The Ugly Beats and The Roaring Juniors

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The Ugly Beats “Brand New Day”

Austin, Texas band The Ugly Beats have been making glorious 1960s garage-styled power pop for over ten years now, and their newest release is testament to this approach.  However on this album there is less a reliance on the stomping rough style (like The Troggs) and more actual melodies and harmonies that get in your head quickly. “Up On The Sun” starts with a fast tempo guitar attack and “Throw Me A Line” has a driving rhythm that compels you to clap along with the countdown.

The punchy riffs of “I Want That Girl” and “Gone For Good” are more irresistible treats with energy and cool to spare. Every cut here is great, even the bouncy instrumental “Beataroo” works wonders. What you have here is a band at their peak and a smokin’ retro all-American power pop album. Fans of the Animals, Outrageous Cherry or The Above are sure to love this one too. Highly Recommended.

Amazon


 

The Roaring Juniors “Almost Grown”

If it seems only a month or two since we reviewed The Roaring Juniors, its because we did. The Ann Arbor based band is back for more punk pop fun with its newest EP. Stylistically the band is more consistent here, channeling The Ramones, Replacements and The Buzzocks. The opener “Movers and Shakers” is the highlight here, with its killer guitar hook. From there the energy level stays high on “Very Clydesdale,” a snearing punk anthem, but lyrically gets lazy on “Angel Friend” which is an excuse to cuss. Still catchy though. Only available on Bandcamp.

Video Wednesday: Rick Hromadka and Justin Levinson

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Power Popaholic Live This Sunday (8/24)

Get ready for Aaron to appear on Dave The Boogieman’s show streaming live at 7:30pm – 11:00pm this Sunday on 11L New York Radio International. And if you tune in you could win some FREE music! I will be playing favorites from the Power Popaholic Music Vault and later in the show we’ll be playing artists from the Power Popaholic Fest. We’ll also be interviewing these artists live on the air. And if you think, Dave, Barry, and John Lightning deserve it, it wouldn’t hurt if you threw these guys a few bucks.

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Rick Hromadka has a new album coming soon, and here is the first big single!

Vermont-bred singer-songwriter Justin Levinson returns with his new single and music video “Free Love”, about the surprising woes of the one-night stand.

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Jeff Larson and Smash Palace

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Jeff Larson “Close Circle”

Like an old friend visiting, Jeff Larson’s new album is another comforting pop tonic. Larson’s regular crew include Jeff Pevar (CPR, Crosby, Stills & Nash), Gerry Beckley & Dewey Bunnell (America) and Jeffrey Foskett (Beach Boys). The opener “Rescue” is a pensive plea about aging and hope, sung with an earnest and simple guitar strum. “Following The Echoes” is a bit closer to that Eagles/America light rock sound. The layered vocal chorus of “Every Hour On the Hour” is a real treat with added backing vocals from Jeddrah Leiterding.

My favorite song is “Rain Soaked Cloud,” about a broken relationship with a great instrumental break here by Jeff Pevar. Larson tends to get so mellow on “Even When The Rains Come” or “Goodbye Ocean Street Beaches” that I tend to drift off, but we pick up the pace with “How Long Running.” Often the love of people and places is the theme, like on “Arizona” and “The Lay Of The Land.” With his “close circle” of friends Jeff invites us into his comfort zone. And its a nice place to be.

CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik | Amazon


Smash Palace “Extended Play” EP

New Jersey natives Smash Palace are back with an EP  that’s a perfect summertime soundtrack, chock full of guitar themes and catchy hooks. It’s notable that along with the Butler brothers is Fran Smith Jr. (bass) and Dave Uosikkinen (drums). And this 5-song set stands alongside their best work.

We start out with “Isn’t It Just Like Me” a strong jangling rocker in the mold of Tom Petty, with the self loathing lyric “Isn’t it just like me to cause all this pain and misery.”  Next, “Walk Alone” is an aching reflection of a lost love, layered with so many wonderful Rickenbackers in the chorus — it’s just amazingly tight. Another highlight is “Hold On” with its steady beat and statement of faith, to “hold on to what you believe in.” Really each track is great here and its one of the best EPs of the year, you’ll want to listen to it “Again and Again.” Highly recommended (of course)!

Amazon

Cruise Elroy and Future Caveman

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Cruise Elroy “EP1 and EP2”

A while ago I discovered a talented up-an-coming New York musician named Chris Merritt who has a gift for combining catchy melodies and scientific lyrics into lo-fi symphonies that caught my attention. A few years later he’s taken some of those gems and polished them up for his new band Cruise Elroy.

The production is crisp and dense, often using layered piano, organ, 8-bit sounds and multi-tracked vocals. The pair of EPs here is mixed bag of brilliant singles and experimentation.  On EP 1 the highlights include “Shorty,” “Tarmac” and the epic “Rain King” with its woven harmonies.
On EP 2, you get a little more experimenting with “Sisyphus” and the very Steely Dan-like “Killer” plus the best pop single of the bunch “Amelia.” If you’re looking for the “next big thing” then Cruise Elroy should be on your radar.

Ep1 | Ep2

Future Caveman

And that’s not all, folks! Merritt is also in another band with a harder edged sound called Future Caveman. No review yet, as the album isn’t officially out but several tracks have been leaked on YouTube for listening.

Not much on the website, but they have an active Facebook page. From what I’ve heard so far its got some heavy guitar oriented songs, but Merritt’s melodies and harmonies shine through. Stay Tuned!