What I've been enjoying lately.

A quick look at some of my favorite releases over the last month or so:

Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil-Cycle. Tampa Bay's premier folk-poppers team up for one of 2015's best, a graceful and melodic collection of tunes that bring the pastoral side of XTC to mind. ["Love Somebody"; "Hello, Hello (We're Back Again)]. iTunes



Phil Yates & The Affiliates-No Need to Beg. Top-notch power pop that reminds me of Ken Stringfellow ("Burn it Down, Bernadette; "The Grass is Always Greener") (P.S. That's Lizzie Borden on the cover) iTunes



Stereo Tiger-Two Weeks. More great power pop from Michigan, like Mike Viola fronting Rooney. ("Magic Balloon", "Runaway")



The Weightlifers-St. Paul EP. Adam McLaughlin & Co's third EP (and first in seven years), and it's of a piece with the first two - thoughtful, moody, and melodic. ("High Drama"; "Man of Constant Sorrow"). iTunes | Spotify

Supraluxe-Morphine Creek. This is their best since the 2006 debut, the record which helped inspire me to start this blog. Lives up to their self-description of Elliott-Smith-meets-Big-Star. ("Circles"; "La La L.A.") iTunes



Jimmy Haber-Joy Acid Pact. Orlando rocker Haber delivers the goods with his shiny, vaguely psych power pop with a populist edge to it. ("Once I Strung 'em Up"; "Bad Day to Be Me") iTunes

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Early Week Roundup.

Chris Staig-Mary. Toronto singer-songwriter Chris Staig is back with his fourth solo album, and we were big fans of Davenport, his 2006 release. Staig, who has worked with Broken Social Scene's Jason Collett on his solo discs, offers up another collection of power pop and roots rock on Mary. The proceedings have a loose feel, as "Don't Decline" indicates right away, kind of a mix between The Band and Bill Lloyd. Other standouts include "She Haunts These Rooms", the inspiring "Remember to Breathe", the George Harrison-esque pop of "Our Last Chance" and the Dave Edmunds-inspired "Teardrops" (which reminds me quite a bit of DE's Springsteen-penned minor hit "From Small Things"). My advice: Staig the course!

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Dylan Connor-Breakaway Republic. Dylan Connor hails from the unlikely musical hotbed of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and he released a fine but criminally overlooked EP in 2007 titled Breakdowns & Hymns. Fortunately for us, he's reprised the best tracks on the EP as part of his fine new full length Breakaway Republic. Connor falls somewhere in between power pop and indie pop, but whatever label you choose to apply, he has a way with a melody. The 80s-inspired "Breakaway & Burn" kicks things off in high gear, and "Stunning Insights" recalls Robert Pollard. Other treats include the Nada Surf-style pop of "Don't Let Me Wash Away" (a highlight from the EP), "I Want Everybody to Know", and the rocking "Pave Me".

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

The Weightlifters-O My Stars EP. Adam McLaughlin & Co. are back at it, following up 2007's excellent Last of the Sunday Drivers EP with another extended play, O My Stars. Had you put these two EPs together, you'd have a year-end top 10 contender. O My Stars is of a piece with the first EP, so if your tastes run in the Pernice Brothers/Elliott Smith/Teenage Fanclub area, you'll want this one. Top tracks: "Perfect", "Belle of the Wrecking Ball" and "Battlesong".

CD Baby | MySpace | Stream @Official Site | iTunes

EP Friday.

Seems like I haven't reviewed too many EPs this year, so here are 3 for your weekend consideration:


The Weightlifters-Last of the Sunday Drivers. This is the brainchild of Chicago's Adam McLaughlin, former guitarist for the Philly power pop band The Idle Wilds (not to be confused with Idlewild), who were signed to a then-revived Ardent label by Big Star's Jody Stephens in the late 90s. There is a bit of a Big Star sound here, but more like Big Star by way of Teenage Fanclub. It's really quite good stuff, and you can stream the full EP at their (his) site. CD Baby


The Pacific-Sound x3. This LA band not only knows how to rock, but manages to do it in a highly melodic manner. I'm a little surprised their self-titled debut in 2004 didn't garner more attention in the power pop community (thanks to Mark at Rock and Roll Report for bringing them to my attention). The best way I can desribe their sound is a kind of Oasis-Kinks-Cheap Trick amalgam. The good news is that both this new EP and the debut full-length can be found on eMusic.

MySpace


Jason Lyles-Ethereal. Chattanooga TN's Jason Lyles is more of a rocker than a power popper per se, but there are more than enough hooks and melodies to make Ethereal an enjoyable listen for you Absolute Powerpop readers out there. And the slower numbers might be the best on the EP: "Move On" and the anthemic title track.

CD Baby | MySpace