Backhand Deals Price: $21.00 Artist: Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard Description: “Backhand Deals”, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard’s debut album is a rejuvenating homage to unpretentious 70’s classic rock that steadfastly refuses to take itself too seriously. The Cardiff, UK four-piece, consisting of frontman and guitarist Tom Rees, his bassist brother Eddie, fellow guitarist Zac White and drummer Ethan Hurst, have been the subject of heady excitement since their debut EP “The Non-Stop” landed in 2020. “This is a record that doesn’t take itself too seriously, with timeless melodies and real big 70’s influences creating an album which could’ve easily been released years ago. Its clean production and clever pop culture melodies brings it sauntering into the 21st century, with the group’s high energy and endlessly fun performances making it feel like a ready-made classic.” – RiotMag.co “While their material regularly nods to the glittering sound of the 70’s glam-rock era, they are still very much a contemporary outfit, regularly reinventing the aesthetic for a modern ear and delivering some of the most spritely indie-rock ditties we have heard in years. And now finally releasing their long-awaited debut album, it feels like they are leaning hard into their inspirations to produce a record that is more nostalgic than forward-thinking. Despite this being a more retro-focused endeavour than their previous work, 'Backhand Deals' still manages to find something fresh and exciting to explore. Each track has this burst of sunshine running through it, which not only makes for a powerful and enticing listen, but also looks to lift your mood as often as possible. They may not be ones to try and share something truly original, but what they do, they do well. Wearing influences very much on your sleeve can sometimes be a risky move, but when it comes to 'Backhand Deals', it feels far more like a homage to the greats of yesteryear. These guys have always been a captivating force on the new music scene, and this new collection only continues that reputation further.” – MysticSons.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Wish I Could See + bonus disc Price: $16.00 Artist: Cheap Star Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT MUSIK LABEL!! What do Jon Auer (The Posies), Brendan Benson (solo/The Raconteurs), Gary Louris (solo/The Jayhawks), Brian Young (The Posies/Fountains Of Wayne/Jesus & Mary Chain), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish/Lickerish Quartet/solo) and Mitch Easter (all world!) all have in common? They’re the star-studded cast of guests who have contributed their talents to “Wish I Could See”, the latest and greatest release from Cheap Star, and followup to 2016’s “Songs For The Farrelly Brothers”!! The record picks up where the band left us on his previous journey…at the end of the 60’s golden era of Californian music and the rise of the 70’s pop, while integrating elements of his best aforementioned guests Cheap Star is helmed by France’s Remi Vaissiere who penned, and sings lead on all of the songs on the record. The results are absolutely STELLAR with all of the guest contributors at the top of their game!!! Top-notch songs, lots of guitars and heavenly harmonies permeate the proceedings! Produced and mixed by Jon Auer, who uses many of his skills on every track, the album carries a sunshine tinted by sweetness feeling over its course reminiscent of a gentle blend of Michael Penn and Nada Surf. “I really can’t picture a fan of power pop who wouldn’t love this record! Like their previous efforts, the Posies vibe is ever-present – and why would it not be with Jon Auer on board! Bursting with excellent songs Vaissiere’s gorgeous singing is guaranteed to hold your interest from start to finish (before you press the ‘replay’ button)! This is a high quality pop album full of gorgeous melodies and beautiful harmonies. There’s also enough variation to maintain your interest.” – Cesar Milan COMES WITH AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC - “WISH I COULD SEE (ACOUSTICALLY)” WHICH, AS THE TITLE IMPLIES, FEATURES GORGEOUS ACOUSTIC VERSIONS OF ALL OF THE ALBUM’S SONGS!!! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Sunday Carvery Price: $14.00 Artist: Emperor Penguin Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! Emperor Penguin’s new album “Sunday Carvery” is named for the band’s love of traditional British hospitality and the faded romance of the roadside diner. The songs were written and recorded during the 2020/21 COVID lockdown. Getting together to rehearse was difficult at that time due to pandemic restrictions, so home demos were made and shared with each other, with each band member adding bits, removing bits and changing bits until the songs gradually took shape, like little musical Frankenstein’s monsters. Since everyone makes lyrical and musical contributions to each song, we credit all compositions to the band, whoever it was that started the ball rolling. In summer 2021, producer Jamie McEvoy helped turn the rough demos into final tracks, overdubbing vocals and guitars and ending up with possibly their most polished set of songs yet. In keeping with their previous releases, the style of the songs is rooted in melodic pop with crunchy guitars. Is it “power pop”? Well, yes, but it also draws on influences as diverse as XTC, The Kinks, Teenage Fanclub and, er, Mungo Jerry and AC/DC. “Desdemona” is a wild two-minute ride of jagged post-punk guitars, Sonic Youth fuzz-bass and robotic rhythm. “Sputnik Sweetheart” is a love song from the earth-bound to the unattainable. The word "sputnik" is Russian for satellite; it can also mean “spouse” or “traveling companion”. “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing” is a cautionary tale about a boorish husband's idle threats to his downtrodden wife, set to a Kinksian/Small Faces musical mashup. “Let Me Take You On Holiday” is another collaboration with the “queen of power pop” Lisa Mychols – a bitter-sweet duet. “On The Motorway” is a rollicking junkshop glam bop of a tribute to the concrete arteries of Britain. “The Ballad of Billy Farthing” is an acoustic lament based on an ancestral anecdote from the family of one of the band. “Fran Times a Zillion” is a rowdy stomper in salute to the wit and wisdom of author, raconteur and native New Yorker Fran Lebowitz. “A Gun And A Badge” is a hard-hitting, head-banging rocker about the legendary encounter at the White House between Elvis Presley and President Richard Nixon. The songs are as diverse and eclectic in style and subject matter as listeners will have come to expect from Emperor Penguin. “WOW! On ‘Sunday Carvery’, London’s Emperor Penguin really toughen up their sound, borrowing a few shillings from late 60’s UK psych and 90’s Britpop, all the while retaining, and perhaps even bettering, their well-honed contemporary melodic sensibilities. A very pleasant surprise!” – David Bash/IPO Fans of quirky, catchy, intelligent British pop-rock will find much to savour on the “Sunday Carvery” menu. GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

All Rise Price: $14.00 Artist: Lolas Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! First released digitally in late 2021, “All Rise” (their 9th full-length release!) has already placed in several year-end “Best Of” lists (with more still to be published). While a series of personnel shifts have taken place, lead singer, songwriter and keyboardist Tim Boykin has remained the sole original member over the years. Bassist and vocalist Valis Prochazka, and drummer, percussionist and vocalist Jaban “Jaydog” Henderson complete the latest version of the band. “Having garnered praise over the years as one of the best acts in their field, Lolas definitely live up to their exemplary reputation on this album, which many fans will agree is their strongest collection to date. Because they are creatures of good habits, the band retains their fixation on classic power pop rock throughout the set. But they are also talented enough to avoid falling into a recycling rut, so therefore, ‘All Rise’ simply adds new and exciting twists to their recognizable sound. Bright and peppy vocals, sharing the same genetic code as the Monkees and the Archies, joined by watertight instrumentation recalling both the Who and the Ramones, hold sway amid the material, spawning a bridge between the past and the present. You’ll be hard pressed to sit still when hearing songs like the rock-a-rama reflexes of ‘Storm The Heavens’ and ‘Never To Be Mine’ that sizzle and swivel with ripped riffs, mondo melodies and absorbing time changes. An interesting concept – not to mention contrast – emerges on ‘All Rise, The Sneaky Snakes Of Kudzu’, as quirky and abstract lyrics are pinned to a grand and glorious production entailing gleaming piano passages and fluctuating rhythms and hooks. Sparkling with purity and polish, ‘Pain In My Heart’ conveys an early Beatlesque feel, and then there’s ‘Message From Home’ that moves at a brisk stride and features the humming tone of bopping keyboards. The brilliantly titled ‘I Can Hear Your Beard Through The Phone’ is a slower-paced cut, but concludes to a squiggly swirl of backwards psychedelic guitars, where ‘Dirtbag On The Run’ keys in as a turbo-charged punk pop number driven by buzzing licks and a hammering groove. Also not to be neglected is the lovely ‘You And Me Will Always Be’, a mid-tempo Big Star styled ballad brimming with an emotional pull impossible to resist. When it comes to high energy and high quality pop rock, Lolas are the band to go to, and ‘All Rise’ counts as yet another perfectly-realized offering in their consistently-growing discography.” - Beverly Paterson/PsychedelicBabyMag.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Songs From The Green Couch Price: $13.00 Artist: Seth Swirsky Description: Popmeister/songwriter extraordinaire Seth Swirsky (The Red Button) is back with his first new record since 2016’s “Circles and Squares”! Written over a two-year period during which the author cycled through a relationship that reached its painful conclusion, the record covers a lot of emotional ground. Best of all, old fans can expect more of the same – great songwriting, engaging melodies and brilliant production. Some familiar names helping Seth with this recording include Rob Campanella (Brian Jonestown Massacre), Glenn Brigman (The Triptides) and old friend and Sandy McKnight collaborator and producer extraordinaire, the omnipresent Fernando Perdomo. “Upon hearing ‘Songs From The Green Couch’, if you’re not already a fan you may become one. Opener ‘Sunny Day’ is a philosophical piece, with a message that despite what chaos you may be experiencing in your life, the sun still shines. One only needs to pause long enough to take it in. The infectiously melodic ‘I Don’t Want to Lose You’ is an immediate favorite. The hooky chorus will grab you by the throat and demand that you sing along. A delicate piano piece, ‘Cashmere Sweater’ is as beautiful as its subject. 60’s psych meets 90’s guitar riffs with ‘Whatever Happened To’, an up-tempo number that blends both of those decade’s sensibilities into something different and yet familiar. ‘Every Time’ has a very pleasing Burt Bacharach-ish bounce to it. I immediately thought of those wonderful Bee Gees tracks of yesteryear when I heard ‘Making It Up’. Lyrically, this one is special. ‘I’m In A You Kind of Mood’ reminds me of Nick Lowe’s ‘less is more’ philosophy of recording as demonstrated on his 'Convincer' and 'Dig My Mood’ albums.” – Rich Rossi/PowerPopNews.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

ip-dip-do Price: $22.00 Artist: The Len Price 3 Description: Weaned on the raw, passionate, two-minute tunes of The Who, The Kinks, The Clash, and their Medway Delta forefathers, The Len Price 3 are a high-energy garage combo from the Medway, UK delta. Comprising Glenn Page on guitar and vocals, Steve Huggins on bass, and Neil Fromow on drums, they got their start at a bar in Maidstone where bands could pay for the privilege of rehearsing in front of the drinking customers. When the trio were banned for playing too loud, they simply changed their name and booked another gig under their current moniker a few weeks later! “Their love of mid-60’s Who (‘Billy The Quid’ and ‘Charlie’), mid-60’s Small Faces, and mid-60’s garage rock still blasts forth from the speakers like a high-volume mash note, their performances are still energetic and powerful, and they still have a youthful enthusiasm that helps them leap past any charges of being mere slavish imitators of past greatness.” – AllMusic.com “The Len Price 3 appear to have use the time through lockdown extremely wisely as their new release is bursting at the seams with ideas and energy. Their overdriven ‘Nuggets’/Beat- era sound is still there but there appears to be an extra margin of attack amongst the new songs. It's not just the intensity of the musicianship that continues to shine. There's a world-weary lachrymose edge to the subject matter, encompassing characters on the edge of society, with ‘Bag Of Bones’ reflecting on the aging process to a primal garage beat, and ‘She's Making A Film’ musing on the advisability of making quick cash in murky movies. There’s humour too on ‘Mr. Spong’s Miraculous Leap’ which employees the same Goon Show wordplay and surrealism that Mr. Lennon once sought to emulate. There's no filler here. Made with passion and attention to detail, this may be the bands best outing yet!” – Shindig! Magazine GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

L.O.V.E. From The Santa Cruz Archives '82-'85 Price: $15.00 Artist: The Singles Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! WOW!! You can add The Singles to the list of unknown/obscure 80’s bands that should have made it! Most of the material (14 of the 18 tracks) has never been officially released, save for the 4-song vinyl EP ‘Play It!’ that was released in 1983, and has since become a “power pop” collector’s item. Led by main singer/songwriter/guitarist Rick Gallego (Jiffipop/Cloud Eleven), The Singles were pretty well known in the Santa Cruz area as a tight 4-piece band with pop and soul influences, and in 1984 they won a battle of the bands competition out of 70 acts that had entered the contest. Gigging mostly at local clubs such as The Catalyst and O.T. Prices Music Hall, they also ventured to gigs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Santa Cruz was a hotbed of talented bands in the 80’s and included acts such as The Call, Eddie and The Tide, Camper Van Beethoven, The Medflys, The Humans, etc., and they often shared stages with these bands. While they never signed a recording contract in their heyday, they continued to record regardless. And are we glad they did! They did receive some radio airplay and even got played on the BBC. “L.O.V.E. From The Santa Cruz Archives ’82-’85” contains all of the songs The Singles recorded during their time together. “This is the kind of stuff that would have/should have appeared on MTV’s ‘120 Minutes’ back in the day, and maybe even get moved into the channel’s heavy rotation list. They could’ve easily gone toe-to-toe with the likes of The Plimsouls, The Beat (Paul Collins) and other like-minded ‘pop’ bands of the day. I hear bits of the two aforementioned bands along with a little Clash, Elvis Costello and Style Council in their music. Kool Kat’s done it again, rescuing top-notch 80’s power pop from eternal obscurity! Solid from start to finish! You may want to re-do your favorite 80’s pop bands list after hearing this gem!” – Cesar Milan At long last, we finally get to hear this music that has been buried in the vaults for 40 years. PLAY IT…LOUD! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Pop Dreamz Price: $12.00 Artist: The Stayawakes Description: The Stayawakes return with their second album “Pop Dreamz”. This Portsmouth, UK power pop quintet specialize in delivering big hearted jams and sweet harmonies with a visceral live energy and more volume than is strictly necessary. The record sees the band even more focused with intent on delivering immediacy and urgency across all eleven tracks of power pop magic. “Pop punk was once a big deal, especially during the late 90’s/early 00’s, a genre I’ve always had an issue with, description-wise at least. Punk isn’t supposed to be pop and the world of pop isn’t ever going to be true rock n roll. It’s no surprise then that ‘Pop Dreamz’ comes with lashings of songs about love and lyrics their teenage-selves of yesteryear would be proud of. The group are so remarkably good at songs to sing-along to as they seemingly etch themselves into your memory bank. As such, all the while you’re reciting ‘Lovestruck’ from earlier in the release, it’s soon time for a few ‘yeah yeahs’ during the penultimate ‘Down for Love’.” – MrTeethReviews,com “They toy with various melodies, offering that oh-so-nostalgic sound with a sense of urgent delivery of a modern pop punk world. Opener ‘Wendi’ sets the tone of the album immediately, delivering a fantastic display of guitar work. If there is one thing that’s obviously clear from this album, it’s that this band is able to create an incredibly anthemic chorus for their tracks – it’s almost like they purposefully created a summer road-trip anthem as I can quite clearly picture myself sitting in the passenger’s seat, sunglasses on and the windows rolled down. While the album seems to focus on the pop side of the pop punk genre, they subtly toy with the melancholic tones in areas. ‘Every Word But Please’ demonstrates this, slowing the tempo with softer tones before it moves into its catchy chorus once again. ‘Pop Dreamz’ has a variety of things on offer, but the guitar absolutely caught my intention from the first track to the last. It really drives each track, offering a different kind of aura in its tones and solos. Displaying a talent for high energy and spot on harmonics, The Stayawakes are yet again showing their dedication, determination and passion for their work and their music.” – PostPunkPress.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Let's Live Underground Price: $14.00 Artist: The Warmbabies Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! WOW!! Hailing from Nice, France, The Warmbabies are more a studio combo than a live band and includes members of the Bratchmen, Dum Dum Boys and lead singer Marc Galliani is also a member of the legendary French band Les Playboys! On this, their debut, they deliver 15 original tracks of pure, catchy, top-notch power pop, for fans of the The Plimsouls (BIG TIME), The Flamin’ Groovies, The Stems and The Barracudas! “Can you judge a record by its cover? Putting a Fireglo Rickenbacker 330 12-string guitar on it should at least it should give you a clue to the type of music a band is playing. Once the record starts playing the doubt is no longer there and you know exactly what you are in for: 60's influenced rock'n'roll with a good dose of 70's power pop thrown in for good measure. The Warmbabies sure know how to write good tunes with a really punchy rhythm section, sizzling guitars and perfect vocals to match. This record is brimming with ‘soon to be classic’ Power Pop songs.” – Ratb0y69.blogspot.com “They’ve packed their debut with joyfully jangling 6 and 12 string guitars, descending basslines, pristine harmonies and boy-meets-girl songs a plenty. While there are no obvious nods to the 70’s ‘Big Three’ (Badfinger, The Raspberries and Big Star), other influences abound. ‘Kill That Love’ boasts the punky angularity of The Plinsouls. ‘Sometimes’ could've served as the followup to Dwight Twilley’s ‘Im On Fire’. ‘Lucille’ has the rock 'n roll classicism of The Flamin’ Groovies and “I Can't Find A Reason’ is The British Invasion in three minutes. Indeed, The Beatles cast the longest shadow. Mark Galliani’s voice bears of a vaugue similarity to John Lennon's, but his phrasing spot on, and many of these tracks sound as if they could've painted The Cavern walls sweaty. ‘Let's Live Underground’ is a collection of ridiculously catchy tunes all of which easily pass the whistling postman test.” – Shindig! Magazine GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Someone/Anyone? – A 50th Anniversary Tribute To Todd Rundgren’s “Something/Anything?” Price: $30.00 Artist: Various Artists Description: “Someone/Anyone? – A 50th Anniversary Tribute To Todd Rundgren’s ‘Something/Anything?’” is a complete re-imagination of Todd Rundgren’s classic 1972 double album. Universally hailed as a creative tour-de-force and one of the 70’s most groundbreaking and ambitious recordings, it included his Top 5 single, “Hello It’s Me,” as well as such fan favorites as “I Saw the Light,” and “Couldn’t I Just Tell You.” The tribute is the brainchild of “Echo In The Canyon” guitarist Fernando Perdomo, who in 2021 created a 50th Anniversary edition of Paul and Linda McCartney's “Ram” which was approved and praised by Sir Paul himself. The same thing has happened here with Todd. All 25 tracks from Todd’s original album are presented here in the same running order with loving re-invented covers of the songs by a diverse group of artists who love Todd. Tacking on 7 “bonus” tracks, there are a total of 32 tracks on this 2CD set. The participants (many of whom most pop fans are probably already familiar with) are Louise Goffin, Ken Sharp (on two tracks), Tiny Demons featuring Bobby Strickland, Probyn Gregory, Nezrok featuring Dennis Diken and Chris Bolger, Geoff Pearlman, Astral Drive, Fernando Perdomo featuring Jordan Rudess, Kasim Sultan, Victor Wainwright and The Wildroots, Adrian Bourgeois (on three tracks), Phil Parlapiano, Rob Bonfiglio (on two tracks) with Stan Lynch, Stephen Dees and Durga McBroom, Creamer, Marshall Crenshaw, Van Duren, James Booth with Carmine Appice, Scrote, Arian Fieles and John Montagna, The Miami Beach High School Rock Ensemble and Albert Castiglia Band, Secret Society, Dode Prickett featuring Brian Grace and Fuzzbee Morse, Albert Castiglia Band, Bruce McDaniel, Dave Schultz and Lyle Workman, Intoxicats (on two tracks), John Powhida International Airport, and Miami Beach High School Rock Ensemble. All net profits will go to Todd Rundgren's "Spirit Of Harmony" charity (spiritofharmony.org) which advocates music in schools. As we like to say, GREAT MUSIC FOR A GREAT CAUSE!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none