JANGLE ON!

MAY

by Eric Sorensen

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As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, I find that I have accumulated enough new material to compile my monthly Jangle Pop sampler.  In looking over the stack of CDs that contributed to this month’s compilation, I must give a great deal of credit to Ray Gianchetti and his Kool Kat Musik site.  Kool Kat has filled the large void that was left when Not Lame ceased to be a retail source of power pop music.  New artists, discs and songs that I recommend this month include:

Eye-Dentity – BackBeat.  Pop influences from a number of decades can be found in this excellent disc, and there is a definite nod to the Fab Four (including a cool cover of “Not A Second Time” that is similar to the Smithereens’ version of this song) by this mop top quartet.  “Turn The Hourglass” and “Spanish Girl” are my favorite jangly tracks on this hum-along album.

#1 Cassette – The Squares.  This obscure late 80s Wisconsin band can be added to the ranks of the many groups (Feelies, Three Walls Down, et al) that were strongly influenced by REM.  Nearly all of the tracks showcase a chiming guitar or a very strummy acoustic 12-string guitar sound.  Had I lived in the upper Midwest back in the 80s, I would have sought out this band – as well as their Wisconsin brethren Firetown.  I now have several more tracks to add to my “Sounds Like REM Volume III” compilation!

Pop Parade 6 – on the Rock Indiana label.  Whether these compilations include jangly tracks or not, Pop Parade samplers are always an excellent showcase for contemporary power pop talent.  Pop Parade 6 features a number of jangly, chiming and melodic tracks: “Rich” by the Crocodiles, “She Said She Loves Me” by the Collection, a chiming version of Neil Young’s early Buffalo Springfield tune “Burned” by the Comebacks, “Open Air” by the Gurus, “Angel” by Champagne and “Heart, I Know” by the Wires.

You, You, You & You – Diesel Park West.  For over twenty years, Diesel Park West has been releasing some of the best power pop/rock around.  You, You, You & You is no exception.  “Surrender To The Bliss” is my favorite track, but every song is catchy and strong on vocals, melody and hooks.  I have also been digging the 22 cover songs that Diesel Park West recorded (several years ago) for their Diesels Play Byrds disc.   DPW followers also know that band members John Butler and Rick Willson excel at covering the Buffalo Springfield.  It’s all extremely good.  Long may you run, Sir John and Sir Rick!

Fake Your Own Death – Daniel Wylie.  This is another solo effort from the former front man for the Cosmic Rough Riders.  While the chiming guitars may be muted on Wylie’s solo material, the same CRR quality of songwriting and tunemanship is evident on this album.  “Bombers And Butterflies” and “Love Hurts (Sometimes)” are tops on my play list.

Beauty & Barbed Wire – Tad Overbaugh.  This disc very capably straddles several genres – roots-rock, jangle-pop and Americana.  It’s all done in such a catchy manner that the disc has remained in my “play” stack since I received it.

Fellow Byrds enthusiast Ray Verno recently sent me Byrdsian Volume 109.  The top songs on Ray’s latest compilation are “Born Yesterday” and “Through And Through” by the Dreamboys, “Someone Like The Hawk” by the Young Sinclairs, “Sailing Down This Golden River” by Arlo Guthrie (with Shenandoah) and each of the wonderful tracks from the Belltowers’ new full-length disc Day Breakaway.  Paul Mutchler’s Rickenbacker 12-string guitar has that great snap-crackle-pop compressed sound that Roger McGuinn has been championing for 50 years!

Although the mainstream music industry has given little attention to the 50^th anniversary of the release of the Byrds’ first single – “Mr. Tambourine Man” – which helped to launch the jangly folk-rock genre of music, Byrds fans have been acknowledging this landmark on various web sites and in many chat forums.  In addition, the Crown Prince of Twelve-String” – Horst-Peter Schmidt – plans to release a compilation of his contemporary folk-rock material, entitled Jingle Jangle Evening, to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Byrds’ classic tune.  I will keep Pop Geek Heaven readers posted on the progress of this project.  Long may you run, Sir Horst-Peter!

Until next time, jangle on!
ERIC