Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Tyson Leslie and Evil Arrows

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Tyson Leslie “Train Wrecks, Havoc & Heartbreak”
 Tyson Leslie has been a vibrant part of the Kansas City music scene for over twenty years, playing in various bands now steps out of the sideman role with his debut LP.

Leslie is a rarity, a guitar shredder who actually cares about melody. The Beach Boys used to sing simply about cars and girls, and on “Little Green Honda” he updates the formula and its a damn catchy single. “Crazy All Over You” is a semi-honkey tonk road song that displays Leslie talent for amazing licks. A smooth rock duet with Lyndsey Lou is next on “She Danced Under The Lights” and “Selective Amnesia” recalls Dave Edumnds and Rockpile.

Leslie also has amazing range, from catchy pop of “Suckerfish” to epic rock ballads like “Goodbye To The Rain.” More highlights include “Wasted Time” and the Beatlesque ender “The Last Words.” I couldn’t find any weak tracks, and with precise production values I have to add this to my top ten albums list this year. A real hidden gem.

Amazon | Bandcamp

 

Evil Arrows “2” EP
 As a follow up to January’s “1” EP Bryan Scary is back with an Evil Arrows sequel. Scary is a distinctive voice that is immediately accessible, a rich combination of glam rock and power pop.

“Gods of Light” is a mid-60’s Stones-style tune, but at the chorus it goes into a multi-tracked, dense production of “ba-ba-ba” vocals. “Last Living Doll” is a quick tempo gem lead by staccato guitar riffs and Bryan’s playful lyrics. “A New Age Holiday” has some inventive chord shifts and “Shadow Lovers” struts along like T.Rex and is the standout track on this “side”. Between the 2 EPs, you get one of the best albums this year.

Bandcamp only

Phil Ajjarapu and Sonali

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Phil Ajjarapu “Sing Along Until You Feel Better”
Firstly a big thank you to my friend Elizabeth for finding this artist for me. Phil is an Austin, TX based songwriter. He’s session musician and perennial sideman, and was finally prompted to make his solo album after a near fatal motorcycle accident in March of 2012. During his recovery the process was set in motion, meeting producer Ken Stringfellow (Posies, Big Star) and putting together a successful Kickstarter campaign.

The title track is a perfect Beatles-Beach Boys inspiration, with Phil’s vocals multi-tracked over a Jellyfish-styled melody. While the remaining tracks don’t have the same dense production, “Angie” is another bouncy mid-tempo song just brimming with optimism. “The Wedding Song” is blissful acoustic love ballad and “Talk” is a catchy quickie similar to Marshall Crenshaw. Some of the tunes compare well with another DIY artist, Glenn Case as it goes from earnest hope to heartbreak, even ending with the slow self-pity party “I Fail Myself.” A thoroughly enjoyable debut, I can only hope Phil will follow it up.

Amazon


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Sonali “Wake Up” EP
Sonali Argade is a multi-instrumentalist who wields an impressive arsenal of instruments including lead guitar, keyboard, drums and bass. She’ll been hard at work on her sophomore EP. Produced by Kazumi Shimokawa and Justin Tracy, its an  eclectic mix of folky pop-rock, with an emphasis on melody. The title track shuffles along with banjo and drums, as Sonali has a bit of a Paula Cole vibe. “Who We Are” is the big flashy single with a great chorus that showcases her solid vocal talents. On the soft ballad “Find Your Way,” she’s just angelic and “Holding Pattern” makes a great story song, about how flying from place to place changes your perspective on things. Overall a solid EP that has encouraged me to visit previous releases.

CD Baby | Amazon

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Temples and Greg Ieronimo

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Temples “Sun Structures”
In a year filled with classic pysche-pop revivalists, add Kettering, UK based Temples to the list. This band is positioned well with Noel Gallagher of Oasis, proclaiming them “the best new band in Britain.” Well I wouldn’t go that far, but they certainly have excellent technique and musicianship down pat. “Shelter Song” is a hip-shaking Byrdsian beat with a nice hook that effortlessly resonates.

The duo of singer/guitarist James Bagshaw and bassist Tom Warmsley skillfully reproduce the sixties ambiance throughout the album with a cerebral and artsy bent. The lyrical obsessions with misty metaphysical puzzles and Eastern meditations also bring to mind the grandness of the era with “Move With The Season” and “The Golden Throne.” Bands from the now defunct Rainbow Quartz Records (Outrageous Cherry, The High Dials and The Grip Weeds) would fit perfectly alongside Temples. Lots of highlights here, “Mesmerize” and “The Guesser” both seem to sound like The Searchers or The Zombies. And “Test of Time” has that expansive wall of sound enveloping your senses.  The only thing that you could complain about is that Bagshaw’s vocal can get buried on a few tracks, as they go overboard on the mellotron and echo effects. Otherwise get this and New Electric Ride LP, paint yourself up in florescent body paint, turn on the black-light and get your groove on. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

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Greg Ieronimo “Bi-Polar Love”
If you’ve been missing Sugar Bomb’s Bully or Enuff Z’nuff and asking yourself, “Why doesn’t anyone make this kind of rock anymore?” Well, Greg Leronimo may be the fix you are looking for. From the opening chords of “Roller Coaster Ride” you are taken on a ride through power pop perfection, with fuzzy chords and dizzying hooks.

Greg’s vocal is mostly double tracked like Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) to help support his lower register. “Catch Me,” while not as immediate boasts a great chorus above a wall of guitars. “Lucky Day” takes a few tips from Jeff Lynne (ELO) with its vocal style and backing vocal techniques. Although this is a short 7-track album (maybe it counts as a EP for some) not a single dud is to be found. “Outer Space” has a strong riffs anchoring everything and “Goodbye Love” is another mid-tempo gem that echos Jellyfish.  The last track “Act Two” is another fast-paced love song that recalls both Weezer and Cheap Trick. Get this FREE from Bandcamp, or order the CD. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Amazon

The Mike Benign Compulsion “Here’s How it Works”

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Milwaukee-based Mike Benign Compulsion brings all the tools to his third album Here’s How It Works. Benign is joined by bassist Brian Wooldridge, drummer Michael Koch and guitarist Joe Vent. The group is a tight sounding unit, with touches of Elvis Costello, The Kinks and The Beatles sprinkled all around. Benign’s rugged vocal takes hold of you right away.

Starting with the mid-tempo “Mrs. Kean” it’s a dense song about adultery with backwards guitar that leads us to the next stage in the affair, “You Say It’s Over” and our protagonist is “inclined to agree.” The big single “Haley Daley” is a fantastically catchy song with energy and snide attitude. The songcraft is both delicate and complex in “Bay Window” making it one of the best ballads here.

The theme of loss and anxiety permeate the entire album. The restlessness is apparent on “Professional Jealousy/Saw Your Post” with the latter half of the song shifting to resigned bitterness. “Me and My Fluoxetine” has a perfect opening riff and line that would make both Ray Davies and Bob Dylan jealous. The pastoral harmonies on “Sleep” make it another winner. No filler either, as each track gives you something compelling. After a few listens, I found no reason to keep it off my list of top ten albums for 2014. Don’t miss it.

CD Baby | Amazon

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOuMA0VGRw4[/youtube]

Lapland and Ed Woltil

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Lapland “Lapland”
Lapland is a new project by Brooklyn singer-songwriter Josh Mease. From the opening strums of “Unwise” you feel the full otherworldly texture and mood wash over you. It gets into standard folk pop fare with “Overboard,” but the melodic gift is evidently strong with Josh, as the chords and layered harmonies evoke both McCartney and Paul Simon. Each song structure is tightly woven but slowly paced,”Aeroplane” drifts along like a Nilsson ballad amongst the clouds.

If you like subtle pocket melodies, then this album is for you. “Drink Me Dry” is another casual gem, and then it gets very deep on “Memory.” When Josh veers toward the atmospheric it may set you to sleep, but if you liked 8×8 or Dent May then you’ll just drink it in. The faux western “Metal Lungs” is another highlight. The production is clean and aside from an instrumental or two you’ll just have to listen to it a few times to have it sink in. A real grower.

ITunes |  Amazon

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Ed Woltil “Paper Boats”
Acclaimed singer-songwriter from The Ditchflowers steps out with his melodically rich, lyrically nuanced solo debut. The album is built around Woltil’s considerable acoustic guitar skills and warm vocal, as he builds neatly efficient songs. “Algebra” is a fresh, snappy melody along the lines of Joe Walsh or Donald Fagen. The easy going “Random Access Memory” has a wandering verse and hook along the lines of Mike Viola, a pure joy to listen to. “Someone Else’s Life” creates a melody with a wry touch of self-awareness, similar to Randy Newman. “The One and Only Anderson” is a cute, funny portrait of his dog, Andy.

He takes a few more liberties on the LP’s second half. “Open” is a mix of classical influences, and “The Shortest Distance (Between Two Hearts)” is soul-pop ballad. And the skillful lyrical gymnastics on “One in A Row” brings to mind Paul Simon at his most playful. Overall its a fully realized display of superb songwriting and musicianship. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Bandcamp