Two for Tuesday, 2/15/11

Alan Bernhoft-Beatlesque Three. Bernhoft is back with the latest installment in his "Beatlesque" series. The first two primarily mined the early Beatles sound, so he's moved on to the Sgt Pepper/Magical Mystery Tour/White Album era on this batch. The results are engaging, with the McCartney side of things represented with "Sunny Sky", which doesn't have a direct Beatles counterpart, and "Honey Love", which does recall "Honey Pie" with its old-timey opening. Lennon is given voice with "Bored", which draws on "I Am the Walrus" for inspiration, and "Say in Silence", which has a "Dear Prudence" vibe. And is "Chun Li" Bernhoft's answer to Yoko Ono? Finally, no nakedly Beatlesque effort like this is complete without a song titled "Colliding Circles", the name of a supposed long-lost Beatles track. It's all fun, in a Rutles-esque kind of way.

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Poplord-Poplord vs The Universe. Also back with a new disc is California's Poplord, whom we last heard from in 2008's Full/Filled. Here they continue with their bright power pop influenced by the likes of Squeeze, XTC, and Elvis Costello. "Flower Bomb" is the kind of clever, catchy track those three artists have been known for, as is "Death", probably the happiest-sounding song to bear that name. "Save the Monkey" is possibly the best thing here, with its wisecracking lyrics, playful synths, and amusing falsetto chorus. It sounds like a lost college radio track from the 80s, back before the hipsters took over. Elsewhere, "Mr. Wesley" has the feel of a Kinks' character sketch, and "CD Closer" serves nicely as a cd closer and a meta-commentary. A fine return, and I for one welcome our new Poplord album.

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CD of the Day, 9/11/08: Poplord-Full/Filled

Last year, I overlooked the self-titled debut of this California band, not coming across it until earlier this year. It turned out to be a disc I really liked, kept meaning to write about, and never got around to. Luckily, they've just released a second disc and they can overlooked no longer. Full/Filled is a winning disc of bright power pop that will appeal to fans of Squeeze, XTC, The Beach Boys and Elvis Costello, and it's just as good as their first.

"Change In Time for Monday" is as good an introduction to their sound as any, and its uptempo sound, complete with piano, synths and guitars galore reminds me of fellow Californians Big Kid and The Meadows. "What's Beneath"'s slinky melody brings some 10cc into the mix, and the fine harmonies of "The Gray" call to mind Jeff Larson and America, albeit with a bit more pep. Elsewhere, "Wake Up Tired" channels early Chicago, sans the horns, "Used to Town" throws in all the bells and whistles of a late-Beatles tune, "A Tree Beyond" is classic 70s sunshine pop, and "Where'd He Go" is XTC meets Jellyfish. This is Grade "A" pop, folks, from a band whose tank is far from empty, so be sure to check this one out as well as their (previously) overlooked debut.

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