It has been a while since I did an Extended Play post and there reveals a weakness on I Don't Hear A Single. Albums obviously get reviewed and singles have the IDHAS 10 Song Mix and Audio Extravaganza to help them along, but EPs seemed to get caught in between.
So I thought that I'd try and remedy that by getting some EP Reviews included in the stand alone stuff. It will mean more reviews, but these will be shorter in length due to the format. So we begin with Brighton, Michigan's Daryl Bean.
This four song affair is a splendid Pop Rock affair. Melodic, chorus led and easy to like, the only problem that I have is that four songs isn't nearly enough. You are definitely left wanting more and hopefully the future will accommodate that.
The opener, Keeping Me Alive, is not a million miles from modern day Squeeze. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a paean to Lady Fleabag herself. A great synth run enhances the earworm of a chorus. Be Careful heads in a far more reflective direction, very West Coast Pop Rock, even Explorers Club in feel.
The closer, Niagara Falls feels more 70s, think Andrew Gold or Billy Swan, very American and all the better for it. All four songs are feel good laid back fayre with tunefulness at their heart. Mr Strangelove is a cracking EP, I can't wait to hear more from Bean.
When I think of Norwegian Pop Rock, I think of Candy. Now Tom Dahl has some real competition from the Oslo duo of Andreas Heinesen Kase and Hans-Ole Sponberg Larsen. Divest are at the poppier end of Pop Rock as demonstrated here.
Mercury Retrograde is released on Friday and By My Side is an absolute gem of a lead track. It is like Russell Mael fronting Jellyfish. Knock On could be even better, slower, but wonderfully melodic. I can see these two songs being lapped up by the Indie Pop Internet Radio Stations.
Something's About To Chase is mid 80's synth pop and Wasteland, Sunshine is a much moodier affair. All four songs blend beautifully. New great Pop isn't that easy to find, Mercury Retrograde is definitely that. You can find out more about the band and pre-save the EP here.
All Over The Shop - All Over The Shop EP
Detroit Trio, All Over The Shop have released a masterful Power Pop EP. The vibe is very late 70s / early 80s New Wave. What makes the band that bit different is Todd Wilks's unique vocal which comes somewhere between Doug Fieger and Feargal Sharkey.
The choruses are big, the hooks are plenty and singing along is compulsory. Movin' Too Slow has an urgency that just grips you and If That's Magic has a real Lindsey Buckingham vibe. Brand New Summer is very UK New Wave Beat Pop.
Tongue Tied is a little different, a song you can imagine in an 80's Teen Movie and the chorus is killer. I'm told that All Over The Shop was just a lockdown project. I do hope not because I want to hear much more from these three. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
Silvertwin - Ploy
As a side issue, researching Silvertwin underlined my frustrations with reviewers, particularly UK writers. Every article on the band said the same. It was obviously copy and paste PR. I do wish would look to draw their own opinions on new music and not be so lazy. Too many wait for the PR to arrive in the Inbox and listen to just a track or two. Less is more. Quality rather than quantity!
Back on Topic and the London five piece are led by Isaac Shalam and specialise in 70's Pop Rock that edges towards Soft Rock. Songs are beautifully arranged and unashamedly celebrate the decade. People could claim cloning, I don't go for that at all.
Original songs played with heartfelt sincerity need applause, particularly when most raid Glam Rock. A song like Saviour reminds me of the likes of Jigsaw and Pilot, maybe even John Miles. Doubted and to a lesser extent, Ploy are very Andrew Gold and you can't complement the band more than that comparison.
Promises takes the Piano Pop one step further and would easily fit on John Howard's Kid In A Big World. It really is that good. This is a top notch EP. The album may need a touch more variation, maybe something that picks up the pace, but this is a splendid listen. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
The Cudas - Alien Vacation EP
I've watched the development of Cape Town's Reinhard Leon van Biljon via The Cudas's singles and thought he was on to something that would result in a killer EP or Album. Alien Vacation is just that. The man loves Power Pop and this is unashamedly killer Power Pop.
The production has come on apace and these four songs are as good as anything you are likely to hear in the genre. Autorama has a hint of The Records' debut and I Don't Wanna Go Out is very Tsar like, all it really needs to be perfect is Steve Coulter on the drums.
My Summer Song should really be on Not Lame and early Weezer dominates Space Coast. People still say there are no new great Power Pop artists. Here is one. This is poptastically great. A reminder of how positive great Power Pop can be if people would stop taking it so seriously. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
Portsmouth's Lost Ships release their third EP for the excellent Subjangle label. Nostalgia is cleverly written classic Brit Pop. This EP seems less jangly than the previous two and is very reminiscent of The Bluetones, a real compliment.
Weight Of The World is the obvious lead track, a catchy chipper Supernaturals like affair. Shirley From Shirley is a slower storytelling song that quietly builds while Inside My Head is very Glasgow with a riff that is so The Coral.
Come To Me borders on Americana, almost Campfire like until the short closing cinematic instrumental. A cracking listen. I can't wait for a full length Lost Ships album. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
The Stick Arounds - Waiting For The Click
Waiting For The Clouds is a 4 Track RP that acts as a sampler of how varied, the Michigan five piece are. Redtail Hawks is all fuzzed up, US New Wave Power Pop that comes across as a popped up The Successful Failures. It is a very fine thing indeed.
In a completely opposite direction, Easy To Take has a real Country Rock Doolin' Dalton vibe. Close To Being Cool edges toward a Pete Wylie big sound and Ode To Kid Marine is built on a Guided By Voices sort of riff and aches beautifully and more than a little noisily.
Hearing four songs that are very different act as a great showcase, but may confuse new listeners who may want to dig into the band's back catalogue to learn what a great outfit this lot are. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
Tripper and the Wild Things - Boomerang Kids
Predictions of the next big thing usually end in tears, but Hamilton Ontario's Tripper And The Wild Things have a certain something that may just break down the barriers. They master a brand of slacker Indie Rock that appeals to their generation in a way that may just take the previous one along for the ride.
The band can be a little noisy and shouty the odd time, but this is built around big hooks and memorable choruses. Plus a song like Juno shows that they have more than one gear and work equally well on slowed down songs.
There's no doubt though that they are at their best when the pace ramps up and a song like Boomerang Kids encapsulates what the band are about. A built up verse, a great chorus and a killer riff. I can't wait to hear more. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
Portable Radio - Should've Bounced
Portable Radio draw attention to their magnificent self titled album, reviewed here. Should've Bounced, the lead track is from the album and underlines the band's vocal strength of harmony in a gentle catch all listen.
The two B Sides are more than worthwhile inclusions. Happy Coincidence is a little more basic than what has gone before, more keyboard led 80's twee than previous songs, but still underpinned by a wonderful vocal arrangement.
Never Tell A Soul is the original mix of Kick Me Out and is part Piano Bar schmooze, part Explorers Club. Portable Radio's strength is the vocal interplay and this EP is a great addition for buyers of the album, It is an album that everyone should own. You can listen to and buy the EP here.
It has been a while since we had an Extended Play feature, so here are 5 EP's for you to cut out and keep. Gothenburg's City Maze offer up a four track Pop Rock EP of the highest order. There mainly be four songs, but all show enough variety to convince that this lot are no one trick pony.
Whereas I'm The One is Classic 80's New Wave Power Pop, Heavy Art is even more commercial, a sort of The Motors do AOR. Poison Girl is more of a fist pumper, very 80's, let's say The Alarm hitting a Final Countdown vibe.
Honestly has a real UK New Wave Beat Pop feel on the verses. The whole EP is impressive, almost like a Showcase that reveals what City Maze can do and that's a fair bit. Well worth your attention as great Pop Rock isn't easy to find at the moment.
The EP is around all the streaming sites. I will update links to buy as soon as I have them.
Out Of My Hair - The Return
One of the absolute delights of last year was the return of Comfort and Out Of My Hair. You can read Mick's outstanding interview with Simon here. This return is rounded off by the appearance of new material and there is no resting on past glories in sight.
All three songs provide the expected gentle soundscape at which Out Of My Hair excel at. Two Stones opens up a realm of Prog Folk, all Scarborough Fair with Flute. Telepathy Planes is the nearest you'll get to a Rock Out solely for the breakout electric guitar in the middle.
The stand out here is In The Morning, a pastoral acoustic led gem of a song. The vocal is a bit Gilbert O'Sullivan but the sound and vibe is wondeful providing chill out for the pop generation. The EP is magnificent, it's great to have Comfort around again and he promises much more to come.
I covered Local Drags' Shit's Lookin' Up here and The Boys Are Still In Town maintains, maybe even exceeds the quality of that release. What appeared to be a temporary offshoot, looks a more permanent affair and that's very welcome.
I mentioned Cheap Trick last time round and there's certainly that feel again, certainly hook wise. Girls In denim Jackets is a joyous romp whilst Fast Rewind is a bit like The Ramones doing The Damned. Pins is a real riffathon.
Pins reminds me a lot of the current Power Pop sensations, The Speedways and Big Apple 3.A.M. is so Replacements that it could be them. All four songs here are spot on. Hopefully, Local Drags are here to stay because they are great at what they do.
Singing Lungs are from Grand Rapids, Michigan and provide a much noisier alternative to the other four selections reviewed here. Mutter feels very 90's Indie College Rock when bands cemented their reputations on live performances.
This is up and at 'em stuff, splendidly so, from the anthem that is The Kids I used To Know to the early R.E.M. like Leave The Lights On. Even something that starts more mellow like Demo Tape, breaks out into something louder. It has to be said wonderfully so.
Time Well Spent is close to Garage Punk, something that would feel at home on the Rumbar Records label. All five songs are dandy, the best is probably I Don't Remember Much which has an Irish New Wave feel, almost Pogues like without the twiddly bits. This is excellent.
Illinois's Cal Gun return with a welcome EP. The feel is very Weezer. That's Weezer before they wanted to be a Boy Band. This is never more so on the wonderful Pop Rock of Beauty Community, which is enhanced by a killer riff and a great guitar solo.
Happy Just To Dance With You is very 60's, almost Merseybeat. Merseybeat is thankfully less in abundance lately, because a lot of it is Karaoke, this song however shows that when it's done well, the toe tapping count is high and this is done really well.
Pizza Community is an alternate take on Beauty Community. But if you think that you don't get much bang for your bucks, worry ye not, because there is potentially no cost with this EP at Name Your Price on Bandcamp. I look forward to hearing far more from Cal Gun.
Vancouver's Hi-Ranger offer up a fine EP that feels very C86. The Trio sound anything but Canadian across these four songs. Out Of Dreams has hints of Teenage Fanclub and the general vibe is the second half of the Glasgow Eighties
Having said that the wonderful I'll Never Know could easily be The Stone Roses and Sunny Sunday Afternoon is very Ride. Sam Tam Manitoba Jangles shoegazingly. Four very different songs, all equally excellent, I expect to hear far more from these fellers.
The Martial Arts - I Used To Be The Martial Arts EP
Glasgow's Paul Kelly is often associated with Pop Nuggets and the long awaited EP from The Martial Arts delivers just that. His aching vocals are cocooned in mini Walls Of Sound. I Used To Be is Spector-ish and How Will I Progress has a real New Wave DIY Feel.
You've Ruined Everything is like Wah doing Glam Rock, but the real stand out is New Performance which reminds me a little of The Bay City Rollers in the chorus, in a good way. This is wonderful Twee Pop.
Dear Boy's latest EP is again brimming with Sunshine Pop, Whilst you might expect this from a Los Angeles band, the sound here is very much UK. There's something wonderfully 80's Jaunty about these five songs.
Although sounding no one band in particularly, you are reminded of Haircut 100, The Bluebells and Deacon Blue. The melancholic lyrics are hidden in the chipper arrangements. In Limelight, they have one of the year's great songs, it has everything in place for the upcoming Summer Days.
The Glimmer Stars' EP is shorter and noisier than what's preceded it here, but is every bit as relevant, There's a real swagger in what the Californian Trio do, a mix of 80's Sleeze Rock and 70's Glam, let's settle on Garage Glam.
Feel It is a killer of a song, wonderfully loud, it makes you clench your fists. I Want You is "in your face" Garage Rock. Contrast this with the all too brief closer, Here Comes Tomorrow Today, which is a New Seekers Acoustic strum, proving that these three are not a one trick pony.
You can buy the EP at the likes of CD Baby and Amazon.
