Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Ray Paul and Matthew Logan Vasquez

powerpopaholic
Ray Paul

Ray Paul “Bloody Rubbish”

After a successful album a few years ago with Whimsicality, Ray Paul gives us more “greatest hits” with Bloody Rubbish. Ray has always been a McCartney disciple and his music is tailor-made for anyone who enjoys Beatlesque power pop.  The album features three previously unreleased tracks (two of which are live recordings by the current Ray Paul & RPM band recorded in 2017) and one studio track from 1977, along with remastered A & B sides of his early singles, which are prime cuts of Mersey Beat magic.

The familiar “I Need Your Love Tonight” rings out akin to a Raspberries hit, and the “Hold It” has instrumentation and style along the lines of Badfinger. “Love Me” was made in the early 70’s McCartney solo style, and the live concert tracks with his band RPM showcase the great energy here. I loved most everything here, all ten tracks represent rock and roll at its best. Remastered, and absolutely highly recommended.

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVnbBCMGmTY”]

Matthew Logan Vasquez

Matthew Logan Vasquez “Light’n Up”

Frontman for indie rockers Delta Spirit, Matthew Logan Vasquez’s solo work is creative, with both fiery delivery and a tight sound. He draws from a diverse well of influences, from Gram Parsons to Kurt Cobain. Starting with the intimate folk ballad “Ballad In My Bed,” its provocative lyrics invite you in. Then he cranks up the energy level on “Trailer Park,” rocking like a Texas version of Bruce Springsteen. Following that, the noise rock “Vacation” is very much like Delta Spirit, but then he goes to the Nillson-like piano ballad on “I Love My Boy.”

The best marriage of these two approaches is “Ghostwriters,” a perfect power pop gem. Unfortunately, Matthew is having too much fun to stay the course. The 90’s dance-pop of “Ball Pit” feels pulled straight outta Prince’s vault. Vasquez has the talent and sound to do great things, all he needs is focus to create that greatness. Still, its a highly enjoyable album that deserves to be heard.

Amazon

Jim Basnight and Trip Wire

powerpopaholic
Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Not Changing”

Veteran musician Jim Basnight made waves in with The Moberlys early in his career and he continues to put out great material to this day. Not Changing is his first new album in seven years and it offers listeners a variety of moods and memories. The album starts with the easy-going “Code to Live By,” a testament to his longevity with a terrific solo guitar break. The title track is a wistful look back on his career, confident that he’s made the right choices as he states “with this guitar, you can dig for gold, but can you dig a soul from a grave?” He returns to the theme of death with the somber “Suicide Evening,” and “Kurt Cobain.”

While there are several quieter tracks, Jim shines when he reaches into that classic blues-rocker style similar to The Rolling Stones on “Big Bang” and “Best Lover In The World.” The rollicking “Making Love for a Living” is a catchy tune sure to get you moving and “Never Get Lost” is another power pop gem. More highlights include “Second Street,” “You Never Cease To Amaze Me” and the radio-friendly finale “Living The Way I Want.” This is a celebration of a man comfortable doing what he loves. So, why change such a good thing? Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Amazon

Trip Wire

Trip Wire “Once & Always”

San Francisco stalwarts Trip Wire continue to rock on their fourth LP with Marty Schneider, Bill Hunt, Stu Shader, and Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers).  The gruff “Had Enough” evokes Bob Mould, and Shelton shines here as the vocalist on “Down” with lots of great energy. “Light Of The Moon” has some interesting composition and sounds like a cross between Lou Reed and REM. The subtle “Golden Gloves” with its strings and the seamless follow-up “Clear,” showcases a simple acoustic melody that builds into a majestic solo jam. It almost sounds like a completely different band. 

But the album is far from over, as they get back on to power pop with “Bottle Rocket.” After this, we get the folk-like jangling pop of “Act Fast” and country twang of “Carolina.”  The band seems most comfortable with roots-inflected rock, and while the other genres aren’t bad, they don’t stick in your head for long. Overall a refreshingly honest rock ‘n’ roll album that deserves to be heard.

Big Stir Records

The Decibels and Faux Co.

powerpopaholic
The Decibels

The Decibels “Scene, Not Herd”

Sacramento, CA-based The Decibels were active from 1993–2001 and cut a trio of fine garage-styled power pop albums that were criminally overlooked. The sound combined 60’s Mod influences with 80’s angular guitar leads. Fans of The Plimsouls, Buzzcocks and Paul Collins Beat will enjoy the frantic tempos and sing-along lyrics. The band re-grouped in 2017 and continued from where they left off.

“Hey Emily” is a rousing opener that contrasts with the sad lyrics of middle-aged loneliness. The strong chords of “It’s Not Me” is one of the big standouts here, as the band is “trying to prove a point that went dull long ago.” The band’s Merseybeat tendencies come out on “Misery” with some nice chord shifts and three-part harmonies. Most of the songs are under the three-minute mark and push the energy limit, so it would’ve been nice to hear ballad amongst the dozen tunes here. However, most of the music is very good, and you can explore some of the earlier LPs on Bandcamp.  Check it out!

Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

Faux Co.

Faux Co. “Radio Silence”

Chicago’s Faux Co. adds a perfect amount of fuzzy psychedelic grit and melodic hook in the opener “Prozac Spaceman.”  The band consists of Ben Mackey, Chris Lee, Christian Whiting, and Jayson Homyak. Their music blends melodic pop with garage rock elements (and horns) for “Set The Record Straight.” These two strong tunes give this short album (only 8 songs) a solid forward momentum.

The catchy fuzz rhythm of “The Sun Will Come Back”  leads to the Lennonesque ballad “Oh Mother Night.” The gorgeous harmonies are a highlight of “It’s Nothing Really” and it approaches epic dreamlike territory on the Oasis-like “Get A Say.” The music is consistently excellent as it concentrates on deep themes of apathy, creativity, love, and loss. Not a speck of filler here. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Eric Barao and I Know Leopard

powerpopaholic
Eric Barao

Eric Barao “Obsolete” EP

The follow-up album to Eric Barao’s self-titled debut album is finally here and he’s pulled out the big guns in the studio. Mike Viola (Candy Butchers) and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) are supporting Eric and all the recording, mixing and production techniques were done in the late 60’s style similar to The Beatles White Album. Jellyfish feels like a big influence throughout, with lots of instrumental flourishes, Queen-like guitar solos, and soft vocal harmonies.

“Nothing to See” slowly builds up from its orchestral prelude to its easygoing chorus that worms its way into your head effortlessly. The title track is an instantly accessible gem, with the pounding piano bed that jauntily gets to our chorus sung by Viola perfectly as he pleads “I’m not obsolete!” Both these tracks have wonderful guitar breaks that compliment the songs. “Unhappy Ending” starts with a Big Star-like riff before heading to Barao-land, layered full with synth effects and mellotron. “Bad For You” stands out because its dramatic and dark, almost like a Broadway villain theme. Next, “My Pussy-Puss” is an overly baroque tune, you almost expect a double entendre here with Roger J Manning Jr.’s multi-tracked vocals. Overall a fantastic EP that stands as one of the best of the year so far.

Amazon

I Know Leopard

I Know Leopard “Love Is A Landmine”

Sydney indie quartet, I Know Leopard is a rare breed of retro pop. They look like a cosplay version of Abba but their sound is an amalgam of ELO, Split Enz, 10cc, and Erasure. The title track is mesmerizing with the perfect amount of synth, piano, guitar, and heartbreak. “Heather” is another neon-drenched love song that sounds like a lost ’80s hit. The synths dominate the remaining tracks and bring with it a lounge-like club atmosphere.

Lead singer Luke O’Loughlin’s soft and pained vocals take center stage and brilliantly envelopes you on “All That She Cared About,” “Blame It On Me” and “Seventy Lies.” With Bassist Rosie Fitzgerald adding the anchor to each song, the harmonies and grooves are wonderful. Some songs feel like filler (“Mums and Dads of Satanists”) but once this band adds more hooks to its repertoire, watch out. Definitely, a band to keep your eye on. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZznNjyRrAA”]

David Brookings and The Lund Brothers

powerpopaholic
David Brookings and the Average Lookings

David Brookings and the Average Lookings “Scorpio Monologue”

David Brookings took the slow road to power pop stardom. His eighth album shows how much he’s grown as an artist. Scorpio Monologue goes further with both melody and musicianship compared to his past work. He also experiments with a variety of styles; power pop, rock, folk, and even Bossa nova. 
 
The jangling rhythm anchors the opening progressions of “And It Feel Like.” The song carries a maturity with its solid chorus and shredding guitar solo. But the seriousness eases with the catchy “I Grow Up Fast,” a breezy autobiographical strummer where “the future catches up with the past.” The buzzing power ballad “Time Takes You By” makes the mood with relatable and hopeful lyrics. Brookings also has a good sense of fun with the folky “Silicon Valley” describing the area like a goofy travelogue of Northern California, ending with the choral hymn “Steve Jobs!” The band lets its Chuck Berry flag fly next on “She’s Mad At Me Again,” and it’s simply infectious.  Its also takes guts to cover one of the most covered songs ever, but David makes Badfinger’s “Without You” work just fine. Overall not a single weak track, and easily a candidate for my top 10 of 2019 list. Super Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/ZGHYFuUUzWI”]

The Lund Bros

The Lund Brothers “Loser” 1993-97′ – Remasters and Rarities”

Chris and Sean Lund, aka “The Lund Bros” occupy a unique place in the annals of power pop. In 1995 they were bankrolled by Geffen Records to produce six tracks, but ultimately they were rejected for sounding “too much like the Beatles.” While objectively the band’s music fits more between bands like Extreme or Zebra, what the hell is wrong with The Beatles? The virtuoso guitar shredding skills and multi-track choruses are simply great. The duo continues to produce material, and perform around Washington state.

The demo tracks used these recordings as a basis for their first full-length record, the self-titled “Loser” released in 1998. Chris Lund’s Demon Studios have remastered all these tracks, including songs that were never released! Favorite tracks: In My Hands, Invisible Man, Told You So, Such A Ride and You Know. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | CD Baby

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/MfMaqk4_Uqs”]