A Different Kind Of Here Price: $15.00 Artist: Almost Charlie Description: Berlin singer/multi-instrumentalist Dirk Homuth and New York City lyricist Charlie Mason have teamed up again to pen “A Different Kind of Here”, Almost Charlie's fourth album, and the band's third record for the Minneapolis-based Words On Music label. With twelve new songs brimming with impossibly elegant hooks, poignant imagery, and enduring melodies that flirt with The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, the record is infused with an unmistakable flair and cohesiveness that belies the fact that this uniquely 21st Century transatlantic songwriting team have never met. The hushed opening acoustic strains of "Shadow Boy" quietly launch the record by showcasing the impactfulness of Homuth's understated voice, with simple strikes of the glockenspiel punctuating his melodic gifts. A string quartet escorts the 3/4-metered "Ambivalent" - an affectionate nod to Elliott Smith in which Homuth directs a captivating waltz that spells the frustrations of an indecisive object of one's affections. Homuth's unfailing affinity for tunefulness seamlessly blends the album's assortment of sonic textures, from the carnivalesque “Sgt. Peppers”-meets-“Westworld” imaginings of "Robot" to the gentle, piano-guided interlude "Sunset On Elysian Fields" that evokes mid-period Felt. Duskier undercurrents percolate through the record, such as in "The Loneliness of Sharks" - one of several compositions that begin deceptively spare but blossom into orchestral-laden gems. Homuth's nuanced compositions enable him to be the ideal messenger to deliver Mason's multifaceted lyrics which are sharp, at times playful, but always authentic. The album closes with the anthemic "I'll Still Be Missing You," in which the first chorus is bookended by an opening verse simmering with psychedelic embellishments and a stylish trumpet solo and a second that crescendos into a one-minute blistering Teenage Fanclub-esque guitar solo to triumphantly conclude the record. Makes for a nice companion to the new Chris Price record! EXCELLENT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

In Machina Price: $17.00 Artist: Armchair Oracles Description: Armchair Oracles, dubbed Norway’s best kept secret, are unlikely to keep the title for long…as everyday pop heads are turning towards their songs of timeless hooks and melodies. Comparisons have been made with some of the greatest songwriters the world has ever seen. “A solid effort, as ‘Considerations’ opens with a jangling rhythm, heavy guitar riffs and minor chord chorus that sticks in your head. ‘Sound Sleep Sound’ is a sweet ballad with delicate acoustic lead featuring Atle Skogrand’s gentle airy lead vocal. The band offers a contrast of the soft jangle atmosphere with a heavy rock riff lead often layered over it, as ‘Jitterbug’ is a good example here. This is the style that rock bands like Radiohead and Coldplay used to be so good at, thankfully Armchair Oracles are just as impressive. Even better this band knows when to let go and rock heavier like on the powerful ‘Utility Man.’ Some of the music comes close to arena rock, (‘Here Comes The Feeling’) but the melodies have that little twist to keep it from becoming cliched. ‘Climbing The Walls’ is a nice break with its simple piano riff and slide guitar, almost ELO like. Highly Recommended.” – Powerpopaholic.com “This is great pop with plenty of variation. ‘High Wire Walkers’ sounds like something out of Manchester or Stockport in the early 90's, morphing into a sort of early U2. ‘Jitterbug’ sounds like a more melodic happier Doves, whilst ‘Scared Of Light’ sounds Celtic, possibly Runrig. ‘Utility Man’ is pure Brit Pop, The Lemonheads crossed with The Boo Radleys. The band seem happiest being purveyors of sleepy laid back power pop, in TFC mode if you like and that's really apparent on the likes of ‘Phantom Bliss’ and ‘Long Time’. It's the variance that grips you tough across this splendid 12 track offering. ‘Here Comes The Feeling’ is pure Psych Pop, ‘Climbing Walls’ is mid 70's Pop Rock, 10CC springs to mind and ‘Panic King’ is awash with brass, very Northern Uproar until it blends into great harmonic 60's melodic pop. The stand out song is ‘Sound Sleep Sound’, it meanders wonderfully. Simply ace, a real listen from start to finish.” – IDontHearASingle.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Change Your Skin...Wash Your Heart Price: $13.00 Artist: Armchair Oracles Description: Norway-based Armchair Oracles consists of Atle Skogrand on vocals and guitar, Jan Ove Engeset on bass, Charlie Wise on drums and Kjetil Halsen on trumpet. They also play a variety of other instruments over the course of this, their 2009 debut album. “There are several classic pop songs here, which true enough is reminiscent of the aforementioned bands Beatles/Big Star), but essentially put the band within the realms of Power Pop, Britpop and classic American/British 60’s pop with charming little visits to Burt Bacharach and The Kinks. The somewhat unpolished and 60’s inspired soundscape gives the album an extra dimension. ‘Palm Of Your Hand’ is pure Britpop, with bands like Suede and The Auteurs impossible to ignore - an exquisite pop song built on durable and timeless material. The chorus is immortal. What a wonderful way to start an album! ‘Danish Pastry’, is reminiscent of the grandiose Love. Although not serving classic pop all the time, the band has characteristics that make them extremely entertaining. Exciting arrangements, highly potent guitar playing and extraordinarily accomplished vocal harmonies to name but a few. The Beach Boys inspired harmonies on ‘Kitchen Widow’ are a great example of the latter. On ‘Never Enough’ they’re going for gold, floating on the classic pop wave of the 60’s. ‘In The Gamble" is even a little Byrds-influenced, with the trumpet solo creating a real highlight. ‘Rowan Trees’ is a lovely tune with a touch of Paul McCartney about it. We are again treated to trumpeter Halsen and some wonderful mandolin playing by the band's songwriter Skogrand. The album's closer (‘The First Boy Died’) is a beautiful piano driven ballad. Skogrand, in the style of Freddie Mercury, reveals a song that would have been right at home on one of Queen's mighty albums, perhaps demonstrating what kind of potential this band has and what they are going to present the day they get lucky with a big company.” – RockWeb.com "Classic-style power pop with great melodies, quirky tempo and chord changes, and spot-on harmonies are what this band from Norway are all about. Their songs bring to mind such influences as The Beatles and Big Star” – David Bash/IPO EXCELLENT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

The Future Ain't What It Used To Be Price: $11.00 Artist: Biters Description: Like their British counterparts The Struts, Biters mine the past to preserve its future. ¡°They are a great rock band. They look the part, they act the part, Tuk is a proper star, and they can toss off tunes as easily as Gordon Ramsay plates crab cakes: ¡®Back To Georgia¡¯ and ¡®Hollywood¡¯ are both masterful ballads. Marc Bolan comes off the subs¡¯ bench for ¡®Stone Cold Love¡¯ and ¡®Gypsy Rose¡¯ ¨C both benefitting from a liberal sprinkling of T.Rex glitter ¨C while Cheap Trick are much in evidence throughout. Elsewhere there are hat-tips to Queen, AC/DC, ELO, the Glitter Band and ¡®Eliminator¡¯-era ZZ Top.¡± ¨C TeamRock.com ¡°They have really tapped into their love of 70¡äs rock music on the massive stomping beast that is ¡®Stone Cold Love¡¯. The song has a T.Rex sound from the backbeat through to the vocals of Tuk, making for a song you want to keep playing over and over. They have other ear candy in their arsenal with the more modern sounding rock of ¡®Let It Roll¡¯, again a radio hit is ever there was one. Interesting musical diversion on ¡®Goin¡¯ Back To Georgia¡¯ where the band adopt a country rock feel, not unlike something Blackberry Smoke would d0. Some great power pop on display too like ¡®Gypsy Rise¡¯, which gives fellow 70¡äs power pop worshippers Smash Fashion a run for their money. Biters bite back with an album full of glorious 70¡äs flavoured glam/hard rock.¡° ¨C GetReadyToRock.me.uk ¡°Laden with swagger and attitude, the band channels T.Rex with ¡®Gypsy Rose¡¯ with vocalist Tuk Smith replicating Marc Bolan¡¯s similar drawl. It¡¯s bouncy with a pop flavour to it and whilst the punk sound may be stripped back, this is easily one of the highlights on an album full of gems. The complete left turn comes at the end of the album with the Southern-fried and aptly named ¡®Goin¡¯ Back to Georgia¡¯. More acoustic with hints of slide guitar, it may not be what you¡¯d expect a band like Biters to put out with its plonking rhythm and twangs. It¡¯s an obvious nod to their home and their experiences of becoming an international touring band. Between the vocal harmonies which are just begging to be sung along to and the largely upbeat radio-friendly riffs which contain nods to Thin Lizzy and Status Quo. Biters may not bring anything new to the world but instead they combine some of the greatest sounds of the 70¡¯s to create their own sound. Its length from start to finish, purposeful production and sound harks back to when rock ruled the radio to pull in the older generations of fans and its subtle pop hooks to hopefully pull in a younger audience.¡± ¨C Moshville.co.uk GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Forever Price: $19.00 Artist: BMX Bandits Description: Brand new release (the tenth!) from these Scottish pop legends fronted by Duglas T. Stewart. Is it possible that, after more than 30 years in the music business, Duglas has, in 2017, made his best album? The collection of songs included here could be the best thing in their whole discography - without letting go of their identity, or even of their obsessions and hang-ups. This is a moment to be cherished, and we should analyze every fragment, every note, every second. And there is a lot to work through, because we know that one of Duglas' "obsessions" is to include a solid handful of songs on every album. This time, we have sixteen. But if there is a key name on this album, it is Stuart Kidd. Stuart is one of Glasgow's best liked and most prolific musicians. He originally joined BMX Bandits in 2002 and after a short break away is very much back in the heart of the group. His participation here has been key, both for his production and interpretation work, as well as for his songwriting, giving us practically all the songs a little extra that raises them up to the altar we found them at. He is Duglas's right-hand man on this journey toward eternity. Duglas also gets assists from Chloe Philip of Teen Canteen, Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe, and Joe Kane of Dr Cosmo’s Tape Lab (on a trio of songs that sit at the heart of the album). But we can't forget something that has always characterized BMX Bandits' albums: the search for perfect love in the shape of a perfect pop song, and all the frustrations that arise from a fantasy like that. From fun to rough, expressing things that only Duglas can articulate with words. From here on out, BMX Bandits “Forever” is a classic - for their spirit (why that title, if not?) for their songwriting, for their inspiration, their references, their emotion. “Although the tales of heartbreak might be familiar, beyond Stewart’s distinctive vocals, ‘Forever’ is a very different sonic prospect from its predecessor, with those contributors (most audibly Philip) proving ideal support, foils, and writing partners.” - HeraldScotland.com “Stewart has a fabulous track record of delightfully light, deceptively deep, songs that he’s been crafting and releasing over the last 30-odd years, complemented with a keen sense of just the right cover version to complement his songs. ‘Forever’ continues that trend in its easy-going manner, like so many of Stewart’s records before it, taking you out on a summer’s evening, full of hope and warmth, and bring you home in tears with that bittersweet way that he writes his glorious 50’s and 60’s-conceived pop tunes. This deftly mellow, mature record tells us, with aplomb, that, hailing from the C86-scene and allied to The Soup Dragons and Teenage Fanclub, Stewart hasn’t deviated from his love of pop music history. He understands its nooks and crannies as well as its hooks and melodies and handles them with reverent care.” – RecordCollectorMagazine.com EXCELLENT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Euphoria Love Price: $10.00 Artist: Brenyama Description: Produced by Kurt Reil of The Grip Weeds (who’s all over this as a guest player contributing vocals, percussion, and guitars) at the ‘Weeds House Of Vibes studio, this neo-psychedelic four piece from New Jersey have fashioned up a real fun pop album, very much set in the 60's and focusing on the joint vocals of husband and wife Richard and Maki Brenner. “Its variation is underpinned by those vocals, separate or together. The Maki lead vocals on songs such as ‘Leaving For NYC’ and ‘Get In The Groove’ are very Girl Pop with a groovy summer feel. You can imagine a cast of hundreds twirling umbrellas around a pool. The Richard lead vocals are far more 60's Beat/Merseybeat in their feel with a healthy dash of organ, although ‘Dreaming In Blue’ has far more in common with late 70's New Wave. All this sugar works really well, particularly when the vocals collide. It gets even more interesting when it experiments a bit and there are glimpses of further development on the psych op of ‘Waiting For Godzilla’ (which features The Anderson Council’s Peter Horvath on ‘psychedelic guitar’) and the duet on ‘After All’ is a real poptastic closer. The title track is a song which is power pop of the highest quality, like a jaunty version of The Cars, all riff. A fine offering. “ – IDontHearASingle.com “They draw on influences as diverse as The Beatles, The Kinks, David Bowie, The Ramones, ’80’s synth-pop and the far more tasteful side of ’90’s ‘alternative’ (think Matthew Sweet or Teenage Fanclub) and you can detect so many of these elements in the songs that there’s a guarantee of something for everyone here.” – PopDose.com EXCELLENT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Stop Talking Price: $15.00 Artist: Chris Price Description: Chris Price is a man of many talents - producer for Emitt Rhodes and Linda Perhacs, writing with artists like Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) and Taylor Locke (Rooney) or recording a complete album with an iPhone 4 (his first record “Homesick”). On “Stop Talking” (the perfect early Sunday after noon/late evening record), Chris was joined in the studio by a variety of top musicians, including Kyle Fredrickson, Ben Lecourt, Fernando Perdomo, Joe Seiders and many others. According to Chris, “I spent the five years since my first solo album working on albums for two heroes of mine, Emitt Rhodes and Linda Perhacs. I never stopped writing and recording material of my own, and both of those incredibly inspiring and fulfilling projects ended up deeply informing my work, pushing me to think harder about my lyrics, become more adventurous in my production and never take the safe route musically. Nearly 50 songs were recorded for this project, and I went through an arduous and at times painful process whittling it all down to the form it is now in. I’m very proud of this work, which has been brewing for quite some time.” “As good as ‘Homesick’ was, the expansive, luminous pop and rock dotting ‘Stop Talking’ marks a quantum leap in songwriting and arranging for the musician.” – Blurtonline.com The record is a perfect introduction to understanding why Chris is such an in-demand producer and musician. Punctuated by stellar songwriting and playing, it all adds up to one of the best listening experiences you will have in 2017. Once you hear it, you will not be able to stop talking about “Stop Talking”! GREAT!!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Fear The Summer Price: $13.00 Artist: Colman Gota Description: The third release from Spanish popper Colman Gota! “Colman’s ‘Tape’ was one of the best albums of 2016. With Mitch Easter back in the engineer’s chair and a batch of new tunes, the bar had been raised even higher for his latest effort. With its distinctive vocals, pleasing harmonies, and catchy melodies, you’ll very likely come to the same conclusion as I did – that ‘Fear the Summer’ is his best work yet. Uplifting guitars contrast with a less than optimistic viewpoint, making for an engaging dichotomy on the opening title track. As engaging as this track is, things get even more interesting from here. ‘What Goes On In My Head’ grabs the listener’s attention immediately with its crunchy guitar opening and irresistible melody. And lyrically, I’m betting that the sentiments expressed here will resonate with many of us. The glass-half-empty perspective continues on ‘For a Reason’, the album’s only piano driven track. Both the piano and lyrical content are highlights here. The guitar jangle of ‘What You Want Me To Be’ is an example of the kind of ear-candy one might expect from anything recorded at Mitch Easter’s place. As satisfying as that song is, ‘Call It Quits’ instantly grabbed my attention. Anyone who loves good power pop and excellent songwriting will dig this track. It could be an anthem for creative people. One big hook from the opening guitar crunch to the closing fade out, ‘Call It Quits’ is 2:33 seconds of pure pop. His vocals are very expressive throughout the record. I’m not sure if the quality of his voice is closer to Tom Petty or Mark Knopfler, but there’s one thing I am sure of - you’re gonna hear a great deal more about ‘Fear the Summer’ as the season wears on.” – Rich Rossi/PowerPopNews.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Broken Biscuits + bonus disc Price: $14.00 Artist: Corin Ashley Description: In 2015, after a spell as the touring bass player for seminal chamber-pop band Cardinal, Corin set about recording the follow-up to 2013’s “New Lion Terraces”. Things were going along just swimmingly, with an inspiring collaboration with Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, Breeders, Belly) called "Wind Up Boy," and quick progress on a half dozen other tunes. He took occasional breaks from work on the album, flying to the UK to play bass/sing on ex-Boo Radleys’ Martin Carr's album “The Breaks”. In January of 2016, Corin suffered a stroke of the right parietal lobe that left him in the hospital for an extended stay, unable to move the fingers on his left hand and a paralyzed vocal cord. He suddenly found himself contemplating a very dark future, but after more than nine months of physical therapy, speech therapy, and vocal therapy, he eventually re-learned to play guitar and sing, and took the stage again at the end of 2016. “Broken Biscuits” stands as a firmly planted flag to guide future explorers who someday may find themselves navigating this difficult terrain. While he recovered, the collaborators that had worked on “NLT” pulled together to make progress on “Broken Biscuits”. Mix engineer Ducky Carlisle assembled templates of the new songs Corin was writing about his experience, just waiting for the time when he would be physically able to sing again. As his health improved, Corin flew to Memphis to record with Big Star drummer Jody Stephens at Ardent Studios. “On a cursory examination, most of the new album sounds like a McCartney-esque pastiche, there is much more to this, once one digs beneath the surface. In fact, the album is a heartfelt paean to the classic pop-rock of the 60’s/70’s and whilst the nods to Macca are obvious, there are enough references to other McCartney/Beatles acolytes (e.g. ELO, Badfinger, Pilot, XTC, etc) to keep things fresh.” – PowerOfPop.com “While his previous releases were more chamber/baroque-pop oriented, this has a more immediate appeal, as though he is seizing his new lease on life. The fairly raucous opener ‘Little Crumbles’ recalls McCartney in rock-and-roll mode, the delightful ‘Wind Up Boy’ is another upbeat pop treat and "In Appropriate Fashion" is straight-up power pop. But fans of the old Ashley have no need to fret either – ‘Magpie Over Citadel’, ‘Junior Partner’ and ‘Powder Your Face With Sunshine’ are pristine chamber pop numbers. A triumphant return, and one of 2017's best to date.” – Absolutepowerpoop.com Very McCartney-like throughout! COMES WITH AN EXCLUSIVE 3 TRACK BONUS DISC FEATURING “VULGAR STAIN” (A DUET WITH CLIFF HILLIS), “VULGAR STAIN” (ACOUSTIC DEMO), AND “WIND UP BOY” (STRINGS UP MIX – WITH TANYA DONELLY)! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Crybaby Price: $12.00 Artist: Danny de la Matyr Description: Long-awaited first solo album from Danny De La Matyr, former member of The Days and The Sheers that will immediately appeal to anyone who loves The Byrds and The Beatles (and who doesn’t?). “You can be forgiven if Danny de la Matyr's name doesn't sound familiar, but if you're a long-time reader of this site you might recall his band called The Sheers, who put out the fine ‘Goodbye World’ back in 2006/2007. We haven't heard much from him since, although he's worked with Rhett Miller, Jesse Malin and more recently Luther Russell, both solo and with Those Pretty Wrongs, Russell's project with Big Star's Jody Stephens. During all that time he was putting together his solo debut, and it was worth the time. After a couple of lovely, Elliott Smith-style tracks to open the album, things perk up with the slinky melody and staccato guitars of the title track, the power balladry of ‘How Can it Be?’ and the chiming power pop of ‘Lines’. Other standouts include the Beatle-esque Skeleton Key’, the rocking ‘Misfire’, and the anthemic piano pop of ‘Fade to Grey’. A solid disc from start to finish.” – AbsolutePowerPop.com Agreed! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none