Not enough credit is given to Ray Gianchetti's Kool Kat label. One of few releasing new material on CD as well as the online shop that supports physical releases of new Pop Rock. The label had a cracking year in 2024 and this year is proving no different.
Tim Boykin's Lolas master Guitar Pop through all its guises. Feet are trod in Power Pop, Garage Rock, Pop Rock, Psych Pop , Jangle Pop and much more. It has been four years since the last album, All Rise, but Boykin has been busy releasing digital singles since then and all nine are collated here with three more new songs.
The three new songs, All Sewn Up, Down We Go and I Couldn't Stop It.are just as good as the nine that accompany them. One is a 100mph nod to Garage Rock, one is a mix of Power Pop and UK New Wave with a great 80s synth run. The other would have fitted beautifully on an 80s soundtrack.
That is the beauty of Lolas. Now approaching the third decade, they can cross boundaries and decades without ever seem false or outdated. Great melody, riffs aplenty, surprise solos and vocal harmony blast out from what ever direction is taken.
Work Is The Blackmail Of Survival is great 60s UK Beat and Call Your Name edges towards Mod Pop. Trick Myself is updated Merseybeat with an ace Glam Rock solo. From The Start is wonderful 80s Jangle Pop.
Shut Me Down is West Coast Bubblegum Pop of the highest order and Underneath The Waves nods towards the Beach Boys, but with added Jangle and another surprise Guitar solo. A collection of 12 wonderful singalong joys as you might expect from Lolas. Perhaps now is the time to credit them for consistently bringing joy.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on CD from Kool Kat here.
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Thank you for the great review and kind words, Don! Very much appreciated.
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