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POP ACADEMY 1 – A Jangly History – Part Five

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JANGLY MUSIC PRIMER – THE 1990S

by Eric Sorensen

BACKGROUND: For this installment of my Jangly Music Recommendations, I’ll discuss artists/songs from the 90s. The “pop renaissance” that emerged during the 80s hit its full stride in the 90s. With the “downsizing” in the record industry, many artists relied on advances in multi-track and home recording technology and recorded and released their “pseudo 60s” material on their own labels. Vintage Rickenbackers and vintage amps became more common tools of the trade. As noted in my previous feature, this list is hardly comprehensive, but it provides Pop Geek Heaven website readers with a good launching point for those of you who are similarly inclined to crank up the treble setting on their stereos and listen to those Rickenbacker 12-string guitars jangle, chime and ring!

The Nineties:

Different Faces -This band’s lead singer and 12-string guitarist, Horst-Peter Schmidt, is a strong disciple of Roger McGuinn. Over the years, Horst-Peter and I have struck up a pen pal friendship and I have nicknamed him the “Crown Prince of 12-String.”  Before he formed a group with Different Faces,  Horst-Peter recorded an extensive amount of unreleased solo work (which includes covers of many Byrds songs).  Different Faces has two excellent albums to its credit -The Story of Jim Crosman and The More Things Change. “Back To The Roots” and “Crazy Ladies” (a Gene Clark composition) are among the most Byrdsian tunes on the two discs.
George Usher -Usher’s voice, song construction and guitar patterns are reminiscent of Roger McGuinn. Check out “Don’t Be Afraid To Love” on Usher’s Miracle School album.

The Wonders -“I Need You (That Thing You Do)” from the That Thing You Do soundtrack album.  If you have seen the movie, you may have noticed that after the band signed with Play Tone Records, the lead guitarist upgraded to a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar!

The Rembrandts -“I’ll Be There For You” (the Friends theme song) -a CD single well worth finding. 1’d even say the same for the music video -which depicts Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston both strumming on a Rickenbacker 12-string!
Grant McLennan -Horsebreaker Star (on Beggars Banquet). “Dropping You” and “Girl In A Beret” are Byrdsian all the way.

Mutton Birds -“Giant Friend” Nature CD (Virgin)
Orange Humble Band -Assorted Creams (1998, Half A Cow) the disc that reunited Darryl Mather and Mitch Easter.  Posie alum Ken Stringfellow was also a member of this terrific studio band.

Cosmic Rough Riders -Scotland delivers up another Byrds-influenced band that has released two excellent full-length discs, Deliverance and Panorama, and numerous EPs.

The Lears -The Story So Far (Get Hip Records). A “must have” disc for Byrds fans. The harmonies, song construction and a Rickenbacker 370RM 12-string create a striking Byrdsian sound on nearly every song. Lears founding members Paul Mutchler (now with the Byrds-influenced Belltowers) and Dennis Dalcin were kind enough to contribute the original song “The Byrds That Couldn’t Fly” to the Full Circle: A Tribute to Gene Clark compilation that was released in 2000.  Also seek out a copy of the Young Savage Florida compilation for the Lears’ “Is This Her Day” and “Her Magic Smile.”
Gin Blossoms –New Miserable Experience may have been the album that made this band the darling of the college radio crowd in the early 90s, but their first album – Dusted (originally available only on vinyl or cassette) – showcased the strong influence that REM had on them.  Songs like “Angels Tonight,” “Allison Road” (the 90s offspring of “Little Black Egg”) and “Til I Hear It From You” (co-written by Marshall Crenshaw) highlighted the jangle of this commercially successful Tempe, Arizona band. When they performed a two-song set at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame opening concert, they chose a Beatles song and a Byrds song -as an homage to the influence of their predecessors. After going their separate ways in the late 90s, the band has reunited, tours the country and has released several albums in the new millennium.
Ted Holden -Seek out his solo disc, Killermyway, released in 1995 on the Tiki God label.
Herb Eimerman -I have purchased each of Herb’s excellent albums, but the picture of Herb with a fireglow Rickenbacker l2-string on the cover of his first album, From Your Window, was all it took to make me his fan. Byrdsian songs abound on this disc!
The Jayhawks -This Minneapolis band is often referred to as Byrds-influenced, and the band’s members have even performed with Roger McGuinn. “Pray For Me,” from their Tomorrow The Green Grass album, and “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” from their Smile album, certainly proves their Byrdsian skills.

Teenage Fanclub -A Scottish band whose layered, dense vocals and a Byrdsian sound are featured on songs like “Ain’t That Enough,” “Gene Clark,” “Take The Long Way Round,” “Start Again” and “Speed Of Light.”

Velvet Crush -The duo of Ric Menck and Paul Chastain gladly accepts the Byrdsian tag. “The Unlucky One,” “Gentle Breeze,” “Why Not Your Baby” (an under-appreciated Gene Clark composition) and “Time Wraps Around You” only scratch the surface when it comes to a list of their Byrds-influenced tunes.
Pyramidiacs -“Coming Down” on the Teenage Complications disc (Indiana Records).  The presence of Michael Carpenter guaranteed the success of this group. Sometimes one song says it all!

Bill Lloyd -when Bill Lloyd multi-tracks his vocals and plays his vintage l2-string, he often sounds like the Byrds …or the Beatles, or whoever he wants to sound like! Byrds fans should dig any of his albums, but Set To Pop may be the best one to start with.

The Coal Porters -“I Tell Her All The Time” from the Rebels Without Applause CD, released on the Rubber and Prima Records labels. This is the 90s iteration of Sid Griffin (post-Long Ryders and pre-Western Electric) and his quest for Byrds-inspired country-pop-rock.

Blue Rodeo -“Til I Am Myself Again” is the classic Byrds/Buffalo Springfield ¬influenced tune that launched public interest in this Canadian band. The song is featured on their 1990 Casino CD. Several albums later (Five Days In July), they recorded a terrific tune entitled “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” that borrowed its opening riff from the Byrds’ “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better.” This band is still going strong, and its musicianship is hard to match in the country-pop-rock artist ranks.

Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey – Rhino Records released a spotty “reunion” album by the former dB bandmates in 1991 -Maverick. The disc’s highlight was an angelic version of the McGuinn/Clark tune “Here Without You.”
Desert Rose Band -As this Chris Hillman-fronted band started to lose its founding members, the band released a “greatest hits” disc entitled A Dozen Roses. The album included a terrific Byrdsian tune “Could This Be The Day.” After playing this song live before a Birchmere audience, Chris Hillman smiled wryly at the audience and asked “What neurotic 60s band did that sound like?”

The Retros -This is one of those “criminally unsigned” bands that shines on every pseudo¬-60s tune that they compose and they nail every cover tune they perform. You will only find them on compilation discs, but I was fortunate enough to receive a CDR of their recordings that includes a killer version of Roger McGuinn’s “He Was A Friend Of Mine.”

The Kennedys -Husband and wife Pete and Maura Kennedy have combined elements of folk-rock into what they call “coffeehouse pop.” On their Life Is Large album, Roger McGuinn joined them in the studio for the title song. Each of their albums has featured at least one tune with Pete Kennedy accompanying the duo on his own 12-string Rickenbacker. Personal favorites include “Wall Of Death” and “Heart Of Darkness.”
Pribata Idaho -Sueroine CD (Munster Records). Songs like “Bad Boys Dream” and “Jump The Gun,” by Ernesto and pals, prove that Byrdsian pop is alive and well … in Spain!

Roger McGuinn -Back From Rio (Arista 1991). Nearly every song has the “signature” Byrds sound, but “King Of The Hill” features McGuinn and Tom Petty trading lead vocals and Rickenbacker 12-string licks on the same song -making this a tough combination to beat in the Jangle Hall Of Fame. Also seek out the Bob Dylan 30thh Anniversary tribute concert disc; McGuinn heads up an all-star cast on “My Back Pages.”
Matthew Sweet -“I’ve Been Waiting” from the Girlfriend album. The best Sweet tune ever … period.

Jack & The Beanstalk -“10,000 Sunny Days” Serial CD (Torpedo Records). Joe Algeri and his Aussie bandmates crafted a superb Byrdsian tune on their debut disc.

Fraternal Order Of The All (AKA Andrew Gold) -Greetings From Planet Love CD on J-Bird Records. “Space And Time” says it all! No other single artist could recreate the instrumental blend and vocal harmony of the original Byrds as well as Andrew Gold. No wonder he collaborated with Bill Lloyd in a Nashville side project known as the “Byrtles.” When he wasn’t recording his own new material and producing the material of others, Gold was also engaged in a west coast side project known as Byrds Of A Feather.  Check out the band’s unreleased live songs on You Tube and seek out the Buffalo Springfield: Five Way Street tribute disc (released on the Not Lame label in 2005).  Byrds of a Feather contributed an outstanding version of “Bluebird” that segues into CSNY’s “Carry On” in its final half minute.  Sadly, the talented Andrew Gold passed away earlier this year.  He will be missed.

Time Lodgers -Find the Time Lodgers import (Sometimes Never on Perfect Pop Records) or the domestic release (Majors And Minors on Rainbow Quartz). Both discs feature 16 jangly gems!

Headlights -A group that is best known to Byrds fans as the band that backed up Roger McGuinn in 1991 when he was touring in support of his Back From Rio album. Steve Connelly is a pretty nifty Rickenbacker 12-string guitarist himself. Find a copy of the band’s Roundhouse album and the opening song, “Denial,” will convince you that the Byrds were a significant influence on this group.
Chris Wilson & the Sneetches

The self-titled 1993 EP on Marilyn Records featured this Flamin’ Groovies alum with pals doing the excellent Byrdsian song “If Wishes Were Horses” and a fine cover of “Goin’ Back”
Bill Retoff -Pop Jewelry (Maize Records) “The Colour Of Candy”. Even a Hammer 12-string can jangle on!
Rich Arithmetic -Sleep In A Wigwam (Optional Art) “Cambridge” has all the right elements of a Byrdsian tune -including the compressed sound of a 370RM 12-string!

The McGees -“Sleepwalker” Since it can only be found on the Bam Balam Explosion Volume IV compilation disc, you will get the added pleasure of the other 23 tracks.
Carlene Carter – Little Love Letters and Little Acts of Treason are two excellent country-pop discs that feature Carlene’s strong voice accompanied by a chiming Rickenbacker.

Rebel Train – Seeking Shelter (1992) – the band’s only album – combined the powerful voice of Lisa Enterline, the production skills of Danny Kortchmar and a “wall of guitars” sound … with chiming guitars featured on many of the rock-oriented tracks.

Robyn Hitchcock & Egyptians – Seek out the Perspex Island album and the EP that features Hitchcock’s version of “Eight Miles High.”

Richard Heyman – Richard is still recording and releasing excellent pop albums, but Living Room, Hey Man! and Cornerstone are his finest power pop albums.

Bobby Sutliff – After departing from the Windbreakers (see Jangly Music Primer – the 1980s), Bobby has released outstanding solo power pop albums that often feature McGuinn-like 12-string riffs.  Pick an album – any album – and you won’t be disappointed!  Among my favorite Sutliff  jangly tracks are “Warning Bells,” and his cover versions of “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “Series of Dreams.”

The Rumors – this short-lived band released several EPs and one full-length disc – Pacific (1998).  Check out the great REM-influenced hooks on “Seven Years,” “One More Chance” and “The Nashville Song.”

Dom Mariani – pick up anything by this veteran (Stems, Someloves) power pop artist.  No album is without at least one jangly track!

Michael Carpenter – another veteran Australian artist whose back-catalog is well worth exploring.  Michael loves a chiming Rickenbacker (“Coming Down” by the Pyramidiacs) as much as I do.

The Shambles – Bart Mendoza and the Shambles have been the under-heralded leaders of the power pop movement in San Diego since the 1980s.  Bart is one of power pop’s finest ambassadors – and he has always willingly contributed tracks to benefit discs, pop samplers and tribute compilations.  Bart and his brother probably have more than their fair share of Rickenbacker guitars in their musical arsenal.  Chiming guitar riffs abound on Shambles tracks.

Jeremy Morris (aka Jeremy) – like Bart Mendoza, Jeremy Morris is another of power pop’s finest ambassadors.  Many of Jeremy’s original songs feature a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar, and many of the artists on Jeremy’s JAM label (e.g., the Lolas, the Ringles) also have a predisposition for jangly pop.