A favorite of this site, Jeff Litman continues to gain traction with last year’s “Postscript” album. His recent NYC shows and great music videos like this one really help spread the word. Oh Yeah!
The Power Popaholic Interview: Taylor Locke
Taylor Locke is the lead guitarist of California’s Rooney. He’s also formed a new band with Chris Price (Price), Mikey McCormack (Everybody Else) and Charlotte Froom (The Like) called Taylor Locke and The Roughs. I was lucky enough to speak with Taylor (and we don’t even mention his famous ex-girlfriends) but we do talk about how the band got together and his relationship with Rooney frontman Robert Schwartzman and both new albums. Get his latest album here.
Listen to my interview with Taylor Locke here!
(about 20 minutes long… so let it stream)
Andy Stone and Elephant Stone
I leave no Stone unturned today! These puns are lethal, Doh!
Andy Stone “You Don’t See Many Of These Nowadays”
Boston native Andy Stone is a McCartney/Davies styled vocalist who puts together his sophomore album with tight hooks and descriptive lyrics. Opening with “It’s Love,” it’s a pastoral melody that’s sparsely orchestrated. Much like George Usher, Andy leads with his vocals out front and the melodies highlighted. While the vocals are okay, it also means a few instrumental parts get toned down a bit too much in the mix, like the bass and rhythm guitars. Luckily, the songs are very well written here like “I Remember Me” which recall The Left Banke slightly. “Talk About Love” is another gem that could’ve fallen off a Spongetones album. Beatles references are added in the obscure “Magic Alex” – and the best tunes here are the simple piano or instrumental bits that play off Andy’s naked vocal, like the wonderful “Your Need.” The songs are very skillfully composed, but also underproduced in my opinion, almost like a demo. Fans of Glen Tilbrook and Mike Mazzarella will also find plenty to enjoy here.
Elephant Stone “The Seven Seas”
High Dials alum Rishi Dhir has struck out on his own, with trippy raga and pop in mind. Produced by by Jace Lasek (The Besnard Lakes) and assisted by Dials guitarist Robbie MacArthur, “The Seven Seas” opens with the gentle jangle of “Bombs, Bomb Away” a slightly psychedelic pop song that you can hum along to. Musically this isn’t that far from The High Dials, although Rishi has his own take on pop that is closer to this band’s namesake: The Stone Roses. This is perfectly pleasing – and tunes like “The Seven Seas” and “Oh Heartbreaker” are great examples of tight melody and rhythm working in sync. Fans of Teenage Fanclub, or The Gurus will surely enjoy these tunes. Eventually Rishi’s Indian influence comes out on the albums second half. We get a sitar based journey in “The Straight Line” which is very trippy, but not that poppy. Then on “Don’t You Know” it becomes a majestic and magical raga pop mix with distorted guitars, sitars and reverb that end the album cleanly. Clearly this is an album that’s “worth the trip!” Already he has a new EP out called “Glass Box.”
Boo Hoo ha. Supergrass breaks up.
Supergrass is no more. They were working on “Release the Drones”, their 7th studio album – now who knows if it will ever be released. The band’s statement says, “Thanks to everyone who has supported us over the years. We still love each other but, cliché notwithstanding, musical differences have led to us moving on and of course we all wish each other well in the future.” In my opinion, they peaked with “In It For The Money” and they stayed consistent up till “Diamond Hoo Ha.”
Richard X. Heyman "Intakes"
With all the work on the Doughboys, I just recalled a solo project of that power pop journeyman, Richard X. Heyman. Originally released to fans who bought “Actual Sighs” in advance, it’s now available as a download only album. And, no Heyman doesn’t toke on a hookah, that’s just a clever cover, and the music is like a “best of” bonus tracks. RXH is assisted by notable friends like Ed Stasium (Smithereens), Kurt Reil (Gripweeds), Michael Mazzarella (Rooks), and bandmates Andy Resnick, and Nancy Leigh. There are 17 tracks here of assorted quality but there is plenty to love here, starting with the absorbing “And I Really Don’t Mind” and “Woulda Coulda Shoulda” which sound closer to his “Cornerstone” era. You would expect gems littered all over this collection of leftovers, and that’s true on the lovely “Scars Of A Cat Lover” full of a chorus sung in rounds, the emotional Costello-like “Set Up Town” and Byrdsian janglefest that is “Down In Merry Land.” Obviously fans of Heyman should get this, but any power pop fan who missed it deserves to discover the joys of RXH. He’s currently working on a concept double album next.
My Space | Amazon