Joy Buzzers - Shake On It!

Here's one from a couple months ago that I slept on for reasons I cannot possibly explain. Joy Buzzers (not to be confused with the band Joy Buzzer) hail from the Chicago suburbs and play really excellent punky power pop that's brimming with energy and catchy as hell. The band's album Shake On It! has a later '80s/early '90s college radio spirit to it with musical influences going back to classic power pop and '70s pop/punk. There's not a lot of fooling around here: these guys power through song after song with a ton of punch and hooks a plenty. A few tracks stretch things into '90s indie/alternative territory and demonstrate that songwriter Bud Young is far from one-dimensional. But all in all, this album is an absolute treat for anyone whose sweet spot falls somewhere in between pop-punk and power pop. If I didn't know these guys were from Chicago, I might have guessed it anyway. This is exactly what I'd expect a band called Joy Buzzers to sound like!

-L.R.

https://joybuzzers.bandcamp.com/album/shake-on-it
https://open.spotify.com/album/0SH9aqNRI3g5YTqgcjmdtk
https://www.instagram.com/joybuzzers/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092990174231

Golden Richards - "Doctor K"

I'm always delighted by the arrival of new music from Chicago-based power pop rockers Golden Richards. In my book, any Golden Richards single is a hit single. "Doctor K," the band's new single, is full of '80s summertime power pop vibes — but with quite the twist! Doctor K was the name Gil Golden used when he recorded a locally popular rap track back in his high school days. This song tells the story of a young man who runs into an ex-girlfriend and believes he can win her back if she learns that he is the rapper Doctor K. That's a pretty amazing concept for a song, and "Doctor K" is everything you would expect from a Golden Richards tune. If you've ever pined for a lost love and fantasized about becoming so incredibly successful that they'd have to come back to you, you'll really be feeling this song. This is kind of like The Great Gatsby except more fun and far less tragic. The hooks are super-sized, and Billy really pours his heart into the vocal. What girl could possibly say no to Doctor K? The surprise (which is now no longer a surprise since I'm telling you about it) is that "Doctor K" turns out to essentially be three songs in one and concludes with an old school rap a la Sugar Hill Gang and Kurtis Blow. The rap is pretty hilarious and manages to reference everything from Bewitched to Three's Company to the Rolling Stones. I have no idea what the original Doctor K track sounded like, but it's hard to believe it could have been any better than this! This is legit good! "Jump on the Doctor K cloud/He ain't no GP, he's specialty now" just might be the lyric of the year! "Doctor K" is something a little different from Golden Richards — a veritable power pop rap opera! In a perfect world, all the cars in the Friendly's parking lot would be cranking it! 

-L.R.  

https://goldenrichards.bandcamp.com/track/doctor-k
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks/

The Second Summer - undertow

Out now on compact disc on Kool Kat Musik is undertow, the debut album from Chicago-based power pop band The Second Summer. This album has already been endorsed by the illustrious Don Valentine, so you know it has got to be good. Undertow is one of those special albums where you can immediately feel the heart and soul the band put into it. The Second Summer is Steve Gatland on vocals & guitar, Joe Cancellaro on bass, Matt Broder on guitar & vocals, and Tony Holmes on drums & vocals. The pandemic was the impetus for these guys to get together to write and record songs. As band members dealt with the upheaval COVID brought to their lives, they found themselves with things to say and stories to tell. The band name was chosen because it gave them all something to believe in. And even when the pandemic faded, the inspiration and urgency remained. The Second Summer formed officially last fall, but three of the eight songs on undertow were recorded in 2020. These songs reflect not just where these guys were emotionally at the outset of the pandemic but also where they had come from and where they still hoped to go. If you love melody-driven guitar pop with huge choruses and silky-smooth harmonies, you'll be knocked out by the album's opening 1-2 punch of "The Reason" and "Something." And there's no drop-off from there. Vibe-wise, I'm feeling '90s indie/alternative in a big way. But the band's aesthetic is more timeless than consciously retro. These are simply fantastic, beautifully-crafted songs with relatable lyrics about adult life. Each track was released as a digital single, and that certainly explains the lack of filler material. But 100%, this feels like a cohesive album and not just a collection of singles. While it's chock full of gorgeous melodies and ear-pleasing hooks, undertow is a thoughtful and serious album that I really connect to on a human level. If I said "Wonder Why" and "Bad Feeling" didn't remind me of my own self-doubts, I'd be a liar. I can't imagine anyone on Earth not being able to relate to "Undefeated." Seriously, we all know that one person who will never admit they're wrong about anything ever. 

Undertow takes me back to my days of discovering music through '90s college and alternative radio yet feels fully updated for the world of 2024. Perhaps it was desperation that birthed The Second Summer, but from a power pop fan's perspective, it feels more like destiny. Order the CD here!

-L.R.

https://thesecondsummer.bandcamp.com/track/adults
https://open.spotify.com/album/7biWLyPJWtSK3vDJb1WHMa
https://www.facebook.com/thesecondsummerband
https://www.instagram.com/the.second.summer

Big Blast Records presents - Summer Blast 2

While the summer approaches its waning days, the summer music never has to end. Out now on Big Blast Records is the digital compilation Summer Blast 2 — which features quintessential summertime power pop tracks from the Chicago label's flagship bands: The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club, The Glad Machine, and Golden Richards. In their signature style, the BDSC hit the sweet spot where '70s power pop and '90s alternative rock intersect on opening track "Your Corvette Summer." As you may have surmised, the song is an homage to the 1978 cult classic film starring Mark Hamill. If you like big hooks and guitars cranked to the max, this tune ought to be up your alley. And lyrics like "We were all about flying fighters and killing death stars/Thought we could ride that wave in a tricked out muscle car/But the fire on the sides was a sign this is B-movie magic" are pure genius. The Glad Machine ventures into full-on '80s power ballad territory on the awesome track "Can We Still Fall in Love this Summer?", and it's like I'm 16 again when that chorus hits. Think REO Speedwagon's High Infidelity meets Cheap Trick's Lap of Luxury! To bring it on home, Golden Richards delivers the most summery summer pop song imaginable in "Hey Mr. Softee." This tribute to the iconic ice cream truck franchise captures the spirit of what it meant to be a tween or teen in the '70s and '80s — its protagonist chasing down that Mister Softee truck in hopes of buying a cone for a special someone. With its earworm riff, melodic chorus, and majestic harmonies, this song is vintage power pop and vintage Golden Richards. Remember when you could get an ice cream cone for a quarter?  

Big Blast Records' Summer Blast 2 is an exception to the rule that sequels are never as good as the originals. All three of these tracks would have been formidable singles in their own right, but they fit together here splendidly as a celebration of summertime rock n' roll and eternal adolescence. Crank these tunes as you enjoy the last gasp of summer. And for those of you on the other side of the equator, consider these tracks for your upcoming summer playlist!

-L.R.

https://bigblastrecords.bandcamp.com/album/summer-blast-2
https://www.facebook.com/bigblastrecordsrocks
https://www.instagram.com/bigblastrecords/

Golden Richards - "Take a Chance"

You know spring is finally coming when Golden Richards drops a new single. Keeping with their annual tradition of releasing new music in March or April, Gil Golden, Billy Richards, and friends throw it back to the heyday of Van Halen and KISS on the big hooky rock anthem "Take a Chance." Living in that space where hard rock intersects with power pop, "Take a Chance" captures the vibe of summertime adolescent fun circa the late '70s or early '80s. This is the type of song I've been wanting Golden Richards to do for a while, and it totally suits the band's talents. Call it hard power pop or poppy hard rock if you want. But more than anything else, this is just rock n' roll. Billy really gets to show off his pipes, and there are guitar solos all over the place. The song depicts the sort of fun that I always imagined the older kids having when I was a child: driving around in a Pontiac Firebird in search of pretty girls and cheap beer while Van Halen plays in the tape deck. There's even a dance party at the local water tower! As you would expect from a Golden Richards song, there are huge hooks to go with all of that rock. This song romanticizes summer love even as it reminds us how short-lived it inevitably is. How many of our best memories would not exist if we hadn't, uh, taken a chance? If you've liked the direction Golden Richards has taken on recent singles "Shake Your Hair" and "Will I Be Cool," you're gonna love "Take a Chance"! It's ironic to be typing this in thirty-some degree weather with the wind howling, but warm weather is right around the corner. "Take a Chance" will sound great as you cruise the streets with the windows down — even if you don't drive a Firebird.

-L.R.

https://goldenrichards.bandcamp.com/track/take-a-chance
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7du59rHu9O4Q9NTLnE2mLT

The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club - Vanishing Point

I'm a little late on this one (about as late as I possibly could have been!), but The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club has released a special digital EP for spooky season. Veering a little (but not too far) from its signature modern power pop sound, the BDSC treats us to four tracks of horror-themed goodness on the quite excellent Vanishing Point. With songs about vampires, killer cars, ghosts, and the end of the world, Vanishing Point will make a fine addition to your Halloween playlist both this year and beyond. Lead track "Every Night I'm Dying" is the big hit here. It packs plenty of guitar punch along with a hook that will haunt you. At the same time, it doubles down on the synths and amps up the drama. Did this band just invent goth power pop? There's no denying that singer/guitarist William Giricz has the vocal range to really make this song work. And it makes sense that this band would excel at a song like this. Aren't all the great vampire stories really just love stories? Another highlight is the closer "Nightfall on Doomsday," which is probably the punkiest track I've ever heard from the BDSC. It's essentially a fight song for Armageddon, and it's deviously upbeat. For my money, this is the scariest song of the bunch. I'm confident that I'm safe from vampires and murderous motor vehicles. But songs about end times are far from implausible given the current state of the world. If you enjoyed some of the longer, more epic rock songs on the band's recent album Please Stand By, you'll get a kick out of "Why You Ghosting Me Girl?" (a song that brings new meaning to getting "ghosted"!). 

Far from a seasonal novelty, Vanishing Point is a scary good effort from one of the top bands in today's indie power pop scene. Grab it now and enjoy it forever!

-L.R.   

https://thebishop.bandcamp.com/album/vanishing-point

https://www.facebook.com/thebishopsdaredevilstuntclub/
https://www.instagram.com/bishopsdaredevilstuntclub/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOE6cEIxJjvI9A0VWOG1lDw

https://open.spotify.com/album/2C8OiKnmCgptlNcSTSSzO4

Golden Richards - "Will I Be Cool"

Chicago-based power pop sensations Golden Richards are back with their first new song in seven months, and it's a doozy! "Will I Be Cool," in signature Golden Richards style, is a harmony-drenched big hook rocker. Without straying too far from the Cheap Trick playbook, it conjures up a bit of a modern alternative rock feel. The production is exquisite, and I love the way the song builds to an absolutely massive chorus. This tune is about that first time you found out that someone "liked" you and didn't quite know how to act. That is such a great concept for a love song. The power pop world is full of so many songs about unrequited love and heartbreak. But what about those moments where things are about to go our way if we can just manage to not screw it up? Being "cool" in those situations is never as easy as it seems! In a most authentic way, this song captures that mix of excitement and self-doubt. I also love that Golden Richards have worked more than a few later '70s to early '80s pop culture references into this track. If you're a Gen Xer like me, "Will I Be Cool" ought to hit a nostalgic sweet spot. Yet the sentiment of the song is so universal that it ought to appeal to listeners of all ages. Conceptually, this song has much in common with this past March's excellent single "Shake Your Hair." Gil and Billy are so good at tapping into that part of themselves that's eternally 16 yet writing with a fully grown-up perspective. If "Shake Your Hair" was the perfect spring/summer power pop track,  "Will I Be Cool" is its mellower autumn counterpart. Grab it from Bandcamp for just a buck!

-L.R.

https://goldenrichards.bandcamp.com/track/will-i-be-cool
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks/

The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club - Please Stand By

I have had the pleasure of reviewing a few singles from The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club in the recent past, and today I get to dig into a full album from this Chicago-based power pop group! Please Stand By is the band's first album since 2019. The title is an amusing nod to the lull between albums precipitated by an unprecedented global pandemic. Weren't all of us trapped in "please stand by" mode at some point over the last couple of years? For a while, it was uncertain if this band would even live to make another record! But here we are in the summer of 2022, and The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club is ready to resume its regularly-scheduled programming. Singer/guitarist William Giricz wrote 27 songs for this release, giving the band plenty of material to choose from as it assembled this 12-track long player. What results is an album very typical of The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club: a collection of hooky, rocking tunes overlapping the worlds of power pop, '70s arena rock, and '90s alt-rock. This release worships at the altar of a certain band from Rockford, and that can only be a good thing (especially when you've got a singer with pipes like Giricz!). 

If you missed out on the BDSC's superb run of singles over the past year ("Tremor Control II," "Hold You Up," "Fifty Foot Woman"), you're in luck: they're all included on the album. Other obvious hits include the big rocking opener "Pony Up" (a song which dares us all to go out there and live it up), the textbook power pop of "Joni, It's Not Like That," the frenetic glam rock of "Silverball," and the unabashedly Cheap Trick-ish "Taking A Dive." Giricz and powerhouse drummer Dave Boenzi put on a rock clinic over the course of these 12 tracks, treating us to a tasty selection of should-be radio hits and premium deep cuts (on "Bah Bah Bah (Sing Along Song)," Giricz summons his inner Freddie Mercury to delightful effect). An album three years in the making, Please Stand By has a triumphant feel to it. The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club has been un-paused and turned loose to rock. This is a perfect album for the mid-summer and a highly recommended release for those who like their power pop with plenty of power. It's available now from Bandcamp, Apple Music, and Spotify!

-L.R.

https://thebishop.bandcamp.com/album/please-stand-by
https://www.facebook.com/thebishopsdaredevilstuntclub/
https://www.instagram.com/bishopsdaredevilstuntclub/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOE6cEIxJjvI9A0VWOG1lDw
https://open.spotify.com/album/7gMY17AiPzEQ3i3Pvl6syU

The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club - "Hold You Up"

Who's ready for some power pop? Trick question: you wouldn't be reading this if you weren't! The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club is a Chicago-based band playing rocked-up power pop in its hometown's grand tradition. I wrote about this band twice last year in reviews of compilations and splits involving close allies Golden Richards (the two bands actually share a lead singer!). New single "Hold You Up" is a preview of Please Stand By, The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club's new album which is scheduled to release this summer. It has an early '80s radio feel but with a modern touch. Imagine if The Cars wrote an homage to "Jessie's Girl" and time traveled to present day. I dig how this tune starts off sounding like a very typical love song but then starts to layer on the complications. It tells a story so universal and relatable that it just might hurt a little. But isn't that what a good love song is supposed to do? If you dig punchy, hooky pop that's simultaneously retro and contemporary, "Hold You Up" is highly recommended. Bring on the full album! 

-L.R.

https://thebishop.bandcamp.com/track/hold-you-up
https://www.facebook.com/thebishopsdaredevilstuntclub/
https://www.instagram.com/bishopsdaredevilstuntclub/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOE6cEIxJjvI9A0VWOG1lDw

Golden Richards - "Shake Your Hair"

The one-sheet says it all: "Big guitar power pop anthem with hooks and harmonies." I'm overdue to feature a power pop release, so a new single from Chicago's Golden Richards is highly welcomed. "Shake Your Hair" is the fifth Golden Richards single I've reviewed. Like all the other ones, it sounds like a radio hit from a world where 1980 never ended. It's got crunchy guitars, an earworm chorus, a righteous solo, and Cheap Trick vibes all day long. If you heard the song on Rodney on the Rock last night, you know what I'm talking about. As Golden Richards songs often do, "Shake Your Hair" works at a couple of levels. If you want to take it as an upbeat rocker about a pretty girl, well it certainly is! But at a deeper level, it's a song about being unsure of the path you're on in life and then suddenly meeting a new person who opens the door to something better. Isn't it crazy how life works out that way sometimes? Golden Richards songs always make me think of the summertime, so it seems ideal to be reviewing this track on a spring day that feels a more like summer. This is the band's best song yet. If you want to turn the tables, flip them over!

-L.R.

https://goldenrichards.bandcamp.com/track/shake-your-hair
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks/

The Mitochondriacs - Antonymous Mitochondrial Release

For those you who take the "All that shit sounds the same!" position on Mutant Pop Records, I present to you a Mutant Pop release that doesn't sound like anything else on the label (or any other label, for that matter!). The Mitochondriacs are a punk rock supergroup from Chicago comprised of the legendary John Jughead, Sex Dream's Maria Surfinbird, and Eddie & Marky from The Kobanes. Surprisingly, the band fronted by Screeching Weasel's guitarist has turned out one of the least Screeching Weasel sounding releases to ever come out on Mutant Pop! Antonymous Mitochondrial Release, out now as part of Mutant Pop's short-run compact disc series, is comprised largely of digital singles previously released by Laptop Punk Records. The singles were designed so that each "side" contained a concept that was the opposite of the concept on its counter side. Antonymous Mitochondrial Release adds another pair of contrasting song ideas to create a single concept album. Musically, this release is hard to pigeonhole. It's mostly straight-forward punk rock in a late '70s/early '80s style, but it also veers off into frenzies of noise and dashes of brilliant weirdness. On vocals, Mr. Pierson is far more reminiscent of Johnny Rotten or Jello Biafra than he is of any iconic figure in pop-punk. With its Anthem for a New Tomorrow vibes, the wonderful instrumental "Happily" is the one instance of fan service on this release. Otherwise, The Mitochondriacs are nothing like you'd expect them to be (unless you expected them to take a delicate folk tune and abruptly turn it hardcore). This is intelligent, interesting punk rock that has a great deal to say about the inherent opposition in human existence. The CD comes with a lyric sheet which is well-worth inspecting closely (My favorite line: "Sometimes I want my pants and a pair of socks to be their own country"). In his liner notes, Timbo calls this album a "work of art". I'd say that hits the nail on the head. This is exactly the kind of release that deserves to exist in a tangible form. For those of you who are not fans of compact discs, the album is also available from The Mitochondriacs' Bandcamp -- with all digital profits being donated to worthy charities. Not bad for a bunch of membrane-bound organelles!

(CD available for $5 plus $3 postage from Mutant Pop Records, 5010 NW Shasta Ave., Corvallis, OR 97330)  

-L.R.

https://themitochondriacs.bandcamp.com/album/antonymous-mitochondrial-release
https://www.facebook.com/AntonymousMitochondriacalRelease/

The Glad Machine and Golden Richards - Summer Blast Split Single

The title pretty much says it all! Out on Chicago power pop label Big Blast Records, Summer Blast Split Single is meant to be played in the car with the top down or cranked up loud by the pool. If you're not yet familiar with Big Blast, the two bands featured here will give you an instant feel for what this label is all about. Up first is The Glad Machine with a track called "Baby, It's You". This song falls somewhere between late '70s power pop and the more contemporary stylings of Jellyfish. Those melodies will hit your eardrums and quickly make their way to all of your pleasure centers. With its strong lead vocal and majestic harmonies, this the definitive melodic pop song. Golden Richards, a band I've reviewed a few times already, follow with what is easily their best track to date. "C'mon C'mon (The Makeout Song)" is, as advertised, a song to make out to! This is a fun, sunny pop tune with an absolutely massive hook. It tells a tale of a chance encounter on the beach with the girl who got away -- and you know what ought to happen next! Golden Richards really went all-out here to craft a Grade-A pop hit. This song has got it all: a classic sing-along chorus, a definitely summery guitar riff, a sweet bridge, a nifty outro, and even dueling guitar and keyboard solos! It's a timeless summertime rocker that appeals to the eternal teenager in all of us. 

Summer Blast Single is a blast indeed. Just push play, and you've got yourself an instant good time! Both of these songs would be fine additions to your summertime pop playlist. And if you don't have a summertime pop playlist, what in the world are you waiting for?

-L.R.

https://bigblastrecords.bandcamp.com/album/summer-blast-split-single
https://www.facebook.com/bigblastrecordsrocks
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks
https://www.facebook.com/TheGladMachine

Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club/Golden Richards - split single

I've got something super cool for the power pop crowd today! A few months back, I featured a singles collection from the Chicago based label Big Blast Records. Big Blast is your home for hooky, guitar-heavy rock and roll. Two of the standouts from the label roster have come together to release a new split single. On the track "Tremor Control II", Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club taps into the craziness and non-stop anxiety that was the year 2020.  If you enjoyed the arena rock leanings of the band's song "X Play", you will also dig "Tremor Control II" -- which channels Cheap Trick by way of The Cars. The concept of the song is that the more we told ourselves to calm down last year, the less calm we actually became. A lot of these lyrics really make me chuckle because they bring to mind my own COVID anxieties. I, like the protagonist of this song, would constantly check my temperature and obsess over the most minute deviation from the norm. But who am I kidding by using the past tense -- I'm still doing it! Golden Richards is one of my favorite new bands on the power pop scene these days, and the band's half of the split does not disappoint. "Zach Attack" is a tribute to Gil Golden's cousin Zach who passed away last fall at the age of 24. The song celebrates the positive impact that Zach made on the lives of friends and family members. And it's a reminder that his spirit lives on. This spirited, high energy rocker takes much of its musical inspiration from The Posies. For this recording, Gil, Billy, and Maryann had the pleasure of working with a couple of highly esteemed guest players: Darby Todd (Martin Barre Band) on drums and Lee Pomeroy (Jeff Lynne's ELO) on bass. If you're going to do a tribute song, this is the way to do. This song is full of unstoppable hooks and an undeniable joy. Proceeds from downloads of "Zach Attack" will be donated to Shatterproof -- a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming addiction treatment, ending stigma, and supporting communities.

It's clear to me by now that anything that comes out on Big Blast Records is essential listening for fans of melodic, powerful pop. Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club and Golden Richards have delivered two hits in one release. If this had come out on a 45, it would have been a true double A-side! This is a perfect two-fer to crank in your car on a lovely spring day, so grab yourself a download now!

-L.R.

https://bigblastrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tremor-control-ii-zach-attack
https://www.shatterproof.org/
https://www.facebook.com/bigblastrecordsrocks/
https://goldenrichards.bandcamp.com/
https://thebishop.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks/
https://www.facebook.com/thebishopsdaredevilstuntclub/

Big Blast Records - The Big Singles Vol. 1

Today I'm featuring a really cool label out of Chicago that you ought to check out if you haven't done so already. Big Blast Records describes itself as a "Chicago based community record label bringing you sticky, hooky, crunchy, smart, big guitar melodic rock and roll". Well there you go - that sure sounds like a label I'd be into! It's hard to go wrong when you work a love for Cheap Trick and Material Issue into the ideology of your label! 

I recently featured one of Big Blast's bands, Golden Richards. Joining Golden Richards on the Big Blast roster are The Bishops Daredevil Stunt Club, The Glad Machine, Mark Watson Band, The Peeves, and the legendary Phil Angotti. All of these artists are a little different, but they all share a similar vision for hooky guitar rock. The Big Singles Vol. 1 is the perfect showcase for Big Blast's collection of talent. It conveniently compiles new singles from all of the label's artists onto one nifty digital EP. Golden Richards, fresh off their new wave-ish pop gem "Borg Vs. McEnroe", take a more modern power pop approach on the punchy and melodious "Honey West Kung Fu". The song references the first female TV private eye as metaphor in a tale of a couple guys encountering the girl of their dreams in the middle of the summer. Man, it doesn't get any more "power pop" than that! "When Two Still Feels Alone" by the Mark Watson Band brings a crunchy power pop/alternative sound that practically screams "90s" while delivering an absolutely HUGE chorus. On the louder side of things, The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club tear into "X Play", a guitar heavy big hook rocker that ought to be coming soon to an arena near you. The Peeves come on with a punkier pop sound on the very catchy "Radio", while the The Glad Machine's "Slow Motion July" is more in a laidback indie pop vein with melodies for days. It's not often that a single can get away with a running time exceeding five minutes. But "Slow Motion July" builds by degrees and never bores. It's the textbook definition of a well-crafted pop song. Last but not least, Phil Angotti turns out a wonderfully charming Beatles-inspired number called "The Lamp". 

The Big Singles Vol. 1 serves as a perfect introduction to Big Blast Records. Just as importantly, it's a huge treat for fans of power pop, loud pop, hooky rock and roll, or whatever you wanna call it. All of the tracks would (and do) stand alone as singles. But it's kind of neat to have them compiled together like this. If you like what you hear, be sure to give Big Blast a like on Facebook so you can stay up to date on all future releases. You know I'll be having a lot more to say about Big Blast in the very near future!

-L.R.

https://bigblastrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-big-singles-vol-1

https://www.facebook.com/bigblastrecordsrocks/

Golden Richards - "Borg Vs. McEnroe"

Recently endorsed by Rodney Bingenheimer, the new single from Golden Richards is a new wave rock anthem that sounds like it's straight out of 1981! Gil Golden and Billy Richards have based this Chicago power pop band on their mutual love for the pop culture of the 1970s and early '80s. They have cited inspirations such as Bruce Lee movies, tetherball, Farrah Fawcett, surfing, Bubble Yum, Trans Ams, and the Bjorn Borg/John McEnroe tennis rivalry. "Borg Vs. McEnroe", appropriately enough, is the band's debut single on Big Blast Records. 

While Borg/McEnroe might not technically be the greatest rivalry in the history of tennis, it was by far the coolest. Thoughts of this rivalry take me back to those pre-cable days when televised sports were a huge part of popular culture (some of you old school Chicago folk will recognize that the band name Golden Richards is itself a sports reference!). And what made the rivalry special was that it was so short-lived. Borg and McEnroe met only 14 times on the pro tour, splitting their matches 7-7. And their legendary showdowns in grand slam finals were limited to four matches in 1980 and 1981. When those two faced each other, it was must-see TV! On one side, you had the handsome, cool-headed, and supremely talented Swede. On the other side, you had the intense, hot-tempered New Yorker McEnroe. You were out of luck if you missed their iconic matches - as Borg shocked the world when he retired from tennis at the age of 26 (a total bad-ass move!). Thus the mere mention of Borg vs. McEnroe always takes the mind directly to the years 1980-81. With its big guitars, big hooks, and sprinkling of keyboards, "Borg Vs. McEnroe" fittingly sounds like a lost radio hit from a moment in time when the likes of Blondie and The Cars ruled the airwaves. It also has a bit of a rock anthem feel to it, with playfully over the top vocals and some guest guitar shredding by Mark Down. In a stroke of a genius, the band uses actual recordings of McEnroe's on-court tantrums in the background! I was a big McEnroe fan growing up. But even if I hadn't been, I would still be thrilled by this callback to the infinite coolness of the early '80s. If this theme continues, Golden Richards are not likely to run out of songwriting topics anytime soon! How epic would a "Roper Vs. Furley" song be? 

-L.R.

https://goldenrichards.bandcamp.com/track/borg-vs-mcenroe
https://www.facebook.com/goldenrichardsrocks/

https://bigblastrecords.bandcamp.com/

Sex Dream - Candle On My Skin

If you've noticed me writing about pop-punk bands a little more than usual, well what can I say? There's been a whole lot of great pop-punk coming out lately! Sex Dream is a case in point. Based out of the Chicago suburbs and featuring Maria from Surfinbird on vocals, Sex Dream has released a debut EP/mini album that takes some perfectly-executed Ramones worship and mixes in a Muffs influence and an all-encompassing love for cats. This is the band I've been waiting for all my life! Candle On My Skin comes in at seven catchy tracks, with no songs hitting three minutes until the wonderfully melancholic "Madness Girlfriend" exceeds it by a full 15 seconds. This is a great-sounding pop-punk record. The production is nice and slick in a way that doesn't detract from the heavy punch of the guitars. Maria Surfinbird is a very appealing vocalist - exuding energy and charm but also capable of great tenderness when a song requires it. You can just tell how much fun this band is having playing this kind of music. And that spirit pervades this entire record. You can talk all you want about how Ramones-inspired punk has "been done to death". But then you'll hear the likes of Sex Dream and find yourself wishing for a thousand more bands just like this. If you aren't completely delighted by the idea of punked-up Britney Spears covers and Meow Mix jingles, I have to question if we can even be friends.



-L.R.

https://sexxdream.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/sxdream/

Mammals - Look Around You

It's always a pleasure to spread the word about really good power pop bands. John Buckwalter recently recommended Mammals as a band I might be into. He was right! Mammals are a garagey power pop trio from Chicago who have been releasing music for a few years now. New single "Look Around You" is already the band's third. I like that this band takes inspiration from multiple eras of melody-driven guitar pop and manages to craft its own unique sound. They take bits and pieces of '60s rock and roll, classic era power pop, and even some modern garage and punk and mold it all into something that's uniquely theirs. Here the opening track surprises with a lengthy instrumental intro before settling into a mellow psychedelic groove a la later '60s Kinks/Who or even early '80s Paisley Underground. You can hear the influence of '60s garage jangle on the and haunting (and very catchy) "In The Darkness". To finish, "Expanding Heart" is a snappy and melody-rich number that kind of reminds me of a punched-up Simon and Garfunkel. This is a really cool record that puts some interesting twists on the standard power pop formula. It revisits the classic sounds of '60s pop music without coming off as consciously "revivalist". If you like what you hear, be sure to also check out the tracks "The Hours" and "No Easy Way" from Mammals' previous singles. All three singles are available from Mammals' Bandcamp, so go check 'em out!



 -L.R.

https://mammals.bandcamp.com/album/look-around-you 
https://www.facebook.com/mammalsband 

The Safes - Winning Combination

When Frankie O'Malley told me that Winning Combination was going to be a "progression" for The Safes, he sure wasn't kidding! "I like when bands step out and try something different and it's good," he explained. If that was the goal for Winning Combination, I would say The Safes have succeeded...and then some!

Having hinted at a psychedelic era Kinks/Who/Beatles direction in the past, The Safes have gone full-on chamber pop on this, their fifth full-length album. But that's not even the half of it! Always the quintessential family band, The Safes have taken that idea to a whole new level. For this project, the Brothers O'Malley have assembled a veritable orchestra of cousins, nieces, and nephews to add new dimensions to their sound. In total, this album features 19 different brothers and sisters playing together - with violins, clarinets, cellos, vibraphone, and several other instruments building on the usual guitar, drums, and bass. Frankie O'Malley alone plays guitars, drums, bass, piano, Wurlitzer, vibraphones, accordion, sleigh bells, organ, sitar, and melodica on this release! The fact that this album could even be made is remarkable. How many people in this world could find 15 capable session musicians that are all related to them?! Now that's a talented (and very musical) family! Yet as amazing as this concept was, it easily could have flopped if had not been executed so beautifully. It's a credit to The Safes that all of these orchestral touches enhance the songs rather than distract from them.

The O'Malleys have stepped boldly out of their hard-driving pop rock and roll comfort zone, but they remain as devoted as ever to the craft of melody-driven songwriting. The elevated sophistication and added musical layers advance The Safes' sound but do not fundamentally change it. This is still one of America's finest pop bands. And even with everything that's going on throughout this record, the melodies and lyrics are still what shine most brightly. Opening track "It's True" is not just "different" - it's one of the Safes' finest and most striking songs to date. It opens the album in a bright & jaunty fashion, with lyrics that vividly evoke the fresh air that meeting someone special can breathe into our lives ("Circles spinning into light /Exploding joy like dynamite/A century of Saturdays replace a decade of malaise"). That melody will grab a hold of you in a way that seems almost effortless, and it will stay with you. Laden with majestic harmonies and intriguing lyrics, "Open Your Eyes" could just about pass for a Ray Davies composition circa 1967-68. "The Rest of My Life", so delicate and mellow in a musical sense, is so relatable lyrically that it practically stings ("I can't live like this for another day/But I can't seem to live any other way"). Similarly, "Make or Break" is as devastating in its words as it is gorgeous in its melodies. "Dreams That Ignite" is picture perfect chamber pop - featuring exquisite harmonies, lush piano-driven melodies, and nary a loud guitar in earshot.

If Winning Combination had just been a progression for progression's sake, that would have been admirable enough. But if you're going to swing for the fences, you might as well hit the ball out of the park. You don't want people saying, "Well, this is neat, but I'd much rather listen to Tasty Waves or Record Heat." The O'Malleys didn't just set out to try something different - they were determined to uphold the quality of their previous releases. The comparisons to The Kinks' Something Else, The Who Sell Out, and The Zombies' Odessey and Oracle are likely to be frequent with good reason. Those aren't just albums that stand out in those bands' catalogs - they're records you go back to again and again. Winning Combination wonderfully celebrates The O'Malley family and family in general. But I'm not going to put this in the "for fans only" category. This is a new high point for The Safes - and an absolutely a perfect starting place for anyone looking to get into this band. It's available now from the Spanish labels Action Weekend and Bickerton Records! 

  
-L.R.

https://thesafes.bandcamp.com/album/winning-combination 
https://bickertonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/br028-winning-combination 
https://actionweekend.bandcamp.com/album/the-safes-winning-combination-aw023 
https://www.facebook.com/thesafesmusic 
https://www.facebook.com/ActionWeekendRecords/ 

Wes Hollywood - Dynamite

Let's not bury the lede here: Wes Hollywood describes his own music as "Ray Davies and Elvis Costello having a punch-up in the front row of a Cheap Trick concert". That could not be more accurate! So you can understand why I am a fan of his new album Dynamite. It really hits that spot where '60s British Invasion and '70s new wave pop intersect. Hollywood (Kingsize, tenniscourts) is a longtime fixture in the Chicago underground music scene, and he does give his largely British influences somewhat of a Midwestern power pop treatment. Nothing about Dynamite reinvents the wheel, but there's something very admirable about a guy who acknowledges his inspirations and just sets out to write really good pop songs. He's particularly adept at penning plaintive yet lovely melodies ("Nothing To See Here", "No One Loves You"). "When Sunday Roll Around" could not possibly be any more Kinks-like, yet I honestly don't mind. The Costello worship is very up-front right down to the look, so it's hardly a surprise that many of the album's better tracks are reminiscent of EC's "classic" (first three albums) period. Okay, so maybe this isn't quite The Jags. But then again, what is? I just have a soft spot for anything that reminds me of new wave and power pop circa 1978-80. And in the case of this particular record, I must say the style is carried off well. How many other songwriters out there are name-checking Bram Tchaikovsky as an influence?! Thanks to Dany Laj for turning me on to this record! 

  
-L.R.

https://weshollywood.bandcamp.com/album/dynamite 
https://www.facebook.com/WesHollywoodMusic 
https://soundcloud.com/weshollywoodmusic 

The Safes - A Tribute To Juliana Hatfield

So this really happened! The Safes, one of my favorite bands, went into the studio with the rhythm section from Material freaking Issue (one of my three favorite bands EVER)! And the producer was Steve Albini?! Holy smokes! Even if I did not enjoy the music of Juliana Hatfield, I would have been super stoked about this record! But let's not bury the lede here. What stands out the most to me about A Tribute To Juliana Hatfield is that these are such great songs! Ultimately the whole point of a successful tribute project is to honor the source material, and this one does that brilliantly.

When presented with the opportunity to record this single for American Laundromat Records, the brothers O'Malley jumped at the chance. They are huge fans of Juliana Hatfield and the label as well. The involvement of Ted Ansani, Mike Zelenko, and Albini was just a (really cool) bonus! For this project, they chose to cover "Universal Heart-Beat" from 1995's Only Everything and "I See You" from 1992's Hey Babe. I appreciate that The Safes managed to put their own signature on these songs while still remaining largely faithful to the original versions. "Universal Heart-Beat" is a bona fide alt-rock classic, and The Safes don't mess with it too much. I like the cool, Lou Reed-ish vocals, but otherwise the original style of the song is followed to a T. There's just no point in playing around with that chorus - one of the catchiest and most memorable of its time. And I love that little sprinkling of Wurlitzer. In preparation for this review, I went back and listened to the original several times. What really strikes me is how well it holds up after 23 years and just how underrated Juliana Hatfield is as a songwriter. "I See You" goes back even further to Hatfield's first solo album. I would say it's a hidden gem of her catalog. But being huge fans, The Safes were well aware of that! Again they follow the general melody and structure of the original, but they really do put a Safes stamp on the song. The original sounds so innocent and bubbly, whereas the O'Malleys give it a more mature and modern reading. If you didn't already know this was a Juliana Hatfield song, you could easily believe this was something The Safes wrote themselves. And of course after multiple listens to both versions this week, what really sticks with me is what an earworm that melody is! If you didn't know it already, know it now: Juliana Hatfield writes damn good pop songs!

A Tribute To Juliana Hatfield is available only on vinyl from American Laundromat Records, and it's limited to just 500 copies. Given that these are songs from twenty-some years ago, this might be an opportunity for a whole new generation to discover Hatfield's back catalog. And certainly some of Hatfield's fans might end up coming to love The Safes - in my opinion one of the greatest American rock n' roll bands going. Hatfield herself was thrilled with these two tracks, and no doubt she sensed the tremendous affection the O'Malleys have for the original versions. This whole project is all about a genuine love for music, and that's something I can always get behind. Did I get goosebumps hearing those drums and bass? You betcha!



-L.R.

https://www.alr-music.com/products/the-safes-a-tribute-to-juliana-hatfield-seven-inch 
https://www.facebook.com/thesafesmusic/ 
https://www.facebook.com/americanlaundromatrecords/