Tag: Dolour

Party Leftovers: Singles that deserve to be heard

powerpopaholic

I counted an additional 258 albums that I did not even get to fully examine last year, but rather than come out with my Top 10 Eps of 2023 (that’s next week) I will give you some much-needed singles (some are freebies) to keep you company.

Shane Tumarc (Dolour) sets the stage with a great cover of the Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year,” the energy of Rock Europa’s “Pick at the Scab” is infectious with a commanding melody line. Brower’s “Confrontation” is very much in the mold of early Frank Zappa with its faux 50’s call and response. Next, Rooftop Screamers has perfected the arena rocker single “Dead In The Water,” with a solid vocal by Rob Daiker. It’s been a good year, and The Armoires give us the gentle opening salvo on “Music & Animals,” a fitting theme for the ASPCA. Finally, Mo Troper had a big hand in 2023 with producing others (including himself), so “For You To Sing” includes friends Brenden Ramirez (Bory) and Blue Broderick (Diners). Fear not, as I have another singles post of 2023 songs that deserve to be heard! Stay tuned.






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

powerpopaholic

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.”






Dolour and The Popravinas

powerpopaholic
Dolour

Dolour “Origin Story”

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Dolour’s debut LP creator Shane Tutmarc took a selection of early songs and re-recorded them. After the great ‘Televangelist’ earlier this year – it’s interesting to hear some reimagined music that I wasn’t that familiar with. It’s essentially a combination of several EPs, and Shane still has an ear for catchy singles as the bouncy “Cleopatra Eyes” proves to be both light and infectious. “Naive” similarly charms with its layered harmonies in the chorus. The fuzz guitar enters the fray with “CPR” a terrific post-breakup song, and Shane’s approach is similar to Fountains of Wayne on “Before Tonight’s Big Party.”

The ballads have high points as well, with  “Next 2 U” with its flowing verses and melody.  There are also a few experiments that are interesting, like “Suburbiac,” a murder plot between two lovers. Some songs seem a little overproduced, like the dense “Ready To Fly” and the wonderfully written indictment of the music industry “I Smell A Lawsuit.” While not on par with his last LP, this is still a great group of Dolour tracks. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


The Popravinas

The Popravinas “Goons West”

The Popravinas (pope-rah-veen-ahs) are back! The California band led by Eddy Sill (The Mutts) is joined by John Adair (guitars, keyboards,) Dean Lyons (rhythm guitar,) and David Rodgers (drums) to create a well-tooled guitar sound influenced by The Rolling Stones, Soul Asylum, Whiskeytown, and The Old 97’s.  While they do have a ’90s garage-pop sensibility with songs like “Do The Creep” and “Minor Resistance,” when they add that country twang it takes them to another level.

“Self Made Derecho” is a distinctive catchy song and Ed’s vocal provides the perfect amount of sarcasm, and the cornpone approach of “Bunkin’ in Reno” is a joyful tale of couch surfing that brings to mind Mojo Nixon. The more traditional R&B, Stones-y tunes are similar to The Connection or Watts, with “Feasibility Holdout” and “Might Want Out” being standout tracks. Overall, a fine album that deserves to be heard.

Amazon

Dolour and Teenage Fanclub

powerpopaholic
Dolour

Dolour “Televangelist”

Shane Tutmarc, multi-talented singer-songwriter of Seattle band Dolour has been busy during the pandemic and last year’s highly recommended Royal We album. The lockdown provided him plenty of time to develop this power-pop gem.

The opening title track is a catchy synth melody with influences from the late ‘70s ELO and Supertramp with its layered guitar rhythm, bells, and handclaps. Next, “It Would Be A Delight” directs energy to get away “instead of giving in to the doom and gloom.” Shanes smart vocal phrasing is brilliantly cheerful, and even the bouncy horns of “Summer Rain” speak to the open and easy-going time. The choral harmonies are clean and subtle, and “A Sight For Sore Eyes” is a great mid-tempo ballad, but it’s the positivity running through the album that draws you in. “Pick Up The Phone” is another highlight, with its strong hooks and as things gradually slow down, you get a full instrumental version of the entire LP. After a few listens, you realize how tightly composed, well-written and detailed each tune is. Highly Recommended and earns a nod for my best of 2021 list.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Teenage Fanclub

Teenage Fanclub “Endless Arcade”

Endless Arcade follows Teenage Fanclub’s 2016 album Here, an album that shows just how much the band has mellowed over the past 30 years. Bassist Gerard Love left the group in 2018, leaving Norman Blake (vocals) and Raymond McGinley (guitar) to hold up the fort. The infectious but relaxed sounds of “Home” call back to an earlier time, when an extended guitar jam was a common occurrence in a song (Steely Dan anyone?) but in 2020 it feels like a distinct statement. It’s a lot less “teenage” and more “old age” for this Fanclub.

The theme of bittersweetness is laid bare in the title track and the keyboards of Euro Childs add a nice twist to the traditional composition. “Warm Embrace” echoes the Mod-era sound of The Who, with great harmonies and strong drum support. The insecurity of “Everything Is Falling Apart” features a compelling rhythm, and the wistful “The Sun Won’t Shine On Me” is a recognition of age that’s beautifully done. Unfortunately, they don’t hit those high marks again. The repetitive themes of time on “Back In The Day” and “The Future” make these dudes sound older than The Moody Blues. Fans and completists will definitely embrace this, but it would be nice to have the band sustain enough energy for an entire album.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

Exploding Flowers and Dolour

powerpopaholic
Exploding Flowers

Exploding Flowers “Stumbling Blocks”

The LA quartet Exploding Flowers bursts forth with influences from the ‘60s and ‘80s. Fans of The Soft Boys, early XTC, and The Three O’Clock will enjoy this. Those echoing Paisley Underground harmonies highlight the opener “A Daunting Thought” with its neon-psychedelic rhythm. The title track weaves together jangling guitar and power-pop chords brilliantly, and “I Need Your Devotion” adds a mesmerizing angular riff prior to the melody.

Singer-songwriter Sharif Dumani’s echoing lead vocals occasionally get overshadowed by the shoegazer-styled instrumentation, but when the beat and vocals are front and center on songs like “My Poor Heart” its simply great stuff. Other standouts include “Imagine All Possibilities,” and the spacey “Amongst Burnt Out Stars” which has a touch of Big Star in its DNA. What makes this album so special is it takes those influences and forms something both unique and familiar. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik


Dolour

Dolour “The Royal We”

Nashville musician Shane Tutmarc had many great pop varied influences, but his songwriting has always been impressive and after a 15-year layoff (while working on other projects) he gathered years of unfinished songs and recorded the best of them in The Royal We. This is top-shelf adult-oriented pop that starts very strong and mellows nicely by the album’s mid-point.

“Yes and No” is a brilliant single with a killer hook and “The Snake Eye” quietly burrows into your brain, in a manner like Gilbert O’Sullivan. “Drunk Dial,” tells a catchy story about those late-night calls, and the Bossanova flavored, “Wake Up The Sun” is a nice change of pace. “I Can Quit At Any Time” is a compelling narrative about his musical addiction. The bold pop of “Words I Thought You Said” contrasts with the smooth casual of “I’m Over It” and “Chasing the Summer Sun.” No real duds here and each song grows on you the more you listen to it. Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik