Tag: The Cle Elum

September Singles and EPs: The Mayflowers, The Gnomes, Birds Streets, Chris Richards and the Subtractions, The Cle Elum, Wifey

powerpopaholic


With September we go back to school, old school that is. Kyoto Japan’s power pop rockers The Mayflowers are back in a big way. For the first time in over four years, their new song “I’m a Soldier” entails confronting oneself, disease, and despair. Really excited for the old school charm of The Gnomes. The new single “I’ll Be There” is a loaded with Beatlesque harmonies with a touch of punk rhythm to those “Yeah, yeah, yeahs.” Another welcome return is John Brodeur’s third full-length as Bird Streets and the great Jason Falkner  is back too, so check out “Mistaker.” The ’80s band Game Theory left it’s mark on many bands and fans, and Chris Richards and the Subtractions is one of them. Listen to this cool cover of “Make Any Vows.” After a pause, The Cle Elum has a bit of advice to “fake it till you make it” with the new single “Something In The Water.” Next, NYC’s own power poppers Wifey have anew LP coming soon, and lead singer/songwriter Teddy Gray sums it up best; “If modern songwriters would stop trying to write their “Desolation Row” and aimed for “Stacy’s Mom” instead, I think we’d all be a lot happier. Our eardrums would be, at least.” Amen, brother.






The Cle Elum and The Yum Yums

powerpopaholic
The Cle Elum

The Cle Elum “It’s Ok If It Falls Apart”

Tennessee band The Cle Elum is the duo of Sarah Sargent Pepper and Ian Lee. Stylistically, it is all over the place, but it’s got some great songs here. The opener, “Handclaps & Harmonies” is a perfect rocker for fans who don’t trust the singer and “don’t care what the words mean.” The style and tone change to Elvis Costello for “…Remember When,” and then 80s-styled rock on the memorable “I am a Robot” with singer Matthew Caws.

“Old Folks” is another quality tune that gives great advice with a hook. It does best with the layered arrangements and synth melody on “Did I Get High” and the Tom Petty-esque “I Wanted To Sleep.” While not every song here maintains the quality, there are enough worthy songs to rate this album highly recommended.

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The Yum Yums

The Yum Yums “Poppin’ Up Again”

Norwegian band The Yum Yums is likely one of the most underrated power pop bands playing today. Next to Japan’s Shonen Knife, I can’t think of another band that does buzzy, Ramones-derived pop better. But more than applying the hook-filled three-chord aesthetic, the Yum Yums approach their music with a dynamite sense of melody, harmonies, and bubblegum sweetness those boys in black leather never had.

Poppin’ Up Again continues a great run of albums since 1993, led by Morten Henriksen. The first three songs stick closest to the Ramones template; “Vitamin U,” “Got Me Good,” and “Do You Like Me” are brilliant high-energy pop. The band adds Beach Boy-styled harmonies on “Baby Doll,” and many tunes have an old-fashioned innocence (like “Dance,” “Candy”) with a sincere sentiment, and buzzing guitars. It’s hard to find a single bad track here, although “Foxy” sounds a little too much like Rum Bar Records labelmate Brad Marino. But despite that, this album is highly recommended and added to my Top Ten list for 2024.

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