Another fantastic band coming from the Sunny Day Records, Los Imposibles mix the 60's jangly feel of beat with power pop, beat, garage and a touch of psychadelia and come up with some great songs with a real happy uptempo summery feel to them. The majority of the 15 fantastic tracks on this album are sung in the bands native Spanish language, but you know what, it doesn't matter, I found myself singing along anyway and the extent of my Spanish is normally Jajajajaja! Which would be very fitting for this band!
Raised in the world-famous Madrid rock and roll neighbourhood of Malasaña
in the late 80s, these guys swam against the tide from the beginning.
While everybody was into the garage revival, what they really liked was
The Beatles, Los Brincos, The Byrds or The Animals... they were in love
with beat, r&b and folk-rock, what could they do?
Later they experimented with psychedelia, created a delightful
"poperetta" (one of the truly masterpieces of Spanish pop) and went back
to roots dancing to black sounds until they decided to take a rest of
10 years! ... they came back in good shape in 2007 bringing a perfect
powerpop record under their arms and found their natural home in Sunny
Day Records.
Befriend, Contact, Like and Love Los Imposibles here: Facebook
Portland Energetic Hook Slingers, Tiger House, release a Summer Love Tape on June 6th at Mississippi Studios.
Portland Geek Poppers, Tiger House, will self- release a 4 song cassette tape on June 6th at Mississippi Studios with Charts & Pheasant. This will be their first release under the format of a cassette tape. They released 'Doom Pop' EP last year. "Acid Banshee//Camel Party" is not only a reflection of what it's like to love, but what it is like to love in Portland. "I wanna hold your hand in my hand, oh yeah" in 'Visuals' holds human emotion nimbly and reminds us that love is playful and sometimes hazy. 'New York Sleep' is an ode to caring. Singer/Lyricist, William Scharmann fell ill on his honeymoon to New York City and for a week he lay in bed with a fever, only to be taken care of by his new wife. "Being in a city I've always wanted to be in and not getting to see it because I was too sick to leave my hotel room isn't so bad when you have the one person you care about the most by your side". 'No Bees' talks of heartache and anxiety that comes with romance, and "Antique Physique" explores what happens to love after we die. Acid Banshee//Camel Party aims to be a lighthearted summer pop tape.
Tiger House has been together since 2008 and have played 200+ high energy shows in that time. Tiger House recently returned from a SXSW tour where they played Portland's first SXSW showcase in Austin, Texas, with local favorites Radiation City, Ramona Falls, and Typhoon. The extended play was recorded in the Winter of 2011 at Revolver Studios in Portland, Oregon, and in their SE Portland basement. It was mixed by Alex Arrowsmith (Shaky Hands, Spookies) and engineered by Nalin Silva (Owner of Revolver, worked with Dandy Warhols & OPB). Tiger House members include: Dustin Mills- Drums, Carl Simpson- Guitar/Keys, William Scharmann- Lead Vocals/Guitar, and Ethan Homan on Bass/Backup Vocals.
Tiger House currently has multiple shows lined up after their Mississippi Studio's release, including vintage clothing stores, fashion shows, houses, and local dive bars. The cassette tape with feature a download link and a flower petal.
Until the Cassette is released you can, you can download Tiger House's other albums completely FREE on their bandcamp page!
The Electric Mess - Falling Off The Face Of The Earth, OUT NOW on Groovie Records!
Hitting my inbox sometime late last night was this gorgeous gem of an album and listening to this and seeing the cool clobber these guys are sporting, it only seems right to share them with you as soon as possible!!!!!
This is really cool sixties styled garage pop punk, crunching guitars, some fantastic organ workings, driving drum beats, pulsating bass and some powerful vocals........you wanna dance? Can you keep up? The Electric Mess will have you dancing in some way shape or form all night long!
Since forming in 2007, The Electric Mess have developed into an exciting
and tight rock n' roll band, led by an androgynous and dynamic lead
singer, Chip Fontaine (aka Esther Crow).
The band recently released their second album, entitled "Falling Off the Face of the Earth". It features 13 songs and still shows a wide range of influences, again with an emphasis on strong songwriting and catchy melodies, and dynamic musicianship. Like their debut album, it was recorded at The Church in Brooklyn,
engineered and mixed by David Horowitz, and mastered by punk legend Ivan
Julian (Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Matthew Sweet).
The album is now out on CD and will be released on vinyl some time in June. The CD and Vinyl are available on Groovie Records and iTunes download, etc.
Here are a couple of videos from the bands debut album:
The band have a really great web page, where you can listen to 7 out of the 13 rocking tracks on the latest album, watch all the videos, order the records, find gig dates, all in one place!
This is one hell of an album and will make a few "Album of the year" spots at the end of the year, go take a listen NOW!
22 minutes of fresh and breezy jangly indie pop with some C86-ness to it, this album is a breath of fresh air for a sunny day! This album powers along from opening track "14 Seconds" through to album closer, "I am Right Here."
Other than the fact that this 4 piece hail from Austin, Texas, although I believe they are moving to Philidelphia soon, I don't know an awful lot about them, except that this is their debut album and it is 10 tracks of foot moving tunes, some great hooks, machine gun drums and infectious melodies.
Literature are: Kevin Adickes, Nathaniel Cardaci, Seth Whaland and Mike Yaklin
Arab Spring is available here as a "Name Your Price" album: BANDCAMP
Contact, Befriend, Like and Love Literature here: Facebook
Another fantastic band from the Sunny Day Records camp who pump out enough energy in their sound to power a small country, The Right Nows take their inspiration from the psychadelic garage bands of the sixties, mix it up with some garage punk and power pop, slice in a few choice riffs and serve up some catchy timeless melodies.
The Right Nows come from Cedeira, a small town in the northwest of
Spain, a region with a fruitful tradition of wild rock’n’roll &
garage bands, formed in 2007.
Befriend, follow, like and love The Right Nows here: Facebook
As most regular readers are aware, I don't normally do live reviews, the reason being is that I get so indulged I usually forget the set list and last night was no exception, I also forgot my camera (I did have my iphone though!) but it was such a great evening I thought I would share it.
Heading out on a hot and sunny Wednesday evening to see The Nomads playing at Gothenburgs theme park, Liseberg, I wasn't really sure what to expect, but having listened to their records for more years than I care to remember and not having had the privilege of seeing the band play before, I didn't want to miss the show.
I arrived shortly before the show began and took a seat at the Taubscenen stage. Looking around me I was heartened to see that it wasn't just a load of middle aged folks sitting around waiting for a trip back to younger times and old memories, there was a healthy mix of the young, the old, the knowledgeable and the curious.
The Nomads formed back in 1981 and released their 18th album last month entitled "Solna" which is the name of the town that the band hail from in Sweden. I have to say that I wasn't expecting these guys to put on a great show 31 years into their career, they only play a few shows every year now but judging by their performance you would have thought they were playing every night of the week!
"Can't Go Back" from the new album "Solna."
The Nomads are one of those legendary bands that have spawned imitators galore on their home soil, but none have yet surpassed the original Swedish outfit, not that this is an issue, the band themselves are moulded from the stylings of bands such as The Stooges, MC5, Roky Erikson and The Cramps to name a few and they do a great job, cranked up guitars are the order of the evening here with Hans Östlund playing staggering guitar riffs with a seemingly ease and a coolness more suited to a twenty something axe man, but hey ho, if you've got it!
All those years of sonic style screams don't seem to have affected vocalist/guitarist Nick Vahlberg either who delivers a virtually note perfect set which from experience I know isn't easy on a hot, sunny day.
These two original members of the band are supported perfectly by Björne Fröberg (bass) and Jocke Ericson (drums) who both play with fiery passion.
This was a flawless set with a mix of old and new numbers delivered with real passion and conviction and the band shows no signs of giving up anytime soon, much to the delight of this fan, and to all the other cheering, whistling and clapping fans who I shared the evening with last night.
A little while back I ran a feature on The Semis - Decapitator Blues and now they are back with another 5 track mini album which sounds just as sweet as one would expect from these craftsman tunesmiths!
The Semis are a superior rock n roll band with a mid-fi beachy garage-pop vibe. They meld solid gold songcraft with pure
rock n' roll id. And theyre ok with that.
The Semis music has been featured in regional commercials, the movie Dropped Frames and the Bravo series Flipping Out
They are constantly writing and recording. And swimming... and slaying.
Download "High On Pop" (Name your price) here:BANDCAMP
The Semis have four essential albums;
Route 666 ( 2004 )
White Powder Black Power (2007) Back To The Beach (2010)
Decapitator Blues (2011)
The Smoggers serve up a "smoggersboard" of rip-roaring garage punk for your delight on their latest release "Shame On You." This is as true to sixties garage punk as a band could be, great farfisa organ, guitar distortion turned up to 11 a solid bass and percussion section with the whole scenario set on fire by vocalists Jesus and Fernando Smogger.
The Smoggers are:
Fernando Smogger - Vocals Guitar, Harmonica
Jesus Smogger - Vocals and Guitar
Gusti Smogger - Bass Guitar
Ana Smogger - Drums, Farfisa and Vocals
This new 7” contains three gripping tunes under an impressive artwork by scene ace Darren Merinuk, who brings his own insightful view of the genre. The songs were analogically recorded by Mike Mariconda and Maxi Holler at The Hollers Analog Studio in Málaga in April 2012. The original A side, entitled “Shame on You”, is definitely one of the Smoggers’ best songs ever, with its doses of piercing farfisa and gorgeous fuzz guitar. The cover of the 1980s Texan band The Delinquents, “It’s Just Not the Same”, brings a punk new wave song into a new original dimension of dark rock and roll. The third tune is informed by wild guitar riffs, hypnotic vocals and bursting rhythmic energy.
The Smoggers then, like a good diamond mine, are both dazzling and prolific. Their music is one of the best veins of 60s roots discovered recently. All but without a break, they surprise us with stunning gems from the core of rock and roll. Find out for yourself with this exciting single, published by a new label, KOTJ, whose production, based on the excellent criterion of its main factotum, is bound to impress you both in Spain and abroad. (AlexMagicpop2012)
http://magicpopcat.blogspot.com.es/
Another great Spanish band hailing from the Sunny Day Records band camp, Los Immediatos deliver a heady album of mid to late sixties stylings with a touch of psychadelia thrown in for good measure.
I don't know if they add something to the water in Spain to continue producing these bands or if it is the healthy dose of Vitamin D the bands get, and to be honest, I don't really care as long as they continue to maintain this standard of output.
Los Immediatos are really at the top of their game and if there was a music event at this summers Olympics, these guys would be making a slow trip back to Toledo weighted down in gold!
No doubt one of the most talented bands in Spanish pop scene in the last
three decades, perfect embodiment of teen beat spirit, creators of
amazing pop melodies and with a creative curriculum not many could
equal.
Los Immediatos have become an important brand in the Spanish 60′s scene
in the last decade due to their hard-working ethos, they have performed
in every corner of the country and have even taken their shows to
in-famous partys such as the Primitive Festival (Holland) and Festiva
Beat (Italy). They shared stages with well-known names such as The
Pretty Things, The Trashmen, The Fleshtones, Dr. Explosion and a long
etcetera... yeah, they are real veterans ready to get on their van at
any chance to play their instruments!
If you like The Shakers, Los Brincos, The Hollies, The Squires, Beau Brummels or Powder this is your band, this is your record.
'Electricity & Volts' is the 5th single from 'Postcards from the British Empire: 12 Singles in 12 Months'
Phenomenal Cat are back with their 5th single release of the year, and once again, true to form, they deliver another delectable slice of power pop for our listening pleasure all neatly packaged up nicely in their best cover to date.....looking great guys!!!
Arriving just in time to set the scene for summer, Ángel Kaplan's album is everything you need for a warm sunny day, bright, breezy, poppy, sensitive, beautiful!
Ángel Kaplan comes from the north of Spain (Asturias). Well-known among good pop
fans, Angel Kaplan has been showing his talent as a composer and
musician up front cult powerpopppers Bubblegum, as well as playing the
bass for Spanish garage kings Doctor Explosion and the legendary
Pittsburgh band The Cynics.
Picture by Pablo Lorenzana, 2008
In the last few years he has started a brilliant solo career
self-releasing a mini-lp and a 45 for Get Hip Rds, acclaimed on both
sides of the Atlantic.
"Pictures From The Past" really is a summer classic, so warm that if it is raining you will think the sun is shining, the songs are beautifully crafted and delivered with passion and conviction.
From the first few grooves of the opening track, "Like a ragged old puppet" you know you are in for something special. The ten tracks on this album are so good that each and any of them could be released as a single, but don't take my word for it, go and buy it and enjoy a summer of love, falling in love with Angel Kaplan that is!!
Angel Kaplan comes from the "Sunny Day Records" camp (Perfect label for this artist and album) and I shall be featuring a few more of their signings here in the coming days and weeks. http://www.sunnydayrecords.es/
Vessels by Bryan
Estepa – reviewed by Marlene Lipson
I’ve been away from writing for a few months, but there’s
nothing like an affable pen pal, a good album, and a healthy dose of
self-administered guilt to bring one back from wandering. The friendly and fun Wayne Lundquist
Ford (of the blog Ice Cream Man 1967) asked me to listen to a record and give
it my review. The album, Vessels by Bryan Estepa, is also
friendly and fun. With all these
good vibrations, how could I not then hop back to the keyboard and say a few
words?
Bryan Estepa is a singer-songwriter who has been around the
Australian music scene for several years, and has been a part of a few
bands. He’s brought in some of
what and who he knows on his recent solo album, Vessels, and the result is good. The album plays to Estepa’s strengths. Opening with the optimistic “Won’t Let
You Down” sets the listener up for the best, and the sunnier tunes are all the
better ones. I appreciate a record
that sounds both familiar and new, and Vessels
has that quality.
I know about arrangements and styles, but I’m also a lyrics
person, and I have a few quibbles with some of the songs (for example: demerit
for hackneyed use of the rhyming dictionary on “Hard Habit”). Most of the time, however, the familiar
themes of love and loyalty make this album feel like a refuge when other music
seems just too dark, sharp-edged, or jarring. There are times for music that evokes a dark room or an
artistic enjoyment of bitterness or solitude, but there are other times when
it’s good to be told even when we struggle that we’ll be all right, on tunes
such as “Pull Ourselves Together.”
The best of Vessels is on the
tracks that bring that sentiment across.
The songs that don’t do that overtly still get by on the strength of
their craftsmanship.
The production values of this album are solid, and all the
musicians have a certain ease and the sound of experienced players. I think I’d like to go see them all at
a modest-sized club on a summer’s night.
Marlene Lipson is a writer and editor in New York City. Her arts and
entertainment work often carries the handle Downpourblue, and you can
follow her on Twitter @downpourblue or check out her posts on Storify at
www.storify.com/downpourblue (and just starting off with Google+).
A little while ago I was asked if I would like to do a guest podcast for the fantastic blog Mistersuave.com and it is now up for your listening pleasure, and can be downloaded too. The podacst features many of the bands that have been featured on the blog and a few of my other favourite songs that have been featured on the blog here at some time.
Go check it out here and take a listen to Mister Suaves own (far superior) podcasts or Modcasts as they are known on his site!
Since starting my blog last September I have discovered some great bands and made some great new friends, one of those friends is Juan Pablo Mazzola and one of those bands is Juan's band "Baby Scream."
A truly great and prolific songwriter, I have lost count of how many albums Baby Scream have behind them now, but with this demo's and unreleased tracks album it must be getting on for double figures by now?
Strangely, and not surprisingly, the demos don't sound like demos, in fact I have heard released tracks released with less care and attention than shown in amongst these numbers contained on "Lost Balloons" and that stands testament to Juan's approach to music, "Music comes first!"
Download this album free and then search my blog for Baby Scream and find a whole bunch of other albums that Baby Scream have made available for free download, your life will be richer for the experience, but don't stop there, share the love and share the links and enrich a few more lives along the way.
Packaged to look like one of those bizarre promotional items issued by
local chambers of commerce to entice visitors to enjoy the attractions
of the area, the Young Fresh Fellows' Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific
Northwest looks like a silly, tossed-off joke. And in many ways, that's
exactly what it is; the thing is, it's both really funny and startlingly
well done. From the banging opener, "Rock and Roll Pest Control," to
the closing piece of self-mythology, "The Young Fresh Fellows Theme,"
the Seattle foursome comes off like the Replacements with the drunken
angst replaced by a near-terminal case of the giggles. However, even
amongst songs like "Power Mowers Theme" and "Teenage Dogs in Trouble"
are sharp, punky slices of pop-geek desperation like "Think Better of
Me" and the scathing "You Call That Lonely," two early indications that
the smirky juvenilia that characterizes many of the Young Fresh Fellows'
albums are but one side of their collective personality. The sound is
borderline awful (producer Conrad Uno would become much more skilled
with the board even as early as the follow-up, 1985's Topsy Turvy) and
the performances are at times just short of incompetent, but the songs
(mostly courtesy of leader Scott McCaughey) are a promising lot with
regular flashes of incipient greatness. AMG
What a week I am having, gem after gem are dropping into my mailbox and once again a great big grin is gracing my face, I am reaching into my closet for some leather soled shoes and the bathroom for some talc, sure, it is going to be messy but I don't care, listening to the songs of Mr Day, the bringer of todays heavenly foot tapping tunes, are just too great not to dance to!
I am a massive fan of Northern Soul but to bang on about all the old stuff that "us" fans already know about on my blog is like teaching granny to suck eggs!
Whilst Mr Day aren't strictly Northern Soul, that is certainly a major influence in their sound as you will discover a little further into this article. Another influence, to these ears would be Paul Weller and this is how I think Paul Weller would sound if he followed his passion for soul as opposed to his Humble Pie stylings, maybe?
During the writing of this second album, the band evolved naturally towards a more ambitious sound which clearly set them at the intersection of Rock and Soul from the 60s to now. With the arrival of second guitarist Julien Masson, fervent founder of Buttshakers, as precious on stage as in studio, the band decided to use 100% analog production and recording techniques: magnetic tapes, live takes and cracklings contribute to producing a rich and organic sound. Like The Roots, who, when working with Cody Chestnut become unclassifiable both in terms of gender and time, Mr Day is very far from being a revival band. On the contrary, Dry Up In The Sun appears resolutely timeless, that is to say in his vintage, yet modern approach. The beats perfectly coexist alongside the guitars, as in the great era of Primal Scream in the 90s. The alchemy seems perfect and natural on each of the 10 tracks that make up this inspired and mastered sophomore work.
Mr Day now define themselves as a real Pop band. Never stuck into copying and firmly rooted in music genre, this second album is built primarily on a song format and comes from a band continuously looking for a sound that uses and mixes their many influences into something unique and original. Dense, without any frills and contagiously smart, Dry Up In The Sun alternates without any misstep between a magnetic soul ballad like "Follow You," an exhilarating pop anthem like "Forgotten Realms" or a bright cover of "Queen of the Minstrels" by Cornell Campbell, for which the group recorded in a chapel in order to find some natural reverb and singular energy. In the end, it's all the fun and excitement the band felt while recording that we can feel and taste in return by listening to this album, both on record or on stage
One of the songs that I have had on repeat from the album is "Caveman" an absolute stomper of a song and possibly the best piece of Soul I have heard that isn't from the sixties, I have played this to several people, who all agree it is a foot tapper of the highest order!
I have to say, well, gush out really, this is the best blue eyed soul I have heard for a long time, I am absolutely loving this album to pieces, if you want to brighten up a rainy day, dance and grin like a Cheshire cat from ear to ear, buy this album for yourself and then buy a copy for everyone else that you love!
Mr Day are:
vocals /guitar : ERIC , drums / back vocals: REMY "ONE SHOT" , keys :
RAPHAEL , bass / back vocals PATCHWORKS, mojo guitars / back vocals :
JULIEN
Follow, befriend, like and love Mr Day here: FACEBOOK
Back in the 80's I became somewhat disillusioned by what the "music machines" were churning out, supposedly for my listening pleasure, so I took a trip back in time to see what I had overlooked from the bygone era of the sixties and I discovered loads of American garage bands playing in a style of the sixties British Invasion, but punkier and, well, more kick arse, for want of a better expression. There were literally thousands of songs to be discovered and bearing in mind this was before the home internet I spent a small fortune on these, unheard bands, who recorded in cheap studios, garages, bedrooms, some even sounded like they had recorded in a trash can, but they caught a real essence of what rock 'n' roll was meant to be, loud, tuneful, melodic, fast and most importantly fun! Every now and then a band pops up that once again checks all these boxes, not often sadly, but "Paradise" do (they recorded in a proper studio too!), so sit up and listen, this is music!
Paradise found!
Their eyes burnt by the glowing landscapes of the electronic revolution.
Their teeth sharpened to the sounds of a youthful uprising. Hating the
Beatles before they loved them. Blood brothers to their instruments,
idols of procreation and pro-creation. Aged by the sun. Singing the
sounds of a now nameless generation. Raised in the cornfields of the Bible Belt, the industrial wasteland of Cleveland,
Ohio, the rolling hills of the Lake Michigan coast and the burnt desert
of the Golden State. The four members now emerge from the dark hollows
of Portland, Oregon. It is the sound of flux. The response to a
United Federation of States run by the few. A response to growing up
tormented by idols and enemies. Their sound is a refuge from data,
meetings and humans. In a world of mindless pop culture, we offer you an
escape from the masses. Mass media is no longer the cure. What we offer
you is our cure. A sound we call Paradise.
This 8 track album is powered along by growling vocals, fantastic farfisa, a strong rhythm section and well crafted songs, sometimes it reminds me of The Seeds and sometimes of more modern bands like The Hives but most importantly it reassures me that there are still bands out there making, great music, fantastic music, brilliant music....kick arse rock 'n' roll!
Stukas over Disneyland, released after a four-year silence, shows
the Dickies training their popcorn wiseguy sights somewhat away from the
hardcore and Ramones influences of earlier platters to that of power
pop and '60s songs. The former of the two new influences is showcased in
the tunefully memorable "Pretty Please Me" and "If Stuart Could Talk";
the latter is evident in "Rosemary" (with its Beatles-on-caffeine
bridge), "Wagon Train" (which sports a broad tune that evokes
comparisons to old Western T.V. show theme songs), "Out of Sight, Out of
Mind" (featuring a chorus that echoes the one in Ricky Nelson's "Garden
Party"), and especially the title track (which exhibits noticeable surf
music and Chuck Berry influences and sets ironic, humorous lyrics
detailing a Disney-based world takeover). Bows to their earlier punk
influences can be seen in the uproariously funny "She's a Hunchback"
(complete with smart-aleck references to the Victor Hugo novel) and a
giddy cover of the Led Zeppelin classic "Communication Breakdown." The
1988 re-release appends three songs ("Gigantor," "I'm Okay, You're
Okay," and "Bedrock Barney") cast in the Dickies old cartoon hardcore
manner; while all are likable and welcome, the addition of these numbers
makes this release seem more stylistically schizophrenic than it
originally was. Regardless of the version obtained, this excellent album
is an enjoyable and recommended listen. -AMG
Winning best band name this week is "Grandma's Boyfriend" from San Francisco, who have just released a six track 7" single....YES....six tracks on a 7" single!
All but one track on the single come in under the nifty 2 minute mark but they fit everything in there perfectly, this is pure Power Punk Pop and if I was forced to give you a comparison I would say The Dickies meeting The Ramones. I hope it won't be long until these guys deliver a long player, this is great, get up and jump about music, they are about to go out on the road, unfortunately I don't have any dates, but follow them on Facebook (Link at the bottom of this post) and go and check them out!
These guys deliver, short, sharp, punches to the ears and mind
"Grandma's Boyfriend" are:
Mike Ramos - guitar, vocals
George Tarlson - bass, vocals
Malcolm Kenter - drums, vocals
Grandma's Boyfriend have been in touch and have given me the following dates for their live appearances, so go along and have some fun if you are in the vacinity!
5/17 >> @ McWorld (5011 Adams Blvd, Culver City, CA)
5/18 >> @ Trunkspace (Phoenix, AZ)
5/19 >> @ Magnetic Music (Taos, NM)
5/20 >> @ Lion's Lair (Denver, CO)
5/21 >> @ TBD, (Salt Lake City, UT)
