I just got finished with my interview with The Bellfuries. If you missed the review of the album "Palmyra" then I suggest you take a look - it's up there for a 2008 top ten nomination. I wanted to learn a little more about the band, so I put together a few questions for band leader Joey Simeone. Check the artists interview button on the right side, or this direct link to the Bellfuries Interview here.
Enjoy it! More reviews coming up for October soon.
The Smith Bros. are back -- fans of Velvet Crush and Posies should rejoice. I enjoyed the debut and this is a solid follow up showing both musical and songwriting growth. The buzzsaw riffs and subdued vocals are back in all it's hook-filled glory. "How Wrong You Are" is a Posies styled mid-tempo guitar lead single that does everything you'd expect. The vocals of the brothers Smith come close to a combination of Evan Dando (Lemonheads) and Tim Rogers (You Am I). The follow up "Down To You" is similar but "She's Under My Skin" takes it up a notch gets a little funky with a Jellyfish-like quality in the chorus. The next song "Talk of the Town" is just brilliant --in that combines the lyrical wit of Elvis Costello and the sighing harmonies of the Beach Boys with the support of a wall of Rickenbacker guitar chords. The following tune "Restless" seems also cut from that cloth and the tone gets more hopeful. "Every Day Gets Better" is the template of a power pop song and manages to inject a real enthusiasm and freshness in the standard three-minutes plus pop song. There is a lot of music here too (13 tracks). Each one filled with ultra-melodic guitar hooks and simple, memorable melodies. Best here is there is no drop off in quality of the music. Even the ballad "Little Things" is interesting and the sunshine pop of "My Great Regret" is another excellent Costello-meets-Beach Boys flavored single and would have been a perfect ending. By the time we get to the "bonus" country-pop song "Daydream" (which sounds like a holdover from the first album) you realize you've been on a musical journey. And what a trip - I highly advise you get this if you like any of the bands I mentioned above. This also makes my crowded top ten of 2008 list this year.
Long mentioned on a musical "where-are-they-now?" list was acclaimed indie band The Mommyheads (Adam Elk, Dan Fisherman, Michael Holt and Jeff Palmer) and even though their debut on Geffen Records turned heads among critics, they've been silent for ten years since. Well, as fate would have it, the death of The Mommyheads’ original drummer, Jann Kotik, in 2007, helped bring the band back together and they decided to reform to honor their friend. They resemble less the old emo-pop tunesmiths, and a more mature Death Cab for Cutie without all the indie drama and a heaping of XTC influence. I was a bit sour on the opener "Work" - a moody excercise, suited to an albums end. But this is an album that takes a few listens to fully stick. And stick it will, from the great single "Help Me" with it's wonderful chord changes and guitar strumming. The follow up "Angels and Weathermen" is almost as catchy with some smart lyrics as well. The songs are a complex weave of melody and meaning, for example the mid-tempo "Washing Machine" where lead singer Adam pleads "Devils grinning/my souls spining/in your washing machine" - this is an excellent track and a highlight. The quick simple pop song is still a strength here with the "Stupid Guy" - a light keyboard lead song of melodic ear candy. The rest of the album doesn't sustain the momentum as well, but it still has moments of brilliance sprinkled throughout. A welcome reunion that deserves your attention. I expect wider distribution of the album soon.
To follow an "office" theme this week: Owen Sartori, a singer-songwriter from, Minneapolis, MN, has been in a few bands prior to this, his debut release. The songs have some cleverly catchy lyrics and with strong melodies in the first half similar to Jason Falkner and Ben Folds. It opens with the radio-friendly track, "Could You Be The One," and it has some mainstream break out potential with it's melodic bass line, although it was a bit too slick for me. The follow up "The Cube" is along the same lines, but more authentic with it's strong piano melody and biting chorus "such a cruel joke that this should be my life." The enthusiasm on "I Knew You'd Come Along" is concrete - it's a rich, textured single bursting at the seams, and my favorite here. The most Falkner-like track is "Punching Bag" with it's "punchy" beat and strong boxing/relationship associations. Next, "Separate" is a great ballad with melancholic lyrics about a dissolving relationship. The quality dips a bit in terms of memorable hooks, although the funky "Hey Gorilla" and "Go On" make a good attempts to engage the listener. The amusing "Turning 30" is a rant about getting old, and not partying like your college days. The remaining tracks are missing the magic that those earlier tracks have, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this very good album. Owen has a great future, based on this debut.
Semion is a London-based power pop quartet fronted by Gary Ford,with a skill in Fountains of Wayne meets The Jam energy. This starts with the ringing guitars of "Rum Runner" and continues with the classic jangle of "Liverpool Sunset" and "Rubbing Alcohol", both have a late seventies sound with great bouncing choruses. "Never Changes" has a cool dance beat with the guitars along the lines of The Ramones and The Bongos. The great chords and melodic skills really come out on the song "Honour" - and it's my favorite on the album. And they have plenty of angry-man Ray Davies-styled observational lyrics in "Black Cloud" to go with the killer Kinks-like riffs. "Year of the Monkee" brings to mind Teenage Fanclub with it's "ooh ooh" and multi-tracked vocals and splintering solos. They even have a song called "Jangle#1" - guess what that one sounds like? Echos of both Teenage Fanclub and Velvet Crush are also all over the albums later half with the sweet mid tempo "Another Clue" to the fuzzy guitar of "Get A Grip". A few songs here don't work as well melody-wise ("Transmission"), as the weaker tracks are collected at the albums end. I think most power pop fans will enjoy the spotless opening tracks and the band's spirit and musicanship make up for any flaws here. It's an easy album to recommend.
Reaching back, I found this little gem of an album. Formerly the Bees, they changed their name to "The Silver Seas" and deliver that familiar ’70s-style soft rock that combines the hazy harmonies of the Beach Boys with Jackson Browne’s running-on-empty rhythmic momentum. Lead songwriter Daniel Tashian underplays his commercial skills with a casual charm that shrugs where others might strain. He’s crafty, not contrived. The sound on the ballads like "Dream of Love" also reminds me of Sondre Lerche and James Taylor, so if you like them you'll dig The Silver Seas. Tashian injects a healthy dose of Seals & Crofts style to his storytelling in the title track "High Society". "The Country Life" is very similar to Van Morrison's "Wild Night" or "Domino" in structure and beat. Some wonderful jangle and harmonies are in "Ms. November" and is one of my favorites on this album. "Imaginary Girl" is another gem that sparkles along with a wonderful piano melody. "Hard Luck Tom" is similar to the effortless pop of JT if the Wilson boys were backing him. No real filler here unless you count the instrumental "Taitville," this is perfect for a fall day, with the leaves turning color to these elegant pop sounds.
When Argentinean native Sebastian Litmanovich formed the band Cineplexx last year in Barcelona Spain, he had some help from power pop buddies Douglas Stewart (BMX Bandits) and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub). The sound is lush and full similar to Belle and Sebastian (even a song near the albums end is named after them) with wall-of-sound arrangements and full Spanish language vocals. The opening "Espiral" has the soft vocal and light orchestral backdrop, that compares well to Elf Power or The Field Mice. Then "A Mi Lado" has a sparse synth beat with light harmonies that recall eighties synth-wave bands a bit and "Tirados" almost resembles those spacey late 60's Moody Blues ballads with fuzzy bass and theremin. It definitely creates a dark atmosphere and this gets even more moody with "Picnic" a sullen Cure-like ballad. This musical direction seems to take over the remaining tracks, as "Droga Paliativa” (Palliative Drug) which goes on like an updated version of Sisters of Mercy with competing background melodies. It gets more and more like ambient mood music, as the only English tune "Tiger Trap" has a slight Beach Boys feel, sung by Stewart. Fans of Belle and Sebastian and Velvet Underground minimalism, will enjoy this. A fine album, even though the musical themes repeat throughout and wear thin by the end. Give it a try and you may like it better than I did.
The Philadelphia-based The Swimmers put out a new release "Fighting Trees" is a tight collection of a dozen well produced tracks constructed with sparse instrumentation and satisfying Beatleseque melodies. Fans of The Shins and Spoon will enjoy the opener "It's Time They Knew" before diving headlong into the aforementioned strummer "Heaven." I would swear Ringo is on drums here. Then we get the Wilco meets New Pornographers pop in tracks "We Love To Build" and "Miles From Our Fears." The Swimmers have become a bit of an “under the radar” sensation locally, and with the synth popped ballads and the kind of dreamy harmonies, handclaps, piano runs make it easy to love. This is primarily pop music that is easy on the ear and ipod friendly. Raggedy guitars and pounding drums enliven harder-rocking songs, like “It’s Time They Knew” and “St. Cecilia”. Infectious melodies run through the entire album, although the ending ballad "Fighting Trees" gets a bit labored. Through it all lead singer Steve Yutzy-Burkey has focused on three of the great themes of pop music: lost youth, thwarted love and the fear of death. The tandem of "Your Escape" and "Goodbye" hit this spot right on. This is serious stuff, yet couched in such likeable, easily absorbed musical settings that you hardly notice the angst. And in a way, isn’t that the secret of great power pop? You’re humming along to philosophy’s most serious questions...but with a big smile on your face.
Exclusive Interview with Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls
This is my exclusive interview with Robby Takac, bassist for the Goo Goo Dolls. Bobby was very gracious, despite the fact that I can't pronounce his last name. After 20 years, the Goo Goo Dolls are considered the gold standard for melodic alternative rock and still going very strong. We talk about the new album they are recording in Buffalo, fame, stage gaffs, and the music business in the digital age.
Listen to the entire interview streaming (20 minutes)
One thing you can say about The Goo Goo Dolls is they do not take the fans for granted. This is a follow up to it's first Vol.1 of "Greatest Hits" but to fans who only know the hits, this is like a treasure trove of songs, B-sides and covers that aren't heard on the radio. With over two and a half hours of music and video, it touches on the bands entire career, from the early punk roots of "Torn Apart" to the demo of the popular single "Iris." It's not generally known that The Goo Goos have done a ton of movie soundtrack songs, and for fans this puts a bunch of them in one disc (like "Lazy Eye" from the Batman and Robin Soundtrack). The covers are also pretty good with the highlight being The Plimsoul's "Million Miles Away" and they make Fleetwood Mac's "I Don't Want To Know" their own. If you're not a huge Goo Goo fan then this will give you a shorthand into the depth of it's musical history beyond the hits. Otherwise stick to "Vol.1" - - By itself it's a good collection of music, but the addition of a DVD full of 17 videos and a "Live At Red Rocks" concert makes this a real bargain. Until a Goo Goo's retrospective box set is made, this will satisfy most. Diehards may protest at the lack of "missing" near-hits, but that will have to wait.
The sound you hear is brothers Dominic and Robert Campanella (Brian Jonestown Massacre) with prominent twelves string Rickenbacker and rich melodies that are all over the Quarter After's latest exercise in psychedelic revival. They are joined by a collection of LA musicians including power pop faves Ric Menck (Velvet Crush), Matthew Sweet, Eric Heywood (Son Volt), Probyn Gregory (Wondermints, Brian Wilson Band), and Matthew Sigley (Lovetones, Daytime Frequency). Most of all this is an album that will appeal to fans of Roger McGuinn and The Byrds in all their psychedelic glory. The sonic details in the opener "Sanctuary" set the tone and period-perfect effects take the listener back to 1968. Using the Byrds template is just the beginning for the Campanella brothers, as "She Revolves" swirls with dynamic melodies and CSN styled harmonies. "Counting The Score" has a bit of Graham Parsons country folk style. Another standout is "See How Good It Feels" with cavernous echoing chorus and guitar solo. It is a definite improvement in songwriting over the debut album, as almost everything works here. Some navel gazing songs can also go a long way toward boredom if you're not too careful ("Winter Song"), but this album is essential listening if you are a fan of The Grip Weeds or The Pillbugs. Listen to the entire album here. Groovy, man.
After a review of Dan Weir's Town and Country, I was told Scott Gagner who was part of that band, had his own album. Hailing from Minnesota, Scott Gagner started his career as a drummer in a few California bands before he created his own entity. Cartographer is a fine example of good songwriting in the classic style of REM or Wilco, with a rich melodic sound. A big standout here is "I'm Not Following You" with it's ringing guitars and perfect pop rhythms that will bounce around in your head for days. Layers of piano, moogsynths and drums make "Love Triangle For Two" a pleasant mid tempo diversion. It gets more alt country with the ballad "Sound Rebounds" and "Waiting" have a Wilco meets Pearl Jam feel. "Suburban Girl" has nice energy, with guitar, synth melody and handclaps that make this song lots of fun. This album is too long to be considered an EP, but by the end feels like it needs more music (leave them wanting more I guess). I look forward to a follow up.
I have a new batch of reviews this week, and hopefully a big surprise toward the end of the week. This weekend as I gathered some old CDs, I found a moldy old gem that I originally heard this on the "Nuggets" box set several years ago. After checking the web for information on this group I recently found out the identity of "Lyme" -- the male half of Lyme & Cybelle was in fact Warren Zevon. This is a great mid 60's pop track, shades of The Monkees "Last Train to Clarksville" with it's own psyche-pop touches. Fans of Warren Zevon will have to listen very closely to detect any traces of that famous "Werewolves of London" voice. The record was actually a minor hit (Top 100, though it made into the Top 10 in some West Coast markets). They duo recorded a couple of 45s, though on some of the later ones Zevon is gone with Wayne Erwin taking his place. Thanks for the IronLeg blog for this tasty tidbit of trivia - and a cool obscure song!
Jim Boggia makes a welcome return with “Misadventures in Stereo” full of hooks and harmonies, with lush descriptive stories that beg repeat listens, in a similar way to Mike Viola. The album was planned as an LP with two distinct sides -- the first five tunes focus on love, relationships, and other personal affairs, while the second half concerns itself with the bits and pieces of other people's lives. The opener "Johnnie's Going Down" is a catchy foot tapping single and the follow up "To and Fro" is more like Viola, with a variety of studio magic and sonic textures (like Spanish castanets). The song also features a steady beat and solid guitar riffs. Then the songs get slower and more bittersweet ("No Way Out" and "So") about failed relationships, like a male Aimee Mann. The rockin' "8 Track" is a Boggia classic with 70s styled guitars and shouted breaks - lots of fun to listen to. Fans of Emitt Rhodes will flip for "Listening to NRBQ" that includes a guitar solo from NRBQ's Al Anderson on the fadeout. Then an excellent song about a geek getting even with the school bully ("Chalk One Up for Albert's Side," co-written with Beach Boys lyricist Tony Asher) It ends with the somber blues of "Three Weeks Shy" about a solider struggling to come to terms with the death of a young soldier who was due to be shipped home from Iraq in less than a month that feels a lot like a Black Crows ballad. Overall an excellent album that will feel at home in your power pop music collection.
Utter charming DIY power pop is what makes you root for Frank Marzano. The Edinboro, PA transplant has all the right influences (The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Klaatu) "bands with a real emphasis on songwriting." he says. The songs have sunny, cheerful melodies and the arrangements are top notch as well - best compared to Chris Breetveld (The Breetles). Opening with the Merseybeat of "A Girl named Sam" it jangles away and should put a smile on your face. Marzano's vocals work best here, his slightly nasal delivery resembles Mike Love a bit, so it takes getting used to. The album is a hodge-podge of Beatlesque pop-rock, ballads, doo-wop, and folk, tackling such diverse subjects as romance, city life, divorce and single motherhood. The lyrics are fun and often full of dry humor - in fact, he most often sings in an earnest first person narrative. He tries to pick up a single mom in "Hot Mama" mentioning all the selling points including "I'm patient with kids." Another highlight is the descriptive of "Bleecker Street" complete with idealized "homeless who discreetly ask for change." All the instrumentation is quality too, from Phil Popotnik's sax solo to Frank's own guitar breaks. But it's got it's flaws, too. One can fault the length of many songs, for example "Hard To Get" is over four minutes and wears out it's welcome after two. The ending piano epic "Matthew/Neurotica" clocks in at over eight minutes. Other tunes are just creepy ("She Does Math"). But when it gets it right like in "My Christmas Wish" - it's a breath of fresh air and Frank's honest sweetness comes through. This is a guy that just loves this kind of music and it shows - he played at The Baggot Inn in NYC and mentioned "If I'm capable of playing Carnegie Hall, then I want to do that. If the best I can do is a street corner in Edinboro, PA, then I'll do that, too." He certainly has talent. Fans of innocent sweet pop will overlook the lack of self editing here and revel in the quality melodies and musicianship.
Last year I reviewed Readymade Breakup's debut album. I was impressed then, and they suffer no sophomore slump. In fact, the group has raised the bar and jumped over it. The rousing opening on "One by One" is full of great energy and Lead singer Paul Rosevear turns it into an anthem along the lines of U2 and Squeeze. Then you can groove to the Abbey Road guitar riffs of "Honey, you might be right" with a McCartney-like vocal wailing (somewhere, Lenny Kravitz is kicking himself that he's not doing this kind of music anymore). The songwriting is steadier here and less of the debuts stylistic shifts, terrific bass-driven leads are all over the album. A perfect example is "Surrender" that plays like Glen Tilbrook backed by Jason Falkner. The mid tempo songs are mixed well between the heavier rock, so the album flows nicely from one style to another effortlessly. This is followed by the Queen-like ballad "I Don't Mind" minus Brian May, but Rosevear gives his best performance. Another standout is "Stretch Your Head" with it's 70's rock ethos and blues falsetto. The Freddie Mercury style continues on "Quiet" and the band gets quite a smooth groove on the soulful gem "Ugly" which recalls Badfinger. It ends off on a high energy note with the "Back To The Bubble," a rousing tune that recalls the Faces and Rooney combined. With not a single dud here in a very tight set of ten songs, this is crunchy power pop at it's best. It also makes it easy to recommend as a top ten for 2008. Don't miss it.
Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan - The self release of group Starling Electric's debut record, Clouded Staircase, was back in 2006. The band has since been signed by Bar/None Records, who are re-releasing the album. the driving force behind it all is Caleb Dillon, who wrote everything and plays almost everything. The band has a pure indie pop sound similar to classic Guided By Voices with elements of Beach Boys instrumentation and bits of prog poking though. “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” starts you off with hard electric guitar riff and Dillon's floating Pollard-like vocals. Then the first of three-parts "The Clouded Staircase" opens with a very SMiLE like mix of piano and acoustic guitar playing, with some backwards looping for effect. This comes to a head on "Camp-Fire" which resembles Sean O'Hagen's High Llamas with steady and catchy organ and banjo touches. It continues to get better, "Black Ghost/Black Girl" is classic 60's pop similar to Pete Townshend's "Who Sell Out." By mid album the sunny ‘70s pop comes out on "Clouded Staircase Pt.2" with some wonderful piano, in a style similar to Tony Bank's early Genesis. This bit of pop combination melts together perfectly. As the album continues Dillon’s vocals begin to resemble Nick Drake playing for Marillion on "New Era." The folk prog influences come out more on the albums second half, with "Two Dreams" resembling early Genesis ballads, with dreamy flowing acoustic guitar. Add to this a wonderful instrumental "British Boots" with a gorgeous Rickenbacker rythym. Posies/Big Star frontman Jon Auer gave it high praise as well, "Startling and superlative orchestral pop that reminds me of why I fell in love with music in the first place..." and I tend to agree. An amazing album that deserves a Top Ten nod.
Sometimes a non-power pop album really gets my attention, and surprise - it's from a major label here. I never really knew who Ed Harcourt was, although he did advertise this album on "Adult Swim" last month. Hailing from Sussex, England his style is a piano based modern alternative rock. Ed Harcourt could be described as the UK's answer to Rufus Wainwright; a talented singer/songwriter who tends to be the critic's darling, yet has always lacked the attention of the mainstream. This album is an amazing find and should break him into the publics view, with mini-operatic melodies, like the sprawling "You Only Call Me When You're Drunk" and the heartbreaking croon of "Late Night Partner." The bombastic "Revolution In The Heart" is where the styles of U2 and Coldplay meet in the middle. So dark and tortured, if you love The Eels and Mark Oliver Everett, this album is a no-brainer. It remains his "poppiest" album from what I've read, and I guess that's why I was so impressed. Now I will look at his back catalog... but this is a great place to jump on the bandwagon.
Reviewed by Mike Z. Strawberry Weed forever? That’s overstating the case, but this is still a great disc. The first track, “Fool’s Parade” bears comparison to early R.E.M., but is thankfully not nearly as morose. The following cut, “Waking Up” begins simply, and even though it gathers a nice head of steam, the chorus “That’s alright/ I’m alright/ ‘Cause I can see, I can see baby, we can do whatever/ We are free to go, we are free to go wherever” stays firmly within the genre. Track 3, “Boo Boo Goo Goo” best exemplifies melodic rock. I swear I wrote a song in eigth grade with the same chord progression. The lyrics are simpler than even anything I essayed, yet this tune has a great hook and deserves a listen. At this point it is good to note that none of this material will send you scrambling for your good earbuds. The lyrics are all discernable and I am certain that this Swedish act does not include a single word with more than two syllables in it. This is a party disc and doesn’t try too hard. The effect is mostly sublime. The title track examines the poppier side of The Caesars, with an opening reminiscent of The Cure and a chorus possibly influenced by Love and Rockets. The middle parts of Strawberry Weed showcase The Caesar’s knack for airy harmonies and sweet lyrics that don’t stand out too much. “No Tomorrow” borrows from “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues”, if you can believe it. The only reason I point out all of the influences is to stress that The Caesars have an eclectic sound and considering there’s only so much you can do with a pop song’s structure, they have the good sense to borrow from the best. None of their material is derivative, however. They have an ability to make each song their own. Those of you with keen memories might remember that The Caesars had a song featured in a commercial for the first iPod Shuffle. That song is not on Strawberry Weed, and that’s a good thing, because it is a poor representation of their abilities. The songs on this disc are much more hard-driving and none of the goofy instrumentation is there, either. There is also available a 2 disc expanded version of Strawberry Weed, but I have not listened to it.
Khalid Hanifi (from the Maypops) comes out with his debut album, "Pamplemousse Presse" and fans of the soft side of Jason Falkner or The Rip Off Artists will appreciate this sound. We start with a superb pair of singles in "Mr. Wonderful" and "When You Wake Up" with easy going melody and ringing guitars that falls between XTC and Eric Matthews without sounding like either. "Hard To Believe" is another standout with a wonderful duet with his sister Sophie pitching into the harmonies. "Only Human" has a smart hook laden chorus that resembles an Andrew Gold song, and I consider it one of the best songs on the album - full of heavy contrasts in style. Another point of comparison for this song would be The Honeydog's Adam Levy. Fans of solo McCartney and Tin Finn will also find Hanifi's music totally accessible. "Truck" is a catchy tune "about dicking around forever" and it has a lot of fun twangy guitar noodling that makes for fun listening. The strong piano Todd Rundgren-like melody of "July" leads into the smooth guitar tune "Idiot Box" which is another album highlight. The album never loses it's way, but continues in a low energy mode till we get to "I Want You To Do Things That I Say" which has some impressive key changes. It's an impressive debut that deserves a spot on your playlist.
Brothers Ellis and Tom Clark are the duo behind Epicycle. The third album "Jingo Jangle" is a mix of progressive sixties pop sounds firing on all cylinders and Sgt. Pepperisms especially on the track "Girls Don't Rule My World" which has wonderful sonic details in the multi-track piano and orchestral flourishes. The opener "8-Track Mind" brings together Bryds-styled guitar jangle and Cheap Trick riffs in a dense polished production. The piano ballad "Goodbye" is an impressive soulful song along the lines of Billy Joel. The brass and creepy Alice Cooper/Tom Waits vocal of "Ode To Branson" is a bit too strange till we get to the Roger Waters-like chorus. "Day for Night" revisits this style with a well done piano melody. The quirkiness of "Club Marmalade" and "Worst Rock Song" seems like an attempt to merge Zappa and 10cc. Like The Pillbugs, it has a tendency to overindulge in the pyschedelic effects too much toward the albums end. That mentioned a lot of other studio acrobatics here work well on most songs. It also features guest spots by Brad Elvis of the Elvis Brothers and Paul Mertens of Brian Wilson’s band. This album is worth a listen for sure. Fans of the above mentioned bands will reach musical nirvana with this one.
After a number of issues that have threatened internet radio, I wanted to know what online stations are out there for my fellow powerpopaholics, so here is a short list so far. If you know any others just post a reply.
The New Up "Broken Machine" EP Out of the San Francisco scene comes The New Up. From the trippy-dreamlike beats and strong bassline to ES Pitchers's silky vocals (similar to Siouxsie Sue and P.J. Harvey) the music is poised to break out in a big way with pop fans. Beginning with the irresistable catchy pop of "Ginger Tea" and neo wave guitars on "Top of the Stairs" follows. If you've always wondered how Radiohead's influence would have affected the sound of a band like 1000 Maniacs, look no further. Fans of The Cure, and classic Smashing Pumpkins will also dig the tight, aggressive style of rock coated in a cool candy shell. This is hip, modern pop that the indie masses will enjoy as well. The New Up Site | My Space
Radio Days "Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous" EP Lead by Dario Persi, the Italian group Radio Days have taken traditional power pop sound and mines it for great effect. Excellent songwriting and guitar work punctuate each song in the EP, that recalls Fotomaker, Weezer and Velvet Crush all at once. From the smooth Knack-like riffs on "Brand New Life" to the cover of Paul Collins Beat's "Rock And Roll Girl" this is without a doubt a mind altering, sonic-sugar rush. "Don't Keep Me Waiting" is a perfect mix of Cheap Trick guitars and pop bliss. With music this good you don't ever notice the European accents (okay, you do - but it's no worse than The Winnerys). I would keep my eye on this group for a follow up full length album, so in the meantime hunt this CD down, as it one of the best I've heard all year - Bellissimo!! My Space | Interpunk | Subordination Records
Beatles Musicals: If at first you don't succeed...
beat the idea into the ground. I just got around to seeing and listening to the latest Beatles musical, Julie Taymor's "Across The Universe" on DVD. It's not as bad as the movie critics made it, but even a real Beatles fan must admit if you shoehorn as many songs into one movie, you will get a bit of a mess. To be honest, it is a spectaular triumph when you consider that the last Beatles musical that worked was "Yellow Submarine" in 1968 (and the fab four were actually involved in it). So here is a list of attempts in chronological order - I do not count stage shows like "Beatlemania" or Circ de Soleil's "Love" or The Beatles own movies like "Help"- just filmed attempts using Beatles music:
All this and World War II (1976) A real mess that was an attempt to meld together Beatles cover songs and World War II footage. Soundtrack included Jeff Lynne, Peter Gabriel and The Bee Gees doing awful versions of your favorite songs. Because the movie never had a real theatrical release (although the soundtrack did) - the idea would live on...
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary (1977) A monument to bad 70's variety shows, and another example of famous singers doing rotten versions of Beatle covers. Starring Ted Neeley (fresh from Jesus Christ Superstar), and including Patti LaBelle, Richie Havens, and other celebs embarrassing themselves. Steve Martin was also included in this stinker.
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)Then they take the musical badness above and try to attach as story to it. Too bad the movie made no sense and induced vomiting from the audience. The some of covers are much better here (i.e. "Come Together" by Aerosmith and "Got To Get You Into My Life" by Earth, Wind & Fire) but they are surrounded by crap and Steve Martin returns doing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"!
Across The Universe (2007) After looking at the previous treatments, this is like Citizen Kane. The story and songs sometimes work, and at other points feel forced. The actors do a good job on a lot of the covers, but much of it feels like a group of music videos strung together. Part of the problem (like the others) is mixing songs from different eras that don't match well. If they had taken a single album (like Pink Floyd's "The Wall") it would have been a better movie. Here is my favorite clip from it (very Wall-like). Best of all no sign of Steve Martin...
So why were three attempts made to add Beatles music to film in the late seventies? Keep in mind, when they broke up the music loving public were suffering from Fab withdrawl, and nostalgia always sells well. In my opinion, as each member of the band passes on, the urgency to keep the music alive to a new generation increases among those who lived through their heyday.
San Diego's Bigfellas are a local favorite and they have a smart way of blending pop and rootsy commentary along the lines of Ben Folds or Randy Newman. One of the many talents in the band, Charlie Recksieck writes some great piano driven music for the the mind as well as the soul. It opens with the SoCal pop of "California King" with a chorus that melts like butter and the biting lyrics of "vegetarians who love to shoot thier guns." Then it shambles into a hard-luck story with "Dollar for Every Dime" that talks about Lotto addiction, and the banjo follows the piano lead along. The funniest/meanest song here is "I Wish That I Were Gay" which wraps itself in Gershwin's "Rhadspody in Blue" and turns into the type of satire that Randy Newman used to do so well. It's basically a rant about gay envy and how they "have cache" and it's a hoot. The album goes off on left field with a "On The Green" with a disco beat, it's hard to tell if it's comedy or just bad rap. We're back on track with "Johnny Get Out Of The Sky" and fine mid-tempo tune. "Wish You Knew" is a wonderful ballad about regret after someone has passed on. The guitar strum takes center stage in the very psyche-pop "4:20" that could've fallen off a Pillbugs album. Lots of impressive piano and guitar riffs are on the Folds-like "Adam & Eve & ted & Alice" and "Reinventing The Wheel" has a bit of the bar room jam feel. It's good entry in the piano pop field and it makes me want to revisit the past album on CD Baby. Enjoy!
