Some of the best recommendations come from like minded friends with a mutual love of music and that is where The Hardtops came to me from (Thanks Isabel!) and hopefully you will also enjoy this upbeat, energetic, rocking band from Madrid in Spain. I have said it before and I will say it again, what are they putting in the water down there?
The Hardtops are a band from Madrid, Spain that blends Power Pop, Rock'n'Roll and Punk-Rock. The band consists of five guys who share a passion for melody and distortion. They all knew each other from other local bands, so when the project started it took shape in almost no time. In august they recorded their first ep, with four songs that define their sound.
A Fragile Tomorrow release "Kernersville" today as a FREE DOWNLOAD and features their friends in The Bangles and The Cowsills, as well as Mitch Easter himself on guitar, if this single is a reflection of things to come, then we are certainly in for a treat come the release of the long player in January, jangly guitar, hook laden melodies and harmonies galore, fantastic!
Charleston, SC powerpop band A Fragile Tomorrow returns with their long awaited 4th studio album, 'Be Nice Be Careful', on January 8th, 2013 via Piewillie Records. Produced by the legendary Mitch Easter (R.E.M.) and Ted Comerford, the 14-song set highlights the band's energetic brand of harmony driven, hook-laden pop.
"We really wanted to make a record that was spontaneous and fun; something that sounded like a jangly pop band playing in a room together" says principal songwriter and singer Sean Kelly. "Working with Mitch and Ted allowed us to open ourselves up creatively and do these songs the way we originally envisioned. It was the best experience we've ever had making a record".
After three full-length albums and numerous high profile tours with the likes of the Indigo Girls, The Bangles, Matthew Sweet, and Antigone Rising, the band is ready to release what they feel is their best work to date. Full of classic powerpop jangle reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub, Big Star, and Jellyfish, 'Be Nice Be Careful' represents a band with a clear love of pop music.
Kelly says that with the January 8th release of 'Be Nice Be Careful', he hopes to "show people that we're finally the kind of band we've always wanted to be, and we made the record to back that up." With guest appearances from Bangles Vicki and Debbi Peterson, Susan Cowsill, Don Dixon, and Indigo Girl Amy Ray, 'Be Nice Be Careful' is an album that pop and rock fans alike will undoubtedly put on repeat for days. For more information on A Fragile Tomorrow, the new album, and tour dates, please visit http://afragiletomorrow.com.
The Newds are currently finishing of their latest offering of a new EP which will hopefully be with us here in about 6 weeks for review and then the band will be working on their next full length LP for release sometime next year.
For now, please enjoy the video for the single "Go Getter" which I think you will agree is very good and the video is very amusing too!
Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Newds here: Facebook
Find The Newds first album The First Strike here: itunes
I can't tell you an awful lot about these guys other than that they hail from San Diego and they play pretty fine power pop in a similar vein to FoW, Brendon Benson MIchael Carpenter etc. This is a really cool album and the video for Super Laura is pretty cool too, certainly makes me want to head out to San Diego and hit the beach!
The Honeymoon Stallions "Monlighting" is the latest offering from ex The Sun Kings and The Goldbergs main man Andy Goldberg.
"Moonlighting" takes me back to a time of classic Power Pop tunes and bands, a time when music was created within a band not manufactured by fat, obnoxious label bosses who create a band, write some dirge of a song and then chuck out some good looking young lads in front of a bunch of 13 year old screaming girls and sell millions for five minutes!
Andy Goldberg has written a timeless classic here, whilst incorporating all that is good in music from the 60's, 70's and beyond. The songs are lyrically very strong, well crafted and held together by by all the riffs, hooks, melodies and harmonies that you could possibly desire.
This "Italian job" will do more than blow the bloody doors off, they will bring the house down with their infectious blend of Power Pop/Punk.
"The Sensibles" a four piece outfit hailing from Milan, Italy consisting of Stella - Vocals, Giacomo - bass, Fili - Guitar and Ga - drums.
The band have a sound that is reminiscent of The Exploding Hearts, The Muffs and The Rezillos, full of classic, chopping guitar riffs, all driven along at a hundred miles an hour for the ultimate audible assault!
The Sensibles have been playing together since 2009 and have just pressed a D.I.Y 7" single in a limited edition run of just 300, there is, of course a digital download, but for the music puritans who like to hear their music in the purest form (that is on vinyl by the way!) then drop the band an e mail to the following address now to avoid disappointment: thesensibles@gmail.com
On the bands Bandcamp page, you can also download their 4 song demo, which is also a rather excellent, high octane piece of pop punk and also, like the latest release, not one of the song goes up to the 3 minute mark, that is proper punk!
Download, stream and buy the latest sing and the free demo here: Bandcamp
Contact, befriend, like and love The Sensibles here: Facebook
It has been a long time since I was excited about an instrumental album and this is the first one that I have featured on the blog and for a very good reason, it is bloody brilliant!
Hailing from North Hollywood CA, these guys serve up a high energy album with traces of ska, rockabilly, punk and lots of wonderful surf guitar sounds.
The more I play this album, the more I think how these songs would make a great movie soundtrack and in my minds eye I have already finished the script, it is a kind of secret service film, yeah ok, James Bond, but a really cool one, a retro one, he is tougher and suaver than the Bonds we know and he surfs too!
Anyway, my musings apart, go check this album out, it is brilliant, I have found myself hitting the replay button several times after each track, the last time I remember doing that was many years ago, I am absolutely bowled over by this album, my only regret with this album is that I didn't discover it when it was released in 2009 and I have spent all this time without it!
Currently being repeated at least 4 times in a row, The Duke.
What do The Reigning Monarchs say about themselves? Well, just this: "Monogram your sweater vests your new favorite lifestyle has arrived! If
you like the taste of cold beer, the feel of cashmere, and skanky surf
nior jams then we are a modern American today! Lets get started!" Obviously, no need to say too much when your music speaks volumes about you anyway!
Should you get through playing the album several times and start despairing that there is no more, then satisfy your cravings with the recently released 3 track single "All Summer Single."
The Reigning Monarch also have a great range of T shirts, this band really aren't putting a foot wrong, posters, even a rag, yep a rag, with the bands logo printed on it, housework has never been so much fun, although I recommend that you use it for something more interesting instead!
Did I say that I really rate this band? I hope that you will love them too!
Stream and download the album at a Name Your Price cost here: Bandcamp
(You can also find the "All Summer Single" here too.)
