The Dickies - Stukas over Disneyland

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

Listen Here
 

Buy the album - AMAZON

Grandma's Boyfriend FREE EP DOWNLOAD

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 

Go download this for free here:BANDCAMP

Befriend, follow and like here:FACEBOOK

By the 7" single here:http://theloglady.com/catalog.html

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)

Grant Lindberg - Tokyo EP FREE DOWNLOAD!

Grant Lindberg is back again with another free offering of brilliant Power Pop heaven!!!!!

When Grant isn't out fishing, he is writing and recording select cuts of Power Pop for our delight and this 5 track EP bolsters up the rest of his back catologue quite nicely, which is also all there on bandcamp also for FREE and I highly recommend that you download it all.

If melodies, crunchy guitars and well crafted songs are your thing, then Grant is your man!

Download the Tokyo EP FREE: HERE

Don't forget to check out all of Grants other offerings too!

Phenomenal Cat Need YOUR help!

As many of you are aware, Phenomenal Cat are one of our little darlings here at "Ice Cream Man Power Pop and More!"  In fact, we adore them and hope that you have enjoyed the single a month free downloads they have provided for you this year as much as we have.

If you have and would like to show your gratitude, the band need your votes to help them to expose themselves....calm down, calm down, I mean in a live performance at "Lounge on the farm festival!"

If you would like to ensure that one of the UK's finest Power Pop bands are in attendance at this festival, please follow the link here: http://www.yousaytheyplay.co.uk/voting/band/Phenomenal%2520Cat  all you need to do is submit an e mail address and your vote will be cast.  Lets make sure that Power Pop gets some representation at this festival.

To download the Phenomenal Cat FREE single a month, follow this link: http://phenomenalcat.bandcamp.com/

Many thanks in advance from Ice Cream Man and Phenomenal Cat. :)

Brian Young - See What I Made. FREE DOWNLOAD

Brian Young's debut album "See What I made" is beautifully sublime and is somewhat a diary of one mans life experience that could easily be a reflection of each of our own lives.
Each song is delivered with passion and feeling and whilst some of the songs are of rejection and heartache, the music takes the songs to a completely different, happier place.
This is a sparkling debut with a lyrical content that we can all relate to in some way shape or form.  There are many stand out tracks here and not a filler in sight,  Brian's voice sometimes reminds me of David Gedge from the Wedding Present during his Cinerama days, only better!

Brian Young started writing songs at the tender age of 16 with his
first band, The Promise. By the end of college, that band lost a
couple members, gained a couple more, and became The Ideal Husbands.
Just before the year 2000, The Ideal Husbands caught the attention of
indie-pop mecca Shelflife Records, and work began on their debut EP.
Unfortunately, the band dissolved before it was finished, saving one
track (“Statues”) for Shelflife’s OMD tribute CD, Pretending To See
The Future. Soon after the split, Brian bought a bass guitar, a drum
kit, and began recording on his own. Taking a couple songs written
with The Ideal Husbands, as well as a few newer ones, Brian finished
his first solo EP Hi-Lo in 2005.

 
The next year, after moving to a small apartment in South Pasadena CA,
Brian began writing what would become See What I Made. The idea was to
document what was happening at that moment in life. It begins with a
prayer, a less than successful string of dates, finding love, feeling
disillusioned, breaking up, taking long walks at night, a dream, and
learning to laugh at it all (in that order).
 
See What I Made took a ridiculous amount of time to finish. In fact,
by the time it was, Brian had moved on from that small apartment,
played several shows (under the name Swimteam), got married, and then
moved again to Whittier CA. He has started a new band with his wife
Annette, called The Briannettes, and also plays with Los Angeles
indie-pop band The Tartans, and Pasadena post-punks The Guestimates.

Influences include:

The Smiths, The Zombies, Love, Beach Boys, The Kinks,
The Shangri-Las, Curtis Mayfield, Felt, Belle & Sebastian
 
Brian plans on recording a new EP in Summer 2012.

Download "See What I made" FREE: HERE 

Blog: thebriannettes.blogspot.com
Contact: seewhatimade@gmail

The Skywalkers - Year One. FREE or NAME YOUR PRICE!

 I have been meaning to include The Skywalkers on the blog for sometime now and actually feel quite bad that it has taken me so long to get around to sharing this.
Last year a friend back home in the UK called me up and managed to splutter out the bands name in an air of excitement, "You have to hear The Skywalkers, you will love it!" he said, and he was quite right, I found them on the internet within about 5 seconds of him hanging up and was listening to the free download within a minute.  I have to admit that I was slightly bemused by the fact they only had two instruments, a keyboard and a set of drums, but, along with their voices they have captured a sound in time, where notably more instruments were used, and made a brilliant job of it!

You can download the album for FREE but a small contribution to the band will ensure that "Year One" won't be the last we here from this duo.

The Skywalkers is a Freakbeat duo formed in Zwaag and based in Utrecht (NL). They got started in November 2009.

In January they released a self-produced 8 song demo online. They have performed in places all over the Netherlands and also some places abroad.

photo by Luuk Muller

The Skywalkers consist of organ player Jacco Gardner and drummer Hugo van de Poel. Both singer songwriters, they bundled their strengths to write songs together.
Their sound is easily recognizable because of the simple combination of Philicorda organ and basic drums, this together with the overdriven edgy vocals create a raw, energetic whole.

They get their inspiration from bands like; The Zombies, Herman's Hermits, The Seeds, The Electric Prunes, Tomorrow, The Blues Magoos, The 13th Floor Elevators, Love, The Pretty Things, Strawberry Alarmclock and many others that moved the underground scene from '65 till '68.

photo by Luuk Muller

In november 2010 The Skywalkers celebrated their one-year anniversary with the release of Year One.
Year one is a collection of two demo EP's recorded by The Skywalkers between November 2009 and November 2010. Year One is released on limited 12" vinyl by Grey Past Records and is released online for free.

The Skywalkers will continue playing gigs in the Netherlands and abroad. There are also plans for the release of a 7" single.

Get the album here: Bandcamp 

Follow, befriend and like here: Facebook

Ruby Coast - Whatever This Is. FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD

Ruby Coast don't just deliver a colourful cover (artwork by Bill Scott) they also deliver some colourful Indie/Power Pop tunes produced by Howard Billerman the former drummer of Arcade Fire.

From Ontario, Canada, Ruby Coast, bring us 14 tracks of of well written songs wrapped up in some wonderful tune smithery and then give it to us FREE of charge!!!!

Follow, befriend and like Ruby Coast here: FACEBOOK

Download the album FREE here: Bandcamp