Joey Sykes and Vitamin-D

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Joey Sykes “Human, Being Human”
I remember Joey Sykes played guitar with Elektra label artists Coward in 1996 and he had help back then from Roger Manning, Jr. (Jellyfish). Since that time he’s played for Meredith Brooks (“I’m A Bitch”),Tommy Henriksen and has been a busy session man for many years. Well, Joey’s come back to familiar territory with his solo album, and once again Manning is lending a hand here. Similar to Matthew Sweet or Butch Walker, Joey’s sound is a radio friendly guitar melody with layered rhythms. “Loveless Crowd” is a solid opener that proves his talent is ageless. The heavy production sound almost approaches arena rock, but remains very accessible on the title track and the standout “Where Did Everyone Go?” is a nod to his Coward years. And this being a more mature artist, you get plenty of solid power ballads like “I Love The Love We’re In”  and “This Is My Battlecry.” No filler here as the tracks stay true to the melodic rock milieu. Another standout “It’s Good To Be Alive” should be required listening for every discouraged soul out there. It ends out with an Eagles cover “Try And Love Again” which fits the albums theme perfectly.

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Vitamin-D “Bridge”
This album is a little different, but it’s melodic goodness will surprise many. Brooklynite Dennis Cronin is the trumpet wielding composer who is blessed with a gift for mixing jazz and classical elements with his pop songs. Opening with “Keeper” it marries bits of Beatles and Bacharach, so fans of Eric Matthews should take notice. Cronin’s subtle melodies are just delightful on “Bartlett Bridge.” The slowly building “Upstaged” draws you in and has you toe tapping by the first chorus. Vocally he’s closer to Peter Gabriel or  Lawrence Arabia without any falsetto. “Astoria Bridge” is another standout that combines a punchy beat with horn florishes. Many of compositions are meticulously constructed, making this a definite “headphones” album with soothing instrumentals (“Trumpet Moment 2,”) but after the albums midpoint the tempo slows to crawl and you may drift off to sleep. Beautiful orchestral pop that’s a bridge to a “Solid Day.”

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Paul Collins and Power Pop

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Paul Collins gives a great explanation of why Power Pop is important and why you should support the artists that I review here at Power Popaholic. God Bless You, Commander Collins!
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Justin Kline and A Bit Much

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Justin Kline “Triangle” EP
Nashville musician Justin Kline creates a masterful followup to his acclaimed Six Songs EP,  where he recovers from the tragedy of having someone steal his master tapes. Justin toiled on these and his persistence pays off in the catchy “Baby, You’re A Mess” which is followed by the waltzing melody of “Please Go Away.” The crown jewel here is “Alison, We Cannot Be Friends” with Justin’s ernest vocals and harmonies that shine bright. I’m glad Justin put this EP out and not let anything discourage him.  Fans of Jellyfish, Linus of Hollywood, and Marshall Crenshaw should get this right away. One of the best EPs I’ve heard this year.

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A Bit Much “You Deserve It” EP
This Boston based band is a quirky mix of Tally Hall and Spacehog.  A lot of attitude and spunk on the opener “Minimum Rhythm, Maximum Blues” takes you pretty far.  But these guys also know melody and lead vocalist Degan puts showmanship into “Starvation Wage,” with a full range of emotion and a strong rhythm with backing harmony. “I Can Rock Nobody Like Nobody’s Been Rocked Before” is a boogie piano number that really stands out as well. Props also go to musician Tim Bucha (keys) and Jonathan Francis Glancy (drums) for mixing bar blues and pop so effortlessly here. So is it “a bit much”? Maybe Degan’s theatricality is, but the price for this EP isn’t. Get it at Bandcamp for whatever price you like.

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The Dashing Suns and Billy Goodrum

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The Dashing Suns “Really Like You”
The summer wouldn’t be complete without a band full of swaggering garage pop that makes the best use of indie lo-fi esthetic and power pop catchiness.  Oakland based Dashing Suns take inspirations from many places, but the sound is a nice combination of The Buzzocks, Weezer and Apples In Stereo. The single “Sally Moore” will get your attention, full of lead jangle, blasting bass line and fast paced rhythm. But this is just the opener and the Kinksian “What I Want” is another great song, where the lead croons about a crush on the local slut, who treats him like crap. My favorite composition has to be “Future Thunder” which combines T.Rex and the Elephant Six with a massive guitar attack in the chorus between light campfire acoustic strums. “Shot Down” is a great piece of punk pop and “My Best Friend” is a perfect theme music for a”bromance.” The remaining tracks stay true to the indie pop energy that was on their debut EP. This album is a leap forward in growth without losing their soul, and making everything here even more infectious. This album is almost a guaranteed party starter.

Billy Goodrum “Weightless”
This album is a culmination of songs written by musician Billy Goodrum over an extended period, where he has primarily written for the feature films of the Farrelly Brothers. Goodrum’s originals are blessed with excellent compostion and stellar production. Starting with “I’ll Stay With You” the guitar melody shimmers and the album’s theme of love and romance rings true. “Hold On” is another sweet pop melody with a sticky chorus. Much of the lyrics aren’t that revelatory and pretty straightforward, like on the Elenor Rigby-like “Finished” where he states “a single man is incomplete, but a married man is finished.”  Like Seth Swirsky, this is a gentle pop that is a very pleasant addition to your easy listening collection. Other standouts are “Everlasting” and “Nerve Up” which is the most punchy pop track on the album. Both “We Should Always Be Together” from Kingpin and “The Way” from Something About Mary are included as bonus tracks. Overall, very enjoyable.

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