Tag: Nick Frater

Nick Frater and Phil Thornalley

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Nick Frater

Nick Frater “Aerodrome Motel”

Crydon, UK resident Nick Frater follows up his blockbuster Earworms album with a much lighter pop touch on Aerodrome Motel. Opening with the jaunty “The Pleasure is Mine,” it has a sweet melody that reminds me of Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) with its easy-going hook. A power pop crunch comes from “Love Heist” as it pulls out every lyrical police cliche “Calling all cars there’s a love heist happening to me!” But this single is a great earworm with a worthy mix of Elvis Costello-styled organ and guitar punch.

Frater has given us a chorus of upward scales on the Anglophilic “Aerodrome Motel” and lively horns on “Rough & Tumble” but not everything sticks. The lovelorn “No Hard Feelings” is missing the dramatic power needed in a chorus, and “Dancing With A Gertrude” feels like an old 1980s sitcom theme. Despite the misfires, there are plenty of tunes to enjoy, including Beatle-adjacent “Dear Modern Times.” Highly Recommended.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik | Big Stir Records

Phil Thornalley

Phil Thornalley “Now That I Have Your Attention”

Phil Thornalley has moved beyond his Astral Drive projects and turned himself into a one-man Traveling Wilburys. “Maybe we should have called it the Traveling Phil-burys,” Thornalley jokes, “but I enjoyed the earlier ELO records, and the way they married a crummy beat combo with the grandeur of a full orchestra – it was over-the-top but infectiously musical..”

Taking musical cues from Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra), Phil is clearly having fun with the opener “Heaven in a Hash Pipe” with its blues riffs and orchestral flourishes. But Phil’s vocal is much closer to Tom Petty, especially on the follow-up “Hell Bent on Compromise,” with its strat guitar and layered harmonies. It comes together perfectly on “Fast Car” with a killer hook in the chorus, guaranteed to have you singing in a “traffic ja-a-a-am.” The song concepts are simple, and succeed with the catchy “High on Your Supply” and “Stand By Love” as they are also easy to sing along to. While a few tunes veer over into fan service too much, you’ll be having too much fun to notice when you hear the glam rock beat of “Solid Gold Sunshine.” Highly Recommended.

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Nick Frater and Scott Gagner

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Nick Frater

Nick Frater “Earworms”

Nick Frater is a 60s/70s sophisticated-pop connoisseur from Croydon, UK. Earworms are exactly what power popaholics look for in a song, and Nick does a great job by letting his work just burrow into your brain. Lots of period influences are combined to make something new, yet familiar. Staring with “It’s All Rumours” with help from Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfsh) it flows sweetly into the ELO-styled chorus. Then the wicked lead opens “Buggin’ Out,” another standout that will have you singing “doo-wops” till the end.

The “hits” keep coming with the mid-tempo “With Heavy Heart,” and shifting key changes of “Lucky Strike” which again mines Queen for its guitar flourishes. The smooth gloss of “Star Crossed” is almost like Jeff Lynne joined Seals & Crofts. And the ender “How To Survive Somebody” evokes both Elton John and The Carpenters. Each song is like a handcrafted love note to that era, and it makes for irresistible replays. Highly Recommended and another candidate for the top ten albums of 2021. Don’t miss it!

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Scott Gagner

Scott Gagner “BloodMoon”

A lot of introspective music came out of the great pandemic this year. But none so personal and deeply emotional as Scott Gagner’s BloodMoon. With the help of  Ken Stringfellow (Posies), the soaring “Rise” is an early high point, about a family moving from a natural disaster. The ghostly “Twice In A Lifetime” follows these thoughts half-spoken and half-sung in a trance-like state. The album centerpiece is “I Don’t Get Out Much Anymore” a soulful heart-breaking ballad.

Scott seems to channel his inner Lee Hazlewood for sublime “My Shadow” but after that, it gets very spacey with “On The Moon” and “Orion.” It seems to be more like a calming ASMR vibe, with meditations on the past. Even when the tempo speeds up on “Year At A Glance” and “1977” it feels like a sleepy reminiscence of events. While I did enjoy the first third of the album, it took more effort to appreciate the rest. The complex arrangements are a plus, but the brooding atmosphere will not appeal to everybody.

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Nick Frater and Greg Pope

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Nick Frater

Nick Frater “Fast & Loose”

Nick Frater has been very productive, after last year’s top-ten album Full Fathom Freight-Train, he released the experimental 59 Vignettes and like an Energizer bunny, he keeps going. This new album Fast and Loose is out on Big Stir Records label.

After a nondescript instrumental we get the optimistic “Let’s Hear It For Love” a driving opener with a memorable chorus, with just enough of a Beatles vibe to make a favorite. While “Luna” marches along to a pounding beat, the best is yet to come. Frater’s ability to craft a lovely ballad with “That Ship Has Sailed” and “Moonstruck” remains in fine form. The albums second half doesn’t loose stream with the pensive “So Now We’re Here” as the hooks take hold in the verses, and the Beach Boys styled magic is all over “Would You Like To Go?” Fans of The Explorers Club will like that one, and the only misfire here is the bombastic “Cocaine Gurls,” a two-minute song stretched to four with a chaotic guitar solo laid over it. However, Nick’s songs are primarily memorable, and that makes this one highly recommended.

Amazon | Big Stir Records

Greg Pope

Greg Pope “Wishing On A Dark Star”

Greg Pope, the Nashville power-pop powerhouse since 2008’s Popmonster is back with a new album. Pope, now joined by his sons Asher, Noah, and Finn has moved in a more enlightened direction with his music. The influences are simply much more varied than in past works with less reliance on a single lead guitar melody.

The opener “Gone” starts with a methodical verse about a breakup with some nice Queen-like guitar touches. “Blue Skies Above” has a great catchy chorus that recalls The Police and the bright “Morning Sunshine” embraces some prog-bass along the lines of Yes and Genesis with its calming harmonies. The title track brings to mind classic Pink Floyd with its strong bass-percussion focus, and the acoustic “Jump Back From The Light” has inspiring lyrics to help a friend in need.

The heavy guitar riffs and fun lyrics on “Vacation (From My Vacation)” is another big highlight, but it’s nice to hear Pope expanding his sound like the jazzy blues rhythm on “Blue Bird Fly” and the gentle guitar and synth ballad “Crawling Back To You.” Like all his music, it is Highly Recommended.

Bandcamp | Greg Pope’s site

Odds, Ends, and Reissues: Nick Frater, Spiraling, The Orange Peels, Roger J. Manning Jr.

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If you thought 2nd Grade’s songs were a bit too long, Nick Frater has the solution for the ADD music fan. 59 songs all under a minute! I have to admit, the first two hooked me right away, “Intro” and “Say It’s Alright” are stunning Beach Boys recreations. Not everything is that good, but some have little clues to the influence; like “Another Nod To Todd.” Irresistible!

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New to me (maybe to you) is this 2003 release from New Jersey musician Tom Brislin. Spiraling is a mix of many pop styles, but what stood out to me is the piano tune “The Girl On Top (of the Piano)” which is as catchy as anything Ben Folds has ever done. An overlooked gem, re-issued on bandcamp.  Get it on Amazon
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Hard to believe it all started in 1997 for Allen Clapp. The Orange Peels “Square” is a timeless classic, that still sounds fresh today. This new re-issue is labeled “Square³” and it boasts 40 tracks with demos, bonuses, an alternate album… what else do you need? Get it on Amazon
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During my last interview with Roger Joseph Manning Jr., he mentioned a re-release of his solo output was coming, and here it is. These albums have long been out of circulation and its good to have them back dutifully remastered by mixing engineer John Paterno under Manning’s supervision. This catalog threesome consists of 2006’s The Land Of Pure Imagination, 2008’s Catnip Dynamite, and his 2018 PledgeMusic EP, Glamping.

Visit rogerjosephmanningjrofficial.com to get these re-issues directly.

Nick Frater and The Pozers

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Nick Frater

Nick Frater “Full Fathom Freight-Train”

The UK based Frater has quickly emerged as a power-pop force to be reckoned with. With a leaning towards classic 60s-70s influences he opens with “Sunshine After The Rain,” a deceptively simple melody that worms it’s way into your head quickly, on its strong verse-chorus structure. “Oh, Now Girl” is like an early Teenage Fanclub gem, which also has its heart on its sleeve. “Your Latest Breakup Song” slows down just a touch, like if Paul Simon teamed up with Andrew Gold. These three tunes alone make Frater’s music unforgettable. But there is more.

The dream-like “All Out at Sea” changes the mood and “The Getaway” has this thick early 70’s sheen, like Sweet or Sailor. “Holding On to You” is a perfect song about longing that combines old and new styles of pop balladry. “Strangers on The Bus” and “What Does Good Look Like?” lean toward mid-tempo pop in the mold of Adam Schlesinger. Not a single weak track here, so I’m gonna cut this review short. Last year’s “Goodbye Kayfabe” was a top ten EP, and it’s safe to add this LP to 2019’s top ten LP list.

Amazon | Kool Kat Musik

The Pozers

The Pozers “Crybaby Bridge”

Texas-based band The Pozers are back with two distinct songwriters as they sing about nostalgia, youth, breakups, regret, and death. Starting with a hard rock riff and an echoing lead vocal by Kenny Swann on the opener “Goodbye (I’m Gone),” it’s safe, but an uninspiring start. But Jim Richey’s “Two” is a much more interesting tune, as a psyche-pop mid-tempo gem with layered harmonies and a nice instrumental break at the midpoint. Fans of The Pillbugs will enjoy that one. Next, “SoCal” is another Richey song and you’ll hear echoes of Badfinger in this tune about chasing fame. He sings “So tell me how’s the life you’re making? If you cry just say you’re faking.”

“The Only Girl” is an odd one; like a Beach Boys tune played at half speed and it contrasts with Swann’s “Nonstop” with its frantic drum pounding. Some songs with this approach work great like “Teenage Storybook,” and “So Long” but some of the heavy production techniques detract from other songs (“Telling My Secrets”). ”The Obvious Ledge” is a worthy tribute to the late Elliot Smith. There is enough here to keep most power pop fans interested, and I would recommend you check it out.

Amazon | CD Baby