Powerpopholic

L’Avventura "Your Star Was Shining"

February 14, 2009July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

It is most satisfying when you hear an artist who sounds like he’s lived through this music. And lead singer/songwriter Jeff Davis set up shop with Fergus Griffin (guitar) and Also Silver (bass) to write a big fat love letter to all the girls he’s loved before. The group settled together in San Francisco involved producer Bond Bergland, and producer Jeff Saltzman (Green Day, Two Gallants, The Killers) and included drummer Michael Urbano (Sheryl Crow, Cake, John Hiatt). “Your Star Was Shining” is a gloriously tuneful collection of rock-songs with an emphasis on songwriting and melody. It seems equal influence between Bryan Ferry, T-Rex and Elvis Costello and the opening track “Swandive” is a great opening here, as the rock star Lothario picks up the girl. The next track “Pretend You Don’t See Me” is a slick slice of Britpop with sophisticated arrangements and the delicate “Rocket Girl” is a sweet sister track to Paul Simon’s “Judy’s Comet.” This showcases the brilliant acoustic balladry and it’s one of the best tracks here. Since almost all the songs are about girls, it’s fitting that each one has it’s own unique flavor and most are great pop. “Miss Yugoslavia” is a bouncy mid-tempo number that recalls both McCartney and The Honeydogs, and Davis really sounds Costello-like here. The strutting guitar riffs in “Black Venus” make it another gem, recalling The Stones “Brown Sugar” (in both subject and style). “Queen Of The Forest” is full of sophisticated pop charm and stands as another winning track. I was more enamored by the slower songs on the album, as you can really appreciate the well written lyrics throughout. No fillers here, and the ending track is “Here’s To Absent Friends” melts The Beatles with Oasis-like swagger “We fanned the bonfire/ And we got guitars/ I’ll see you in the ethers, baby” in a richly orchestrated finale.

Overall, a real winner of a debut here and no doubt it makes my top 10 for 2009. Highly recommended and even better… we highly suggest you visit L’Avventura’s Website before March 1st.

My Space | CD Baby | E-music | Lala

Queen of the Forest – L’Avvent…

Here’s to Absent Friends – L’A…

More of Roger Manning and Brandon Schott

February 13, 2009April 4, 2018 powerpopaholic 1 Comment

After our interview, Roger Manning has continued to tour the interview circuit promoting “Catnip Dynamite” and if you wanted to hear even more from him, Phil Andrews got some more in depth from Roger in his interview from Palo Alto Pop Overthrow. There us also an interview with Ricky Free from Blue Sky Secret, a great new pop talent.

Brandon Schott is an LA-based singer-songwriter who has beaten long odds and my friend at Too Poppy blog is very excited about a new series of FREE demo downloads that Brandon is making available on to the public. The first offering is a cover version of Bjork’s “All is full of love.” He’s also got a video too.

Read about it on the Too Poppy blog. You will want to visit the site on the 10th of every month to get a new song. Or you can just download “All is full of love” now.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals "Cardinology"

February 13, 2009July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Reviewed by Mike Z.
Let me get this out of the way right now: This is a Ryan Adams album and the Cardinals are studio musicians with instructions to stay nondescript.

Ryan Adams demonstrates the requisite confidence of a lead man in “Take It Easy”, as he sings with a coolness all artists aspire to and few realize. The coda borders on the anthemic, but one of Adams’ talents is that he has the utmost taste in knowing when a song is over and not fishing it dry. Lyrically this faith in what he sings is underscored by a cursory review of his lyrics. He doesn’t ask many questions, he makes declarations almost exclusively. Some border on the heavy handed, but the sparseness of the music lets you know that this is heartfelt and not preachy. I wish I could say otherwise, but “Magick” starts off with a Bryan Adams riff, and the song remains about on par with anything Bryan did. That is, it doesn’t demand too much attention, but it moves just enough to earn respect as a decent power pop song. “Cobwebs” is almost a love letter to U2. The familiar tom tom rhythm and new wave chords work in concert complete with faux grandiloquent vocals, and the next track (“Let Us Down Easy”) bolsters this assertion, sounding like a lost track from All That You Can’t Leave Behind.

Add half a point to this disc if you are impressed (as is this reviewer) with artists of the singer/songwriter ilk who do not indulge in egregiously long songs and three and four syllable lyrics that ruin any sense of directness or the effect of getting lost in the sentiment of the song. The simplicity of the arrangements gives this effort back much of its credibility. “Stop” is also guilty of not being the first song of its kind, but it definitely reaches through to another degree of emotion and immediacy. This is a lilting, melancholy song, yet it is the one you should seek out. It underscores Adams’ particular talent of letting the spaces between the notes and words do some of the most resounding work. I could see leaving this in my MP3 player and saving it for a night of friends, wine and cheese, background music, and the obligatory Dockers commercial (“What the hell happened to us?”) reference. Cardinology is good enough, however, that I could also envision some furtively asking who is the artist playing.

My Space | Cardinology Web Site | Itunes

Van Halen Asteroids Game

February 11, 2009February 11, 2009 powerpopaholic

I know this is a music blog, but it’s somewhat related — It’s a variation on the classic Asteroids, that you play directly on your computer (no download needed). Use your flying David Lee Roth to fight your way through the universe. Shoot at Van Halen logos, and head shots of the band (including Sammy Hagar!) Hilarious! Go Play Van Halen Asteroids!

The Tomorrows "Jupiter Optimus Maximus"

February 11, 2009July 6, 2024 powerpopaholic

Members of The Roswells, one of the best Canadian pop bands ever, have formed this new group. This new release by The Tomorrows, follows the classic power pop template, with elements of Velvet Crush, Big Star, and Badfinger all come into play here. “Effortless Lee” is everything a fan could hope for in an opening single, with melodic jamming and swirling riffs that take the best of The Roswells sound and add the Beatles/Badfinger elements to the mix. “Love Is Dead” brings forth comparisons to Cheap Trick and The Rubinoos, with great chord changes and impressive backing harmonies. The title track is an expansive janglefest that recalls the past, but follows the band in a light mid-tempo mode about the largest temple in Rome. It follows with the gem “Don’t Worry About Me” complete with heavier guitars and smooth harmonies along the lines of Teenage Fanclub. The subject matter is also fresh, for example “Anime” is fanboy dream theme that sparkles with “You’ve got eyes so big, they’re scary pretty… I wanna be in Anime with you.” Every track here is excellent, without any filler to be found – although the ending six minute opus “Remember” drags into a wandering jam session. But there is enough rock and roll goodness here to have The Tomorrows earn my first nomination to the best of 2009 list! Kool Kat Musik is offering a bonus disc with this release which include live tracks and a Beatles tribute! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge – say no more!

My Space | CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik