Caught By Light Price: $12.00 Artist: Armchair Oracles Description: Norway’s Armchair Oracles’ third long-player (and Kool Kat Musik label debut) is a flat-out stunner! But don’t just take our word for it! "They trade in classic 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, Big Star and Love!" – David Bash/IPO “Songs that are drawn in bewitching colors, doused with the spirit of decades of classic guitar pop and seasoned by Norway's quartet of the moment, ‘Caught by Light’ jumps to the front flank of 2019's finest releases. Twisting and turning in and around the essence of bands such as Badfinger and Teenage Fanclub, they roll out a virtual guide to being safe and at home in this life. Their finely crafted songs reach out and touch the sounds of the 70’s and 80’s, while also hugging contemporary sensibilities. The breathtakingly beautiful ‘Don't Let It Break You,’ a muscular power ballad with soft shoulders, sings a song of hope and guidance. ‘Several Stories’ tells a melodic tale of someone who understands how to rebound from a fall from grace. Songs such as the provocatively titled ‘She Gets Me High,’ a concise, crafted-with-care ballad about the narrator's safe place continues the listener's journey through an invigorating program of melodically-sewn musical life lessons. They have brought some welcome light into this life - extremely catchy earworms that at times drift atop gorgeous melodies and beautifully-realized arrangements. Great album. Unmissable. I heart Armchair Oracles, and you will too.” - Alan Haber/Pure Pop Radio High praise indeed! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Footnote Price: $8.00 Artist: Cloud Eleven Description: The master of gorgeous sonic landscapes is back!! “Footnote” is the new album by Cloud Eleven. “I guess you could say it's another dose of mid-fi, bedroom-psych-pop. I did everything myself on this one, only because I could. Footnote doesn't sound like a big studio production because it's not. It sounds like it was recorded at home in a spare bedroom with minimal acoustics, and that suits me fine. Cloud Eleven rarely perform live in concert. Cloud Eleven don't have hit records or a fan club. Cloud Eleven doesn't rock, and probably doesn't even roll. Cloud Eleven aren't hip or cool. Cloud Eleven doesn't make beats, but some of the lyrics do rhyme. Cloud Eleven have never been a buzz band of the month. Cloud Eleven records can't be found in most record stores, and rarely ever sell out of their first pressings. Cloud Eleven will most likely be remembered as a Footnote in musical history, and that's okay. I don't view the things above as negative, because Cloud Eleven is what it is. Cloud Eleven is my life's work and it's who I am as an artist. I make music for myself first, and if other people dig it, that's great. So, if you enjoy music that is gentle, melodic, poetic, psychedelic with a dash of melancholy and lots of harmonies, ‘Footnote’ might be your thing. ‘Footnote’ is my thing, and I stand by it. They way I see it, Cloud Eleven rules!” – Rick Gallego/Cloud Eleven You’re being way too modest Rick! Keep doing what you’re doing, because the true pop fans will always dig it!!! We’ll take a new Cloud Eleven release any day! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Scorpio Monologue Price: $12.00 Artist: David Brookings & the Average Lookings Description: David Brookings has been a part of the indie pop scene since releasing his first record in 2000 at the tender age of 21. “While David Brooking’s catalog contains several fine albums, ‘Scorpio Monologue’ stands head and shoulders above the rest. It deftly mixes his boyish voice with an often-powerful instrumental attack - a bit more ‘rock’ in places without any of the stereotypical wanking that term implies. This vibe is on full display on the leadoff cut, ‘And it Feels Like…’, which marries a jangly lead guitar riff to some insistent drums and a smokin’ lead guitar break. His cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Girl From the North Country’ features more tasty, fluid lead guitar lines. David also channels his inner Chuck Berry on the pop-rockin’ raver ‘[She’s Mad at Me Again,’ while ‘That Girl’s Not Right’ gets its juice from some almost surf-styled guitar. Elsewhere: ‘I Grew Up Fast’ is pure power pop perfection; ‘Time Takes You By’ is very nearly a power ballad without any of the stereotypical ickiness that term implies; ‘Big Gun’ miscasts him as badass, albeit with a memorable melody attached; and the hilarious ‘Silicon Valley’ lampoons the denizens of that Northern California area in the most melodically pleasant manner possible. (‘Mortgages are outrageous/Don’t go to Oakland, it’s dangerous…People get in a panic/if you don’t eat organic.’) Brimming with many charms, ‘Scorpio Monologue’ is certain to occupy a place on my year-end top 10 list. Grade: A.” – John Borack/Goldmine Magazine GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Pulling Out All The Stops Price: $11.00 Artist: Geoff Palmer Description: As a member of The Connection, New Trocaderos, and The Kurt Baker Band Geoff has co-written, written and performed on 10+ songs dubbed “Coolest Song in the World” on Little Steven’s Sirius/XM “Underground Garage” channel. What can be said about Geoff that has not already been said, done, or sung about? Growing up in Portsmouth NH, during his teen years he spent many days hanging around the legendary punk hangout, coffee house/club The Elvis Room. He’d already formed many a band during his time there which lead to The Guts, a world-class pop punk band that has toured the world and released some highly regarded classics ranking up there with many influential Lookout Records artists like The Queers, Groovie Ghoulies, The Hi-Fives, The Mr. T-Experience, Screeching Weasel, and even Green Day. Geoff, along with fellow members of The Guts can also be heard playing on The Queers’ releases ‘Everything’s OK’ and ‘Punk Rock Confidential.’ He’s also toured, recorded and done stints with fellow punk rock alumni The Nobodys and the crowned prince of power-pop Kurt Baker. He met fellow Portsmouth native Brad Marino in 2011, and together the duo became the founding members, song writing team, vocalists and guitarists of The Connection. Today, he steps front and center with his songs, delivering an album filled with pop punk anthems for a new tomorrow (or today). What you have is all the stuff and more, songs you can relate to, songs you will want to sing along to, songs you can chew gum to and never forget a single lyric or guitar hook. It’s bubblegum-drenched punk rock at its finest with brand new hits like ‘Velcro Shoes,’ ‘Everything Is Cool,’ and ‘This One’s Gonna Be Hot.’ Come on and chew along to this for a while, you know you want to. “Are you ready for some classic pop-punk goodness? Check out ‘This One’s Gonna Be Hot.’ The Connection singer/guitarist delivers all the goods with ‘an instant party starter’ that’s way too catchy for its own good.” – PunkRockTheory.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Bloody Rubbish (The Best & Some of the Rest) Price: $13.00 Artist: Ray Paul Description: “IT'S ROCK. IT'S ROLL. IT'S POWER. IT'S POP. WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, THIS COLLECTION ROCKS!” It’s taken nearly 40 years, but Ray Paul has literally come full circle with his Kool Kat Musik label debut. You see, we’ve known each other for that long – first as me being a fan – from ordering his records directly from him when he was in Boston, as a radio DJ in 1983 spinning his records on my “Off The Beaten Track” show, eventually meeting face-to-face and crossing paths in the “biz” back in the late 80’s, to helping him promote releases on his Permanent Press label since the inception of Kool Kat Mailorder in 1999…so it seemed inevitable, right? The collection finds him returning fresh off his critically acclaimed 2016 album "Whimsicality" with a rockin' collection spanning the years 1977-2017. The disc features three previously unreleased tracks (two of which are live recordings by the current Ray Paul & RPM band recorded in 2017) and one studio track from 1977, along with remastered A & B sides of his early singles, featuring Ray’s fiery, visceral brand of original, rockin' Beatle-esque power pop. In 2018, his "Whimsicality" album was named one of the "200 Greatest Power Pop Albums 1970-2017," in the critic John Borack’s recent book "Shake Some Action 2.0: An Updated Guide To The 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums 1970-2017". Among the guests present here are Terry Draper (Klaatu), along with Kurt Reil and Kristen Pinell Reil (The Grip Weeds). "Never underestimate the power of an Anglophile in love. Ray Paul’s love of The Beatles and the mid-60's British Invasion has powered his own pop music for decades, generating an ongoing rock'n'roll love letter to all things Fab. ‘Bloody Rubbish….” serves up a collection of oldies (and newies) through this ever-changing world in which we live in today. Raise those flags, the stars and stripes and the Union Jack alike - Fave Rave invasions are FUN!” - Carl Cafarelli/This Is Rock'n'Roll Radio "The track ‘I Love It (But You Don’t Believe It”) is a power pop sureshot, with fab vocalizing and typically strong instrumental and production assistance from Kurt Reil and Kristen Pinell Reil of The Grip Weeds” – John Borack/Goldmine Magazine “Cherry picking some of his finest, Ray Paul gives us 10 delectable, British Invasion infused goodies. Speaking of cherry picking, Ray’s voice is perfect for that 60’s Raspberries sound. Case in point, the opening track ‘I Need Your Love Tonight’ is pure, blissful power pop at its finest." - PowerPopNews.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Thirty Nine Price: $10.00 Artist: Shake Some Action! Description: For these Rickenbacker-janglers newest album, James Hall tried something different. He wrote an entire album inspired by a movie, each song representing a scene, sequenced in the same order as the movie. The movie? Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1935 suspense thriller “The 39 Steps”. The concept was about combining two of his creative loves – melodic indie rock with the films of the “Master of Suspense”. James explains, “On the last album, I wrote a song called ‘Secrets And Lies’ which was inspired by a scene in the Hitchcock film ‘North By Northwest’. I thought it might be a cool idea to write an album inspired by a single film, to loosely follow the narrative with songs based on the ideas in each scene.” With that, the new album was born, inspired by the film “The 39 Steps”. With bandmate Corey Knafelz joining in on guitar, the two set out recording demos for the new songs in November 2018. By January 2019 the album was complete. The result is a powderkeg of guitars, harmonies and melodies that packs a punch as hard as anything the band have recorded thus far but takes them in a new and exciting direction as well. You don’t need to have seen “The 39 Steps” to appreciate these songs but if you have, you’ll be rewarded with sly references to the dark humor and underlying themes of the 1935 classic. “Shake Some Action! make sun-kissed Rickenbacker-rock that continues the tradition of great power pop forbearers like The Kinks and Big Star, along with the jangle pop pioneers of the 80’s like R.E.M. and The Feelies. The exclamation point amended to their name bears weight as well – their sound takes their influences’ jangly past and brings it into a caffeinated ‘now’ with high energy delivery!” – Jingle Punks Magazine GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Ask Again Later Price: $15.00 Artist: The Dates Description: WOW!!! The fabulous debut album by The Dates is one that’s brimming with heavy Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, and classic power pop vibes. The band is led by Garett Goddard, formerly of King Tuff, Girls, Personal and the Pizzas, The Cuts, and many, many more! “From the opening jangle of ‘Any Other Nite’ to the Big Star-ish ‘Summer Girls’ or ‘California Under the Sea’, the debut album from LA’s The Dates is one of this year’s early treats. The record delivers on so many levels. Its chiming guitars and smooth harmonies will suck you in. Then, those oh-so gorgeous melodies will hook you for good. Their knack for hooky choruses and lo-fi production is reminiscent of those early Shoes singles we all know and love. Such is the case with the lead-off track, ‘Any Other Nite’. Fans of Big Star will also immediately feel at home with songs like ‘Star’, ‘Summer Girls’, and ‘Friday Nite @ Vineland’, the latter of which has a memorable, sing along chorus and great harmonies. This comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!” – PowerPopNews.com “Goddard’s smooth as cashmere voice siings power pop tunes about summer, restiveness, anxiety, Friday evenings by the beach, and love. This is easygoing, sugary pop music with hints of rock, just to give it some spice. The record is pure, unadulterated sway-pop, designed to give you ooey-gooey feelings of butterscotch-flavored delight. If you’re into super-sweet power pop, look no further than ‘Ask Again Later’” – Rawckus.com You betcha!! One of this year’s best for sure!! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Scene, Not Herd Price: $13.00 Artist: The Decibels Description: BRAND NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT MUSIK LABEL – AVAILABLE APRIL 12! ACCEPTING ORDERS NOW!! The CD (and Kool Kat label debut) of a release that was previously only available as a download and on vinyl! Sacramento, CA-based band The Decibels were active from 1993–2001, releasing three classic LPs of finely crafted garage and power pop (with the emphasis on power). Bands like 20/20 and the Plimsouls were big influences on them. Like their influences, they were an energetic pop band sporting suits and skinny ties at a time when most bands bludgeoned audiences with heavy chords while trying to look like they just chopped wood. Life ended up getting in the way in the ensuing years and only emerged for a few hometown gigs, a tour of Japan in 2003, and a tour of Spain in 2013 (where they’re viewed and revered as Mods). While they may not think of themselves as Mods, much less exemplars of Mod culture, they do have a certain sound and style that has always set them apart. 2017 found them re-energized and itching to get back to work. On the occasion a band gets back together after many years and then releases a new record, you’ll often hear them say “this is the best thing we’ve ever done.” Long-term fans of their early work will often have the tendency roll their eyes and respectfully disagree. Because their body of work has always been of a high standard, it really is hard to say which record is the best, but without a doubt their brand new long-player adds to that body of work, ranking right up there with their classic LPs – “Create Action”, “The Big Sounds of The Decibels”, and the collection of early tracks, “The Bart Thurber Sessions”. They still channel their trademark sound, with the same fire and intensity that they’ve always had and sound as though it could have come out a year after their last original release. But it’s not a simple rehash of previous records, where it sounds like a band plugs in the formula and releases the same record over and over again, but with less sincerity each time. There is a kind of deepening of the music present here without forsaking any of the elements that have made the Decibels great. Look, the world is absolutely nuts right now - who knows what will happen to this big spinning orb even a year from now? So it is time to grab those things that are life-affirming, feed your soul, and cut through the madness to remind you that there’s still good in the world and there are still rays of sunshine to bask in. Simple as that sounds, “Scene, Not Herd” is one of those things. “They come on strong with all the trebly brittleness of ‘The Who Sell Out’, fattened nicely with the kind of hyperactive stereophonics found on Todd Rundgren’s early Nazz sides.” – Sacramento News Review GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Goodnight Noises Everywhere Price: $12.00 Artist: The Lunar Laugh Description: BRAND NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT MUSIK LABEL!! The Lunar Laugh is a pop band based in Oklahoma City. At the group's core is the singer/songwriter trio of Connor Anderson, Jared Lekites, and Campbell Young backed by Jimmy Jackson's powerful drumming. Their music draws inspiration from the classic pop masterworks of the 60’s and 70’s, with fully realized arrangements and lush harmonies in the foreground. “Goodnight Noises Everywhere” is their third album (and Kool Kat Musik label debut). Jared explains “It took us about a year to complete. While the last two albums featured a number of session players, this album mostly just features the band handling instrumental chores. It also features a slight shift towards some more modern sounds for us while still leaning towards the eclectic power pop we are known for. We started out with enough songs for a double album which we whittled down to about 14 which we then trimmed down to the 10 that are on the album. Where I sang the majority of the songs on the last two records, we split more of the lead vocal chores between the three vocalists (myself, Connor, and Campbell)....on this album.” “Three-part harmonies are a trademark of The Lunar Laugh where sweeping guitars work in conjunction with the harmonies and collaborative songwriting inside the large spectrum that is power pop.” – OklahomaGazette.com “With a George Harrison-y slide guitar in tow, ‘By The Light Of The Living Room’ is a catchy slice of happy-sounding melodic pop about a sore subject–a fractured relationship that might, could possibly be saved. An attractive chorus shines. Don’t miss it. ’Waiting For A Sign’ scores with an inventive soulful track that pays homage to ’80s and ’90s pop, with a slight scent of Motown melodic structure – both songs pointing to a terrific album to come.” – Alan Haber/PurePopRadio “’By The Light Of The Living Room’ features a great, catchy chorus with a sweet slide guitar riff! Pure bliss…” – Powerpopaholic.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

North Price: $10.00 Artist: The Morning Line Description: BRAND NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! “The Morning Line are creating an interesting identity for themselves. Their previous release, ‘Smoke’, was full of great guitar driven pop songs. There’s the tune about living in LA (‘Los Angeles’) and the catchy ‘Staten Island’. Fast forward to ‘North’. It too, is chock full o’ guitars and great melodies. ‘Antennas’ opens the album with a smooth, catchy chorus and some lyrics that are worthy of a chuckle or two. Stomp along to the pounding beat and ringing guitars of ‘Given Up’ or the classic guitar pop of ‘Complicated’. Then, they get all National Geographic on us, first, with ‘Anhedonia’. ‘Lived in California. I’ve lived in the south. Kept quiet for too long and run off at the mouth…what I’m tryin’ to say is, I’ve been round the block. So when you told me you’re leaving me it didn’t come as such a shock – to start again’. Then, they take us off to ‘South Carolina’. ‘I hear you think the answer is South Carolina. I wonder what the question could ever have been….and Charleston is pretty, but it’s just a city. There’s nobody there you know in South Carolina’. I guess putting together a touring itinerary comes second nature to these guys.” – Rich Rossi/PowerPopNews "With twelve songs, no duds and a willingness to help you reconnect with the greatest albums of your youth, ‘North’ is a fantastic record. Just fantastic. Sometimes reflective and moody, but often bringing good times via a world of chiming guitars and hooks that eventually get right under the skin, with this record The Morning Line sound fully charged and ready to give the world a cult classic. For those who still love ‘Girlfriend’ era Matthew Sweet, Soul Asylum and lots of stuff from the Fort Apache Studios, this should be considered one of 2019’s most essential listens." – RealGoneRocks.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none