The Lemon Clocks - Live At The Cellar 2nd August 2025

 

I rarely review Live Albums for a few reasons. Mainly that there is enough to get on with without turning to Live stuff and because Live Albums can tend to be something that you listen to once and then forget about. Coincidentally, this is the third time that I have and the venue has been The Cellar in Cardigan, also noted for The Dream Of Dr Sardonicus Festivals.

Part of the reason is Steve Kelly's wonderful commitment to the venue which as well as a Music Venue, is a Record Shop and a cafe. The other is that all three bands underline my love of melodic Psych and Prog in its melodic form. Glorious genres when bands approach them with the emphasis on songs rather than how well they can play their instrument.

The previous two performances were by Spygenius and Custard Flux. Now we have Jeremy Morris's Lemon Clocks. A fine Psych Pop band. Morris is just as noted for The Jeremy Band which concentrates more on his gentle vocal and is Rickenbacker led Power Pop.

The Lemon Clocks Psych resonates with me most, although a lot of my writing concentrates more on Guitar Pop. This is an outstanding set. I've chosen my two favourites, both lengthy, which start and end the show, but the whole thing is an essential listen.

Rainbow Bridge has always been one of my favourites since its release on 2012's Now Is The Time, The Lemon Clocks debut album. It also has a reprise on the closing Spirit In The Sky. I know the song can get people tiresome from the original, through Doctor And The Medics and onto Gareth Gates. But this is different, a 17 minute Psych laden Guitar extravaganza.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Trash Kickers - Way Out, Somehow

 

I do get cynical with comparisons, particularly repeated ones. The two that I see most are XTC and The Replacements. Most are nothing like them or maybe for just one song. However, I've been fortunate this week. Having written about a band that are so latter day XTC, I now have the Trash Kickers who revitalise the spirit of The Mats.

Chicago quartet Trash Kickers have fashioned up an awesome debut album. It is wonderfully loose, but never leaves the melody. A little noisy but built on killer singalong choruses. Songs are not just built on riffs, they are built on competing memorable riffs.

I've seen then called Power Pop, but they are only so if bands like Cheap Trick are. In that they have the prerequisites of the genre, but are much more Rock orientated. They can also change direction. Angel for instant is nearer Classic Rock, The Black Crowes spring to mind and the shared vocal with Elizabeth Moen works beautifully.

No Danger is the nearest they get to Power Pop, but Nothing Left has a wonderful Jangle to it. Wild Stab is pure Americana, reminds me a lot of Deer Tick. They also know how to close an album, Graduation Girl perfectly sums up what the band are about, really really Mats.

The Album Release show has built a big reputation about how good a Live band they are. You can imagine how well the album went down. They are at their best when the riffs are ringing out. Fly Or Die, Come Undone and What A Waste are great examples of this, the riffs drill into your head.

The band are a sum of their parts, locking in wonderfully and front man Tyler Franklin leads proceedings with a vocal that urges you to Rock, but also handles and underlines the melodic choruses. It is becoming a great year for debut albums. This is one of the best.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Orchidelia - Sundial EP

 

It is always surprising that as we've grown considerably the UK hasn't necessarily followed us. We are far bigger in the States, Canada, Europe and Australia, Maybe its due to the high quota of Power Pop, Guitar Pop and Pop Rock that we cover and the lack of strength they have in the UK. We are still very Anglophile despite all that's going on here and revel uncovering Brit acts.

The new Orchidelia EP is a great listen. The five piece from Sheffield are known for Power Pop. but there is more to that here. Miles Ridge's Piano edges them towards Pop Rock or even Brit Pop. They certainly have that wit and lyrical depth that Brit bands are noted for.

Songs are often delivered at pace, a little Housemartins perhaps, but the melody and singalong joy they bring cannot be ignored. The opener, Cradle To The Grave, underlines this and sounds slightly New Wave,  with Marcus Swift's vocal slightly similar to Spygenius's Peter Watts.

The Closer, Serious Word With The Ceiling shows off the Brit Pop comparison, anthemic and even a little Squeeze. It is a cracking listen. Talking of Spygenius, Quarter To Three is right in their territory, a little Psych Pop, a little 60s UK Beat and touches of 70s Glam Rock.

It's Alright is jaunty, again sounding a little Tilbrook, but with an instrumental that isn't a million miles away from Madness.  Forget Me Not has an ace Harrison like Guitar Intro, slower than what else is around, sounding a little more American. All 5 songs here are winners, a corking listen.

You can listen to and buy the EP here.

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Eroica - Apollo Complex

 

After opening up July largely with a whole lot of Guitar Pop, it is worth underling that I don't just live in that world. Away from IDHAS, I listen to a lot of Psych and Prog and when I hear something that I think will be appreciated here, it arrives.

This is one such example. It is an incredible piece of work and has extraordinary depth. It can do the complex, surprise chord changes and instrumental brilliance. Yet it can also be accessible and melodic, it is a masterful release.

L.A. quartet Eroica's debut album is one hell of a listen. It will naturally be compared to Radiohead and Muse, but that would be both in their prime. The band have the complexity of the former and the accessibility of the latter.

The arrangements are immense, at ease with the meandering and the direct. Apollo Complex don't allow the wankiness that this type of stuff is labelled with, to enter. Cry Again gets close to Pop Rock and The Ginny Carr Tape is hypnotic and closer to Classic Rock.

I Remind You Of Your Mother is an incredible month, varied and packing so much into just over 4 minutes. As you might expect, there are longer songs and they emphasise the complex side of the quartet. The Muse comparison is most apt on the title track and instrumentally a soundscape.

Bat Wings is immaculate engaging Prog and Ghost Variations is epic in scope. The whole album is a truly splendid listen. I admire the scope and arrangements that seem too expert to be a part of a debut. An unbelievable piece of work.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Droids Osaka - Closer To The Credit Roll

 

There is a question that I ask again. Why are the Canadians so good at Power Pop? Here's another band to be introduced to you. A Trio from Hamilton that master Classic Pop, but aren't afraid to step down noisier streets, particularly as the album progresses.

You wouldn't be wrong to think the band were an 80s Japanese Synth band when looking at their name. Indeed, the opening 39 Second song, Theme From Droids, is all 80s New Wave, but that ends there by launching into the excellent turn of the 70s, US Power Pop of Bits & Pieces that you can hear on the current Listening To This Week Playlist.

Moving Too Fast follows on and is more early Weezer and you realise that you are listening to a great Power Pop album. It has all the pre-requisites, killer riffs, a big sing along chorus and a breakout Guitar solo. The album is a fine summer  toe tapper.

Feeling Again sounds like the genre's current revival, but also has a tint of UK Glam Rock, particularly with the hand claps. Rocked up a little without losing sight of the melody. Get Up Get Up may be the best song here, certainly the best chorus. At times, it sounds like a Pop Punk band that has aged and got poppier.

The final two songs take on a different direction. Dirty Lines is much more in your face akin to the great stuff that is coming out of the Medway scene presently. You Want It, We Got In is pacy and more Punk and a frenetic listen that works just as well as what has gone before. Closer To The Credit Roll is a corking upbeat listen. Well done you three!

You can listen to and buy the album here. It certainly deserves a Physical Release.

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Swive - Stereophonic Stylings Volume 2

 

I adored Swive's 2023 debut album, so much so that it featured in our Best Albums Of The Year. The mix of male / female vocals from Indio Romero and Sidney Merritt worked beautifully. You can read the Review here and now we have Volume 2.

The two singles for the second volume promised much and also underlined the variety that the San Diego band provide. Fading Out is all Buckingham Fleetwood Mac-ish with a great guitar sound and Del Rio is more jaunty Tex / Mex with a wonderful chug.

Swive are not afraid to take chances and change direction, Indeed, one of the best songs here is a rock out, almost Psych, instrumental in Orange Crush. That ability to surprise is key to what they do. Merritt's vocal on the riff led Sky High is exceptional on what is the nearest the band will ever get to an anthem.

Lucky is great Pop Rock and Headlights is great West Coast Rock. Merritt's vocal on the former and Romero's on the latter show the benefit of the shared vocals. Chameleon mixes 90s Alt Rock with Sandy Denny-ish Classic Rock.

Mirrors is even more different with a sort of Red Hot Chilli Peppers opener and the brooding feel, a meandering joy. No Guarantees is built on a killer riff that just grips you and an incredibly strong chorus. Self Sabotage is wonderful jaunty Pop Rock.

The whole album is incredibly strong. Built on a splendid Guitar sound with an ability to go wherever they want to direction wise. I thought it would be difficult to better Volume 1. This has! Different to most around, it is a great listen.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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Deep Wimp - Longtime Beginner

 

Back to our roots with the great Power Pop that is Longtime Beginner. The Brooklyn quartet can be Classic Power Pop, but also have the ability to step into other directions. This is largely helped by all four being vocalists.

Indeed for all the Power Pop, one of the best songs is the closer Thumbs Up which is looser and more West Coast Rock, Classic Rock even. Wheelhouse has that feel too, although a little slower and more brooding than Thumbs Up.

It is the Poppier moments that resonate most though. Particularly the magnificent opener First-Time Caller, built on a wonderful Power Pop riff and a vocal that is almost Feargal Sharkey. Pipe Dream is a little more laidback, but just as effective.

Giant even gets a little Psych Pop riff wise and shows even more variety, a little Garage feel at times and Bright Balloon gets more classic Power Pop and the four are really good at that too. Loads to like on this really enjoyable listen.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download.

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