Here Is The News

 

As the Festival Season nears an end, so the new releases start to come and what new releases they are!

Tamar Berk - Good Times For A Change

We adore Tamar Berk. She has lived a life and so is able to apply her lyrical depth to both joy and sadness, doing both incredibly well. She can bang out a catchy riff driven Power Pop or Pop Rock or sound incredibly vulnerable and melancholic.

Every album reveals a new slant without ever negating what she is good at. This is no exception and reaching for a cliche, this one is her best yet. Trailed by the splendid single, Good Impression, the album is due for a 6 September release on Vinyl and CD. You can pre-order those now, but also listen to the full album and buy the digital release now.

Daryll-Ann - Spring 

Some of you will remember how beloved Daryll-Ann were in the Anything Should Happen days. We republished Mick's piece for ASH in our early IDHAS days here.  We've followed the post band days often and to see them back does bring a tear or two to our eyes in joy.

Spring is released on 13 September and has been previewed by two singles, Everything I Knew and A Note About Time, both excellent. The album is available from Excelsior Recordings, probably the most efficient European label that I've ever ordered from. You can pre-order the return of our Dutch heroes on Vinyl or CD here.

Mike Viola - Rock Of Boston 

In all of my musical Internet life, Mike Viola has been a constant. When far more noted for Power Pop, he was one of the giants and unknown to many here, he was part of one of the three references for the I Don't Hear A Single name. The Major Labels song was on one of my favourite albums ever and the trio of Viola, Bleu and the sadly missed Ducky Carlisle were one hell of a trio.

You can listen to that song here. Viola has become a sober elder statesman of Power Pop and his recent album releases have been every bit as good as what has gone before. Loginx are also a fantastic label. They don't release masses of albums. but those that they do are splendid and feature tried and tested artists. You can pre-order the album for its 20 September Release on Vinyl, CD and as a download here.

Paul Molloy - The Madmen Of Apocalypso 

We adored Paul Molloy's debut album, The Fifth Dandelion. It seems like yesterday that I reviewed here, so I was more than surprised to realise that it was four years ago. The Coral's Guitarist has followed that up with another cracker.

The new one is still is set in the wonderful Psych Pop of that debut, but spreads its reach a little further with wit and versatility and he still gets close to Toytown at times, Hurrah!.  The album can be pre-ordered here and is released on 6 September.

Chime School - The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel 

Chime School's second album is one that we've been patiently waiting for for quite some time. It pushes all the buttons that we and lots of our followers love. Plenty of 80s Guitar Pop and Jangle is mixed with an ability to stretch out into the worlds of Teenage Fanclub and Dropkick.

Melody is the key and with catch all choruses and killer slightly gentle riffs, it is down for a review here on release. You can order the Vinyl, CD or Download here. You can listen to three of the 11 songs there including the one below. The album is released on 23 August.

Ex Norwegian - House Music and Sketch Expanded Versions 

I think many of you know of my adoration of Ex Norwegian. I've been there from the start and they have never disappointed. It is a fight between and The Mommyheads who I have spent most time with. I am also in admiration of what Roger Houdaille has done and continues to do with the Think Like A Key label.

30 August brings Remastered and Expanded Editions as well as Vinyl releases of the albums from 2010 and 2012. The Less Tiesto Edition of House Music features a complete Remaster of the original album and 13 Bonus Tracks. You can pre-order that here. 

The Extra Sketch Edition of Sketch again contains a complete Remaster of the original album and adds 22 Bonus Tracks. You can pre-order that here.

Bad Moves - Wearing Out The Refrain 

Washington DC's quartet release their third album on 13 September. Their seems a much chirpier affair than 2020's Untenable which sounded darker at times. The male / female vocal switches work really well with the material.

Songs that are great jaunty Guitar Pop, beautifully arranged and performed with killer choruses. However the lyrical excellence reveals a real social conscience. This may very well become your favourite album of the year.

There is also a UK Glam Rock vibe to the songs at times. 3 of the 11 songs can be listened to now. I've chosen Hallelujah to demonstrate that Glam Rock feel, but New Year's Reprieve is the killer single. You can pre-order the album on Vinyl, CD or Download here. 

Best Bets - The Hollow Husk Of Feeling 

So great that they opened a recent Listening To This Week, Best Bets release their excellent second album on the splendid Meritorio Records label. Recorded in Ōtautahi Christchurch, there is a spiritual side to the album without ever becoming earnest.

This is Power Pop, but also leans towards the IRS 80s. The geeky references are still there with the likes of Mortal Kombat and Seinfeld together with the relevance of everyday banality. But the songs are both uplifting and extremely catchy. You can pre-order this 27 September release here. The album is available on Vinyl or as a download.

The Junior League - Our Broadcast Day

We have always been big admirers of Joe Adragna's The Junior League. He masters Power Pop that could have been recorded in any decade. At times there is a cool 80s Guitar Pop feel, but his latest EP, Nattering Nabobs is great Power Pop. That can be listened to and bought here.

The title track is co-written with JJ Murphy who adds Guitar and is classic West Coast Guitar Pop. The excitement is building for his album release on 4 October. Our Broadcast Day rings out with melody and harmony. Details will appear on the same Bandcamp site as the EP.

The Successful Failures - Enemy Sublime 

The 11th album from Trenton New Jersey's The Successful Failures is a cracker. A quartet that you just can't pigeon hole, they are as at ease with Indie Rock or Power Pop. Americana as Classic Rock. You just have to listen to a whole album to realise that you still can't label them.

They can blast out Riff led Rock and although that may suit Mick Chorba's big vocal most, he is equally adept on quieter songs. The band master the Front Porch as well as the big venue and their reputation as a live act is second to none. You can pre-order the 11 October release here. It is available on Vinyl, CD or as a Download.

The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness - Dead Calm Deluxe Edition 

The collaboration between Dropkick's Andrew Taylor and Gonzalo Marcos of El Palacio De Linares has just got better and better, so it does feel like time to revisit that splendid debut album from 2019. Remastered with 7 Bonus Tracks, 6 being Demos, it remains as great a debut as it felt then.

Taylor has one of the great voices of Guitar Pop and it is testament to Dropkick that his band now gets almost as many references as Teenage Fanclub in that genre. The new version is released on 13 September and can be bought here on one of two Vinyl versions and as a Download.

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