful “Elijah.” Highly Recommended to fans of great melodies and inspirational lyrics.
power pop
CD Baby | Amazon

 

The Satisfactors and Russell & The Wolf Choir

powerpopaholic
Late Cambrian

The Satisfactors “The Satisfactors”

A good old fashioned super group consisting of the best rock and roll veterans from New Jersey: Gar Francis (Mark Lindsday, The Doughboys), Kurt Reil (The Grip Weeds), Bruce Ferguson (The Easy Outs) and Kenny Aaronson (Billy Idol, Bob Dylan, Edgar Winter and Brian Setzer). These guys know hooks and riffs better than anyone and they do not disappoint here.

These pros rock the doors off starting with “She Got Charm,” and the fast-paced energy doesn’t let up for a second. “I Love Girls” is another guitar rocker that struts around without a whiff of subtlety, reminding me of Motley Crew or Kiss. Each song follows that path and its plenty of fun, “You’re So Crazy” is designed for couch jumping air-guitar performances! Plenty of highlights, not a weak track anywhere – even “Johnny Commando” uses The Ramones “hey-ho” chorus! The entire LP can be summed up with the lyrics of “Gimme My Rock and Roll,” as Bruce punctuates it – “Nuff Said!” The Satisfactors provide the perfect soundtrack for highway drive or a festive party. If I caught this LP earlier it would’ve easily hit my top ten list, fans of younger artists like Kurt Baker or The Connection shouldn’t miss it either.
power pop
CD Baby | Amazon

Russell and The Wolf Choir

Russell and The Wolf Choir “The Ivy Leaf Agreement” EP

Russell and the Wolf Choir is a band that combines country and indie pop. The songs are mostly about change after a loss, “I think I Need An Editor” boasts a unique percussive approach. “Closure” uses the steel pedal guitar for that country effect on this mellow song about the end of a relationship.

The highlight here comes on the storybook lyrics of “The Evening Wore On Part 1” about accepting the friendship of a former crush. The thumping beat of “This Fall I Think That You’re Riding For” is another great example of songwriting. What’s missing are some hooks to encourage repeat listens, but there is enough here to demand your attention. Fans of Death Cab for Cutie or Wilco may want to pick this one up.
power pop

Amazon

Jonathan Rundman and The Person & The People

powerpopaholic
Jonathan Rundman

Jonathan Rundman “Look Up”

Minneapolis-based folk singer-songwriter Jonathan Rundman ends a decade-long break to deliver the pop-oriented Look Up. The band that includes drummer Steve Goold (Sara Bareilles), guitarist Tyler Burkum (Leagues), guitarist Jasper Nephew (Owl City), and bassist Ian Allison (Jeremy Messersmith). Guest stars include power pop legend Parthenon Huxley (ELO, Eels) and neuroscientist/musician Daniel Levitin.

After the mid-tempo opener “Prioritize Us”, the standout song “Northbound Traffic” celebrates the need to unplug, and follow your wanderlust. This is where the power of the band propels Rundman’s melody forward with solid guitar riffs, denser production and brilliant harmonies. A bit more sparse is “The Science Of Rockets” but its a fast tempo gem with a buzzing solo between the main verses. The old rustic ballads and Finnish melancholia are still part of Rundman’s oeuvre, “The Ballad of Nikolaus Rungius,” “Second Shelf Down” and “Home Unknown” are sweet and comfy compositions. “Helicopters Of Love” has a neat hook in the chorus, and “Flying On A Plane” is another big standout about the marvels of technology and how it all contrasts with the past. Definitely worth checking out.
power pop
Amazon


The Person and The People

The Person and The People “What A Drag”

From the other end of Minnesota’s musical spectrum is The Person & The People. This was a real under-the-radar gem that I missed on my 2014 year end list. Short spiky melodies blast through, like the Superdrag-like “I Get Weird” and “Unwind.” The smooth harmonies and dynamic melody on “Vitamin C” is just what the doctor ordered, it’s just brilliant. Most tunes clock in nicely at the three minute mark.

Another gem “Give Me More” is like Weezer doing Nirvana with fuzz and buzz leading the way. Not a single second of filler here, each tune has the right attitude, like the cynical “What You Do” or the disappointment in “The Wrong Way.” I hear a little of Bob Mould influence on “Year Long Drought.” This LP only encouraged me visit the band’s back catalog for more. Only on Bandcamp, and highly recommended.

power pop

First In Space and Garfield’s Birthday

powerpopaholic
First In Space

First In Space “In The Red”

Ohio based First In Space has streamlined their sound from those early days where they were akin to The Gin Blossoms mixed with a touch of Bon Jovi. The production is more intimate, less “arena-oriented” and more focused on a solid melody. “Letters From Hell” is an excellent opener, featuring the crisp harmonies of Johnny Stanec and Dolus McCormick. “Return To Sender” is just as strong, with a wicked guitar solo at the break. “Forward Progress” is proof of this band’s new maturity when they sing the lyric “Every bridge I ever burned became a lesson to be learned…”

The positive vibe flows from the band, and it makes for excellent listening. Additional highlights include “A Captive’s Point Of View,” and “Now Or Never.” Even the grand finale “The Prescription” doesn’t feel labored or forced, so pick this one up. Highly Recommended.
power pop

CD Baby | Amazon

Garfields Birthday

Garfields Birthday “You Are Here”

The Felton Brothers (Shane and Simon) return and are joined by Alan Strawbridge (Schnauser/The Lucky Bishops) as guest drummer. The lead track “Magic Bike,” has great bass line along its psyche-pop melody with a quick catchy beat. The duo’s very British harmonies are quiet good, a bit like classic Chad and Jeremy. “Fancy Dress” bounces along like a hippy B-side with its “ba-ba-ba” chorus, but the tempo slows to crawl on “I’m A Star Tonight” which drags on past 4 minutes.

But the Feltons have many tricks up their collective sleeve and the Kinks/Monkees vibe is all over “It’s Your Lucky Day” and the trippy “Lunar Eclipse” is a lot of fun too. “Radio” is a short gem about those radio program directors who play the “same old song on the same old show.” It closes out on two great tracks, the fast moving “Sunday Best” and the majestic “Water (Looks Like Rain)” the gentle chorus “Everything’s beautiful to me…” has a soulful guitar bridge running underneath it. If you dig those mellow ’60s grooves, pick this one up.
power pop

Amazon

The Blood Rush Hour and The Sunset District

powerpopaholic

The Blood Rush Hour “And Then… The Unthinkable Happened”

I’d like to start off the new year with a great release, and The Blood Rush Hour has been happy to oblige.  “And Then…” isn’t a traditional album, but more like a power pop musical with a pile of great influences from Supertramp, XTC and especially 10cc. The theatrical opener “Hello (They’re Coming To Get You)” is a stunner with a choral verse halfway through. Production work is reminiscent of 10cc’s “Original Soundtrack” or Jackdaw4. “Hard To Put Right” blends seamlessly into the mix, you almost can’t tell when one song ends and the next one begins. No filler, although the songs are so dense they don’t hook you immediately and very few have repeating choruses. So take your time and hit repeat frequently.

Lots of highlights; “A Song That Some Sing” is a beautiful ballad by guest singer Christian Phillips (The Sonic Executive Sessions) and the tropical “Nicola” displays a keen melody with a sweet falsetto. “Dancing By Yourself” and “(The Day I Finally) Stopped The War” are closer to pop singles with immediate impact. The ending pair of “You Don’t Seem To Wonder Why” and “I See Something” use more synth and the compositions remind me of Trevor Rabin-era Yes (particularly on the latter song.) Songwriter/producer Robert DeStefano has got a special album here, and it isn’t unthinkable to add this into my top 20 list from last year. Highly Recommended.
power pop

CD Baby | Amazon

Rob Fetters

The Sunset District “The Sunset District”

This Atlanta, GA veteran band lead by John McNicholas gives us a fun debut that I missed last year, while it starts out a bit stiff on the opening (“We Can Stow Away the Sound Underground“) the next track “Candy Says” is warm and full of indie personality. You’ll hear the influences from REM to Fountains of Wayne, with the narrative structures of the catchy “I Will Always Be Your Man” showcasing a fine bass guitar lead.

The band gets a bit more aggressive on the fuzzy “Oh, Angelina!” and while not alt-country, its got that southern laid back charm, like on the duet harmonies with Kim Ware on “A Girl Like You” and “All Hail This Town.” I can definitely say that this band has potential, so check it out.
power pop

CD Baby | Amazon