It’s getting hotter out there. Love the Pretty Flowers new video, as the band will “rescue indie rock from the brink of extinction,” with their new single “Hit Nothing.” Look out for the album review soon! Next, Tracy Shedd has “Let it Ride” a summertime indie pop anthem about being patient and trusting your gut, with the soothing bassline and hypnotic rhythm. Tony Molina‘s melodic jangle-fuzz returns with a new album on the way, we get a preview with “I’m Not Down.” If you’re looking to expand your psych-pop horizons then check out the EP by Belfast’s Lemonade Shoelace. The spacey pop is akin to bouncing on clouds, as described in “Hopscotch in the Sky.” Another psych-pop mention is the new Elephant Stone single “Lost In A Dream.” A band that really deserves serious consideration is Råttanson. These Swedish garage guitar masters light it up with the new EP “Trebled Region.” Lots of new releases to highlight, so stay tuned.
Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic
Salim Nourallah and Hurry
Salim Nourallah “A Nuclear Winter”
For Salim Nourallah, a songwriter and musician from Texas, “A Nuclear Winter” is his first full-length album since 2018. Nourallah worked with British guitarist, songwriter, and producer Marty Willson-Piper (The Church) on his 8th album. Nourallah here capitalizes on his world-weary vocal approach with this doomsday-themed album. Summer may still be here, but winter is coming.
The opener “Hazy Morning Glow” sets the stage, with financial disaster looming in each verse, it goes to a wonderfully catchy chorus “It’s just the way it is, yeah.” The instrumentation is sparse and lets Salim’s expressive vocals and composition do the work. Fans of Mark Oliver Everett (The Eels) will hear similarities in approach. Highlights include “Under Attack,” the mix of jangle and slide guitars on “I Don’t Know,” the Tom Pettyesque “The Sound of Suffering,” and “Invisible Man.” One tune that really resonated with me was “I Can’t Take Another Heartbreak.” Plenty of gems make this highly recommended.
Hurry “Don’t Look Back”
Proof that I often miss great music isn’t a surprise, but Don’t Look Back is the 5th record by Philly band Hurry. Hurry has always been a good jangle band, and lead singer Matt Scottoline’s songs are certainly catchy, and the opener “Didn’t Have To Try” proves this with its effortlessly infectious chorus with harmonies bathed across its guitar lines. Influences here include The Byrds, Teenage Fanclub, The Lemonheads, and The Gin Blossoms. Fans of Scotland’s Dropkick and The Boys with the Perpetual Nervousness will also love this album.
Scottoline’s lyrics and the emotional yearning for a failing relationship are also what makes these songs resonate so well. “Begging For You” and “Parallel Haunting,” as the latter asks “If you’re a ghost, and you’re not here, am I with you?” On “Something More,” Justin Fox’s lead guitar parts often crash through the strummed guitars, adding noise to the mix when the song needs to go epic. In some instances, the band feels constrained by its own limited theme and format. All the songs seem to be a gorgeous bummer, but things take a positive turn with “No Patience” and “The Punchline” with faster tempos and hope for starting something new. No filler here, and without a doubt highly recommended.
August singles and EPs: Tamar Berk, The UniBoys, The Evening Sons, Kai Danzberg, Pretty, Julez and the Rollerz
New month, new singles, and EPs. Tamar Berk has a video for her upcoming Tiny Injuries album and it’s a grower with layered guitars and her hushed vocal, as she dances around. Coming out in another week, and yes we will review it! The UniBoys are also coming back with their skinny-tie-inspired power pop, “I Want It Too” which has so many neat audio cues, I can’t wait for the rest of this one. The Evening Sons are also on Curation Records and impress with “Superspreader,” a solid hook-filled chorus. Myles Josephh & Kai Danzberg write a lovely ballad “On My Way” for a song contest (I voted for it), pick it up. Toronto band Pretty has a funk-punk time with “Coca Cola Deathsquad,” but I liked “Food For The Moon” and its dense Soundgarden-like chorus. Finally, the sweet rocking Julez and the Rollerz from LA, deliver on this deserving EP. Check out “Sorry I’m Just A Waste of Time” and “Confess.” Cool!
The Summertimes and Meyerman
The Summertimes “The Summertimes”
So a new Aussie power pop band has arrived this summer, appropriately called The Summertimes. Guitarist Ashley Naylor (Paul Kelly and The Church), drummer Stephen O’Brien (Tumbleweed), and bassist Steve Bull (Icehouse) joined songwriters David Beniuk and David Challenger in the studio. Right from the start they hit the ground running with “Inside,” and influences like Teenage Fanclub, The Go-Betweens, and You Am I are evident. The production is flawless here thanks to ARIA award-winning producer Paul McKercher (The Hoodoo Gurus, Midnight Oil).
The tight guitar playing on “Password” and the melodic chorus of “My Beautiful Girl Harbour,” makes them instant classics. The chugging lead guitar on “White Pointer,” and the jangling gem “Love (It’s A Word)” are very much in the mold of Ice Cream Hands. The tone shifts mellower on the back end of these 10 tracks, but it doesn’t break the flow of the album. “Athens, GA” is a solid romantic tune flowing with a rich melody. Even the ending track “The Perfect Wave,” is an Aussie beach anthem that recalls the Yardbirds, and references Midnight Oil. Unabashedly Australian in scope and style and Highly Recommended. Makes my top ten nominee list for 2023.
Meyerman “Happy To See You”
Twelve years after their exciting debut, Meyerman finally returns with a sophomore album. Theo Meyer’s vocal sounds a bit rougher on the title track “Happy To See You,” but he’s lost none of his melodic skill as its hits a vibe similar to The Posies. New bandmates Jeff Preischel (bass), Rob Sadowski (guitars), and Danny Diaz (drums) are supported by fine production from Kurt Reil (The Gripweeds). The guitars are soaring on the brilliant “Katie Wong,” an early highlight here. Then it slows considerably on “Witchita” and the next few songs are done in a ’90s hard rock style. While this sounds fine, it’s the lack of hooks that are concerning here.
I need not worry too long, as “WWDAT” is a pretty cool tune, with an unexpected style shift towards the end. At this point “Meyerman” is the perfect theme song (why didn’t they lead with this?) that rocks (turn it up!) and Theo is on a roll at this point. “Princeton Bells” has a cool swirling harmony during the chorus, and “Nova” is another great rocker that’s just infectious, akin to Enuff Z’nuff. Each song from this point hits the mark, “T-Shirt,” “Hello, Hello,” and “Handclaps and Tambourines” all focus on band life. This is the rare instance where the album’s backend is much stronger, and it brings things over the finish line. Highly Recommended.
Arthur Alexander and Parallax Project
Arthur Alexander “…Steppin’ Out!”
Arthur Alexander is back after last year’s successful Sorrows reboot “Love Too Late… the real album” and he’s just as immediate with the driving opener “Woman,” a frantic rocker that pulses with energy. The melodic “It’s Not Love Anymore” is essentially a top-notch ballad turned into a compelling rocker. “One Life (Is All You Got)” has a touch of The Who, with a blissful sitar break midway through. Music like “Ashes” and “Humming The Blues in Four” display Alexander’s talent for delivering emotionally charged performances, making it difficult to not feel a strong connection to the music. His vocals are given ample space to shine thanks to the simple yet powerful arrangements.
Arthur also takes on prog rock (“Why Can’t You Come”) and even electro-pop (“A Little Too Much”) with less success, as I think his vocals are better with fewer digital alterations. But “Oh Lulu, Won’t You Be My Girl” is a welcome shot of whimsy, in the form of an old-fashioned dance hall number. A sequel to the Beatles’ “Honey Pie,” anyone? Overall, more hits than misses. Highly Recommended.
Parallax Project “Autologous”
Michael Giblin (The Split Squad, Minus 5) is the main honcho behind The Parallax Project. The debut was a power pop classic, but after 2009’s I Hate Girls, the band disappeared. This time he’s enlisted Joe Adragna (Junior League/Minus 5) to come back with Autologous (a medical term for being derived from the same individual). Giblin has this biggest hook first with “Put It Out,” a mantra that will be hard to “put it out of your head.” Next, “I’ve Got To Change My Life” is like Ric Ocasek (The Cars), who describes his issues in verses, and the chorus brings it home. “Mary Houdini” is a rich single with classic harmonies and tambourines.
By the second half, the songs deal more with universal topics like heartbreak, disappointment, and becoming older. The guitar ballad “Anything Like Me” is very heartfelt, and the steel pedal tone of “You Were Never There” and “This Is So Easy” recalls Marshall Crenshaw. While not as catchy as the album’s first half, Giblin’s songwriting is better here. The end boasts a strong Who-like theme, “Nobody Cares,” and there are just enough gems here to make this Highly Recommended.