Category: Power Pop Review

Poster Boy “Melody”

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A big thanks to Bill Kopp for finding this trio from Budapest, Hungary last year. Poster Boy has both Brit-pop and Motown influences on its debut LP. The title track has a Beatlesque quality with dual Rickenbacker guitars and harmonies (and its my favorite tune here).

The band then gives us a completely different sound, alt. pop more like the Shins with the soft “Pale Blue Eyes.” The hook filled chorus of “Portland Head Light” adds a little Superdrag meets Pearl Jam. It then shifts gears again with the fast-paced hand claps of “Traction” and goes into a soulful lounge-pop tune with “It’s Over.” In each case the song is fine on its own, but it feels like a collection of singles rather than a cohesive album. The stylistic shifts also make it tough to pin down a distinctive sound for the band, which may or may not be a problem. Either way you should applaud the excellent musicianship here, highly recommended.

Amazon | Jigsaw Records | Bandcamp

The Golden Bubbles “Seventy-Two”

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Happy April Fools Day! Power Popaholic has got disco fever today! No really, this band has slick horns, piano and a disco beat that can’t be beat! Referred by their previous EP as  The Last Disco Band in America it will get you on the dance floor. The best track here is the opener “Above The Rim” with all the musical flourish and compelling melody, very much like Roger Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) or Bleu when they get into disco mode. If you also liked The Xanadu soundtrack, then “Fire Escape” will be another favorite tune with strings, piano and sparkling vocals. Much of the LP is pleasantly low key, like “Infusion” or wedding band themed “It’s Your Night.” The ballad “Moving Day” is sung with earnest and heartbreak making it another standout. Fans of early 80’s period melodic disco will enjoy dancing to this one. At least you can groove along with Jay and Silent Bob…

Amazon | CD Baby  | Bandcamp

The Krayolas and Pop Interludes

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Krayolas

The Krayolas “Canicas/Marbles”
 Once again the San Antonio power pop of Hector Saldana returns, and each time the band impresses me. Canicas starts with “Tony Tormenta” a simple guitar ballad about a drug lord no one will mourn. Both “Canicas” and “Lala la Lala” boast bright hum along melodies with organ and accordion, full of childhood nostalgia followed by a great cover of  The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.” The T-Rex bass line of  “La Inundacion de Piedras Negras” creeps along making it a cool highlight. The slow “Lazy Afternoon” sounds exactly like it’s supposed to, and best of all this album is a FREE download from Amazon. If you don’t get it, you are truly loco, mi amigo.

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Pop Interludes “Manhattan Charade”
Pop Interludes is a collaboration between songwriter/musician Dino De Angelis and lyricist Peter Morley. Simple synth keyboard pop with little melodic hooks. De Angelis is a man of many talents, a biomedical researcher, culinary teacher and talented musician – but vocally he is merely passable here, doing a flat kind of speak-singing.  The bands’ sound is not unlike Jeff Boller’s project The Simple Carnival or XTC’s Colin Moulding, with its dynamic compositions. The bouncy “It’s Over” adds a guitar as harmonies overlay with the main melody. “Talkin’ About Sunshine” has a spacey echo with its sugary lyric. Morley’s narrative fits the music well, but occasionally feels forced (“This Masquerade”). Some tunes take a few verses to build, but are worth it – recommended tracks are “Addition,”  “Invisible,” and “Transforming.”

Jacco Gardener and Luke Potter

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Jacco Gardener “Cabinet of Curiosities”
 Amsterdam native Gardener, has a talent for brilliant baroque pop using studio techniques perfected in the late 60’s psychedelic era. That means our opening harpsichord melody in “Clear The Air” is a bit like Phil Spector producing The Zombies latest single. “The One Eyed King” arrangements are lush and airy, comparable to The Moody Blues and early Pink Floyd. And every song here has that dream-like psyche-pop quality. Jacco’s lyrical puzzles seldom transcend the atmosphere, but like “Puppets Dangling” the spot-on retro magic will keep you enthralled. Fans of classic Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, Syd Barrett, and The Pillbugs will really enjoy this. If there ever was an album to zone out to in a darkened room lit by florescent light and smelling of incense, this is it.

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Luke Potter “One Day”
A new voice out there, Luke Potter is a young singer-songwriter from the UK who’s starting to make a buzz with his new EP, produced by power pop favorite Bleu. Opening with “Breathe In” it uses both guitar melody and Luke’s strong vocal to draw you in. “Chance Worth Taking” is a bit more typical rock ballad, but the title track “One Day” is more compelling and he gives you a truly inspirational chorus. Even Bruce Bodeen of PopGeekHeaven was said “Luke Potter appears to be primed to deliver some great work…” Check it out.

 

New Talent: Miss Guy, Catholic Girls, Spastic Hearts

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Miss Guy “Dumb Blonde”
One of the best remembered soundtracks was Hedwig and The Angry Inch, it sounds like we have life imitating art with Miss Guy. Former lead singer with punk band The Toilet Böys, Guy has created an EP than contains great riffs and catchy dance beats. “Magic” is a solid single about coming out transgender with an uplifting sing-along chorus. The title track is another gem. Give it a try.
Amazon | Itunes

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Catholic Girls “Exposed”
An East Coast cult band founded in the 1980’s, they wore Catholic school uniforms on stage, and opened for The Kinks and Tom Petty. The sound is really close to Blondie, and lead singer Gail Petersen even sings like Debbie Harry in spots. The LP opens with the exhausting “Sleep” which is a good song, but at over 5 minutes drags out. In fact, many of the songs drag past the four minute mark. But gems are here, including the Cheap Trick like guitar on “Airplay.”
CD Baby | Amazon

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Spastic Hearts “Spastic Hearts”
Ohio band that sounds like a mix between The Ramones and Green Day through 11 fast paced tracks. The sound is great, a few standouts include “Rock N’ Roll,” “Kis You (On The Lips)” and “I Know.” That said, the album is pretty formulaic and could use a change in tempo a bit more often.
CD Baby | Amazon