Powerpopholic

The Honeydogs "Sunshine Committee"

April 17, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

With all the bad news out there, it’s good to see some optimism from Adam Levy and his band The Honeydogs with their new mini-album, “Sunshine Committee.” While it’s not full of sugar, it does offer a less gloomy outlook than the previous effort “Amygdala.” Bassist Trent Norton contributes some great baselines to the opening title track and it works in tandem with Levy’s guitar. Add to this the rich horn section comprised of new members Matt Darling and Steven Kung that bring the group back to it’s rootsy sound. “Fiber Optic Paramour” is a cool story about how an online romance fails to fulfill happiness. The band channels Revolver-era Beatles perfectly on “Balaclava” and we get pretty funky a la Lenny Kravitz or Sly Stone on the laid back “Stash.” There are enough influences here to spread things around and Levy does a great job arranging the material with the assistance of his crew and if you want even more Levy you can check out his kids album Bunny Clogs on e-music. While not the revelation of “10,000 Years,” this album sort of falls short of a full length and is too long for an EP — either way it’s welcome news for pop fans.

My Space | Honeydogs site | Not Lame| Kool Kat Musik

Sunshine Committee – The Honey…

Welcome Home Walker, Green Go, Styles Make Fights

April 17, 2009April 17, 2009 powerpopaholic

Sometimes I get e-mail from new bands who may not even have a full length or long EP out, but they are trying to get their name out. So let me introduce:

WELCOME HOME WALKER this is a cool three Piece from Portland, OR. If you dig The Rubinoos, Elvis Costello, Smokey Robinson or The Clash this band will rock your boat. They’ll also be playing the International Pop Overthrow Fest this summer. The “Don’t Let Me Go” EP is ready so give a listen. They have a swinging mix of fifties and eighties styles mashed up in the power pop blender, with energetic guitars, drums and vocals. Listen to “Don’t Let Me Go” for a jolt of pop punk excellence! Listen to them at MySpace

Canadian electro-disco-pop 5-piece GREEN GO‘s debut album ‘Borders’, a funky fret and synth driven dance with a bit of a prog flavor thrown in. This is unique stuff that will appeal to fans of Animal Collective, The Clash, and Joy Division. Listen to them at MySpace

STYLES MAKE FIGHTS is a new group from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK and resembles an alcohol-soaked, pop band with rock and roll hearts on their sleeves, the music is full of loud guitars and pounding drums. They need more polish and a bit more production help, but they’re on the right track. These guys are unsigned so give a listen to them at MySpace

Valley Lodge "Semester at Sea"

April 15, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

Valley Lodge is the rock machine comprised of singer/guitar player, and world-class entertainer Dave Hill (Sons of Elvis, Uptown Sinclair, Cobra Verde); guitar player/singer John Kimbrough (Walt Mink), bass player/singer Phil Costello (Tragedy, Satanicide, Stynx, Children of the Unicorn), and drummer Rob Pfeiffer (Sense Field). In 2005, the debut album was one of the best power pop albums ever (in most critics top ten that year). Well the wait for a follow up is over and it kicks major butt. A sonic guitar attack worthy of Matthew Sweet opens up the album with “Break Your Heart” and the singalong chorus is instant ear candy. The album takes lots of late 70’s music cues, like “The Door” is a strutting combination of Slade, Sweet and Gary Glitter. The album gives no quarter as the sound gets smarter and the guitar work is just miles above other bands on tracks like “Baby, It’s A Shame” and “Barricade”. The energy here is similar to Sloan and Supergrass, and the Gene Simmons-like cocky attitude translates well to tracks like “If You Love Me” – where he tells his woman “if you love me come on down…” And the cover of Bob Welch’s hit “Sentimental Lady” is the only time the band slows down a bit, if you don’t count the acoustic ender “Lose Your Man” which sounds tacked on. But this does not take away from the amazing performances through most of the album. Although I’ve gushed on about Kimbrough and Hills’ guitar godliness, it’s also the strong songwriting and arrangements on every single tune that deserve equal tribute. Yes, power pop fans — this is a “must get” album.

My Space | CD Baby | Valley Lodge Music | Not Lame | Kool Kat Musik

Powerpopaholic interview with Fastball

April 14, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic

Not only did I get to review the album, but I contacted Miles Zungia of Fastball for a brief interview. Check out the interview button on the right or click here to read the Fastball interview.

True Lyrics Revealed Dept. Yes! It is finally revealed in this footage of Joe Cocker at Woodstock — what did he actually sing onstage that day, during “A Little Help With My Friends”? Scientists have used the latest technology to reveal it captioned for the clear-headed.

Fastball "Little White Lies"

April 14, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

Fastball was formed in 1994 by native Texans Joey Shuffield and Miles Zuniga along with So-Cal transplant Tony Scalzo. After “The Way” was released in 1998, Fastball moved to the big time and has been putting out quality albums ever since. After a four year break, Little White Lies is released today. One thing the band has kept up is the knack for coming up with great hooks that don’t leave your head. “All I Was Looking For Was You” is a textbook example of melodic rock with immediately accessible riffs and hand claps. The sweet harmonies are as tight as ever on “Always/Never” and showcases the bands mellower side. Another standout “The Malcontent (The Modern World)” is very reminiscent of “The Way” in song structure, and the lyrics are a scathing comment on the rock star life. The other tracks here are also fully engaging, including the title track “Little White Lies” and the European flavored “Angelie.” My favorite track here is the awesome instrumentation and arrangements on “Mono to Stereo” guaranteed to get your head moving to the beat. The approaches slightly change from track to track and keep things moving well, “She’s Got the Rain” is another gem, lead with a great piano rhythm. The band loosens up even more as the album moves forward, for example the part Stones, part Dylan-like “We’ll Always Have Paris” is rousing bar room guitar romp, with some nice harmony accents. This is a refreshing release that fans of Fastball will cherish, as well as newer fans that aren’t familiar with them. So yes, this is a highly enjoyable and recommended addition to your ipod playlist.

My Space | Fastball Website