Greg Pope "Blue Ocean Sky" FREE DOWNLOAD

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Christmas comes early with this gift from Greg Pope. His new album Blue Ocean Sky contains the same impeccable rock we’ve come to love and make many top ten lists every year (including ours). The opener “The Awful Whisper” has a great Posies meets Bad Company styled wall of guitar sound. “My Resignation” boasts early Who mod-era abrupt guitar riffs and “Head Above Water” channels a little Argent with Greg’s unique guitar and drum interplay.

The brilliance continues with “I Tried To Like You” a jangle filled delight and the remaining tracks are equally impressive. The catchiness of the melodies on the album’s second half don’t reach the highs of the earlier tracks, but you’ve got Greg’s holiday track from last year “Christmas Snow” and the majestic closer “Keeping A Band Together” to round things out. It’s tough to come up with adjectives that really describe how good Pope is at his job – like all the power pop legends, we’ve come to expect greatness at this point. Best of all, this album is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD until December 20.

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Anny Celsi "Christmas In The Pines"

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Anny Celsi had a great debut and this year has a new treat. Fresh as Oregon snow, a new holiday tune – “Christmas in the Pines”. It features Nelson Bragg (Brian Wilson Band) on acoustic guitars, percussion and backing vocals – Paul Lacques (I See Hawks in LA) on lap steel, and Carl Byron (Ben Vaughn, Syd Straw, Michelle Shocked, etc.) on accordion. Buy this beautiful single on CD Baby.

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Holiday Treats from Kool Kat and Popboomerang

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Various Artists “A Kool Kat Kristmas”
Wow! A real gift this season is this album full of great original power pop compositions with a Christmas theme. Maple Mars “Christmas Time In The City” has California-styled harmonies and brilliant melodies. The Smith Brothers give us “Every Day Is Like Christmas” with requisite hand claps in the catchy chorus. The Parallax Project gives us a tender rockin’ “All I Want For Christmas Is A Chance.”And I love the Britannicas hilarious “Chris Hillman Christmas” full of country twang and side-splitting lyrics (“I’d rather go to jail than see The Eagles re-form again”). Andy Goldberg does great double-duty with The Sun Kings “Santa’s Calling” and the positively wonderful “Channukah Guy.” Every artist puts forth a good track, so there’s no filler or coal to be found in this stocking. You should get this CD for another reason: $5 of every purchase will be donated to The Susan Giblin Foundation, named for the late wife of Mike Giblin (Parallax Project) who’s goal was to support animal wellness and welfare. Get this excellent compilation and an angel gets it’s wings too (really!)

MySpace | Kool Kat Musik | Amazon

Various Artists “Popboomerang 2010 X-Mas Party Sampler”
Popboomerang Records is an Australian music label formed by Scott Thurling that specialises in all forms of melodic pop and rock (power pop, jangle, folk & punk pop). I’m familiar with many past artists, but Scotty’s got a new crop of talent for this compilation. This holiday season we get a free sampler from the label with a few standouts, including Celadore’s exciting version of “Rocking Around The X-Mas Tree” and the solid vocals and horns of D.Rogers “Knocked Down The House.” Almost no traditional holiday music here but, fans of punk-pop like Shonen Knife will appreciate The Solomons “Evening Empire” and Georgia Field’s gentle folk ballad “Christmas Ribbon.” It’s a free download, so drink it in and be merry!

Popboomerang  | Free Download from Bandcamp
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Various Artists "Rockin the Mistletoe from SideBMusic"

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Rockin’ The Mistletoe is a holiday compilation from pop/rock label SideBMusic that’s a real holiday treat. Starting with an elaborate piano rhythm by Grammy Award winner Scott Bennett, it will definitely put you in a festive mood. Another pop gem comes from the amazing Chris English on “Christmas Isn’t Christmas” full of dulcet  tones. “Christmas Morning” by James Carter Cathcart is the definition of a traditional holiday pop ballad.

It’s not all serious either, as “The Christmas Bunny” is a Beach Boys styled romp about the Easter Bunny taking over Santa’s job during an untimely sick day. There is also a jazzy ballad from The Zummos,” There Won’t Be A Christmas Without You” full of cool harmonica flourishes. Some SideB favorites make appearances, like Richard Snow and Laurie Biagini and they continue the Wilsonesque Christmas vibe. More gems include Rob Bonfiglio’s “Warm Lovin’ Christmastime” and the warm strums of Paulina Logan’s “Not Alone At Christmas.” And even though it’s less “rockin” than other holiday compilations, with the addition of songs by Taylor Mills and Eric Matthews, you’ve got a mighty fine chestnut.

SideBMusic | CDBaby | Amazon

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