Category: Power Pop Review

Butch Young and Le Super Homard

powerpopaholic
Brett Harris

Butch Young “Mercury Man”

Singer-songwriter Butch Young’s (self-released, home-recorded) album is an admirable DIY effort that is sure to warm the hearts of power pop lovers everywhere. With his collaborator Matt Lee on guitar and bass, Young is similar in spirit to early Paul Steel by crafting layered space mini-symphonies that are part baroque, bubblegum and bittersweet.

Opening with the title track, its a slow relaxing opener with Lee’s blistering solo and then “Persephone” with its yearning slide guitar is very much influenced by Jeff Lynne. Young’s vocals are a little nasal, but once you are accustomed to it “One Foot In” showcases some great multi-tracked harmonies a la Beach Boys. The charm and musicianship will easily win you over as “Dime Store Jesus” and “Child of Nature” does a soft shuffle with its light pop melodies. No real filler here, but the album’s tempo rarely varies, and the only guitar solos appear on the first and last tracks of the album. Still its a wonderful debut and is highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Le Super Homard

Le Super Homard “Maple Key” EP/Vinyl

The Mega Dodo label is one of the leading progressive neo-psychedelic labels out there and this new release is worth seeking out. Le SuperHomard is Christophe Vaillant (guitars and keyboard), Pandora Burgess (vocals) and Olivier Vaillant (drums and bass). The rich textured instrumental intro gives way to dreamscape which is influenced by Air and Fugu1.

The light dreamy late ’60s mood permeates the album and the electronic rhythms are subtle till the finale “From My Window.” “On A Sofa” floats along, “Bituminized” is a simple melody much like The High Llamas recent work, and when Burgess vocals are added it takes “Dry Salt In Our Hair” to a more danceable place. Fans of space lounge music will find much to love here.

Amazon (import vinyl) | MegaDodo

They Might Be Giants “Phone Power”

powerpopaholic
B-Leaguers

Brooklyn’s kings of quirky pop They Might Be Giants have done it all, and now they’re offering you brand new album Phone Power. It another collection of Dial-A-Song quirky tunes and fans will appreciate the new collection. The album features “I Love You for Psychological Reasons” which is the standard catchy TMBG single. Plus you’ve got a pile of 17 more songs, some of my faves here are “ECNALUBMA,” “It Said Something” as well as a live cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Like most of TMBG, there is a certain ratio of pop experimental songs to ear worms to be expected. Even “I Wasn’t Listening” is a funny self-reference to the whole Dial-A-Song concept.

Amazon

B-Leaguers and The Miamis

powerpopaholic
B-Leaguers

B-Leaguers “Death of A Western Heart”

James Styring (The Popdogs) forms a new band with a harder edge and a thicker guitar sound. The title track refers to the loss of the past, and James slowly builds the song from a simple bass line to a riff driven rock anthem where eventually “you come back to where you start.”

“Amnesia” has a punk energy that keeps the song afloat and  “Numbers” has a neo-metal riff alongside its chiming guitar rhythm section. It keeps to the standard pop-punk rock until we get to the excellent “Lemonade” with its frantic harmonies and faster tempo. Definitely worth checking out.

Kool Kat Musik

Scott Warren

The Miamis “We Deliver”

It’s hard to believe, but there are still “lost” bands out there that never made it to the limelight in the classic rock era.The Miamis were an active part of the ‘70s New York club scene, playing at CBGB, Max’s Kansas City and the Mudd Club. They headlined shows alongside Blondie, the Ramones and New York Dolls, but the lack of a recording contract kept the Miamis forever in obscurity. They did record a self-released album, but the industry execs at the time dubbed them “too punk for pop, too pop for punk.” I don’t hear any punk, but the energy and melodies clearly belong to power pop, so fans of The Knack, The Raspberries and Rubinoos will really enjoy this.

The infectious melody on “We Deliver” is unmistakable, and could easily be mistaken for a Rubinoos single. “Cry Baby” is like early Ramones with horns, and “Dancin’ Together” is like T-Rex playing an NRBQ hit. You can hear some Todd Rundgren influence in “I Want A Girlfriend” and  “Just Too Many People In The World.” You then realize that the Miamis were not so easy to categorize. The live songs are also where this band really shines, with a bluesy “That’s Life” capping 23 total tracks. Don’t miss this slice of lost power pop history. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Brett Harris and Kerosene Stars

powerpopaholic
Brett Harris

Brett Harris “Up In The Air”

North Carolina pop auteur Brett Harris was part of the touring band for both Big Star and the dB’s and now he’s released his newest solo effort. “End of the Rope” is an inspirational theme with great supporting guitar riff that does recall The Beatles and Big Star at times. “Don’t Look Back” is an easy going mid-tempo song with a hint of sadness within its rich strums. “Lies” is a good example of how a slow dirge takes a whimsical jazz turn in the break before it continues, it’s a delicate balance of old and new influences.

“Out of The Blue” is another signature song with strong blues flourishes and orchestral sweep – its both a catchy and satisfying melody. Both “High Times” and “Rumor” have folk blues and soul elements that are perfectly arranged into the rock format. The title track is another standout, it has a 70’s California country guitar melody that’s part Nilsson and part Mike Nesmith. The song has the feel of the open road with the lyric “Why should I care whatever which way the wind is blowing ‘cause we make our home wherever our feet hit the ground.” Overall no duds here as each song shines, and its highly recommended.

Amazon

 

Kerosene Stars

Kerosene Stars “Don’t Believe in Miracles” EP

Chicago band Kerosene Stars are Scott Schaafsma (bass, vocals), Andy Seagram (guitar, backing vocals), Yoo Soo Kim (viola, keyboards), Jim Adair (drums), and Tom Sorich (percussion). The band excels creating simple, catchy melodies on top of a solid backbeat, Burn The Evidence is the first of 3 EPs for 2016.

“Don’t Believe in Miracles” starts with a solid jangle and classic chord shifts is bolstered by Scott’s strong vocal. “Burn The Evidence” has a European styled vibe with some new wave accents, shifting around never settling in predictability. After the bossa nova lounge style of ”Alice,” it settles into late 70’s styled pop with “Talk Talk” and its sweet guitar solo. This is a band that makes you take notice with both its musicianship and songwriting, so keep an eye on them!

Bandcamp

Sam Means and Latvian Radio

powerpopaholic
Sam Means

Sam Means “10 Songs”

While not a household name, Sam Means was one half of the celebrated Arizona indie-pop act The Format alongside Nate Ruess (who later went on to form the Grammy Award-winning act, fun.) It took a while, but Means’ debut full-length 10 Songs was worth the wait and is bursting with an creative energy plus Jellyfish’s Roger Joseph Manning Jr. helped with arrangements!

Each song is part of a emotional narrative about the transition to adulthood. “How To Sing” is both whimsical and subtle with its bass lead and horn flourishes that builds to near white noise. Next “We’re Alone” is like a slow, gentle prayer that leads to “The Other Side Of You,” a catchy ear-worm with an accending scale (reminded me of Field Music here).  “Taking it Back To Yesterday” is the main theme of the album; a simple piano melody that grows into a sweet sing along. RJ Manning’s fingerprints are subtle, but on “Calina” it’s easy to spot on this brilliantly catchy song. The relaxed “All I Ever Wanted” is another feel good gem, but as we close out the album it slows as the mood turns inward on “Bigger Heart” that could be compared to Mark Oliver Everett (Eels) or Salim Norallah. Overall a brilliant album that gets on my top ten of 2016 list.

Itunes | Bandcamp


Latvian Radio “Until Tomorrow Gets In The Way”

Latvian Radio is back with their fifth album as the band continues to blend Patric Westoo’s tight vocals with steady guitar riffs mixing both power-pop, UK post punk and new wave influences. Starting with “Eyes Behind The Lens” its a dense chiming melody with layered horns, vocals and a jangling rhythm. The organ textures cover the strong composition “Power Lines and Bedroom Blinds” with some nice percussive work from Mark Poole.

The music seems to get looser as we go forward, “Weight of The World” has a catchy synth hook and a casual narrative that make it my favorite track on the album. While the backing harmonies and light melody of “Tease and Please” is a bit tedious, the albums tone shifts to a more rock orientation on “Letter To The National Enquirer.” Latvian Radio continues to be criminally overlooked and deserves to be heard. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Amazon