Emerge Price: $13.00 Artist: Chris von Sneidern Description: It’s certainly been a while (12 years in fact), but a new Chris von Sneidern record has just arrived! Literally the White Album of his career, an unflinching exploration into self and a journey though a lifetime lands the listener right back in the present with the artist. It’s a record that’s sonically adventurous and musically a celebration of free expression. Chris explains what took him so long (a/k/a “Confessions Of A Late Bloomer”) “I had said that the process of making an album that reflected on a period of time in one's life would require completing that arc and therefore...this album was going to take a long time to complete. It did take ages, and some of the time I was working on it, setting it aside, going back, reverting the changes, sometimes not working on it for a year or more. I don't even quite remember the process. It was always almost done. I know that a deadline is a motivator for me. So, I happened to be using some music-related software that was on a trial, that was to run out in 2-3 weeks, so I used that as my time to finish the album. What is it? It's a lot of things, and a lot of ideas, and it takes awhile to listen to. It's not exactly what I thought I was working on, mostly because I didn't really have a plan in the first place; it was too broad an idea. At times I thought it would have the same fate as the Beach Boys' ‘SMiLE’. And just as I was finishing it, I doubted the whole thing. I remixed, and moved a couple songs around in the sequence, and then it felt done. It was like getting out of debt with myself. I had spent maybe 12 years working on this, and most of the time the conversation with myself about it was that it wasn't finished. I used to make one album or more every year. I am so happy with the way ‘Emerge’ turned out. I hope you love it too.” We do Chris! We do! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

A Dozen Or Seven Tapestries Price: $12.00 Artist: Lolas Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! AVAILABLE AUGUST 30 – ACCEPTING ORDERS NOW!! It’s been 13 years since we last head from Tim Boykin and Lolas on their “Doctor Apache” release! And we’re sure glad to have them back! Whether with the Shame Idols or Lolas , Tim has always manifested an outstanding talent for the creation of melodic power pop songs, bubblegum, psychedelic pop, jangle pop and punk-pop, all infused with basic sonic ancestry of groups like The Hollies, The Byrds, The Ramones, and the Beatles (circa “Revolver”/”Rubber Soul”). Their latest (and Kool Kat label debut) is overflowing with effervescent delights that will satisfy any lover of the best power pop highlighted by its melodic brilliance, velvety vocal harmonies, rhythmic strength, careful arrangements, and instant choruses! “And the relentless hooks keep on comin’…..” – Powerpopaholic.com “The last few years have seen several artists which I thought I'd never hear from again re-emerge with new music, and the latest entry in that category are Lolas. Tim Boykin & Co. sound like they haven't been away for 13 years as the title track embodies the high-energy power pop they'd been known for, usually clocking in at well under 3 minutes per tune (as all but one track here does). ‘Bon Voyage’ are ‘Indigo’ are another couple of quick and catchy nuggets, and ‘Lightning Mountain (NSFW)’ is only not safe for work if your co-workers can't take power pop awesomeness. Welcome back, boys.” – AbsolutePowerPop.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Go Deep + bonus disc Price: $15.00 Artist: Richard Turgeon Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL! AVAILABLE AUGUST 23 – ACCEPTING ORDERS NOW!! “Go Deep” is the third installment in what Richard calls his “California Trilogy”. It’s his third full-length release in three years, all inspired by life on the West Coast. His previous two Kool Kat releases, “In Between the Spaces” (2017) and “Lost Angeles” (2018) made numerous “Best of” lists both years and continue to enjoy airplay all over the world. “Go Deep” is by far his most ambitious collection of original, hard-hitting power pop and rock to date. Three tracks were produced by top Bay Area producer, Scott Llamas - who also mastered all tracks - with the others produced and mixed by Richard himself. Like all of his previous releases, Richard also played all instruments and performed all vocals, with some guest bass by his longtime collaborator, Ron Guensche of Oakland’s Spidermeow. “He doesn’t hold back on catchy melodies or jangly guitars.” – PowerPopNews.com “You can feel the presence of 90’s rock in its prime!” – Randy Skaggs/Q108 COMES WITH AN 11-SONG BONUS DISC – “TEN COVERS” – THAT FEATURES RICHARD’S INTERPRETATIONS OF HIS FAVORITE SONGS BY THE BEATLES, CHEAP TRICK, NIRVANA, THE GIN BLOSSOMS(2), TOM PETTY, ECHOSMITH, BIG HEAD TODD & THE MONSTERS, THE LEMONHEADS, AND DONNIE EMERSON. ALL THAT PLUS A BRAND NEW ORIGINAL ENTITLED “REMEMBER”! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Pop Circles Price: $13.00 Artist: Richard X. Heyman Description: “Pop Circles” is the 13th solo record from Richard, containing 18 new tracks full of melody, harmony, jangly guitars, ferocious keyboards and brilliant songwriting, in the grand tradition of the 60's greatest rockers. “A pop perfectionist delivers another masterpiece...his ability to craft hooks, choruses and ringing refrains has been an unshakable element in his efforts since the beginning.” – RockNRollGlobe.com “Worthy of being lifted in triumph by a bespectacled cult of pop classicists and rock music obsessives, ’Pop Circles’ is the bright, technicolor song factory of idealistic power-pop champion, and one man pop machine Richard X. Heyman. Echoes of The Zombies, The Left Banke and other 60’s pop mystics whisper in the ears, as smooth blends of vocal harmonies tumble and slide around this sophisticated musical playground. Yet despite all of its immaculately crafted refinement, the record also doesn’t mind getting its hands dirty. Befitting his rugged, garage-rock history with The Doughboys, ‘Action Screams Louder Than Words,’ with its whirling organ frenzy, is tough and uncompromising, while the racing pace, infectious energy and rolling piano runs of ‘Marlena’ take a heartfelt joy ride. As a bonus, ‘Richie’s 3-Chord Garage’ – an unbeatable five-card suit of reimagined songs he wrote for The Doughboys – is tacked onto ‘Pop Circles’, offering the strutting riffs of ‘Land,’ the explosive and vibrant R.E.M-like jangle of ‘Until Now’ and the dark vibe and slow-building tension of ‘Route 22.’ Though not part of the bonus, the heaviness and cycling six-string designs of the record’s ‘Hope’ would also fit right in with that rough-and-tumble cast of characters. As wise as an elder statesman here, Heyman also sounds youthful and innocent, even euphoric, on this brilliantly conceived, almost flawless effort, beguiled by memories of romances and inspired by noble socio-political causes of the past and present.” – ElmoreMagazine.com “Heyman hits it right out of the ballpark and straight into the stratosphere on his latest album. This is pop/rock music done with consummate skill and unfettered passion; it's music that soars and sparkles as well as radiates an infectiously happy and upbeat vibe without ever getting too cloying or corny about it; it's music that makes the listener smile and wanna get up and dance around the room. In other words, it's simply wonderful and invigorating stuff.” – JerseyBeat.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

Open The Kimono +3 Price: $14.00 Artist: The Embryos Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL - AVAILABLE AUGUST 16. ACCEPTING ORDERS NOW!! Originally released in 2018, and previously only available on vinyl, “Open The Kimono” makes its CD debut on Kool Kat. The original LP is now bolstered with three more tracks (“Wasting All Your Time”, “Playin’ Hooky”, and “Half A Wolf”) that appeared on 7” vinyl only as the group’s “Singles Club Vol. 1”! From Chicago, the band was formed in 2017 when George T. Drag (Butterflies, Honda Pavarotti) joined up with the Cooled Out Babies (Finn Swingley, Brian Daley, and Joe Daley). The record melds the 12 string styling of The Church and The Byrds with 70’s power pop like Big Star and the Soft Boys. “I’m going to resist classifying The Embryos as power pop; there’s more going on in their music than that label might suggest. But fans of that style will find that many of the values they hold dear – melody, hooks, accessibility – are here in great supply. The music has a kind of simmering emotional vibe that suggests Matthew Sweet crossed with, say, Tom Petty. Bits of harmonica tossed into the mix help provide a sonic tether to early 60’s British Invasion styles, but they don’t follow a retro path. Their chosen sonic aesthetic – dry, boxy and reverb-free – suits their songs nicely. When they harmonize as they do on cuts like ‘Wake Up Screaming,’ some listeners may be reminded of the pride of Zion, Illinois: Shoes. Sometimes the band mixes up the jangle with slashing chords, like on ‘Ghost Dreams, Mainly’. Even when the tunes feel upbeat, there’s a melancholy undercurrent, reinforced by titles like ‘Bad Old Days’ (which lifts a melody from Teenage Fanclub) and ‘The Frightened Few’.” – Bill Kopp/Musoscribe.com “An intently interesting album, instantly bringing to mind the world of both Teenage Fanclub and oddly enough 10cc, where, while the music is straightforwardly delivered, uncovers hidden gems that are raised to the surface on each track, sparking me to reconsider what I think of this record as each song unfolds, especially as ‘Black Balloons’ and ‘The Frightened Few’ filtered through my speakers. ‘Eleven Forty’ brought a sly smile to my face, reminding me of those power pop songs from the late 70’s and early 80’s, filled with emancipated driven guitar work, where the lead singer spits out his lyrics while surrounded by guitars that heighten to a fevered pitch, backed acute rhythms and energetic drumming, bringing both the album and the song to a climatic crescendo.” – PsychedelicBabyMag.com “These guys sound so much like Teenage Fanclub it’s scary!” – PopRockRecord.com GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Adventureland Price: $12.00 Artist: The Junior League Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! Step right up ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! Be thrilled by the perilous leaps of power pop goodness, marvel at the guitars, bass, drums, and earworm hooks of this truly fantabulous musical extravaganza – a true pure power pop record like you won’t hear anywhere on the planet! Only here at “Adventureland”! The Junior League, the name multi-instrumentalist and songwriter under which Joe Adragna works, is back with “Adventureland”, a 10 song blast of pop-rock that harkens back to his first release, 2005’s “Catchy”. “I had all these songs I was working on,” he explains. “and I thought that maybe it would be fun to take all the rocking ones and stick them together. I was thinking of the Gravitron. Do you remember that ride? The one where you spin round and round and centrifugal force pins you to the wall, right? I remember going on that as a kid, and they’d blare something like Asia’s ‘Heat Of The Moment’ or Van Halen’s ‘Beautiful Girls’ really loud. I just thought it would be fun to make a record of songs that, although unlike either of the songs I just mentioned, would be a record you could ride the Gravitron to!” “Adventureland” is indeed a ride of its own, blasting through 10 songs in just under a half hour. Joe adds “I really love short pop songs. Get in and get out. I don’t always do that with my material, but often times, I do.” The record doesn’t let up, from the opening burst of “Heavy” to the dizzying rock of “Adventureland at Night”. The sound is aggressive and rocking throughout, which was the plan. Friends that appear here include Tammy Ealom (Dressy Bessy) providing backing vocals on “Falling In Love; regular JL contributor and Minus 5 leader Scott McCaughey providing the song “Have Faith In Yourself”, keyboardist Liam Catchings (The Jolly Racket) on “Falling In Love” and “Have Faith In Yourself”, and Jason Wacha (The Roebucks) providing vocals on and co-writing “Heavy” and “The Queen Of The Dead”; the rest of the writing, instrumentation and singing is handled by Adragna. Hold onto your hats folks, it’s gonna be a terrific ride!! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none

Goodnight Noises Everywhere Price: $12.00 Artist: The Lunar Laugh Description: 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

Waterloo Sunset - A Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio Price: $15.00 Artist: Various Artists Description: NEW RELEASE ON THE KOOL KAT LABEL!! “Like a power pop Blanche DuBois, ‘This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl’ has always relied on the kindness of friends. Even though we've only met a few of our listeners and supporters over these last twenty years, they're not strangers; they're our friends. As humility-challenged as Dana and I remain, there's no way we could have lasted more than two decades if we couldn't get by with a little help from our friends. ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is the latest manifestation of that help. Steve Stoeckel had an idea: gather some of this show's talented friends to record a stirring cover of The Kinks' ‘Waterloo Sunset,’ with proceeds from its sale benefiting SPARK!, the perpetually cash-strapped Syracuse community radio station that is home to TIRnRR. Out went the call, to one and to all, and Steve assembled his TIR'N'RR Allstars: Steve Stoeckel, Bruce Gordon, Joel Tinnel, Stacy Carson, Eytan Mirsky, Teresa Cowles, Irene Peña, Dan Pavelich, Keith Klingensmith, and Rich Firestone. Within a fast-paced timeline, these pop heroes crossed over the river, and we are in paradise. Futureman Records’ Keith Klingensmith suggested an expanded plan, and their ‘Waterloo Sunset’ benefit single became this benefit compilation album. Everyone who was asked to help did so. Before Dana and I even knew about any of this, the Allstars had secured tracks from The Click Beetles (previously unreleased track), Pop Co-Op (previously unreleased track) , Irene Peña (previously unreleased track) , Vegas With Randolph, The Anderson Council, (previously unreleased track), The Grip Weeds, Michael Slawter (previously unreleased track), The Armoires, Eytan Mirsky (previously unreleased track), Gretchen's Wheel, and Pacific Soul Ltd. We're so pleased, so grateful, and dammit, I think we may even be humbled. Community radio supports independent artists. Independent artists support community radio. And we don't feel afraid. We do need our friends. Thank you, friends. God save our friends. Although this project was a surprise gift to us, Dana & Carl are proud to have our names attached to it. Thanks to everyone, everyone, for makin' us feel like big shots. Sha la la!” - Carl Cafarelli A special shout-out and big thanks must go to Keith Klingensmith/Futureman Records for allowing Kool Kat Musik to release the collection on CD, exemplifying that it’s all about community and co-operation! GREAT!! ... read more » Quantity in Basket: none