Chris Price and Eric Matthews

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Chris Price

Chris Price “Stop Talking”

Chris Price’s sophomore album took over 3 years to create, recorded in-between his work as a producer on the albums by Emitt Rhodes and Linda Perhacs and his role in the quintet Bebopalula, which released an EP last year. Bob Dylan once said “Behind every beautiful thing, there’s some kind of pain,” and Chris Price’s Stop Talking is mostly about pain and loss, but told with an elegance and beauty that’s impossible to ignore. The vignettes of each song reveal something disturbing under the surface of each catchy melody, done through Price’s sober singer-songwriter stylings.

The title track is a response to all the noise and anxiety out there, as he begs “stop talking about love I don’t think it’s real/stop talking about the pain I don’t want to feel.” It’s followed by “Hi Lo,” one of many depression-themed songs (“Once Was True,” “Anhedonia”) even the strong uplifting melody of “Man Down” is in contrast to the lyrics sung from a killer’s point of view. The bleak storyline continues on the creepy “Pulling Teeth,” like an evil Lee Hazelwood tune, with distorted strings backing a slow chorus. Highlights also include the frustration of “Father To The Man” about putting your dad in a nursing home and the ballad “You and Me (And Everyone Else),” a heart-wrenching goodbye to a loved one.

It takes a psyche-pop turn with “Algebra In The Sky” which sounds like a lost Lenny Kravitz tune, and then the album finishes up with a series of apocalyptic songs; “One of Them” and “Just In Time.” It took a few listens, but each macabre tune sticks with you and haunts your subconscious. A unique vision and highly recommended.

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Eric Matthews

Eric Matthews “Too Much World”

For me, Eric Matthews has been equally brilliant and frustrating over the years. A big fan of his debut, I grew disillusioned with his ever increasing esoteric chamber pop albums after 1997’s Lateness Of The Hour. With Too Much World, some of the things that drew me to Eric’s music are back as his meticulous production work is matched by some well-written gems, like the opener “Pink” and piano-led “God Loves His Children.”

It’s nice to know the years have not dimmed Matthews abilities, no matter how far he goes down the rabbit hole of orchestral instrumentation on “Dragonfly” and Matthews statement that this album is “about having consumed too much world, that is choking out my connection to the world of spirit, of people..” One of the better songs here “Exactly Like Them,” has a great guitar riff alongside Eric’s trademark vocals, a driving pop force that deserves attention. This approach is repeated on “Never Mind Now” and its stands out too.

Several songs are more spiritual, like “Shadows Fall” and they often run over the four-minute mark, and meander along till we get to the epic title track which asks “who’s hand is in control?” with a catchy bossa nova rhythm. If you’ve ignored Matthews career in the aughts, this is a good one to bring you back into his world. Highly Recommended.

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The Hangabouts and The Bullet Proof Lovers

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The Hangabouts

The Hangabouts “Kits and Cats and Saxon Wives”

I really enjoyed The Hangabouts last LP The Illustrated Bird and its crisp opener “Roman Forum” is one of my favorite songs. Now the Detroit trio of John Lowry, Gregory Addington, and Chip Saam are back with the psychedelic sixties as their starting point. And it’s a real flashback in the title track with its looping bassline and groovy chorus, but it is more than a period-style exercise. While Anglophilic, “Cricket Time” is quite modern and the ballad “Sinking Feeling” is a lovely mid-tempo duet with Molly Felder (Swan Dive). The first great song here “Evelyn Wood,” is a soulful gem with a hook that won’t leave your head soon, and great double entendre lyrics.

As the album continues, the song compositions get more sophisticated. Think Bread meets Fountains of Wayne on “12 Songs” and the Lennonesque “Selling Out” with its terrific slide guitar. Other than the forgettable “Mrs. Kite,” each tune here hits the mark, oh so gently. Other highlights include the sad “Sensation Overnight” and “Follow The Sunshine.” All mastered by the master Andy Reed. Highly Recommended. FYI: Kool Kat Musik is offering a free download code to get a bonus track with purchase!

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The BulletProof Lovers

The Bullet Proof Lovers “Shot Through The Heart”

The Bullet Proof Lovers specialize in shredding big loud riffs, booming drums, and Kurt Bakers howling vocals. This sophomore LP has everything the debut had, but now the band has a bit more discipline when it comes to songcraft. “I am My Radio,” “Aint No Joke” and “Not Your Toy” are great punk pop that is meant to be cranked up to “11.”

The thundering gems “Knock Down The Door” recall labelmates Watts, and the retro-flavored  “One Last Night” slows the tempo just enough to catch your breath. But then it’s back to no-holds-barred rock and roll, “All I Want” being a typical example where Kurt states “I’m just so sick of feelin’ bad, baby!” Fans of The Buzzcocks, Cheap Trick, The Hives and The Strokes will enjoy this one. Highly Recommended.

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Detroit Autos and Ben Kenobi

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Autos Detroit

Autos Detroit “Second Best”

The Autos Detroit are a band from Barcelona, Spain with a love of American styled classic rock, and they deliver some impressive music. In the tradition of some great power pop, “Step On” is an understated opener with a strong lead vocal by Pedro Pasamontes, and its got some nice chord progressions and backing harmonies. “Just Before You Go” gathers more hooks than a fishing tackle box, and a terrific middle eight. The band also does quirky Anglo-pop on “Sunny Day” kind of like Ray Davies or the heavier psychedelic jam “Deception.”

Occasionally the vocals get very rough, like on “Moonglow,” where the grizzled lead is balanced by some nice group harmony. Added highlights include the Badfinger-ish “Lonesome” and “All Will Be Fine,” but honestly there isn’t a bad track here and its all sung in English with barely an accent. Considering Spain is a hotbed of great power pop artists, its no surprise I find a winner here. Highly Recommended.

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Ben Kenobi

Ben Kenobi “Women of Crenshaw”

Ben Kenobi is no Jedi Master, but he sure knows his way around a catchy guitar pop tune. He led the punk pop band Benzene in South Korea and moved to California in 2008. Eventually, he got around to collecting his songs into a solo album in 2015. Titled Women of Crenshaw, the songs range from folk to pop with influences from Dylan to The Beatles, but vocally he reminds me of Evan Dando (The Lemonheads.)

Opening with a guitar instrumental “Django Unchained” it is a bit hypnotic with a frenetic overlapping melody and rhythm. “Staring At the Star” is an introspective ballad about life in L.A. that resonates (kind of Ben Folds-like), and “Aspirin” is thinking out loud what to do with expired painkillers. Ben considers creative burnout on “Maple Leaves Don’t Fly” and does another instrumental this time in classical acoustic guitar on “Ben’s National Anthem.” We actually get a power pop song on “Ballad of McFly Jr.” And this year Kenobi has a new single out “Bury Me Down” and its closer to dance pop, bookended by more great instrumental work. Definitely, check it out or the force will not be with you (sorry.)

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The Wellingtons and Cait Brennan

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The Wellingtons

The Wellingtons “End of The Summer”

The Wellingtons are back, and I consider them one of the best Australian power pop groups when it comes to consistency of over the past 14 years. The densely layered melodies and strong guitar riffs on “Not Getting What I Want” opens this excellent album, with the happiest statement ever about the disappointment of not being a “rock star” in the Bon Jovi tradition. “Over and Done With” has the sharp duel vocals of Zac and Kate and the familiar subject of breaking up. Kate goes lead on the retro girl-bop “Please Be Nice” and “Making Faces in The Mirror,” and Zac brings the soaring power chords to “No Way Could Fail,” both style approaches are unmistakably fresh.

Each tune is distinctive, even the acoustic strums of the title track, a lovelorn ballad that plays like a split-screen musical number. What is especially satisfying is that the song quality doesn’t let up on the album’s second half. “1963” is a jangling gem and my favorite here the sunshine pop “She Rides The Bus” will just linger in your head for days. This is a great album that deserves your full attention, as it makes my year-end top ten list for 2017. Long live The Wellingtons!

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Cait Brennan

Cait Brennan “Third”

Cait Brennan returns with her crew (and producer Fernando Perdomo) with a soulful croon and creates less of a power pop album but more of a rock-soul combination. “Bad At Apologies” and “Stack Overflow” could’ve been done by Tina Turner back in the day, although the overdubbed backing vocals are a bit much for me. The album title is a nod to Big Star (and Cait recorded it at Ardent Studios in Memphis with the same equipment Alex Chilton and Chris Bell used for those iconic albums.) The wonderful “He Knows Too Much” is a big highlight here, full of power and emotion so as the voice-over says “treat her with respect.”

Lyrically Cait has improved considerably, as the sophisticated “A Hard Man To Love” is both retro and modern with a good hook in the chorus. The Prince-Bowie influences come up on “Caitebots Don’t Cry” and the Ziggy-like “Benedict Cumberbatch” (pronounced “Cumber-bitch.”) Some tunes are catchy gems like “Shake Away,” but the album’s second half is a bit shaky – and tries too hard. However, it ends well with the Elton-like ballad “Goodbye Missamerica.” Overall a worthy follow-up to Cait’s debut.

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