Jim Basnight and Marc Jonson & Ramírez Exposure

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Jim Basnight

Jim Basnight “Early Years”

Where did it all begin? Jim’s bohemian existence as a musical artist is chronicled and remastered as a series of early solo singles and some with his band The Moberlys. His energy is palatable on the 1977 openers “Last Night” and “Leave The Past Behind,” after being robbed in NYC. Songs like “I Return” scream “hit record” and Iggy Pop clearly influences “Sexteen.”

For fans of the early ’80s, the styles run from power pop, punk, and new wave. Basnight and The Moberlys have an edge few could claim at that time,  as “Country Fair” and “I Trust You” are both catchy gems. The Bo Diddley guitar on “Show Who You Are” and the bouncy sweet “Love is Beautiful” showcases Basnight’s many moods. Overall a 20-track lo-fi, fun listen and highly recommended.

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Marc Jonson, Ramírez Exposure

Marc Jonson & Ramírez Exposure “Turning On The Century: Volume 1”

Marc Jonson teams up with Ramirez Exposure and the long-awaited results do not disappoint. “Tape Recorder” opens with glorious harmonies worthy of Brian Wilson, and Curt Boettcher, and the songwriting has a melodic ethereal quality like the band America. From the light jangle of “Titling At Windwmills” to the expansive echoing vocal of “Sour Lemonade Sour.”

California sunshine is strong with the duo, and songs are mostly short mini-symphonic scaled gems – a great example is “Rain, Rain, Rain,” as it conjures visions of wide open spaces. The two alternate lead vocal duties and Marc sounds most comfortable on the breezy “I Don’t Know Your World.” The only pet peeve here is the hooks aren’t as strong in the album’s second half but that doesn’t take away from the superb musicianship here. Highly Recommended. Currently singles are on Amazon, and the full album is on Bandcamp.

Kool Kat Musik |Tape Recorder | Sound of the Real World

October EPs and Freebies: The Persian Leaps, The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club, Rum Bar Records, Canadian Invasion, Friends of Cesar Romero, The Chords UK, Gavin Guss

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New music that deserves to be heard. The Persian Leaps return with a fresh new EP, and they still impress with their solid songwriting on “Maybe Time Will Let Me Forget” and “Beautiful Inside.” It’s an early Halloween treat from The Bishop’s Daredevil Stunt Club on the Vanishing Point EP, with creepy synths on “Every Night I’m Dying” and heavy riffs on “Why You Ghosting Me Girl?” Both are recommended. Rum Bar Records’ newest sampler is another great FREEBIE, check out the strong female rockers Cindy Lawson and Abbie Barrett. Canadian Invasion is a bit more subtle in approach, check out the mid-tempo “Swim Club,” it’s one of the better singles this month. Friends of Cesar Romero adds some garage swagger and fuzz to their new EP. Each song rocks and it’s also a FREEBIE (no excuses)! The party continues with The Chords UK, check out the anthemic opener “All For Nothing At All” with its handclaps and high-energy riffs. Finally, a single cover from Gavin Guss, was initially done by The Police, but it sounds like a perfect Nick Lowe version.







Ken Sharp and The Boys With Perpetual Nervousness

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Ken Sharp

Ken Sharp “I’ll Remember The Laughter”

The Pandemic forced artists back into the studio, and many embraced the newfound “time” to create. But no one I know did as much as artist Ken Sharp, who created a veritable box set of 50 songs for his 7th album, I’ll Remember the Laughter. Assisted by his amazing co-producer Fernando Perdomo, he creates a series of love letters to 1970s-era bubble gum, power pop, glam, baroque, soul, and folk styles. Lots of standouts allow you to pick and choose a “best of” from the bunch.

Sharp has been an excellent writer, and curator of these musical styles and creates many memorable songs here. Even with the copious selection, his batting average is high when it comes to potential “hits.” Opening with the Todd Rundgren-like “Maybe Next Summer” it plays with key shifts, harmonies, and a satisfying guitar coda. His falsetto is so high on “Cracking This Heart of Stone” I thought it was a Diana Ross imitation, and it is such a lovely tune. I’ve mentioned in the past that his vocals are not everyone’s cup of tea, but it definitely grows on you. “Dennis” is baroque bubblegum with a theatrical flair, “It Pays To Be A Rock and Roll Star” has cool glam guitar riffs, and “Maybe You’re Right” has that pure power pop hook. You get the idea. Sharp also includes a bunch of previously released singles and some covers. Like an everlasting gobstopper of music, this is highly recommended, despite Sharp’s contention that “Nothing’s Everlasting.”

Volume 1 | Volume 2 |


The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness

The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness “The Third Wave Of​.​.​.”

The duo of Andrew Taylor (Dropkick) and Gonzalo Marcos (El Palacio de Linares) are back as The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness. The sophomore album “The Third Wave Of…” Is more of the same feel-good jangle that made their debut so engaging. “As The Day Begins” greets us with a sticky hook, a fast tempo, and glorious harmonies. Fans of The Byrds, Teenage Fanclub, and CSNY will find this as comfortable as a favorite sweater.

Another Pandemic album, there are lots of highlights here, one of my favorites is the ballad “Isolation” with the ethereal Mary Lou Lord on backing vocals.  The band hits its stride with the excellent combo of “In The Right” and “The Stars Go Round.” Both have superior melodies that are perfectly suited to Andrew’s smooth vocals. The remaining songs are also very good but don’t hook you as quickly. Still, no filler here, and very highly recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

October singles: Dolour, The Poppermost, Vanilla, Cold Expectations, Eric Barao, The Sobs

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Yeah, it’s time for hot new power pop singles! Dolour does a cover of one of the best Beach Boys singles of the Sunflower LP. Can’t miss those harmonies, but if your tastes run more to the Beatlesque side, then check out The Poppermost as they do it again with great skill. Vanilla continues with its 77 projects, and “Show Me A Sign” is a perfect amalgam of the mid-seventies pop influences, that reminds me of Pilot. Boston’s Cold Expectations does a solid job with the organ-heavy “Hey Compromise,” and Eric Barao is back with a magical lullaby full of flowing chord progressions and strings. The Sobs have this killer hook in the upcoming album, and I’ll whet your appetite with the opener “Air Guitar.”






John Larson & The Silver Fields and Push Puppets

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John Larson And The Silver FieldsDowling Poole

John Larson And The Silver Fields “Mile A Minute”

John Larson and The Silver Fields lean into the power pop genre more here than any previous album. The opener “Jeannie” hits all the right notes with a strong hook for his “go-to girl” and it’s a catchy delight. “Too Stupid To Stop” sounds like the mantra for every musician with a passion for music, and it’s another winner. Larson’s influences are both traditional from the late ’70s pop through the ’90s alternative, “Because of a Girl” and “Can’t Miss Kid” have a timeless quality, with memorable choruses particularly the latter, with its keyboard-guitar combo akin to early Todd Rundgren.

Yet Larson makes efforts not to stick to a specific style or emulate the past too closely. It’s that quality that makes this collection so special. The authentic rock and roll spirit lives on in “Dig It Out” and the daydreaming quality of the slower tempo “Smartest Guy In The Room” is like the lyrical opposite of the Beatle’s “Fool On The Hill” with just as much sonic depth. Not a wasted note here and no filler. Mile a Minute is immediately accessible and it begs for repeat listens. Highly recommended and makes my top 10 album list for 2022. Don’t miss it.

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Push Puppets

Push Puppets “Allegory Grey”

Push Puppets are a fresh new band from Palatine, Illinois. The band is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist Erich Specht and he definitely knows how to hook you with his great opener “There’s No One Else Like Lynette,” reminding me of The English Beat’s “Save It For Later” and just as catchy. Fans of The Finn Brothers and Crowded House will find a lot to love about Push Puppets; “Sometimes The Buds Never Flower,” and “The Bane of My Existence,” adds a similar bouncing tempo, jazzy touches, and smooth lyrical approach.

“Obvious” uses the soft verse-dramatic chorus to great effect, and then the band veers off into folk territory with “Perfect Picture.” While the first half of the album has the best material, the songwriting is never predictable and it often shows flashes of brilliance, like the chorus of “October Suprise.” This is a band you should keep your eye on… Highly Reccomended.

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