Category: Power Pop Review

Don’t you love it when girls really know how to rock? This Minnesota quartet play pop with a dash of punk energy and solid musicianship. Think the Go-Go’s meet Joan Jett in the parking lot for a rumble. The band has won kudos from Sussanna Hoffs (Bangles) and Nancy Wilson (Heart) so you know the band is on the right path.

2205 is named after the band’s house address, where many nights were spent jamming. Lead by a bass line by Jamie Holm, we get “Overexposure” and lead vocalist Abisha Uhl delivers a rock vocal with honey sweet backing harmonies. Highlights include the back beats of “Kick Back” and the “Autograph” with solid guitar riffs leading each song. Some song themes are small vignettes that follow a familiar pattern in “Cigarettes,” “One Night Stand” and “Shattered.” Once the tempo slows the band tends to lose those hooks, although “Cigarettes” boasts the best lyrics like “I don’t know if I’m real. And I might run home and kill all my friends.” A solid effort that will win over fans of grrl rock.

Power pop veterans Wild Bores are back and the duo of John Whildin and Brian Chard concentrate their third album on strong melodies with toe-tapping rhythms. Starting with the up-tempo “Expect Me Now” its similar to The Dbs or Big Star with it’s catchy base line. Crunchy guitar riffs with controlled distortion rule “Biology” and it bumps up things a notch. There are strong riffs on “Forward Is Backwards,” but the vocals here seem buried or slightly off.

Thankfully the band doesn’t stray off course, as “Freake” is an excellent power pop single that we’ve come to expect from the Wild Bores. The production is not over polished and recalls classic REM or Chris Stamey in spots, with the memorable “Making A Sun” and the heavier “18 Miles” as highlights. The band tries a few experiments here on the quieter tracks, and some work (“Band of Thieves”) and some don’t (“Taking Time”). They break out the big horns for the closer “Same Time Tomorrow” and it’s a great song that highlights how much this band has developed. Check it out.

Redondo Beat “Meet Redondo Beat”
Hailing from a little village in Germany, Roman Aul had a talent for pure pop with a classic early 60’s style. With the help of backing vocalist Katrin Meinert and drummer Max Schneider they formed Redondo Beat. The solid retro pop sounds like a collection of lost 45s by Dion & The Belmonts, Bobby Fuller and Eric Burdon. The opener “The Sweetest Sound” has great guitar opening and bouncy beat like The Dave Clark Five.”The Spell I’m Under” is clearly influenced by early 60’s icon Del Shannon, and so goes our trip down memory lane.

While this is a very solid nostalgic exercise, some song compositions just aren’t that memorable, with the exception of where they inject some R&B influence like on “Break-a-Heart” and the very catchy “My Baby (Knows How To Have A Good Time).” Toward the albums second half we seem to hit the late fifties with Duane Eddy (“Full Moon Child”) and Danny & The Juniors (“Shoop Shoop”). This is certainly a lot of fun, so fans of those moldy oldies can rejoice here. The rest of you young’uns can get off my lawn!

My Space | Bomp Records | Amazon

The Sterling Loons “March To The Tune”
If you mixed Hendrix, The Kinks and Syd Barrett in a blender you could get The Sterling Loons. Lead by guitarist Eamon Nordquist, he belts out the opener “Old Nick” and then we are treated to loose concept album, similar to Shnauser with multiple melody lines and finely crafted guitar solos. “Morning Sunshine” is a trippy delight, and “March To The Tune” brings to mind The Kinks classic period. Another highlight is the strong composition and harmonies on “Hope She’ll Get Away Part 1.” It gets better with the impressive Steve Howe-like guitar work on “Beauty Eyeing The Beholder” but Eamon’s vocals don’t always hit the mark here. The absurdist “She’s Happy” and “All Aboard” are warped Who styled tunes and other highlights include “Spaceman” and “Half Of All The People.” The mix of mod pop and heavy prog may not sit well with some, but there is much here to savor and appreciate.

MySpace | Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

Codeine Velvet Club “s/t”
A side project of Jon Lawler (Fratellis) and Scottish singer Lou Hickey came out late last year. This is an inspired attempt at 60’s noir orchestral pop along the lines of John Barry or the late Stan Kenton jamming with The Parlotones. The first few tracks are outstanding, starting with the dramatic “Hollywood,” and the smokey “Vanity Kills” sets a perfect big band meets goth mood. “Time” has a casual pop swing with a masterful performance by trumpeter Derek Watkins. The horns really make the band standout on the nightclub swing number “Little Sister” and the guitar reverb on “Like A Full Moon” is just dripping in coolness. The boy-girl vocal dynamic works well, although the sap is thick on the slower ballads, and when the hook isn’t there it feels like a rejected Broadway show soundtrack. But when the rocker persona of Lawler dominates (“I Would Send You Roses”) it shines once again. After listening to lots of power pop this is a nice change of pace and there is enough here to perk up your ears.

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Sajama Cut “Manimal”
Sajama Cut is a Jakarta, Indonesia-based band that uses big rhythms and multi-part harmonies to deliver power pop goodness. Listen to the big single “Paintings/Paintings”with slick vocals by lead singer Marcell Thee.  “Twice (Rung The Ladder)” is a moody mid-tempo tune with complex vocal harmonies and is typical of what you’ll find here. “Utitled #4” is an 80’s styled synth pop gem that speaks to the bands melodic ability, but its success isn’t repeated. Sometimes the lyrics get a bit muddled, maybe it’s the just the English translations. The band’s music seems to be only available through direct mail order, but you can download the impressive single “Paintings/Paintings” from the band’s Facebook page. Hopefully we’ll hear more tunes like this in the future.

MySpace | Direct Order | Facebook

Talented musician Blake Jones leads his quirky DIY pop band The Trike Shop on a ambitious musical journey through The Underground Garden.  Taking cues from icons of sixties pop (Beatles, Mod era Who and Beach Boys) the tunes are done with zeal and sincerity on the opener “Forestiere Gardens” complete with catchy “oh yeah” choruses.

The album does have a sense of humor and vocal style that recalls The Bonzo Dog Band in spots. “Sing Along” is a another good example with a wonderful melody line and “la la” background harmonies that compels you to join in. You’ll quickly recognize the “Magical Mystery Tour” chords opening up “Sun Up” but it takes it up a notch similar to The Pillbugs. Some tracks are clearly more novelty oriented (“Christmas Sale” and “Fighting the Big Dumb Noise”) and as much as I love the theremin, it goes a bit long on “Neptune Bursts Free.” But it clearly doesn’t get boring, and the fun in autobiographical songs like “Send The Band To Liverpool” are just infectious. There are 15 tracks here, each with it’s own charm so you’re bound to find a favorite.

MySpace | CD Baby | Amazon