Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Pugwash “The Olympus Sound”

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The amazing Thomas Walsh and company return after a solid “greatest hits” collection, and create The Olympus Sound with an assist from Ben Folds, Andy Partridge and David Gregory (XTC). With such a stellar line-up and mixed at Abbey Road studios I expect nothing less than power pop bliss. And that’s what you get for the most part, as Walsh continues to pick up where XTC left off ten years ago. “Answers On A Postcard” is a snappy single with carnival-like atmosphere filled with kazoos and kettle drums. The mesmerizing “There You Are” builds with a smooth easy synth and a fuzz riff that resembles The Beatles”Rain.”

Gregory scores the strings on the wistful ballad “The Warmth Of You” and “Fall Down” chugs along with its hummable melody and tambourine claps. Folds quietly does the piano on “Dear Belinda” written for a friend of the band – actress Belinda Stewart-Wilson. The guest stars here may help but its Walsh’s vocal that leads everything, including the Patridge written “Here We Go ‘Round Again” and the semi-western mantra “I Don’t Like It But I Gotta Do It.” At this point every track shines bright and then the last few tracks get more pastoral and slower in tempo. “Four Days” is so laid back with it’s Beach Boys harmonies and lazy piano it could have you daydreaming of summer vacation… Needless to say this will stay on my ipod for a while. A “don’t miss it album” and top ten nominee for 2011.

Noel Gallagher “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds”

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Since Noel left Oasis, he let his brother Liam offer up the excellent Beady Eye to much acclaim, and although Noel’s album has arrived later, it’s much more main course than a musical appetizer.  The work is epic in every way Oasis was, with the added maturity in songwriting and emotional depth not heard since his early days. “Everybody’s On The Run” has the same dramatic sweep of Tears for Fears latter works, and is a great example of symphonic rock. “Dream On” is the type of song that captivates with it’s catchy chorus and background harmonies. The ghost of Ray Davies is oozing all over “The Death Of You And Me” with it’s layered banjos and New Orleans brass section.

Noel doesn’t have Liam’s vocal skills, but he still can impress us with grand compositions. “(I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine” is another sweeping anthem with it’s choral flourishes and wall of sound production, comparable to “Champagne Supernova” in scope. The highlights just keep coming from the retro-pop of “Soldier Boys And Jesus Freaks” to the marching bass lead “(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach.” One of the best releases all year – so don’t mourn Oasis… as I see it between the two Gallagher boys you have Oasis x2.

The Perms “Sofia Nights”

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The Perms are a Winnipeg trio fronted by Shane Smith (bass, vocals) and assisted by Chad Smith (guitar, vocals) and John Huver (drums). It was clear that for the 5th album the band wanted a wilder atmosphere in the studio while keeping those power pop hooks intact. Starting with the anthemic “High School,” it plays a bit like Weezer, Blink 182 or Bowling For Soup on a nostalgic trip, singing “It’s alright if we party every night, cause tonight will last forever and we’re never gonna die.”  On “Make It Through” Chad’s vocal in the chorus screams out over the slow steady beat almost like Kurt Cobain. The more melodic “You I’m Thinking Of” is another big standout single, similar to The Smithereens – it sticks in your brain quiet nicely.

Another gem “Said And Done” is a great rock/pop composition, then “Slipping Away” goes back to the heavier Nirvana inspired rock. The remaining tracks don’t stick as well, but are plenty of fun – the Kiss inspired sing-along “Mannheim” and crunchy riffs on “Over and Over” are meant to be played loud. The fun factor in each of these songs lifts this album above the average. And that’s exactly why you should give it a listen.

The Ditchflowers and Stratocruiser

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The Ditchflowers “Bird’s Eye”
Brain Merrill (Barely Pink) has a long history of great pop songwriting and this follow up to the debut Carried Away is a solid slice of adult contemporary power pop. “Sunshine Lifetime” is a soulful pop number that has a touch of Steely Dan. “You Could Hurt Someone” charms with its bouncy beat and quick paced chorus, similar to Squeeze – but a real winner is the subtle “Simple Guy” with its heartfelt lyrics about the sensitive artist trying to find himself.  The guitar composition builds layers of guitars and vocals, and then it comes to the atmospheric ballad “Rainout.” This song is a real standout with a Billy Joel meets Alan Parsons Project feel, with strings, backing vocals and guitars backing up Merrill’s perfect vocal performance. Although the second half of the album isn’t as strong, it still has plenty of great music. The title track has a nod to The Beach Boys,  and other notable tunes are “We Are The Time” and “Tuesday Is Dead.” Overall an excellent album that I highly recommend.

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Stratocruier “The Spark”
After a series of EPs and successful KickStarter campaign, North Carolina’s Stratocruiser is back with its ringing guitars and Cheap Trick meets Kiss inspired approach. Opening with the title track, it reflects the rock aesthetic from the Thin Lizzy “Jailbreak” era with an inspired rhythm guitar arrangement. “Adult Situation” is great power ballad with big chord shifts and Clay Howard’s strong lead vocal. The band is much looser than previous releases, as the heavy prog-rock composition “Slush” lets its Black Sabbath influences out in the open. “Somebody’s Girlfriend” is a another standout, with Mike Nicolson doing a great job on multiple instruments. Matt Brown’s drumming and percussion are just as forceful. As with any vanity project, a few indulgences like the rock instrumental “Possession” are expected. Earlier singles like “Best Actress” standout against the heavier stuff here, and it looks like the “pop” side has taken a back seat to cowbell-heavy rock like on “Start Finishing.” As a bonus, power pop icon Robbie Rist contributes his guitar solo to the fast paced “Indian Summer.” Overall a great driving album to blast on the car stereo with the windows down. No real duds or filler here either, so its really a gift to fans who love melodic rock with a capital “R.”

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No the video isn’t broken, the sound starts after 10 seconds of silence….

Peter Baldrachi and Long Play 33 1/3

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Peter Baldrachi “Tomorrow Never Knows”
Boston singer/songwriter Baldrachi delivers his long awaited follow up to 2006’s “Solid Ground” and like his previous release, it’s worth the wait. As a respected IPO veteran, he blasts out the opening track “In The Dead Of Night” with a strong driving melody in the classic Matthew Sweet – Velvet Crush style. The jangling open on “Make It Our Own” gives way to excellent guitar breaks between each catchy chorus. “Promise Me A New Start” features backing vocalists Alice Austin and Amy Fairchild, and has a bit of country twang too. That twang carries through on “Pray For Rain,” and what impresses most is Baldrachi’s clear lyrical narrative. Each track is a winner, without any filler. More highlights include “Someone isn’t me” with it’s soaring harmonies and “Now For Good” with it’s compelling slide guitar riffs. And despite the fact that the title is named after a Beatles tune, there isn’t any homage here. But this is an album that deserves multiple listens on my ipod and a spot on my top ten list for 2011.

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Long Play 33 1/3 “Being Nowhere”
A group of Hungarian musicians with a longing for English-American pop and rock formed Long Play 33 1/3 in the second half of 2009. Lead by vocalist/guitarist István Békei, all the band members were part of tribute bands in Budapest (yes, including a Hungarian Beatles band called “Blackbirds”). They decided to do a full album of original compositions for Being Nowhere.The band takes many classic influences, but fans of 80s rockers Starship, Supertramp, The Allman Brothers, and Styx will spot a few similarities. “I’m Free” is a densely composed power rocker, full of multiple guitar riffs and glossy production style. One cannot deny the skill here on tracks like the Oasis styled “Peaceful Hideaway” and the beautiful guitar solos and harmonies  on “Ocean Inside.” The mastering is a bit spotty on “Wait For A While” as the production drowns out the lead vocals occasionally, but some nice strings and melodies highlight “Soulmates” and “On The Rush.” Overall a very inspired debut.