Transatlantic Romantic Price: $14.00 Artist: Bill DeMain Description: “Bill DeMain's first full-length album is a delicious, wonderfully arranged song cycle stacked high with sweet, beautifully written and performed classic-sounding songs in the style of Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, and Harpers Bizarre. “It is as perfect a record as could be offered to earthlings in 2017. Built around Bill's piano and lovely vocals, and co-producer Jim Hoke's tasteful string and horn arrangements, which ought to get some kind of arranger's award (someone get on that right away), these songs will absolutely, positively stay with you for all eternity.) but there are others worthy of more than a mere mention. ‘Honey Bear’ is a lovely meeting of gold-standard influence, blending a distinct Randy Newman/Harry Nilsson vibe with Van Dyke Parks ambiance, pedal steel guitar, played by Jim Hoke, horns, and a sprinkling of Beach Boys’ style percussion. Written with Larry Goldings, this has standard written all over it. It’s beautiful. ‘Leroy Boy’ takes its cue from Todd Rundgren’s iconic ‘We Gotta Get You a Woman’ (Bill had originally thought to write a sequel to the song, but opted instead to wax poetic from personal experience). Rundgren fans will dig this easy-going number, which draws on the sound of Philadelphia soul; fans of Carole King will be similarly entranced. There’s a bit of a Steely Dan vibe in here, as well. There’s also a beautiful string arrangement topping the bill. You really couldn’t ask for anything more…or delicious. ‘Lemon Yellow’ is a lovely waltz blessed by Van Dyke Parks-meets-George Martin strings, Randy Newman-esque piano, and a charming story about the love of a car that came ‘all the way from Germany.’ The life of a boy growing up with the world snuggled up around him takes place in and around that lemon yellow automobile. Witness: true love, near yet far (‘I was too shy to kiss her’); driving through the summer sun with a cassette of Genesis's ‘Selling England by the Pound’ album playing; going off to college and missing the four wheels every day; and pledging affection despite some really rather tiny imperfections (‘If she was a little quirky/Water pooled beneath the seat/Wash me on a window dirty/And the dimples on fenders.’) You, as do I, will wish you had written this gem. The cinematic midtempo ballad ‘Brewster, Illinois (April 3rd, 1952)’ is a sweet musical snapshot of the day-to-day goings-on in a small town as the calendar pages turn and days turn into nights and nights turn back into days. The song was sparked when Bill was looking through newspapers from where he grew up in New Jersey. Charmed by the everyday events chronicled, he was moved to write this number, which builds to a bridge from which a measure of sunny-day town square-like bursts of ebullience emerge. It's a masterful creation. Honestly, this is the kind of album that hardly anyone makes anymore, which is a shame. In these often trying days, we search valiantly for some sunlight, for some melodies to hum to ourselves to cheer ourselves up. Bill DeMain's brilliant, heartfelt album (with nary a guitar present), bursting softly with charm to spare, ought to do the trick.” – Alan Haber/PurePopRadio.com TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIAL 2-FER OFFER – GET THIS AND BILL’S “EXTENDED STAY” EP FOR ONLY $18! IF PAYING BY CREDIT CARD, THIS SPECIAL PRICING WILL BE APPLIED AT THE TIME YOUR CARD IS CHARGED. PAYPAL PAYMENTS WILL BE REFUNDED ACCORDINGLY! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Extended Stay Price: $8.00 Artist: Bill DeMain Description: As one half of Swan Dive, Bill DeMain had already released nine acclaimed albums over the past decade and a half with his singing partner Molly Felder, enjoying great success in Japan, Thailand and Korea. In May 2010, a record-setting flood hit Nashville, filling the basement of Bill's condo with over five feet of water. Among his possessions washed away were year’s worth of personal journals and songwriting notebooks. "I write with a fountain pen, so the few waterlogged notebooks that I retrieved just looked like big Rorschach ink blots," he explains. Four months later, a cigarette butt thrown by a careless neighbour caused a fire that took out DeMain's entire home. "Between the flood and the fire, I lost about 80% of my stuff," he says. "I was actually home when the fire started, and did manage to escape with my 1937 Martin acoustic, my laptop and some clothes.” There followed thirteen months of what DeMain calls his "bohemian interlude." "Suddenly, I was living this transient life. I had very little in the way of material stuff." Renting various funky apartments and farm cottages around Nashville, he dealt with a host of oversized insects, mice, rats and even blood-sucking chicken mites. Thankfully, there was an upside to all this. "I wrote a lot of songs, and as the months went by and I was still in limbo waiting for my condo to be rebuilt, I knew I needed a project to take my mind off the whole affair of losing my home. So I thought, "Why not make a record?" Armed with his laptop, his Martin, a few mics and a borrowed analog synth, he started recording his first solo project. He invited friends to join him. He recorded some more. In all, he cut eighteen songs. But since it was his first solo project, he thought it would be better to keep things brief. "Six-song EPs always appeal to me," he states, "because if you get it right, you can make a strong, concise statement that hopefully leaves people wanting more." And on “Extended Stay”, he gets it right. From the moving autobiographical opener "Looking For A Place To Live" and the Paul Simon-meets-Beach Boys retro romp of "St. Joe's '75" through the sweet acoustic jangle of "Honeylove" to the swirling, Wings-like pop of "Common Love Song" and jaunty, Nilsson-esque "Rag- gedy Man," this EP moves through peaks and valleys, takes unexpected twists and turns, all while packing in melodic hooks for miles. Through it all, it feels like an intimate conversation with its author. He did eventually move back into his newly rebuilt condo, a long-awaited reunion. "Even though there was a lot about the experience of being displaced and losing my stuff that really sucked," he says, "I feel fortunate that I came through it all with my health and my friends. And I'm proud that I've got this EP that documents what was going on in my life during this very strange year. It should be subtitled 'My Year of Plagues,'" he says with a chuckle. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIAL 2-FER OFFER – GET THIS AND BILL’S “TRANSATLANTIC ROMANTIC” CD FOR ONLY $18! IF PAYING BY CREDIT CARD, THIS SPECIAL PRICING WILL BE APPLIED AT THE TIME YOUR CARD IS CHARGED. PAYPAL PAYMENTS WILL BE REFUNDED ACCORDINGLY! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Black Sky Thinking + bonus disc Price: $15.00 Artist: Captain Wilberforce Description: BRAND NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL! It’s been a while – six years in fact – but Captain Wilberforce is back with a new album, his Kool Kat debut, and a permanent line-up. Simon Bristoll (The Captain) has a reputation for creating songs with compelling melodies, cascading harmonies and crafted lyrics, and this album is no different. He was influenced by classic songwriters like Joe Jackson, Ray Davies and Squeeze – as well as their more contemporary counterparts such as Jim O’Rourke, Ryan Adams and Guy Garvey – in putting together the songs on the new album. He’s taken these influences and turned out a set of well-crafted pop - timeless, cultured tunes that ear-worm their way into your life. In a change from previous albums, on which different local musicians were used, Captain Wilberforce now has a new permanent line up – joining Simon (vocals/guitars) are Carl Banks (drums), Rob Simpson (guitars) and Massimiliano Borghesi (bass/vocals). “Here’s a great example of a band that should be far bigger than they are. There are so many Neil Finn and Crowded House fans around and you wonder why they are not also buying Captain Wilberforce too. On album ‘Black Sky Thinking’, Bristoll has lost none of his songwriting excellence. The album is a perfect example of how great pop should be made. There seems a little more of a mellow feel on songs like ‘Couples’ and ‘You Can't Have Me’ which ramp up the Finn comparisons, there's a particularly great piano accompaniment on the latter. ‘King Of Decision’ is McCartney Beatles pop of the highest order. There are hints of Psych Pop too, especially on the opener, the splendid, ‘The Johnny Depp Memorial Café’. ‘Stickleback Toffee’ could be a soundtrack to those old Saturday morning cartoons. The closing title track is pure psych and reveals a side of the band that I love, pre-60’s Strawberry Psych. ‘Black Sky Thinking’ sounds much more like a band album than previous albums which you sense have been Simon Bristoll and others. The 12 songs make up a proper album, none of this download one song rubbish. If there is any justice in the world, this album will be massive. This is one of the most pleasant listens that I've had in a long while. I expected nothing less.” – IDontHearASingle.com COMES WITH AN EXCLUSIVE 5-SONG BONUS EP OF TWO SONGS RECORDED ON BBC RADIO 2 (INCLUDING A COVER OF THE JAYHAWKS’ “BLUE”), AND THREE FROM EAST LEEDS FM. GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Diamond Hands Price: $10.00 Artist: Diamond Hands Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT KAT LABEL! Previously only available on vinyl! Diamond Hands is the nom de plume of the L.A. duo of Jon Flynn and Joel Wall. And let it be known, these two popsters have an uncanny knack for a never-ending barrage of earworm melodies and retro-influenced instrumentation all in under 3 minutes! “By far, it seems one of the biggest releases I missed in 2016 was this album. ‘Not The Same’ brings the jangle and hook to the front and the follow up ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ is even better with its Beatlesque chorus and tight harmonies. They break out the cowbell for the Raspberries-like ‘See You Again,’ even though lyrically its very basic. So many highlights here, ‘Just Another Day’ brings back the Rickenbacker and the rolling piano on “Come Home” is like ‘RAM’-era McCartney. All killer – no filler here. Had I been aware sooner, it would’ve been wedged into my top ten of 2016!” – Powerpopaholic.com “Diamond Hands perform a brand of sugary pop that always goes down well in these circles. Jingle jangle with great harmonies, it has all the melodic hooks you need and shows power pop is still music that’s beloved of the young.” – IDontHearASingle.com GREAT!!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Sub Textural Price: $8.00 Artist: Jamie & Steve Description: Brand new, 6-song effort from Spongtoners Jamie Hoover and Steve Stoeckel! The boys explain “A good friend of ours once said about making music: ‘You don’t drive the train, you ride it’. We believe this to be perfectly true. One common thread on all of the music we’ve ever done is that we were simply channeling, doing what we were driven to do. The tunes on this record were created over a period of several years, in different situations, and in different states of mind. The connections were the music, and we two. As a final thought, we decided to connect all of these with bits of Morse code to unite them – something that was not decided at the start, but at the end. And there is one more connection appearing yet again on this, our fifth record together: Issa Ibrahim our beloved brother in creativity. Just as we strive to turn ideas into song, Issa turns songs into images, pictures that hint at the music inside the covers he paints. The thread. The connection. And the train.” And, another great effort from this brotherly duo! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Incognito Price: $15.00 Artist: Richard X. Heyman Description: Richard X. Heyman is back with his 12th album, this one featuring an outstanding batch of 14 must-hear original songs. It is an album that grabs the listener on first listen, with literate tales that are melodic, adorned with shimmering harmonies and infectious guitar-anchored hooks that outdistance the majority of his power pop contemporaries. In a better world, the title track, "A Fool's Errand" and "Her Garden Path" would be all over the radio. He has the ability to conjure up firepower to spare, as evidenced by the driving "Chalk It Up" and soulful "Terry Two Timer." And his skills to create and craft wistful songs bolstered by melodic rock are as strong as any pop artist. “Richard X. Heyman’s music has been a steady presence during the 22-year history of Pure Pop Radio. I picked up on Richard's wonderful songs just prior to the release of ‘Cornerstone’, his third album. The Spongtones' Jamie Hoover suggested I contact Richard's wife, Nancy, who began sending me cassettes of the work-in-progress. Nine albums later, ‘Incognito’ arrives, and it’s his best work by far. It is hard to fathom exactly what drives an artist to produce such good work so far into his career, other than the simple desire to create and the presence of a never-depleting well of inspiration and innate talent. It is evident at every step that ‘Incognito’'s 14 songs are proof positive that Richard's mission has been and continues to be fulfilled. Dazzling songs and equally dazzling performances greet you at every turn. In the pure popper ‘A Fool's Errand,’ the narrator tells the world that his love for his partner is solid and for the ages. ‘Her Garden Path’ is a muscular track with a grandly attractive riff that chronicles a man's escape from a woman's web. And the horn-infused, soulful pop number, ‘So What’ finds him sounding as though he's channeling the Rascals' Felix Cavaliere. Both Richard’s playing and this record are stellar, a monumental achievement from an artist who never disappoints.” – Alan Haber/PurePopRadio.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Bob Of The Pops Vol. 1 Price: $5.00 Artist: Robyn Gibson Description: JUNIPERS ALERT!! A very kool album of covers from Robyn Gibson, a member of The Junipers. He performed all parts on this particular project. Sneaking in recording sessions after his main band was done work for the day, he took five years putting together this amazing collection of covers. The range is spectacular, from rare to well known choices covering 60’s up to the 90’s. His formula is simple: take catchy tunes and apply his unerring talent for recreating a jangly 60’s British pop rock sound. “I don't know what it is about the city of Leicester, but it seems to produce jingle jangle bands of the highest order. I've always been a fan of Diesel Park West and The Junipers are in the same mould. If you've never heard of them, you should chastise yourself and head off and grab their two albums. This album is as jangly as you'd expect from Mr. Juniper, but the song selection is inspired. I'm particularly glad to see the presence of Nick Heyward's’ He Doesn't Love You Like I Do’, an underrated gem from an underrated album. Elsewhere, you'd expect to see some Teenage Fanclub, but not necessarily ‘Slow Fade’ and ‘Did I Say’. The nod to power pop is there with Kirsty MacColl’s ‘They Don't Know’ and the obligatory Lennon and McCartney (‘Nowhere Man’). It's also fantastic to hear The Dentists and Wire's ‘Outdoor Miner’ and Honeybus's ‘How Long’ is something that I don't recall being performed too often. The influences build up with The Rutles' ‘With A Girl Like You’. The Springfields' ‘Island Of Dreams’ is better than the original and there's even the theme tune to ‘Laverne and Shirley’. There's even one of Gibson's own songs to round things off. The spoof ‘Top Of The Pops’ album cover is inspired, not the usual suggestive female pose and I definitely want one of those cardigans.” – Idonthearasingle.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Bob Of The Pops Vol. 2 Price: $5.00 Artist: Robyn Gibson Description: Well ravers, here's the second of Robyn’s "Bob of the Pops" albums! The album was recorded from January to May, 2017 at the sofa studio in Leicester and at the Junipers’ studio, while the band weren’t watching. You want to be shot so high you'll hit the moon? Then take this album, listen, and jump, jump, jump, higher and higher to the swinging yet warped beats of the ham-fisted facsimiles of these explosive top pop tunes! It’s a trouser-it-to-me fab album for all Groovies from Western Park to Highfields! You’ll jump and twist and kick and shout and scream and writhe and struggle to escape from the first track to the last. Once again we are sure you, all of you - Hippies and Yippies and Skinheads; Schoolkids and switched-on Mums and Dads will help to make this fabulous album a high-stepper in the Hits Parade; for this L.P. will electrify you, anaesthetise you and your neighbors, then send you way, way up in space! Track listining: “Call Me Number One” (The Tremeloes), “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (The Monkees), “There’s A Place” (The Beatles), “She Dazzled Me With Basil” (The Dentists), “I’ve Been Waiting” (Matthew Sweet), “Queen Of Eyes” (The Soft Boys), “Vanishing Girl” (The Dukes Of Stratosphear), “Circles” (The Who), “Useless Information” (The Move), “Yes It’s True” (Flamin’ Groovies), “5D (Fifth Dimension)” (The Byrds), “I Should Have Never Let You” (Matthew Sweet), and “Bitter End” (Felt)! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Matchless Gifts 2006-2016 + bonus disc Price: $15.00 Artist: Son Of Skooshny Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT MUSIK LABEL! Contrary to popular rock'n'roll belief, flash isn't everything. It's quite conceivable that no band in rock's hoary history was less flashy, more self-effacing than Skooshny. The name itself, widely disliked even by the band's strongest supporters, is Russian for "boring". Skooshny was Mark Breyer (vocals, guitar), Bruce Wagner (guitar, keyboards, vocals), and David Winogrond (drums). Among other contributors were Beach Boys engineer Jeff Peters and keyboardist Michael Meros, Eagles keyboardist Michael Thompson, and acclaimed singer/songwriter Michael Penn. This modest band, with its equally modest official recorded output, consistently produced music of rare quality, featuring spectral harmonies, labyrinthine song structures, and playful, literate lyrics that transcended the low-budget productions to which they were constrained to resort. The Sunday Times of London praised one of Skooshny’s albums, calling it "an irresistible era-defying classic." MOJO gushed "...that rarest of breeds, an album that sounds totally self-contained and complete...pain, heartache and loss never sounded so gorgeous!” Son of Skooshny is a spin-off featuring Skooshny frontman Mark Breyer with producer–collaborators Steve Refling, Jeff Peters, and Arthur Schlenger. From 2006-2016, Mark and mates released a series of digital-only EPs that many Skooshny fans were probably not even aware of and are compiled here. “Mark Breyer is one of the best underrated rock tunesmiths and lyricists of the past four decades, keeping the literate jangle rock flame burning as strongly as any songwriter is these days. Richly tuneful, jangly, anthemic, deviously lyrical rock. Both lyrically and musically, this is a genuinely amazing album." — New York Music Daily COMES WITH AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC CONTAINING 5 MORE TRACKS NOT FOUND ON THE FULL-LENGTH RELEASE! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Broken Circle Price: $14.00 Artist: The Greek Theatre Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT MUSIK LABEL! The second album by Sweden’s premier West Coast psych act. Their debut, "Lost Out At Sea”, was a gem and took many people by surprise with its quality. Their new album is the sequel of sorts but goes much deeper into full-on psychedelia yet retains - and even improves on - their excellent songwriting. While a lot of modern psych bands adhere to trance like Floydian space rock it is a rare thing to find an album like this of song based psychedelia. “This is psychedelia of the highest order. Laid back, bordering on folk and prog, proper psych. Those gentle vocals weave into the pastoral background, this is real chill out stuff. These guys are streets ahead of any of the psychedelic pretenders. Don't expect to rock out. You need to allocate time to listen to ‘Broken Circle’ all the way through. It's hard to pick out favourite tracks from something put together so lovingly – it feels like a complete piece.” – Idonthearasingle.com “I’m always hesitant to throw around terms like ‘instant classic’, but this certainly fits the bill. Kicking off with the wonderfully titled ‘Fat Apple (at About Noon)’, it really sets the stage for this beautiful record. For the initiated fan, within the first 30 seconds you will recognize that you are in familiar territory and in for a real treat. Indeed, this is unmistakably The Greek Theatre that we know and love, a duo who have somehow managed to create a stunningly unique sound that I've not heard any contemporary band match. The guitar work is even better than ever, and that is saying something. As with all of their songs, there is a tremendous amount of depth and texture to the music. There is quite a bit going on, which is evident when you carefully listen to and study each track and realize how it somehow all blends together so seamlessly. This is psychedelic music at its very finest, with some wonderful folk, country, and even progressive rock elements as well. Do yourself a favour and dispense with genres, labels, and any preconceived notions, as there is really no way to pigeon-hole their sound. Just close your eyes and allow the music to take you to that special place that only music can do. The pacing of this record is brilliant, incorporating all sorts of instruments and arrangements, and takes you on a truly majestic flight. The trademark Greek Theatre vocals are firmly in place throughout, buoyed by some outstanding interwoven guitar work.” – TheActiveListener.com “To me, their sound is Pink Floyd as filtered through a Harpers Bizarre lens. There is atmosphere to spare in these songs, with some of them sounding like they could have been on just about any mid- to late-period Floyd record, which is to say they work in that forum. The song "’Stray Dog Blues’ is very Harpers Bizarre-like with a bit of Van Dyke Parks seasoning (and has an early Floyd-ish title). An engaging listen for sure.” – Alan Haber/Pure Pop Radio GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none