The Corner Laughers “Poppy Seeds”

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In the liner notes it asks “Who is immune to the charms of airy female vocals and ukulele, with lyrics full of pith (but not vinegar)?” Not me (that’s for sure). Led by the harmonies of Karla Kane, with bassist Khoi Huynh, drummer Charlie Crabtree, and guitarists KC Bowman and Angela Silletto, the indie band’s latest features a who’s who of indie power pop guests (Allen Clapp, Anton Barbeau, Mike Viola). The irresistible melody of “Grasshopper Clock” is full of weaving harmonies sure to please and the “Bells of El Camino” is a little more twee pop, think The Essex Green meets Saint Etienne. This approach follows the next several songs here, and standouts include “Laughing Stars” and the solo ukulele ditty “Twice The Luck” is such quirky fun, you expect it to be the theme song for the next Zooey Deschanel show.

And then it shifts to more catchy themes, all based around San Francisco. The piano led theme to area’s tallest skyscraper “Transamerica Pyramid” is a perfect summer tune with handclaps and Beach Boys styled harmonies. The sunshine-pop melancholy of “8:18” is full of anticipation, and even “Chicken Bingo” has fun with the band’s West Coast image. “They asked us where we came from, we said “San Francisco” –They asked again we said “Outer Space,” and the ending track “The Perfect Weather” is a long love letter to the city by the bay. Fans of The Agony Aunts will also love the composition and tight arrangements. Rarely does such a beautiful pop album arrive, it deserves to make my top ten list this year for sure.

Dave Birk and The Honey Wilders

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Dave Birk “Speed Queen Mystery Date”
Minneapolis, MN based Dave Birk’s self funded debut is a lot of bouncy melodious fun right from the opening notes of “Hey Jody.”  Influences are squarely in the Gin Blossoms meets Fountains of Wayne arena. With earnest vocals, the early gem is “Roller Coaster of Love, Hate and Tenderness” with a wicked guitar solo during the break, and lyrics about “the never-ending test” of romance.

It kinda jumps into faux funk with “Love and Devotion,” and then a touching slow ballad “My Sleeping Beauty.” But then we enter FOW-land with the title track and “All Things Retro” with a ton of pop culture references. The remaining tracks just as fresh, especially “Country Music 101” with a dead-on instruction of how to write a hit country song. A great debut!

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The Honey Wilders “Singles for Singles” 
This San Jose band sure loves 70’s classic rock, just listen to the Big Star riffs on “Life In Stereo” and the catchy melody on “Summertime” which recalls Tom Petty. It’s got sound alike tracks for Led Zeppelin (“Sugar Mama,”) Thin Lizzy (“”Geneva Ave.”) and The Stones (“Sweet Alice”). The remain tracks all have that instantly recognizable guitar sound, like of like a cross between Mick Ronson and Slash. And while highly derivative, its also enjoyable fun, like a classic mix tape from that era.

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Joe Giddings “Irrelevant”

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One of my favorite artists, Joe Giddings is preparing us for his new forthcoming LP “Better From Here” coming this Summer. It pretty much sums up the state of mind for most power pop artists nowadays… but hopefully fans of Joe will purchase this single and make him feel relevant this weekend, “cause 50 likes on Facebook can’t be wrong!”

In case you missed it – “All The People Some of The Time” is also available.

Paul Bertolino and Boice

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Paul Bertolino “Where The Buildings Hit The Sky”
Paul is a behind-the-scenes musician’s musician from Berkeley, CA and a skilled singer songwriter that will appeal to fans of Eric Matthews, Elliot Smith and Ben Wilkins. The 70’s styled opener and title track is certainly impressive with rich horns and bass riffs supporting the melody.

Lovers of gentle baroque pop along the lines of Burt Bacharach and Van Dyke Parks will flip for “Union Square.” Paul mixes some psyche-pop guitar and harmonies on the wonderful chorus of “The Green Bridge.” More gems include the snappy “See Me Now” with its lyrical love of New York City, and the sunny “Clinton Hill.” Retro pop fans rejoice! The release is through Bandcamp only.

Boice “How To Be An Adult”
Boice is certainly not your average power pop act, as African Americans rarely enter this genre. Brooklyn based Boice-Terrel Allen balances his influences (McCartney, Costello, Morrisey) with considerable skill on his opener “Itchy Boyz.” His lack of vocal range on “(That’s) The Sound” is made up by solid melody, skillful harmonies and song composition.

“Everybody Loves A Comeback” almost reminds me of Stew & The Negro Problem with dark narratives, and a twisted melody line.  At 15 tracks in total, it’s hit and miss – with most of the good stuff early on. And despite the racy BDSM cover image, this album is quite tame. The songs become progressively more “easy listening” on the deeper tracks, with some variety in the 50’s style mid-tempo “Wake Up! (Here’s The Part)” and the inspirational pep talk “Anchor Song (For Mary).”

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The Bowers, The Stanleys, and Smash Fashion

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The Bowers “Odds or Evens”
This Melbourne Australian band from gives us a real hidden gem. The tight riffs and vocals of Phil Gionfriddo make “Time Is Mine” a winner, and his cadence reminds me of Ed Rolland (Collective Soul). Taking a cue from 60’s Mod, the thumping beat and Byrdsian psyche-pop gives us “Going To Love Me Now.” This is near perfect garage pop with the harmonies, farfisa organ, driving riffs and wailing lead retro enthusiasts will cherish. It loses a little steam towards the end with the droning title track, but it’s worth uncovering for sure.
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The Stanleys “Always” EP
Another Aussie export, The Stanleys are a quartet that draws from classic 70’s bands like The Raspberries and Sweet with modern rock techniques similar to Weezer. Then you throw in studio wizards like Ken Stringfellow (REM, The Posies) and Michael Carpenter, and it’s a pretty impressive debut here. The hooks are strong on “Always” and “Kid’s Gonna Rock” and the sound is comparable to Vinyl Candy. Enjoy!
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Smash Fashion “Blame it on Brandy/Marionette” EP
LA based dandies led by Roger Deering and supported by veteran musicians, have a glam meets power pop sound. The thundering drums and crisp guitar riffs on “Brandy” demand attention. It’s a lot of fun, and the b-side “Marionette” is just as infectious with some great Brian May styled guitar solo work between the main verses. The band has a back catalog worth investigating, and I’ll be looking forward to the new full length LP.
SmashFashionMusic.com | CD Baby