We reviewed Jonathan’s album “Look Up” earlier this year, but I wanted to get the inside scoop on a man who’s gone from Finnish folk to rock and roll. Rundman’s been a musician for a long time, so this was a very insightful interview. Read about the Jonathan Rundman interview here.
Colman is the solo project from former member of Insanity Wave, Colman Gota. Recorded with the help of Mitch Easter (REM). It’s got a solid Tom Petty vibe (his vocals are similar in style too), Colman does a great job on the opener “Bad Rerun” with hooks all over the place. “Hospital Bed” is equally impressive with a swirling guitar and organ during the chorus. The title track starts with a “twilight zone” intro that leads to the thick guitar riffs.
Most of the album goes through a narrative of facing the adversities of life, on “Straight Face” it suggests you run and hide from it all. About mid-way through it talks about watching life pass you by on “No Other Way” with steel petal guitar. “Just Around The Corner” is another good guitar tune about waiting for your luck to change, but the structure of many songs are similar. A little more variety would’ve helped, but this is still a really good album that deserves multiple spins.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skdpsa7p2gg
Yeah, I know. Not power pop, but I love the guitar work here. Two Gallants are Adam Stephens (guitar, harmonica, piano and vocals) and Tyson Vogel (drums, guitar and vocals) and they’ve been making music together since the age of 12 and performing around San Francisco. Two Gallants’ fifth studio album is We Are Undone and to celebrate the release, the band performs the title track on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Check it out or you are the Goofus here.
Everet Almond is the drummer for one of our favorite bands, Evil Arrows. Everet proves he’s got major songwriting chops from behind his kit with this short EP. “Start Again” is a Lennonesque piano ballad that’s a real charmer and the steady guitar beat and melody of “Are You A Man?” is very much in the vein of Emmitt Rhodes. This little DIY gem is very much inspired by early 70’s folk rock style and recorded with an iphone. Maybe he should lobby Bryan for a song or two on the next Evil Arrows LP. Best of all, it’s a FREE Bandcamp download, so give yourself a treat and grab it!
Free Download on Bandcamp
Seattle-based indie/alt-rock outfit, The Fraidies, released a debut last year and now I’d be remiss if I didn’t review it. Produced by Gary Reynolds, the band crafts a perfect mix of power pop melodies and late 1990’s/early 2000’s alt-rock. The dual guitar riffs and infectious verse on the great opener “X’s On Your Eyes” keep this song stuck in your head.
The happy tempos contrast the general misery of situation, concentrating on goofy lyrics on “You’ve Got A Brand New Calculator” to “cheer up” from the “same ole blues.” This theme continues on the alt country influenced “The Powers That Be” or the rock-synth combo “Never Love Again (It’s Doubtful)” with its catchy la-la chorus. More highlights include the anthemic chorus of “Your Mouth is a Radio” and “You’ve Got Nothing But Love.” It takes a sad turn with the long ballad “Gold Miner” but fans of The Lemonheads and Matthew Sweet are sure to love this band.
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The Wind formed in 1982 and their debut LP was a criminally overlooked by most. It was a power pop classic that had influences from Beatles and Dylan to Motown. Now thirty years later Lane Steinberg is rejoined by his mates Steve Katz and Steve Burdick. Add to this pop maestro David Grahame, who co-produced and mixed this reunion. A mature sophisticated pop sense replaces the youthful energy, but they definitely recapture that old magic.
Hard to believe, but this “lost” power pop classic belongs alongside the great albums of the early 1980’s era. If you love Blondie, The Scruffs, The Toms, and The Shoes then you should make it your business to listen to Milwaukee’s first real power pop band. The debut record LP finally saw the light of day this summer with terrific vocals from Jill Kossoris and backed up by Scott Krueger, Jim Eannelli, Jim Richardson, Mike Pyle and the late Breck Burns. Although the music was available in 2006, it has been newly remixed and remastered in 2014. Its being re-discovered today (thank you, internet) and well worth the listeners effort.
“Teenline” was bona-fide hit single that got attention from Raspberries’ frontman Eric Carmen who wished to produce the bands LP. “Please Stand By” is another fast paced song with bright angular guitar chords and hand claps in the chorus. “Hold On” is built very much like a Raspberries song, even the opening chords closely resemble “I Wanna Be With You.” The slower “Why Tell Lies” is song about heartbreak that echoes those fifties ballads with repeating vocals behind the chorus. Every song here resonates and impresses, from the heavy riffs of “When I Was Younger” to the piano melody on “Don’t Tell Me.” Krueger eventually joined The Wigs, and the group was disbanded. As a lush coda to the bands career, the 1989 reunion single “Remember Tonight” is included. Despite the simple production techniques, the music doesn’t sound dated due to the solid songwriting and energetic performances that carry each tune. When building a power pop collection, The Shivvers remains an essential LP to get.
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