Category: Power Pop Review

Radio Days and Pezband

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Radio Days “Back in The Day”

Italy’s Radio Days have paired themselves down to a trio and are going back to their roots on “Back In The Day.” In doing so the band moves away from the strict formulaic approach and decided to rock out, capturing an energy that is more like The Beatles on steroids with the opener “Why Don’t You Love Me Anymore?” The next several tracks are catchy and highly addictive, especially the double-time “You Won’t Fool Me Twice.” The title track follows a template closer to The Raspberries and makes its point, looking to the past for those tasty hooks.

The oddity here “Your Words” is a light pop tune with a reggae beat, but the band is quick to return to those chiming guitar chords and each track after is a solid gem. From the ballad ” You Bring Me Down” to the powerful backbeat of “Subway Station Girl,” Radio Days delivers the goods and never falls into a predicable rut, adding garage elements on “Smash This Party” and ending with another Beatlesque love song “Betta” which echoes a little of the Fab’s “Do You Want To Know A Secret?” My only pet peeve here is the compressed sound quality in the studio mix. Overall a great album that makes my top ten list for 2016. Ciao!

Bandcamp | CD Baby | Amazon


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Pezband

Pezband “Women & Politics” EP

Chicago’s Pezband was one of the better known power pop bands in the late ’70s, following the path of their bretheren Cheap Trick and The Raspberries. But by 1980 after three albums and two live EPs, interest from their label vaporized and the group disbanded. The next year guitarist Mimi Betinis and drummer Mick Rain were energized and ready to to give Pezband another shot. Joined by original band member John Pazdan, the trio headed to Los Angeles to record “Women & Politics.” Unfortunately in the era of post-Knack backlash, the EP was shelved. Until now.

“Office Girl” has the angular guitars and beat that’s typical of the pre-new wave era. “Waiting In Line” is closer to a classic Pezband single, with its distinctive vocal interplay and jangling rhythm. “Fab Girlfriends” is another gem, with some excellent guitar shedding between the chorus and ending. “Russian Tanks” is a cold war era tune that compares well with The Clash and Public Image Limited. This is a vinyl release and a highly recommended one.

Frodis Records | Amazon

The Nobility and The Small Square

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The Nobility “Ashford Castle”

The Nobility has created a modern pop treat. The opening title track about an Irish Castle boasts gorgeous choral harmonies in the Beach Boys tradition. The bands bouncing modern pop of “Wonderful Night” uses those harmonies effectively in the chorus, with a strong beat evoking the band Sunday Sun here as melody soars. “Heart Is Strange” has echoing vocals and layered guitar/synth combos that give it a new wave touch.

From here it takes the danceable pop route with “Rollin’ in The Aisle” and the energetic “On The Sky,” both perfectly fun. Unfortunately “I Can’t Tell You Why” does wear out its welcome, but the band redeems itself with happy sing-along songs like “Alone,””Mrs. Judy May,” and “Sharks” which are like adult nursery rhymes. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Amazon [su_spacer size=”10″]


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The Small Square

The Small Square “The Small Square”

Debut release from a veteran power pop duo with roots in Champaign, Illinois plus Wisconsin & Japan.  Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush, Matthew Sweet) and John L. Richardson (Tommy Keene, Gin Blossoms, Joey Molland/Badfinger) create pure, bittersweet pop with some folk rock mixed in. Joey Molland (Badfinger) is one of several guest players here.

[su_spacer size=”10″]”So Low” is an understated opener, but “Dream Faker (Open Your Heart)” starts up as a solid indie rocker that displays Chastain’s ability to weave guitar lines and layer the songs rhythms on top of each other. “SML” is a gentle alt. country plea to “Save My Life” equal parts Wilco and Big Star. “After The Tears” is a beautiful love song with its sweet harmonies, and a rising chorus. “Otherwhile” boasts the ringing chords and catchy chorus that was a Velvet Crush hallmark. Additionally, fans of  Teenage Fan Club, Nada Surf, and Sloan will definitely want to pick this one up. Highly Recommended.

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S.L.D. and Fallon Cush

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S.L.D. “Indigo Gray”

I’m extremely happy to hear that this project finally comes to fruition. A musical collaboration via email between two long lost cousins, Paul Costanza and Tom Parisi from Brooklyn, NY that started as a small EP several years ago. Not only are the “Sounds Like Digging” EP tracks re-worked to sound even better, a treasure trove of new music is packaged into this remarkable debut album.

Paul’s crisp vocals are supported perfectly by Tom’s guitars on the catchy opener “Do Or Say.” The Beatles influence is strong on “Kindergarten Sky,” and the easy going vibe of “Can You Feel It” adds a modern psychedelic touch. Fans of Klaatu and Electric Light Orchestra will also hear influences on “Long Long Gone” and “Free At Last.” Tom shines on the solo between the chorus on “So Glad,” and the pair of piano pop melodies dedicated to girls (“Jenna” and “Stephanie Told Me”) burst with optimism and brilliance. Each song here is a keeper with strong melodies and rich production, so no filler here – in fact its like a collection of hit singles. Highly Recommended and makes my top ten best album list for 2016.

CD Baby | Amazon | Bandcamp


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Fallon Cush

Fallon Cush “Bee In Your Bonnet”

Fallon Cush is the vehicle for songwriter Steve Smith, a veteran Sydney musician that has dabbled in power pop, but really has great success with melodic rock Americana style. Influences heard are mainly Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, The Band and The Byrds. This new LP has Steve, Glen Hannah (guitars), Scott Aplin (keyboards) and Josh Schuberth (bass, drums) along with backing vocalists Suzy Goodwin and Stephanie Grace to round things out.

It starts out with the slow build of “There’s A Dark Side To That Moon,” but you notice the rich sound and production once the chorus kicks in. The piano and jangling guitars lead “Less You’re Near,” and even though the style is Dylanesque, it clearly sounds like original Fallon Cush. Some brilliant music follows; “Kings Ransom” is a mid-tempo charmer and slow ballad “For Too Long” is a wistful memory that sticks with you. And the album is even stronger after the mid-point with the melodic “The Honeycomb” and excellent title track. One thing I’ve noticed about Smith’s music over the years is that he gets better with each album. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

Friday Freebies: The Black Hearthrobs and Stone Ridge

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The Black Hearthobs “The White Album”
The Black Heartthrobs are a three-piece melodic garage rock band from Culver City. This was a pretty unique cover approach to the Beatles “White Album.” The band re-imagined many of the songs by changing the chords, structures, and melodies around, for example “Don’t Pass Me By” sounds like a Pet Sounds outtake. Some of these songs are so different I wish these melodies contained new original lyrics, on the other hand it makes for really interesting listening. And its a FREE download so don’t complain!

Bandcamp

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Stone Ridge

Stone Ridge “The Lost Recordings 1968 -1971”
Hidden in the vaults of Capricorn Records USA for over 50 years, we’ve dusted off the legendary band-that-never-was: Stone Ridge! Next time we’ll leave well enough alone. If you’d like to know more about this legendary band from Brooklyn, we can offer you the first single absolutely FREE for download.  For more you’ll have to Listen to Dave “The Boogieman” on 11L Radio New York International this Sunday April 3rd here.

Bandcamp

Prix and The Rubinoos

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Prix “Historix”

What would a fourth Big Star album have sounded like? A rare and historic artifact of the mid 1970’s the Prix Historix album is finally out on HoZac Records. Prix was the postscript to Big Star, and started off after Tommy Hoehn and Jon Tiven had both been part of the legendary power pop band’s final incarnation. Tommy contributed to the final album Sister Lovers/3rd, and Tiven filled out the last live version of the band on their 1974 tour. The following year the pair recruited Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, and then added Rick Clark on bass as they headed into the legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis to record. Listening to this it sounds like a lost Big Star record with denser production and heavier guitars.

Listen to “Girl” and “She Might Look My Way” and you’ll hear those classic sharp melodies and ringing guitar riffs. “Love You Tonight (Saturday’s Gone)” is another grand mid tempo ballad similar to Radio City, “Take Me Home And Make Me Like It” (one of the Alex Chilton tracks from the Tiven-produced Bach’s Bottom) is another gem; and Tiven’s “Every Time I Close My Eyes” as another potential A-side hit. The band never released anything more than an EP single, and it was previously only available as a Japanese import. There is still quite a bit of filler added, but having this music remastered and available makes it worth the trip. Since this re-release and new interest in the band, Tiven has reformed Prix with Sid Herring (The Gants) and plans to make new music next year. For Big Star fans this is essential.

Amazon


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Rubinoos

The Rubinoos “The LP Collection Vol​.​1”

In the mid seventies, power pop was at a low ebb, The Raspberries and Dwight Twilley were considered leaders of a genre that was losing steam with the record buying public despite notable exceptions (Fotomaker, Hudson Brothers, Ray City Rollers). But The Rubinoos came into this environment with a bubble gum twist to each catchy melody played with a tongue-in-cheek innocence. Album tracks like “Peek A Boo” and “Rock and Roll is Dead” showed both playful humor and solid musicianship. Its hard to find a dud among the fine material here that deserves re-discovering.

This claims to be the definitive vinyl collection of The Rubinoos first 3 classic albums (“The Rubinoos”, “Back To The Drawing Board” and “The Basement Tapes”, which was never released on vinyl before), remastered and adorned with bonus tracks. This collection stops prior to the 1983 Todd Rundgren produced comeback album “Party of Two,” which I expect will be on volume 2. Very Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Amazon (vinyl)