Phenomenal Cat - Nowhere Town OUT NOW!

Once again the Phenomenal Cat steams into town with another fantastic, sugar baked slice of  delectable power pop, this time in the form of the latest single in the conceptual "Pop Wasteland" graphic novel for which these songs are the rock 'n' roll soundtrack to. 

"Nowhere Town" if taken as a single, without the graphic novel to read along with, bolsters the fact, that, this band is one hell of a band, deserving to take a place in rock 'n' roll history, with their songwriting being compared to The Kinks and Blur with quintessential Englishness.

Get the songs and the graphic novel and you soon realise that this band have embarked on an original concept.  Sure we have had the rock opera and other bands may have attempted this style of scenario, but none of late and none with such style and panache as Phenomenal Cat.

For a very limited 48 hours, you can grab this track for free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, including your new favourite band.

Read more about the graphic novel and soundtrack concept here: Pop Wasteland ICM

Stream and download the Nowhere Town single free for a limited period here: Phenomenal Cat 

Bandcamp

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

Be sure to check out last years single a month collection, also on bandcamp.

French Boutik - ICI Paris. 2 Disc 45rpm release

French Boutik are back with another glorious offering of modern French pop in the form of a double vinyl 45rpm release, ticking all the right boxes in order for you to dance the night away to their glorious sounds of poppy, buzzing, powerful guitar, blended with the finest percolating organ which represents the timely marriage between English and French pop.

 

The new single is available for pre order now via the bands facebook page along with their fantastic back catologue.

Photo: Fred Eagle

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love French Boutik here: Facebook

The Penelopes - Sweet Amazer

This arrived with me last week from Japan and it is both sweet and amazing and therefore is very aptly named, in my humble opinion.

Having only heard a couple of tracks by this band before, I was not really sure what to expect, but I was absolutely bowled over by opening track and album title track, "Sweet Amazer" which has an almost Northern Soul feel to it with a steady 4/4 beat which you simply can't resist tapping your feet along to, a similar feel is carried along on the 2nd track, "Heartache Close" before things change a little and become more poppy on the rest of the album, but with equally impressive sounds and main man Tatsuhiko Watanabe, has a really distinctive voice, sometimes haunting, sometimes poppy, but always keeping you hanging on every word he sings, it has been a long time since I heard a voice that stands out so distinctively and so thoroughly charming.  The 7 track mini album also includes a great cover of XTC's "The Dissapointed."

Sadly, I am unable to find a link to post up any of the complete track from the album, the band does have a reverbnation page with some of their back catologue on, which I will link to at the end of this post, but rest assured, if you want to take a chance on this mini album, I would be very surprised if you were dissapointed!

The Penelopes was essentially the work of singer/songwriter Tatsuhiko, the group debuted in 1993 with the album "Big Golden Cage", followed a year later by "Touch The Ground," although by this time the band was basically a solo project of Tatsuhiko, he maintained the Penelopes name for 1997's "Kiss Of Life" and "APlace In the Sun." Issued the same year was the bands first long player, issued on his own label, Vaudeville Park Records.

Several albums have followed and the band have also contributed to many compilation albums.

Listen to more music by The Penelopes here: Reverbnation

Buy Sweet Amazer (and hear longer samples) here: itunes and amazon

Website for Vaudeville Records and The Penelopes: Official

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Penelopes here: Facebook

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The Kimballs - The Kimballs

Drummer Michael Mark and singer Tom Burns started making music together before they were even old enough to drive.  In college they met up indie rock guitar slinger Alan Tepper, and after a twenty year audition, they finally asked him to join the band.

The Kimballs instinctively tap into 70's - 80's AM radio pop, which they then update and abbreviate in their stripped down post-punk DIY ethic.

I have had this album, along with the bands debut album for just over a week and I have been playing them continuously, immersed in them, without skipping a single track, there are no filler tracks here, just  full on, quality power pop, real classic power pop.

It comes as no surprise that their blend of music has been included in award winning films and is also on constant rotation on college radio.  Is this a power pop masterpiece?  Yes, I do believe it is.  If you only buy one record this year, buy this one and then buy the bands debut album "Number One," which is also another prime cut in the world of power pop.  I know that is two albums, but seriously, do it! 

Stream and buy the album (Name Your Price) here: Bandcamp

You can have both the bands albums and the 5 track "Great Face For Radio" for a mere 15 dollars!!

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Kimballs here: Facebook

Singles and EP's to make you go Ahhhh! With: Surf School Dropouts, The Castle Forever and The Zags.

These guys should need no introduction on the blog, they finished in the second spot on my year end list last year, which, to be honest, was a really dilemma for me to choose as I absolutely love this band, the harmonies, the songs, everything.

Hailing, as all top notch surf bands do, from Denmark, so if you are around Copenhagen and the surf is on the low side, go see if these guys are playing, they put on a great show at the famous Cavern in Liverpool this year.

Stream and buy the single here: Bandcamp

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

Be sure to check out the bands album released on Sunny Day Records.

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The Castle Forever is a distance relationship with one of the two members being in Slovakia and the other in England, though unlike most long distance relationships, this one seems quite healthy with a solid bond, which is apparent in the music, between members, Craig Phillips and Stephen Birtchnell.

The electric/acoustic duo play lo-fi blend fo indiepop, psyche, folk, dream pop, shoegaze and alternative rock and it is pretty bloody good!

Check out more of The Castle Forever here: Soundcloud

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love the band here:Facebook

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The Zags are a new Power Pop quartet out of Portland, Oregon and they have just released their debut single "It's Over" which is an absolute Power Pop gem, 2 minutes and 7 seconds of raw guitars and vocals with attitude and you can download it for FREE too.

I think this is a really great debut, the recording is rough and ready and I am unable to say if that was what they wanted, but it suits the style perfectly and I would put money down that we are going to be hearing some more absolute cracking tunes form these guys, and girl, in the future.

The Zags are:

Rachel Broach - keys, voice
Stanton Hall - songs, bass, voice
David Ricardo - songs, guitar, voice
Pete Schreiner - drums

Download the single for FREE here: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love The Zags here: Facebook

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A warm up for the weekend with some full on Power Pop from, Classified Frequency and The Stanleys.

This has been sitting in my inbox for a while, which is a real shame as they are an absolute stomp along band, personally I blame all the spammers who keep writing to me, with offers of sharing millions of dollars, which I never get, anyway, music is worth so much more and I get it!

Classified frequency describe themselves as a "High energy, break the doors down, power pop, powerhouse power trio."  I certainly wouldn't disagree with that, their tunes thunder along at 100mph, chunky guitars, strong hooks, great melodies and a vocal delivery to die for, as for the drummer, I'll have two of whatever he has before going out this weekend!

"Have A Nice Day" is the bands latest offering, but have a listen to their previous EP, the aptly named "Heart Attack" EP, also on Soundcloud to get a real feel for what this Washington DC band are all about, this is Power Pop with the emphasis right on the power!

Listen to more tunes by Classified Frequency here: Soundcloud

Buy the "Have a Nice Day" single here: itunes

Contact, befriend, follow like and love the powerhouse trio here: Facebook

Official Website here: http://classifiedfrequency.com

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Not just a stunning cover, this is also a stunning piece of classic power pop which comes from a band that was formed over in "Myspace," remember that place?  The results of that meeting are some super, top notch Power Pop that has been lauded from Australia to Norway and pretty much everywhere in between, sadly, they haven't landed here in Sweden yet, but looking at their touring schedule and the close proximity of Latvia to us here, I am sure when they come back for their return tours they will drop by and I hope they do, this brand of power pop will certainly be more than welcome.

Stream and download the "Kid's Gonna Rock" single here: bandcamp

Official website here: http://www.thestanleys.com.au

Contact, befriend, like and love The Stanleys here: Facebook

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Adam Daniel - Pop Baby

I find I often refer to music I love as "Sunny" music,  by which I mean that sitting in the garden, in the countryside or by the sea, that the music compliments the warmth and beauty of my surroundings and instantly gives me a totally feel good state of mind.

So, it is somewhat of a surprise to be sitting inside on a grey, wet Sunday morning in Sweden that I should be listening to an album that evokes all of those feelings, but Adam Daniel's latest album, "Pop Baby" does just that, maybe no surprise with an opening track entitled "Summers Coming?"

Self declared control freak, Adam creates music which he describes as a mash up of Elton John piano, glam rock guitars, Beach Boys vocal stacks and new wave synth candy which are all of his favourite things.

The music and songs remind me a little of Ken Stringfellows "Touched" album, well crafted music and meaningful lyrics, I sometimes get flashes of Fountains of Wayne and even a smattering of ELO, add that to Adams "mash ups" and we end up with an extremely colourful album, bright, sunny, warm and fuzzy.

Adam is entirely responsible for every element of this album, from the songwriting, arranging, producing, performing, recording, mixing and mastering in which he seems to have excelled in every aspect with the finished product  being a well polished affair of 13 great songs.

Adam's last release was "Blue Pop" in 1999 which I have also been listening too which is every bit as good as "Pop Baby" which leads to the question, why so long between records, especially when the first album got such great reviews, "All Music guide" said "It is among the best guitar-pop albums of the 90's." Adam does give a reason for this in the Bio section of his website, however, I would rather sit here contentedly listening to this album and think to myself that the best things take time and are worth waiting for.

 Photo by Paul Beauchemin

Stream and buy the album here in digital download and CD format: Bandcamp

Contact, befriend, follow, like and love Adam Daniel here: Facebook

Official Website: http://adamdaniel.com

Follow and tweet: Twitter