Singles galore!

A whole bunch of artists featured on the site have released singles over the past month or two, so it's time to catch up.

Reno Bo-Smile Across the Universe. Rather than release a new album, Reno Bo's released several singles this year, and his latest is another melodic gem, with the A-side backed with the anthemic "Be the Change" and a mono mix of the A-side.

iTunes



The Zags-A World Away/Icy Red. Another two-sided single, this time from The Zags, who deliver their classic power pop in bite(or byte)-sized form this around.

iTunes



Wiretree-You've Got Tonight. Kevin Peroni has been releasing EPs and albums since this site began in 2006, but this a rare non-album single release for him. It's a catchy, piano-based number that's of a piece with his full body of work.

iTunes



Coke Belda-Operator (That's Not the Way it Feels). Fresh off an album covering the Bee Gees, Coke Belda mines the 70s once again with a power pop version of the Jim Croce folk/rock classic. Belda said when hearing the original it was a "clear power-pop song disguised as an acoustic piece" and he does a fine job of proving it.

Bandcamp



The Shazam-It's Doomsday, Honey! I missed this when it came out this summer in honor of the total eclipse, but this is the first new music we've heard of Hans Rotenberry & company since 2009's Meteor so it definitely bears mentioning. It's apparently from an upcoming album called Doomsday Hotel that's been in the works for a while so hopefully we see that soon. Meanwhile, enjoy this track which compares well with their classic power pop output of the 2000s.

iTunes



The Weeklings-Revolution Wonderland. In which these Beatles-loving popsters answering the question of what would a mashup of "Winter Wonderland" and "Revolution" sound like. So you get the Revolution guitar riffs backing the Winter Wonderland lyrics and melody and some Revolution 1 "shooby-dooby" backing vocals. Power popping holiday fun.

iTunes

Early April Roundup.

Corin Ashley-Broken Biscuits. Corin Ashley has been through a lot since we last heard from him in 2013 with the wonderful New Lion Terraces. In January 2016, he suffered a parietal lobe stroke which left him unable to move the fingers on his left hand and with a paralyzed vocal cord. After some hard work with a neurosurgeon who had experience with musicians recovering from brain injuries, Ashley re-learned how to sing and play the guitar and was back on stage by the end of the year, and he's also managed to release a new album which may actually be his best yet. While his previous releases were more chamber/baroque-pop oriented (one of his albums wasn't called Songs from the Brill Bedroom for nothing), this one has a more immediate appeal, as though Ashley is seizing his new lease on life. The fairly raucous opener "Little Crumbles" recalls McCartney in rock-and-roll mode, the delightful "Wind Up Boy" (with vocals from Tanya Donnelly) is another upbeat pop treat and "In Appropriate Fashion" is straight-up power pop. But fans of the old Ashley have no need to fret either - "Magpie over Citadel", "Junior Partner" and "Powder Your Face With Sunshine" are pristine chamber pop numbers. A triumphant return, and one of 2017's best to date.

CD Baby



Danny de la Matyr-Crybaby. You can be forgiven if Danny de la Matyr's name doesn't sound familiar, but if you're a long-time reader of this site you might recall his band called The Sheers, who put out the fine Goodbye World back in 2006/2007. We haven't heard much from him since, although he's worked with Rhett Miller, Jesse Malin and more recently Luther Russell, both solo and with Those Pretty Wrongs, Russell's project with Big Star's Jody Stephens. During all that time he was putting together his solo debut, and it was worth the time. After a couple of lovely, Elliott Smith-style tracks to open the album, things perk up with the slinky melody and staccato guitars of the title track, the power balladry of "How Can it Be?" and the chiming power pop of "Lines". Other standouts include the Beatlesque "Skeleton Key", the rocking "Misfire" and the anthemic piano pop of "Fade to Grey". A solid disc from start to finish.

Bandcamp



Wiretree-Towards the Sky. Kevin Peroni has been releasing quality indie-rock/power pop albums as long as I've doing this blog, and on his fifth full-length the Austonian comes through again. From the understated opener "Let Me In" to the driving, ELO-like "J.F. Sebastian" (an homage to the Blade Runner character?) to the classic Wiretree sound of "Dive" to the trippy title track, Towards the Sky is a welcome addition to the Wiretree canon. And "Didn't Know Your Name" might be the album's best track, with its steady build toward a driving climax.

iTunes

Two for Thursday, 7/11/13

Adam Daniel-Pop, Baby. Adam Daniel's Blue Pop is considered in the power pop community as one of the best albums of the last 15 years, but after that Daniel kind of dropped off the map. In late 2006/early 2007 he released a couple of collections of demos which were pretty decent, but it isn't until now that he's finally recorded a proper followup to Blue Pop. And while the cliche to use would be that Pop, Baby was worth the 14-year wait, in truth not much in life is worth a 14-year wait so I'll just note that this is an excellent return by Daniel and leave it at that. "Summer's Coming" is the appropriately-placed leadoff track, a peppy slice of guitar pop with punchy piano to move it along, while the midtempo piano-based "In and Out of Love" finds the golden mean between Paul McCartney and Elton John. Elsewhere, "Your Gravity" adds Beach Boy harmonies to the mix, "Quantum Love" is a clever and catchy rocker that speaks to Daniel's gift for songcraft, and "Long Cold Winter" is a power ballad with pomp. Adam Daniel is back, folks, and here's hoping that we don't have to wait for the next one until 2027.

CD Baby | iTunes



Wiretree-Get Up. Wiretree is one of those acts that I have a personal affinity for in the sense that they started out around the time I started this blog and I've been following them along each step of the way. From the debut EP through the present, Kevin Peroni has always delivered a tuneful collection of songs that were also somewhat haunting and low-key. Get Up, his latest (not to be confused with 2011's Wake Up), is more of the same. From the Shins-like opening title track to the laid-back autobiographical (?) shuffle of "Marching Band" to the Wilco-like "In the City (Rail)", Get Up is top-notch indie pop-rock. And "Doctor" is a treat for those of us who enjoyed Wiretree from the beginning, as its acoustic guitar-and-piano shuffle brings back memories of tracks like "Big Coat" and "Find a Way" from the first two releases.

CD Baby | iTunes

Two for Thursday, 8/18/11

Wiretree-Make Up. The career of Kevin Peroni (a/k/a Wiretree) has coincided with the existence of this site; his debut EP was one of the first reviewed here. So it's been interesting to follow him these past 5-6 years and see how his sound has evolved. He's gone from the Tom Petty/Wilburys sound of the debut and Bouldin to more of an indie rock sound with Luck, and has completed the transition here with Make Up. The one constant has been the songwriting, and whatever the subgenre, Peroni has consistently given us fine tunes. This time around, it's the ringing guitar chords of "Make Up", the catchy heartland rock of "Broken Foot" and the rollicking "The Shore", which is reminiscent of Green Day's "Holiday". The disc even closes with the Jayhawks-like country ballad "Josephine". But there are a few remnants of the classic Wiretree sound here with "Tinyhearts" and "Tonight". Overall, it's nice to see him branch out without sacrificing the quality of the tunes, and I look forward to what comes next.

CD Baby | iTunes

Third of Never, Kurt Reil & CJ Grogan-Life Saver (Three Fifths of a Third EP). Grip Weeds alert! Fans of that longtime power pop band will want to grab this split EP, which features lead singer Kurt Reil's Third of Never side project, two tracks from Reil himself, and two others from CJ Grogan (also in Third of Never). Third of Never's title track is excellent (and leads us to hope a followup to 2007's Moodring is the offing), Reil's catchy "Gonna Find My Way" is another standout, as well as his psych-rocking "Wake Up Time". Grogan's "Tracer" is an energetic rocker, but his piano ballad closer "Margaret" meanders a bit. Still, 4 out of 5 ain't bad.

CD Baby | iTunes

New Wiretree on the way!

Kevin Peroni a/k/a Wiretree has been an AbPow favorite over the years, with 2 full-lengths and an EP placing highly on our year-end lists. So I'm glad to report that Wiretree's latest full-length, Makeup, is due to be released August 1. And as a preview, here's the leadoff track "The Shore", a tight pop song in the Wiretree style:

CD of the Day, 10/8/09: Wiretree-Luck

One of the more common criticisms leveled at the power pop genre is that it all sounds the same, it's generic, everybody tries to sound like someone else, etc. It's a facile criticism, usually made by someone who doesn't listen to that much power pop. Nevertheless, this criticism doesn't apply to Kevin Peroni, whose Wiretree has an idiosyncratic sound - whenever one of his tunes randomly pops on my iPod, I have no trouble identifiying it as such. As I've touched on before, Wiretree's sound is best described as a hybrid between the Wilbury-era production Jeff Lynne brought to that band as well as Tom Petty and George Harrison and the poppier side of indie rock that artists such as Elliott Smith brought to the table.

With a brilliant 2005 debut EP and 2007's full-length Bouldin (which made my top 5 that year) under his belt, Peroni has a lot to live up to with Luck, and succeeds for the most part. The first chords of "Across My Mind" pass through the ears like meeting an old friend as the familiar acoustic guitar, drums and baroque piano that made the EP and Bouldin great are back in service of another shuffling, catchy melody. "Back in Town", the first single (mp3 download below), leads with xylophone reminiscent of Wilco's "A Shot in the Arm" and its sound does owe a lot to Summerteeth, which in my opinion was Jeff Tweedy's (and Jay Bennett's especially) finest moment. That 1-2 punch sets a daunting standard for the rest of the disc, but it's a challenge met. Particular standouts are "Information", in which Peroni rocks with a tougher edge without sacrificing the tune, the byzantine melody of "Satellite Song", in which Wiretree goes toe-to-toe with fellow Austinites Spoon, and the lovely "Heart of Hearts", which captures the "classic" Wiretree sound.

With any Luck, this will be the disc that propels Wiretree before a much larger audience. It retains their signature sound yet broadens it to point where I could see the intelligentsia of indie rock and the poobahs at Pitchfork giving it a thumbs up if they take the time to check it out. Here's hoping they do.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

mp3 of "Back in Town"

Wiretree mp3

Last week, I mentioned that Wiretree had a new track out and that you could stream it at MySpace. Now you can download the mp3 of "Back in Town", courtesy of Austin Sound.

Austin Sound

Odds and Ends.

* Longtime AbPow favorite Wiretree has a new track up on their MySpace, "Back in Town", from their forthcoming album due later this year. Check it out.

* BrownLine Fiasco is now known as HiFi Superstar. They have a new MySpace page up as well.

Vote for Wiretree!

I don't normally do this, and by doing this I'm not inviting every artist I've blogged about to enlist me in helping to win an online contest, but I'm a big fan of Kevin Peroni a/k/a Wiretree's music, and I think it would be extremely cool to see him on Austin City Limits. So I'm asking my readers to vote for Wiretree in a contest that mp3.com is running to get an independent artist a spot in the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup.

Click the banner below if you so choose, and give Kevin a boost (he's made it to Round 3 but is 13th now and needs to make the top 5 to advance to the final round). His full-length debut Bouldin is #2 on my top 50 of 2007 in case you're still unfamiliar with him.

More good stuff on eMusic.

Some excellent additions to eMu today:

The Rewinds-The Rewinds. This disc landed at #32 on my top 100 from last year, and you can read more about it here.

Wiretree-Bouldin. Back at the end of February when I did my first (and only, to date) list of the best of 07, this one was #2. It should still be pretty high up there when I do my planned top 50 of 2007 for the midyear around the end of this month. The original review is here.

Chris von Sneidern-White Lies. CVS' 1994 release is now available. You generally can't go wrong with him.

The Lodger-Grown-Ups. Excellent new brit-pop band.

CD of the Day, 1/5/07: Wiretree-Bouldin

Here's another early contender for Best of 2007 honors: Bouldin, the long-awaited (by me, at least) full-length debut of Wiretree, whose 2005 EP was a real favorite of mine.

For those who missed the EP, Wiretee (actually Kevin Peroni) has a somewhat idiosyncratic sound, best described as somewhere between Elliott Smith and Brendan Benson, as well as reminding me somewhat of two of my true favorites, Supraluxe and Derby. To make it simpler, if you're familiar with The Smithereens' classic "Blood and Roses", you'll have a great idea of the template for the "Wiretree sound".

Things start off with "Big Coat" (the track I cajoled Peroni into posting over the summer on his myspace page in full-length form), an excellent shuffle that's instantly catchy. Meanwhile, "Secret Law" sounds like Tom Petty meets The Pernice Brothers; "Feel Me" has that "Blood and Roses" feel to it; "Don't Need It" is an untempo marvel that has an early Posies sound; "Notion" is a great keyboard and acoustic guitar-driven number; and I'm not sure I'll hear a more beautiful melody the rest of the year than the one belonging to "Whirl", although the closing track that follows it, "Summercity", comes damn close.

Where to listen? If you want to hear the whole thing, it's on Rhapsody. You can listen to up to 25 tracks without giving any credit card info or signing up, and it'll be worth using 9 of those on this disc. Five of the tracks can be streamed here, while a sixth ("Big Coat") is on the aforementioned myspace page. Right now, the only place to buy it is from the Wiretree site, where it's $11.99 shipped.

Today would be a good day...

..to get an eMusic subscription. They added a massive number of CD Baby titles today that include many great discs that have been featured on this site in the past several months. (By the way, eMu is cutting the # of monthly downloads on each of its price plans in one week, but there's still time to lock in yearly subscriptions at the original plan rates, which can come to about 18 cents a track. The list in this post alone can keep you going for several months on the 40-download plan!)

First off, though, they added the new Saul Zonana disc, Love Over Money. As Bruce at Not Lame puts it, "Filled w/ the splendorous guitar, high energy hooks and expressive vocals found, the music falls into the schooling of such artists like Matthew Sweet, Rick Altizer, Michael Penn, Candy Butchers, Doug Powell , the Dotted Line and Greenberry Woods. It`s the type of power pop that would be right at home on most FM rock-oriented radio stations if radio played decent music."

And here are the rest:

Dave Stoops-Spill Your Drink. Bruce again: "Man, this album is so friggin` cool! Dave Stoops merges the a most interesting web of connection of cool, varied pop stylings with a most distinctive vocal style that evokes primo cool. Stoops sounds a lot like Karl Wallinger of World Party(and like Chris Bailey from The Saints), a very good thing and, in fact, much of the material sounds like the long, lost World Party album that fans have been waiting for the last 15 years or so."

Gary Henson-The Coast Is Clear. One of the very first discs we spotlighted on the site, and you can read all about it here. #27 on our current top 33 1/3 of 2006.

Kit Ashton-Blindsided EP. My favorite EP of 2006 to date. Here's my full take.

Mike Schmid-The High Cost of Living (A Love Story). Featured this one back in May as part of a singer-songwriter series.

Parallax Project-Perpetual Limbo. I don't think I mentioned this one on the site, but many power poppers will remember this one that came out almost a year ago to the date. Just missed my best of 2005 lists, and here's Bruce yet again: "But you`ll hear echoes, vague, happy reminders of not only Cherry Twister(naturally) but The Nines, Redd Kross, Splitsville, Raspberries, Shoes and early 70`s AM Radio summer hits(think Gallery, First Class and Gilbert O` Sullivan, for those in the know)."

Patrik Tanner-Soft. I briefly blurbed this one earlier, and to save a link, here's what I wrote: "This is a 2004 release I picked up early last year, and it's a good one. With an album titled "Soft", you're kind of know what you're getting. And Tanner delivers the goods - this is quality singer/songwriter pop. My favorite track is the Beatlesque "Hello Tomorrow", complete with chimes at the end."

Rick Altizer-Blue Plate Special. If you don't know Rick Altizer, start Googling and find out. I think we featured his Dum Dog Run project, but his solo stuff is compelling as well. This one from a few years back is a good a place to start as any.

Sheboygan-S/T EP. Great 4-song EP, check 'em out at their myspace page.

Stingray Green-Hard Numbers. Stingrays may be getting a bad rap these days, but these veteran Minneapolis power popppers put out a fine album that I overlooked earlier this year.

The Everyday Things-Lighten Up, Francis. From it's adoption of a classic line from Stripes to the fact it was produced by Jamie Hoover and released on Not Lame's own label, you can't beat this batch of punchy power pop in the vein of The Figgs, The Romantics and The Plimsouls.

The High Score-We Showed Up to Leave. As Splendidzine put it, "They`ve got Superdrag`s keen sense of melody, Sugar`s propensity for lacing pop songs with blistering riffs and a GBV-ish sort of ragtag charm".

The Humbugs-Twist The Truth. Bruce sez: "The Humbugs sound a lot like Tommy Keene playing with REM, Swan Dive and the poppy side of The Kennedys, a unique sound. There`s hints of Prefab Sprout, Crowded House, Aimee Mann, more modern day Pretenders and Trashcan Sinatras, as well."

The Slides-The View From Here. I really like this album a lot, and it's testimony to all the good music coming out this year that it's not on my top 33 1/3 list (but look for it on my special superduper year-end top 100 come the holidays).

Third Floor Story-Lonely City. I like this one even more, and it's #26 on the latest top 33 1/3. Great, great disc.

Wiretree-S/T EP. This was one of the great EPs of 2005, and a must-have. I elaborate about it here. Still waiting eagerly for the full-length.

So for any of you who have eMusic out there, bookmark this post in case you still have some leftover downloads at the end of the month, and for those who don't, it's still your most cost-effective way to legally get all this great power pop.

EP of the Day: Wiretree

Wiretree's EP came out about a year ago, and it didn't seem to get the buzz it deserved. Not Lame said it best:

(The) first song here "Give It Up" sounds like an incredible update of The Smithereens "Blood And Roses", classic, classic, classic! The Smithereens comparison remains on the rest of the material, but "Down The Way I Walk" manages to sound like a fantastically, insanely catchy acoustic demo of a unreleased Billy Corgin playing with Tom Petty song. Speaking of Tom Petty, "Find A Way" sounds like the great lost song from The Travelling Wilburys or "Full Moon Fever"-era Petty.

"Find a Way" is awesome. The piano break in the middle is worth the price of admission alone. Get the samples at the cdbaby page.