Category: Power Pop Compilation

October Surprises: Singles, EPs, Compilations and a Cartoon

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On a rare occasion, I hear some EMD that does it right. On “Tarantino,” Steve Aoki & Timmy Trumpet modernize the classic surf guitar riff of Dick Dake, later made famous via Pulp Fiction. Aoki’s mesmerizing electro beats combined with Trumpet’s eccentric horn licks are very entertaining. The cartoon is also a hoot!

Willie Dowling’s infamous Jackdaw 4 discography is now on 369music (with his Dowling Poole albums). If you missed it, this was a free download for a while. But this was a great XTC inspired band – check it out.

Wisconsin’s Disq does a decent cover of this Wilco song. They also have a collection of demos from their break-thru LP from March.

Einstein’s Sister, a legendary power-pop/indie rock band from the late ’80s is back! The old discography is on Bandcamp now, and these brand new singles sound fresh!

Zach Jones has a way of updating that old pop sound that is pure magic. I was very impressed with this sharp sounding “Must Be On My Way,” which resembles a lost Monkees single.

Melbourne’s four-piece Girlatones have a gentler approach towards pop. There is a sense of acceptance in the combination of guitar, vocals, and piano. Lead singer Jesse William’s vocal delivery is akin to the vocal stylings of Belle & Sebastian.

Crown Vic Royal is not a whiskey, but a band from Chicago that plays blues-infected rock and roll. Check out this new EP.

Garfield’s Birthday is a band from Weymouth, England and for 25 years Simon Felton (Head honcho of Pink Hedgehog Records) has done a smashing job. Now a long-awaited “best-of” compilation is finally available. Plenty of rarities and alternate mixes.

Disq and An XTC Celebration

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Disq

Disq “Collector”

Disq is a fresh Wisconsin band started by middle school classmates Raina Bock and Isaac DeBroux-Slone. Now at 19 they recently expanded the band to a five-piece band and from the album’s beginning, it makes a great impression. “Daily Routine” is a very relatable look at modern drudgery as Issac sings “This is my daily routine. Spend my hours on a computer screen…” I love the video too, which borrows the appearance of old The Monkees TV show. The duo has a great knack for hooks and layered melodies reminiscent of Pavement, Weezer and Teenage Fanclub.

The earnest “D19” is a love song about a microphone (and not a metaphor for anything else). “Loneliness” is a great tune that builds to its defiant strummed chorus mourning a lost relationship,  and “Gentle” is very much in the Weezer style, with a crunchy layer of fuzz guitar between verses. The tone shifts from the acoustic “Trash,” then it goes into the riff-heavy garage tongue-in-cheek nihilism of “I Wanna Die.” Each song is carefully constructed to fuse all of the band’s influences to a single distinct sound, so no filler here. Yeah, power pop is not dead to this new generation of kids. Highly recommended.

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The Overtures

Assorted Artists “Garden of Earthly Delights – An XTC Celebration”

This is not the first artist tribute to XTC, that honor goes to 1995’s Testimonial Dinner.  But Futureman Records new tribute is much larger (49 tracks!) and a more comprehensive selection from the entire career of this well-loved band.  I really like it when an artist puts their own spin on Partridge and Moulding’s songs;  a few good examples include The Shellye Valauskas Experience “Wonderland,” Chris Price’s acoustic “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead,” and Michael Simmons “Wrapped in Grey.”

With so many tracks here it can be hit or miss at times, but these talented artists with strong pop sensibilities can’t do much better than to cover some of XTC’s songs. Overall an impressive collection and downloads benefit The Wild Honey Foundation.

Bandcamp only

Compilations: Anny Celsi, Ex-Norwegian and Shplang

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Editor’s note: Every year we have a few artists do the “greatest hits” thing as an end to a career or a phase before a new direction. These artists are all highly recommended and should be part of any power pop fan’s album collection. These were my 2019 favorites…

 

Anny Celsi

Anny Celsi “Kaleidoscope Heart – 12 Golden Hits”

Annie Celsi’s music fits in a unique space. Here style is slightly psychedelic folk-pop with Brill Building hooks that’s been compared to Aimee Mann, Jackie DeShannon, Suzanne Vega, and Dusty Springfield. Celsi’s singing is emotional and compelling and with Kaleidoscope Heart, you get a terrific collection of her music, from the jangling gem “Tangle-Free World” to the Motown-like “Au Revoir, My Darling.” Aided by a cast of familiar talents like Nelson Bragg, Teresa Cowles, Amy Farris, Probyn Gregory, Adam Marsland, Robbie Rist, Evie Sands, and Nick Walusko, to name a few. It’s comfort food for your ears!

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Ex-Norwegian

Ex-Norwegian “Something Unreal: The Best Of Ex-Norwegian”

This is an expansive look at the talented duo of Roger Houdaille and Lucia Perez. Early on the band was produced by fellow Miami Beach resident Fernando Perdomo and the results are truly impressive. A massive amount of great music is here, 47 tracks across 2 discs. Roger’s early efforts stand up as the layered indie rock “Original Copy” and Kinks-influenced “Something Unreal” is just as catchy as ever. The band moves across genres effortlessly from psyche-pop to experimental pop, some of my favorites include the grunge guitar of “Jet Lag,” “Unstoppable,” “Initiative Rock” and I’m not even halfway through disc one. If you never checked out this band, this is a perfect primer. Highly Recommended.

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Shplang

Shplang “Los Grandes Excritos (1994​-​2019)”

Shplang was always a great power pop band, rooted in influences like the Beatles and Kinks, but it also included a unique point of view. The duo of Peter Marston and John Krause were eventually joined by drummer Brian Cannizzaro. With 17 tracks, it pulls from over 20 years of music. They go the full gamut of styles; opening with the sweet and catchy pop of “Spanish Galleons”  to the new wave-influenced “I Don’t Know I Don’t Care.” The band’s quirky highlight “Delacroix” takes the Fab’s “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” in a blender with Serge Gainsbourg. “Little Star” is another brilliant example of taking a simple lyric and crafting it into pop genius. “Sway” shows that these guys also know how to crunch those power-pop chords as good as anyone. Overall a highly recommended collection of songs that any power pop fan would be proud to own.

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Compilations: Pop Boomerang and The Co​​-​​Op Communique

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Chris Von Sneidern

Shake Yer Popboomerang “Volume 3”

Looking to hear the best new musical talent Australia has to offer? Then check out Popboomerang. Once again its compiled by label head honcho, Scott Thurling. It’s 36 tracks chock full of goodies, some of the bands are familiar like Even‘s brilliant “The Memory,” or the new-to-me artist The Umbrella Man‘s “The Likes of You.” Both these tracks hook you early on, other artists you should check out here: The Kariannes, Livingstone Daisies, Halfway, Danny McDonald, The Golden Rail, Vicuna Coat, Bryan Estepa, and the always classic DM3.

Since it is the entire label’s talent here, its not just power pop. You get some punk (Glomesh,) some indie-goth (The Glory Box, Wild Meadows,) classic pop (Charles Jenkins and the Zhivagos, Blackbirds FC,) or even sleepy balladry (Four Hours Sleep, Ryan Ellsmore). The batting average is good with this compilation. Bandcamp only


The Co​​-​​Op Communique

The Co-Op Communique “Volume 5”

Artist and producer DW Dunphy has once again delivered another “Communique” and its the strongest compilation yet. Caddy’s strong “Miracle Turn” sets the bar pretty high, but the lesser-known artists meet the challenge. Jerry Wood’s “When You Were A Child” is a real hidden gem and Science Park’s “Dot of America” is a catchy surprise. I recognized many power-pop faves here; The John Sally Ride, The Vapour Trails, Car City, Super 8, Tommy Sistak, Mick Terry, The Click Beetles, Everet Almond, Joe Sullivan, Nick Frater, Pop Co-Op and The Turnback.

You get the rare track that makes you scratch your head, but almost everything here is worth exploring. Dunphy has a lovely duet with Lindsay Murray (Gretchen’s Wheel) and Orbis Max original “Love Will Keep Us Together” is closer to George Harrison than Captain and Tennille. Then add a few metal tunes (Deliverance, Haven) and there you have it. An instant summer music collection. Get this now while it’s still a FREE download. Bandcamp only.

White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams

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White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams

Assorted Artists “White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams”

Producer Andrew Curry, who has a soft spot for soft rock (Drink a Toast To Innocence) is back with his sites now on ’70s singer-songwriter Paul Williams. While a recognizable musical performer and actor, Williams legacy as a celebrity often overshadows his formidable songwriting talents. After all, he’s won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and several Grammys. His work includes hits for Three Dog Night, Barbra Streisand and The Carpenters – all part of this covers collection by some talented indie power pop artists.

Several songs are given new life because many are deep cuts that won’t be instantly recognizable. I enjoyed the faster tempo of The Davenports take on “Evergreen” and Zach Jones faithful version of “Someday Man.” Lisa Mychols totally nails “You and Me Against The World” and Cliff Hillis turns the Carpenters epic “Rainy Days and Mondays” into an intimate personal ballad. Minky Starshine has a wicked version of “The Hell Of It” from the Brain DePalma cult film The Phantom of The Paradise.

But the ballads are where Williams songwriting is best known, and Chris Price’s “I Won’t Last A Day” and Andy Reed’s “Rainbow Connection” infuse Paul’s hopeful emotions perfectly. The Corner Laughers do their best to imitate singing muppets on “Movin’ Right Along” and The Test Pressings (John Borack, Robbie Rist and Karen Bassett) do a cheese-filled version of “The Love Boat,” in which Williams only wrote the lyrics. A few songs don’t quite work, but overall a fun compilation with a high batting average. And that’s highly recommended.

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Many years ago Paul Bertolino covered Paul Williams beautifully. It’s a FREE download that would fit nicely with the collection above. Enjoy!