Bleu McAuley, is an award-winning songwriter, producer, and recording artist who’s done great power pop in the past and recently helped with the new Dear Stella EP. His new song “I Wanna Write You a Symphony” is supported by the above video work of filmmaker Graeme Wilson who started following Bleu’s career in 2008 and decided to contact him after Bleu casually mentioned in an email newsletter that he was puzzled about how to put his pile of new songs out in the world. He is planning the release of his sixth solo album.
Matthew Sweet is back! “Give a Little” is the new single from his upcoming album Catspaw. Sweet mentions, “It has a lot of elements I like both lyrically and musically. I think this one came to me all at once—music and words together. I really like the start and stop riffs that underpin the chorus; they give it quite a kick.” Yes, it does! I can’t wait to review this new LP.
I kind of lost track of Taylor Locke (Rooney) since his early solo work. But he has been very busy collaborating with artists such as Linda Thompson, the New Pornographers, Sloan and composing music for TV and streaming shows. Plus, he did 40 dates as a touring guitarist for L.A. legends Sparks.“Dying Up Here,” a hooky charmer that was co-written with Bleu McAuley and appears on Locke’s new EP “The Bitter End”
Choices We Make is a timely new song from Richard X. Heyman‘s upcoming album. An amalgam of folk-pop with Memphis soul, the song is anchored as always by Richard’s drumming, guitar and organ, and piano, and festooned with a lush vocal arrangement. He is joined in this effort by wife Nancy Leigh on bass, Probyn Gregory (of the Brian Wilson band) on trombone and trumpet, and jazz saxophonist Duke Guillaume.
Category: Videos
Happy Halloween! Videos, Singles and Downloadable Treats!
Mike Viola is back, as a hip vampire in the new video for ‘Drug Rug,’ a track off his upcoming LP Godmuffin. Directed by Caitlin Gerard, the video opens with Viola lying on a float in Mandy Moore’s pool. It gets weirder from there. Godmuffin arrives on 12/11/20.
Muck and The Mires have a less sophisticated video, but “Six O’Clock Baby” from the new LP Take Me Back To Planet Earth is a really catchy tune and the monster theme means it gets posted here today! Get the album on Amazon
The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco charms us with this piano melody about getting married 29 times. “Monogamy will be the death of me” he sings. I agree with that one! It’s a free downloadable treat and the bands got a cool video too!
Ken Sharp has another gem with “Mr. Popularity” joined by the always great Fernando Perdomo. It’s got a little ’70s funk too! Enjoy!
Ward White has this very creepy version of The Beatles classic “Helter Skelter” featuring a ghostly reed organ played by Grammy-winning engineer/producer, John Spiker (Tenacious D, Beck), perfect for a Halloween night!
Video Singles: Eli Musser, The Turnback, The Laissez Fairs, Orouni
So many albums of great music… so little time. These are a few advance singles to upcoming albums. Really excited to hear some of these, and I hope you look out for these artists!
Eli Musser “Smile (‘Cause Somebody Loves You)” – Eli is a West Virginian, now living in New York. This soulful track is one of the best singles I’ve heard in a while.
The Turnback “You Kill Me” – The Turnback return with this neat animated video and a “killer” single. The band plays to its melodic strengths and we are all the richer for it.
The Laissez Fairs “Lillie May” This band has the retro sound down perfectly. “Count” Peter Zaremba (The Fleshtones) listened and called it “Pretty psychedelicotic!” I agree!
Orouni “The Lives Of Elevators” The song is inspired by a New Yorker article, that tells the story of an employee stuck for 41 hours in an elevator of the Rockefeller Center. Very interesting.
Waiting “The Van Duren Story” trailer
There is a not-so-good analogy to be made in power pop: The Beatles begets Badfinger, and Big Star begets Van Duren. Both artists followed inspired genius, and both did not end well. I cannot wait to see this. Check your indie-theatre listings for dates and times.
Saturday Night EPs: Wilkerson, Brad Marino, Lia Pamina & Dario Persi
The first single from Danny Wilkerson‘s forthcoming album Wilkerson. The album produced by Bleu and featuring Roger Joseph Manning Jr. will be released July 20, 2018. I like this one a lot, its got the goods! Get it on Amazon
We saw this coming from Brad Marino (The Connection) last month and now his solo EP is here! Brad plays all the instruments and sings all the vocals. Fans of The Connection will not be disappointed.”Hey Girl” has got a little Stones-like R&B guitar lead, and “Special Friend” is also charged up (and also has a Stones reference!) His first Ramones styled single “C’mon C’mon C’mon” is also available. Get it on Bandcamp or Amazon.
A perfect European combination! Spain’s Lia Pamina and Italy’s Dario Persi (Radio Days) recreate a sweet sixties sounds on So Far Tonight. They shared the songwriting, and the result of this joint effort is pure magic. “So Far Tonight” and “Time’s Passing By” are real Beatlesque gems and “Midnight Walk” is a catchy tune that takes advantage of Lia’s hushed vocals.
Get it on Bandcamp or Amazon