Category: Power Pop Review

The Real Numbers “Welcome to the Numberhood”
This local San Francisco quartet released a short sweet album full of quirky melodic rock, and they cite Fastball and Fountains of Wayne as primary influences. “My Ugly Face” opens things up with a sharp guitar rhythm and a killer hook in the melody. Plenty of great pop energy here reminded me of John Faye’s band IKE in their early days. This feeling really comes through on “Silent Box,” lead by Dave Ambrose’s buzzsaw riffs. Lawrence Grodeska gives each track an ernest vocal, and at times like on “Numbers Game” it compares well to The Barenaked Ladies. Not every song here sticks however, and songs like “Rock n’ Roll Waits For No One” sound overly forced. But the band also does a nice lounge styled cover of “Hopelessy Devoted To You” and the ballad “New Of The Day” is a highly enjoyable composition. Overall a solid effort that deserves your attention.

MySpace | Band Website | Bandcamp

The Parlotones “Stardust Galaxies”
If you like dramatic anthemic rock with a dance beat then The Parlotones has what you’re looking for. They are currently considered the biggest band in South Africa and “Push Me To The Floor” is a prime example, where lead vocalist Kahn Morbee emotes in a theatrical style with each chord pounding to it’s full choral crescendo. The band’s themes are heavy stuff, dealing with AIDS, Nelson Mandela and social justice issues. The sound is surprisingly accessible and the tracks “Should We Fight Back” and “Life Design” are standouts for me. Think Coldplay meets Collective Soul here with sweeping epic sound on every track. This may play well in arenas, but it on some tracks (“Fireworks and Waterfalls”) it lacks the warmth to reach you at a personal level. The exception here is the beautiful duet with vocalist Zohlani Mahola on “Stardust Galaxies.” The strong songwriting and melodies will carry the band a long way toward success in the states, and the slick production polish will please fans of U2 and Oasis.

MySpace | Amazon

Schnauser are a trio of musicians from Bristol, UK who seem to have collected a perfect blend of psychedelic, folk and baroque rock influences (The Beatles, Todd Rundgren, Syd Barrett, XTC and The Who) but ultimately it falls slightly short. Lead by the pop visionary Alan Strawbridge (The Lucky Bishops, Cheese) the best comparison I can give you is early Stackridge.  The atmospherics and compositions are just beautiful, as each song blends seamlessly into one another. Opening with “Cosmic Ordering Service” it’s as compelling as anything The Pillbugs have ever done. The following “Twins of Evil” and vaudevillian “I Couldn’t F*ck A Gorilla” are both brilliant Peppery slices of mod-styled pop. The lyrics are simplistic as well as cryptic – like Zappa with writer’s block on “World of Whimsy.”

The concept of this album loosely covers the story of twins, one a rich and happy, the other a wretched soul who “freezes his ass” on the Beach Boys falsetto-laden “Homeless.” The concept really sparkles on “I Wuv You, Mommy” a Rundgrenesque masterpiece. There are so many melodies here stitched together, it takes several listens to appreciate each musical morsel. The big problem is that no single melodic theme stays around long enough to hook you. And the second you spot it, it’s gone. That lack of hooks is what takes the whole album down a notch, despite the great stuff on each track here – with the exception of the purposely off-key vocal on “You’re The Greatest Girl I’ve Ever Seen.” Overall it’s an innovative take on pysche-pop that will challenge the musically open-minded – like a musical rubik’s cube!

MySpace | Amazon | Pink Hedgehog

Here is the band posing as Polish duo “Usmiecsh Zebiczny” singing “Quiches And Flans And Bottles And Bags.” It’s not an album track, but gives a good representation of Schnauser’s sound.

Wilco members John Stirratt and Pat Sansone will release their fourth Autumn Defense album “Once Around” on November 2nd via Yep Roc Records. If the single is any indication, this looks to be a very well received album. And the California sound to “Back Of My Mind” is just irresistible. Now get this single as a FREE Download from Yep Roc.

Oh and by the way, Bleu’s new album “Four” has been out for streaming and will be out in the US on November 2nd. Pretty cool, eh?

Austin, TX band with a panache for lazy indie power pop that’s smarter than it sounds at first listen. Starting with “Never-ending Summer” and the catchy follow up “It’s You” the tunes recall the tradition of the Elephant Six neo-psychedelic pop bands. Lead by William Glosup (guitar/vocals) and bandmates Chris Balcom (guitar), Marc Hoegg (bass) and Casey Seymour (drums) they take us on a pretty amazing musical journey.

Musical influences include The Flaming Lips, Pavement and The Velvet Underground with a strong current of Beach Boys spirit all over the album. “One” boasts solid songwriting and composition that brings to mind Ray Davies jamming with Olivia Tremor Control. The minimalist “I Belong to the Stars” is a lo-fi treat with a simple acoustic rhythm and background vocal “bum-bum” harmonies that morph into a full blown spaced jam. “Rewind” boasts a echoing vocal and hook-filled guitar jangle with it’s memories of summer nights. Compared to their previous albums (which are good too) you find a growing sophistication, similar to Ween’s development from a quirky melodic duo to a quirky melodic duo with a cult following of millions.

My Space | CD Baby | Amazon