The new, and greatest release from Roger Klug— ten years in the making, is everything power pop fans have been waiting for. Fans of Roger Manning, Steve Eggers, Bleu, Mike Viola, will find everything to love about this album. Full of variety and complex melodies, it will take many listens to really appreciate everything here. Opening with the ringing guitars of “Tinnitus” it establishes Klug’s early volley of guitar heavy brilliance. It’s followed by the aggressive “Dump Me Hard” which end in a screaming eenie-meeny-miney-moe! The Partridge-styled “An Artist in the Field” is followed by the jangling highlight “Girl After My Own Heart.” Other songs have incredible guitar breaks (“About Time”) or turn out a perfect musical bridge (“A Girl Like That”) similar to The Wondermints. Other gems include “The Day I Had My Brain Removed” and the stunning “Hi-Hat” and “Bi-Curious” are full of dense riffs that give Greg Pope a run for his money. Even “Man’s Man” will recall Joe Jackson’s early spirit and energy. The eight minute ending song “Your Diary” didn’t drag at all and reprises a few of the album’s earlier melodies, like a grand finale should. A few don’t float my boat, like the show piano ditties “Witch From Hell” and “Bogeyman,” but that’s me being picky. There are more highlights here that I can mention, and Klug really mixes his tuneful melodies with a deft touch I’ve not heard since Andy Partridge himself. Like manna from heaven, it should be savored again and again.

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In his first solo album of new material since 2004’s “Rolling Ball,” it’s refreshing to hear from Michael again in vintage form. As one of the top power pop talents on the globe, Carpenter here gives a clinic on how to write, perform and record a great album. Starting with the highly catchy “Can’t Go Back,” the song showcases his Beatlesque percussion and strong melody. Written between 2006 and 2008 at his studio in Sydney, Australia, the lyrics reflects the dark mood and somber themes of creative despair, lost love and failure that contrast with the familiar upbeat rhythms. For example on the title track, he intones “Heaven help the fool who falls a victim to desire…” Being a one man band, the guitar work on each track is strummed to perfection. The honky tonk flavor on “Workin’ For A Livin” makes for perfect toe tapping theme to the drudgery of employment. Michael then combines elements of Jellyfish and Queen to create the creative “The King Of The Scene.” After such a stellar first half, we slow down with a ballad (“Don’t Let Me Down Again”) before he boils down his life to the “Middle of Nowhere” where his soul just pours out. This track is the pinnacle of the album and a personal highlight for me. The remaining tracks are almost as strong lyrically as well as melodically. “Falling Down” is an uplifting confessional gem with a clean multitrack vocal chorus. Clearly, this is the strongest Carpenter album since his debut “Baby.” For a limited time, a bonus disc version of the album will be available. Entitled “The Stripped Redemption #39”, it presents the whole album with minimal accompaniment, highlighting the vocal arrangements of the material. If you aren’t that familiar with Carpenter’s work (what rock have you been hiding under?) this is a fine place to start, as well as last year’s compilation “Up Close.”

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