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

What Is Even Happening Right Now? Price: $14.00 Artist: Extra Arms Description: The third album from foursome Extra Arms led by Ryan Allen. The record features more special guest stars than a “Love Boat” episode. Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Bob Nanna (Braid/Hey Mercedes), Gregory Macdonald (Sloan), Lily (the Plastic Beach), Scott Allen (Thunderbirds Are Now!) and Chris Hatfield (Love Axe) all lend their talents to this powerhouse of a record. “Truly a release for these times, this ten-song platter was recorded in the midst of an historic pandemic and lyrically inspired by the non-stop insanity that was 2020-21. But rather than fixating on the darkness, the record moves at full force towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Ryan Allen used much of his COVID downtime to record and release music of various styles, but there's nothing quite like rocking out arena style with a kick-ass band. This album radiates positive energy, featuring songs that are informed by bleak times yet profoundly triumphant - as if these guys took all of their frustrations from the last couple of years and used them as fuel to rock harder than ever. The record follows their general blueprint of Midwestern power pop running straight into 90’s alternative rock, it's definitely the band's most varied release in terms of influences. It tips the cap to everyone from The Cars (‘Feeling Alright’) to Elvis Costello (‘Click Wars’) to Jawbreaker (‘In Control’) to The Who and Kinks (‘Big Dogs’) to Randy Rhoads (‘Falling Into Place’). The majority of the songs are vigorously life-affirming. This is particularly true of the album's bookend tracks: the big rocker opener ‘Fun Guy’ and the anthemic closer ‘I Don't Wanna Die.’ It seems redundant to describe an Extra Arms album as ‘energetic,’ but this has the feel of an unstoppable force.” – FasterandLouder.com 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

Wattage Price: $13.00 Artist: The Explorers Club Description: “Wattage” is The Explorers Club’s tribute to classic 60’s radio that plays out like a show of the time and features eight cover versions along with many guest singers including Chris Price, Lannie Counts, Ryan Williams and Jeff Celentano. “The album kicks off with a kind of into from an imagined small town radio station before we head into a couple of tracks that feature Lannie Counts who hails from Phoenix, AZ but is a successful singer in Las Vegas. The first number is the wonderful ‘Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy’ a track that is a Northern Soul classic. The Tams and Booker T and The MGs have covered this track and Lannie`s vocals are a sheer delight. The soulful `Gimmie Little Sign` a song written and originally performed by Alfred Jesse Smith or Brenton Wood as he was better known. It`s a superbly upbeat version of the initial release. ‘I’ve Been Lonely Too Long’ features Chris Price and was a hit for The Young Rascals. Again, it has that stunning retro vibe. We have a take on ‘Come Softly To Me’ a hit for American vocal group The Fleetwoods. The steady drumbeat, organ refrain and occasional brass tinges allow this to become a charmingly dreamy soundscape. Jeff Celentano takes the lead on ‘Hurt So Bad’ and delivers a stunningly emotive reimagining of what was a hit for Little Anthony and the Imperials, an American rhythm and blues/soul vocal group from New York. Another song that was covered by The Fleetwoods but also by Thomas Wayne & The Delons is the ballad ‘Tragedy’ and here the band deliver a heart breaking rendition with some glorious backing harmonies and a slight orchestrated feel. ‘I’m So Proud’ is a number that was originally performed by The Impressions featuring Curtis Mayfield. So, for singer Ryan Williams to take this on was a brave move but I have to say he really knocked it out of the park. He makes it his own with some sublime musicians assisting with a steady drumbeat, piano twinklings, brass snatches and what sounds like a xylophone. The album closes with ‘Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever’ which again has Lannie Counts on vocals. It was co-written by Stevie Wonder and performed by The Four Tops with Levi Stubbs taking the lead vocal. A number that just shouts Motown, this take is a pretty faithful reworking with a slight modern uplift. ‘Wattage’ is a masterpiece and I can`t believe that Jason Brewer continues to unearth these long forgotten classics. The guest singers Chris Price, Lannie Counts, Ryan Williams and Jeff Celentano were unknown to me but are undiscovered gems. Beg, Borrow, or Steal it – this album is phenomenal.” – MaximumVolumeMusic.com 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

Triptych (2CD) Price: $17.00 Artist: The Sun Sawed In 1/2 Description: RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! Neo-psychedelic, power-pop, sophisto-pop outfit, The Sun Sawed in 1/2 are back once again with the brilliant and stunning “Triptych,” their first full-length release since 2013’s “Elephants Into Swans.” The Sun was formed in St. Louis in 1990 and placed in the Top 5 Billboard/Ticketmaster Soundcheck best unsigned bands of 1994. They went on to record several albums for Not Lame Records with famous producer, Keith Olsen (Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac) before going on hiatus (for 10+ years!). “Triptych” represents the physical release of their 3 critically-acclaimed, recently released, digital-only EPs (“Beaches In Bali,” “Sirens,” and “Before The Fall”) with an additional 3 previously unreleased tracks exclusive to this specially-priced, 20 song, 2CD set! “Monster hooks, big harmonies and a whole lot more. In ten words or less, that’s how I would describe The Sun Sawed in 1/2. The irresistibly catchy ‘Twist of Lemon’ is immediately accessible, radio friendly power pop. There’s so much going on in ‘Call For A Good Time’. It reminds me of my favorite Beatles or XTC compositions. ‘Too High Strung’ may be one of my favorite tracks. It’s got a more soulful vibe with the guitar taking a stylistic detour. With more than a few twists and turns throughout, I feel as if I’d be spoiling the best parts of a good book. Suffice it to say, this is easily one of the best things I’ve heard in 2022!” – Rich Rossi/PowerPopNews.com “Their songs cover the full scope of pop rock with both originality and familiarity. Hooks aplenty and big choruses are the order of the day. Throughout, you are reminded of just how inventive the band is. There are so many completed ideas and original takes that, in my mind, The Sun Sawed In 1/2 have many peers, but no betters.” – IDontHearASingle.com “Without question, a wonderfully produced, played and sung record with an attention to detail that does not go unnoticed. Welcome back guys!” – Cesar Milan Fans of XTC, Jellyfish, The Lickerish Quartet et al – THIS IS FOR YOU!! 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

Pop Aid - A Power Pop Compilation To Benefit The Citizens Of Ukraine (3CD) Price: $24.00 Artist: Various Artists Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL – AVAILABLE AUGUST 5 – ACCEPTING ORDERS NOW!! FINALLY!! The art is done, the music has been delivered, now (we had hoped for a late June release – a bit ambitious on our part – but delayed a bit due to supply chain issues out of our control) we await the delivery of “PopAid”, a 63 track, 3CD collection to benefit the citizens of war-torn Ukraine. 100% of all profits from sales of the collection will go to World Central Kitchen, a renowned organization founded by chef Jose Andres whose mission statement is “To serve hot, nutritious meals to people who need them most. Services include Global Disaster Response Efforts, Emergency Food Relief, Resilience Programs and Restaurant Partnerships as well as advancing human and environmental health, offering access to professional culinary training, and improving food security for the people we serve.” An impressive list of 63 pop bands/artists from around the world have unselfishly provided exclusive/previously unreleased tracks present on the collection to support this important initiative! The participating artists are: Anchor & Bear, Marc Andersson, Rich Arithmetic, Arvidson & Butterflies, Ian M Bailey, Ballzy Tomorrow (Robbie Rist), Band Of Jays, Dr. Barnes (Kevin Robertson), Jim Basnight & The Moberlys, Mike Browning, Vincent Bruckert, Terry Carolan (with Al Chan & Tommy Dunbar), Chris Church, Cloud Eleven (with Rick Hromadka), Dave Cope and The Sass, The Deadlights, Defoe & Pronai, The Embryos, Flashcubes, Nick Frater, The Glad Machine, Goldstoned, Grand Splendid, Jamie Hoover (with Michael Ruiz & Elana Rogers), Jeremy (with Ken Stringfellow), John Howard (with Ian Button, Andy Lewis and Robert Rotifer), The Junior League, The Kite Collectors (feat. Wayne Lundqvist Ford), Larry Lange, John Larson and The Silver Fields, Lolas, Richie Mayer, Scott McCarl, Joey Molland, Iain Mutch & Thee Absurdist Monks, The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco, The Overtures, Papernut Cambridge, Parallax Project, Power On Pilot, Psychotic Youth, The Red Sticks, Kai Reiner, Rogers & Butler, The Sails, Alex Siodmak, SMUG, Squire, Starbyrd, Star Collector, The Stayawakes, The Sun Sawed In ½, Super 8, That Mighty Bumble, threeleggeddog, Thrift Store Halo, The Vandalays, The Walkdown, Whelligan (with Nick Frater), The World Record, Daniel Wylie, Chuck Yoakum and Your Academy! “Kudos to Kool Kat Musik for their herculean effort to launch and coordinate such a project in such a short time. Amazingly, many of the tracks present here were unrecorded at the time the notice seeking participants first went out in early March. Listening to 3CD collections like this can be a bit daunting and tedious, but I must say that, given the quality of the songs/performances and flow, this one stacks up to be one of the best of its kind – EVER!!” – Cesar Milan High praise indeed Mr. Milan! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none