The Allrightniks-Three. Wasting no time after regaling us with an EP released early this year, The Allrightniks are back with their third EP cleverly titled "Three". This time around, they make a couple deviations from their Spongetones-styled power pop. For example, "Delaplane" is a bluesy, swamp-rock ode to the Virginia town in their neck of the woods, and "Moonshine" follows in a similar vein. But their trademark British invasion pop shines on the opener "Would've Already by Now" and "Until I Get to You". And the Big Star-esque "Something to Believe In" is another standout. Here's looking forward to EP #4.
Lamar Holley-The Color of Day. Also returning to our pages (albeit after a longer absence) is Salt Lake City's Lamar Holley, whose The Color of Day is his full-length followup to 2009's Confessions of a College Student. This one picks up where the last one left off with more of his quirky "theater-pop", although the college student of the debut if now finding his way in the world. "Planet Buzz" sets the tone, a cross between a Broadway/Vaudeville intro with a commercial jingle, while the acoustic guitar-based "Roller Coaster" channels Jon Brion circa the I Heart Huckabees soundtrack. "One and One" is delicious piano pop, "Acting in Love" is a highly catchy number about an actor falling in love with his leading lady, and "Are You Really Mine?" is a beautiful piano ballad. Elsewhere, the delightful indie pop of "Holding On, Holding Back" with its boy/girl harmonies and the bouncy "Joe" round out the disc nicely. So in this holiday season, add some Holley to your home.
Lamar Holley-Confessions of a College Student. One of these days, I'm going to compile a "United States of Power Pop" that references power pop artists in each state of the country. Off the top of my head, I can think of several states that are unrepresented, but I can now cross Utah off the list thanks to SLC's Lamar Holley. His Confessions of a College Student is billed as a pop musical, or "theater-pop" as he calls it, and it's a wonderfully melodic and quirky album that works as a whole or as standalone tunes. Mixing in a little Jellyfish, a little Ben Folds, some Beatles, and a lot of Brill Building, there's plenty here to like. "Forgotten Friends" brings the 'fish to mind, "Pretend That She's Ugly" is where the Folds comparisons come in, and "This is True" is a baroque blast. Tuition will only cost you $15, so it's a bargain.
Fred Van Vactor-Everything Good All at Once. If the Lamar Holley is up your alley, then you should also like the debut disc from this Oregon artist. While the sound is somewhat similar, Van Vactor comes at his material more from a slack aesthetic than Holley's theater geek. Regardless, this is buoyant pop that's catchy, quirky and clever. "Bottle of Wine" is great midtempo power pop, "Falling in Love with Jill Kotowski" is equal parts Dean Friedman's "Ariel" and Ben Folds' "Kate", and "L-O-V-E A.D.D." is as clever as its title. The only quibble I have here is that Van Vactor pushes the quirk factor a little too far late in the album with the goofy "Mexican Guitar" and the answering-machine-message-set-to-background-music "No More Gardening...", which Folds beat him to with "Your Most Valuable Possession" and kept under two minutes while this one drones on for nearly four. Nevertheless, there's enough here to please any pop fan.