Steve Robinson and My Life As A Dog

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Steve Robinson

Steve Robinson “Swallowing The Sun”

Steve Robinson (Headlight, Roger McGuinn) made impressive music with singer-songwriter Ed Woltil on his album Cycle several years ago. Robinson has a smooth approach on this solo LP. Opening with the layered acoustic and jazzy electric guitars of “Sorry Amsterdam,” he looks back at his youth in the 1980s and it feels similar to Aztec Camera. “Wild God” is even better at setting a mood with its caustic lyrics “Eat your words and spew your junk” and its raga-like rhythm. Another gem here is “Quiet One” with its subtle melody and a slide guitar from XTC legend Dave Gregory. It is a fitting tribute to George Harrison, the “quiet” Beatle.

The songs move from Celtic-styled folk-pop (“Milk and a Dash”) to dour acoustic ballads (“Skinful,”) but there are some bright gems here, notably the McCartneyish piano pop of “Mr. Empty Head” and the bouncy love song “Make You Mine.” As he notes in “Dizzy Love Song” it’s “not rocket science… just sing along.” Beautifully produced and cleanly mixed, I’m sure you’ll find enough favorites here to make this album one that deserves a spot in your playlist. Highly Recommended.

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My Life As A Dog

My Life As A Dog “Borders”

My Life As A Dog is the passion project of singer-songwriter Ryan Hanifin. Ryan traces his five-year Odyssey from his home in Texas to Brooklyn, before finally settling down in Charleston, SC. An echoing piano ballad “Dotted Lines” is supported by classic strings that make a clean lead into the melody of the title track “Borders.” As the main melody chugs along Ryan’s vocal style brings to mind crooner Eric Matthews. The theme of the album is travel, and we do time travel with the ’80s-influenced “Science Fiction” and “Concrete Shoes,” its instrumentation recalling Tears For Fears at times. A highlight here is “Jessamine and Lavender” with its dramatic storytelling and jangling guitars. Ryan puts it all out there, and it will speak to many. This is definitely music that deserves to be heard.

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Singles: Beebe Gallini, The Nobility, The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco, Gentle Hen, Mo Troper, Janita, Timmy Sean

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Beebe Gallini is the newest garage rock, girl pop hybrid and they can shred like nobody’s business. The new LP Pandemos is her first full-length album, made up of demos she cut earlier in the pandemic. Nashville’s The Nobility delivers a theme of celebration and The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco doubles down on the quirkinesses, with key changes everywhere! Gentle Hen‘s freebie channels They Might Be Giants here with every parents’ cry for help. Plus, Mo Troper is doing a cover of the entire Revolver album. Darn good too! Speaking of covers Finnish-born talent Janita gives us a solid cover of Peter Gabriel’s classic “Digging in the Dirt.” With WandaVision in the rearview mirror, Timmy Sean did a quick cover of the jingle “Agatha All Along” and it’s his biggest viral post yet! Where is Reed Richards?







The Golden Needles, Rob Fetters and John Dunbar

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The Gold Needles

The Gold Needles “What’s Tomorrow Ever Done for You?”

UK band The Gold Needles gets ambitious with this new release. The title track is a fantastic start with its earworm chorus and country rhythm. The band’s sound is akin to The Grass Roots, Sweet and late-era Moody Blues updated to today’s era. “I Get The Pressure” is another gem with its neat bassline and spacey synths. The band takes the Hollies “Have You Ever Loved Somebody?” and owns it, nearly outdoing the original. The band proves its rock creds with “Dead Man’s Hand” and “Susie Is Sorted (She Doesn’t Care).” While the chugging rocker “Billy Liar” references the classic British flick, I was really impressed with “Realm Of The Black Dog,” an awesome psych-pop gem about depression that sinks into your soul. Overall, not a single note of filler here and highly recommended. Don’t miss it!

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Rob Fetters

Rob Fetters “Ship Shake”

Rob Fetters is an immense talent and although it came out last year, it’s always a welcome addition to your playlist. “Turn This Ship Around” is all about changing your destiny and making your own luck. It’s a great message and richly delivered – very much in the Tom Petty mode. “Artichoke” is another impressive song, with its sweeping synth and guitar lines that bring to mind late-era Genesis. From here Fetters gets a little esoteric on songs like “Prophets” and “Me & Eve.” But there is the kick-ass single “Can’t Take It Back” with a riff that grabs you right away. You also get weirdness with “Dog Is God” and a few near misses like the self-pitying “Nobody Now.” Greatness pokes through again with “Queer Year,” likely the best song about gay acceptance I’ve heard. Definitely check this album out, it deserves to be heard.

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John Dunbar

John Dunbar “Oh Wellness”

Another late 2020 album I missed that deserves your attention. Dunbar’s music has evolved over the years to become more melodic and catchy, and Oh Wellness does a great job of mixing his cynical style with a simple hook. “Born To Bore” is a sweet mid-tempo gem all about the clueless friend who just won’t shut up. Dunbar has several personal irritants set to music, like the lack of appreciation for punctuality on “The Problem With Being On Time” and job insecurity on “Easy to Replace.” The songwriting is great throughout, and John keeps these songs simple and to the point. Subjects like dating and relationships are all part of “The Girl Who’s Heard It All Before” and the excellent gem, “A Sentimental Heart And A Skeptical Mind” and it makes this LP a great listen. Highly Recommended.

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Singles: Radio Days, Justine and The Unclean, The Sorels, Ken Sharp, Cult Stars From Mars

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Lots of goodies to comb through to satisfy that power pop fix. Italy’s finest import Radio Days teases us with a ballad, then Boston band Justine and The Unclean misses those great drinks I used to get at bars near Faneuil Hall. On a similar party note; The Sorels just can’t wait for the winter to end with this rockin’ theme. Ken Sharp covers Kiss luminaries Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, so those debates about “Is Kiss power pop?” can start all over again. Cult Stars From Mars are created from the ashes of legends Fuzzbubble. This is top-shelf power pop, and if you want a freebie; check out their One Chord Progression.





The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness and Aaron Lee Tasjan

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The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness

The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness “Songs From Another Life”

Andrew Taylor has been doubling his output since this past summer, not only with his main band Dropkick, but his side project with Gonzalo Marcos aka The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness. Like the highly-rated debut, this new BWPN album is a continuation of catchy jangle-filled themes. It’s loaded with sticky pop hooks akin to Teenage Fanclub.

Opening with “I Don’t Mind” is a great start with a strong flowing tempo that ends just as you get into a groove, but even better is the Byrdsian guitar signature in “Play (On My Mind).” Each song is a gem, but some of my favorites include the sweet look back on “Rose Tinted Glass,” “Summer,” and “Lethargy.” Although many of the songs share a similar tempo (my only pet peeve here) there is enough distinction to prevent them from blending together.  Highly Recommended and a contender for my top 10 in 2021 list.

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Aaron Lee Tasjan

Aaron Lee Tasjan “Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!”

Nashville singer-songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan is hard to pin down, and he likes it that way. “Sunday Women” is a deceptively simple song, a phrase repeated over and over, like a daydream. Then “Computer of Love” establishes an easy-going feeling before it launches into the catchy chorus “My little avatar/I’ll never know who you really are” all about casual dating and friendships on the internet. Echoes of Tom Petty are on “Up All Night” and Tasjan’s guitar actually emulates the sound of synths on “Don’t Overthink It.”

“Another Lonely Day” and “Feminine Walk” in some ways remind me of Bleu McAuley, with its acoustic bounce, and a multi-harmonic vocal. The melodic qualities and songwriting are top-notch. “Now You Know” is a confessional that just draws you in with just a vocal and bass line. A superb album that’s very inviting, and reveals more with every listen. Highly Recommended.

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