JANGLE ON!
APRIL
by Eric Sorensen
Spring in the mid-Atlantic has taken on the characteristics of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde; temperature swings of thirty degrees in less than 24 hours have occurred several times in the past week. As was the case during the winter months, my time-tested pop music sources (the Powerpopaholic website; Kool Kat Musik; CD Baby; and Ray Verno – who searches the INTERNET for jangly music) have kept me well-supplied with new material. Here are some recent discs and songs that I highly recommend to fellow jangleholics:
The Treasure Chest – the Cobbwebbs. This latest disc by the very talented pseudo-60s pop band the Cobbwebbs has it all: ringing guitar hooks galore; toe-tapping melodies; and rich harmonies. The group’s sound harkens back to 60s bands like the Beatles and the Hollies and compares well with more contemporary bands like the Resonars and the Lolas. The Treasure Chest is one of those discs you will hum along with from start to finish; the band shines on every track and they excel on their cover of “A Whole New World.” The twelve-strings shimmer on “Caroline,” “I Can’t Go On,” “Don’t Say You Will” and “I’ve Given Up Trying To Forget You.” Long may you run, guys!
Fall Off The World – Propeller. Wow! The subtitle to this disc is 10 Big Tracks! – and they aren’t kidding. This is power pop at its finest, with plenty of chiming 12-string riffs. There is absolutely no filler in these ten great tracks, and the disc finishes with a catchy Ramones-inspired song “Turn On The Radio.” I highly encourage jangleholics to purchase this disc and crank up their speakers when they play this disc!
Balance The Light – Dropkick. Turning out primo power pop seems to be effortless for this Scottish band. Balance The Light has the usual Teenage Fanclub, Cosmic Rough Riders and Neil Young references, but it also has a more muted tone. Guitars still jangle on “Slow Down and “Homeward.” This disc, with a companion bonus disc of acoustic tracks, is available from Ray Gianchetti’s Kool Kat Musik. If you are new to Dropkick, check out their extensive back-catalog of excellent pop music.
The Big Radio – Michael Carpenter. The liner notes imply mightily that this is Michael Carpenter’s last album. After 21 albums as a lead vocalist on solo and group recording projects, who can blame him? Michael Carpenter has always had a tremendous knack for combining melody, vocals and instruments into superb power pop tunes. Michael also enjoys a good chiming 12-string guitar riff as much as anyone in today’s indie music scene. Three tracks from The Big Radio fall into the jangly category: “Don’t Open That Door,” “Father” and “Never Be The One.” The power pop music community is indebted to Michael for his many contributions to contemporary music … and he will always be a lifetime member in my Power Pop All-Star band. Long may you run, Sir Michael!
Fellow Byrds enthusiast Ray Verno recently sent me Byrdsian Volume 117, which features 23 jangly, chiming pop/rock tracks. Standout tracks include: “Canyon Rose,” “Citrus,” “Glass Ships,” “Sun (Turn Around),” “Easy Pleasures” and “In My Room” by Animal Daydream; “Back On Track” by David Heselden; “Shadows” by the Beginner’s Mynd; “She Blew This Place” by the Piedmont Brothers Band; and “And It Grows” and “Natural Life” by the Cool Ghouls.
Recent CD Baby finds include: “Paris Syndrome” by the Family Values; “You Know It’s Right” by Stay (this track could easily be mistaken as a Matthew Sweet song); “Sun Of A Gun” by the Swedish Polarbears; “Nature’s Company” by the Beach-Nuts; “Her Name Escapes Me” and “When She Turns” by the Beausage Brothers; and “Learn Your Game” by the Connection. In the “blast from the past” category, I have been enjoying “The Colour of Her Eyes” by the Collection 2 and “I’m Not Following” by the Seven O’Clock Junkies (a very jangly extension of the Mighty Lemon Drops sound).
Until next time, jangle on!
