The Charlatans UK - The Charlatans UK - 1995

The Charlatans demonstrated signs of a revival on Up to Our Hips, yet that record in no way suggested the full-fledged return to form of The Charlatans [UK], the group's most ambitious, focused and successful album. The group hasn't changed its sonic approach, yet their music has deepened, incorporating heavy dance elements without losing their core sound. Occasionally, the album relies too heavily on trippy dance instrumentals, but those are funkier and wilder than ever before, and they fit neatly next to the group's Stonesy pop, which is consistently catchy this time around. The Charlatans [UK] illustrates how a working rock & roll band can balance between traditional rock and modern, post-acid house music, and the results are frequently glorious. -AMG

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The Sounds - Dying To Say This To You - 2006

It can be said with as much certainty that any outside observer can have that the Sounds' sophomore effort, Dying to Say This to You, has achieved all of its goals and then some. The Swedish indie rock band by all appearances set out to make a fun, high-quality pop/rock record and they did so, brilliantly. This disc has been rendered with creativity and panache, and it features hooky songwriting so compelling that it's easy to listen to the mere 35 minutes of material (divided into 11 three-minute long, radio-friendly songs) on a continuous loop. Missing Persons comparisons have abounded in reviews of the Sounds, owed mostly to their integrated use of synthesizers, and singer Maja Ivarsson's sassy delivery (not to mention her iconic look, complete with obligatory Nordic platinum blonde hair), but this doesn't really do the group justice. Keyboardist Jesper Anderberg's use of synth on the album finds the instrument's natural place in indie rock, giving it a chance to evolve rather than languish as a tool for the retro and sarcastic. The cock rocking guitar and an unapologetic rhythm section don't let up to make way for the synthesizers; they all simply exist in a cohesive arrangement. This, combined with Ivarsson's spunky voice, brings to life highly danceable tunes that come off as just a little bit punky, despite their strong on-paper adherence to pop sensibilities, which proves that attitude in delivery counts for a lot in the overall feel of a record. Moods of individual songs do vary, from the pissy vibe on "Queen of Apology" to the wry and earnest ballad "Night After Night," which manages to evoke a sense of vulnerability amid the just-out-for-a-good-time songs that surround it on the album. The tone of the disc as a whole, however, is consistent and clear, leaving no question that the Sounds have found their voice. -AMG

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The Knack - Round Trip - 1981

It must suck to be the Knack. First off, there was the huge unexpected success of their debut album, Get the Knack, followed almost immediately by the equally unexpected career-damaging "Knuke the Knack" underground campaign. If that wasn't bad enough, their superior sophomore release, ...But the Little Girls Understand, was universally and unfairly dismissed as an inferior rehash of the debut. After such a tumultuous two-year roller coaster ride, the boys in the Knack took a well-deserved breather. When their third album, Round Trip, emerged in 1981, Doug Fieger and the boys in the Knack had matured ten-fold and had created their best album to date. Produced by Jack Douglas, Round Trip had more musical layers than any Knack album before (or since). "Just Wait and See," "Radiating Love," "Boys Go Crazy," and "She Likes the Beat" were instant Knack classics, but with more skin and bone. "Lil' Cal's Big Mistake" could've been an unreleased Blood, Sweat & Tears sessions ( track. "Africa" was Weather Report on pop-flavored steroids. "We Are Waiting" and "Sweet Dreams" sound like outtakes from the last John LennonDouglas produced Double Fantasy). Two of the Knack's best tracks are here, and both are worth the price of admission alone. "Pay the Devil (Ooo, Baby, Ooo)" is a beautifully haunting ballad while "Another Lousy Day in Paradise" is the Knack's entire musical essence squeezed into one three-minute pop song. Brilliant. A few weeks after this brilliant album was released (to poor reviews, it should be said), the Knack split up. While they were at their creative high, they were at their commercial and critical low. Again, it must suck to be the Knack. -AMG





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Richard X. Heyman - Basic Glee - 2002

Basic Glee was recorded at Tabby Road Studio, the living room of Richard X. Heyman and his wife, Nancy Leigh. The insert photo of the artist amidst his electronics, guitar, keyboards, and cat on a chair is real "underground rock" imagery. The liners state that the basics to more than double the songs on Basic Glee's 14 tracks were "cranked out at a 24-track studio over one blistering weekend...." Heyman gives the world more of his over the top power pop on this outing, taking the majesty of a Flamin' Groovies "You Tore Me Down"-type tune and mixing it up with Roger McGuinn guitar chimes à la "Chestnut Mare," all intensified like a Beatles single sped up by George Martin -- with Heyman appearing to do it in real time. All the songs are pretty much in the three-and-a-half- to four-minute range, with only a couple straying from the formula. "Everywhere She Goes" opens up with Beach Boy vocals and Pete Townshend windmill guitar strums while "Pauline" borrows heavily from the vibe of Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding." Like Emitt Rhodes projects outside of the Merry-Go-Round and McCartney's first solo album, when artists shoulder projects of this complexity on their own, the projects are stamped indelibly and have few flavors from outside the artists' spheres. For power pop, that's not necessarily a bad thing -- it's sometimes too much of a good thing. There's lots of frosting on "One Way Feeling" and "Let It Go," as well as lots of energy. Could Eric Carmen sustain this intensity releasing 14 tracks along the lines of "Hey, Deanie"? One suspects not, and it is a lot to absorb in one sitting. The upside is that any of these tunes could brighten up any radio show, so picking a single is extra difficult. There are hooks galore, and jangly guitars and vocals that really care. "When Evening Comes" might be a ballad, less heavy than much of the disc, but the tempo is up there with the rockers. If you're sold on "Diminishing Her Return" and "Broken Umbrella," you're going to like "What in the World" with its irresistible chorus. That's not to say Basic Glee plays like a Ramones record; Heyman is much too clever to beat one riff into the ground. It's power pop heaven, especially on a slowed-up "Wishful Thinking." Heyman may want to consider teaming up with Joey Molland from Badfinger; they are both on the same wavelength with two albums that resonate with shimmering guitars and vocals: this CD and Molland's This Way Up. "Waterline" is deliciously elegant and would make a wonderful single backed with "What in the World." "My Lorraine Bow" is also nice with waves of guitars and pretty melodies, all adding up to another impressive effort from Richard X. Heyman. -AMG

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Push Kings - Push Kings (Sealed Fate) - 1996

With albums like this, who needs friends? On this debut, one of the-best written pop albums of the '90s, Finn Moore Gerety and Carrick Moore Gerety sing like birds, both falling somewhere between Paul McCartney and Squeeze's Glenn Tilbrook. "Nine Straight Lines" kicks off the album, and it's a non-stop popfest from then on. "Pop Phenomenon," "Florida," "Number Ones" and "Stay With Her" are just a few more gems that fill up this aural feast. "Love In My Heart"'s verses have a cute new-wavey cod-reggae beat, but then the chorus kicks into a Badfinger-esque rocker and takes this track into the stratosphere. If the Spongetones are the pop world's Beatles, then the Push Kings are its Badfinger. Stunning. -AMG

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Marshall Crenshaw - Mary Jean & 9 Others - 1987

Marshall Crenshaw's first three records, though each with their own distinct personality, were an irresistible combination of masterful pop and vibrant, timeless rock & roll. His fourth effort, Mary Jean & 9 Others, has many of these same ingredients, while at the same time lacking the impact of its predecessors. And though there isn't really a bad cut here, there isn't much that would make you think of Crenshaw as much more than a craftsman. Even the best of the originals, including the title track and "Somebody Crying," seem to lumber along, never really delivering on their promise. This may be partially due to Don Dixon's production that, though not out of place with Crenshaw's material, lacks the freshness of the first album, the allure and depth of Field Day, and the spirit of Downtown. Overall, it's the beautiful closer, "They Never Will Know," and Peter Case's "Steel Strings" that are most successful in this setting. Like the rest of Crenshaw's mid-'80s, early-'90s catalog, Mary Jean is difficult to find, but of this period, Downtown, which is also on Warner Bros., and Life's Too Short, his only release for MCA, are preferred. -AMG

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The Urges - Psych Ward - 2008

The Urges hail from Dublin, Ireland, but you wouldn't guess it to listen to their debut album, Psych Ward. To judge from these 12 tracks, the Urges live in some enchanted land where paisley and Nehru have never gone out of style, the sneer is the favored means of human expression, and fuzzboxes and Farfisa organs are naturally occurring phenomena. The Urges don't miss a trick on Psych Ward, capturing the mid-'60s garage rock sound with uncanny accuracy, from the inspired three-chord stomp of the tunes and the tough, fuzzy crunch of the music to the swagger of Jim Walters' lead vocals and Circo Perrotti's proudly analog production. There are moments where Psych Ward sounds just like some lost session from the Standells or the Chocolate Watchband until you read the credits and realize the Urges wrote and performed these songs themselves, in the 21st century. The Urges are so good at recreating the sound of rock & roll's past that it's hard to say what (if anything) they bring to the table that's new and different; this band may be good enough to pass for one of the acts that influenced them in dim light, but that also means a lot of this sounds like something you've already heard, even though this was recorded in 2008, and that proves to be a double-edged sword. Garage rock mavens will doubtless enjoy Psych Ward (which has been given the seal of approval by Little Steven Van Zandt, who has given it a United States release on his Wicked Cool label), but the Urges' lack of an original vision means they'll be preaching to the converted and very few others. -AMG

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The Makes Nice - This Time Tomorrow - 2007

Album number two from California indie pop trio the Makes Nice finds the boys in slightly less aggressive but equally impressive form. While the Makes Nice seemed to be working the punk-influenced edginess out of their system on Candy Wrapper & Twelve Other Songs, This Time Tomorrow suggests they've embraced their lot as a latter-day power pop outfit and they're more than OK with that. The disc's most aggressive number, "Don't Do It Some More," is also the only cover, and while Josh Smith certainly isn't afraid to turn up his guitar on "You Treat Me Bad," "Her Personal Vendetta," and "You Can't Stand the Competition," the emphasis here is on the band's scrappy but engaging melodies and the sweet but potent harmonies of Smith and bassist Aaron Burnham. The stripped-down attack of This Time Tomorrow recalls the Who's earliest sides without the pyrotechnic feedback, and Phil Manley's minimalist audio brings out the Makes Nice's strengths without cluttering the landscape. The band also kicks out their 14 hook-heavy songs in just a bit over a half-hour, while their broadside on the evils of global warming, "Waterworld," warns about life in a world full of surfers in a mere 100 seconds. With This Time Tomorrow, the Makes Nice have released two spunky and thoroughly fun albums of hot-wired pop in a row, which is more than most of their peers have managed, and it's not hard to believe they'll make it a hat track before too long. -AMG If you like " This Time Tomorrow" get it here!

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Fotomaker - Fotomaker - 1978

Fotomaker had a pretty impressive pedigree. Guitarist/vocalist Wally Bryson came from power pop gods the Raspberries, and bassist Gene Cornish and drummer Dino Danelli were founding members of the Rascals. The other two bandmembers, guitarist/vocalist Lex Marchesi and keyboardist/vocalist Frankie Vinci, were no slouches either, as the two of them were responsible for most of the songwriting and singing on the band's fine 1978 debut. The record is very much in the power pop vein with walls of guitars, Beatlesque vocal harmonies, and big hooks. Unsurprisingly, they sound very much like the Raspberries, lacking that band's grandeur but replacing it with an easygoing charm. Their classic song, "Where Have You Been All My Life," is easily a match for the Raspberries' best. It is the kind of song that guitars were invented for, and will be going around your head for hours after you hear it. The rest of the album can't match it but there are some fine songs, like "Can I Please Have Some More," the very Todd Rundgren-sounding "Two Can Make It Work," the power ballad "All These Years," and "Pain." There is a subtle soft rock undercurrent to many of the tunes that may put off rockers who prefer a harder edge, but it actually gives the record some texture. Fotomaker may not be the lost classic that one might hope for, but it is a fine pop record with a fair amount of power and some very fine songs. -AMG

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Guadalcanal Diary - Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man - 1984

Like R.E.M., the B-52's, and Pylon, this fine band hailed from the unlikely independent-rock hotbed of Athens, GA. The long jangle pop shadow of R.E.M. is extremely strong on this release, with seven of the ten tracks showing either full or partial influence of that group. Fortunately, the songs here are excellent, exhibiting much variety within this style. "Trail of Tears," a haunting antiwar number, sounds the most like their Athens counterparts. "Fire From Heaven" is more up-tempo, intense, and dynamic, while "Sleepers Awake" is an ominous, slowly unfolding song. "Ghost on the Road" is primarily a fast country-punk number that saves its R.E.M. stylings for its yearning chorus. "Gilbert Takes the Wheel" and the title track are jangly instrumentals, the former being a fast rocker with a thudding beat, the latter being a lengthy slow-tempo selection exhibiting noticeable psychedelic traits. Other territory is touched on as well. "Pillow Talk" is a winsomely energetic Everly Brothers-influenced song. The brilliant "Watusi Rodeo" is a jumpy pop number sporting over-the-top surf guitar licks and inspired hilarious-yet-uncomfortable lyrics about "Ugly American" cowboys in Africa. There's also an eccentric cover of the missionary hymn "Kum Ba Yah," complete with appreciative background audience shouting, an energetic drum solo, and extreme contrasts of loud and soft dynamics (sometimes within the same verse line). This odd yet strong album is well worth hearing. -AMG

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The Konks - The Konks - 2005

Boston trio the Konks play an unholy collision of '60s-style garage rock, psychobilly, and punk on their self-titled debut album. To some listeners, that combination might sound like the ultimate tasty trash rock dish. Even if it is your thing, however, it's no landmark in the history of that mini-genre. The band claw out basic, back-and-forth buzzing and slashing guitar riffs while the drums lay down an elemental beat, and lead singer/drummer Kurt (no last name given in the credits) artlessly sing-screams, as if to don a Neanderthal guise is just the absolute coolest thing known to humanity. The recording quality is cheap and distorted, particularly in the vocal department, and quite possibly intentionally so. It's pretty reckless, assaultive stuff without much letup, and while it's less clichéd than the innumerable indie hardcore punk records that take that stance owing to its greater acknowledgement of roots rock forms, it's still clichéd. -AMG If you like "The Konks" get it here!

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Milk 'N' Cookies - Milk 'N' Cookies - 1977

Power pop got off to a rocketing start in the '70s and the demand for it, like most genres and styles, dissipated slowly through the '80s. Like most movements, there are some records and bands that were left in the resin, never to be fully acknowledged for their contributions, whether small or significant. Standing in the shadows of other bands from Max's and CBGB's, Milk 'n' Cookies quietly carved their niche on the circuit, but never received their due from mainstream culture. Their eponymous debut is a session hyped up on the sweetest sugar and soda pop, as the group carves out three-minute numbers that are post-glam but foreshadow the emergence of punk. For die-hard collectors of power pop, this album is a welcome treat to even the most seasoned and jaded of ears. And for those hyped up on the modern-day, cookie-cutter, Johnny-come-lately band of the moment emulating the sound of new wave? This is an absolute textbook essential listening experience. -AMG
 
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Toothpaste 2000 - Instant Action - 2002

For several years, Toothpaste 2000 has been threatening to make a perfect pop album. This time, thanks to using an outsider producer (and a studio that isn't their rehearsal space), they've managed it. Sixteen songs, and not a dud in the bunch, from the neo-Big Star kick of "Bubblegum" to the pop-punk ('70s division) of "Up Past Bedtime." Along the way they include a song Oasis should probably kill to buy, the glorious "Mona Lisa Overdrive," and the seductive-with-a-twist "Cigarettes & Magazines." They don't hide the fact that their main influence is classic British pop, but they've been doing this long enough to have made it just one part of their arsenal which also runs to power pop, punk, and touches of artists as diverse as ELOPhil Spector. There's plenty of meat to the backing vocals, which flesh out the songs, and for a three-piece they make a very big noise, thanks in part to the effective and melodic bass work by Frank Bednash, which frees up Donna Esposito to prove that women can be guitar heroes too. It doesn't hurt, either, that they've come up with what are really the best songs of their career, or that in Kirk Jamieson they've got a powerhouse drummer who understands when to lay back and when to come on strong. An album that deserves a wider -- in fact a huge -- audience. -AMG

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Dipsomaniacs - Smaller Than Life - 1996

The first album (barring a self- released demo) by New Jersey bar band the Dipsomaniacs is a cheerfully raucous power pop bash in the tradition of mid-period Replacements albums. Like Paul Westerberg, singer/guitarist Mick Chorba is an unpretentious lyricist with a knack for slice of life scenes like the mildly alienated opener "New Rochelle," and the standard two-guitar/bass/drums quartet plays with the proper ragged-but-right spirit. There's nothing on Smaller Than Life that will change the world in any way, but songs like the ultra-catchy, nearly Beatlesque "This One" and the wistful "Wanna Leave, Don't Wanna Go," which recalls '70s power pop stalwarts like Artful Dodger, have plenty of low-key charms. -AMG

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The Gilligans - Snoring With An Accent - 2007

Guitarist/Songwriter/IPO mainstay Todd Borsch from The Ringles along with indie pop Tunesmith/Bassist Bill Retoff & Vocalist Dan McKenzie from The Porcupines and former Billy Blastoff /RMBP Drummerboy Ed Pierce have joined forces to WOW the masses with their catchy, crunchy, rockin' tunes and smart fashion sense in regards to casual footwear.. Ladies & Gentleman, presenting The Gilligans! Having dedicated the calendar year of 2006 to writing / arranging / recording as a band (remember those?) our heroes have just released a new 10 song opus: Snoring With An Accent. A joint release of Maize Records and Ear Theory Recordings, these new tracks find the group completely and purposely ignoring current trends, all the while embracing such descriptors as DIY, garage, and (hopefully) Beatlesque. Think: Vox amps turned up just a bit too loud while the sounds of classic British Invasion, American Power Pop, and a dash of Glammy Bubblegum all simmer together in the pot. -CD Baby

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The Knack - ...But the Little Girls Understand - 1980

Mike Chapman summed it up best in the liner notes -- "The songs are an assortment of feelings and emotions expressed redundantly as only the Knack can...This record is very dear to me and my bank manager." The self-deprecating title (which quotes Willie Dixon's "Back Door Man") isn't really an attempt to apologize but rather to let everyone know that they were in on the joke all along -- and they're laughing all the way to the bank. This is essentially a rewrite of the debut, especially evident on the lead-off single "Baby Talks Dirty." It's not as good as Get the Knack and didn't sell nearly as well, but it is a good time for those who don't take rock & roll too seriously. -AMG

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Tsar - Tsar - 2000

Twisting post-grunge into a cheeky glam rock sound is the delicious façade of Los Angeles' Tsar. On their self-titled debut, Tsar plays around with generic-branded alterna-rock for a humorous collection of songs. There will be no thrashing angst-ridden headbanging going on, for Tsar melts glossy new wave elements with corporate guitar rock flair. And the spiraling guitar loops and teetering percussion are firmly in place for a healthy dose of modern pop/rock. To capture this jaunty punk-pop, Tsar brought in producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, Eric Clapton) and mixer impresario Chris Lord-Alge (Duran Duran, Savage Garden, Stevie Nicks, Hole). Frontman Jeff Whalen is lyrically wild, sheer, and quirky and his swirling vocals mimic the sassiness of Cheap Trick's Robin Zander. Songs like the anthemic "I Don't Want to Break Up" and "Calling All Destroyers" are loosely constructed to make the sharpest pop song sound chart-happy. They're lackadaisical in the artistical sense, but certainly an enjoyable listen. They aren't exceptional musicians yet, but Tsar's knack for nailing animated musical fluff is pure fun, and their music is meant to serve only that purpose. -AMG

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Ric Ocasek - This Side of Paradise - 1986

Released as the Cars were slowly breaking up, Ric Ocasek's second solo album This Side of Paradise was an attempt to establish himself as a viable commercial solo artist, and while a few songs -- such as the single "Emotion in Motion" -- are hypnotic and melodic, most of the songs fall flat, falling prey to weak melodies or labored production. -AMG

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Elliot Easton - Change No Change - 1985

Elliot Easton is a truly gifted and totally underrated guitarist. His talents were not utilized to the fullest in the Cars, nor should he be sprucing up covers of John Fogerty tunes in a clone band, Creedence Clearwater Revisited. With an opportunity to help his own cause, Change No Change disappoints on many levels. Easton is a terrible vocalist and listening to "I Want You" is downright painful for fans who saw and heard notes sparkle out of his axe prior to getting signed. This was Easton's opportunity to be recognized as a fell into the same trap, failing to entertain by coming up with something as genuine and innovative as the group that brought him fame, Easton at least presents elements of why his sound was such an important component of the CarsPhil Manzanera, Alvin Lee, or Craig Chaquico, but instead of using the "Tools of Your Labor," to quote the first song on his disc, and making a statement, he tries to be something he is not. Where Michael Bruce of Alice Cooperthe Cars' success. Both "The Hard Way" and "Fight My Way to Love" have clever ideas and passages that cry out for someone to sing them and bring these songs to life. Why have Jules Shear merely provide backing vocals when you have the bassist from Ministry and the Cars' guitarist all in one talent pool? "Shayla," "Help Me," and "(She Made It) New for Me" are Nick Lowe/Ian Gomm-style pop songs with Easton doing his best imitation of Elvis Costello. Where Greg Hawkes put together a distinctive and classy solo outing with Niagra Falls, his former bandmate forces it on songs like "Wide Awake," sounding like Brian Wilson propped up in front of the mic when he should have been in a hospital. Rhino has released this with five additional tracks but, like Easton's guitar skills, this album needed a chance to shine. It's too bad Easton didn't bring in different singers and have some fun, for at least this record shows more creativity than playing "Proud Mary" in a cover band. It's better than the Spiders From Mars disc after they were ejected from the David Bowie experience, but for a man this talented, Change No Change is a big letdown. -AMG

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Benjamin Orr - The Lace - 1986

The Cars' bassist/vocalist Benjamin Orr lent his immaculate pipes to a few of the band's most enduring FM hits ("Bye Bye Love," "Let's Go," and "Drive"), but he wasn't able to step out from behind the shadow of guitarist/bandleader Ric Ocasek until 1986. The Cars had reached a new level of fame with 1984's Heartbeat City, and that success was beginning to cause some friction within the tight-knit Boston collective, so they did what any smart band would do: they released a Greatest Hits compilation and Ocasek, guitarist Elliot Easton, and Orr all recorded solo albums. Despite appearing on numerous collaborative projects, The Lace would be Orr's only proper solo release -- he died of pancreatic cancer in 2000 -- and of the three mid-'80s solo flights, only his retained the melodic snap that made the Cars such radio staples. Produced by Orr, Larry Klein, and Mike Shipley -- the latter mixed Heartbeat City -- The Lace sits sonically snug between that album and 1987's Door to Door, using programmed drums, keyboards, guitar (courtesy of Easton), and Orr's impossibly solid voice to deliver a record that never achieves greatness but still feels good all the way through. It gets a little midtempo heavy near the end, as if every other song is carefully positioned to remind listeners that this is the man who sang "Drive," but "Too Hot to Stop," "Hold On," and "Stay the Night" would have been highlights on anything the Cars ever put out. -AMG

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