Absolute Powerpop

CD of the Day, 11/27/09: Plasticsoul-Peacock Swagger

2009-11-27T07:59:00.000-05:00

We interrupt your Black Friday shopping to bring you an album you can't buy on Black Friday. That's because Plasticsoul's Peacock Swagger, the brilliant followup to 2005's Pictures from the Long Ago, won't be released until this coming Tuesday, December 1. But it's so good that I have to review it early, to give you that kind of pre-Christmas aniticpation you had as a kid.

Plasticsoul is Steven Wilson, a California artist who falls squarely into the Michael Penn/Jon Brion wing of power pop. His 2005 debut was such a treat that I went back and reviewed it even though I didn't start this blog until a year later. The followup was worth the wait. Whereas the debut didn't stray far from the Brion/Penn template, Wilson paints from a larger sonic palette here. The two-headed opener "You Sentimental Fucks/Life on Other Planets" answers the musical hypothetical "What would have Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey have sounded like if Lennon wrote it instead of McCartney?" (The fact that Wilson sounds quite a bit like Lennon helps answer that question as well.) Speaking of Lennon, "Cock Rock 101" is to, well, cock rock, as "Yer Blues" was to the blues, simultaneously sending it up and reveling in it.

We then come to as strong a trio of tracks as can be found a disc this year: "Champion Tragic Boy", which Michael Penn fans will love, featuring Brandon Schott on the chamberlin in the Patrick Warren role. Next up is "Fishwife" (which made its debut on the IPO 12 compilation), a jangly sitar-laden track that's instantly unforgettable, and rounding out the terrific trio, "Cancer", perhaps the definitive track on suffering with the Big C, complete with Revolver-styled backward guitars and sound effects in service of a great melody despite the subject matter.

Wilson lets us catch our collective breath with the gentle, acoustic-based "What Do You Know About Rock & Roll?" and the midtempo "Shame", which is borderline alt-country complete with pedal steel. This sets us up for the rocking "New Town, DIfferent Day", replete with "sha-la" backing vocals in the chorus, and the gorgeous "San Francisco", perhaps the best paean to the city since Tony Bennett's. Closing out the disc are the wonderfully psychedelic "My Three Friends" and "Rainy Season", a "Hey Jude"-styled number featuring a sing-along outro.

My only quibble: The disc doesn't include "Throwaway", the absolutely brilliant track that was on last year's IPO comp (#11). Not that Peacock Swagger suffers by its absence, but the now apparently ironically-titled track would have made a nice addition. And that quibble aside, I'll note that the race for the #1 disc of 2009 remains wide open in my book and things just got a bit more complicated.

MySpace (will add retail/digital links when available)

Listen to "Cancer" here, originally on another comp:

And a live video of "New Town, Different Day":

Embed Tuesday.

2009-11-24T12:33:00.004-05:00

A bunch of power poppers have discs out today, and I'm embedding the Lala widgets for each so you can give a listen. (For those outside the USA, I'm including a MySpace link and those in the EU can always check Spotify for these tracks).

Telepathic Butterflies-Wow & Flutter!. These French-Canadian Rainbow Quartz vets are back with their fourth disc. Their 2004 release Songs from a Second Wave is a must-have (esp. the great "Bonhomie", which I'm embedding as well), and last year's Breakfast in Suburbia was pretty good, so I have high hopes for this one. The touchstones here are The Kinks, The Hollies and the Fab Four. MySpace

The Singles. The Singles have been on a roll lately issuing (what else?) singles. The latest is the He Can Go, You Can Stay single, which features that track from their last full-length Better than Before, along with two new songs. This is the fourth "single" they've released this year, the previous three were A/B sides with 2 new tracks each. For the uninitiated, they're a Detroit band that specializes in British Invastion-styled power pop. MySpace

Cinderpop-Cinnamon Winter EP. This Vancouver band put out the wonderful A Lesson in Science last year, and this EP includes its title track and "Boomerang" from that disc, plus three unreleased tracks that sound quite excellent. They have kind of a baroque style of indie pop - think Elliott Smith with a lot of piano. MySpace

CD of the Day, 11/20/09: Bobby Emmett-Learning Love

2009-11-20T13:00:00.004-05:00

This is what power pop is all about. Detroit's Bobby Emmett cut his teeth in The Sights, a band that put out three quality Kinks-influenced albums earlier this decade, but now that he's gone solo he's unleashed his inner power popper and the result is a top 10 contender. Sounding very much like Brendan Benson (another noted Detroit power popper) fronting Big Star, Emmett knocks out one killer track after another.

"Queen of Hearts" opens the disc, and it'll kick your ass. With its crunchy opening guitars and a classic power pop melody following it, Emmett incorporates some "Back of a Car"-styled riffs throughout the track and your attention is grabbed. "Broken Hearted" recalls The Lolas, and "She Can't Be Mine" adds some baroque piano to the mix with a frenetic beat a la Bryan Scary. "Still Wanna Be With You" will fool your Benson-loving friends into thinking it's one of his lost tracks, and the spelling of "Moving Ahn" is an obvious homage to Big Star and incorporates a "She's So Heavy"-style outro.

The second half of the disc isn't quite the 100% slam dunk the first is, but there are some worthy tracks here as well. "November" is a trippy Oasis-styled ballad/anthem, "Even Though You're Mine Tonight" sounds Bensonesque, and "Never Waited So Long" with its reverb, chimes and slide guitar is a Wall-of-Sound treat. "Love is Real" closes things out, starting as a strong pop/rocker and ending with a jazzy lounge flourish.

A truly outstanding solo debut for Mr. Emmett, and if you want a CD copy you'll have to order directly from him, as the disc is only out in general digital distribution right now (although strangely enough not on iTunes at the moment). Give it a listen right now below.

Link for CD purchase | MySpace | eMusic

Two for Thursday, 11/19/09

2009-11-19T13:29:00.001-05:00

The Tripwires-House to House. There's something about hearing this Seattle band's fun-loving, good-time power pop that brings a smile to my face when I hear one of their tracks. Following up their 2007 debut Makes You Look Around, The Tripwires (consisting of members and former members of The Model Rockets, The Minus 5, and Screaming Trees among others) assert themselves as the 21st Century Rockpile. The opening salvo of "Drawing a Blank" and "(Something in a) Friday Night" will convince you of this comparison, and "Another Planet Now" and "Soundalike" find them at their midtempo melodic best. And I could easily see Nick Lowe (in his heyday) writing a song called "Ned Beatty's in Love". Meanwhile, "Let's Get You Started" could be covered by a band like OK Go without straining, and "Zig Zag" might be their quintessential track. Rock on!

Kool Kat | MySpace | iTunes

Justin Levinson-Predetermined Fate. In early 2006, Levinson was one of my early "finds" - his debut 1175 Boylston was a bright, fresh and tuneful blast of piano pop that was as good as anything Ben Folds has done recently. Having tackled that subgenre, he mixed in some folk/rock with the piano pop on his 2007 EP Bury Your Love, and with his new disc, Predetermined Fate, the metamorphosis is complete. Going strictly with a rootsy, countryish folk-pop sound, he's made a move not unlike Ben Kweller did earlier this year with his Changing Horses album. Highlights include the pedal steel-drenched "Bandaid on a Bullet Wound", about a marriage gone bad; "Losing You to Tennessee", which sounds like Ryan Adams in country mode; and "Hopelessness", which has a "The Weight"-style melody. Which leaves the question: where is Levinson predetermined to go next?

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

CD of the Day, 11/16/09: Parallax Project-I Hate Girls

2009-11-16T13:46:00.006-05:00

Mike Giblin might not be a household name in the power pop community, but his bands certainly should. After being in the great Cherry Twister with Steve Ward and Ross Sackler, Giblin started Parallax Project in the early decade, putting together whoever he happened to be playing with at the time to release albums like Oblivious and Perpetual Limbo, discs power poppers everywhere should have in their collections. (Incidentally, the band is named after this Allegany University astronomy project, from Giblin's home state of Pennsylvania,) Now he's back with album #3 on the Kool Kat imprint, and he enlisted the legendary Don Dixon to produce and The Plimsouls' Eddie Munoz on guitar. The result is a pop gem that's catchy and soulful at the same time.

Opener "All the Same" sets the bar high, an uptempo treat that channels Squeeze and the Kinks, and built around a "Day Tripper"-style guitar riff. The tongue-in-cheek title track is in the same vein, as Munoz' guitar work on these tracks is a step above the usual power pop fare. Meanwhile, "Half" is a fun tribute of sorts to early Elvis Costello - Dixon provides Steve Nieve-like work on the organ a la "Radio Radio" here. Giblin's effective here when the beats slow down as well - "Watching the World Revolve Around Her" is one of the year's better ballads, and "The Day After Tomorrow" is an earnest yet melodic number. True to the spirit of the proceedings, the disc closes with a cover of the The Velvelettes' "Needle in a Haystack", a Motown chestnut that doesn't sound a bit out of place. And if you like that cover, let it be known that Kool Kat is offering up a bonus disc of covers if you order directly from them, featuring tracks like ELO's "Telephone Line", The Kinks' "Well Respected Man", and possibly my favorite Faces song "Cindy Incidentally".

Kool Kat (w/bonus disc) | CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Spongetones alert!

2009-11-10T15:30:00.003-05:00

Out today is English Afterthoughts, an album from Spongetones Jamie Hoover and Steve Stoeckel (officially billed as "The Spongetones present Jamie and Steve"). I gave it a once-over listen today, and it could easily pass for a proper Spongetones release. That means more Beatles-and-60s-British-pop-inspired tunes, jangly guitars, the whole thing. Check it out below, and it's available from your music e-tailer of choice:

iTunes | eMusic

John Brodeur freebie.

2009-11-09T20:26:00.003-05:00

Once again, senility sets in - I thought I had reviewed John Brodeur's fine Get Through earlier this year on the site, but I didn't. So in addition to calling your attention to that disc, let it be known that Brodeur is offering up a freebie EP of four covers ("Head Over Heels", "Talk Dirty to Me", "What it Takes" and "Xanadu") in honor of Halloween (get it? trying on other people's songs). The Photoshopped (at least I hope it's Photoshopped) cover is a tad disturbing, though.

John Brodeur - Slutty Nurse EP

And here's Get Through for your listening pleasure:

CD of the Day, 11/5/09: Supraluxe-Wake Leave Home Sleep

2009-11-05T08:12:00.001-05:00

Without Supraluxe, there wouldn't be an Absolute Powerpop. OK, I probably would have found another disc to hype that inspired me to start the blog, but it was in January 2006 that I touted their debut disc to the Audities list, which got them noticed in the power pop community, and which made me think "there are a lot of other deserving artists out there like Supraluxe, and nobody else is really doing a power pop blog". The rest is history, and here we are, the better part of four years later. And so it's come full circle, as the cliche goes, with Supraluxe at long last releasing the followup to their debut.

Wake Leave Home Sleep finds Supraluxe with a more unified sound. Obviously in my view the debut was brilliant, as they veered from propulsive pop tracks like "Blue Sky", "Love Sweet Love", rockers like "Tokyo" and "Run Rabbit Run", and moody melodic numbers that came in somewhere between like "Summer Chalet" and "The Big Comedown". I guess the best way to analogize things is that if we were in the 70s, the first album would be their stab at AM Radio, and this album is their AOR move. It's a markedly different album than the debut, but one that stands worthy on its own. The title track kicks thing off, starting with a gentle, acoustic bent not unlike their hero, Elliott Smith, but steadily builds into a biting rocker as the song's protagonist seems through the humdrum of everyday life. Immediately you know they're on to something more ambitious.

Another touchstone for the band is Steely Dan, and although they don't mimic that band's jazz/rock fusion, they meld some of the Dan's time signatures and sardonic suffer-no-fools attitude into their sound, and the tough-rocking "On the Coast" incorporates some of that late 70s SoCal sound into it. Perhaps the best way to describe it is "free-form pop/rock". Many of the tracks such as "Data Control" and "Oh December" manage to shift within themselves from straight-up rock to a kind of jazzy pop to pure powerpop, not necessarily always in that order. Meanwhile, "Hey Lordy" and "Slow Ephedrine" have the more "traditional" Supraluxe sound of the first album. And "The Big Come On" works as sort of a sequel (or prequel) to the debut's "The Big Comedown".

All in all, it's an impressive step in the band's evolution. While there's nothing as instantly catchy as "Blue Sky" or "Love Sweet Love" here, it's a great headphone album that rewards repeated listens and is an impressive testament to the musicianship of Rich Pearson, Bob Burns and Jim Risser. So make your daily routine in the near future Wake Leave Home (Listen to Supraluxe) Sleep.

Not Lame | Kool Kat | MySpace

Two for Tuesday, 11/3/09

2009-11-03T08:30:00.000-05:00

Sarakula-City Heart. Direct from Down Under comes this Aussie piano-popper with a disc that's just one hook after another. Sarakula's been touring with AbPow favorite Bob Evans, and there's a double bill I'd love to see if I weren't halfway across the world. City Heart is his followup to last year's Souvenirs, which passed me by but won't know. "Turn it Up" begs you to do just that; if it were 1974 or 1984, this poptastic number would fit right on the charts alongside Elton John or Billy Joel. "Cold War Love", which opens the album, sounds like a lost track from McCartney's Band on the Run; "Matchstick Girl" is another hook-a-rama, and the moody "Driving With the Devil" recalls the sophisticated, bloozy piano pop of Randy & The Bloody Lovelies. Also don't overlook the Bacharachian "Skyline Blue". A definite treat.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

D. Rogers-Sparks on the Tarmac. Just like celebrity deaths, Popboomerang releases seem to come in threes, and while we spotlighted Russell Crawford and the Deserters last week, the Aussie label also released this singer-songwriter disc as well recently. It's a bit of a departure for the label as Rogers is more of a folkie than a popper, but there's enough quality stuff here to please anyone on the lookout for a good tune. "Poison Pen" finds the sweet spot between Neil Finn and Elliott Smith, "The First to Know" conjures the sound of Salim Nourallah, and "Knocked Down the House" adds horns to what is perhaps the album's most upbeat track. It's not the stuff to jump off the CD at you, but if you take the time to give it a listen, you'll be wowed by its rainy-day beauty.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

A Popicana pair.

2009-10-28T19:15:00.004-04:00

Shane Lamb-Disengage. Every year it seems like I come across a singer-songwriter who makes a great "Ryan Adams album". Of course I'm speaking of the Ryan Adams of Gold and Heartbreaker, not the Ryan Adams who became a parody of himself. In 2007 it was Jeremy Nail, last year it was Tyler Burkum, and this year it's Shane Lamb. Hailing from Nashville (where else?), Lamb mixes pop, classic rock and Americana, and comes through with one quality tune after another. "Free" grabs you right off the bat, with its memorable chorus, horns-and-organ backing, and some fine guitar work from Pat Buchanan, a name which may be familiar to many of you (no, not that Pat Buchanan). "I Would" is the kind of languid, midtempo number that you'd expect on a disc like this, and "To Get You Through" has a Jayhawks-style drive to it. Also don't miss the Springsteenesque "The Change in Me", a 2:10 slice of upbeat roots rock (complete with sax) that falls somewhere between "Working on the Highway" and "Stand on It".

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The Literary Greats-Ocean, Meet the Valley. I could have sworn I reviewed this ~~Atlanta~~ Houston band's 2007 excellent self-titled debut, but a search of the site revealed that I only listed it at #55 at year's end without further comment. I'll try to remedy that here on their newly released follow-up. They fit the Popicana/roots-rock mold as well, and there's no sign of a sophomore slump on this one. "That Mountain Yonder" might sound like the title of Del McCoury's latest bluegrass opus, but instead it's a meaty rocker with pop smarts (dig the "ooh-woo-ooh-ooh-ooo" refrains), and "Show Me the Coast" rocks with heart and melody. Other highlights include "Oh Abilene", which reminds me of some of the Black Crowes' moodier work, the excellent "Dreadnought", which tackles the fear of flying and comes up with the music to match it, and the pop-rockin' "Ruby Sapphire", a Signal Hill Transmission-type number. They definitely do live up to their name, as this disc has a literary, almost Southern Gothic, feel to it.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

A pair from Popboomerang.

2009-10-26T19:14:00.005-04:00

Australia's Popboomerang is one of my favorite labels out there, constantly releasing one power pop gem after another. Although perhaps nothing will top last year's trifecta of Adrian Whitehead, Bryan Estepa and Danna & The Changes, their latest pair of releases deserve a spot in your rotation.

Russell Crawford-Floating Aimlessly. Crawford made his debut with the excellent 2006 EP Hearing All That's Heard, which placed #3 on our year-end EP list that year and was produced by Michael Carpenter. Additionally, Crawford is one of Carpenter's Cuban Heels, the backing band MC used on two EP releases last year. Carpenter also mixed and mastered the new full-length, which raises the question where does Michael Carpenter end and Russell Crawford begin? To answer the obvious, there are a lot of stylistic similarities between the two, but Crawford is his own man here. "Overachiever" is a piano-based number with attitude, bringing Ben Kweller to mind, "Bad Luck" chronicles Crawford's grade school days with wit and melody, and the busy "Lisa" adds some nicely-placed chimes into the mix. Other standouts include the MC-co-written lovely ballad "If You Ask Me", the bright pop of "Melody", the piano boogie of "Shake It", and the pure power pop of "Leave it All Behind". It's nice to see the promise of the EP realized.

Kool Kat | Not Lame | MySpace

Deserters-Pale Morning. While Russell Crawford is something of a known quantity, Melbourne's Deserters qualify as a plesant surprise. Not quite power pop, they instead have a more rustic sound that brings to mind early Wilco, Waterloo and to some extent, My Morning Jacket, but with an Aussie twist. Leadoff track "Waking Birds" captures their essence, sounding like the aforementioned references but as if they were fronted by Neil Finn. First single "Take It as It Comes" is a tough rocker, and "I Think It's Alright" has a real front-porch rock quality to it. "Race Me Home" has an anthemic, classic rock feel, and "Looking My Way" shows they can handle the soft, string-laden ballads. A fine example of - what do we call it - Australiana?

Not Lame | Kool Kat | MySpace

CD of the Day, 10/21/09: This Modern Station-All We Leave Behind

2009-10-21T19:17:00.003-04:00

Nashville strikes again. The home of so many artists that have brought us quality releases in 2009 gives us This Modern Station, whose debut disc All We Leave Behind is a melodic breath of fresh air. They tread that fine line between power pop and Americana, sounding at times like an American Teenage Fanclub and at others like early Wilco.

The driving opener "Long Overdue" sets the tone, with hooks galore and a stomping beat that's reminiscent of Being There-era Wilco tracks like "Outta Site (Outta Mind)" and "Monday". "Next Best Thing" follows in the same vein, while the midtempo "Just Another Heartache" recalls The Favorites (who placed in our top 20 last year) and Red Guitar. "Evangelina" is another driving number, reminiscent of Todd Herfindal and The Meadows, and "Sunday Morning" brings the rock.

Kicking off the second half of the disc, "Ruby" finds the band into a bit of pop-noir, telling the story of a wayward woman to a moody melody not unlike The Smithereens' "Blood & Roses", while "Playing With Fire" proves the boys can handle the ballads as well. Closing things out, "I Think I'm in Love Again" is another infectious rocker, and "The Highway Never Ends" is quality straight-up Americana. "Popicana" fans, and those who liked the later-day Gary Louris-led Jayhawks are going to flip for this one. With nary a duff track to be heard, this one's a definite year-end Top 20 contender.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

EP of the Day, 10/19/09-Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears-Mad Valentines.

2009-10-19T20:31:00.004-04:00

As kind of a pit stop between full-length releases (2008's Flight of the Knife and a new one planned for 2010), Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears have a new EP out, Mad Valentines. I've stood pretty much alone in the power pop community as being a bit underwhelmed by Scary, feeling his music has been hyperkinetic for hyperkinesis' sake - Jellyfish with A.D.D., if you will. And after hearing the first track on this EP, "Andromeda's Eyes", in which Scary revs it up to Ludicrous Speed, I began to think he was becoming a parody of himself.

But then a funny thing happened with the rest of the EP. He dialed it back about 15%, and the remaining five tracks are the kind of effervescent, joyous Jellyfish-inspired pop that I knew he had in him. "(It's a) Gambler's Whirl" would have fit nicely on ELO's Discovery (a/k/a Disco Very); "The Garden Eleanor" sounds like Jeff Lynne producing Mika (that "I don't care if she cuts off her hair" hook is embedded in my brain); "Maria St. Claire" is the closest Scary gets to a ballad, and it's wonderful; and "Bye Bye Babylon" and "The Red Umbrella" find Scary in full bells-and-whistles mode, but in service of the song, not the sound.

Finally a Bryan Scary release I can get behind. Probably means everyone else who loved the first two finds it a letdown.

(Note: it's available digitally right now, but not on CD until October 27.)

MySpace | iTunes

Friday Roundup.

2009-10-16T14:34:00.002-04:00

The Prime Ministers-Compromiser. Detroit's The Prime Ministers have been around for 10 years and four albums, and they finally get the attention they deserve on this site with album #5, Compromiser. The PMs serve up Motor City-styled high-octane power pop similar to other hometown bands like The Offramps and The Respectables, and they don't miss a beat (or a hook). Although they're not afraid to rock, they're also not afraid to tackle the topic of getting older as they hit their mid-30s. "Double Rings" and "Learned from the Best" are a fearsome one-two punch the open the disc, but "Only 35" finds them grappling with getting older to a Clash-like reggae beat. Meanwhile, "Late in the Day" tackles the topic of aging rock bands playing amphitheaters past their prime, and "Safe & Sound on Microchips" gives Internet 2.0 a rock theme. Rockin' power pop with heart and wit, the Prime Ministers may find themselves Compromisers with life, but not with their sound.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Compromiser

Bob Collum & The Welfare Mothers-Twisted Lines & Mixed Up Rhymes. Oklahoman-in-England Bob Collum has become a reliable source of Popicana, that certain mix of alt-country, Americana, roots pop, and power pop that artists like Brian Jay Cline and Walter Clevenger have made semi-famous, and his new EP (with backing band The Welfare Mothers) is another gem, following up on 2008's Set the Stupid Free. "My Little Hurricane" is 2:13 of Popicana bliss, while "She Hates Me" is quality straight-up country, and "Behind the Bottle" sounds just like you think it does. "Devil in the Details" adds some power pop to the recipe, and "Knockdown Dragout" recalls Nick Lowe's "Raging Eyes". Yet another outstanding entry in the Year of the EP.

CD Baby | MySpace

Two for Tuesday, 10/13/09

2009-10-13T14:27:00.002-04:00

Jake Laufer-Notes from the Sherpa Underground. DC-gone-California's Jake Laufer is a singer-songwriter with hooks, lyrics and a strong pop sensibility, and with Notes from the Sherpa Underground (Sherpa Underground being the name of his band), his first disc in nine years, he puts it all together. Reminding me of a cross between Nick Pipitone and Elvis Costello with a bit of Matthew Sweet in the mix, Laufer pumps out one quality tune after another. The standouts here include "Only One in Town" (think Costello fronting the Gin Blossoms), "Subway Girl" (Tommy Keene meets the Smithereens), the mod beats of "Song Called Nora", and the gorgeous "The Only Way". Plus, he throws in a revved-up, rocking cover of "Hungry Like the Wolf". What more can you ask for?

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes | Amie Street

"Only One in Town" mp3

John Shaugnessy-Re-occurring Dream. If you're looking for a down-to-earth, classic rock-infused slice of power pop, Philadelphia's John Shaughnessy is your man. Shaughnessy enlisted the Philly power pop mafia (Smash Palace's Stephen Butler and IKE's Brett Talley produce) to help him out here, and it's a fine collection that will appeal to fans of those artists as well as Tom Petty and Collective Soul. The acoustic-based title track is a treat, and the uber-catchy "Feelin' Good Again" hits all the high notes. Other key tracks include the upbeat "Dorothy Reminds Me", the heartfelt fallen soldier ballad "Next of Kin", and the 70's rock of "Chasing the Wind". You'll be glad to have these tracks re-occurring on your iPod.

Not Lame | MySpace | iTunes

CD of the Day, 10/8/09: Wiretree-Luck

2009-10-08T12:24:00.003-04:00

One of the more common criticisms leveled at the power pop genre is that it all sounds the same, it's generic, everybody tries to sound like someone else, etc. It's a facile criticism, usually made by someone who doesn't listen to that much power pop. Nevertheless, this criticism doesn't apply to Kevin Peroni, whose Wiretree has an idiosyncratic sound - whenever one of his tunes randomly pops on my iPod, I have no trouble identifiying it as such. As I've touched on before, Wiretree's sound is best described as a hybrid between the Wilbury-era production Jeff Lynne brought to that band as well as Tom Petty and George Harrison and the poppier side of indie rock that artists such as Elliott Smith brought to the table.

With a brilliant 2005 debut EP and 2007's full-length Bouldin (which made my top 5 that year) under his belt, Peroni has a lot to live up to with Luck, and succeeds for the most part. The first chords of "Across My Mind" pass through the ears like meeting an old friend as the familiar acoustic guitar, drums and baroque piano that made the EP and Bouldin great are back in service of another shuffling, catchy melody. "Back in Town", the first single (mp3 download below), leads with xylophone reminiscent of Wilco's "A Shot in the Arm" and its sound does owe a lot to Summerteeth, which in my opinion was Jeff Tweedy's (and Jay Bennett's especially) finest moment. That 1-2 punch sets a daunting standard for the rest of the disc, but it's a challenge met. Particular standouts are "Information", in which Peroni rocks with a tougher edge without sacrificing the tune, the byzantine melody of "Satellite Song", in which Wiretree goes toe-to-toe with fellow Austinites Spoon, and the lovely "Heart of Hearts", which captures the "classic" Wiretree sound.

With any Luck, this will be the disc that propels Wiretree before a much larger audience. It retains their signature sound yet broadens it to point where I could see the intelligentsia of indie rock and the poobahs at Pitchfork giving it a thumbs up if they take the time to check it out. Here's hoping they do.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

mp3 of "Back in Town"

Two for Tuesday: 10/6/09

2009-10-06T13:43:00.004-04:00

Crawpuppies-World's Much Bigger. The second album from this Indiana band (after 2004's Peaceful Amnesty) finds them on the dividing line between power pop and classic rock, doing justice to both genres. They actually remind me quite a bit of Vegas With Randolph, a band reviewed earlier this year that a lot of folks took a shine to. There's plenty to like here: the rocking title track, the jangly "She Comes Lovely", the classic power pop of "Owe it All to You", and the honkytonk classic rock of "Sunflower Girl". They even throw a couple of fun tracks out at the end of the album: "So Mundane" is an ambitious 7 1/2 minutes number that's broken into three segments, and "Masquerade" starts out as a Jellyfish-style number that segues into a "Revolution 9"-like freakout. With 14 tracks, there's plenty to like here.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The Alice Rose-In a Daze EP. After a couple of fine albums that made this band an AbPow favorite, they've snuck up upon us with a new EP, and it's a dazzler. "Awaken You" is a catchy number that might be the most immediate thing they've done - imagine Elliott Smith with a spring in his step (yes, back when he was alive). "Black Tresses" and "Silent Mary" are another two of their Jon Brion/Michael Penn-styled numbers that made their first couple of discs great, and the title track is lovely and melodic (see the video below). Apparently, the EP is only available from Kool Kat, so you won't have to figure out which retailer to get it from.

Kool Kat | MySpace

Two for Thursday, 10/1/09

2009-10-01T10:31:00.004-04:00

The Brigadier-Time is a Wound. The prolific Matt Williams (known to you and me as The Brigadier) is back with a new full-length, and Time is a Wound follows in the footsteps of last year's The Rise & Fall of Responsbility. Williams serves up another quality slice of pastoral pop, the kind of Brian-Wilson-with-an-English-sensibility in the vein of Andy Partridge and The Milk & Honey Band. Highlights include the upbeat opener "I'm Gonna Make You Mine Missy", which throws a bit of Northern Soul into the mix, the jaunty "Oh, Paddington", and the dreamy "Something Good". Not pastoral at all is "Why Don't You Love Me?", which throws in synths and a somewhat funky beat. You won't get that from Andy Partridge.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Andy Kirkland-No Name Gallery. Kudos to Bruce at Not Lame (or was it Ray at Kool Kat?) for unearthing this Neil Finn-esque gem. Kirkland's an Aussie who's managed a disc of finely crafted midtempo pop that's a real treat. The opener "Wey & Dry" could easily pass for a Finn original, especially with Kirkland's voice quite similar to the Crowded House frontman's. But this isn't a slavish Crowded House imitation, as the disc's standout "That's When This Boy Sleeps" demonstrates. An uptempo number with Motown overtones, it recalls The Pearlfishers' "Womack & Womack" as well as Belle & Sebastian. Other highlights include the lovely "I Called You Up Today" and "Asleep in New York", which both namechecks George Costanza and quotes Supertramp. Now that Shane Nicholson's gone country, the opening for next-best-thing-to-Neil-Finn needs to be filled, and Kirkland sounds a good a bet as any.

Not Lame | Kool Kat | MySpace | iTunes

Free Sloan Download

2009-09-29T08:27:00.003-04:00

Sloan has a new EP on the way, and they're offering up the title track, "Take It Upon Yourself", as a free download. The only catch is that you need to join their mailing list (the link for the download is emailed to you).

The track is a pretty good Chris Murphy rocker, by the way.

Freebie of the Day: The New Fidelity

2009-09-27T20:50:00.003-04:00

This California band has a couple of quality discs under their belt, and now they're back with a brand new EP titled All Here Now. And for a limited time, you can get it for free from their official site. They have a mod-60s sound, with a bit of soul thrown in, and your toes will be tappin' while you give them a listen. If you want the physical EP, a CD Baby link is below.

Official Site | CD Baby | MySpace

CD of the Day, 9/25/09: First In Space-Geronimo

2009-09-25T13:26:00.005-04:00

About five months ago, we featured this Ohio band's 2009 reissue of their 2007 debut This is Not Here, and now they're back with the followup, Geronimo. And while the debut was solid, Geronimo is a great leap forward in terms of songcraft and execution.

For those who didn't click on the link above, First In Space has a Gin Blossoms/80s REM hybrid sound, and to that they've added a bit of fellow Midwesterners The Replacements to the mix, especially on the cheerfully-titled opening duo "Goddamn Shame" and "It's All Gone to Hell". "Take it Away", and even moreso "They Won't Catch Me Now" channel the Blossoms, and "Stuck Around You" would make Tom Petty proud. Elsewhere "Down on Me" and "End of the Night" are fabulous midtempo power pop, and the manic "Taking Over" gives them a chance to show their guitar-playing chops. It's a much more consistent and melodic effort this time around (not that the debut wasn't good), and if you like your power pop Midwestern-flavored, look no further.

CD Baby | MySpace

Video of the Day.

2009-09-23T20:24:00.004-04:00

Here's a long-lost video for Brothers in Stereo's "The Worst Crowd" a great tune from their fine self-titled disc from 2003. For those new to this blog, BiS consists of Andrew & Chris LeDrew, Canadian brothers who also each released mid-decade solo discs reviewed on this site (Andrew's Ladies Lookout will probably find a way into my top 20 of the 2000s). These guys could be the Canadian equivalent of Oasis (Andrew - who sings lead here - kind of looks like a Gallagher), except that they don't snort a lot of coke and endlessly fight with each other (at least not that I'm aware of). Anyway, here's hoping one or both or both together decide to release some new material.

LeDrew update: I just noticed that both of Chris's solo discs are available on Amie Street for the current combined price of $4.31. 1997's Too Commercial is out-of-print and pretty hard to find (I recall snagging a copy off eBay a few years back), and 2006's Stronger Man is quite good too albeit a bit less jangly. Andrew's Ladies Lookout is there for $3.27, a bargain as well.

Oh hell, while I'm on this LeDrew kick tonight, here's a wonderful acoustic version I just found of Andrew performing "In Traffic" on Newfoundland television:

CD of the Day, 9/22/09: Jeff Larson-Heart of the Valley

2009-09-22T12:43:00.002-04:00

If George Martin, Billy Preston, Murray the K et al. have been known as the "Fifth Beatle", then Jeff Larson could be called the Third American, as in America the band. Larson has closely worked with America's Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell over the years, but he takes it to a new level here with Heart of the Valley, which features eight original tunes penned by Beckley, two co-written with Beckley, and one Larson original. Beckley also produced, engineered and recorded the album.

Last year I wrote when reviewing Larson's last disc that "we all know the cliche about death and taxes being the only certainties, but there's another one to add to the list: about once a year, Jeff Larson will release a quality disc of laid-back California pop in the vein of America, Dan Fogelberg and The Eagles and make it sound effortless." With Beckley's help, he's done it again. The title track sets the template for the disc: an easygoing melody, fine singing from Larson and backing vocals from Beckley. "Sudden Soldier" is more in the vein of upbeat America, a la "You Can Do Magic", and "Minus Marci" (a Larson co-write) might be the album's best track with its irresistible chorus, fine Larson-Beckley harmonizing and some quality guitar work. Elsewhere, "Calling" is a great rainy day ballad, "Five Mile Road" sounds as well-worn and rustic as its title, and Bunnell himself sings backup on "Southern Girl", making the America connection complete.

Let's face it: a Jeff Larson disc is a no-risk proposition. If you enjoyed his previous releases and/or a fan of America and/or a fan of the laid-back 70s California sound, you've got your album of the year.

CD Baby | MySpace

CD of the Day, 9/17/09: Reno Bo-Happenings and Other Things

2009-09-17T13:19:00.003-04:00

The sideman gone solo power popper has become a bit of a cliche on this site (a good cliche, mind you), and the latest entrant into the field is Reno Bo. He's been a guitarist in both The Mooney Suzuki and Albert Hammond Jr's backing band, and now he's unleashed a gem of a disc that successfully melds classic rock and power pop.

The proceedings begin with "There's a Light", a classic anthemic number that finds the midpoint between Oasis and The Black Crowes, complete with majestic guitar solos building to a crescendo. "Higher Tonight" is straight-up power pop in the vein of Cheap Trick or a better Tinted Windows, the moody "Off Your Back" has a Tom Petty-in-pop-mode feel, and I can almost see the lighters being waved in the crowd during the big buildup of "Shine".

Elsewhere, Bo knows folky ballads as well - "Baby, You're Not Feelin' Me Tonight" provides a nice change of pace, while "Sugar Suite Blues" isn't exactly the blues but instead the hardest-rocking track on the disc. "How Does It Feel" rocks with swagger, and the breezily melodic "Here Right Now" is almost jangly. "I See Stars" closes out things in fine fashion, a midtempo pop nugget that once again features fine guitar work from Mr. Bo. If you like your power pop with more of a rock edge to it, you should know Bo.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

New single from The Singles.

2009-09-15T07:24:00.003-04:00

These classic power-garage-poppers are back with 2 fine new tracks. Listen below, or if you're in a non-Lala-authorized place, listen to them on their myspace.