Action City - This Is Action City

 

Whenever I think of Winston-Salem, like many others I think of Mitch Easter and why not? The man literally saved us from the dressing up nonsense of the Eighties. Well! Michael Slawter is noted for Heyday Guitars in the city. Not only that, but Slawter is also a fine solo artist.

His last album, Last Call for Breaking Hearts, was included in the IDHAS Best Of 2018. Action City are a duo consisting of Michael and Shawn Lynch. Shawn is a member of the trio Balderdash. Ltd with Chris Garges and Mitch Easter as well as a member of The Eyebrows.

The 10 songs here are a fine selection of Guitar Pop and all of its avenues. At times I'm reminded a lot of Chris Church, particularly on In My Finest Hour. When Action City rock, the certainly rock, especially on Stay (Tiny Love Song) which has an 80s Rush like feel on the verse.

Elsewhere the duo's versatility shines through across Surf (The Blame), Power Pop (Beside Me) and Psych Pop (The Lines You Blur). The latter is a corking tune, top notch in fact. Very 60s, very Jangly with a killer Guitar Solo, it ticks all the boxes. 

Him Or Me is great UK New Wave and the closer, Here Comes The Saviour has a meandering Baggy direction. The only one thing I couldn't take to was the drum sound, it seems a bit too high up in the mix. However This Is Action City is a splendid listen. I can't wait for more.

You can listen to and buy the album from the wonderful Futureman Records here.

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Various - Action Now : 20/20 Re-Envisioned

 

There are the tedious arguments about what is and isn't Power Pop and a reluctance from some Artists to be named in the genre, but there is so much to like about the scene. Melodic sing along pop songs, largely electric, enhanced by hooks, solos and harmonies. 

Amongst the obvious candidates in Power Pop land, there are bands that don't get the credit that they deserve for their influence. More recently that has started to change and 20/20 are certainly one of those. The band could be easily linked to New Wave or Pop Rock, but Power Pop it is. 

Coming from the second of the three main waves of the genre. What they added was a crunch, an almost live feel. The hooks and the choruses were still aplenty, but there was an edge. Despite my usual reservations about Tribute albums, mainly asking what the point of them are, there are exceptions and the better ones are usually on the Futureman Records label.

The best Tribute albums feature a mix of the loyal "true to the original" versions and the unexpected takes on the song. You have that here, but there is also the sheer fact that 20/20 deserve recognition for what they achieved and how their work still stands up.

If you ever wanted an artist nearest 20/20, you would have to choose Chris Church. He treads similar territory and his version of Remember The Lightning is every bit as ace as you'd expect. It is also great to hear Plasticsoul opening proceedings. We are long overdue a new album from Steven Wilson's lot. 

With two obvious choices to open the album, it is worth seeking out some unusual takes. The Hangabouts turn A Girl Like You in to something almost Baroque Pop and Robbie Rist's Ballzy Tomorrow convert Cheri into a hoedown. Both are superb.

The Armoires version of The Night I Heard Her Scream is inspired. The joint vocal works beautifully and the violin adds another surprise direction. The Brothers Steve turn Beat City in to something indelibly them, garaged up with Glam Rock overtones. 

Talking Of Glam Rock, Popdudes could be The Glitter Band and I can't get the image of John Borack with stars on his face out of my head. Joe and Tracy Sullivan add a fine Bubblegum cover of Giving It All and Irene Pena punks up Tonight We Fly.

There is also something special about The Toms covering 20/20, both bands of a similar vintage. Action Now stands up in its own right. Forget that this is a tribute album, it is a fantastic listen all the way through. This is both a credit to the artists involved and an under lining of how fine a band 20/20 were.

You can listen to and buy the album as a CD or download here. 

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The Vapour Trails - Golden Sunshine

Aberdeen's The Vapour Trails serve up their second album after an outstanding 2019 debut album. You can read the IDHAS Review of that album here and I notice that more recent reviews of the band have labelled them as Psych Rockers.

I honestly believe that there's a fair bit of lazy reviewing occurring, something I notice far more often sadly, because this lot are far more than that. True, the two openers, Golden Sunshine and Dr Barnes are in Psych territory, but most of the rest of the album is a Gold Plated Indie Guitar affair, more Jangle than anything else. Far be it from me to suggest that an album gets reviewed after listening to the first two songs, because we all know that most are cut and pastes of PR Reviews.









There are diversions into all kinds of areas here, but essentially all of it is Guitar Pop of the highest order. Think Glasgow Sound, C86 and definitely Jangle, wonderful Jangle that drifts the odd time into Byrds and Petty Territory.
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There's a great Power Pop offering with Why Wonder Why and a slight New York Sidewalk Sleaze on Strange which erupts into a Brit Pop chorus. Lonely Man has a real Merseybeat, almost Hollies, feel whilst This May Be The Time is great mid 70's Pop Rock.








I'm not sure if The One That Got Away reminds me of Stephen Bishop or a Teenage Fanclub slowie until a mini Harrison like solo. Different Girl is a cracking jaunty jangling joy, aided by a fine accompanying vocal from Nicki Welch,

There is so much to like here. Golden Sunshine is Top Notch and Highly Recommended. Remember it's not Psych Rock it is Indie Guitar Pop. The album is also another triumph for Detroit's magnificent Futureman Records.








You can listen to and buy the album here.


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The Click Beetles - Pop Fossil

It's been a while since we've heard from Dan Pavelich, six years or so since Wake Up To Music and he's been missed, particularly as great Pop Rock albums seem thin on the ground at the moment. Pop Fossil is just that and more.

There's a real 70's feel to the album, so much so that you can imagine it being an Arista release in 1976. From the wistfulness of Four Leaf Clover to the Bottom like backing of the Rock and Rolling  Alone. Rosanne even sounds like it could be a song on Miami Vice.






The album seems best when it jangles on the likes of Dreamland and Hey Renee and even the big opener, If Not Now Then When? jangles in the chorus in what is a real big beat affair. Don't You Call My Name is another real sing along. Four Leaf Clover even gets Spector-ish in the production.

This is a great second album from a very under rated talent. The big sound and big hooks dominate in what is yet another triumph for Keith Klingensmith's Futureman Records label. Get ready to tap your feet and sing along.






You can listen to and buy the album here.


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Henry Priestman And Les Glover, The Brothers Steve and Berling Noise Laboratories - I Don't Hear A Single Audio Extravaganza Volume 100 Live Specials

I’m more on home territory for the first of tonight’s three sessions. Henry Priestman and Les Glover are a fantastic double act, great songs and a wonderful hilarious chemistry bond them. Les lives in the same village as me, although he lives at the posh end.

Henry is known to many from his time in Yachts, It’s Immaterial and The Christians as well as for his writing and production credits. Les has worked with Graham Gouldman, Ian McNabb and Nick Harper among others. He’s also responsible for one of the best solo records of recent years, Loved Up Les.

For the last six years, the pair have toured as a duo, delighting sold out audiences with their mix of splendid songs and laugh out loud interaction.  They play an Acoustic Session here featuring four songs from their acclaimed Six Of One Half A Dozen Of The Other album and a Yachts classic, Love You Love You.

As a special treat, the session closes with a wonderful cover of Yachts Suffice To Say from Henry, accompanied by five others, including Les, recorded on iphones. The video went up on Henry’s Facebook Page today, here you can hear the audio exclusive.

The Brothers Steve hail from Los Angeles and a reboot of a legendary band that prefigured the much-missed TSAR. Tsar’s debut album, in my opinion, the best ever Power Pop album. In exclusive news, the band have signed to the Big Stir Records label and will start with a single and the first ever digital release of their superb #1 album.

The band encompasses much of the celebrated Tsar's lineup (including Jeff Whalen, whose acclaimed 2018 release, 10 More Rock Super Hits, showed him still on top of his game and their album featured on many of last year’s Top 10 lists.

This five song acoustic session features Jeff Whalen, Os Tyler and Dylan Champion from the band playing three songs from their album and two wonderful surprises.

Nick Bertling is probably the finest artist that you’ve never heard of. Known extensively for his engineering and production work as well as his drumming, his own music under the name Bertling Noise Laboratories is simply stunning.

Multi styled, he offers up hard edged Pop Rock that compares with anyone around. As well as a fine back catalogue, he has a new album released on the 5th of June called Green Meadows Sketchbook. You can pre-order the album now following the link on the I Don’t Hear A Single site.

As an exclusive here, we add an exclusive listen to one of the songs from the new album, Bought And Sold.

Thanks as always to Jim Moody for his technical excellence. The details of our fourth special are below:

01 Henry Priestman And Les Glover Intro
02 Old Man Of The Sea
03 Not In My Name
04 Ghosts Of A Thousand Fishermen
05 Love You Love You
06 Suffice To Say (With Jo Bushell, Dr. Nick, Jimmy Rae and Sarah-Lou Fletcher)
07 The Brothers Steve Intro
08 She
09 Good Deal Of Love
10 C’mon Pappy
11 Love Of Kings
12 Mr. Blue
13 Bertling Noise Laboratories Intro
14 Miss Fortune
15 My Love
16 Bought And Sold

IDHAS Audio Extravaganza Volume 100 Live Special 6




Or Click Below







You can still listen to Monday's Caper Clowns Session here.

You can still listen to Tuesday's Sessions by Spygenius and Chris Church here.

You can listen to Wednesday's Sessions by Nick Piunti, The Vapour Trails and Dolph Chaney here.

You can listen to Thursday's Sessions featuring Ex Norwegian and John Howard here.

You can listen to Friday's Sessions featuring Curvey of Custard Flux, Blaine Campbell and Blake Jones And The Trike Shop with exclusives from Nick Frater and Ulysses here.


You can buy Six Of One, Half A Dozen Of The Other and Henry's solo albums here. You can also buy it and Les's albums here .I will post the Big Stir link to purchase CD and download here when it is available.

You can buy The Brothers Steve album here.  You can buy Jeff Whalen merch here. You can listen and buy Luck Of Eden Hall albums here.

You can listen to, buy Bertling Noise Laboratories albums and pre-order Green Meadows Sketchbook here. You can discover more about them on the website here.



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