NPR’s Radiolab had a great little program this weekend about pop music. One thing about great power pop is its ability to stay “stuck” in your head. Why does this happen? The Radiolab crew attempt to answer this question.
The Mockers and Willow
The Mockers “Men of La Mancha” EP
Power pop veterans The Mockers have been dripping out singles all year, but finally we get a nice group together in one EP. A cover of “Impossible Dream” from the Broadway show Man of La Mancha, it starts off traditionally… then speeds off into Mockersville. The Spanish pop gem “Que Vida” sounds like it fell off the Los Imposibles album. And the liberal dream single “Republican Girl” is a bona fide viral hit. Add to this two new holiday songs and you have all killer, no filler — one of the best EPs this year. Highly recommended!
Bandcamp | CD Baby (Christmas singles only)
Willow “Charcoal & Blue”
Once again we follow guitarist Mike Barnett to his new project. Willow is a collaboration between Barnett, Jerry Risner (bass) and Denise Risner (vocals, keyboards). The trio leans on Denise’s jazzy vocal and Barnett’s jangle styled guitar playing. Opening with “Nobody Does It Like You” its a Dylanesque gem, and I enjoyed the soulful lyric and Byrdsian riffs on “Good Love Is Hard To Find” and “Counting On You.” Unfortunately weariness on some of the vocals is evident, and some songs lack energy. Fans of both Dylan and Steve Forbert may appreciate it more than I did.
CD Baby | Amazon
International Power Pop: Peelgreems and Los Autonautas
Peelgreems “Big Adventure”
This is a perfect example of why I get excited over power pop from outside the USA. This a French orchestral-experimental pop band that fills each song with dense composition and innovative chord combos that are impossible to ignore. Sung in English, “8th of December” opens with dramatic piano progressions, and the follow up “Acquario-Aria” is pure innovation. Fans of The Wondermints, ELO and Japanese pop will find lots to love here all from the minds of Alexis Hadefi, Morgan Agren and Michael Manring. And don’t miss the heavenly harmony opening on “Tsuruuchi.” A big thanks to Miyuki again for finding this gem.
Bandcamp | Amazon
Los Autonautas “Lo Que Quiero “
Once again we have another Spanish power pop gem from Madrid. Los Autonautas have been around since 2007, according to Facebook, “The Autonautas formed when Clara Guitar, Caesar and Mr. Pazos traveled through space and time only to land by mistake in the state of California during the 60s.” And the Caesar/Clara duo really know their way around a guitar riff. Get a download at Bandcamp or a CD through Waterslide Records.
The Pozers and Jeremy
The Pozers “The Sun’s Going Down”
One of the highlights on the IPO Vol.15 disc, The Pozers new album is fresh fun, produced by Roger Manning (?) “Spacecar” is a fast paced fuzz guitar fest that sounds like a mix of Vinyl Candy and The Banana Splits. “All She Wrote” has a great beat and some nice Beatlesque slide guitar with its bouncy melody. The lush production on “My Maze” and “The Facination” are similar to ELO in composition and they’re a big highlight.
The weak spot however is the nasal vocals. No one is credited with lead and the range is often limited as with “Every Little Chance You Get.” The instrumentation, composition and multi-tracking do plenty to mask this early on, but it by the time we get to “Losing My Mind” it really wears on you.
CD Baby | Amazon
Jeremy “Love Explosion”
For years, Michigan-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Morris has been producing several albums per year, and running Jam Recordings – which is amazing and added to that his solo stuff still rocks! The title track is a psychedelic explosion of guitars and harmonies (quite literally!)
He still channels The Byrds and Beatles jangle quite nicely on “Save Me From Myself” and “Radiant Future Days.” And he still has a tendency to stretch a song like “Hearts On Fire” long past seven minutes and the trippy sound effects on a few songs linger on a bit too long… but few can carry these big pop hooks with hard rock guitar crunchiness better. Get it and turn up that volume.
Ho Ho Holiday Samplers for FREE
Suburban Sprawl Holiday Sampler
Hey! It’s totally the last month of 2012! Depending on whether or not the Mayan Apocalypse happens, this could be the last Suburban Sprawl Holiday comp! If it is, eleven years ain’t a bad run. Zach Curd has given us another treat to listen under the mistletoe. As always a huge variety of artists (most of which I never heard of) donate tracks here. A specific track here not to miss is Andy Dick and Willie Wisely singing “Happy B-Day J.C.” And if you missed samplers of years past, they are available too.
Get it FREE here!
The JAC “I See Things Differently” Greatest Xmas Hits
Joe Algeri (Jack & the Beanstalk, The Britannicas) is a songwriter/producer from Perth, Western Australia who is also know as The JAC. He’s got an off beat sense of humor and an instinct for great rock and roll. Listen to the highlights “Merry Christmas (round the world)” and the surf-syled “Psychotic Psummer.” Lots of great music here, its even better than his recent Faux Pas album. The bittersweet humor of “Santa All I Want (Is Cindy Brady) ” and “Computer Xmas” are also sure to impress. It also includes tracks from his other bands, The Britannicas and Green Beetles.
Joe Giddings “Christmas Morning” Single
Joe has contributed to my Fest soundtrack, so in honor of that I am promoting his new Christmas single “Christmas Morning.” It’s only a dollar and worth every penny as Joe breaks out the sleigh bells and harmonies here.
Bandcamp only