The animated video is from The Dowling Poole, the track is taken from the album ‘Refuse’ which is available to buy on Bandcamp here. Really great singles this month and my faves so far; The Rallies kill it with “Must Be Love” a power pop classic in the making. The queen of power pop, Lisa Mychols also returns with The Masticators for an excellent freebie “Here’s A Boy” and Nashville band The Nobility‘s ballad “Poison Mind” recall The Bee Gees styled falsetto. If your tastes are more old-school, The Low Spirits deliver the freebie “Outta Sight” with its textbook ’66 Animals style, and Geoff Palmer’s side project The Guts has a punk pop gem with “O.F.S.C.” Finally our old friend Cliff Hillis has a sweet new EP out, but since this is a singles post, his new single is a catchy sing-along about the “coolest scuba diver we know.” He should tour kindergartens with this (is this how Raffi got started?).
Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic
Star Collector and Paul McCann
Star Collector “Attack, Sustain, Decay... Repeat”
Star Collector’s sixth album is likely the most well-rounded collection of songs by the Vancouver band. The opener “Feel It Comin’ On” stomps forward with its solid riffs, and the catchy “Beat It To Death” gives you “all that sass” as the tongue is planted firmly in cheek when it comes to pop cynicism. “Running Through The Rain” is a classic Who-meets-Bunnymen blast that sticks with you, and the hypnotic bass of “If We Can’t Take A Joke” and “Crashin” recalls Cheap Trick with a Canadian cowbell.
The band slows up for the ballad “Cross My Heart,” a heartbreaker about a broken marriage. Not everything works, as “Broken Butterflies” sounds like a mixed musical of clichés. The smooth “Nineteen Dream” seems to channel the best of the band; a minimal bass line and soulful verse that explodes into loud guitars and a bitter chorus. The band doesn’t stay in this sweet spot, but it’s pure magic when it does. Highly Recommended
Paul McCann “Alter Ego”
The death of a parent can be a deeply emotional and impactful experience for anyone, including musicians. Like Tamar Burke in 2022, Paul McCann documented his father’s unexpected passing and it inspired him to create music that reflects his feelings of loss, grief, and remembrance. He worked with a bevy of collaborators including Jason Falkner (Beck, Paul McCartney); Roger Joseph Manning Jr (Jellyfish); Charlotte Hatherley (Bat for Lashes); Gary Lucas (Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart), Sylvie Lewis, and others.
“World Keeps Turning Round” has strong horns over a pensive but soulful melody, and “Lost in this Moment” is a standout with a rich hopeful chorus amongst the churning guitar riffs. The early ’70s pop sheen of “All is fair (in Love and War)” channels Bacharach and The Carpenters with its sophisticated orchestration. At times McCann tries a bit too hard with rock epics (“Divide and Conquer,” “Call Off the Dogs”) but his soulful introspection on “Red River Run” and “Out of The Blue” are truly haunting. Some songs require repeat listens to catch all the details and nuance, but I just love the immediate hooks of “Something Has Changed.” Overall, very highly recommended.
Best New Free Albums: The 143, Any Version of Me, Happy Somethings
These albums are brilliant statements, and they are all at a “name-your-price” download. I would encourage you to support these artists, as they deliver great pop!
The 143 “Love in the Time of Robots & Aliens”
The 143 is a collective of musical artists from Brooklyn; N.A. Smolenski, Corey Newell, and lead singer Chelsea, assisted by strings (Martin Kutnar, Matej Mihaljević) and drums (Glenn Welman, Bruno Dante).
Love the positive vibes on the opener “Emily,” the jangle and harmonies lift it up. Chelsea’s lead vocals are a standout on the mid-tempos tunes “Ivy Grows” and “Wishing Well.” Talent like this deserves more exposure and with 13 tracks, it’s loaded without filler. Highly Recommended.
Any Version Of Me “Summer After All”
French artist known as Any Version Of Me compiled a collection of past singles and some new ones into this new album. He makes sure to tell us on Bandcamp it’s “For Beach Boys fans only…” He isn’t kidding, as this borrows heavily from the Pet Sounds era. So while it is entirely derivative, it’s also an enjoyable listen. Highlights include “Away,” “Forever,” and “Going Back.”
The Happy Somethings “A Gathering of All Sorts”
An English band very much like The Free Design mixed with Velocity Girl; a kinda folk-twee pop. This collection gathers several singles over the years, and the songs are short and sweet. I appreciate the quirky “No Bother” and “I Wish You Could Sing Like Tracey Thorn.” The charm of this band is evident with the live “Sweet Little Sad Song.” Check it out!
The Stayawakes and Guided By Voices
The Stayawakes “Dogs and Cats / Living Together”
Portsmouth, UK band The Stayawakes will keep you on your toes with a blend of pounding percussion and guitars similar in spirit to Gin Blossoms, Lemondheads, or the Goo Goo Dolls. “Slumbers ” and “Keepsakes” jump out at you right away. Lead singer Andrew Ricks delivers more of a character study with “Jake” and the infectious chorus helps. “Little Explorer” also stands out with its dense production and late ’90s vibe.
While this did come out under the radar in 2018, Kool Kat decided to reissue this and it definitely deserves to be heard. The music here is consistently very good, although the band tends to step on the gas and not ease the tempo until “Sophie,” the lone mid-tempo ballad. The bonus tracks here include acoustic versions of “No Shame” and “Inevitable Truth” that outshine the originals.
Guided By Voices “La La Land”
The prolific Guided By Voices seems omnipresent. Robert Pollard and his band have always dabbled in power pop, raw garage energy, and creativity for over 40 years. La La Land is a classic addition to the band’s extensive discography. Although the influences start with Pete Townshend and Peter Gabriel, Pollard’s rough-around-the-edges quality and haunting diversions always make GBV a unique experience.
The opening track “Another Day to Heal” sets the tone with its driving guitar riffs and the album never lets up from there. The songs are perfectly sequenced as “Released Into Dementia” envelops the listener in glorious fuzz. Standout tracks like the jangling “Ballroom Etiquette” offset the more intense “Insect Dwelling” which gives us Robert Pollard’s brilliant lyrical skills. Slower mood pieces like “Queen of Spaces” and “Wild Kingdom” serve to balance out the more upbeat songs, but even here it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Pollard and his band and a reminder of why they’ve been such a beloved part of the indie rock scene for so many years. Overall it’s another triumph for Guided By Voices. Highly Recommended.
End-of-January Singles, EPs and a Freebie: Ryan Allen, Luddites, Ilko Birov, Floral Portrait, Brock Pytel
After a relatively warm January, we settle in and see Ryan Allen is already following up his #7 album of 2022 with a new concept album. This is a taste, we’ll review the entire LP soon. Boston’s Luddites does a good job with old-school power pop riffs, and Bulgarian singer-songwriter Ilko Birov knocks this single “Mrs. James” out of the park. Fans of Elliott Smith and Dave Davies will enjoy this. Jason Bronson and Jacob Chisenhall bring us the warmth of Floral Portrait, a slice of sunny orchestral pop in the tradition of Brian Wilson. Fans of The Wondermints will appreciate it and it’s our freebie. On a louder note, Brock Pytel (formerly of The Doughboys, the Montreal punk band and NOT Richard X. Heyman’s band) has a new single and it’s got a catchy fatalism, akin to Bob Mould playing The Rolling Stones. Onward to Spam… I mean, February!