Category: Power Pop Review

Dwight Twilley and Ward White

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Dwight Twilley “Always”

Twilley’s first album since the loss of long-time guitarist Bill Pitcock IV wasn’t easy, but he’s soldiered on for a fan base that is energized every time he takes the stage. He continues the thick production style of 2011’s Soundtrack and his nod to the fans starts off with the title track, a reference to his classic “I’m on Fire.”

“A Million Miles Wide” recalls Tom Petty’s guitar on the intro, and the brilliant “Into The Flame” proves Twilley will always be able to write a power pop gem. The slow piano chords drive “Everyone’s Crazy,” which reminds me of Jeff Lynne a bit, with its background strings. Twilley’s defiant Texas bar-room rant “Til The Jukebox Dies” is another rocker that screams “No Surrender” followed by the 12-string melody of “We Were Scared.” The songs are well constructed (though I wish Twilley’s vocals were less obscured by production fuzz) and this is a fine addition to the Twilley discography.
power pop
Order Direct | Amazon

Dwight Twilley

Ward White “Ward White is The Matador”

Ward White is a brilliant vocalist and arranger, proven by his last LP Bob, but this time he’s surrounded himself with added talent to make The Matador extra special. Bryan Scary does keyboard and Graham Norwood adds his guitar and you’ve got something that needs to be experienced. White’s delicate tenor are equal parts Colin Blunstone, and young David Bowie as he drifts through each narrative.

The synth beat on “Sabbath” leads to a a rich atmospheric chorus, where he’s tripping out with a wild textured pyche-beat crescendo. “Alphabet Of Pain” is a light baroque pop treat about “pain that is almost guaranteed.” The 60’s lounge styled “Balloon” has an great chorus full of soaring harmonies and “Chiquita” is another richly developed gem that is most like Bowie. It takes a few detours by mid album, but really becomes a full art-pop performance on the 20 minute “The Olde Days.” If your tastes run left-of-center, this will just absorb you.
power pop

Amazon

The Rip Off Artists and Mothboxer

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The Intercontinental Rip Off Artists

The Rip Off Artists “The Intercontinental”

Nick Pipitone and Peter Batchelder (The Rip Off Artists) are the same band that brought you Esque a few years ago. The Intercontinental tells the tales of a variety of characters from creative fields all failing: An Artist, an Actor, Tennis Instructor, Photographer, etc. We start with “Commuter’s Blues,” a very Ben Folds meets Adam Marsland styled narrative, about the long morning commute – some nice details in the bass and drum work make it a standout. Likewise, “In The Actor’s Studio Apartment” has a driving chorus and catchy melody along with the chance of “one night only” and striking out with the girl.

Another highlight, “Mr. Right and Mrs. Right” tells of the perfect couple who never got along, and the foreboding “Inspector Valentino” is very much like Elvis Costello’s slower compositions.  The bouncy “Bachelor of Arts” is one of my favorites here, with its “ba-ba” backup chorus. Nick and Peter do a great job on these songs and it’s highly recommended.
power pop
Bandcamp | Amazon


Mothboxer

Mothboxer “Sand and The Rain”

Mothboxer really made a great impression on the 2012 LP Three, and the band continues to create great power pop with its new album. The band is Dave Ody with help from Robbie Burley, Phil Davies and Jon Hawes. “One and Only” is a catchy ear-worm that reminds me of Julian Lennon mixed with XTC. “Looking Out For Summer” is another richly layered melody that effortlessly floats along.

The album is mostly light and breezy, a real treat and its got a sense of humor too with “Stop,” which adds heavier guitar lines, it slowly builds to the frantic, fast paced puchline. It’s got an echoing pastoral sweetness on the title track that fans of The Brigadier or Martin Newell will enjoy. In an era that favors stripped-down, no-fi production, the rich bass oriented sound is surprisingly refreshing to hear. Although the last track “All That I Want” could put you to sleep, this is full of great music and gets a nomination to my best LP of the year list.
power pop
Amazon | Kool Kat Musik (with bonus disc)

Balduin and Flake

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Balduin “All in A Dream”

Balduin is a bit of a mystery man from Switzerland,  but for lovers of retro pop this is one of the best recreations of psychedelic music I’ve heard. Heavily influenced by British pop of the late 60’s, Balduin performs these songs on a plethora of period instruments (sitar, mellotron, harpsichord, harmonium, etc.) and if you didn’t know better you’d think this was a lost gem from the record bins of 1968.

“Love Is You” is a sunny baroque pop confection similar to late era Beatles, and most consumer friendly with its sly hook. Next is the sitar raga “Which Dreamed It” recalling George Harrison, and the folky “Autumn” is a reverb heavy folk number like the Byrds or Donovan. Fans of retro acts like The Sunchymes or Any Version of Me will marvel at the delicate arrangements that Balduin creates, bringing the era to life. You can also play spot-the-influences of Syd Barrett, The Moody Blues, and The Kinks. There is some instrumental filler scattered about the 16 tracks, but most of these are gorgeous (“Prisma Colora”). “Father” is another standout, like a lost John Lennon solo (the missing piece between “Mother” and “Beautiful Boy”). Fans of period baroque can do no better. Highly recommended.
power pop
Exclusively from Sunstone Records

Flake

Flake “Songs Without Words”

Okay, this weirdness isn’t power pop, but a Swiss duo Thierry Luethy, and Isabelle Ritter do make quality art-pop that deserves to be discovered. No label, no distribution, no publicity — just download the tracks from their website for free.

And while some stuff here is totally skip-able (“Everytime I Get The Shakes,”) there is enough here to make me appreciate the hard work Thierry and Isabelle put in. Check out the catchy “Hipster Girl” and the compelling chorus of “We Are The Night.” Ritter’s vocals are gorgeous and rescues the more ambient compositions, and more modern pop goodies are here too: “Shooting Star” and “As Time Goes By.” The method of discovery and price of admission are just right for finding new music.
power pop

FREE Download on Flake-Music.com

Freebie Fridays (early): Myracle Brah, Ballard, Doc Vinegar and The Legendary Losers

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Normally I’d close out the week with some great new free music, but the bounty of awesomeness was too good for me to wait til Friday…

Myracle Brah

Baltimore’s Myracle Brah is an one of the best loved American power pop bands, lead by singer-songwriter Andy Bopp (Love Nut). It’s been a while (since he’s involved in several other bands) but the long awaited return of Myracle Brah is cause for celebration, and a FREE Bandcamp EP is just the icing on the pop cake, including a cover of The Troggs “A Girl Like You.” Stop reading, download and just listen!

Ballard

Coming from the UK, Ballard has been putting out EPs for a while now. He’s a self described 40- year old malcontent that spews lo-fi Garage pop with a touch of bubblegum soul. He loves recording things spontaneously and mixing it up in mono – and its totally DIY cool. Check out his latest FREE Download.

Doc Vinegar

Straight from Aubagne, France comes Doc Vinegar,  Psychedelic Pop with a 60’s vibe influenced by The Byrds and The Kinks (with a French accent). This retro-nostalgic sound is always a guilty pleasure of mine, and Doc Vinegar does a really sweet job with this music. 12 big tracks here – just say “Oui” to a FREE Download. Merci, Doc!

The Legendary Losers

The Legendary Losers, an Albany three piece band is on a mission to bring music (played with real instruments) back to the masses. The opening track is a rant about “electro-freaks and techno-geeks” messing up rock and roll. Dave Graham has a rough vocal, but he sings with solid conviction about “The Rock That Makes Me Roll” and it reminds me a little of Paul Collins mixed with Mojo Nixon. Enjoy the FREE Download, even if you have “a Green Day sticker on your BMW.”

Concert Review: Roger Hodgson

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I had a great time at the Paramount in Huntington, NY last night seeing Roger Hodgson perform. While a member of Supertramp, Roger wrote most of their hit songs and his distinct vocal is what fans most recognize. With an experienced band behind him, Hodgson mesmerized the audience. He played audience favorites like “Breakfast in America” but plenty of deep cuts like “Lady,” “School,” and “Even in the Quietest Moments.” Roger still carries over the progressive rock influences from those early albums, full of grandiose textures – a great example being “Fool’s Overture”.

The stage was decorated with various trees and greenery – all to add atmosphere to the epic “Death and a Zoo,” where the percussion and animal noises made the stage look and feel like a rainforest. Hodgson has a very deep spirituality that comes forth when he plays, and the complex arrangements of the song add to this impression. The band was also superb, and special mention goes to the exceptional Aaron MacDonald doing sax, clarinet, flute and backing vocals. And Roger can still hit those high notes! I can’t wait for Roger bring the magic back to New York on his next tour. In the meantime – let’s see what we can do to get Supertramp into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Be sure to visit http://www.rogerhodgson.com & http://www.facebook.com/RogerHodgson