Not Lame loves when a classic slab of power pop that will make our fellow Not Lamers drool `n happy arrives out of the blue. Such is the case with Maypops, who feature Khalid Hanifi, who was in Map Of Of The World, an obscure-ish prog band in the late 80`s. There`s no prog going on here,it`s pure pop that is ready to be absorbed onto commercial radio - if it only played this material. With their melodic signposts pointing in the directions of The Odds, The Grays, Toy Matinee, Kevin Gilbert and David Grahame, Maypops have a classic pop sound. Listen to "Set Me Up, Knock Me Down" below. Not easy pulling off David Grahame`s McCartney/Rhodes spirit, but Maypops succeed here. Hanifi has an uncanny gift for melodic intervals that ring true to the ear. And he knows when to repeat these lines to grab and keep your attention. At the same time, he doesn`t rely on any standardized pop-song construction. Most tunes include a significant change of tempo and style partway through, and few songs offer a definitive chorus. Hanifi`s clear and pretty vocals hit high notes better than lows, reminding me of a young Paul McCartney. His voice blends well with (bass player) Oni Werth`s on occasional harmony."-ArborWeb. Maypops` debut CD, Spirits of Agnew, brims with winners like Blackeyed Susan, The Bloom Is Off The Rose and Hangman, in which melody is king, incisive, curious poetry its willing consort, and scrappy irreverence plays court jester. Perhaps only Scottish/Afghan youth(Hanifi, naturally) reared on The Beatles in Saline, Michigan can come up with lyrics like: "And if you think I need you, that is correct, my sweet placebo." All joking aside, Maypops is a big breath of fresh air, easy on the ears inside its insistent grip and ready to excite pop fans. Extremely Highly Recommended, yes indeed!
 Stuck In First - mp3
Set Me Up, Knock Me Down - mp3
Black Eyed Susan - mp3
Love Song #37 - mp3
Ready To Crawl - mp3
Lazy - mp3 |
