The 1840's - Pushing Squares Down Back to Size

This Tel Aviv 3 piece power pop outfit, led by prominent songwriter Avishai Efrat, sure know how to craft a fine tune or seven as they display here on this 7 track mini album.



The 1840's are: Avishai Efrat Vocals & Guitars, Abiathar Oren Bass & Vocals and Adam Blumethal
Drums.

This is a great debut from the band with some really driving, well crafted songs, my favourite track is the album opener "Rainbow" which has a great catchy chorus, my only disappointment with these guys is that they didn't go the whole way and release a full album, but I guess that just gives us something to look forward to!


I wasn't able to find out too much information about these guys as their bio is very short and reading their facebook to try and gleen some more info was a bit tough as the majority of the posts are in hebrew, but I am sure they would love to see some posts there from all over.

Listen to and buy the mini album at a "Name Your Price" cost here: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, like and love The 1840's here: Facebook

Atomic Jones - Previous Adventures in Lo-Fi FREE 20 TRACK DOWNLOAD!

Not to be confused with the Tom Jones tribute band of the same name, this is the Atomic Jones featuring Paul Bertolino, Brent Ratkovich, Nathan Alfaro and Mitch Norwick which could only mean one thing, this is classic power pop with all the trimmings and more and what is more it is totally free and in these times of austerity measures, something for nothing is great and something that is free and great is even better!



This album was recorded on a 4 track and one surprising feature here is the quality of the recordings, but don't take my word for it, download it and enjoy it!!!!

Also check out Paul's other albums on Bandcamp, they are all brilliant and mostly free!!!!!!  Cheers Paul.

Download the album FREE here: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, like and love Paul Bertolino here: Facebook

The Sitting Tenants - From The Ground Up. Out 13th August.

 

Another sparkling gem found on the bandcamp site that I just had to share is The Sitting Tenants, a band firmly rooted in the sound of the sixties but stretching their sound to encompass a bit of power pop and soul along their musical journey, I love the drive of these songs, stomping beats and some classic rhythm and blues harmonica as well as some dirty feedback!

 The Sitting Tenants are a band built from musicians with a love of classic power-pop, new wave, psych & soul. Signed to the very discerning Modernist label 208 Records, the band have a powerful small venue live show with some great tunes. This is the true spirit of pub-rock; original tunes with classic influences, well played. Thats live music!!

The Sitting Tenants are: Rob Dady - guitar, vocals, harmonica, Pat Luszcz - bass, vocals, feedback
Luke Bibby - drums and John Sawyer - guitar, vocals .

Rob Dady was the frontman and leader of the mod band "Roundabout" for ten years, touring all over Europe and releasing 2 albums before founding the "208 Records Label" and forming the current band.
The "208 Records" concentrates on bands influenced by the Mod & Psychedelic era, from power-pop to ska, from folk to soul to the mists of English Psychedelia.
Rob told me, "The aim of all my musical activity is to provide a platform for crafted bands & songwriters playing their own music influenced by classic bands from The Action to The Zombies & all in between!!" and listening to the bands on the label, not only do I suggest checking out The Sitting Tenants but check out the other artists that he has signed.

Contact, befriend, like and love The Sitting Tenants here: Facebook 

Stream and buy the album here: Bandcamp 

Check out the other artists on the 208 Records label here: 208 Records 

The Sunny Boys - FreebOObin. OUT NOW

The summer is always a great time, hitting the beach with friends, warm evenings with a heady blossom scent in the air and of course a good soundtrack for the season.

The Sunny Boys were born in 2003 as the Italian Beach Boys Tribute Band, and started producing their own material in 2008. The “Sunnies”, as the fans love to call them, are consantly in tour between Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Finland and Svitzerland, and after more than 350 concerts they keep on revisiting the Beach Boys harmonies also in their Surf/Rock original songs. In June 2007 they published “Back To The Beach“, a live album with 20 Beach Boys songs. On July 4th 2008 they published their second album with 10 original songs called “Beach Sounds“. In February 2009 they participated to the “Festival di Sanremo“, the most important music tv festival in Italy with their single “Respirando il mare”. In 2010 they came out with their second italian single “Aria di Vacanza“. In 2011 they are touring Italy, Finland and Spain, and in 2012 they release their second album "FreebOObin'".



The Sunny Boys 10 track album is a soundtrack to make that trip to the beach to, windows rolled down, arm on the door and played loud for all to hear, spend the day kicking back at the beach or wherever and then head home and party to the upbeat, melodic tunes with the surf harmonies we all know and love.

Well, that is me then, off to wax the board, fire up the little deuce coupe, crank up the stereo and hit the beach, if anyone asks where I am, tell 'em I'm surfin!

Listen and buy The Sunny Boys album here: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, like and love The Sunny Boys here: Facebook

Stanley Road - Mieres-Bridge Limited Edition Single

Stanley Road have released a limited edition 7" single and once again it is an absolute stomper with echoes of The Jam in amongst the grooves.  I have to say I am really looking forward to an album from these guys who seem to be going from strength to strength!

Stanley Road born in 2003 in the Asturian coal basin, specifically in Mieres, post-industrial city full of unemployed where the drug drove youth wild and cause ravage back in the 80's ... The boys decide to form a Mod revival band with the idea of shake the national scene and return this style to the place it deserves.

Listen to and buy the single here:  Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, like and love Stanley Road here: Facebook

The band also have some great T-Shirts with their logo on and I am the proud owner of two of them!!!

Shipping queries and any other questions to: stanleyroadband@gmail.com

Retrosonic Podcasts Mod Scene Part 1 & 2.

 

My good friend and fellow blogger Steve from the Retroman blog has compiled 2 very good podcasts on the Mod Scene that I would like to share with you today, featuring music by, The Past Tense, Monkeeman, The Lemontops, Len Price 3 and many, many more.  Enjoy!

Check out the Retroman blog HERE

Contact, befriend, like and love Retroman here: FACEBOOK

Phenomenal Cat - Postcards From The British Empire. Part One. FREE DOWNLOAD

Earlier in the year I featured Phenomenal Cat and quoted their music as being "Delectable slices of power pop from the top shelf of the confectionary shop."   They have now released the first six singles from their single a month project in a single package which has a little nod to my earlier comment, only the ever modest band decided to go for the middle shelf, I however, still go with my original comment of top shelf material.

Phenomenal Cat have recently been taken on by Futureman Records for this release and are currently working on the next single for release later this month.

Download Part 1 of Postcards From the British Empire here: Futureman Records

Contact, befriend, like and love Phenomenal Cat here: Facebook

Don't forget to check out all the other albums on Futureman Records too, there are some great acts on there.

Surf School Dropouts - Summer Is A State Of Mind. OUT NOW

Sun drenched harmonies and tunes that wouldn't be out of place in the surfing meccas of California like Santa Cruz, Huntington and Capistrano.  You can very easily picture this quartet in their baggys, surfboards tucked neatly under the arm, strolling casually from the Woody down to the shoreline in all their tanned glory, the only problem is that these guys would have to take a 4060 mile (6533.96 km) drive from their native Copenhagen in Denmark first!

Photo: Christian Bendix

 

I can only imagine that the album title was born on a typical summers day, I only live a couple of hours north of these guys, so I am in the know, summer really is a state of mind for the best part in these parts, but these songs will really warm the heart, even if it is rainy and grey outside.

  Ok, they don't really fall far from the format of the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Fantastic Baggys, Four Speeds of any of the other great surf acts, but they have perfected the sound, the harmonies, the style and above all the heart of surf music.

  Their music is not devoid of originality, in fact on many tracks they have brought the whole sound up to date, the track "Run Away" has a real freshness to it and reminded me a bit of The Cosmic Rough Riders.  All the tracks on this album are written by the guys, you can find some covers on youtube where they cover the Beach Boys and Mariah Carey though.

 This, all said and done is a fantastic debut from an extremely talented outfit. I love it.

 

 

Surf School Dropouts was formed when in fall 2008 friends Andreas, Christian and Martin – who shared a common love for the music of The Beach Boys – decided that they would start singing Beach Boys songs on semi-regular basis. Later, Jari joined the group that would, however, remain nameless for a few more months.

 

Harmony-laden songs of sun, fun and love - with the occasional dash of melancholia and longing – seem to be what being a Surf School Dropout is all about so far.

 

Surf School Dropouts are:

 

Andreas Jacobsen - vocals & keyboard/guitar/bass/drums, Christian Bendix - vocals & guitar/bass, Jari Nielsen - vocals, Martin Jensen - vocals.

 

This has been on constant repeat since I found it and is very quickly becoming one of my favourite albums this year, if you love the sound of the summer, great surf music, great harmonies, then this is an album you need to have!

 

Listen and buy the album here: Bandcamp 

 

Contact, befriend, like and love Surf School Dropouts here: Facebook 

 

 

Mod on with the Mannequins! FREE DOWNLOADS!

Mannequins are a three piece from Dagenham, East London.Formed through the passion and love of great 60's bands through to latest that the Mod world has to offer, they set about perfecting their sound and writing catchy no nonsense 3 minute pop songs. Having that in the bag and bundles of energy on stage these 3 Dagenhamites mean business, from Lee's gritty, soul vocals, Chris's thumping bass lines, and Brens effortless drumming, this band have it all. Now playing some very prestigeous venues and making waves in all things mod, MANNEQUINS are here to stay. YOU HAVE TO SEE EM TO BELIEVE EM ..........................

 Mannequins have been touring relentlessly this year, out on the road honing their sound and performance in front of live crowds up and down the country, they have even been invited to play at the Mersea Island Scooter rally as well as headline their own gig supported by P45 (more about them another day!)

The band are: Lee Bonington - Vocals, Guitars, Piano Chris Stevens - Bass Guitar, Brendan Ivie - Drums

Contact, befriend, like and love Mannequins here: FACEBOOK 

Check out the latest news and gigs etc here: Official  

More information here: Reverbnation

 

Trolley - Things That Shine And Glow

Wow! What an infectious album.  I am playing it for the umpteenth time already today and every play unearths another nugget of a riff, be it bass line or guitar, it is all here, little echoes of greats like The Beach Boys, Byrds, The Beatles and even The Jam are present in the grooves wrapped up amongst the bands very own style.

Trolley connects the creativity of the ‘60s with the energy of now. Since 1995, the Milwaukee band has released a series of albums built from the best elements of psychedelia and punk, classic pop and the hard driving beat of the Mod era.

 

Terry Hackbarth - Vox/Bass, Mike Perotto - Vox/Guitar, Paul J. Wall - Vox/Guitar, Patrick Morrow - Drums

The Milwaukee quartet has gotten around, playing South by Southwest and North by Northeast, Summerfest and International Pop Overthrow. Trolley has opened for The Jayhawks, Cotton Mather and Los Straightjackets and has risen to the forefront of the power pop movement without being confined by it. Buoyed by classic melodies from all of its members, Trolley’s songs are seldom less than memorable.  

Photo: Kip Gasparick

Things That Shine and Glow moves the legacy of great albums by the Kinks and the Zombies into the 21st century. The rich sonic tapestry is woven around the solid musicianship of Patrick Morrow (drums), Terry Hackbarth (vocals and bass), Mike Perotto (vocals and guitar) and Paul James Wall (vocals and guitar). Trolley is a loud and glorious reminder that two guitars, bass and drums can still be a formidable lineup for great music.

"Things That Shine And Glow" is an album that you will come back to time and time again, a great piece of Power Pop/Mod/Psyche/Beat....call it what you will, this album shows that Trolley are certainly a force to be reckoned with, just listen to songs like "My Obsession" and "Love The Way You Look," in fact, any of the 14 tracks on this album and I challenge you not to fall in love with Trolley, if you don't, you must be off of yours!

Stream and buy the album here: BANDCAMP

Contact, befriend, like and love Trolley here: FACEBOOK

More information: http://www.reverbnation.com/trolley1

Sunny Day Records

Something a little different today, in as much as I am not featuring any particular band, but a record label that I have fallen in love with. Sunny Day Records in Spain has a stable of bands that is so impressive, it is hard not to love them. 

 Angel Kaplan from the album "Pictures From The Past.

I asked Sunny Day to tell me a bit about their label and I shall also introduce you to some of their own signings like Angel Kaplan (featured above) whose album has become the staple diet of my summer listening.

Sunny Day is a small independent record label founded in the summer of 2009 by two stupid guys in the middle of nowhere, Cáceres, a small quiet beautiful town on the way from Madrid to Lisbon, with no musical tradition or love for rock’n’roll, you know , the perfect place to be ignored by everybody.

The label was founded by my mate Rafa and myself, Juan. Rafa has been running (and he still does) the only vinyl records shop within 300 kms for more than 13 years, a real survivor in such a non r’n’r place as this. I’ve been involved in the Spanish mod/6t’s scene for a long time too, organising gigs, dj-ing and writing fanzines. We are both still involved in this adventure and hopefully will be for many years more.

 Los Imediatos from the album "4 Tickets To Wonderland"

 

The label has three clear targets: we want to release those records which, as music fans, we'd like to buy, give a chance to new bands and support vinyl.

What kind of sounds do we dig?  Soul, Garage, Powerpop, Rock'n'Roll, Beat, R'n'B, Psychedelia, Punk-Rock, Boogaloo, Reggae... we are open to all kind of “classic” 50’s, 60’s 70’s inspired sounds, as long as we dig it and we see the band takes their music serious, let’s do it.

 Los Imposibles from the album "En Espiral."

We have released  9 records so far (all of them can be found at sunnydayspain.bandcamp.com) in Sunny Day, though we also have two in-house labels, Sweet Grooves & Bickerton Rds (the first one exclusively run by Rafa, the second one by me) which has also released Spanish punk-pop band Brackets’ first lp and The Dealers’ killer debut 7”.

Zombie Valentines from the album "Mehora Ahora."


 



All of our releases have had Spanish bands but that’s something we are changing with the addition to our catalogue of names such as Jacco Gardner and Japanese powerpop band Beat Caravan.

Jacco Gardner from the single "Clear The Air."


 

The Shake from the album "Try To Get Ready."


 

Los Immediatos from the album "Third Time's The Charm."

The Right Nows from the album "The Right Nows."


 


 By the way on the 19th and 20th October we are the Sunny Day Festival in Madrid, 2 days featuring our best bands along with guest groups and djs…  if you wanna join you’re more than welcome.

So, there it is, an introduction to one of my favourite record labels out there, doing it for the love of the music and for our pleasure and entertainment.
Sunny Day Records doesn't only sell records by their own signings, but many others as well, so please check out their bands and their store.

Thanks to Sunny Day Records for all the information......and all the great music of course!

Stream and buy all the artists featured above here: BANDCAMP 

Sunny Day Records online shop: http://www.sunnydayrecords.es/ 

Contact, befriend, keep up with new releases etc,  like and love Sunny Day Records:  FACEBOOK

Vegas With Randolph - Salt Water Taffy FREE SINGLE DOWNLOAD

To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of their album "Above The Blue"  those lovely folk Vegas with Randolph are giving their new single away on Bandcamp and they also have a special price of 5 bucks on their "Above The Blue" and "Vegas with Randolph" albums.  Go get 'em!

Download "Salt Water Taffy" and buy the albums here: BANDCAMP

Contact, befriend, like and love Vegas With Randolph here: FACEBOOK

RTTB (Ramone To The Bone) - Various Artists FREE DOWNLOAD

A rather cool album that is going around facebook Power Pop pages is this one compiled by the Ramone To The Bone blog, check the blog out HERE It is a pretty cool blog.

CD 1

1. The Pick 'n Flicks - Hello Beach (2:08)
2. The Brewers - S.u.m.m.e.r. (1:52)
3. Hairlips - Always Loved You (2:49)
4. The Normandys - Le Chat Noir (1:46)
5. Os Intrusivos - Ronda (1:46)
6. Too Idle To Scream - All Her Roll (3:14)
7. Falling Upward - I Hate Summer (2:20)
8. Aiming For Honesty - Weekend Arrival (2:07)
9. Projekt Kotelett - Axel F (2:58)
10. Deecracks - Beach 90 (3:11)
11. The Barbecuties - Daytona Beach (2:48)
12. I Monelli - La Ragazza Surf (2:35)
13. The Giacomello's - Let's Go To The Beach (2:51)
14. The Renfields - Machete A Go-Go (2:39)
15. Johnny Five - Rascal (1:06)
16. W.o.r.m. - Summer (3:33)
17. The Largactyls - (Girl) Never Grow Up (2:42)
18. The Dumbheads - Popobawa (1:56)

CD 2

1. The Pick 'n Flicks - Summer Surfin' Santa (2:21)
2. The Sentiments - Back To Hawaii (1:52)
3. The Breakdowns - Summertime Twist (2:37)
4. Outtacontroller - Colt Summer (2:28)
5. Nasti De Plasti - Ni Contigo Ni Sin Ti (2:07)
6. The Sneakers - When The Sun Goes Down ( I Wanna Be With You ) (2:27)
7. The Sensibles - Sacramento (3:05)
8. The Dying Elk Herd - Another Restless Night (4:00)
9. Tio Bob - Long Beach (1:55)
10. Archie's Atomic - Blowout! (The Ballad Of Spring Break Vinny) (2:07)
11. Seasonal Men's Wear - Ice Climbers (2:55)
12. Pardais Do Fio De Alta Tensão - Prostitutas E Jogos De Azar (1:47)
13. Brandon Harrod - Getting Ready To Party (3:09)
14. Budnick - - Song For Banky (2:08)
15. Toxic Candy Bars - She (2:35)
16. Dead Beat Heros - Shadow Of My Doubt (4:03)
17. Rockaway Radio - California Sun (2:02)
18. The Dumbheads - Satan’s Little Helper (2:50)

Cover-Artwork : Joram Hamer
http://www.behance.net/Krankjoram

(Click bandname to check their Facebook)  

DOWNLOAD FREE HERE: BANDCAMP

Phenomenal Cat - Life By The Seaside. Single no.7 FREE DOWNLOAD

Single number 7 in the single a month for a year series from Phenomenal Cat, "Life by The Seaside" has it all, echoes of the The Beatles, well, a sustained note like "Day In The Life" and outro that has the feel of The Jam's "English Rose" and some Teenage Fanclubesque harmonies and glokenspiel/xylophone and I rate this as one of the best tracks the band have released, which is a real credit to the band given the quality of the previous releases.
I hope that a record label has the initiative to sign this band and press their 12 songs onto vinyl/CD  and give them the opportunity and incentive to release much, much more, there is a real quality to this band that seriously shouldn't be over looked!

Photo: Wayne Lundqvist Ford

Download "Life By The Seaside" FREE here: BANDCAMP

Contact, follow, like and love Phenomenal Cat here: FACEBOOK

Gooey - Hold On Tight. FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD

I wonder where "Gooey" got their name from?  Whilst some of the songs on this superb album are love songs, they are not exactly gooey love songs, so maybe I don't want to know where the name comes from after all?  The name of the album is "Hold On Tight" which is a very apt title, this is a real Power Pop racer, with well written, melodic, catchy and infectious songs!

Gooey are:

Juan Avila (vocals/acoustic guitar)
Chris Eudy (electric guitar)
Brian Vaughan (electric guitar)
Tom Hickey (bass guitar)
John Noyes (drums)
John Peeler (mascot)

What their biography says:

My name is Juan. I love all kinds of music. I like to write songs.
John is my friend. He plays a lot of instruments. He hears music in his head.
A long time ago, I told John that I was learning to play the guitar. He told me to go away.
A few years later, I told John that I was writing songs. He told me that he was busy.
I forgot to mention that John is grumpy.
Once in a while, I would pick up the guitar when John was around and I would play something that I had written.
John would pretend that he wasn’t listening. I knew that he was.
One day John told me that he liked my songs and that we should record them.

These are my songs.
This is our band.
This is Gooey.

Whilst playing this I heard echoes of Bowie and a  less well known band The Man From Delmonte from back in the late 80's, this really is a fun and uplifting album and what is more, it is totally free, although I am sure that the band have physical copies of the album for those who like to adourn their collections with a few nuggets of great power pop!

Contact, befriend, like and love Gooey here: FACEBOOK

Download "Hold On Tight" FREE here: BANDCAMP

Official Website: http://ilovegooey.com/

The Shake - Try To Get Ready

Another truly superb band from the record label that brought us Angel Kaplan, Los Immediatos and Los Impossibles and other great bands, The Shake are dripping in sixties sound and style, knocking out tunes that wouldn't be out of place amongst The Small Faces, The Action, The Allusions, Powder etc, this is a band that have caught the essence of an era for our delight and pleasure!

Deeply in love with beat, garage, pop and psychedelia from the 60′s and subsequent decades, The Shake have always stood a step ahead of the rest of bands in the 60′s scene due to their never-ending talent to create beautifully crafted songs that go farther than the basic structures and guitar riffs, as well as their unique, neat, hypnotic sound.

The Shake Live.

With their debut lp “Tripping The Whole Colourful World” (Rainbow Quartz/Flor & Nata 2006), critics and fans on both sides of the Atlantic agreed on praising their virtues. That record amazed all those who listened to it and took them to the most important 60′s meetings in Spain, Purple Weekend, Go! Lleida, Festimod.... as well as to the International Pop Overthrow in Liverpool, where they could perform at the Cavern Club.

Can't fight your loving from the album Trippin' the Whole Colourful World (2007)

Later they published their first 45 (Hey Girl! Rds 2008) showing us their dirtiest and wildest side, close to garage-punk.

Now they are back full of energy (see them live and you′ll wet your underpants!) with new exciting recordings where British-flavoured pop, garage & psyche are seasoned with black music influences... A cocktail for select tastes. 

Stream the album here: Bandcamp 

Buy the album on CD or Vinyl here: Sunny Day Records

The Shake are currently working on a new album.