Before the New Jersey power pop band Readymade Breakup emerged in 2003, Paul Rosevear and Gay Elvis were part of a band called The Blakes. The pandemic allowed the group to rework some demos, and here they are; readymade with plenty of guitar crunch, jangle, and strum.
Emperor Penguin is back with an impressive third EP, lots of different style elements here; prog, new wave, and power pop. Slick production and melodies that stick! Each of the three EPs is a FREE download.
San Francisco’s Trip Wire was in the middle of an album when the Pandemic turned it into an EP. Love the mid-tempo ballad “Maps” and the psyche-pop jangle of “Hazel.”
Andrew Taylor continues his musical therapy during the lockdown. Mostly acoustic guitar ballads, with some greatness in the album’s second half starting with “Before I Go,” “Just Let It Happen,” and “The Blue.” And a new album from The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness is coming soon.
SINGLES:
Willie Dowling’s commentary on the hysteria that surrounds and consumes us all via social media, and the seemingly endless sensationalist news. The Dowling Poole never disappoints.
Chicago singer-songwriter AJ Rosales has a catchy single to start his upcoming album.
Veteran musician Jim Basnight made waves in with The Moberlys early in his career and he continues to put out great material to this day. Not Changing is his first new album in seven years and it offers listeners a variety of moods and memories. The album starts with the easy-going “Code to Live By,” a testament to his longevity with a terrific solo guitar break. The title track is a wistful look back on his career, confident that he’s made the right choices as he states “with this guitar, you can dig for gold, but can you dig a soul from a grave?” He returns to the theme of death with the somber “Suicide Evening,” and “Kurt Cobain.”
While there are several quieter tracks, Jim shines when he reaches into that classic blues-rocker style similar to The Rolling Stones on “Big Bang” and “Best Lover In The World.” The rollicking “Making Love for a Living” is a catchy tune sure to get you moving and “Never Get Lost” is another power pop gem. More highlights include “Second Street,” “You Never Cease To Amaze Me” and the radio-friendly finale “Living The Way I Want.” This is a celebration of a man comfortable doing what he loves. So, why change such a good thing? Highly Recommended.
San Francisco stalwarts Trip Wire continue to rock on their fourth LP with Marty Schneider, Bill Hunt, Stu Shader, and Jeff Shelton (The Well Wishers). The gruff “Had Enough” evokes Bob Mould, and Shelton shines here as the vocalist on “Down” with lots of great energy. “Light Of The Moon” has some interesting composition and sounds like a cross between Lou Reed and REM. The subtle “Golden Gloves” with its strings and the seamless follow-up “Clear,” showcases a simple acoustic melody that builds into a majestic solo jam. It almost sounds like a completely different band.
But the album is far from over, as they get back on to power pop with “Bottle Rocket.” After this, we get the folk-like jangling pop of “Act Fast” and country twang of “Carolina.” The band seems most comfortable with roots-inflected rock, and while the other genres aren’t bad, they don’t stick in your head for long. Overall a refreshingly honest rock ‘n’ roll album that deserves to be heard.
Terry Carolan’s (Blue Cartoon/True Hearts) latest project is a tribute to his friend and supporter Gary Littleton. The band Heirs Of Fortune include Ralph Smith and Robert Watkins (Amnesia), and Robert Woodrich (Just Boys.) After a toy piano pop intro “Invited,” it leads to the polished guitar and mid-tempo “Aster Street Days,” a nostalgic look back to the past. In fact, the focus on wistful longing is the main theme overall, and musically Carolan’s soothing vocal harmonies and simple melodies are comparable to the recent work of Terry Draper.
The multi-tracked jangling guitar strums of “How Can I Resist” and “From Where I Am” suit the band’s melodic approach well. The Beatlesque piano and guitar flourishes of “Face The Light” utilize strings for extra emotional punch. Terry’s mild vocals don’t quite fit the song “Crazy” which calls for a wilder guttural approach. You wish that the band added a bit more muscle or bass fuzz on several tracks.
But the bevy of catchy melodies and memorable choruses here is proof of Carolan’s talent with the brilliant love song “(It Only Took) Forever”and the rare fast paced “Shine.” My favorite here is the gorgeous “Goodbye My Friend,” with its George Harrison styled slide guitar that stands as his final words to the dearly departed. The title track seems to be Gary’s answer back to his friend, and a faithful cover of Big Star’s Chris Bell’s “I Am The Cosmos” fits nicely here. Fans of Big Star, Pilot, Badfinger and Klaatu will really enjoy this heart-felt album.
Not to be confused with The Tripwires, these well traveled local San Francisco music veterans are Marty Schneider (The Campbell Apartment), Bill Hunt, Stu Shader and Jeff Shelton (Spinning Jennies, The Well Wishers). The album opens with the commanding guitars of “Long Days Gone,” a catchy riff-centered anthem with a densely composed wall of guitars. Both “I’m Not The Enemy” and “Growing Old” are lead by Shelton, and recalls his work with The Well Wishers. More standouts are the jangling Rickenbacker guitar of “These Are The Days” and on “Winter Days” the band adds violins and a sweet bass line.
The band’s hybrid of jangle pop and rock dictates the album as it sways from one style to another, but it also manages to go in another direction on “Saturn V” with its space-themed indie fuzz pop. Virtually no filler here makes this album an audio treat, and a highly recommended addition to my power pop collection.
