Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Free Music Mondays: My Brother Woody, Fernando Perdomo and The Sunchymes

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It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from My Brother Woody. Glad to hear he’s still got those fantastic musical skills, with his new digital release Random Football Musings Set To Music. It’s a set of baroque pop gems all about World Cup soccer. And its a FREE download. Best sports themed album since The Duckworth Lewis Method.

We reviewed Fernando Perdomo‘s album a while back, and now its a FREE download on bandcamp. Dig in, for a limited time and check out my favorite track “Girl With A Record Collection.”

Since the weather is changing, its time to say goodbye to summer. I can think of no better way than to listen to these FREE tracks of sunshine pop from The Sunchymes. “Through My Eyes” has all the jangle of The Byrds and harmonic chorus of The Beach Boys. Plus a great psychedelic cover of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” As a bonus you can also download the single “Mr. Buckstone.”

Kurt Baker and The Persian Leaps

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Kurt Baker “Brand New B-Sides”

When Kurt and Wyatt Funderburk worked on Brand New Beat three years ago, they still had plenty of gems leftover to make a follow-up. Much like Kurt’s debut the songs here have the same sound and catchy energy. “Quit Dancing With My Girl” is another perfect amalgam of Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe that speeds along its melody line. Each track bounces along, highlights are all over this release, examples being “Emma Stone” and “What’s That Got To Do With Rock N’ Roll,” riff anthem that channels the Glam era, originally done by The New York Dolls.

The LPs second half shows some different approaches, like the rare slow tempo “Since You’ve Been On My Mind” and “I’ve Tried Everything.” There is even a cover of Nick Lowe’s “So It Goes.” Overall this isn’t as cohesive as the debut, but a little Kurt goes a long way. And it still ends up on my playlist. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Amazon


The Cherry Drops

The Persian Leaps “Drive Drive Delay” EP

After The Persian Leaps last review and I was told the band had a new EP coming out shortly, and now its here. Continuing their GBV-inspired power pop with the pyromaniac anthem “Fire Starter” and then “Pretty Boy” has some Bob Mould like fuzz guitar with an inspired call and response chorus.

“(Goodbye To) South Carolina” has a little more jangle, but the wall of fuzz sound occasionally drowns out the melody. My favorite highlight is “Permission”  a bit more like a modern rocker where the lead guitar line shares equal time with the lead vocal. Between the 2 EPs you have a pretty good full length, so give it a spin on your playlist.


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Bracket “Hold Your Applause”

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Bracket is a rock band from Forestville, California that gives us power pop in the tradition of Superdrag, Extreme and Sugarbomb or more simply put, Bracket combines buzzsaw punk guitar with heavenly harmonies. The band has been around since the early ’90s consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Marty Gregori, bassist and backing vocalist Zack Charlos, drummer Ray Castro and guitarist and backing vocalist Angelo Celli. The arrangements have a rich baroque feel, performed with an aggressive guitar attack at the forefront – a trick few bands can do convincingly.

It grows on you like moss, starting with the vocal multi-tracked “Not A Pear” the brilliant harmonies and ukelele strum coming forward. “Caving In” and “The Light” have catchy melodies led by a riff attack in each chorus. “She’s My Eraser” adds a Jellyfish-like composition to the mix. The bands range is also impressive, “Mandy Lynn” is at its most romantic while “The Opportunist” is a fast paced punk effort. However the album is best represented by the pensive, layered songs like “My Phantom Limb” being my favorite highlight. The latter half gets a bit more influence from The Beach Boys Smile-era with “Daddy-in-Law” and “A Striking Disappearance.” Then “Gone” and “Habit” are epic musical journeys along the lines of Queen or Lollipop Factory. The songs seamlessly blend into each other, almost to a fault. But if you liked any of the bands I mentioned above, then Hold Your Applause is required listening. Highly Recommended.

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Back in Stock! The Power Pop Tee Shirt

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If you were at Power Popahoplic Fest then you already knew we have the best tee shirts ever. They sold out at our merch booth, but you can still get one! Its an exclusive design you can get nowhere else. Click here and get your shirt today!
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DJ Dave “The Boogieman” with his classic POWER POP tee in heather grey, shows off to Lisa Mychols.
Mychols_Tee
Lisa just had to get one too. The queen of Power Pop is ready to hit the stage!

The Cherry Drops and Leanne Kingwell

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The Cherry Drops

The Cherry Drops “Everything’s Groovy”

Who knew you could mix Garage and Bubblegum pop with seamless precision?  The Cherry Drops have done this making a themed album that combines every 1960s power pop influence you can name. Like the Archies-styled cartoon cover the LP begins rather harmlessly with “Pop, Pop (Til You Drop),” but then shortly veers into the garage with the hand-clapping “Little Girl.” The next tune, “Outta Sight” was voted “coolest song” by Little Steven for good reason. It features a strong beat with some great layered riffs and a wicked dueling guitar solo at the break (cool, indeed!).

And its not just music, but pop culture that’s celebrated. “Shlemiel, Shlemazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated” is a blazing  punk surf theme, that’s a tribute to 70’s TV show “Laverne & Shirley.” The Beach Boys influenced “Summertime Is A State of Mind” soothes, and a crisp cover of The Raspberries “I Wanna Be With You” excites. In fact you’ll hear lots of familiar influences buried in the music, and its not all retro, “Let’s Bug Out” is like Weezer meets Jan & Dean and “Surfer Slut” combines Dick Dale and The B-52’s. The bottom line of all this is pure power pop fun. Highly Recommended.

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Leanne Kingwell

Leanne Kingwell “Choking on Halos”

Aussie rocker Leanne Kingwell wrote “Choking On Halos” in Melbourne and recorded it in Hollywood over a period of two years. And she’s not your typical pop diva. In fact she’s the anti-diva, with influences rooted in The Clash, Nirvana, and My Chemical Romance. Starting on “This High” a dense bed of guitars form below the melody and allow Leanne’s rasp to come to the forefront. “Saviour” is a defiant but smoky approach that gives the song almost a gothic atmosphere. “Sunshine” is a pretty cool single filled with sex-filled lyrical metaphors, and think Sinead O Connor meets Romeo Void with a Pixies fetish on the title track.

Recommended tracks also include cool “My Flag On The Moon,” plus the dynamic dance tunes “Kickin” and “Slingshot.” If you are looking for pop with a deep dark edge, Leanne has you covered.

CD Baby | Amazon