Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Odds, Ends, and Reissues: Nick Frater, Spiraling, The Orange Peels, Roger J. Manning Jr.

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If you thought 2nd Grade’s songs were a bit too long, Nick Frater has the solution for the ADD music fan. 59 songs all under a minute! I have to admit, the first two hooked me right away, “Intro” and “Say It’s Alright” are stunning Beach Boys recreations. Not everything is that good, but some have little clues to the influence; like “Another Nod To Todd.” Irresistible!

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New to me (maybe to you) is this 2003 release from New Jersey musician Tom Brislin. Spiraling is a mix of many pop styles, but what stood out to me is the piano tune “The Girl On Top (of the Piano)” which is as catchy as anything Ben Folds has ever done. An overlooked gem, re-issued on bandcamp.  Get it on Amazon
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Hard to believe it all started in 1997 for Allen Clapp. The Orange Peels “Square” is a timeless classic, that still sounds fresh today. This new re-issue is labeled “Square³” and it boasts 40 tracks with demos, bonuses, an alternate album… what else do you need? Get it on Amazon
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During my last interview with Roger Joseph Manning Jr., he mentioned a re-release of his solo output was coming, and here it is. These albums have long been out of circulation and its good to have them back dutifully remastered by mixing engineer John Paterno under Manning’s supervision. This catalog threesome consists of 2006’s The Land Of Pure Imagination, 2008’s Catnip Dynamite, and his 2018 PledgeMusic EP, Glamping.

Visit rogerjosephmanningjrofficial.com to get these re-issues directly.

Kai Danzberg and Honeywagen

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Kai Danzberg

Kai Danzberg “Rockshow”

Germany’s wunderkind Kai Danzberg has proven to be a musician with a flair for the dramatic as he starts his fresh album “Rockshow,” with a fantasy concert motif. The title track is catchy, well written, and recalls his earlier material. But this isn’t a concept album. It’s more a collection of dynamic singles. The bouncy love song “You & Me” and “Living Room” are great examples of Kai as the impulsive romantic, bursting with optimism to the beat. Adding more horns and layered vocals and we get the dense melody of “Waiting For You,” and it’s a big highlight here. The ELO and Jellyfish influences are also still there, as “Making It Right” jumps out of the speakers with those sparkling harmonies assisted by Dana Countryman.

“Oh, Girl” is a jazz-themed torch song with assistance from Drake Bell that features solid musicianship, but it feels a little out of place. Kai has always added great ballads to his albums and “Undone” certainly is another highlight. For variety, there are funky disco beats on the dance track “Magic Night.” Overall this is a wonderful album that deserves multiple listens so check it out. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Honeywagen

Honeywagen “Halfdog”

Its been a few years since Honeywagen’s Jamboree, but these veteran musicians from Kansas City are back showing off their Midwestern vintage rock style. Starting with “For Love” it features catchy guitar riffs, harmonies, and compelling jangling rhythm. The Rickenbacker jangle continues with the roots-influenced “Anywhere The Wind Blows.” Guitarists Mike Penner and Scott Christensen play so well off each other, it makes “All That Matters” a solid love song, and the end solo complements the melody perfectly. The tempo slows for “Running Out Of Time,” with more of country-rock feel, and and “Maybe Maybe Not” brings to mind mid-70s classic rock, like Traffic.

“On The Beach” is a simpler Beatlesque sort of tune with a descriptive lyric, but a big highlight is “All The Little Things” with a stronger melody and bigger hook – it’s my favorite track. When they don’t overthink the lyrical story (“The Waitress”) and let the band cut loose, its a much better listening experience. That said, fans of The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Grip Weeds will enjoy this band. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Successful Failures and Fernando Perdomo

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Successful failures

Successful Failures “Pack Up Your Shadows”

As one of New Jersey’s most accomplished bands, The Successful Failures are not afraid to color outside the lines. Mick Chorba (guitar, vocals), Ron Bechamps (bass, mandolin, vocals), Rob Martin (drums), and Pete Smith (guitar) start off with a series of Bluegrass-Country influenced songs that I’d expect more from Wilco or The Jayhawks. However, “Honeycomb” and “On Down The Line” are great catchy tunes, and Bechamps mandolin is front-and-center here.

“Murder ‘Neath the Silver Moon” is a great transitional story song, it reminded me of The Black Crowes, and that twang is joined by a strong lead guitar. “This Girl” continues the streak, with layers of rhythm guitars and a great chorus, it’s definitely a rocking “hit.” The band cuts loose on “More of The Same” with its Chuck Berry-like riffs, then slowing to a bluesy crawl mid-way through before it comes back roaring to life. Mick then comes back to the country-based bar songs, “Whiskey” and “Something Good.” No weak tunes are to be found here. The band seems to be excellent no matter what genre they play. Grab a shot of your favorite libation and listen up. It’s highly recommended.

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Fernando Perdomo

Fernando Perdomo “The Leo August Album”

Fernando has been very busy lately, doing some great collaborations this year with Justin Paul Sanders and Dave Kerzner (to name a few.) This is a concept album about a musician named Leo August who is on his death bed at the end of his battle with a deadly disease. The somber story is told through Fernando’s acoustic fingerpicking and first-person lyric.

There is a deep feeling of regret and sadness throughout, like classic Lee Hazlewood or Leonard Cohen. The melodies are very bittersweet. An early standout is “Release” is a song about Leo pleading to his fellow musicians to get their music out before it’s too late. The double meaning is all too clear, as Leo seeks a release from regrets. The psychedelic “Float Away” creates a dreamy soundscape, and “Fade Out” has the best message here; “I wanna live, till I die. I wanna get to say goodbye.” While this album has an effective narrative and mood, it seems stretched out to cover the 10 songs here. Still, it’s an effective downbeat album, and if you are feeling depressed, it will feel like Fernando is playing directly to you. Check it out.

Amazon

Keith Slettedahl and Ed Ryan

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Keith Slettedahl

Keith Slettedahl “You Know You Know”

Guitarist-songwriter Keith Slettedahl was the driving force of The 88, one of the great power pop bands that slowly faded from view several years ago. They’ve been in my past top ten list, but they are likely best known to the public for the theme to the TV show Community. Now Slettedahl has created a solo LP with producer (and Posies drummer) Frankie Siragusa.

Keith’s knack for hooks and rock melody is in full bloom, as its lineage can be traced to The Beatles, T-Rex, and Spacehog. Opening with “No One Understands Me Like You Do,” it slowly builds as those deep guitar riffs cut across the verses, to the hushed vocals that recall Marc Boland at his peak. “Lady Is Love” is another big winner with an irresistible bass line, and then “It’s Never Been Easier” constructs a thick wall of sound that rivals Oasis or The Dandy Warhols. Each song seems designed to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, with “My Baby,” and the catchy gem “Cuz I’m A Lover.” Keith smolders with the ballad “Give It Time You’ll Be Fine,” where heartbreak is emphasized by Spanish horns and harmonies and “One and All” laments with exhausted feeling about living online instead of the real world. I couldn’t find a bad song here. Definitely belongs in my top ten albums for 2020.

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Ed Ryan

Ed Ryan “Even Time”

Multi-instrumentalist Ed Ryan returns with his third album, as he goes through his history by revisiting songs he made with The Rudies and Jupiter Jets, and throws in some new material to match. The title track is a solid pop single with a steady rhythm and compelling hook, it’s a different sound for Ed, but the next several songs have a strong late 70s – early 80s guitar vibe. The electric guitar buzz “Never Lied To You” delivers a terrific hook in the chorus and “Say What You Will” is a very compelling jangle-pop melody.

“I Want To Go” literally changes the tone again, with an acoustic guitar and galloping rhythm. But it’s a momentary change, as the guitar buzz returns on “Let It Out,” another great tune. “Next Time Around” and “Breakway” have an even harder edge, as they burst from the speakers. Other tracks feel a little out of place (“Everywhere”), but there is enough here to please fans of The Beat, Rick Springfield, and The Knack. This is truly music that deserves to be heard. Check it out.

Amazon

The Vapour Trails and Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers

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The Vapour Trails

The Vapour Trails “Golden Sunshine”

The echoing jangle of the Vapour Trails new LP shares those neo-hippie vibes, as this Scottish band feels more like it belongs on the streets of Haight-Ashbury than Aberdeen. The title track, “Golden Sunshine” is a cascading series of dream-like guitar arpeggios with muscular wah-wah riffs close behind. Fans of The Byrds, Beatles, and Buffalo Springfield will really enjoy this music. It’s psychedelic with a capital “P” on “Dr. Barnes” with its sitar and tambourine rhythms.  Another gem here is “Lonely Man” with its catchy melodic composition and “Different Girl” dazzles with its harmonized verses.

It’s the unique vocal arrangements of male and female voices that make The Vapour Trails standout from the crowd. “Sometimes (Thinking of You)” is a great example of this, with a simple acoustic guitar and layered acapella. In addition, each song has a compelling approach, either “Strange” with its trippy jangle rhythm or the stunning Rickenbacker melody of “Behind You.” The styles and mood shifts often enough to keep things unpredictable, additional highlights include “You Wonder Why?” and the epic closer “Seabird.” Fans of the classic California sixties pop sound should not miss this one. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


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Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers
Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers

Andrew Taylor and the Harmonizers “Lockdown Session: May 2020, June 2020”

What started in April with Andrew Taylor (Dropkick) as a Covid-19 lockdown songwriting session in Scotland during April – has expanded to a monthly full-band effort. Andrew gets help from Alastair Taylor (Guitars,) Ian Grier (Bass, Keyboards,) and Iain Sloan (Pedal Steel, Guitars). In the May sessions we start with the workmanlike pop of “St. Leonards,” and those harmonies and steel pedal chords lead the way. Other highlights include “I Wouldn’t Be Anywhere Else,” “Turn Around,” and “Change of Heart.” The country-folk jangle is easy on the ears and the musicianship is solid, even if the songs tend to blend together a bit.

The June Sessions are more varied in style, and “I’ll Never Win” adds a little synth to the catchy melody. Between two slow almost somnambulistic ballads, we get the optimistic “For This To Pass,” and it’s great to hear those electric guitar riffs. “Ploughing On” is closer to Dropkick’s normal sound. The final song “You’re Not Right” (written in 1997!) is another highlight. These sessions are all a “name your price” download, so there are no excuses. Check it out!

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