Japanese Power Pop Special! 日本のパワーポップ·ミュージック！

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Certain countries really embrace power pop as a viable genre; Sweden, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Australia and the UK are included. But Japan may have the most fanatical fans, as ex-members of the band Jellyfish (Jason Faulkner, Andy Sturmer) found growing adulation there. Even if its not English language, you’ll know power pop when you hear it – so I did a few quick reviews…

The Mayflowers “Bremen Rock ” and “Red Balloon”
We mentioned The Mayflowers last week, but after going through their past catalog, I had to showcase them again. They have a knack for borrowing great song parts and making it all sound highly original and enjoyable. After you get Plymouth Rock, come back and get the other LPs. Highly recommended, get the albums domestically at Jam Records.
My Space | Bremen Rock | Red Balloon | Thistime Records


Onepercentres “Daydreaming Horses”
This band actually played at IPO, they have a harder rock sound, very similar to Green Day, Gin Blossoms, and The Goo Goo Dolls. The put a ton of power into their performance and let those fuzzy riffs do the work. And they sing in English too!
OnePercentres website | Thistime Records


Scott Goes For “Scott Goes For”
Crisp tight melodic arrangements have made the band Scott Goes For very comparable to Skeleton Staff and The Wellingtons. The band members are all veteran musicians supporting pop indie bands Pains of Being Pure At Heart and The Wellingtons on tour in Japan last year. A local critic called their debut “… a masterpiece that should be engraved in the history of Japanese rock.”

Scott Goes For website | Thistime Records


Hello “First Full Album (munasawagi pocket)”
Well you can’t get more poppy than this! Jellyfish and ELO influences are really strong here, despite the lack of English (but some English comes out in a few verses). The chords and harmonies are impressive and undeniably joyous. The album title “munasawagi” translates to “premonition.” But you don’t need ESP to enjoy this superior example of J-pop.
Hello website | Thistime Records


We’ve come a long way from those days when all I knew was Puffy AmiYumi! Fun Fact: in 2008 in Osaka, Mike Viola and Bleu were surprise wedding guests, and played “That Thing You Do!” for the happy couple.

Bryan Scary “Daffy’s Elixir”

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I’ll be damned if Bryan Scary doesn’t have the stage musical already choreographed for Daffy’s Elixir. It’s a prog-pop concept album with huge scope that drops on April 18, but downloads are available now.

“The Wicked Frontier,” slowly fades into view, a grand introduction with long gorgeous harmonies across it’s Smile-kissed strings and “Happy Trails” rhythm. Then the train pulls into “Ziegfield Station” one of the album highlights, as it zips from player piano to organ to moog and back again. The melody’s hook is repeated with a perfectly chugging outro. Then it kicks in overdrive with “Cable through your Heart” a Scary version of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with multiple melody lines and dizzying tone changes. It’s basically the musical version of a tossed salad, and its the exhausting heart of the album.

Wrapped in Floydian Wall of distorted vocal “Silver Lake Mining Company” is a fuzzy musical treat with a dream-like melody at its chewy center. “Diamonds!” is pop in a lush configuration with harp and harpsichord woven together in the chorus. “Ballroom Kid” is another strutting standout that recalls Imperial Drag. But fatigue sets in with “You Might Be Caught In Tarantella,” and even though a few gems are found on the second half of the album (like “The Tale Of Opal Dawn” and “Day-Glo Waterfalls”) it wears out its welcome quickly. Out of the massive 15 tracks here, the mellow “Quicksilver Daisy Day” appears to be the best coda. The mediocre tunes turn a truly great album into merely a very good one. Scary seems to have been caught up in this melodramatic, grandiose mock-opera, making Daffy’s Elixir taste more like strong whisky instead of sweet wine. However after half a bottle, you’ll be pretty dizzy and satisfied.

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The Phantom Six and The Brixton Riot

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The Phantom Six “Plastic Rain”
These six rockers from West Virginia are Mark Poole (lead vocals/guitar), Billy Sheeder (guitar), Billy Matheny (bass), Clint Sutton (drums) and Woody O’Hara (percussion). Opening with “Corianna” it kicks down the doors with a sonic assault similar to The Foo Fighters and Superdrag. The followup “Inspiration” mines both British Invasion garage with Mod touches, and “About Love” keeps those tasty riffs in the chorus. The title track has everything you need, with vocal harmonies, hand claps and a fun hook that keeps your head bobbing.

Fans of The Raspberries and The Flaming Groovies will enjoy “Scenes Like This” even if Poole’s vocal gets overshadowed at times by the great guitar work. Lots of impressive reverb and energy throughout the album make it an easy recommendation. More highlights include the Kinksian “Into My Dreams,” and “Emily Einstein.” Enjoy!

CD Baby | Amazon

 

The Brixton Riot “Palace Amusements”
After the cool debut EP The Brixton Riot decided to live up to their namesake and emulate Husker Du and The Replacements with this new LP. “Hard To See The Sun” and “Canvas Shoes” are very memorable rockers. But the band’s mid-tempo numbers don’t stick as well, but the band is redeemed on the hilarious “Hipster Turns 30.”  A crafty tune that features a great strumming rhythm and memorable lyric.

When the band moves from its core 90’s sound on “Carmelita” it gets interesting with a funky beat and waltz in the middle eight! Fans of both Thin Lizzy and The Lemonheads will also dig the fast tempo riff work featured on “Ocean Avenue” and “Losing Streak.” Overall, Palace Amusements is great driving music with a vintage tone and punk-like energy.

 CD Baby | Amazon

David Myhr and Jay Gonzalez

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David Myhr “Soundshine”
All you need to know about Sweden’s David Myhr is that he was part of the Merrymakers. And they were one of the best power pop bands of the nineties (even Jellyfish Andy Sturmer was a fan). After the band’s demise, David suddenly found he had enough material for a solo album. Collaborators on Soundshine include Peter Morén (of Peter Bjorn and John) and Andreas Dahlbäck, who co-produced.

David’s melodic talents are still top notch, so fans of The Feeling, Jellyfish and Farrah will love this. Starting with “Never Mine” its got the hooks and hummable chorus sure to stick with you. The bubbly “Looking For A Life” and “Got You Where He Wanted” comes closest to that old Merrymakers ELO inspired sound. “I Love The Feeling” has a nice Beach Boys feel and infectious bounce that make it my favorite here. “Cut To The Case” has an 80’s flavor — a bit like Aussie band, The Go-Betweens. Each tune has its own charm, like the Beatlesque “Ride Along” where the tone is so upbeat, it will lift the sourest mood. Overall the apt-titled, Soundshine is chock-full of fantastic power pop, delivering one masterful melody after another. And so far it’s at the top of my year end best album for 2012 list.

Jay Gonzalez “Mess of Happiness”
Drive-By Truckers keyboardist Jay Gonzalez has released one of the years best retro pop albums. The material recalls the best of breed 70’s DIY, a la Todd Rundgren’s Something/Anything?. The crunchy riffs of “Punch of Love” literally knock you back and the multi-tracked harmonies in the chorus keep you engaged. The complex arrangements, and awesome hooks are in each tune, from the gentle love song “Luisa” to the organ chord shifts of “Baby Tusk” (even the lyrics reference the 70’s). Another theme for this album (and this blog) could be “Turning Me On” about the joys of discovering classic pop music.

No doubt if this album came out in 1973 it would be at the top of the charts, but in the messed up era we live in it will not get the credit it deserves. The Big Star meets Seals & Crofts tune “The Will” is another example of mining those influences to for great melodic effect. The jangle and genius of “I Urge You” is another gem among many that will demand repeat listens. The short faux punk “Tension” gives way to a wicked guitar solo, and it seems a perfect set up for the mellow “The Other Side.” Another top ten best album nominee for 2012. Don’t miss it!

Itunes | Amazon