The Pengwins “Naive/Life After High School” EP
Way before Lannie Flowers became one of the most beloved musicians in power pop, he had a band called The Pengwins that played from 1978 into the ’90s. In fact this Texas band was one of the great “lost” power pop bands of the midwest. The band also had Alan Petsche on guitar and vocals, Delbert Raines bassist, and Danny Wilkerson on drums. This box set EP is the first of the remastered singles. Its amazing how good they were, and unfortunate that they weren’t well known outside of Texas. Now you have your chance to re-discover them.
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The Gentlemen Rogues “The Gentlemen Rogues”
Speaking of Texas, A new group of guitar centric rockers from Austin wow’ed me with their riffage skills. Even if the first track “Run From The Light” is a bit long winded, the ’90s melodic skills shine through on “Persistence is Futile.” Another standout “Is Tomorrow Worth Tonight?” with its Green Day-ish pop cynicism. This is a decent start and I look forward to hearing more from these Rouges.
The Connection “First Time”
What else can I say about The Connection? The album Let It Rock is already on my top ten list. But while my Poperpopaholic Fest was playing, Brad Marino and
Geoff Palmer were off touring in France. They got a day off and decided to hit the recording studio to do this nice addendum. Pick it up now only on Bandcamp.
The Bye Bye Blackbirds “We Need The Rain”
Singer/songwriter Bradley Skaught brings a terrific power pop vision to the newest album from The Bye Bye Blackbirds. The Bay Area band has been considered “thinking man’s rock and roll” often compared to Sloan and Big Star. The opener “All In Light” is darn near perfect start with big hook filled riffs in the Cheap Trick vein, then “Like A Thief” reminds me of a Posies tune with its cynical lyric in the chorus, “don’t ever, ever pray for love.” The wicked riffs lead “Butterfly Drinks” and then the slightly Beatlesque “Brand New Sitting Still” offers up a sunnier outlook on relationships.
Each song is carefully produced and the musicianship is top shelf here, without a dud track to be found. That said not everything sticks right away either, but the harmonies on “Waiting For The Drums” are amazing and the deliberate paced guitar on “Secret Ride” recalls Richard X Heyman. The band also does a rocking cover of Free’s “Broad Daylight” and tries a go at “Spin Your Stars,” a Neil Young styled mid-tempo roots rocker. Highly Recommended.
The Twigs “Jump Right In”
Are you ready for a shiny bright ray of sunshine pop? The Twigs are twin sisters, songwriters and singers Linda and Laura Good, with Laura on guitars, vocals, ukulele, bass, keys and programming and Linda on piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, guitar, and vocals. Like the Corner Laughers, the duo displays clever lyrics, catchy melodies and luscious harmonies in “I Got A Great Idea.” They’re also positively wonderful on “Sunshine” and “Baby, Don’t Cry” – guaranteed to put you in a good mood. Like a mix of Lisa Loeb and The Beach Boys.
Okay, “You Are The Sweetest Thing” and “Panda Bear” are most definitely kids bubblegum music. But if you are willing to tolerate it, you will be rewarded with those harmonies again in “Jump Right In” and “Frere Jacques.” It ends with a bedtime lullaby “Time To Sleep” and if you have a toddler this will be the “go-to” CD for both of you.
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Dutch songstress Caro Emerald is one of the most successful singers in Europe, and as I was listening to this concert, it occurred to me this wasn’t even close to what I normally listen to. She directs an 8 piece horn section with a mix of big-band and salsa pop. I gave this a try, not knowing what to expect.
Emerald is perhaps the most accessible retro-jazz/soul vocalist that I’ve heard recently. “Back It Up” is a perfect example of this, as she guides the horn section to a mix of scratching’ pop that flirts with hip-hop (almost) and it totally captivates the audience, getting them involved in the performance. While Adele currently rules this niche, I wouldn’t be shocked if Caro manages to steal the spotlight. This DVD performance is all the evidence you need.
Dizzy Bats “Appendectomy” EP
Very much in the mold of 90’s era Weezer with a touch of Nirvana, the punk pop of Dizzy Bats does a good job on its opener “Angry Eyes” full of churning chords and hummable choruses. ”
These Kids I Teach.” is a bit more chaotic, a long rant to authority (I guess) in response to a slack teacher who “won’t let you f*ck with me.” It’s almost like a different band on the acoustic and horn “The Batman and the Joker,” very much in the style of The Barenaked Ladies. The title track takes us back to the punk pop world, and each track is enjoyable on its own. A worthy download.
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The Most “Auto-Destructive Art”
The Most are a compelling mix of classic Northern Soul and British Invasion Beat. Starting with the retro-rollicking “Problems All Around” its similar to the ’60s Van Morrison band Them, or The Animals. “Really Good” continues in this high energy style, with each hanging reverb and handclappin’ beat. The old school technique makes it sound genuine and you’d have no clue these dudes were from Sweden.
Each track hovers around the two minute mark, a highlight being “I Don’t Want It” with blaring horns channeling The Isley Brothers hit “Shout.” The mod pop side is done perfectly well on “So Wrong” and “Do You Wanna Know.” One of my favorites here is the more Byrdsian “Beat Girl,” I would encourage the band to follow this direction. Fans of The Kingsmen, The Pretty Things, early Who will also love this.