JANGLE ON!

NOVEMBER

by Eric Sorensen

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Daylight savings and Autumn’s advance are about to bring darkness earlier each afternoon.  That means that I will have more time to devote to catching up on music.  I recently compiled a disc of “deep cuts” from the vinyl I collected during my teen years; now I can focus on “deep cuts” from the stack of CDs that I am currently listening to.  Here is a rundown of the latest power pop and jangly music to catch my ear:

Time To Fly – by the Lemon Clocks.  Five stars!!!  This CD is just what the Doctor ordered for Baby Boomer pop music fans and Jangleholics!  The ever-prolific Jeremy Morris has collaborated with Stefan Johansson and Todd Borsch on a disc that easily makes my Top Ten list for 2015.  The disc is chock full of Nuggets-era psych/pop and pop/rock tunes with plenty of jangly guitars.  I can cite numerous 60s references (and other decades) in the fifteen tracks – starting with a “So You Want To Be a Rock’n’Roll Star” vibe on the very first song, “The Beginning Of The End.”  The Byrds vibe reappears on “Time” – which features a riff that is quite similar to “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better.”  “Walk Upon The Water” could be a Herb Eimerman tune; “And I Follow” could be mistaken for a Michael Mazzarella/Grip Weeds song; “Finally Found Our Home” has a Who/”Can’t Explain” vibe; “Groovy Movie” reminds me of a blending of the Seeds and the Cheepskates.  The final track, the 15:07 opus “The End Of The Beginning,” showcases a strong keyboard sound and harkens back to the Beatlesque psych/pop of the late 60s.  This listener also hears some Blues Magoos, Standells, Electric Prunes, Cryan’ Shames and Robbs in the tracks.  The Lemon Clocks deserve tremendous credit for building on a legacy of power pop music with strong, vibrant and fresh material.  Time To Fly warrants a listener audience that crosses generational boundaries.  Long may you run, Sir Jeremy, Sir Stefan and Sir Todd!

Rehearsals For Retirement – Les Fradkin.  Wow! When other artists release a compilation of previously released material, it tends to be a hasty effort to push alternate mix tracks on a fan base that is eager for anything new by that artist. That is not the case with Les Fradkin and the 30 tracks that he features on Rehearsal For Retirement … which should really be titled Rehearsals For Perfection. Les has painstakingly remastered each of the tracks on this compilation – and the superb results exceed the sum of the parts. The “wide stereo” sound achieved in these remastered tracks gives superior vocal and instrumental balance to the original material. If you love the sound of a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar (or a Fender 12-string guitar), you will be blown away by how clarion clear the 12-string riffs are on all of these tracks. My favorite tracks are “Black Gypsy,” “Lonely Together,” “Memories Of Love,” “I’m Gonna Love You,” “Say You Love Me,” “God Bless California (Ooh L.A.) and, of course, “Jangleholic.”  Les Fradkin may not be a household name (like the Byrds, Beatles or Bob Dylan – all artists that he has been compared with), but he has been responsible for writing and recording some of the finest original pop/rock songs and albums over the past five decades. Rehearsals For Retirement showcases his songwriting, singing and instrumental skills in their most exceptional form. Les Fradkin has just raised the standard for pop/rock artists when it comes to compiling original material. For me, it’s like 1965 all over again – but with the benefit of today’s digital technology. An outstanding effort, Sir Les!

“Also Rans” – the Junior League.  This is a top-notch power pop album that has many catchy tunes with chiming guitar riffs.  Check out “I Hope You’re Sorry Now,” “The Long Goodbye” and “Before You Go.”

Bang The Drum – the Maureens.  Another excellent power pop disc with more than its share of jangly tracks.  Standout songs include “Heartbreak,” “Catch Me When I Fall,” “Lonely Trail,” and “Love Song.”

I have also been listening to: the Beach Boys-inspired The Sunchymes Present by the Sunchymes; the solid pop/rock disc Are We There Yet? by the Turnback; Carnivorous #1 by the Sneakers (early Chris Stamey, Will Rigby and Mitch Easter collaboration, now available on CD); and I am still listening to Laugh In The Dark by Power Pop Guru Tommy Keene.

Byrdsian Volumes 115, courtesy of good friend Ray Verno, arrived earlier this week and it features some excellent Rickenbacker 12-string tracks.  Standout tracks include: “Smile” by Johnathan Pushkar; “By My Side” by the Suburbans; “Half A Life” by the Marshmallow Overcoat; the excellent cover version of “Lady Friend” by Kenny Howes; and “California Jukebox” by the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Until next time, jangle on!

ERIC