The Power Popaholic Top 20 albums of 2014

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This year was a very good one, and like all these lists I see on the web the order is arbitrary. I included my top 50 albums this year, including a top 10 EPs list. I listened to many on the list again, some had initial lower ratings (“8”) that got better after repeat listens and others with higher ratings (“9”) lost its luster when compared to the others. A very small group (i.e. The Sugar Stems) did not even get an official review, but were so good they made the list. And I will spend some of January reviewing a few I missed. Take what you like from here and discover some new music!

TOP ALBUMS

      1. Linus of Hollywood – Something Good
      2. Phonograph (UK) – Phonograph Vol.1
      3. The Dowling Poole – Bleak Strategies
      4. Sloan – Commonwealth
      5. The Legal Matters – The Legal Matters
      6. Edward O’Connell – Vanishing Act
      7. Spirit Kid – Is Happening
      8. The Secret Powers – 6 (six)
      9. The Jellybricks – Youngstown Tune-Up
      10. Jeremy Messersmith – Heart Murmurs
      11. Aerial – Why Don’t They Teach Heartbreak At School?
      12. The Sugar Stems – Only Come out at Night
      13. Sunday Sun – We Let Go
      14. The Hazey Janes – Language of Faint Theory
      15. Rob Bonfiglio – Freeway
      16. The Paul and John – Inner Sunset
      17. The Successful Failures – Captains of Industry, Captains of War
      18. The Autumn Defense – Fifth
      19. The Bobbleheads – Make Yourself Happy
      20. Fauna Flora – Fauna Flora
      21. Marshall Holland – And the Etceteras
      22. Joe Sullivan – Schlock Star
      23. Graham Alexander – Repeat Deceiver
      24. Adrian Bourgeois – Pop/Art
      25. The Above – Waterbury Street
      26. Burning Ferns – See Saw Seen
      27. The CRY – Dangerous Game
      28. The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers
      29. Ransom and Subset – No Time to Lose
      30. The Well Wishers – A Shattering Sky
      31. The Mike Benign Compulsion – Here’s How It Works
      32. The Tripwires – Get Young
      33. Rob Fetters – Saint Ain’t
      34. Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in The End
      35. The Alarms – Real Tough Love
      36. Tyson Leslie – Train Wrecks, Havoc & Heartbreak
      37. Mothboxer – Sand and the Rain
      38. Rob Cantor – Not a Trampoline
      39. Doug Gillard – Parade On
      40. Rick Hromdaka – Trippin Dinosaurs
      41. The Maureens – The Maureens
      42. Bracket – Hold Your Applause
      43. OK GO – Hungry Ghosts
      44. The Cherry Drops – Everything’s Groovy
      45. The Magic Brothers – The Magic Line
      46. Latvian Radio – For Love & Spite
      47. The Ugly Beats – Brand New Day
      48. The Britannicas – High Tea
      49. Shake Some Action – Catch The Sun!
      50. The Rip Off Artists – The Intercontinental

TOP 10 EPS

    1. Cliff Hillis – Song Machine
    2. Evil Arrows – 1,2,3,4
    3. David Myhr – Record Collection
    4. OK GO – Upside Out (no longer sold – see Hungry Ghosts )
    5. The Crush – Future Blimps
    6. The Solicitors – Blank Check
    7. Myracle Brah – The Peach
    8. Smash Palace – Extended Play
    9. Greg Ieronimo – Bi-Polar Love
    10. The Feels – Dead Skin

Weezer and Rob Fetters

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Weezer

Weezer “Everything Will Be Alright In The End”

A few major label acts fall into the “power pop” category, and fewer have the longevity of Weezer. Rivers Cuomo has really come back to his roots and even got his old producer Ric Ocasek to help bring the magic back. In a major turnaround, Rivers waves goodbye to the dance-rock of 2009’s Raditude for good. He explains himself on “Back to the Shack,” that “thought I’d get a new audience, I forgot that disco sucks” and even the guitar licks refer back to the bands “Blue” debut.

“Eulogy for A Rock Band” tells us that Weezer accepts its role in the rock universe, and to cement this gives us the crunchy singles “Lonely Girl,” “The British Are Coming,” “Cleopatra,” and “Go Away.” The band still goes off on a tangent with its’ closing suite “The Futurescope Trilogy,” but there are more hooks than a tacklebox on the songs preceding it. Highly Recommended, especially if you haven’t heard any Weezer since 2001.

power pop

Amazon

Rob Fetters

Rob Fetters “Saint Ain’t”

I really enjoyed discovering Cincinnati musician Rob Fetters (Thanks Carl Chavis!) Recorded in Nashville with a pile of guest stars like Matt Malley (Counting Crows), Belinda Lipscomb (Midnight Star), and Clyde Brown (The Drifters, Ben E. King) to name a few. “Suffer” is a catchy rock gem that will get you hooked. “Nero” is plaintive light pop composition with a great hook about infamy, “who says I can’t last forever?” he says. His sound is similar to Tom Petty, Todd Rundgren or Ian Hunter.

Solid songs all along here, “Desire” and “Forever Never” are very enjoyable, but the collaborations are so stylistically different it’s jarring. The light folky “Famous Last Words” a collaboration with Bee Haskins is the polar opposite of the blues-rock on “Life and Death Boogie” with Clyde Brown. Honestly, Fetters is so good he didn’t need these duets here to fill the running time. “Walking Out” is another gem with excellent guitar work that closes out the album. Highly Recommended.
power pop

CD Baby

Graham Alexander and Pete Donnelly

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The Intercontinental Rip Off Artists

Graham Alexander “Repeat Deceiver”

With his eclectic style, Graham Alexander is back with a new album and he’s leaning more on the “rock” side of the fence than the commercial “pop” side for Repeat Deceiver. His vocals have been compared to Sir Paul before, but now he’s ready to burst out with that lead riff in the catchy title track.

Graham’s enthusiasm and authenticity ooze out of each track, “Romeo Blue” also throws on rhythms and grooves that keeps your toes tapping to the melody. He also takes no shortcuts, that’s real strings on the ballad “Games” and he doesn’t stick to a set formula either. He could go all show tune-like on “Third Wheel” or country rock for “People Are Only Sorry When They’re Caught.” I like the hummable “Cartography,” and the aching love song “American Au Pair In Paris.” It’s a finely crafted album that just makes it into the running for my top LPs list this year.
power pop

Itunes | Victrola

Pete Donnelly “American Town” EP

Pete Donnelly has played with many great rockers(Tommy Stinson, Graham Parker) and bands(The Figgs, NRBQ) but the New Jersey songwriter also needs to express his personal feelings on his solo work. After last year’s excellent Face The Bird, Pete’s newest EP explores issues related to inequality and the American dream on American Town.

The music is more folk Americana than the usual pop based songs, starting out with the breezy “So Long,” featuring backup vocals from Shelby Lynne. Then comes “Making Changes Overnight” with its bouncy beat and hopeful message. The title track is a real standout, a Tommy Pettyesque chorus about those who’ve returned home from war and the horrible treatment they get. It’s a great protest song that overshadows the other lighter tracks, songs that match subtlety with style on “Pink Noise” and “Downhearted Crazy.”
power pop

CD Baby | Amazon

Happy Holidays from Power Popaholic

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A few last minute stocking stuffers for you all…

Gotta love that Cirrone “Christmas Sun”… and below Loop Line gives us a sleepy Christmas tune and they’ve got a holiday video too! And if you’re into the Moog Cookbook thing, Roger Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) has just released a series of instrumentals to play by the yule log. Wishing everyone a very happy holiday!

Just a few more reviews till we reach our countdown of the years best power pop!

Holiday Music: Smalltown Poets and The Connection

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Smalltown Poets

Smalltown Poets “Christmas Time Again”

At this point its become a tradition here with my favorite Christmas band Smalltown Poets. They’ve got the vocals, musical chops and this year they’ve got a new album to unwrap. After a spiritual introduction, the band lets loose on “Wassail song” with drums, guitar and piano leading to a harmonious vocal chorus that hits a few different Christmas themes. The title track is an instant classic that deserves major radio play this time of year, evoking the holiday perfectly. Even if you don’t like holiday music, this song will just melt you. Highly Recommended.

CD Baby | Bandcamp | Amazon

The Connection

The Connection “A Christmas Gift For”

Another “must have” Christmas album by the rocking-est band this season. Starting with “Money, Honey, Baby” it jingles and jangles into your head right away. “West Coast” looks at the holiday from a snow-free perspective. The boogie blues of “Better Late Than Never” is pretty cool, and “Christmas Time Again” is another layered gem. Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Amazon