Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Robert Gay and The Real Impossibles

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Robert Gay “When I Was Young”
I don’t know much about Nashville musician Robert Gay, but with the help of his band (The Alarms) he’s put together When I Was Young. Gathering memories of his youth, it looks back searching for meaning in life, thematically like The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. Opening with the slow wistful title track, but then jumping into the summery melody “For You” full of horns and hope. This slow-fast alternating tempo of songs continues throughout.

“Sunday Afternoon” is a beautifully orchestrated song with woodwinds and harmonies. “Katie” is back to the fast-paced approach, “Floating Away” has a delicate acoustic melody, about the very beginnings of loss and this segues into the dramatic “Trouble.” Next comes the bright Squeeze-like single “Everyone I Know,” with darkness lurking just between each chorus, and a little Ska influence peeks through too. The writing is top notch, especially on the gem “Want To Want Again,” with a perfect hook, catchy beat and a tuned guitar distortion – one of the best songs I’ve heard this year. The album ends off with some orchestral pop, “Open Roads” similar to a Neil Diamond epic. Highly Recommended.
power pop review score 9

Bandcamp

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The Real Impossibles “It’s About Time 1983-1988”
The Real Impossibles were an L.A. band started by Marc Platt in 1983, he hooked up Probyn Gregory (Wondermints, Brian Wilson band) and some friends helped him put out a EP. After some positive reviews, Platt then put together a live band that worked the same club circuit with The Bangles, The Three O’Clock, and The Plimsouls. In fact after the Plimsouls broke up, lead singer Peter Case joined The Impossibles in the studio on a few tracks. But the band never made that leap to national fame. This is a 23 song retrospective from this hard-to-find “lost” power pop band.

Some songs still hold up nicely the opener “Burned” being one of them. An energetic cover of Neil Diamond’s “Cherry Cherry” follows, with highlights being the jangle-filled “Here and Now” and “Turn My World.” Some tunes have a bit of punk attitude, reminding me a little of The Godfathers or The Romantics. Other tracks are very solid 80’s guitar pop, and its hard to see how the mainstream overlooked the band. The production quality varies from song to song, based on the condition of the masters. For fans of the ’80s era, this should be an essential part of your music collection.
power pop review score 9

Zero Hour Records

The Grip Weeds and Andy Reed + Brandon Schott

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The Grip Weeds “Inner Grooves”
So you already know and love The Grip Weeds, and they are working on a new album as you read this. But Kurt Reil isn’t about to let your stockings empty this season, so he’s compiled a group of “Rare and Under-released Tracks” for you in Inner Grooves. As one of the best classic Byrdsian rock bands ever, its impossible to find even “throw-away” tracks, so that makes this an essential listen. Starting with the power pop perfection of “Rainy Day #1&2” it moves to the Merseyside flavored “Nothing Lasts,” an outtake from Strange Change Machine.

“She Don’t Care About Time” is a faithful Gene Clark cover (frankly, they could cover his entire discography perfectly.) “Sight Unseen” boasts some nice clean harmonies and fuzzy guitar solos. And if you wanted the long version of “Sun Ra Ga,” here is all 11+ minutes of that sprawling psychedelic jam. Thoughtfully mastered, it doesn’t feel like a collection of odd singles, but a cohesive album that was rescued from the cutting room floor.


Amazon
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American Underdog & Brandon Schott “The AB EP”
Brandon Schott and Andy Reed (An American Underdog) team up to release 2 songs each off of their respective forthcoming records. This tandem throws us 4 excellent singles and it’s a brilliant idea.

As competitive musicians they bring their “A” game starting with Schott’s “Henry” its a similar style to his last album 13 Satellites. Then Reed’s American Underdog “The Show Goes On” has a yearning romantic quality. This also helps both musicians promote themselves and helps build anticipation for those new albums. Yes, this is a big tease… but a good one that fans will appreciate.

Bandcamp

Magic Eight Ball “Sorry We’re Late But We’re Worth the Wait”

powerpopaholic 3 Comments

Magic Eight Ball are an energetic trio from the south of England led by musician Baz Francis. After several EPs and singles, the band brings us its first LP (with the appropriate title). One thing you get immediately from the opener, “Something Better Has Come Along,” Baz is a big fan of Jellyfish and Enuff Znuff. His vocals are amazingly similar to Andy Sturmer here and Jellyfish fans will just feed off that and the swirling guitar riffs. It continues throughout this fast-paced album. The sweet “Baby, Is It So?” slows the pace a little just to let us know everything is fine, and its highlighted by an amazing guitar solo at the break. The band also pays tribute with the song “Big Star,” delivering the jangle and harmonies similar to the classic “September Gurls.”

Every song on this album has a compelling big hook and melody from the heavy crunch guitars (“Before It Was Murder” featuring Donnie Vie) to the gentle ballads (“Monkey Bars.”) A great mix of the crunchy-sweet is found in the standout “Russian Ballet” (reminded me of Ice Cream Hands as well) and it deserves a spot as a contender for my 2013 top ten list. Better late than never.
power pop review score 9

Amazon | Itunes

Arthur Nasson and The Well Wishers

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Arthur Nasson “West Cambridge Cowboys”
Nasson just finished playing IPO Boston, and I was shocked not to have heard him before. Clearly a lover of melodic pop in the Beatles meets Joe Jackson vein, starting with “She Was Never Really There,” the piano chords are accompanied by Nasson’s Lennonesque harmonies. “Watch Your Back Now” and “Phil’s Pony” are also great catchy songs with the unmistakeable Todd Rundgren influence. “Blind To Reason” is a bass heavy slice of electric guitar with a catchy beat.

“I’ve Got A Flanger In My Heart” is another dense guitar tune filled with echoing riffs and synths. Stylistically he keeps to the 60s through the 80s on most songs. He also has an inventive use of sound effects on the textured mid-tempo “From A Window On A Train.” At times the sonic experiments feel more like an indulgence, (“Robot Trouble” and “Auntie-Matter”) but they are mercifully short. Enough great tunes here to make this highly recommended listening.

CD Baby | Amazon

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The Well Wishers “Dunwoody” EP
The brand new EP from San Francisco’s Jeff Shelton (aka The Well Wishers) encapsulates five acoustic styled vignettes of some mythical folk in Dunwoody, Georgia – a real suburb of Atlanta. In a change from the heavy rock of his other project  Hot Nun, this Well Wishers EP comes from a mellower melodic place.

“Peel Away” starts off with gentle acoustic and electric guitars to a bouncy pastoral melody. This style continues on “Good Luck” another optimistic love song with some a gentle harmonies in the chorus. Next “Real Today” and “Open Up Your Eyes” are more standard Well Wishers jangle-pop. Overall, the wonderful melodic compositions without any filler, makes a great holiday gift. Highly Recommended.

Well Wishers Direct (with bonus CD) | CD Baby

1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco and Nick Vernier Band

powerpopaholic 1 Comment

The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco “The Cruise Control EP”
I know almost nothing about this UK band, but it does have a slick melodic style very much in the mode of early Steely Dan with a touch of Squeeze or Randy Newman. Most impressive is “The Legend of Josie & The Juke” with its catchy melody in the chorus, solid harmonies and lead guitar. “List Study” is a detailed study with classic jazz rhythm guitar punctuating each chorus.”Breakfast Of Kings” is a rousing bar sing-along.

The band has a few other singles on Bandcamp from earlier this year, one I liked here was “Jackie & Norm & The Hairdresser to The Stars.” a livid character study.  And the earlier LP Private Jet Flashback is a “name-your-price” download. A real buried treasure of a band that deserves to be heard!

Bandcamp

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Nick Vernier Band “Don’t Know What To Say”
Eric Van Den Brink (Nick Vernier Band) has a knack for picking great collaborators. He’s worked with Gerry Beckley (America), The Monkees, and Probyn Gregory (The Wondermints, Brian Wilson Band). Now with David Paton (Pilot,) Eric has put together a single called “Don’t Know What To Say.” Its a nice catchy song, and we hope a full album follows.

Itunes