Category: Power Pop Review

Phil Barry brings his haunted collection of moody folk songs to his debut Between The Carolinas. The gentle strum of a 1977 Guild acoustic guitar is the primary instrument here. Opening with “Crying Shame” it brings to mind the somber ballads John Lennon was known for. Following this, the catchy jangle and echoing beats of “The Spaces” is a memorable single that will appeal to fans of David Mead, Adam Merrin, and Elliot Smith for sure. The title track “Between the Carolinas” is perfect music for those long car trips on I-95, with a steady rythym and multi-layered guitar and vocal tracks. Another gem here is “Never Gonna Be Your Man” with it’s smart verses and smart slide guitar riffs, similar to Wilco here. The track “Dark Star” lumbers along, like a weight on Barry’s shoulders. The darkness of love lost permeates the music deeply and is definitely worth a listen on your ipod after a long night of heartache.

Roxy Monoxide is a five-piece rock/power-pop band that draws influences from Pretenders, Cheap Trick, and the Plimsouls. Lead singer Coree Levy has a strong vocal, along the lines of Cyndi Lauper or Grace Slick. Starting with the very Cars-like rhythm of “Insecurity” it sets the stage. The early 80’s rock style here suits the band just fine, and the melody has a good hook to it. The riff heavy “Just Cry” resembles a Heart tune and is one of the best showcases for the bands instrumental acumen. Lead guitarist Scott Samuels can play a mean axe, but his vocals didn’t float my boat here. The band lacks some consistency in spots and should work on balancing Levys vocals with the guitar parts. “Easier Said Than Done” is a soft mid-tempo pop song with Levy cruising through the jangling chorus. Songs like “Scrape Me Off The Floor” work well, despite the very disparate vocal ranges of the band members. “Waiting Around” proves the songwriting talent is evident here too, painting a vivid story in the lyric. Fans of Bazooka Jones, Joan Jett and Suzi Quatro will appreciate the good female power pop vocals here, although the band’s persona is pretty tame. If you like the above mentioned bands it’s worth a listen for sure.

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Combining cheap keyboard fuzz and sparkle with down home folk guitar, Jeff Suri (aka The Oculist) creates melancholy orchestrations that musically strive to bring hope to the hopeless and tone to the toneless. It starts with a wonderfully spacey opening on “Hold On” and “The Plan” that instantly brings to mind Beach Boys “Smiley Smile,” The Beta Band and Radiohead’s sonic textures, with low horns and high percussion. “Principles” has a monologue over an obscure instrumental, and will test your resolve, as it’s either weird poetry or performance art. However, if you pay attention it’s a fine Zappa-styled commentary on public loneliness. “Break The Bank” is a relaxing mantra in the mold of Pink Floyd’s psychedelic peak. “Chlorine In My Eyes” is another soothing song driven by electronic beeps and a strong drum track, and really grows on you. The melody is buried just below the surface and it’s very impressive. Fans of more recent High Llamas and Pedro The Lion will also enjoy this for sure. The album ends with patter of water and the fine synth keyboard work of “Buckets Of Saddness” and then an instrumental reprise. The album’s theme addresses common but poorly understood human conditions. It’s most definitely a “headphones” type of album that you can get lost in easily.

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In 2008, Dylan Connor, a Latin teacher and musician from Berkeley, CA, was at Burning Man Festival wandering the streets with a guitar and singing songs for anyone who needed the gift of music. Breakaway Republic is the result of this adventure and it’s full of uplifting melodies and gentle harmonies. Opening with “Breakaway and Burn” Connor’s soft vocal and gentle chords bring to mind John Mayer. The next song “Stunning Insights” is a pure pop treat with humming minor chord changes similar to McCartney or maybe Evan Dando. “Blood Like Fire” is a Johnny Cash styled blues track that has lots of soul here. Every song here is pretty good, and some of my favorites here “Don’t Let Me Wash Away” and the rocking “Pave Me.” It isn’t too flashy, and the smart lyrical approach avoids most songwriter cliches about relationships. Worth picking up with some great melodies and it’s all very accessible to even the most jaded music fans.

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Squeeze stalwart, Tilbrook has always been one of my personal favorites (and my best concert experience), so I am happy to review his first full album with his band The Fluffers. Unlike earlier solo works, Glenn goes everywhere with this set, but it’s far from “Pandemonium.” Starting with the jaunty Cajun melody of “Best of Times” it starts off a bit like a Dan Zanes album for grown ups. The songs are short and sweet, and even Fluffer bassist Lucy Shaw gets to sing lead on “Product.” Glenn is back with an angry rant on “Slaughtered Artist” but it doesn’t sit right. However I enjoy his mid-tempo melody much more on the compelling “Still.” The soaring group harmonies of “Relentless Pursuit” are pleasing, but again I enjoy solo Glenn more on “Melancholy Emotion.” He still has that awesome pop vocal and songwriting smarts. Another ballad “Little Ships” is another quality song where Glen again explores the transient nature of performing. More highlights are on “Happy Disposition” and light breezy pop of “Black Sheep” but if you are still longing for a Squeeze record, you’ve arrived about 12 years too late, as this is more of an ensemble piece. The Fluffers include Johnny Depp (yes, the actor), who speaks over a lot of psychedelic effects and spacey instrumental keyboards in “Too Close to The Sun” and while it’s interesting in a Syd Barrett sort of way, it’s ultimately forgettable. There are enough Tilbrook signature tunes to keep fans interested here, but for others it may fall flat.