Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

The Tor Guides “Lots of The Pops! Volume 1: Caught In A Sweet Refrain”

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I have to raise my glass in mutual respect for Torbjorn Pettersson and his band. Not too many groups are willing to carry on the shiny pop torch pioneered by The Merrymakers, but The Tor Guides are thrilled to do so. Their last LP Strawberries & Chocolates was pretty sweet, and things get sweeter (and more polished) here.

The glossy opener “Dynamo” recalls ELO’s grand sweep with the tandem of pipe organ and bass guitar in a catchy head bopping melody. “Things We’ll Do Today” flows in perfectly, as light easy listening pop just made for a sunny day. “When The Stars” plays like a lost Wondermints track with its Beach Boys styled rhythm guitar. The love ballad “Apricote” does feel a little too saccharine, and reveals Torbjorns vocal limitations. Fortunately that’s the only miscue, as “Sentimental Fool” is an infectious pop gem that delivers. “Happy” is another gem that is the closest to The Merrymakers with its harmonies and rolling riffs. Torbjorn leaves the template for the four minute plus “Turquoise” and its a compelling chamber pop composition. Overall very highly recommended.

Kool Kat Musik | CD Baby

 

The Charlie Watts Riots and Any Version Of Me

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The Charlie Watts Riots “A Break In The Weather”
Albany based guitar-pop band the Charlie Watts Riots don’t agree on all their musical tastes—though they do share an appreciation for snazzy suits. But bassist Mike Pauley, guitarist Seth Powell and drummer Joe Putrock can cite one primary influence that brought the Charlie Watts Riots together; a love for rock and roll and that rush of combustible energy when they play. They showed potential on their debut, Long Story Short – but now they sound a lot heavier with even better melodies.

Like a power pop version of Nirvana, the dual layered guitar attack of “Bottom” sets the stage. “Curtains” is a mix of Fountains Of Wayne with Foo Fighters.  “Luanne” has a slow build but quickly becomes a fast paced single that won’t leave your head. Each tune keeps you interested, fans of Superdrag and The Posies are sure to love this. Like The Connection, this band has a command of melodic riffs and minor chords aplenty.

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Any Version Of Me “We Are You”
This is the fifth album by this mysterious Frenchman, and here he slowly moves away from this Brian Wilson influences to incorporate a more rounded sound. The opener “Can’t You See” is familiar, but he shifts with electronic synths on “Six and Three.” The barebones acoustic title track shows us a folkie side, but “No Answer” is a much stronger tune and the up-beat “Why Feel So Blue?” is a real charmer, like a Left Banke tune. My favorite here is is “Goodbye” which is kinda if Sondre Lerche played The Monkees. Lots of fun and best of all the download is FREE.

The Nines “The Nines”

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This is the first major release of new material since the Nines’ critically acclaimed album Gran Jukle’s Field. Amazingly, Steve Eggers has come a long way from his 1998 debut on EMI, to working with a Who’s Who of power pop music gods including Andy Partridge (XTC) and Jason Falkner (Jellyfish). This new self-titled album is another pop masterpiece.

Starting with a disco funk bass (shades of Bleu here) intro, Eggers works magic on “Backseat” into an ultra hooky single. With the crowd noise, you almost feel like you’re attending a revival of Frampton Comes Alive! The piano rocker “Far Away” is a perfect segue full of contradictions like “Leave. Please stay. Doesn’t matter now” with an ELO styled middle eight. “Jackie Smokes” is a tonal shift with a heavy guitar and synth, but full of intricately layered vocals – sounding both modern and classic all at once. A few more songs heap on synths and elctro beats, but Steve’s melodies are underneath it all.

“The Virtuous Man” multi-layers the vocal and acoustic guitar with Andy Partridge, and it’s such a great song it makes me miss XTC even more. A fully orchestrated, slickly produced “Seasons” will please McCartney fans, but Steve feels most at home at the old piano with mid tempo ballads like “On The Slidelines” and “Martin.” No one could sing these songs with more earnest. “Goodbye” is another sweet ear confection that would’ve fit neatly on Macca’s Tug of War. Not a single misstep or filler track, and an easy nominee for my 2013 top ten year end list. Welcome back Nines!

CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik

Richard X. Heyman “X”

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Power Pop veteran Richard X. Heyman returned this year to give us “X,”  aka his tenth album. Starting out similar to the biographical Tiers, “When Denny Dropped Out of the Scene” describes a friend who slowly fades from the friendship. Next “Please Be Mindful” is an orchestrated piano epic and a little bit of The Doughboys garage style rubs off on the rocker “Compass.”

Heyman delivers with his jangling guitar on “Firing Line,” and “Somebody Has Finally Found Me.” The ballads slow things down a bit and it loses some momentum after the mid-point, but then “If You Have To Ask” is a classic melody that compares with the best he’s ever done. More gems include “Hangman Smiles” and the finale “Will To Go On.” Overall, this is a terrific return to form and an essential album for fans. Like other DIY “one-man-bands” (Paul McCartney, Emitt Rhodes or Todd Rundgren) Heyman is a master of melody and he proves it over and over again.

Amazon | richardxheyman.com

Tommy Keene and C.L. Blake

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Tommy Keene “Excitment At Your Feet”
Tommy Keene’s new album, Excitement at Your Feet, is a new and exciting approach to covers. Picking several favorite classic bands (The Who, Rolling Stones, Big Star, etc.) but don’t pick the best known tracks. In fact, these songs are downright obscure, and allow Keene to operate without the original lingering in your head for comparison.

Opening with the exciting Flaming Groovies’ “Have You Seen My Baby?” it really rocks and Keene goes to town. The jangle is heaviest on Echo & The Bunnymen “The Puppet” and even the little known Mink DeVille gets covered. With the skillful arranging it makes them all sound like Keene originals. Highlights include “Choking Tara (Guided By Voices)” and “Out Of The Blue (RoxyMusic).” My only pet peeve is that he doesn’t cover The Who’s “Listening To You,” as its lyric is in the albums title! This is further evidence that if you dig deep into your favorite albums, you’ll find a gem or two that can be re-discovered.

Amazon

 

C.L. Blake “george” EP
C.L. Blake (Ira Katz, lead singer/songwriter of The Greenberry Woods) recently teamed with producer/drummer Ken Coomer (Wilco, Will Hoge) to record this EP last year, and its worth discovering. While it has more in common with Wilco stylistically than his old band, Blake still delivers compelling melodies with “All We Are” and the jangling guitar of “Say What You’re Thinking.” Another gem is “Waiting on a Lover (Tressa).” It makes for a polished and effective showcase for his talents. It would be great to hear more “up” tempo tunes, and hopefully Blake is working on a follow-up.

Amazon | CD Baby