Here is some lovely sunny and bright music, perfect for the summer....if only the sun would make a show here in Sweden that is! This will definately be gracing the "Ice Cream Man" record player, more than likely on constant repeat, and if the sun doesn't shine, we are going to play it anyway!!!!!
Paul Starling writes & records original songs. He plays: guitar,
bass, drums, piano, banjo, ukulele, & anything else he can
get his hands on. Known for his 60′s vibe with a
modern twist, Paul Starling creates what he calls ‘nautical pop’. It is
music to sail, float, skip and even dance to.
Contact, befriend, Like and Love Paul here: Facebook
Reissue Available May 29th via Trashy Creatures Records
Formed in 1972 at North Central High School in Indianapolis, The Late
Show’s original line-up included drummer Mark Cutsinger and guitarist
Kevin Kimberlin, along with Don Main and Mark Moran.
With a move to New York City in 1974 the Late Show caught the attention
of producer Jack Douglas (John Lennon, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Artful
Dodger, New York Dolls, The Knack). After a series of recordings with
Douglas at the Record Plant, and major label offers from CBS, Epic,
Windfall, and Don Kirshner’s record label, all of which the band turned
down expecting a bigger deal to be around the corner, Kimberlin left the
band.
The band continued as a three piece from 1975 until 1979, when Steve Lester was added on guitar and keyboards.
By late 1979, guitarist Rick Clayton had replaced Steve Lester and Chris Pyle joined replacing Mark Cutsinger on drums.
The band entered Soundsmith Studios in Indianapolis with producer Greg
Riker and engineer producer Mike Petrucci to record their first record, Portable Pop.
The band had trouble getting the sound they wanted in the studio. Main
recalled, “Don’t get me wrong, it was a nice studio, it was just too
sterile sounding. So we literally set up in the loading dock area of the
studio with monitors and recorded the entire album live.” Portable Pop,
released in 1980 on Rave Records was the only official release by The
Late Show, and was only available at the time on vinyl. The record has
been out of print since the early 80′s. This power pop classic will be
reissued May 29, 2012 by Trashy Creatures Records.
The band recorded their second record in Memphis, TN with producer John
Hampton (The Raconteurs, White Strips, Alex Chilton, The Cramps, The
Replacements, Gin Blossoms) in 1983. The record entitled, Recordio in Stereo,
was shelved just weeks before it’s independent release by the band's
lawyer, who assured them a contract with Atlantic Records was a done
deal. As it it turned out, the deal fell through and the record has
remained unreleased since 1983. It will finally see the light of day
with bonus tracks later this year on Trashy Creatures Records. Between
1986 and 1988, the band recorded demos in Los Angeles and their hometown
of Indianapolis with producer Ian Ritchie (Roger Waters, Godley &
Creme, Gary Numan, The Beach Boys, Dead Or Alive, Howard Jones, Laurie
Anderson). Atlantic Records was responsible for paring producer Ritchie
with the band, but once again a deal with the label failed to
materialize. The band are currently working on a album of new material
to be released through Trashy Creatures Records and Burger Records in
2013.
In the summer of 2012 The Late Show will be featured in a new book
called “Power Pop 360” and the song “Take a Chance” will be featured on
the CD Compilation that will accompany the book. The book covers 360 of
the most essential power pop records in history.
I have recently featured several bands from Spain that have a real flair for the execution of great sixties garage punk sounds, well, it would appear that Italy have some flair in that field too, they are The Kaams and they are on the verge of releasing their debut album "Uwaga!" which promises to be a rather exceptional debut, one that we are really looking forward to hearing and reviewing on the blog.
The Kaams come out screaming from Bergamo (Italy) in fall 2009, started as a duo piece by Andrea Carminati (vocals/guitar) and Marcello Giannelli (drums), the band released its first Ep “She’s a Killer” in march 2010 on Bedo Records/Dirty Water Digit Records.
At the end of the same year a new 7'' split titled "Chose Your Coffin - The Kaams vs The Monolithics" was released on Boss Hoss Records and distributed by Area Pirata.
After several line-up changes Andrea has finally met the right mates: Marco Facheris (guitar), Alberto Mafessoni (bass) and Tiziano Carozzi (drums).
2012 is a busy and exciting year, a lot of gigs all around Italy, a German tour completed in May and most of all the long-awaited 12 tracks full length album that will be out in June, once again on Area Pirata/Boss Hoss Records.
"UWAGA! is a perfect mix of r’n’b, garage, punk, blues nuances and melodies,
a time bomb ready to explode" (cit.)
Remember during the good ol' days of late '70s and early '80s guitar-based new wave and power pop? Remember when the Boys
had a new release, and how the raw energy almost ripped holes in your
speakers? Prepare to relive those days, cuz here come two CDs of raw,
unpretentious energy, dressed up in the catchiest hooks this side of the Boys. Recorded between 1977 and 1981, the Kiddas
never got the break they deserved, due to circumstances beyond their
control. They certainly had the talent and the songs, but it just didn't
work out for them. With 29 tracks, there's something for every guitar
pop fan. All the tracks are raw and primitive, but not sloppy. And each
song, written by leader Alan Hammonds, has so much snap, crackle, and
pop, you'll be stuffed silly by the time Disc Two ends. "Can I Take the
Car Tonight" sounds like it could've been at least a regional hit way
back then! "While the 1979-1981 material is in stereo, the earlier 1977
recordings are in mono, enhancing the experience for the fan, while
irritating the audiophiles at the same time! "Fighting My Way Back"
musically resembles a mix 'tween power pop favorites Bram Tchaikovsky and the Records
"If Looks Could Kill," "Big Boys Don't Cry," and "Get Off the
Telephone" are such nice, hooky little songs, that you have to wonder
why no major label snapped them up. Though the sound quality is
debatable in a few places, the songs speak for themselves. AMG
Take Three is the debut album from Kingston/ Worcester Park Mod/Power Pop band The Past Tense.
If I had a box of nails, this album would hit every single one of them on the head! I grew up loving bands like The Jam, The Chords, Prisoners, Milkshakes etc, and so to, quite clearly, did Andy, Ken and Nuts.
Opening track "Feeling Bad" wouldn't be out of place on The Jam's All Mod Cons album. The song is about a bad relationship and the sigh of relief when it is over, delivered with all the energy and passion you would expect from Mr Weller himself.
One of the standout tracks, and there are many of these, on the album is "Jimmy's Love Song" which as you may guess is a tribute to Quadrophenia and The Who. This song and tribute is is executed with real flair and Ken's bass work is excellent, you could almost imagine that Mr Entwistle had stepped in for the session.....which obviously we knew he couldn't have!!
The Past Tense don't just revel in the late 70's and early 80's Mod revival Power Pop sound, there is clearly a love of 60's garage which you can hear on tracks like The Wolfman for which this excellent video was made.
Not by any means a young band,THE PAST TENSE offer a very welcome alternative to
the dour state of current musical fads by offering an enthusiastic, energetic and exciting take
on the Power pop/mod revival sound of the 80"s and a lively and fun nod
to the Garage greats, Past and Present.
All in all this is a really great debut album from the band, they clearly wear their influences openly and proudly on their sleeves....and rightly so!
"Take Three" is a limited pressing of just 200 albums and from the interest I have seen on this album, they will be sold out very quickly, so if you like what you see, hear and read, order yourself a copy without delay!
The
Past Tense are playing live Friday 8th of June at the "12 Bar" Denmark Street in London. The band
are on at 11.00pm. It is an ace venue, the smallest stage in London and the place is a sweat box when full, so if you are in the area then get down there and enjoy the party!
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.
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