Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Kris Rodgers & The Dirty Gems and Wendi Dunlap

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Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems

Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems “Still Dirty”

Kris Rodgers upped his game. Kris is a talented pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and his band, The Dirty Gems are a solid crew; Tom Hall is on guitar, Ryan Halliburton on bass, and Craig Sala on drums. The band signed onto Little Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records this year. And Still Dirty starts with a funky “She Likes To Party,” which could be a lost companion to Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music.” But Rodgers’ energy and melodic power are more akin to a young Elton John playing in the E-Street band. “Across the Galaxy” and “See You Again” showcase his superb vocal chops and songwriting skill.

And the band rocks away on “I’m Your Man” and gets stronger with each song, “Don’t Turn Around” has a touch of Motown DNA, and he gets jazzy on “Tortuga.” Plenty of varied influences and most of these tunes hit the mark, even a cover of Elton’s “Take Me To The Pilot” is inspired. Super highly recommended.

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Wendi Dunlap

Wendi Dunlap “Looking For Buildings”

Wendi Dunlap has an elegant vocal that catches your ear right away on the opener “Buildings.” The album was produced by Ken Stringfellow of the Posies, and despite his recent controversy – his solid work helps Wendi shine here. The guitar jangle and heart-felt “Season of Loss” is a bittersweet rocker about the Pandemic, with a hook-filled chorus. Next, the sophisticated “Field of View” shows a depth of emotional joy seldom heard. This trifecta is hard to follow up on.

Wendi slows the tempo, and “You=Spring” is a nice slice of dream pop, and things pick up with “Wonder Whys,” another catchy gem that tries to decipher a partner’s bad behavior. However, toward the second half of the album, Wendi broods about rejection on “Don’t Throw Me Away” and “Second Heartbreak” and the hooks are missing. Still, this is a strong debut that deserves to be heard. Check it out.

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DoublePlusPop and The Red Locusts

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The Brothers Steve

DoublePlusPop “Too Loud, Too Fast, Too Much”

Never say never. That should be the motto for bands that recorded music but never thought it would ever be heard, much less released. Paul Averitt formed Doublepluspop in the late 90’s/early 00’s with Jon Lenzer on guitar, Mike Bowman on bass, and Neil Saunders on drums. After recording a pile of songs the band split up and Averitt assumed it was over before it even began. But last March, an audio engineer found the ADAT tapes and “rescued” them from obscurity, and here we have that “lost” debut.

The opener “Stumblin Back” has a dominant riff that engulfs the song above all else. But “The Dark Inside” and the anthemic “Here’s To The Losers” have a bit more personality, similar to The Velvet Crush (without the harmonies). An early standout “My Verona” has a catchy ascending chorus, and “Everyone” adds harmonies to this potent mix. The guitar parts in some of these later tracks recall Matthew Sweet, especially on the excellent “Coincide.” It’s clear this band would’ve been signed by Not Lame Records, had it come out when it was recorded. Other winning tracks include; “If I Wasn’t In Love,” an epic rocker, and a cover of Todd Rundgren’s “Couldn’t I Just Tell You.” It makes this one a highly recommended album that belongs in your music collection.

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The Red Locusts

The Red Locusts “The Red Locusts”

So how does a Beatle-obsessed rocker let off a little creative steam? Rick Springfield got together with some old friends, brothers Matt and Gregg Bissonette (who’ve both played with David Lee Roth, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, and Elton John) and they wanted to let their Beatlesque flag fly free. They concocted a “secret” band called The Red Locusts, and built a bunch of pseudonyms for themselves, and released this gem in May to much buzzing excitement. Influenced by The Beatles, Jellyfish, Electric Light Orchestra, Big Star, The Raspberries… fans of Machine Gun Kelly need not apply.

The results are dynamic and satisfying for power pop fans. “Under The Rainbow” is a melodic celebration that rewards with each listen, it’s a bright melody with excellent musicianship and production akin to ELO’s best. “Another Bad Day For Cupid” continues the fun, with a sweet jangle, and then it slows down for the blues shuffle of “Deep Blue Sea.” It grabs the sitars for “Glow Worm,” a neo-psychedelic five minutes that compares well with Andrew Gold’s The Fraternal Order of The All. The songs have familiar musical reference points, but these are still original and unique melodies, and that’s what makes it so good. The vocals strain a little on the corny “Love is Going To Save The Day,” but it’s played so sincerely, it works. “Miss Daisy Hawkins” is a cribbed sequel to “Eleanor Rigby,” and Rick adds as many Beatle-isms as possible in the lyrics. Each song is so finely crafted you’ll need to hear it several times, as you peel away each initial influence. For musicians and listeners alike, this is a mutual guilty pleasure (but there is no reason to feel guilty). This is also high on my top ten list for 2021. Super Highly Recommended.

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The Brothers Steve and Latvian Radio

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The Brothers Steve

The Brothers Steve “Dose”

LA’s Brothers Steve return with a harmony-laden sophomore album. Starting with “Get On Up” it has a fizzy, catchy chorus that reminds me of The Hudson Brothers jamming with Sweet. While the ’70s influences are a starting point, it’s the band’s enthusiasm and talent that crosses the finish line. Jeff Whalen (vocals and guitar), Steve Coulter (drums), and Jeff Solomon (bass) got their start in the legendary band Tsar, and then Os Tyler (vocals) and Dylan Champion (guitar, vocals) joined the brotherhood to go all-in on power pop.

“Next Aquarius” adds an acoustic strum that the electric guitar riffs latch onto and the Jellyfish-like whimsy of “Mrs. Rosenbaum” is a tale that gently shows off their skillful three-part harmonies. But the stickier glam rock of “Wizard of Love” and “Electro-Love” are potential hits that are designed to get you dancing and hitting that repeat button. “She Will Wait” goes back to the acoustic, and here it feels like an outtake from a Beach Boys Party!  Then the party continues into the bubblegum sing-along “Sugarfoot” and “Better Get Ready to Go.” The album is rounded out by mid-tempo chamber pop “Love of Kings” and the layered vocals of “Griffith Observatory.” Not a dud in the bunch. In fact, the album is so accessible and fun, it’s nearly impossible to argue against it. Without a doubt, one of the best power pop albums this year. Super Highly Recommended.

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Latvian Radio

Latvian Radio “Phooey!”

Patric Westoo returns to his power-pop roots with his latest effort Phooey! as it recalls Chris Stamey, R.E.M., and The Plimsouls with its catchy jangle on the opening gems “Sliding Down A Ladder” and “Make Believe.” The echoing beat of “Waiting On A Letter” is another winner with its bluesy guitar flourishes over the dense jangling rhythm. The late 60s psyche-pop influences are still there with the catchy “Out This Door,” but the best song here is the bouncy gem “Bloody Mary Me Marie” about meeting a girl at a chance encounter. The chorus echoes out the lyrics and the instrumentation is top-notch here.

The album’s second half doesn’t match that effort, but it still contains great songs like “Not Anymore” and “Genie In Bottle Alright.” The songwriting here is another strength under the surface, as the lone ballad “The Simple Kind” shows a maturity to Westoo’s storytelling ability. This album is a grower that requires a few spins before it sinks in, and it’s worth the effort. Highly Recommended.

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The John Sally Ride and The Successful Failures

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The John Sally Ride

The John Sally Ride “Now Is Not a Great Time”

This third LP of The John Sally Ride continues their knack for sharp power-pop/rock songs. The four-man combo John Dunbar (Guitar, Vocals), Sal Maida (Bass), Joe Pampel (Guitar), and Sal Nunziato (Drums) boast a more focused sound, and “The Nicest Things” keep Dunbar’s understated, self-effacing approach but layer in more hooks. “Putting It Off” is another breakthrough tune that defines the band’s unique approach. “I Never Understood (Where I Stood With You)” adds a little Motown influence with its horns. The title track “Now Is Not A Great Time” and “He Doesn’t Know If He Snores” expand the scope of the band’s sound to include layered psych-pop flourishes.

Both “Far From Eaten Out” and “She Doesn’t Do Nostalgia” are comforting and compelling to listen to. “You Let Her Break Your Heart Again” is a superior ballad, but the songs don’t break much ground after this. Themes of bitterness and rejection are all over the album, so the sad-sack lyrical approach will wear out its welcome for some. But as far as the musicianship, it might be perfect timing. Highly Recommended.

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The Successful Failures

The Successful Failures “James Cotton Mather”

New Jersey roots rockers The Successful Failures return with a nautical-themed concept album.  It features the guitar heroics of lead Mick Chorba and his crew; Ron Bechamps, Rob Martin, and Pete Smith. The anthemic “Naval Victories” recall The Who, Sloan, and Pearl Jam, and even better “A Coat For Dreams” rocks out with some dramatic melody lines across its 4-minute run time. The guitar fuzz kicks into overdrive on highlights “The Seas Roll Mountain High” and the AC/DC-like “Let The Power Go Through You.”

The layered harmonies on “Julie the Redeemer” are also very impressive, but despite these gems, the remaining songs don’t distinguish themselves and tend to blend into each other. Fans of heavily layered guitars will enjoy this, so definitely give it a shot. It’s music that deserves to be heard.

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David Brookings and The Grip Weeds

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David Brookings

David Brookings “Mania at the Talent Show”

David Brookings has continued to grow musically over the years, and with his latest Mania At The Talent Show, he’s still telling stories that resonate. “Hard Times” reflects on the COVID fueled era of anxiety. On “Keep It Real” he settles in with a laid-back catchy rhythm as he touches on some of his favorite Western pop culture icons growing up (Outlaw Josey Wales, Gunsmoke), and then he slows down even more on the sleepy jangling “Driving to Ojai.” The California vibe is strong with this one, as well as other tracks. And David’s humor is sharp as ever on the bouncy “Women of L.A.” about women “going to the vending machine to pick out a new face.”

Other standouts include “One of Us Is Crazy (The Other One Is Me),” “Get Off (My Mind),” and “Kill Shot.” The longer form story-song “Mania at The Talent Show” is a lively tale of catching “rock star” mania with catchy hooks that chug along. Some tunes are more atmospheric and less compelling (“Words Come Back To Haunt You” and “Hide Your Crazy”) but this doesn’t throw the album off track. Brookings is a talent that deserves to be heard. Highly Recommended.

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The Grip Weeds

The Grip Weeds “DiG”

For over 26 years as one of New Jersey’s finest bands, The Grip Weeds (singer/drummer Kurt Reil, his wife Kristin Pinell Reil, brother Rick Reil, and bassist Dave DeSantis) have dazzled audiences with their unique blend of psychedelic styled garage rock and power pop. In a moment of introspection, the band decided to back at what influenced their sound and pay tribute to songs they loved.  This is the inspiration for DiG, and it’s no ordinary covers album.

The late sixties has always been a benchmark for the band, and they dig deep through this 2-disc set. The challenge is to improve upon the originals, and in many ways, The Grip Weeds are up for this challenge. The one-hit wonders are usually ripe for improvement and “Shape of Things To Come” (Max Frost and The Troopers), “Journey to The Center of The Mind” (The Amboy Dukes), and “Lies” (The Knickerbockers) are instrumentally superior versions. More modern songs like The Plimsouls “Lie, Beg, Borrow, and Steal” are given a retro arrangement and there are plenty of songs you’ll not be familiar with; obscurities like “The Little Black Egg” (The Nightcrawlers). Overall a great album for those who love to dig through the classic late sixties catalog. Highly Recommended.

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