Frank Popp Ensemble - Ride On - 2001

Influenced by spy music and organ-heavy go-go soul of the '60s and '70s, but driven by the same massive beats that fueled pop club crossovers like Fatboy Slim and Pizzicato Five, the Frank Popp Ensemble began as a studio project of German DJ Frank Popp. After a few successful singles, the once conceptual "ensemble" became a reality by the time of their 2001 debut full-length, Ride On. The eclectic mix of upbeat mod soul and kitschy pop was a hit in Europe and led to several songs from the album being used in commercials. -AMG



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The Marked Men - On the Outside - 2004

Who's that pissing on your leg? Oh, it's Denton, TX. First, the town splattered listeners with the Riverboat Gamblers, particularly their raucous Gearhead Records debut. But in 2004 it's the Marked Men, who after an eponymous effort for Rip Off have leaped to Dirt Nap and dropped On the Outside. It's not the white lightning body ache of the Gamblers (whose shouter Mike Weibe guests here) -- unlike those crazies, you can actually understand what vocalists/guitarists Jeff Burke and Mark Ryan (ex-Reds) are saying. But Outside is rollickingly revivalist in its own right, pulsing on a tensile crossbreed of the Ramones and Undertones, like longhaired guys in leather dressing up as the Jam. "On the Outside," "Don't Lose It," and "Broken Record" all pop with interlocking vocal hooks over frantically wiry guitars -- there are no slow jams here, but then a crowded dancefloor doing the frug is no place for slow pokes, anyway. "No Time" is the Marked Men's official Ramones entry, while "Right Here With You" manages to be melodic and stinging at the same time. Outside ends strong -- clocking in under 30 minutes -- with a trio of songs as strong as the opening, "Cool Devices," "4,000 Times" (check those backing vocals!), and "Master Wicked." It's a strong entry into the thriving garage punk demolition derby, where the Marked Men join types like the Fleshies and Briefs, gassed up with drunken shoutalong potential and bashing their big land yachts into music with no brakes. -AMG



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The Corner Laughers - Tomb Of Leopards - 2006

Created in a San Francisco Bay Area lab by mad scientist Angela Silletto and indoor archaeologist Karla Kane, the Corner Laughers were genetically engineered to be the perfect band: one part 60s British invasion, one part 80s new wave and one part 90s power pop with a smidgeon of twee, mod folk and trad jazz. But something went wrong! Two evil rhythm-section geniuses from rival bands -- fueled by energy drinks and Indian food -- added the deadly chemical of ROCK, and thus The Corner Laughers were born. Wistful and dreamy, saucy and sassy in almost equal measure, The Corner Laughers' ideal blend of herbs and spices proved a magic concoction. -myspace.com/cornerlaughers



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The Condors - Wait For It - 2007

This L.A. foursome are great high-force power-pop/garage rockers with songs so catchy, they seem to echo from bygone fertile eras. Perhaps they do, since they're penned and sung by Pat DiPuccio, known for 30 years as Pooch, co-founder of the late Flipside fanzine. Our Pooch-y writes with the standards of someone who has inhaled this stuff for decades, but his band hits like 20-somethings that mag fervently covered. One detects a dose of 1978-1987 Saints in the soul horns of "Set Me on Fire" (more next time!), and like the Condors' debut Tales of Drunkenness and Cruelty EP (named after a Kinks lyric from "Sunny Afternoon"), the '65 Byrds/'77 Flamin' Groovies ringing guitars of "Kiss That Girl Away" and Nuggets stylings of "Don't Want a Girl Who's Been with Jack" exhibit range. All good, given Pooch's thickened pipes, canny Jam-to-Joe Jackson hooks, entertaining lyrics, and the group's loose, ballsy playing. -AMG

The Krinkles - Three Ringos - 1997

Matty says..."I'm thinking "Three Ringos", [I] would love to see you put it up! Let me know what you think. You never know, some of your fans might dig it..."
Matty Krinkle

The legendary Krinkles have honed their crushing glam/power pop aesthetic to perfection. Described by enthusiastic fans as the most eye-popping rock act to come out of Chicago ever, these guys go balls-out to win over fans with their high-energy live show and superbly crafted pop rock. With two critically praised albums to their credit (Three Ringos & Revenge Of The Krinkles), along with ample years of tiring road-work, these four talented young men are always amazing.

Thanks for sharing Matty!

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Autoliner - Life On Mars - 1999

Another in a long line of projects for vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Brian Leach, the power pop trio Autoliner follows his stints in the Last Gentlemen and Sugarbuzz, plus his debut solo album. Accompanied by bassist John Ross (also formerly of Monica's Interval and Vivian Section) and drummer Tom Curless, Leach attempted to recreate the orchestrated pop of late-period Beatles and ELO with Autoliner, throwing in touches of myriad other classic pop bands along the way. Though the group was originally called Life on Mars, it was discovered after their self-titled debut was released in 1999 that another group of that name already existed; the album's second pressing kept the title Life on Mars but corrected the group's name. -AMG



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E-I-E-I-O - That Love Thang - 1998

Wisconsin roots-rockers E*I*E*I*O run the gamut of all-American revivalist styles: rockabilly, country, blues, folk, and good old-fashioned rock & roll. Vocalist Steve Summers and bassist Richard Szeluga write most of the songs, supported by guitarists Rob Harding (formerly of Off Broadway) and Mike Hoffman, and drummer Tommy Ciaccio. This 1988 CD is the band's 2nd (and sadly,last) release following their stunning 1986 debut Land of Opportunity. It is every bit as good (and overlooked) as that release. It's a shame these guys never got the attention they so deserved. - Amazon.com




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The Frampton Brothers - I Am Curious (George) - 1991

The Frampton Brothers' debut album is a bit lacking in the production department; the sound leans to the thin side, and Sean Lally's guitar lacks the punch it deserves. But the band's very real charm is on prominent display, and Ed Masley was already proving himself to be a songwriter of distinction. If his reedy voice doesn't sound like a typical rock star's instrument, Masley's lyrics work overtime to illustrate he's no rock star; he commiserates with losers lost after high school, wonders why his girlfriend had to have sex with one of his favorite songwriters, thinks about Brian Wilson's creative fate, and refuses to go dwarf bowling with his brain-dead friends. I Am Curious (George) is funny and thoughtful throughout, and if the songs deserve better production values, the melodies are there if you listen.-AMG

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American Mars - No City Fun - 2001

When Detroit's American Mars released their debut album, Late, in 1997, they happened upon a music scene already too wrapped up in punk's past and techno's cynical yet futuristic soundscapes. Depending on who was singing, either Thomas Trimble or Karla Richardson, the band could sound like a vulnerable, hyperactive version of the Velvet Underground or like a less-frenetic version of Fire of Love-era Gun Club. But they were a pure rock & roll construct who reflected brightly on the city that birthed them. Four years later American Mars returned with a slew of different personnel and a new sound. Gone is the rage and the sense of urgency from their debut, and also gone (almost) is Richardson -- though she appears here singing backup vocals on a number of cuts and even playing bass on one. But the band who created No City Fun is even more compelling, with songs of loss, grief, deep self-examination, and disillusionment that are architected with the guitar as their cornerstone. Trimble plays all kinds of guitars here, the ones that whisper, the ones that scream, the ones that wail, the ones that shout, the ones that crunch, and even the ones that lilt. Veteran Detroit producer Dave Feeny accompanies him here on pedal steel -- which becomes the atmospheric thread that links these songs and their disparate emotions and scenery and vocals; he is his partner in loneliness and wonder. Bassist Garth Girard has officially joined the touring outfit, as has drummer Mike Popovich; they make several appearances on the record as well.
There isn't a weak moment on No City Fun. American Mars, during the years between recordings, has become a leaner, more confusing, and profound rock & roll band by aiming for the lyrical places where only ghosts dare to whisper and the musical spaces where past, present, and future bleed into one another as the timelessness of one endless twilight sky. -AMG



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The Cells - Mayday - 2006

The Chicago band the Cells consists of singer/drummer/guitarist Cory Hance, drummer Randy Payne and guitarist Pat McIntyre. The group's debut, We Can Replace You, emerged in the summer of 2002 and featured revved-up rock and snotty pop-punk topped off by the pre-pubescent-sounding vocals of Hance. The members of the Cells, who are veterans of such local bands as Dead Man's Wallet, Nine Day Wonder and Box-O-Car, originally moved to Chicago during the 90's, inspired by many of the acts that had emerged in that city. Hance and Norwegian bass player Brede Hovland formed the group in 1998. The Cells eventually fell into a solid lineup after Hovland dropped out to pursue a career as a movie producer and Payne and McIntyre stepped in. Frequently, guest bassists such as Rick Ness (ex-Figdish) and Skid Marks (Box-O-Car) have rounded out the combo. The group got together with Andy Gerber (Caviar, Local H) of Million Yen Studios to record their 2002 debut, which was released on the California label Orange Recordings. -AMG



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Bryan Estepa - All The Bells and Whistles - 2006

Bryan Estepa’s fate as a singer-songwriter was set even before he was old enough to pick up a dusty acoustic. “I can remember my mum and uncles singing and playing Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel tunes when I was young,” says Estepa. “Even at that age of 7, pop music made a whole lot of sense to me.” A fixture on Sydney’s indie circuit since the mid-‘90s, Estepa’s honed his songwriting in numerous bands, from power-pop upstarts Swivel (1998-2000) to psych-poppers Hazey Jane (2004-2005). It was during a stint working in the States, rediscovering classics by Elliott Smith and Whiskeytown, that Bryan found a renewed love for his acoustic guitar and returned home to branch out on his own. Performing under the alias Adeline, he released the pocket gem “Start Again” in 2003, to positive reviews and regular airplay on Sydney and East Coast US college radio. His debut album, “All the Bells and Whistles”, began taking shape in late 2005 and was recorded in early 2006 with acclaimed producer Michael Carpenter (Jason Walker & the Last Drinks, City Lights, Youth Group). Featuring special guests Jason Walker and Brian Crouch (Jason Walker & the Last Drinks) and Mick McGinty (ex-Hazey Jane/Cropper), the album is a stunning collection of pop gems glazed in head-nodding hooks and romantic longing, spanning a sonic spectrum that echoes Gram Parson’s lilting alt-country to You Am I’s crunching mod-rockers. With its warm familiarity and lack of pretence, Estepa’s sound is as refreshingly unassuming as it’s composer. "I don't tend to have any preconceived notions when I write," says Bryan. "In fact, I'm such a lazy songwriter that when inspiration hits, I know well enough to milk it for all it's worth! ….I wear my influences clearly on my sleeve, but I tried to stamp my own distinct signature on each of these tunes." Bryan Estepa has been described before as "one of Sydney's best kept musical secrets". It's high time you discovered for yourself. -CD Baby



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