Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

The Alarm and The Lemon Twigs

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The Anderson Council

The Alarm “Forwards”

The list of active veteran rock musicians still writing and performing is dwindling. That’s why we celebrate when they not only perform but continue to create new songs. Sadly this list is narrowed further when you include artists who still sound as good as they did in their prime. Mike Peters of The Alarm has not only survived the test of time but he’s boldly defied leukemia and cancer — and he’s become a legend, earning 16 Top 50 UK singles over the years. The new album Forwards was written while in the hospital during chemotherapy treatments, and vividly describes the persistence and will to continue.

Opening with the anthemic title track, “Forwards” shares a lot stylistically with former tourmates U2, full of ringing guitar rhythm as he sings “I’m living for today,”  and the heartfelt ballad “Love and Forgiveness” is a shout-out to those who’ve fallen on hard times. The next big anthem “Next” is another defiant melody as he shouts “I feel alright when I’m with you” to his audience. Other standouts include “Whatever” and “New Standards.” It’s not all great, as “10 X” is a 6-minute plus preachy session, and other tracks don’t really distinguish themselves and seem to blend together. However this will appeal to fans, and for those who haven’t heard Mike since the days of “68 Guns,” I ask “Where have you been?” Check it out.

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The Anderson Council

The Lemon Twigs “Everything Harmony”

Long Island-bred brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario have been raised on classic rock and pop, so it’s in their DNA. As the title suggests they take a much softer approach, and the opener “When Winter Comes Around” recalls prime John Denver or David Gates. Next, the duo confronts the difficult reality of who they are in contrast to how others see them in the song “In My Head,” with sweet harmonizing and a melodic structure similar to Todd Rundgren.

“Corner Of My Eye” is a delicate ballad vocally bringing to mind Art Garfunkel, and the guitars come out for the rare Big Star-like power pop of “What You Were Doing.” While the influences are clear, the boys make unique songs that are clearly Lemon Twigs classics. It is as light and carefree as music can be, yet it is also intricate and full of depth. There are enough stylistic differences to keep things unpredictable and the performances lift the music to a shimmering height when the brothers harmonize. Without a doubt, this is Highly Recommended.

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The Anderson Council and Dennis Schocket

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The Anderson Council

The Anderson Council “The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon”

The Anderson Council’s most recent album, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, offers a refreshing dose of memorable songs. This New Jersey-based band transports listeners on a mesmerizing sonic journey by skillfully fusing elements of the 60s British Invasion, psychedelic rock, power pop, and a dash of contemporary indie flair.

Opening with the captivating track “Tarot Toronto,” The Anderson Council sets the tone for the album, immediately immersing us in their lyrical alliteration and nostalgia-infused sound. The band effortlessly channels influences while adding its own power pop twist. “Alone With You” boasts a sing-along chorus with layers of vocals and guitars, another potential hit. “Million Miles A Day” and “Times on the Thames” both feature pulsating rhythms and catchy chorus making them instant earworms that beg for repeated listens.

Overall the music doesn’t get as densely fuzzy as previous albums (Although “Sunday Afternoon” is an exception). But it also allows the melodies to rise to the forefront. Overall, one of the best albums this year. Yes, it’s high on my list and super highly recommended.

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Dennis Schocket

Dennis Schocket “Weathervane”

Dennis Schocket (Starbelly) goes solo on this new adult-oriented potpourri pop album.  It starts with a welcoming confessional in the title track that warmly greets you with its easy strum, and guitar solo. The bittersweet melody of “More Than Anything” is a richly produced ballad with its wonderful slide guitar leading the way. “Please Don’t Let Me Down” is a Jeff Lynne-ish rocker that feels a bit off, and I’m not sure why.

The mid-tempo ballads suit him much better, “Suddenly June” and “She Loves The Sun” are both melodic and wonderfully composed. The album explores introspective themes in tracks like “Love Untold,” and “I Forgive It All.” The bouncy “Madam Chaparral” is a big standout track, about a possible denizen of “Penny Lane.” It’s unsurprising that the Beatles’ DNA follows through with the sweet “Take Your Time With Me.”

Overall the production and mixing are excellent. The songs are more of a mixed bag, but with more treats here than I expected. Highly Recommended.

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Vanity Mirror and Aloud

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Vanity Mirror

Vanity Mirror “PUFF”

The Toronto-based Brent Randall and Los Angeles-based Johnny Toomey team is well-known for their work with the baroque-pop outfit The Electric Looking Glass. Their newest endeavor, Vanity Mirror, benefits stylistically from the balance between the two musicians. Randell’s vocal is very much in the Ray Davies mold, and he wrote, played, and produced the album, with Toomey very much in Ringo-mode on drums.

The band’s sweet retro approach is the same road that the Elephant Six bands took back in the late 90s, with The Kinks, Beatles, and The Creation as musical touchpoints. Opening with “(I First Saw You There on) Tinpot Lane” catches you with the opening reverb riff and its baroque Anglophilic verses. “Tuesday’s News” is a lovely pastiche with a great piano and Rickenbacker combination. The strong songwriting helps songs like “Dandelion Wish” elevate beyond its precise retro-pop technique. The music was mostly created on vintage instruments, for example, “A Fool With An Applecart” which boasts an old piano melody punctuated by airy cello and flute flourishes. Both catchy and affecting, the album is a strong opening statement and is highly recommended.

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Aloud

Aloud “Apollo 6”

Bandmates Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain have been the driving force for the rock group known as Aloud. They started out in Boston, but in 2017 moved to Los Angeles. In that time they released 5 albums, and this is their sixth. It starts out with an impressive anthemic sound on “Somewhere To Be” that almost dares you not to clap along, fans of Oasis will love this one. Then Jen delivers a powerful vocal akin to Nancy Wilson with “The Comeback Kid,” a bluesy number.

The band gets spacey on “Meditation for the Housebound,” and this psychedelic approach follows through on a few other songs. The “Morning Moon” starts out slow and builds into a dense chorus, “Big Blue” slinks along and another highlight is the heavy percussion of “Stranger in the Alps.” The pop styles are seemingly very varied, and lots of experimentation is evident. Not everything works, but a lot does and this is a band that definitely deserves to be heard. I will want to hear the back catalog for sure.

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Alex Fleuris and Dropkick

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Alex Fleuris

Alex Fleuris “A Lifetime Of Bullshit”

French rocker Alex Fleuris (Crusaders of Love) moved to Montreal to record an album and got all the demos done but along the way, life happens (Covid, day job, etc.) so rather than wait, Alex decided to release these songs, and he did everything here except a few drum tracks.

Starting with “Don’t Care About Nothing” it has that Phil Spector wall-of-sound approach, with a sweet jangling guitar break.  The Raspberries-like “I Should Have Never (Got In The Way)” has a driving riff and compelling melody. Alex’s skill here is on full display, and “Word Gets Around” is a multi-layered tune, and like the others, the solo bridge is exceptional. “Street Girl” feels like a lost ’80s pop hit, and the ender “Memories of a Sad Clown” is another example of epic classic rock songwriting.

Now this would be so much better with some professional mixing and mastering, but that said I think there are some excellent songs here. Maybe some enterprising record company will take it to the next level. As it is this is music that deserves to be heard.

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Dropkick

Dropkick “The Wireless Revolution”

Andrew Taylor returns to his main band, after a few new projects and collaborations. Dropkick operates at the intersection of mellow Americana and jangling power pop, and after nearly a dozen albums (including lockdown sessions) Dropkick moves forward in Byrdsian fashion. The Wireless Revolution notes in the opener “Don’t Give Yourself Away” that “this place feels different than before,” all to the confident melodic strums. But not much has changed as far as musical quality.

Taylor has a knack for smooth melodies, and his songs are consistently great. “Telephone” is the first big standout here with a strong chorus, and even the better “Unwind” adds those delicate harmonies to the mix. The other bandmates get props too, Ian Grier and Alan Shields on tracks like “The Other Side.” Overall Dropkick does great work here, “Wouldn’t Know Why” is another highlight with a fantastic bridge. And this is another highly recommended album.

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Ransom and the Subset and Matthew Logan Vasquez

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Ransom and the Subset

Ransom and the Subset “Perfect Crimes”

Seattle singer-songwriter RanDair Porter carefully curated Ransom and the Subset’s sophomore album. Back in 2014, when I heard the debut No Time To Lose it proved Porter’s talent, but with Perfect Crimes, he’s brought a more consistent sound across the 10 tracks. That glossy flawless production makes this a great headphones album, as it straddles the line between sophisticated adult-oriented pop and power pop. A bevy of guest stars behind Porter includes Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Darian Sahanaja, Jim Babjak, Kurt Reil, and Ducky Carlisle to name a few.

The opener “Perfect Crime” is irresistibly catchy with its guitar riffs rhythmically bouncing across a chorus of “bada-ba” harmonies. “Sara Kandi” is a seamless follow-up, about infatuation with a young girl he just met. “Left Her at the Shinkansen” is a Japan-based tableau at the famous bullet train. Once we get to “One Last Thing (Leaving)” its mellow vibe recalls the recent The Pearlfishers with its smooth tones and orchestral composition. The guitar riffs return with “Should Have Said Nothing At All” loaded with great backing harmonies. The ender “Fast Car” has a bit of Elvis Costello in its DNA. While the most memorable music and standout hooks occur in the album’s first half, the remaining songs are just as meticulously constructed. This is a terrific album that is without a doubt a contender for my top ten list for 2023. Highly Recommended.

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Matthew Logan Vasquez

Matthew Logan Vasquez “As All Get Out”

Matthew has been the frontman for heartland indie rockers Delta Spirit, he draws from a huge collection of influences, including Gram Parsons, Kurt Cobain, Neil Young, and Iggy Pop. The album’s approach is a potpourri of roots rock to slow jams. After the rhythmic percussive opener “Untouchable” it kicks the doors out on the catchy “Over It” a hook-filled rocker that sticks fast with its punk edge.

It then settles into a groove with “Odysseus” with its spiritual mantra “always coming home but never going home.” The anthemic “Long Line of Lovers” has a great Beatlesque bass line buried in the chorus and it’s likely the standout track here. The 12-string strums and jangle of “Shawna” and “Recognize” are flowing streams of Matthew’s lyrics that feel like a modern-day Donovan. And before you know it the pounding rocker “Can You Turn Me Up” shows up. While it zig-zags all over the place, the songs are quite good. Highly Recommended.

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