| Good Music For Good People |
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April Update
| AWESOME NEW POP! |
POWER POPPIN' GOODNESS! |
MELODIC SWEETNESS! |
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MINSTER HILL
"Capturing Clouds In A Bottle"
All the material here evokes - without being overt or patronizing - the
sounds of many faves to us all: Parthenon Huxley, Doug Powell, Rick
Altizer, Toy Matinee, Peter Gabriel(listen song #4 below), New Radicals
and even, for some odd reason, reminds of Rick Derringer`s "Guitars
& Women" early 80s solo album.
It`s a special brand of commercial rock, commercial power pop,
commercial AAA, adult rock that glides along effortlessly inside leader
Howard Herrick`s many, many talents on display here.
SPECIAL BONUS: a 7 song CD-r of unreleased songs from Minster
Hill that are every bit as good as the songs that appear here!
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DAVID GRAHAME
*** First Rarities Collection From David Grahame***
What is "Outtakes - Volume 1"? Well, they are NOT scraps, I`ll tell you
that. Listen to the 2 minute sample below which savors up for you a
nice sampling of most of the 14 trax that appear here. The saying goes
one man`s pop is another`s poop but this is Grade A, Top-Shelf power
poppin` pop, all the way. You be the judge - just listen. The so-called
`outtakes` are....outstanding.
Like previous Grahame releases on the Not Lame site - SUPPLIES ARE
LIMITED. I have 75 copies of this bugger and if you notice, all
previous David Grahame titles are sold out. Same will apply here.
All the songs are from this decade and were, for whatever reasons, left off albums Grahame released during the 00`s.
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"Call it pure pop, or Beatlesque, or anything you like - but whatever
you call this kind of smartly crafted, beautifully created, insanely
catchy music, WIRETREE has it down on Luck the way TV pundits have hate
speech. Led by songwriter Kevin Peroni (who also does a TODD RUNDGREN
in the studio), the Austin quartet conjures up a luscious mix of JASON
FALKNER, the POSIES, ELLIOTT SMITH and the LA`s, drawing elements from
the best pop the last couple of decades had to offer." - The Big Takeover
"(Their) 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" - Absolute Power Pop blog
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I`m such a sucker for classic sounding rock albums that have an healthy
obsession for pure pop hooks thrown all over the place. Reno Bo`s
"Happening And Other Things" is such a record and it is also the of
record you can pull off the shelf every six months and continue to
enjoy for decades to come. Such are the timeless charms and rock
archetypes mined here.
"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." - Absolute Power Pop blog
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SUPRALUXE
Supraluxe is growing in leaps and bounds while continuing to use the
classic rock guitars and unforgettable hooks that saturated of that
mighty fine debut. . By wrapping themes of loss, anxiety, alienation
and love in the gloss of shiny summerpop, they have created an
exuberantly melancholy work that bounces with layered melodies and
interlocking cohesiveness.
""Like the sugar pop coating on top of frank bleakness on an Eels
record, Supraluxe packages feelings of emptiness, anxiety and isolation
with lush, danceable indie pop songs, complete with handclaps galore.
It`s stuff that makes you smile and tap your toes while you scratch
your head. Deftly straddling the line between slick pop and garage
rock, Supraluxe sounds like a slightly more hopeful Elliot Smith
fronting a band somewhere between the Love Cars and Semisonic." - CMJ
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STARBELLY
NOT LAME EXCLUSIVE - an exclusive CD-r of a live show added onto the whole package! This is a 19 song extravaganza that
features more unreleased songs that are not part of the 23 songs on
this CD!
Out Of Print for almost 10 years, Starbelly`s "Lemon Fresh"
was one of
the Not Lame label`s earliest releases. Pressed in a limited run, it
sold out quickly and disappeared. Now, in 2009 it is reissued - WITH 12
BONUS TRACKS added to the original 11. " 4 1/2 stars. Possibly one of
the most appropriately named debut albums in the power
pop world, Starbelly`s Lemon Fresh is an excellently sweet-and-sour
confection of Big Star-influenced guitar pop...a flawless set of songs
help make this set truly stand out from other power pop releases" - AMG
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One of the more exciting, daring power pop acts of this decade,
continue their evolution and critical approval with the release of
"Giddy". Pugwash have now caught attention of Andy Partridge who has
decided to release "Giddy"which is a compilation of past material with
2 new songs.
"It`s not too much of a surprise to find the material here something
that XTC fans might appreciate in the melange of vintage rock
influences. Like many such bands, they don`t do this with the skill of
XTC. But listeners who like modern mash-up-like takes on mid-`60s to
early-`70s forms of progressive pop/rock should enjoy Pugwash`s
well-produced songs, in which there are echoes of the melodies and
harmonies of well-loved greats like the Beatles, Beach Boys, Byrds,
Jeff Lynne in his Move/ELO days, and so forth. The lighter sides of
these groups seem to be prevalent influences, with a number of
softer/wistful/whimsical tunes in the style of Paul McCartney`s folkier
outings or the Beach Boys` mellower approach."AMG.
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ABSOLUTELY
AWESOME. Don`t let this one slip by.Fate Lions fire out splendific,
pure heavenly pop charms that made The
Shins almost break though to the big time some years back. Echoes of
Teenage Fanclub flit and flutter here, occasionally gently doused with
tasty new wave dollops.
"One of the best pop-rock bands around. I`d have to tip my hat to `em
anyway just for doing what they`re doing: conjuring up Nick Lowe-ish,
R.E.M.-y, Elvis Costello-esque 80s radio pop. But the Fate Lions aren`t
just aping some sort of distinctive sound from yesteryear to milk
sympathy from old nostalgic tools like me. They`re being the real deal,
expertly mixing jangly, cranky, countrified, Rickenbacker-tinged solos
with snappy, toe-tapping beats and ooh-ahh-ing harmonies." - Fort Worth
Weekly.
Just dig in a bit with the samples here - catch your own sunshine
wherever you live. You bet ya - Extremely Highly Recommended.
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FUN.
Blending classic ELO and Jellyfish inspired harmonies, some over the
top Queen-ish-isms and a healthy obsession with all things `the 70s`
updated for modern palettes, Fun. are more than aptly named.
Go figure. NO one - and I mean `no one` - in the power pop
world is talking about Fun. I am aghast and shocked as to why. Our
Secret, folks!
OH, get this, too - Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. helps out(and does the
arranging of the material here) and Steven MacDonald of Redd Kross
produces!
"It is impossible for anyone to remain in a bad mood after listening to
Aim & Ingite in full. It is one of the most fulfilling albums I`ve
heard in a while. The brain trust of fun.So turn those frowns upside down, as fun. has released the most
essential pop album of 2009." - Absolute Punk.
Wake up and smell the coffee and smile...have some FUN!
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Long time Not Lamers - ones from the 90s - will recognize the name of the
band THE GOODS. Jim Camacho was the leader of that Florida-based band. It`s
a warm, familiar feeling for me listening to impassioned, piano-drive
melodies on "Beachfront Defeat" as all the elements that endeared me to The
Goods are here, refined by years of life going by bringing the temperance of
so-called wisdom
The aching emotions, the heart-wrenching
melodies, the exquisite arrangements... the things that have made him one of
the most indelible performers in the indie-rock music scene. Melodic and
pop-driven, Camacho`s signature allegiance to straightforward melodies is
the backbone of Beachfront. Jim Camacho is all about having great pop
sensibility with a serious knack for melody.
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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GIDGETS GA GA
Gidgets Ga Ga has all the right blendings of all
kinds of classic modern rock, alt-rock and pop stylings of the last 20
years. Redd Kross, Guided By Voices, Tommy Keene, Material Issue, Soul
Asylum and The Replacements.
They sweep it all under the mat and when you`re not looking, kick back
out and dust up the place with their confidence. This stuff is the
bomb!
"Their sound is a heady mix of all that has come before and all that is
yet to be. Echoes of classic British Invasion pop, Nirvana, and The
Replacements can be detected, along with the bands` own take on what it
takes to make a 3-minute song matter. They are about punk rock energy & timeless pop melodicism."- Power Pop Overdose
"GGG are a band determined to keep the old school Midwestern power pop of bands
such as Material Issue, Cheap Trick, Pezband and Shoes alive and well."
- Chicago Rock Music Examiner
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DROPKICK
Dropkick do not mess around! It is about HARMONIES with Dropkick. It just is.
"Songs that capture a power pop spirit tinged with a country edge,
shimmering guitars and vocal harmonies recall classic California bands
and more local contemporaries such as Teenage Fanclub and Daniel
Wylie"- Americana UK.
"I looked near and far for today`s entry. My search took me all the way
to Scotland. And what did I find you ask? Jangly power pop from the
band Dropkick and their new record Abelay Hotel.The band has received plenty of accolades and some of them are quite
funny. For instance the BBC called them `Scotland`s finest alt-country
power pop band`" - Songs Illinois
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JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!! Originally released as an EP digitally
years ago, expanded then to 10 in 2005, now we have 16 tracks available
on CD - all properly pulled together with cool stuff added for Twilley
Fanatics! Take a listen below - what a wonderful thing to hear Dwight
Twilley`s croon wafting over a holiday spirit.
"3 1/2 stars. As the title implied, this was music for a Twilley
Christmas, which is to say, fairly characteristic Twilley music with
lyrics appropriate to the holiday season. "Rockabilly Christmas Ball"
was a typical title and arrangement; "Christmas Night," with its Chuck
Berry-by-way-of-T. Rex guitar sound and echoed vocals, might have been
done at the same session as Twilley`s debut hit, "I`m on Fire,"" - AMG
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Sounding like a combination of The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and psychy
Buffalo Springfield, El Goodo have one foot in the mid/late 60s and the
other firmly in the 00`s.
Drenched in hazy rich harmonies, ringing guitars, and horns, if a band
can be totally retro and modern, El Goodo have a template working. El
Goodo combines the mellow and melodious psychedelic sounds of the Beach
Boys, The Byrds and Love with beautiful and lush arrangements that call
upon the mystical countryside from whence they came. The result is the creation of a mysterious, sweepingly grand, and at
times whimsical approach to their already eclectic soundscape.
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Spanish import. Working backwards to a time when The Plimsouls and Paul Collins` Beat
ruled our lives. Much of the material of The Breakdowns harkens to
perfectly back to classic material from these bands, you`d swear they
could be outtakes.
"They remind me of a sort of more laid back version of The Ramones
mixed with a little Tom Petty and Ducks Deluxe for good measure. With
perfectly crated well structured songs, and a band where every member
seems to compliment each other perfectly. Every song on this, their
debut, is catchy." Glitzine. I can agree with most of that review, but it is clear the reviewer has never heard The Plimsouls or Paul Collins` Beat.
Very Highly Recommended!
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DENNIS DIKEN with Bell Sound
Homages to post-psych jangle, sunny Beach Boys meditation and raucous
Who-ish hard rock, Diken along with The Bell Sound have delivered a
winner - which also features help from the likes of Jason Falkner, Andy
Paley, Nick Walusko and Nelson Bragg of Wondermints, The Honeys(yes,
THE Honeys!) and long list of other LA-based luminaries.
"Diken draws from the same mid-60s millieu as DiNizio`s Beatle-esque
songs for the Smithereens, but he leans more heavily on the mod sounds
of the Creation and the Who, the pre-orchestral Moody Blues, the
California beach sounds of Gary Usher, the harmonies of the Beach Boys,
Raspberries, and Association, and the studio production of Brian Wilson. That Diken can sing is no shock to Smithereens fans, but the
completeness of his vision as a singer, songwriter and bandleader is a
welcome surprise."- Hyperbolium.
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CURTAINS FOR YOU
"What A Lovely Surprise To Wake Up To"
Order Today -- $15.50
"9 out of 10. Leaning on a big pile of 60`s classic pop influences and
structures, they put it in the blender and whip up into a fresh but
totally familiar sound. The opener "Nuclear Age" sets the tone with a
Beach Boys meets Jellyfish harmonic that`s just irresistible. "This
Dead World" is a Marshall Crenshaw meets Crowded House gem full of
twisting lyrics and slinky slide guitar rhythms...A most welcome surprise that makes my top 10" - Power Pop Aholic blog
"Leaning on the British Invasion music of the 60s to create such
memorable pop songs, their songs are filled delicious melodies,
intricate three- and four-part harmonies, and hooks to land whales
on. The result is fresh and also refreshingly familiar. A real band playing real instruments live in the studio without all of
the new fangled technical doo-daddery that is ever-present in music
these days." - AntiMusic.
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DWIGHT TWILLEY
Dwight Twilley is perhaps one of the most underrated songwriters and
recording artists of the Rock era. His fabled slapback echo power pop
sound won fans the world over. Volume 6 digs even deeper into the
Twilley archives to uncover 14 more interesting and lost gems!
Songs like the rocking "She`s All My Light", the carefree "It`s True",
and the charming and innocent "Let It Rain" are among the many
highlights. Also featured here is an early version of "Ice Captain", a
song Dwight later resurrected for his "47 Moons" release from 2004. An
early version of the rocking "Firefly" (which appeared on "Rarities
Volume 2") appears here as "Love Me". "Daydream Lady" is one of the
earliest tracks Dwight ever recorded and shows his blossoming prowess
as a gifted songwriter. An early demo of the Lennon-esque Twilley
masterpiece "Out Of My Hands" is present, too.
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DELETED WAVEFORM GATHERINGS
One of pop`s best kept secrets. Which makes sense as they are not
easily categorized under any banner, let alone on `power pop` but their
brand of melodicism, histrionic obsession and hooky magic will always
be appealing to many on this site.Deleted Waveform Gatherings knows how
to formulate interesting ideas and emulations of their influences and
sound totally organic. Recording began in a big Norwegian barn "to
preserve the rough 60s garage feel" of some of the songs, with
additional overdubs on their own mobile studio.
Their talents are in the blending of 4 decades of classic rock sounds
and ending up in a place that fresh, unique and always warmly
familiar.Along with Sweden`s Mellowmen, this Norwegian band are the
finest of pop craftsmen. Probably going to be creeping into my Top 10 or 20 for 2009.
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LAURIE BIAGINI
Here`s a cool, left-field entry! Laurie Biagini, thankfully, chooses a
different path mixing up an alchemic display of endearing
Harrison-styled Travelin` Wilburys pop/rock, sunny Beach
Boys/Wondermints, a slight tinge of
bubblegum(shades of Mamas & Papas) and throw in some foundational
Brill Building while you`re at it! Vocally, you can hear some Karen
Carpenter and Jackie DeShannon but it`s the sheer comfortable nature
and confidence of the material the rules the day on all 16 tracks here.
"Focusing on the Beach Boys 70s output, where Dennis and Carl Wilson held
greater sway over the Beach Boys due to Brian Wilson`s health - there
is a certain affinity to those classic Sunflower/Surf`s Up albums, not
to mention traces of Dennis Wilson`s solo Pacific Ocean Blues."- The Power Of Pop
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BROADFIELD MARCHERS
WOW. Now, this not for everyone but we are amongst friends here and
there not many places that exist where I can start off the information
here and say something like the following and know that hundreds,
thousands of you will `get` this: Broadfield Marchers` have many
charms, the biggest is that all the material on "Displayed in
Reflections" reminds me of "Black Vinyl Shoes"-era Shoes and, if you
are familiar with the "Bazooka" material from the band band, same
thing.
The Broadfield Marchers may be the most Shoes inspired band I`ve heard
since The Spinning Jennies, but add slices of other classic pop
influences like Guided By Voices(at their very finest, pop-wise), "Sell
Out"-era Who, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, Alex Chilton, early Pink Floyd
and others.
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Ahhh. Jump in - go head and go down song #3 below - These guys, Make
This City, are fans of The Click Five and they do their sound better
than they do on "Da Da Da", which also reminds me late 90s power pop
faves, The Tories, too.
Make This City are a duo of two young guys from Iowa who have taken the
right and correct turn in the road - instead of going down the insipid,
empty gestures of bands like All American Rejects, they embrace the
(ahem) high-brow concept that vocal harmonies and crackling pop
melodies will lead the best, most enjoyable final destination.
"Live Loves & Lies" is a bold, vastly enjoyable and confident first step. Very Highly Recommended!
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THE NEW FIDELITY
Six new songs from The New Fidelity who have managed to pump out a new
release the last three years and one listen to lead of track "Simple
Things"(track #1 below) and, if you are hard-pressed to want to hear
more, usher yourself in a new direction to find out what works for you
as it won`t work here.
Okay, that`s a bit harsh but their mixing early Joe Jackson and classic
New Zealand power pop of the 90s is something that gets me lit up. This
time they mix in some soul into the mix - think late-period of The Jam.
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MEET CITIZEN K
Meet Citizen K is an album that is either going to BLOW some of you out
the water or leave you feeling like you had a close encounter with
pleasant acoustic-pop ephemera. It`s the former for me or it would not
be on this site in front of your eyes and ears. Much of 16 songs here
remind me of well-recorded Pete Townshend demos, too.
"
What do you get if take a musician that grew up listening to The Beach
Boys and has the latest David Mead album spinning on his Hi-Fi
everyday? This artist also shows his love for the days of vinyl with
the new CD looking just like a small vinyl both with the sleeve and the
black disc. Well you get classic songwriting that sounds like it is
taken straight out of the year 1975 with a warm production that is so
far away you can get from a synthetic and digital sound." Melodic.net
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YOUR GRACIOUS HOST
Earlier in 2009, we saw a self-produced 2 CD-r set from Your Gracious
Host and before 2009 leaves up, "Easy Red" the follow up arrives.
Again, the material here reminds me of a somewhat edgier Shoes,
Spinning Jennies and 80s pop greats, The Deal, who many Not Lamers will
recall from the Not Lame label release that documented how incredibly
special this band was. Echoes of early/mid 80s Post-REM bands show up
here and there but it`s a sound not explored often in modern pop and I
am glad to report Your Gracious Host deliver on the promise of their
debut.
Bursting with energy, melody and left turns everywhere, this record leaves you spinning and wanting more. Driving, taut rhythm, vocal harmonies, intriguing, often confessional lyrics, and guitars, guitars and more guitars.
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D.L. BYRON
HUGE NEWS FOR POWER POP FANS!! D.L. BYRON`s "This Day And Age" has been
in my Top 5 most wanted to appear on CD since the beginning of the CD
age - and, finally, its day has arrived. It is HERE! Get Geeked!
Fans of the early works of Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw and the
first two Joe Jackson albums, will be wiping drool off your faces after
you pick your face and ears up off the floor.
"4 1/2 stars. An obscure but absolutely essential example of late-`70s/early-`80s
power pop, D.L. Byron`s This Day and Age easily ranks with the best
work of contemporaries like Pezband, Graham Parker, and the Jam...any lover of pure power pop should make every effort possible to find this stunning high point of the genre."- AMG.
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THE SHAMBLES: Tribute
"Forty One Sixty: The Songs Of The Shambles"
Order Today -- $10.50
The Shambles have been around for over 20 years, rising from the ashes
of mod-greats Manual Scan. Now, in late 2009, a tribute to the band and
their body of work is upon us. A worldwide collection of songs
originally recorded by long running American rock group`s Manual Scan
and the Shambles.
The connection between the two bands is vocalist Bart Mendoza and
guitarist Kevin Donaker-Ring, mainstays of both combos, who have now
been performing together for over 30 years. While the tunes were
originally a rock `n` roll, garage, mod, power-pop hybrid these
recastings are stylistically diverse.
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TRASHCAN SINATRAS
UK Only and years in the making, Trascan Sinatras return!
"Trashcan Sinatras turn out their most mature and elegant album to date. If that
seems like a backhanded way of saying that Trashcan Sinatras have
gotten old and boring but still sound nice, well let`s just acknowledge
right now that these guys are getting a little gray around the temples,
but so are their listeners. So, while these ten new tunes won;`t pump
your heart rate up, they sound great while lazing around on a Sunday
afternoon.A generation later, they`re still crafting high quality music. "- Pop Matters.
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EDDIE MONEY
VOLUME TWO has arrived, like Volume One, it`s a 4 song EP! One of the
most recognizable voices in rock music, Eddie Money is well-known for a
string of big hits with and catchy melodies.
This EP is Volume Two in an ongoing series and features Money`s take on
"Gimme Some Lovin`", "Roadhouse Blues"(perfect for his voice!!), "When
I Come Around" and "Ticket To Ride". Listen in some clips below and
hear for yourself! Enjoy.
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JASON FALKNER
Japan only so the price is brutal - undeniable. Just as
undeniable....it`s a new Jason Falkner solo album, his first in 2 1/2
years. No concrete news on US release
""Still drenching everything in a guitars-at-the-front-of-the-mix 1970s
power pop style, Falkner`s songs are better this time around. Tunes
such as "Maybe The Universe", "Doin`Me In" and "Emotion Machine" are
instantly catchy and hard to get out of your head.I also have to give a
recommendation to the mostly-acoustic "ounting Sheep", one of the most
infectious melodies Falkner has graced us with since his first album." - The Log Book
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ROY LONEY
"A Hundred Miles An Hour"
A comprehensive anthology covering the career of one of the great cult
artist of American rock `n` roll: ROY LONEY & THE PHANTOM MOVERS. A
Hundred Miles an Hour 1978-1989 is an exhilarating, multi-label
collection, 28 tracks and 77 minutes of red hot rock `n` roll.
"4 stars. On top of being a great rock & roll belter with no fear
of pushing himself into the red zone, Loney is a fine songwriter with a
wildly idiosyncratic sense of humor..those who wonder what became of Loney after he quit the Flamin`
Groovies should do themselves a favor and pick up this profile of a
natural born rock & roll genius in action."- AMG.
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7 WORLDS COLLIDE (Neil Finn)
"The Sun Came Out"
2009 two CD release from this project led by Neil Finn and featuring
members of Radiohead, The Smiths, Wilco and others. Seven years ago,
Neil Finn and friends first got together to perform some live shows and
release the resulting live album. In December 08/January 09, Neil did
it again, only this time bigger and better!
"Rare is the double album that really justifies its length, and at times
this collection of 24 tracks sounds like it has been expanded so that
none of the participants felt left out." - The Telegraph UK
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BILL DONATI
"Byron's Drea,"
In 2008, Donati unearthed "Never Like This", a collection of unreleased
songs from the mid/late 70s recorded at Aredent Studios alongside some
power pop luminaries of the time. In 2009, he returns with a new,
different project - "Byron`s Dreams" contains eclectic songs,
everything from Beatlesque to folk and driving blues rock.
"Byron`s Dream" is inspired by Lord Byron`s famous poem "She Walks in
Beauty Like the
Night." This song rocks! Incredible rhythm, lyrics and harmony. "Lovers
Dust" is driven by an electric 12 string with a Romantic story. "If I
Were Fire" brings to mind The Goatdancers, Bill`s early band as
drummer. Co-producer Jimmy Pou`s guitar artistry
is stunning. Every song is embroidered with Jimmy`s guitar searing and
superb vocal harmony.
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PARACHUTE
"Losing Sleep"
I live in the land of The Fray here in Colorado - they are huge. I get
it, I don`t. A band like Parachute - very similar to The Fray in sound
- work for me. They add a bit more edge(if one can even say that) to
their well-sheened pop studio perfection. I`m a hook guy - they bring
it on there, even if these are melodies and hooks reconstructed from
well worn templates.
Th' Losin Streaks
"Sounds Of Violence"
Garage rock played the way it should be played...Loud, fierce,
uncompromised neanderthal sludge without all the usual retro-isms.
Think The Sonics meets Texas punk circa `66. Yes, we`re talking SONICS,
WAILERS, STANDELLS.
THE LEISURE SOCIETY
"The Sleeper"
Beautifully pastoral debut." MOJO. "An autumnal mist of British Bank
Holiday ennui surrounds Nick Hemming`s literate meditations."
The Times. "Unflinching clarity and a sense of longing...a uniquely
British take on Americana; almost as if Scott Walker or Nick Drake had
`gone country`, making music for coalminers rather than cowboys." - The
Independent
PACIFIC DRIFT
"Feelin' Free"
Digitally
remastered and expanded edition of this obscure 1970 album featuring
bonus materialting. Very Highly Recommended! Pacific Drift remains
a sparkling, West Coast-influenced amalgam of
post-Psychedelic Pop and early Progressive Rock, skillfully weaving
wistful laments and riff-laden rockers into a fully cohesive whole.
THE MAINE
"Can't Stop Won't Stop"
Okay, I`m mildly a sucker for the better of these standard-ish pop rock
bands that are in their early 20`s with way too many hair care products
on their heads WHEN they show some respect for what came before them
and really try and *write* songs. The Maine are one of those bands best
exemplified with the sound bites below - You will either like it or
hate it - you decide. Nothing earth shattering, no question - but well
recorded, slick, moderately over-indulgent whiner pop has its time and
place for many of us. These guys stand out from the pack.
THE FEELIES
"The Good Earth"
It took the Feelies six years to create The Good Earth, their follow-up
album to Crazy Rhythms. The album was co-produced by Feelies
co-captains Glenn Mercer and Bill Million along with REM`s Peter Buck
who was a Feelies admirer since his days as a record store clerk.
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View All Of SEPTEMBER CDs - Click Here
CHEAP TRICK
"The Latest"
"The Latest" is the latest from Cheap Trick and it is, arguably, the
best album since, say, "Next Position Please". Robin Zander is a force
beyond comprehension, a man who sings in voice no worse off from 40
years on the road. The man belts it. If you are a fan and do not have
this yet, get listening to the soundbites for the best proof I can
offer.
PILOT
"Morin Heights"
2009 digitally
remastered version of 1976 CD with 4 bonus trax and excellent liner
notes. This third album was recorded at Morin Heights in Quebec, Canada
and
this time had Roy Thomas Baker (Queen) producing. Heavier Power Pop
sound and songwriting contributions from more band members mark this
album as a progression.
THE POSTMARKS
"Memoirs At The End Of The World"
The Postmarks have been described as a suburban bedroom symphony
suffused with post-teenage heartbreak and painstaking pointillism. It`s
some of the most complex and sophisticated pop music around, a
self-contained, hermetically pure world of orchestrated, swooningly
cinematic lusciousness.
MAPLEWOOD
"Yeti Boombox"
It has been 5 years since Maplewood released its self-titled album. On
that album, like a scent of night jasmine, the Maplewood sound wafted
from the canyons to the beaches and out into the desert, an ode to a
California ideal mapped out by such precursors as America, Bread, The
Flying Burrito Brothers, The Stone Canyon Band, John Phillips, The
Byrds, 70s Beach Boys, and even CSNY. Those leanings are still very
much in focus in 2009 here on "Yeti"
PRIVATE LIGHTNING
"Private Lightning"
An obscure
Boston band from the late 70s who released one album on A&M Records
and prompty disappeared. Blending elements of new wave,
progressive rock, art rock, AOR and
commercial rock, Private Lightning just not fit into any easy
definition of what rock pundits thought music should sound like but
they delivered an album filled with great songs back in 1980. First
time on CD AND adds 13 songs that were recorded for the followup to
this album that never made it out.
V/A - ROXY MUSIC: Tribute
"Take Refuge In Pleasure"
2009 tribute
from the quality tribute label, Burning Sky - features 11
imaginative and diverse covers of Roxy Music songs,
spanning Roxy`s entire career. There is at least one song from each of
their 8 studio albums, from their debut Roxy Music all the way through
Avalon.
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BULLDOG BREED
"Made In England"
THIS is a find! Listen below - come on, just do it, this one is fun!
It`s a CD reissue of rare 1969 UK underground heavy rock psych album.
Featured here with two bonus tracks but give these tracks a listen
below - You`ll know right away whether this works for you - or not. As
it should be. Music first. It is an album from the very end of the
psychedelic era, one of the last landmark albums when bands seemed play
exactly what they wanted, instead of opting for either the mainstream
or the gutter; the psych-pop sensibilities of 1967 in many of these songs
THE GAIN
"The Best Of"
Back in around 2000, we had this CD on the site for a bit and then it
was gone. It`s been reissued and is available once again. A-sides,
B-sides, Comp tracks, Demos, and Extras! Twenty-three (23) tracks from
the most underrated 90`s power pop / mod-punk band.
PILOT
"From The Album Of The Same Name"
2009 digitally
remastered version of 1974 debut with 4 bonus trax and excellent liner
notes. Soft Rock meets Prog Rock with enough mainstream hooks to keep
the customer more than satisfied. Bonus tracks also include two
unreleased songs and a rare early off-shoot single released as Scotch
Mist.
THE LONG RYDERS
"The Best Of
THE best
collection of the Long Ryders out there.....UK only release,
18 songs and 16 page booklet and a huge Pete Frame family
tree! The band combined rootsy influences such as Gram Parsons and
Buffalo
Springfield with an unlikely punk sensibility. They were refreshing,
they cared about the songwriting, and they could rock.
THE APPLES IN STEREO
"#1 Hits Explosion"
2009 compilation from the Indie Pop veterans. The shiny pop centerpiece
of the famed Elephant 6 collective, The Apples In Stereo was born of
Robert Schneider`s infatuation with recording and his near-pathological
compulsion to write the perfect Pop song.
JOE PERNICE
"It Feels Good So Good"
This CDis a
companion piece to Joe Pernice s debut novel It Feels So Good When
I Stop. The book will be published August 6 by Riverhead Books, a
division of Penguin. The album is performed by Joe Pernice, Peyton
Pinkerton, Mike Belitsky, Bob Pernice, with James Walbourne and Ric
Menck.
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