Mid-January (Part Two)

Last week, I mentioned in PART ONE(click HERE for that) that I would have another quick addition to “What’s New” because there was so much going on this month.  So let’s do it!

SUN SAWED IN 1/2 have a new album coming out in February and it’s called “Elephants into Swans” and you can buy the digital download of the album now at THIS LINK – and listen to it, as well.  Additionally, download the lead-off track from the album in The Surprise Box HERE.

MICHEAL SIMMONS (ex-Sparkle*Jets U.K.)  – He’s released a wickedly cool album that you must download and enjoy – it’s featured in this month’s PGH Digi-Compilation. 17 songs – all yours for…FREE!   Download the amazing album of ultra-cool covers at THIS LINK.

Veteran power poppers THE POZERS who have been around for 18 years, have just released their album produced by Roger Joseph Manning, Jr.(Jellyfish) and it’s one that you have to make sure you spend some time checking out. Don’t miss their song in the Surprise Box HERE but you can get more information on the new album (“The Sun’s Going Down”) on their Facebook page at THIS LINK.

SMASH PALACE:  the band just appeared last week on TV and performed 8 songs live and were interviewed.  View the show at THIS LINK.

VINYL OBSCURITY – I mentioned this last week and want to make sure you don’t miss this fabulous blog that has a special section for power pop geeks.  Check out the extreme rarities HERE.

THE CRY! have a new album in the works coming out in a few months but grab some sneak previews at their MySpace site – HERE

Now THIS is a pairing we’d love to see on paper, let alone in real life.  The New Mendicants are Joe Pernice (Scud Mountain Boys, Pernice Brothers) and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits) – Check out what’s going at THIS LINK.

POPBOOMERANG RECORDS is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a special, 200 pressing 2 CD set(which I bought a few weeks ago and received last week – it’s GORGEOUS!).  You can get the digital version of the album for a donation of your choosing(name your price!) – or for free by clicking HERE.

ROB BONFIGLIO from Wanderlust has a new solo album that was recently released and…well, this guy never delivers anything but sheer excellence.  Counting his Skies of America project, this is his third solo release in the last six years.  Listen to it on Spotify HERE.

 LIVINGSTONE DAISIES – What happens when two of Australia’s best songwriters team up through their mutual love of Scotland’s Teenage Fanclub to create sun-drenched harmonised guitar pop? Liz Stringer and Van Walker, along with Cal Walker and Michael Barclay, join forces to form The Livingstone Daisies, a band of four incredible voices, harmonising and rocking out in equal measure.  Listen HERE.

Artist KURK BAKER did three power pop podcasts back in early/mid 2012(sadly, none since July) but I listened to them recently and they are lot of fun and they pull out some cool tunes that you might have missed or are not aware of.  Listen the three podcasts at THIS LINK.

THE MALADAPTIVE SOLUTION is a side project that features Michael Carpenter and Mike Giblin(Cherry Twister).  Check out their new single HERE.

DETROIT ROCK CITY – you know it, right?!  Tripped across this cool, fun site a few weeks ago – it archives the local rock scene from the last 40+ years with some extensive information on obscure and the not-so-obscure bands.  Read it HERE.

TSAR – remember them?  Their 1997 self-titled debut is a power pop classic and much of the work they’ve done sporadically since then is pretty darn good, too.  This EP just came out from the band – listen to samples on Amazon at THIS LINK.