The Very Most and Adam Daniel

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The Very Most “Just A Pup” EP
The Very Most are an indie band from Idaho, clearly influenced by both The Beach Boys and Belle & Sebastian. The use of tinkling percussion and vocal harmonies create a delicate arrangement for the title track and its seamless transition to “Idaho, America in 2049.”

The light, dreamlike melodies pass over you like cool breeze. In fact the use of sleigh bells does give it a wintery feel. The upbeat “We Don’t Have Any Cuts To Waste” recall ’90s pop of The Beautiful South and The Ocean Blue. Even a spritely cover of Tom Jones “It’s Not Unusual” featuring Liz Hunt, feels welcoming here. Overall a very satisfying release that will leave you wanting more.

Bandcamp | Amazon

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Adam Daniel “Pop, Baby”
 L.A. songwriter and musician Adam Daniel hasn’t given us an album in over 12 years, but the memory of that debut Blue Pop was strong. Like a mix of Elton John and John Mayer, he storms out of the gate with “Summer’s Comin.” Next comes Adam’s statement on male romantic ambivalence with “In and Out Of Love,” a glossy pop single.

Adam varies his styles here, loud horn-guitar density with “Regret Shuffle,” and “Invisible” going in the opposite (softer) direction. Some great melodic tracks include “Your Gravity” and the ballad, “Lullaby.” It doesn’t always work, as “Dream Out Loud” has a ’90s AOR rock undertone that sounds dated. But there is enough here to recommend, as its more varied and dramatic than his debut.

Amazon | CD Baby

Nick Capaldi and The Fadeout

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Nick Capaldi “The Golden Summer” EP
 A budding star is evidenced by Nick Capaldi’s The Golden Summer is a short EP with its glossy power pop. The opener “In My Shoes” is a catchy Tears For Fears styled pop hit that’s ready for radio, and “Dumb it All Up” another gem with its infectious beat has mellotron and horn flourishes. Next, “The Right Time” is an light airy ballad with swelling strings, reminding me of Seth Swirsky and closer “First of the Runaways” has a great Andrew Gold styled piano melody. Each song is a potential hit here, so you’ll want to check out his previous album,  A Shade of Orange with fresh ears. Easily one of the best EPs this year.

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The Fadeout “Shapes of Animals”
The Fadeout are a band from Montreal that specialize in sun-drenched melodies that take its cue from the Beach Boys playbook with a twee touch. Staring with the light “Wake Up (I’m Not There)” the band uses the same instrumentation and harmonies as the Wilson brothers or Phil Spector pioneered. Lead singer Sacha Philippe Hebert-Jodoin has a slightly fey, high-pitched vocal  (similar to a young Michael Quercio) that is very soothing.

Each song follows a consistent pattern with some nice compositions found in “Sinkin’ Ship” and the “Sloop John B” clone “Fantasy.” And therein lies the problem, as the band fails to move beyond their influences to keep things catchy or memorable. The group certainly has the skills and talent to pull it off, but they need better songwriting to move forward.

Greg Pope’s Giant Monster Playset

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One of our favorite musicians, Greg Pope is a filmmaker too and  we reported about Giant Monster Playset and it’s music a few years ago. The film made the rounds at a few festivals and now its online (see above) and on DVD.

The DVD release includes the film and extra features like commentary track, visual effects reel, production gallery, etc, AND the entire Monster Suit album (which served as the official soundtrack). Get it at Amazon.

 

Sam Phillips and Felsen

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Sam Phillips “Push Any Button”
Prolific singer-songwriter Sam Phillips returns with her 10th studio album, Push Any Button. Thankfully she leaves behind the wanderlust of her recent past and brings us melodic pop that comes closest to her masterwork Martinis & Bikinis. Starting with the organic percussive effects on “Pretty Time Bomb” it sets the stage for the compelling melody of “All Over Me,” with neat little horn flourishes and a churning guitar rhythm. The catchiest song is next, “When I’m Alone” with its fast paced beat and Phillips expressive vocals.

The minimalist orchestral base and plucking strings suits Phillips well on tracks like “Going”and “Speaking Of Pictures.” Another gem “You Know I Won’t” is another sing along melody and with barely a wasted noted, its a perfect showcase of an artisan at her best. Highly recommended AOR listening.

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Felsen “I Don’t Know How To Talk Anymore”
Oakland band Felsen is a hard working local band made up of guitarist Dylan Brock, singer/guitarist Andrew Griffin, bassist Christian Hernandez, and drummer Art McConnell. Felsen has toured throughout the West and puts together a workman-like effort on this new album.

The songs take a while to reach the hook, but they do get there. The lead track “Rock and Roll’s Not Dead” certainly takes its time, as we don’t get any rock guitars till the four minute mark. Much better are the melodies of the title track, “Better Days,” and the catchy “Tokyo Electric .” Where Felsen falters is in the slow meandering epics (“Gunfighting At Dawn”), but if you’re patient you’ll appreciate both the environmental message and the music.