Tag: Star Collector

The Wellingtons and Star Collector

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The Wellingtons “Baby Moon”

Melbourne’s beloved power poppers The Wellingtons return with ‘Baby Moon’, their first full-length in years, and it’s like they never left. Zac Anthony and Kate Goldby may be older, wiser, and busier with life, but their ear for glossy, sugar-rush melodies remains razor sharp. From the first track, it’s clear they’re still masters of the style—blending crunchy guitars, bright harmonies, and just the right dose of emotional heart. “Always Gonna Be That Girl,” a blast of jangling power chords and buoyant melodies that instantly feel familiar. It’s followed by “She Still Loves Me,” a track that could almost be mistaken for an outtake from Jellyfish’s ‘Spilt Milk.’ Few bands nail that kind of baroque-tinged power pop sheen as convincingly as The Wellingtons.

Kate Goldby takes the spotlight on “The Things I Did Before” and “Not Ready To Give Up” delivering a vocal performance that recalls The Bangles’ shimmering blend of strength and sweetness. Later on, the band turns up the volume with “I Won’t Turn Away,” a denser slice of fuzz-pop where the layered guitars push forward with more urgency. Honestly, not a dud or wasted note here. This is a can’t-miss return from one of Australia’s most consistently delightful bands, and it eassily makes my top ten album list this year. Super Highly Recommended.

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“The

Star Collector “Everything Must Go!”

Vancouver’s Star Collector are back to rock your world. Frontman/guitarist Vic Wayne and longtime bandmates Steve Monteith, Tony Kerr, and Adrian Buckley burst out of the gate with the title track, a punchy opener that sets the tone with enthusiasm and grit. Lyrically, the record leans heavily into solitude, nostalgia, and self-reflection — sometimes to the point of repetition — but the band keeps things compelling with good arrangements and a willingness to shift gears. “Shining Example” is closest to their traditional formula, while “Queen Bed” digs deeper, delivering a thought-provoking story about “bed rotting”.

“The Best Thing” stands out with its jangly guitars, handclaps, and undeniable melodic lift — easily the most infectious track here.  Another standout “Shakedown The Breakdown” snaps back with crunchy riffs and swagger, channeling a mix of The Who and Joe Walsh. While not every song hits it’s mark, it shows the band is willing to take risks while holding tight to the classic rock influences. Undeniably worthy of your attention, and music that deserves to be heard.

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Star Collector and Paul McCann

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Star Collector

Star Collector “Attack, Sustain, Decay​.​.​. Repeat”

Star Collector’s sixth album is likely the most well-rounded collection of songs by the Vancouver band. The opener “Feel It Comin’ On” stomps forward with its solid riffs, and the catchy “Beat It To Death” gives you “all that sass” as the tongue is planted firmly in cheek when it comes to pop cynicism. “Running Through The Rain” is a classic Who-meets-Bunnymen blast that sticks with you, and the hypnotic bass of “If We Can’t Take A Joke” and “Crashin” recalls Cheap Trick with a Canadian cowbell.

The band slows up for the ballad “Cross My Heart,” a heartbreaker about a broken marriage. Not everything works, as “Broken Butterflies” sounds like a mixed musical of clichés. The smooth “Nineteen Dream” seems to channel the best of the band; a minimal bass line and soulful verse that explodes into loud guitars and a bitter chorus. The band doesn’t stay in this sweet spot, but it’s pure magic when it does. Highly Recommended

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Paul McCann

Paul McCann “Alter Ego”

The death of a parent can be a deeply emotional and impactful experience for anyone, including musicians. Like Tamar Burke in 2022, Paul McCann documented his father’s unexpected passing and it inspired him to create music that reflects his feelings of loss, grief, and remembrance. He worked with a bevy of collaborators including Jason Falkner (Beck, Paul McCartney); Roger Joseph Manning Jr (Jellyfish); Charlotte Hatherley (Bat for Lashes); Gary Lucas (Jeff Buckley, Captain Beefheart), Sylvie Lewis, and others.

“World Keeps Turning Round” has strong horns over a pensive but soulful melody, and “Lost in this Moment” is a standout with a rich hopeful chorus amongst the churning guitar riffs. The early ’70s pop sheen of “All is fair (in Love and War)” channels Bacharach and The Carpenters with its sophisticated orchestration. At times McCann tries a bit too hard with rock epics (“Divide and Conquer,” “Call Off the Dogs”) but his soulful introspection on “Red River Run” and “Out of The Blue” are truly haunting. Some songs require repeat listens to catch all the details and nuance, but I just love the immediate hooks of “Something Has Changed.” Overall, very highly recommended.

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Star Collector and Ken Sharp

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Star Collector

Star Collector “Game Day”

First of all, this is NOT the Joe Giddings band from the 1990s, but a new band out of Vancouver, BC with a sound that’s sure to warm the heart of most power pop fans. Opening with “Game Day” its got strong guitar riffs (and a Big Star progression) and an authentic wail from vocalist Vic Wayne and guitarist Steve Monteith. Fans of The Who and Sloan will love this.

“Rip It Off” comes next and the buzzing jangle sells it, as its namedrops some famous song titles. But this original song rips off no one–and it’s a compelling rocker. “The Silent Type” is another guitar-hero theme, with some well-done rock harmonies. Some of the tunes run a little long, but the crunchy goodness of songs like “Cayenne & Caramel,” and “Green Eyes” make it worth it. Definitely, highly recommended.

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Ken Sharp

Ken Sharp “Miniatures”

Ken Sharp has been on a sunshine pop kick with recent singles, so here he shares a collection of 32 short songs and snippets. It’s a good way for an artist to get out a lot of material, and for listeners with ADD it’s perfect. The tunes are mostly baroque melodies, featuring Ken’s distinct twee vocal. Highlighted melodies include “Day In, Night In” and the gentle “Lorelei.” Some personal anecdotes like “Stack O Records” and “Word of Wonder” would sound great with a little more development (and bass).

The musical treacle might wear out its welcome for some people. But I found lots of charm with “My Lullaby,” “Perfect Sun,” “Clara Baby,” “Somethings Happening,” and the Beatlesque “4am.” In many ways, the music also reminds me of obscure British toytown pop from the late ’60s. Overall, fascinating and worth exploring.

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Reissues: Star Collector, TV Eyes, Game Theory

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Star Collector “Songs For The Whole Family” – Probably the best LP this classic 90’s Atlanta power pop band ever created. Now just a quick download from our friends at Futureman Records. The players are Cord Stone (Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals), Joe Giddings (Lead guitar, Vocals), Dusty Edinger (Drums, Percussion, Vocals) and Michael Brown (Bass, Vocals). This LP was a best-seller at Not Lame in its heyday, and now its quite rare. But you could still shell out a lot of cash for a copy on Amazon if you wanted.

Star Collector “Collected Stars (Live, Demo and Unreleased 1997-1999)” This is a perfect companion to the album above. Its got everything the Star Collector fan would want to complete their music collection. Another bandcamp download from Futureman Records.

TV Eyes “TV Eyes” In 2006, Jason Falkner and Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. of the legendary band Jellyfish and drummer/songwriter Brian Reitzell (Redd Kross and Air) released a new project called “TV Eyes” in Japan exclusively.  It was good move, as this was nothing like Jellyfish but an 80’s electronica dance LP, more like Devo, Gary Numan or Falkner’s solo material. The reaction wasn’t great at the time, I remember a similar outcry to the band Queen when they put out the disco LP Hot Space  years earlier. Overall it turns out it still has excellent songs and was way ahead of the curve for the EDM genre. Thank Omnivore Records and get it at Amazon.

Game Theory “Blaze of Glory”– We are still not over the death of Scott Miller who literally blazed a trail with his first album, Blaze of Glory. It showcased the sound of  power-pop done with a new-wave style and even hinted at the upcoming Paisley Underground movement. This new re-issue contains the entire 12 track album, supplemented with 15 bonus tracks—4 from Alternate Learning and 11 previously unissued tracks from Scott Miller’s archive. Again, thank you Omnivore Records and get it at Amazon.