Posted on 03 February 2022
February 2022 REVIEWS by Mike Baron THE BOOLEVARDS: Real Poptastic The Boolevards are throw-backs, from the early Brit invasion chords with the sunny, care-free music of the Archies or the Knickerbockers, to the K-Tel style cover art. Leader John Nowik has that wipe-out surf drum down cold. You can instantly identify a Boolevards song by his […]
Posted on 02 December 2021
December 2021 REVIEWS by Mike Baron THE FOREIGN FILMS: Starlight Serenade Like Michael Brown, John San Juan, or Marshall Crenshaw, Bill Majoros has an instantly identifiable sound, born of rarefied chords and voice. He sings in hushed urgency, with stacked harmonies and lush arrangements that never approach saccharine. Starlight Serenade begins with “The Fortune Teller,” hitting the bullseye with […]
Posted on 26 October 2021
October 2021 REVIEWS by Mike Baron SCOTT GAGNER: Blood Moon Blood Moon is a deeply personal tone poem born aloft on diaphanous clouds of synthesized strings, performed mostly by Scott with assists from Ken (Posies) Stringfellow and Jesse Chandler on flute. Reminiscent of Lannie Flowers’ Home, it’s emotional and heartfelt, as on “My Shadow,” whose […]
Posted on 24 August 2021
August 2021 REVIEWS by Mike Baron SORROWS: Love Too Late (Big Stir) The Sorrows were a popular late seventies/early eighties band in New York who made a splash with their first album. They cut a deal with a major label to record their follow up, Love Too Late, and the producer replaced the […]
Posted on 30 June 2021
July 2021 REVIEWS by Mike Baron RICHIE MAYER: The Inn of Temporary Happiness Power pop is a big tent and Richie Mayer visits all the tables in this expansive set. “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” starts like a Rolling Stones song but breaks for daylight in the bridge and chorus. “Love Will […]
Posted on 20 May 2021
May 2021 REVIEWS by Mike Baron CHRIS CHURCH: Game Dirt (Big Stir) Chris Church’s Backwards Compatible landed last year like a thermonuclear bomb, melding power pop hooks to hard rock to create ear-bending fusion. Church wisely does not go down the same path with Game Dirt, which finds him dipping more into rockabilly, Americana and roots rock, as in the opener, […]
Posted on 06 April 2021
April 2021 REVIEWS by Mike Baron DOLPH CHANEY – This Is Dolph Chaney (Big Stir) Mostly Dolph Chaney with a few friends, this sprawling pop landscape covers a lot of territory. Dolph sings like Lane Steinberg and some of his songs channel Steinberg’s Broadway-informed sense of melody, but there’s also a lot of […]
Posted on 03 November 2020
November 2020 REVIEWS by Mike Baron MUCK AND THE MIRES: Take Me Back To Planet Earth (Rum/Bar) Six blasts of adrenaline-pumped rock and roll that will shake you like a kraken’s tentacles, beginning with “Six O’Clock Baby,” and never letting up. The title song should be The Orville’s theme. Slickee Boys swagger by […]
Posted on 07 September 2020
September 2020 REVIEWS by Mike Baron THE REIGN: Storm (Frog Records) Joe Caravella’s The Reign is a sprawling one-man-band project with help from bassist Ben Laffin Rose and guitarist Frank Persico, a brooding stormfront of prog rock shot through with power pop lightning. “Emotional Design” is classic power pop with snarling guitars and big-hearted chords, […]
Posted on 17 August 2020
August 2020 REVIEWS by Mike Baron THE YUM YUMS: For Those About to Pop! (Rum/Bar) Power pop is a big tent. The discussion over what is and what isn’t power pop rages on. The Yum Yums are power pop in the tradition of one of its oldest genres, bubblegum, fused with punk energy. Like the […]