Category: Power Pop Review

Reissues: The Beckies and Sneakers

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The Beckies

The Beckies “The Beckies”

Long out of print, The Beckies makes its debut on CD. If the west coast had the sublime production and baroque pop stylings of Curt Boettcher in the early ‘70s, the east coast boasted the man who invented the genre: Michael Brown. Brown has the driving force behind The Left Banke (“Pretty Ballerina” and “Walk Away Renee”) and Stories. The Beckies was Brown’s last attempt to reach the pop audience he cultivated in the late 1960’s, and by 1976 the times had changed drastically… Read the full review on 53rd and 3rd blog.
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Sneakers

Sneakers “Sneakers” EP

Where did the 1980’s power pop revival start? You could argue that this album was the beginning. North Carolina’s Chris Stamey and Mitch Easter began their music careers in the band Sneakers in 1976. Stamey and drummer Will Rigby moved on to The Db’s, while Easter moved on to Let’s Active and eventually produced R.E.M. With a single EP and LP, the world didn’t learn about Sneakers until a remixed and re-recorded comp “Racket” came out in 1992. Now Omnivore offers an expanded version of the band’s original EP with 11 tracks and a cover of The Grass Roots’ “Let’s Live For Today.”

For fans of the ’80s indie jangle pop this is an essential addition to their collection. It is way before the DIY lo-fi movement in music took hold and set the stage for much of what came later, with quirky pop and heavy angular guitar riffs that “Driving” shows. Compositions like “Love’s Like A Cuban Crisis” and “On The Brink” have a timeless quality and doesn’t sound dated at all. The production and mixing has that sloppy charm, and displays the fact that even though Sneakers were a cult band, they effectively bridge the gap between Big Star and R.E.M.

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Singles: Luke Potter, Ryan Hamilton, The Outryders and The Well Wishers

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https://youtu.be/5TMeG-yje2Y

Luke Potter has been on our radar for a while, this nice Halloween themed video displays “Ready or Not” an original that has plenty of funk, and a catchy chorus that sticks in your head.

Ryan Hamilton – this video of “Records and Needles” is a sweet tribute to rockers of the past. See how many classic LPs you can name being parodied here (it’s pretty easy). We reviewed Ryan’s debut “Hell Of A Day” earlier this year. Also check out the video for “Four Letter Verb.”



The Outryders make no apologies for the fact that they are happily stuck in the period of late 80s and early 90s melodic guitar based pop. The band is the duo of Joe Algeri (Jangle Band, The JAC, Britannicas, Jack & the Beanstalk, Summer Suns) and Paul Colombini (Roadstar, Cherrytones) and no tricks here, these singles are a FREE downloadable treat!



The Well Wishers (aka Jeff Shelton) delivers us an obscure cover of Abba’s “Suzy Hang Around” an album cut from their “Waterloo” LP. This is another goodie for your audio treat bag, being a FREE download.

Adam Levy “Naubinway”

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Adam Levy

Honeydogs frontman Adam Levy has been a visionary when it comes to melodic rock or alt. country with smart lyrical wordplay.

But tragedy can change everything, and three years ago Levy lost his young son Daniel to suicide. He’s chosen to speak publicly about this pain and Naubinway is his outlet to help start a conversation with his audience about mental illness, suicide and its aftermath.

Starting out with some acoustic songs, “Take It As It Comes” is a statement about helplessness felt, and the sophisticated folk finger-picking style “Potter’s Field” is a descriptive profile of his son’s struggle. However its not all grim, “Atoms Never Die” has a nice groove with its catchy bass rhythm. And the full production of “This Friend” gets profound as “hope is the wounded beast that should never be put out of its misery.” The pain of coping with grief is beautifully stated on the piano ballad “When Your Well Runs Dry” and poignant message to his son “How I Let You Down” continues the conversation.

The great thing about Naubinway is that even though it starts out slowly it explores elements of a life lived and being loved. Levy is in top form, with gorgeous ballad “Marigold” and the casual brilliance of “Handful of Sand.” But he brings us back into focus with the powerful title track, a brutally honest display. “Life goes on in spite of great tragedy,” he said. “So here I am.” Emotional and vivid descriptions of spreading his sons ashes across the water cap off one of the most heartbreaking albums I’ve ever heard.

Bandcamp | Naubinway

 

Adam Levy moderated a panel, “Finding Harmony: Music & Mental Health,” at the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Memorial Union. This video presents a portion of Adam’s appearance that night, during which he describes his own struggles with mental health and the suicide of his son Daniel, a promising young artist. The presentation concludes with a rendition of the song, “Naubinway,”

A Fragile Tomorrow and Marco Rea

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A Fragile Tomorrow

A Fragile Tomorrow “Make Me Over”

The Kelly Brothers; Brendan, (lead guitar) Sean (lead vocals/guitar) and Dominic (drums) plus friend Shaun Rhoades (bass) are the players that make up A Fragile Tomorrow. The band is poised on the bleeding edge of power pop and the opening single “Make Me Over” swirls with heavy riffs over a melodic chorus backed by harmonies and thickly textured rhythms. It’s the sound of a band that is restless and not going to play it safe. “Tie Me Up” is a mid-tempo soul searching drama and lead singer Sean Kelly does a great job here. You also hear a some beautiful subtleties in the tight harmonies of “One Of Two, Two of Three” and the sweet composition of “Tell Me How To Feel” make these tracks big highlights.

Various light psychedelic touches are in the lush ballad “In My Mind” with its 12 string strum and orchestral majesty; reminded me a bit of 10cc or ELO. You hear numerous influences from REM to Cheap Trick on the layered “Hit Parade” and “Can’t You Hear Me.” The final track “One Way Ticket” with guests Joan Baez and The Indigo Girls, is just mesmerizing as both a tribute and a re-make. This is a densely packed album that deserves multiple listens and its highly recommended.

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Marco Rea

Marco Rea “Wallpaper Music”

This is the first solo release of Marco Rea (The Wellgreen, Euros Childs, Linden). Born at the kitchen table in Cerasuolo, Italy the album has the melodic grace and simple production style that recall Paul McCartney’s first solo effort. After the shuffling instrumental of the title track, “Someone’s Picture” is a sweet piano melody that will stick in your head for days. “Time” is a like a Left Banke ballad with a gentle tempo and honest delivery; Marco even sounds a little like John Lennon in spots.

“Sunday” has a vaudeville piano, recorder solo and it is very much like a mid 60s novelty hit. The slowly building “To” is another winner, with its layered guitar melody, choral harmony and deep lyric; “One day you might look back, you might move on.”  Not every song approaches that level of Beatlesque greatness, but “When You Fall Down” and “Try” both have that Ringo styled beat. Most of the tracks on the albums second half are quite somber, and some classical piano instrumentals slow the albums momentum. Still, the impressive songs here make this digital only release highly recommended.

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Warm Soda and Paul Starling

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Warm Soda

Warm Soda “Symbolic Dream”

Matthew Melton’s band Warm Soda wears their late ‘70s, early ’80’s power pop influences quite proudly on the new LP Symbolic Dream. The band would not sound out of place on a double bill with The Romantics or The Beat. The fast tempo of the opening track “I Wanna Know Her” is a pure sugar rush with its simple power chords.

Elements of punk and glam are thrown in on “Just Like Me Before” but unfortunately this approach without much variation gets too formulaic (even for me). Songs repeat the same lo-fi riff and drum beat, with minor changes to chord progressions. And it really could have used a slow ballad here to break things up. Melton’s cool, almost detached vocal works great on “I Wanna Go Fast” and the title track, but like eating too much Halloween candy, starts to loose its sweetness halfway through the album. Still recommended, but in small doses.

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Paul Starling

Paul Starling “The Wild Wolf”

Paul Starling is back with a vengeance, on the title track of “The Wild Wolf.” It’s a magical combination of Brian Wilson and Lindsey Buckingham with an inventive percussive rhythm. Its the big standout as “Endless Waiting” is a pleasant, but more predictable tune as he pleads “goodbye baby” in front of a fast tempo strum.

Starling carries “Midnight Turns Into Day” and “Seven” and both tunes have a catchy dream-like quality. He gets a lot of mileage with a simple melody, gentle harmony and chord strum on the easy going “Waiting” and he’s mastered those Beach Boys-like ballads with multiple instruments (banjo, ukulele, bass) on “Broken Bones.” Paul describes this as “nautical pop,” and I guess that works as these soothing tunes float into your conscious effortlessly.

Bandcamp only