Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Nicole Atkins has a burning passion to rock. After her successful major label debut Neptune City in 2007, she was inexplicably dropped by Columbia and started rebuilding her musical career. If there was any doubt about her rock cred, Mondo Amore puts them to rest very quickly.

Her sound is like the midway point between Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks, and the rich orchestration in the haunting “Vultures” starts us out.  Her soulful wail supports the excellent instrumentation. And the hooks are sharper than ever on the funky single “Cry, Cry, Cry.” It helps to have lighter moments here, because the album’s focus is bleak sadness best exemplified by “Hotel Plaster” where Nicole bares her soul as her strong vocal builds. Led Zepplin is an obvious influence on  “You Come To Me,” a driving fast-tempo gem. The zydeco flavored “My Baby Don’t Lie” is another winner, and has a nice classical bridge between choruses. “Heavy Boots” booming drum beats and slow organ chords are a melodically gorgeous dirge. Nicole’s focus on struggle, survival, and heartbreak culminates in the epic “Tower.” This is an album that resonates long after the last note. I was also fortunate enough to interview Nicole for the Rock and Roll Report.

Veteran power pop legend Richard X. Heyman heads in a new direction on the massive 31 song pop opera Tiers And Other Stories. First, don’t expect the same ol’ RXH three minute gems of the past. This is a deliberate and eclectic concept album that acts as a biography in 2 acts. Act One (Tiers) are songs about Richard’s relationship with his wife Nancy Leigh and how it’s shaped him into the man we know today. Starting with the understated “Hot On The Trail of Innocence” it’s an appropriate overture to the journey. The piano led “Golden in This Town” is filled with soulful optimism and a real standout. From there we have some other musical experiments; “Good To Go” is a country tune that accurately puts forth RXH’s view “I’m getting tired of the same old, same old.”

Some of these tracks to resemble musical scenes of a play, “Last Thought In My Mind” and “Horizon” remind me of Passing Strange meets Warren Zevon. A spirited piano solo lifts “Fire In The Country,” and “One Thing I Still Have” has a great chorus, but other tracks here don’t stick as well. However,”Everyone’s Moving In The Wrong Direction” is an impressive ballad that showcases Heyman’s songwriting skills. Act Two (Other Stories) focuses on life in New York City, and things are less linear. You do get the impression that RXH is conducting mini symphonies here (Aaron Copland’s influence is clear) but until we get to the excellent “Branded In The Sky” it doesn’t always resonate. More standouts here are the wistful “The Day Before Tomorrow” and his tribute to Doughboy guitarist Willy Kirchofer on “When Willy Played Guitar.” Each disc has it’s share of great tracks, experiments and impressions – fans will want to wade in deep, newcomers may want to start with Basic Glee.

Richard X.Heyman’s site | CD Baby

Caddy is also known as Tomas Dahl (The Yum Yums) who has been called a Norwegian Dave Grohl, and plays his power pop loud. Really loud – the opening track “Hanging On To Nothing”is chock full of fuzzed distorted chords that belt out right away. Immediately I thought of Superdrag or Coward (Joey Sykes old band). Dahl approaches a pop nirvana with the title track, where the melody works brilliantly with the guitar assault. “Turn Up The Radio” is another three minute gem with the riffs at metal levels and catchy melody. It’s tough to keep that level of quality for an entire album, but just when you think it will get laborious – Dahl hits you with another winning track. “Dumb Angel” is a rare song about Brian Wilson without doing an obvious Beach Boys rip-off (although he ends it with flowing harmonies). And “This Good Feeling” puts it all together in a strong hook filled package that fans of The Posies will also appreciate. Highly recommended, although it could have used a ballad or mid-tempo tune to let us catch our breath.

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Central California’s Poplord have created several notable power pop albums in the past, now they return with Poplord Vs. The Universe. The album’s space theme/concept is loosely followed here. “Flower Bomb” is a formulaic, but pleasing opener with smart harmonies and neat jangling rhythms. “Miss Universe” follows as an apt spacey themed love song, that has a garage styled duel vocal bridge and echoing chorus. It’s a charming melody that has a great guitar outro. “Descending” is a majestic piano tune, that is parts “Whiter Shade of Pale” and John Lennon. Another highlight is “Save The Monkey” with it’s bright melody and Jagger-like falsetto chorus.

The album’s second half doesn’t hold as much attention, but it’s never boring as the band has it’s own quirky worldview. A special treat is the gentle narrative of “Mr. Wesley” with a descriptive lyric and lovely melody. Some influences are easy to spot (Beatles, Alan Parsons, Fountains of Wayne,) and the ever present synths find an empty space in each song to flourish. The band matures like a fine wine here and I look forward to future releases.