Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic Archives - Page 241 of 330

The Posies "Blood Candy"

October 11, 2010October 11, 2010 powerpopaholic

With their first album in over 5 years, The Posies have hardly been stationary during that time, with both Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer involved in various projects (most notably the re-formed Big Star since 1993, until the death of power pop icon Alex Chilton). Being the current genre’s elder statesmen the band hasn’t lost its gift for strong melodies with a personal message.

What has changed for the band, hinted on 2005’s Every Kind of Light, is a more mature point of view and orchestrated approach. The opener “Plastic Paperbacks” has strong angular riffs and pounding beat, but it’s “The Glitter Prize” that long time fans cherish, with Kay Hanley doing background vocals along Ken’s lead vocal. The duo gets creative on the multi-tempo “Licenses To Hide” which combines the rock energy and dramatic piano melody (Lisa Lobsinger helps out on this track). The optimistic bounce of “So Caroline” and “Take Care Of Yourself” will also please long time fans, but occasionally you’ll get something out of left field like “For The Ashes” which recalls Supertramp, or the pretentious filler “Accidental Architecture.” Thankfully, these songs are in the minority and don’t detract from overall greatness of the gems “She’s Coming Down Again!,” “Notion 99” and the beautifully crafted Beach Boys-Posies hybrid “Enewetak.” Blood Candy demonstrates the band has aged gracefully with it’s complex indie pop compositions and elegant lyrics.

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Paranoid Lovesick and The June Gloom

October 11, 2010October 11, 2010 powerpopaholic

Paranoid Lovesick “Tuxedo Avenue Breakdown”
A local Detroit band with an interesting story, lead by guitarist Rick McBrien and Bill Stone who burst on the scene and this album is a culmination of tracks from a debut EP with additional unreleased material. The band was typical of mid 90’s power pop, and fans of Teenage Fanclub or Cockeyed Ghost will be brought back to that period. The first proper album Suburban Pop Allegro has all these hallmarks: tight harmonies, hard guitar riffs and youthful energy. This is continued in Tuxedo Avenue Breakdown, excellent tracks include the tribute based “Big Star,” gorgeous harmony with Lisa Mychols on “Orbit” and solid arrangement of “Marginalia.” The Beatlesque “Don’t Go Away” shows the band’s softer Abby Road side, and fans of Moe Berg (TPOH) will enjoy the solid rythyms of “Starcrossed.” All of these 19 tracks sparkle with ambitious enthusiasm. McBrien died suddenly in 2003 and these 2 albums stand as great examples of the genre and a fitting tribute. The best power pop re-issue of the year. period.

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The June Gloom “Wonderland”
The June Gloom are an indie-pop group formed by Cameron Purvis and PD Bennett (co-founders of the Calgary rock collective Wax Poets and prog-pop band The Spartans). Wonderland is a rock album with a touches of blues and country, similar to Old 97’s (it’s no wonder they toured together at one point). “Believe” is a pop-rock mid tempo number lead by a sharp guitar riff. “Cabrini-Green” is a blues influenced rocker with a Pink Floyd “Money” baseline that has a snarling power between verses. My favorites here are the catchy “Omaha” with it’s sing along rhythm (supply your own hand-claps) and the poignant piano lead “Everything Is Grey” draws you into Purvis’ narrative. The bouncy alt-country “County Song” and “Famous” has Purvis at his most Wilco-like, with full twang and a strong beat. Showcasing both styles perfectly I haven’t found a bad track here, and it will encourage me to investigate The June Gloom’s previous releases.

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Richard Barone "Glow"

October 7, 2010October 7, 2010 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

Richard Barone is one of pop’s unsung heroes, leader of the cult band The Bongos in the 80’s and a master of song-craft in his later solo work. If you want a good overview of his past work, you can download “Collection: An Embarassment Of Richard.” Now he has collaborated with famed producer Tony Visconti (T. Rex, David Bowie) on his first album in over 16 years. “Glow” is a many layered contemporary adult pop album. It starts with the captivating “Gravity’s Pull,” with Richard’s trademark lighter-than-air vocal and a compelling hook. This is followed with the smart orchestral pop of “Glow” a magical melody driven by a chiming guitar and uplifting lyrics, similar to George Harrison’s latter work.

The album includes a unique cover of T.Rex’s “Girl” and the true story of a lesbian’s life in “Odd Girl Out” co-written with Jill Sobule. A collaboration with veteran songwriter Paul Williams (“Silence Is Our Song”) seems a rare misfire here, as Richard’s vocal don’t fit that well. Other tracks are sprawling rockers (“Sanctified”) or hypnotic synth melodies (“Yet Another Midnight”). The production gloss is thick on most tracks, but underneath all the fancy vintage synths, digital Les Paul guitar riffs, and elaborate string arrangements is Richard’s solid songwriting. Welcome back, Mr. Barone!

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The 88 "s/t"

October 5, 2010October 5, 2010 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

The latest self-titled album from The 88 since they toured with Kinks frontman Ray Davies is an impressive effort that succeeds in being accessible and keeping your attention glued to a pile of radio-ready singles. Lead singer Keith Slettedahl’s vocals strut along, a little Oasis styled arrogance go a long way to support Adam Merrin’s awesome piano melodies. Fans of Supergrass will find solace in the Brit-styled chord structures and impressive riffs. The opener “Center of The Sun” is a perfect example of a song that balances rock and roll with a shot of sugary pop. Davies even lends his backing vocal on “They Ought To See You Now” and it’s one of the best tracks – it layers guitars and Hammond organ flawlessly. One thing I’ve noticed is how much better the songwriting and composition is compared to past albums that may have relied more on studio wizardry.

It’s also the most consistent album so far, without a weak song to be found. The energy and hooks cram every nook and cranny from the anthemic “After Hours” to slower tempo work on “Hold On.” Even the slow acoustic “Takes It Away” catches the magic of a weary blues based love song. The second half of the album isn’t as immediate on first listening, but just as satisfying as it grows on you. I’ve read a few critics say that “nothing’s new here” but that misses the point. Power pop is not about innovation, so much as getting the basics right and the 88 do. Easy to classify this as one of the year’s top ten albums.

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Radio Days "C’est La Vie"

October 1, 2010October 1, 2010 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

Radio Days are probably the best power pop band in Italy. Their 2008 EP “Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous” was a real stunner and they refined the sound and songwriting for this awesome full length release. Based in Milan, frontman Dario Persi combines the punk energy of Weezer with Beatlesque melodies and tight hook-filled choruses. “Spinning Round The Wheel” opens with breakneck speed, fans of The Knack and The Velvet Crush will connect with it immediately. This continues with the excellent “So Far So Close” chock full of impressive chord shifts and guitar riffs. The Weezer-like “Sleep It Off” makes listening to this collection of songs a true power pop pleasure. The first three songs are so great, the other tracks have a tougher time sticking, but they are by no means filler. “Elizabeth” has a Raspberries feel to it and “The Meaning Of Fire” has an easy listening style that grows on you pretty quickly, but no slow ballads are part of this album. The sound of the tracks tend to get homogenous, but that’s the only fault I can find here. Another highlight “Sweetest Lullaby” starts with a fantastic jangling intro, it’s a mid tempo guitar gem about looking back on past experiences that really resonates.

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