Mothboxer and The Vickers

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Mothboxer

Mothboxer “We’re All Out Of Our Minds” EP

It seems we just finished listening to Mothboxer’s latest LP which made our year end list, when an equally awesome and groovy EP shows up. “We’re All Out Of Our Minds” has Dave Ody doing his Lennonesque pop confection from Sand and The Rain plus three bonus tracks. “One Day At A Time” is a little more measured till we get to the thick chorus. “I’m Working” is a music hall piano melody that fans of the new Dowling Poole album with enjoy. “Laughing Out Loud” is slow tempo epic with a circus like atmosphere and it fits nicely here. Each track shines and overall this is a highly recommended addition to your Mothboxer collection.
power pop
Bandcamp


The Vickers

The Vickers “Ghosts”

An Italian band, The Vickers will take you on a musical kaleidoscopic journey chock full of spatial guitars, keyboards, and whirling bass lines. This psyche pop album starts with the dynamic “She’s Lost,” a good mix of Beatles and Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd.

The echoing fuzz of “I Don’t Know What It Is” builds as it continues, then trails off into a slow jam punctuated by a guitar solos. The Vickers also have a garage-styled punk sensibility on “All I Need” with its swirling rhythms and fuzzed vocals. “Here Me Now” sounds a little more modern, but its no less hypnotic.  Additional highlights include the Beatlesque “Walking On A Rope” and the lighter than air title track. This is most definitely an album to check out on your best set of headphones in a darkened room. Worth multiple listens it could become your favorite head-trip.
power pop
Bandcamp | Amazon

Comedy: The Shame Game

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Ginny Leise and Soojeong Son host a monthly live game show show called The Shame Game in Brooklyn, in which comedians compete by telling their most shameful stories and secrets. Ginny and Soo also produce biting, hilarious videos each month to promote the show, this one is called “Dude Notes.” Here is my dude note: You are both funny and cute, and the show sounds like a real blast. Check out the other promo videos here:

Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4

WHERE: The Bell House – 149 7th St. – Brooklyn
 
WHEN: Friday, February 6th, 2015 – doors 8:30pm, show 9:00pm
 
HOW: $10 advance, $12 day of show – Get tickets here!

Assorted Artists “Beyond Belief: A Tribute To Elvis Costello”

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SpyderPop Records releases a compilation paying tribute to the words and music of the incomparable Elvis Costello. Costello is truly one of the worlds greatest modern songwriters, so I was stunned that a tribute disc took this long to come together. Liz Phair put it best “Elvis Costello writes novels in three minutes. He gets inside your head, and doesn’t let go… His songs about women and girls are devastating, like arrows to the heart. He’s a poet with a punk’s heart.” This collection gathers just about every power pop artist I can think of interpreting his massive songbook.

It’s hard to highlight standouts, but I’ll focus on a few of my favorites. Starting with disc 1, you have Chris Richards and The Subtractions doing a crunchy but faithful version of “No Action,”  Gail George makes the “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror” her own. “New Amsterdam” by Parallax Project is another gem of an arrangement with its unique rhythmic texture. Jaime Hoover & Steve Stoeckel do an amazing a Capella version of “Blame It On Cain.” Of course Kurt Baker’s synth version of “High Fidelity” is another highlight.

Disc 2 boasts a stripped down version of “Alison” by Matthew Sweet and a truly beautiful arrangement of “Riot Act” by Brandon Schott. Another fave is Hans Rotenberry’s “Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s A Doll Revolution)” and Paul Myers tragic “So Like Candy.” Disc 3 continues with the high energy “Strict Time” by The Anderson Council and the always amazing Lannie Flowers doing “Radio Sweetheart.” With the huge amount of songs I was a little surprised no one took on the fan favorite “Oliver’s Army.” Many of the artists do a great job with the songs, so ultimately its worth the wait.

Co-produced by longtime Costello fans Olivia Frain and John M. Borack, with all proceeds from the release benefiting the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a non-profit organization that donates musical instruments to under-funded school music programs. Highly Recommended.

power pop

CD Baby

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R. Stevie Moore, Jason Falkner and Matthew Shacallis

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Mothboxer

R. Stevie Moore and Jason Falkner “Make It Be” Limited Edition

This hidden LP was a real gem of a find only on Bandcamp. Prolific and iconic DIY musician R. Stevie Moore collaborates with Jason Falkner (Jellyfish, TV Eyes) on this 17 track mix of polished pop and artistic styles. “I H8 Ppl” is a true collaboration, with Jason’s hook filled guitar licks and Stevie’s vocals bringing it home. Being a Falkner album you get his unique melodic DNA in the musing “Another Day Slips Away” a brilliant mantra about the quick passage of time where we “Sleep, Eat, Love, Work and Play.” This fades into the dreamy psyche-pop of “I Love Us, We Love Me,” with its layered production and trippy vocal overdubs. This also being a R. Stevie project, you get plenty of experimental tracks like the instrumental “Gower” or poetry of “Prohibited Permissions.”

Jason’s melodic genius comes through on several tracks like “Sincero Amore” and “Play Myself Some Music.” Then “That’s Fine, What Time?” was a bit like a TV Eyes song. I also loved the thick Cheap Trick riffs on “I Am The Best For You” allow Stevie to yell along with a cacophony of guitars. But I was also totally drawn to the boogie of Stevie’s cover of Huey “Piano” Smith & the Clowns “Don’t You Just Know It” and listing to Stevie’s brainstorming ideas like “Falkner’s Walk.” The title is a smart play on the Beatles title, where you “make it” not “let it” happen. Highly Recommended.
power pop

Bandcamp Only


Matthew Shacallis

Matthew Shacallis “Reach The Stars” EP

Shacallis is from Sydney Australia, and his sound is pure power pop gold. “Summer Sun” and “Tell Me Girl” both have a sweet jangling melody and vocal style similar to Teenage Fanclub.  “Nothing To Show” is a bit rougher, like classic You Am I. “Do You Love Me” is a little more retro sounding, a little like The Animals but with a poppier sound. The title track is a slower acoustic guitar ballad, with some overdubbed harmonies, and overall its very well done debut. I look forward to more from Matthew!
power pop
Bandcamp only

The Jeanies and One Like Son

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The Jeanies “The Jeanies”

The Jeanies are a Brooklyn four piece band that bring back the savory sound of 1970s power pop and succeed so well here, you’d swear this was a “lost” release from that era. Cut from the same cloth as Phil Seymour, The Raspberries, The Rubinoos and The Shoes the opener “I Seen Her Dance” is a catchy single that sets the stage for the album. Songwriter and lead vocalist Joey Farber has an earnest moving vocal and “I Think You’re The Wrong One” is another classic gem that deserves to be heard.

Farber’s solid riffs are joined by guitarist Jon Mann, as they spin a great muscle-chord analog sound on “The Girl’s Gonna Do.” You’ll also hear the influences of 50’s Doo Wop, R&B, and basement DIY style throughout the album. At times the production adds a bit too much echo (“Believe Me Jenny”) but that’s more a personal pet peeve. The lyrics all evoke the anticipation of meeting the perfect girl… until the next one comes along. It is fairly consistent,  hard charging rock with a mid-tempo pause on the love song “I’ll Warm You.” Fans of this particular vintage power pop should not miss this one. Highly Recommended.

power pop
Bandcamp | Kool Kat Musik

One Like Son

One Like Son “New American Gothic”

Last year this Montgomery, Alabama band released a mind bending song a week for 52 Weeks. This year lead singer-songwriter Stephen Poff has compiled his favorite 13 tracks from that project into New American Gothic, making his band’s work a lot easier to digest.

“New American Gothic” is a solid power melody resembling Cheap Trick, Goo Goo Dolls and Gin Blossoms with strong riffs about today’s modern family. “Nice Guys Finish Last” sows similar ground with a synth line running though the song. One of my favorites here is “Hero Down” with its epic power ballad chorus about the death of Superman, it builds with layers of piano and guitar reminding me of Queen. The band tries to go more punk pop on “’Til it’s Over,” but it really excels at melodic hard rock anthems like “Falling From My Arms.” The subjects eventually head out to space with a trio of rockers “Gravity,” “Interstellar” and the Star Wars tribute “A Galaxy Far Away.” You can imagine Darth Vader might have said of One Like Son,“The force is strong with this one.”
power pop
Bandcamp | Amazon