Amoeba Teen Price: $13.00 Artist: Amoeba Teen Description: The terrific followup to 2019’s “Medium Wave”, “Amoeba Teen” contains 10 new tracks, all bristling with energy and discovery as the band charts new territory with all their keen Britpop instincts on full display. The band explain the process and their thinking behind the record - “This album is the first one where we’ve recorded live as a four-piece, capturing the energy of the band are famed for. It was a real band effort to capture the live performance and shape the subsequent arrangements and vocal harmonies.” The intentional collision of the live sound and the diversity of the new material lends both immediacy and cohesion to the exploration of new textures. There's a strong thread of gleeful glam rock running through the album, from the lead track “Mainstream” to the driving “Barlight Crawl”. It's even evident on the swaggering instrumental passage that breaks up the melancholy of “Putting The Kids Through College,” and it rears up again in the closing “King Of The Cut” - a stomping tune tinged by the tones of Crazy Horse and Teenage Fanclub at their heaviest. There's a palpable joy in the way the band dive into fresh idioms while sounding exactly like themselves: the rootsy twang of “January”. Likewise the near-'50s balladry of “A Good Reason Why” and the Zombies-like shuffle “Melody Told You” fit the band like a second skin. Sonically, melodically, lyrically, and thematically, the album raises the band’s bar and is intended to be worth the wait fans have had to endure. Their best yet…by a mile!! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Episodes Price: $18.00 Artist: Bart Davenport Description: Bart Davenport might be a multitude of things, depending on whom you ask. He's been a Mod, a blues singer, and a soft rock troubadour. He's an eclectic singer songwriter with the timeless voice of a real crooner. He lives and creates music in Los Angeles. Smooth and yet curiously pointed, his work transports you to an imagined past or present filled with romantic odes and enigmatic characters. His stories are often a reflection of now, taking place in a fantasy world but conveying personal and universal truths. Returning to acoustic guitars and 60’s baroque pop tones, he takes us on an exclusive tour of colorful stories, both comic and tragic. On his eighth album, the evocative material provides both an escape from and an unusual commentary on turbulent times. From digital antagonists in "Holograms" to waltzing oligarchs in "Billionaires" to an enigmatic nudist in "Naked Man", many offbeat characters populate the funny little world within Davenport's verses. His vocals are distinctively smooth at times, while at others, a slightly cheeky, more dramatic baritone takes over. His patented happy/sad sensibility remains along with the occasional jazz chord. While the record features Bart on multiple instruments, he did not go it alone. Several guest musicians were crucial to the production. Drummer Graeme Gibson's casual feel graces several tracks, notably the Kinksy "It's You". The samba-tinged "Easy Listeners" has that tropical flavor Bart’s been known to dabble in, this time aided by impeccable percussionist Andres Renteria (Jose Gonzales, Rodrigo Amarante). Meanwhile, the Turkish psych-inspired "Strange Animal" showcases futuristic organ riffing by Aaron M. Olson (L.A. Takedown). Other longtime bandmates, Jessica Espeleta (bass) and Wayne Faler (lead guitar), both make appearances. Perhaps the standout track of the album is its quietest - the Brit-folk-styled "Alice Arrives”, where his autumnal vocal and guitar are adeptly accompanied by Dina Maccabee's original string arrangement, which morphs from earnest baroque to playful modern and back again. This along with the heavier, orchestral sound of "Billionaires" adds a touch of hi-fi to an otherwise homemade album. GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

66/68 Price: $12.00 Artist: Bart Mendoza Description: A very cool EP of covers from Bart! “Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of lending an ear to the music Bart Mendoza has created for these many years - with well-loved combos such as Manual Scan, The Shambles or True Stories, among others- knows of his affinity for a good cover song. I've had the distinct delight of witnessing Bart in a live setting performing songs by everyone from The Rutles and Iron Butterfly to UK mod-popsters Squire and the ‘Spanish Beatles’ Los Brincos, and he knocks them all out of the park with precision and stunning regularity. “66/68" finds him (with a little help from his friends) taking of a basket of well-loved tunes originally performed for the Stone Poneys (‘Different Drum’ Linda Ronstadt by way of Michael Nesmith), the Turtles (‘Happy Together’), the Zombies (‘Beechwood Park‘) and soul man Bobby Hebb (‘Sunny’). They're 60’s classics with that special Mendoza twist: reverent and true to the originals, sure, but anything but carbon copies. It's the sound of a talented singer/songwriter paying tribute to some of the heavenly pop hits that inspired him. Dig in and dig it" – John Borack GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

The Domino Effect Price: $15.00 Artist: Bob Burger Description: In case you’re not aware, Bob Burger is a founding member of New Jersey’s The Weeklings. “The Domino Effect” is his latest (and fifth overall) solo outing. Handling vocal, guitars, bass, keys and loop chores, he is joined on the record by a host of NY/NJ musicians including Jimmy Leahey (electric guitar), Jerry Gaskill (drums), Lisa Sherman (background vocals), Arne Wendt (keyboards). John Merjave (guitars) and Plink Giglio (keyboards). “’The Domino Effect’ files in as a stone-cold testimony to his passion and comprehension of prescriptive pop rock, especially of the late 70’s/early ’80’s ilk. Equipped with a melodic rasp situated in the vein of both Don Henley and Tom Petty, Burger conveys his attentively crafted material in a spirited and coherent manner. Staying in form with the music, the lyrics – which reveal a psychological awareness often laced with humor – are direct and bleed with worldwide allure. Powered by virile vocals, creative arrangements and skintight instrumentation, the record harks back to the days when every song on an album exerted serviceable qualities.” – Beverly Paterson “This record shares some of the same qualities as The Weeklings although its sound is a bit more eclectic. You’ll still hear the British Invasion in much of what he does. That said, there is a significant earthier, Tom Petty influence in his solo work. At times I’m also reminded of the 90’s version of The Knack and for a moment, even Steve Pearson and The Heats. All in all, it makes for some great listening. ‘The Suicide King’ opens things up and is an example of the album’s overriding theme – the way in which one decision can send us in a direction and shape our destiny. ‘Even If You Don’t’ is as catchy a slice of pop as you’ll hear this year. When you take on a subject that’s been written about ad nauseam over the years, you’d better make it special. With ‘Merely Beautiful’, Bob does exactly that. The melody is infectious. My favorite song however, may be ‘Pain In The Ass’. Thematically reminiscent of The Heats’ classic ‘I Don’t Like Your Face’, it's lyrically on point and Burger’s vocal delivery is perfect.” – Rich Rossi/PowerPopNews.com EXCELLENT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Our Life Price: $12.00 Artist: Cherrystone Description: YES!! Like a dog with a bone, we’ve still not let go of the Cupid’s Carnival CD, but that’s only inspired us more to go and grab copies of this 2002 effort when Thomas Gray and Roland Skilton recorded as Cherrystone. Not to worry folks, all of the elements found in Cupid’s Carnival music are also on display here! “Fine Beatlesque EP from this London band (not to be confused with the plurally named Cherrystones). And when I say Beatlesque, I mean really Beatlesque!” – Absolutepowerpop.com “Fourteen years between releases, and these guys truly have stayed the course, creating instant classics that hearken back to that golden period of 60’s British pop music! A no-brainer for sure.” – Max Humphries GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Best Of 1972-1980 Price: $16.00 Artist: Chris Rainbow Description: Chris Rainbow never quite made it into the charts during the 70’s, though he got quite a bit of radio play, especially from the creative UK DJ Kenny Everett. Chris is probably best known for (a) his outstanding vocal contributions to various albums by Camel and the Alan Parsons Project, and (b) his work as a producer, most notably with Runrig. But he produced three albums of superlative summer-feeling pop in the 70’s that have become cult items among fans of AOR and pop music - “Home of the Brave” (1975), “Looking Over My Shoulder” (1977) and “White Trails” (1978). “Like the work of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys (his primary influence) many of these songs celebrate places, feeling good, or the search for some ideal (like ‘the perfect wave’ or ‘following the white trails of planes’ on ‘Bluebird’). But what really made them stand out is the melodic strength and (most of all) complex vocal harmonic arrangements that stand comparison with Brian Wilson himself. Rainbow identified the important elements of Wilson's style, such as the ‘never ending’ cyclical fade-outs on such tracks as ‘Till I Die’ from ‘Surf's Up’, and then built on them.” – John Abbott “This collection reveals his sound and style to be high-production, harmony-oriented pop in the vein of the Beach Boys and Electric Light Orchestra. Some of the bright spots are ‘All Night’ which throws out hooks and percolating vocal harmonies at breakneck speed, and ‘Bluebird’ is a soothing ballad that glides forwards on a thick cushion of lush vocal harmonies and silky keyboard textures.” – AllMusic.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

The Paisley Garden Project Price: $14.00 Artist: Chuck Yoakum Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! Recorded in 2018, but with its heart clearly in 1966-68 England, Chuck Yoakum’s (The Raves) “The Paisley Garden Project” is an homage to that era’s time of “out of the box” creativity. Chuck explains “I have always loved the pop music of the 1966-1968 era, when songs began to add horns and orchestras, sound effects, sitars and backwards masking to the standard rock band sound along with lyrics that expanded beyond the Tin Pan Alley and Brill Building themes. I saw ‘The Paisley Garden Project’ as an opportunity to make my own album like that. Classic albums from that era also demanded to be heard all the way through without interruption. That the kind of ‘immersive listening’ has long since been replaced by user-created playlists that lessen the impact of an album as a whole. This record is meant for the ‘immersive listening experience’... uninterrupted intentional listening as opposed to a background for other activity. Turn off your phone, put out the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and listen straight through.” “Chuck is on point with his ‘immersive listening’ theory. ‘The Paisley Garden Project’ recalls period albums like The Pretty Things’ ‘Parachute’, The Beatles ‘Sgt Pepper’, The Kinks’ “Village Green Preservation Society’ and The Who’s ‘Tommy’, where there were certainly were singles to be extracted, but there was either an intentional theme or certainly a ‘flow’ that the artists set out to achieve that required listening to the record as ‘a whole’. Chuck Yoakum has succeeded in capturing the essence of both the (especially British) period and the listening experience with a very impressive effort! Well done lad!” – Max Humphries GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Julee Price: $14.00 Artist: Dave Cope and the Sass Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! “Julee” is an amalgam of various recordings completed by Philadelphia’s Dave Cope and the Sass over a decade ago. The bulk of the playlist consists of songs from Cope’s 2013 low-key, digital-only release “A Proper Record” with a few tracks removed and replaced with other songs Cope had written and recorded between 2008 and 2012. The result is a product that goes above and beyond the original scope and incarnation of its modes of presentation. It is a solid melodic effort, at times hard rocking, at times sweet and mellow, a loving tribute to the catchy mid 60s British Invasion power pop of the Beatles, The Kinks, The Small Faces and The Move. The core personnel for the album include Dave Cope on vocals, guitars, keys and string arrangements, Bart Michael on lead guitar, Ethan Rider on bass and Steve Fulton on drums. “Lost With You” is a tribute to Dave’s late father, and the English Music Hall sounds his father grew up with in 1940’s England. Another spiritual influence for the project was George Harrison,whose film biography, “Living In The Material World” had just been released in 2011. Harrison’s musical presence is most ardently felt in the Indian music influenced acoustic lullaby “On A Day Like Today”. “On ‘Julee’, Dave Cope has hit on all cylinders, creating an album that fans of the likes of The Grip Weeds and The Merry Go Round will eat up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check out the chorus of the title song and tell me you’re not blown away - I won’t believe you!” – David Bash/IPO GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Happy Ever After Price: $13.00 Artist: Dave Scarbrough Description: “Do I look for another stressful job right now or should I relax, meditate, and think about where my head and my soul really want to go?" Dave Scarbrough asked himself in early 2021. The answer became “Happy Ever After”. If you like the latest Elvis Costello record, you’ll love this one! Dave’s been writing and recording since he was in middle school. But this project was/is the first to really go the distance and incorporate the best musicians he could find – not just in his native Sioux Falls,SD but worldwide – to make this album truly magical and something he felt was worthy to throw into the giant hat of thousands upon thousands of other artists who have put the same amount of effort into their releases. “Scarbrough’s debut hits the sweet spot right away on the rocker ‘Catherine.’ He’s a power-pop fan with influences from The Raspberries and Cheap Trick, to The Cars and Squeeze. And collecting these gems is a true labor of love for the genre. But what Dave does is make these songs work, ‘Take My Hand’ is a brilliant rocker, ‘Wachet Auf’ has great melodic chord shifts and his vocal is both strong and sincere. The title track is just as strong, with a sticky rhythm, and builds the narrative carefully with layered strings full of emotion. ‘As Far As I Know’ bounces along with confidence similar to Elvis Costello, the album’s first half is so strong, that the ballad ‘The Coming Good’ is when we coast a bit — but not for long. The second half picks up with ‘Runaround’ and the jangling ‘Hilary’ and doesn’t let up. This is an album that needs to be heard and savored. Makes my Top 10 list for 2022, and is the best debut I’ve heard this year so far.” – Powerpopaholic.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Not Quite The American Dream Price: $15.00 Artist: Diesel Park West Description: What a long, strange trip it’s been! Thirty-three years after their debut album “Shakespeare Alabama” introduced Diesel Park West to the world, they’re back with “Not Quite the American Dream”, their first since 2019’s “Let It Melt”, finds the band in top form. It sends a clear message that Diesel Park West is not only alive and kicking but thriving. “Why are we still here?” asks John Butler, leader, songwriter and only member to have stayed the course since they formed in 1980 as The Filberts. “I’m still driven by the desire to write and you know what? It gets easier. We’ll turn up at rehearsal, wired, knackered and pissed off but when we start playing, within a few minutes it feels like we’re the greatest band in the world. That’s why we’re still here!” “Let It Melt” was a reminder of DPW’s core strengths: classic songwriting in the rich vein of Moby Grape, Buffalo Springfield, Gene Clark and the Byrds, underpinned by a love for ferocious, Rolling Stones-inpsired rock’n’roll and a knack for socially conscious lyrics. Butler, already a master craftsman, ups his game a notch further by delivering twelve solidly memorable, hook laden songs. The COVID pandemic brought restrictions to the recording process forcing John to emerge as the primary guitarist in a band that once featured no less than three. The record was recorded in the UK but was finished in, of all places, Texas. That’s where long-time Dallas musician/producers Salim Nourallah and John Dufilho (Deathray Davies/Apples in Stereo) completed tracking and mixing. Despite the band’s ties to the US influence-wise, the new record is quintessentially British, with its Leicester street scene cover and socially conscious songs. “Secondary Modern Man” is perhaps one of Butler’s most telling ruminations, and also the best Kinks song Ray Davies never wrote. His autobiographical take on the postwar British education system bobs along to an ebullient melody and rollicking drumbeat. GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none