Tag: Dom Mariani

Power Popaholic Interview: Stéphane Schück of the Salt Collective

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The Salt Collective (2025)

🎙️ Salt Collective is a power pop band with a deep bench. This second full-length album “A Brief History of Blindness” is led by Parisian musician Stéphane Schück and features contributions from many power pop artists, including 1980s college rock icons Chris Stamey (who also produced), Mitch Easter (whose North Carolina studio birthed this album) and Let’s Active’s Lynn Blakely who sings lead or back-up on nearly half the tracks. Additional contributors include Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws, Jason Falkner, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Pat Sansone, Aimee Mann, and Andy Partridge.


We chat with Stéphane about the band’s history and the next album! Read the album review here!

Dom Mariani and The High Frequencies

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Dom Mariani

Dom Mariani “Apple of Life”

Australian guitarist Dom Mariani is one of the most popular musicians down under, having fronted several legendary bands like The Stems, DM3, Datura4 and The Someloves. His second solo album takes all these influences and adds very lush orchestration to his latest effort ‘Apple of Life.’ Mariani opens with “Breakaway,” a majestic Phil Spector-ish melody loaded with harmonies, and then continues on the title track. With “Apple of Life” he uses a strong rhythm, as it shimmers with those irresistible hooks. Songs opine on global anxiety with “World on Its Head” and “Sad State of Affairs.” Eventually things slow down with country-styled “Where Do Lovers Go?” adding a slide guitar flourish. This approach is also on “Take it All Back.” The melodies on the second half of the album vary stylistically from heavier rockers (“Breaking Point”) to sunny love songs (“Oh Angeline,”) and are performed with meticulous craftsmanship. Overall a highly recommended album.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

“The

The High Frequencies “The High Frequencies”

The High Frequencies is Lisa Mychols’ latest vehicle, and it fits her like a custom-tailored suit. Joined by Tom Richards, Scott Richards, and Ricky Tubb, she dives straight into high-voltage power pop with “Tonight and Every Night” and “Nothing Really Stays the Same”—both immediate, hook-loaded ear-grabbers.“See You Again” channels the punk-pop spark that made The Masticators so beloved, and the rest of the album shifts effortlessly between garage grit and new wave gloss. It’s the ideal setup for Mychols: no stylistic boxes, just a band agile enough to follow her melodic instincts wherever they lead.There’s zero filler, and the closer, “Nexus Star,” is a stunner. This is easily a contender for the year-end top ten.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

More singles and EPs: Aloud, The Well Wishers, Tommy Lorente, Cupid’s Nemesis, Dom Mariani, The Modbeats

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Cool band Aloud is led by Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain, and the single “The Sky’s In Love With You,” is a Cure-meets-Elvis Costello styled tune about a secret past haunting the narrator. Very nicely done! Get the EP here. The Well Wishers have “lost” single that Jeff Shelton reliably delivers with those guitar riffs. France’s Tommy Lorente continues his retro-themed power pop on this EP, check out “L’Animal” and the surf-guitar of “Voiture Automatique.” IPO sensations Cupid’s Nemesis have a freebie for you, perfect echoey garage pop. Aussie power pop icon Dom Mariani (The Stems) hasn’t lost a step after all these years with “Jangleland,” a place I’d love to spend time at. Finally, The Modbeats have an awesome Beatlesque single “ Fairweather Friends” and you will love it! Get the single here. Enjoy the music.




The Modbeats · Fairweather Friends