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IMPERIAL TEEN On (Merge)
www.mergerecords.com
Dynamic and idiosyncratic, melodic and quirky, Imperial Teen delivers
its latest album with all the stellar pop ingredients intact. Meaning,
you get what you expect from one of the most distinctive indie pop
combos around - attitude, fun and loads of great hummable tunes! Songs
like "Ivanka," "Baby," "Million $ Man,"
"Captain" et al, provide slinky, sexy pop thrills that
reference 80s new wave/synth pop rather tastily and refreshingly. Good
stuff. B
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TOSHACK HIGHWAY Four
Tracks (Space Baby) www.spacebaby.net
Adam Franklin of Swervedriver fame returns with the 2nd release from his
Toshack Highway side project. This 4 track EP possesses an endearing
demo like quality, its lo-fi charm a stark contrast to the guitar
atmospherics normally associated with Franklin's work. "Seize the
Day" is a promising number which deserves better (more hi-fi)
treatment whilst both "The Hitcher" and "Everyday, Rock
'N' Roll Is Saving My Life" are probably the closest to folk-blues
you likely to get from Franklin. B
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THE DAVE RAVE GROUP
Valentino's Pirates (To M'Lou) www.tomlou.com
Originally released in the former Soviet Union (as it slowly began
to drift into oblivion) and finally making its debut worldwide, this
hidden treasure reinforces the excellent credentials of pop journeyman
Dave Rave (nee DesRoches). Displaying an eclecticism that is expansive
and enjoyable, this re-issue boasts the gamut of rock styles - from
vintage rock 'n' roll ("Do It All Over") to folk rock
("Welcome to the Next Generation"), from poignant vignettes
("Father Be Brave") to breathy balladry ("All Over the
World"). A wonderful piece of obscure pop history.
B Top |
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JOHN MCMULLAN
(Kicktone) www.kicktonerecords.com
"Well I learned a whole lot about greed in law school"
McMullan sings in the chiming opening track on this - his anticipated
debut album after years of giving his fans nuggets of powerpop heaven on
various compilations. Much of McMullan's vitriol seems at odds with the
sheer pleasure he ekes out of his Rickenbecker 12-strings but at least
McMullan dares to venture beyond the confines of love lorn moodiness
which seems to characterize too many power pop artists. Definite
highlights include the gorgeous "Pun Intended," the touching
"Here I Sit Alone," the punchy "Double Monday" and
the heartfelt "Sylvia and Anne." B
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THE POSSIBILITIES Way
Out (Parasol) www.parasol.com
From playing alt. country supporting fellow Parasol label mate Jack
Logan to performing as Minus 5 with Scott McCaughey, Ken Stringfellow
and Peter Buck opening for REM, it's been interesting of late for the
Possibilities. New album Way Out takes its Flying Burrito
Brothers intentions further along with generous helpings of classic 70s
AM rock adding psychedelia and glam to the blend. The Lennonesque
"Coming in Waves," the epic ELO-evoking "Invisible,"
the gorgeous 'Wall-of-Sound' vibe of "Now and Then You Appear"
and the joyous title track complement the traditional alt. country fare
succinctly. B Top |
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BRAD HARVEY
Me First (billionbrads) www.billionbrads.com
Brad Harvey loves pop -- powerpop -- as anyone who has ever read his
reviews in numerous magazines would attest. But that fact has little
relevance to the music here cos quite obviously from a casual listen to Me
First, not only does Brad Harvey love powerpop, he does a great job
creating his beloved music as well. "Wonder Girl" has a terrific
Raspberries sensibility to it, "Look" has a infectious
Traffic/Creation psychedelic feel and "Before The Evening
Falls" is a solid Byrds folk-pop nugget. The lo-fi sound quality is
too obvious a comment but never a problem in the overall context. C
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PRIVATE JETS
A Four-Leaf Clover in E Major (Sparkplug) www.privatejetsmusic.com
Private Jets are a fun-loving Swedish quartet that would certainly
appeal to lovers of the Beach Boys, ELO, Queen, Jellyfish, Sun Sawed in
1/2 and countrymen The Merrymakers. This 4-track EP boasts mellifluous
strength, sumptuous chord changes, classy studio work & divine
harmonies - power pop splendor to the nth degree! As long as you can
ignore lines like "My heart is beating like Keith Moon" --
shouldn't be a problem as songs like "Magic," and "Target
in my Heart" will melt down any resistance in no time. B
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CAMILLE DAVILA
Not for the Disco (Below) www.belowrecordings.com
Very electronic based yet very 60s-driven, Camilla Davila manages to
suggest a French chanteuse or Teutonic diva in those moments when her
luscious larynx teases her way into your brain. Truth is Davila's origin
is somewhere between Liverpool and LA (go figure!) but more relevant is
the sheer breadth of this young lady's muse which straddles jazz, folk,
punk, electronica and pop with equal audacity. Minimalist and
impressionistic, tunes like "Playing," "Cookie Jar"
and "Joan and Bette" may take time to sink in but once they do
- watch out! B Top |
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OTTO'S DAUGHTER
Renew (Self released) www.ottosdaughter.com
Industrial popcore is how this New York/New Jersey Goth-looking quintet
chooses to describe their music, which I supposed is a fair statement.
Ignoring the aesthetic trappings, Renew -- the band's sophomore
release has enough pop hooks, instrumental flair and sinister
underpinnings to seduce any unsuspecting modern rock listener. Formed
around the nucleus of lithe vocalist Jacqueline Van Bierk and drummer HH
Gadget, Otto's Daughter sure possesses the chops and image to get the
right attention. C Top |
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ALL STARS
Better Alone (American Brothers) www.americanbrothers.com/allstars
Finnish label American Brothers has an droll sense of humor (check out
their site) which I presume All Stars shares. Better Alone, a
six-track mini-album is a curious disc, difficult to appreciate but
certainly one gets the feeling that if All Stars concentrate more on
piecing these fragments of ideas into cohesive songs then they may have
a better chance of reaching their potential. After all, songs like
"The Happiness of Being Alone" and "Blue Star Eyes"
contain enough brittle sweet moments to interest fans of Belle &
Sebastian. If only they could prove they gave a damn. C
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P76 Into
the Sun (Zip) www.ziprecords.com
Produced by Dom Mariani of DM3 fame, this full-length debut of
former Jericho frontman Danny McDonald's new power pop trio P76 fulfils
the promise of last year's Sunliner EP. Chock full of the
elements that make Oz power pop the energetic sunburst it is, Into
the Sun parlays everything you have ever obsessed about the best
guitar pop into concise 3 minute wonders. No doubt the influences of
Teenage Fanclub, The Jam, Neil Young & Crazy Horse and the
aforementioned DM3 weigh heavily on McDonald's mind but so what?! With
tunes as vigorous as "Sleeping In," "Let's Get Back to
Where We Started" and "Golden Days," there should be no
cause for complaint. C Top |
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RUSH
Vapor Trails (Atlantic) www.rush.com
After a five year hiatus, those quintessential Canadian prog-pop-rockers
Rush have finally come up with their sixteenth album – Vapor Trails.
The last two albums – Test for Echo and Counterparts –
witnessed Rush attempting a semblance of the mid-90s alternative rock
with curious results but since that time, much has changed in the modern
rock landscape with rap-metal holding sway over hearts and wallets. To a
certain extent, Rush acknowledges the current trends with a heavier
emphasis on drums than is usual. Neil Peart’s work here is often
thundering even as Alex Lifeson’s guitar and Geddy Lee’s bass retain
their fluidity and poise. Tracks like "One Little Victory,"
"Ghost Rider," "Vapor Trail,"
"Earthshine," "Sweet Miracle" and "Out of the
Cradle" tread the middle path between prog finesse and metal
machismo which is what Rush do best. B
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