Bill Lloyd returns with a smart new album that will appeal to the PoP Faithful with its sophisticated take on Power Pop Rock N Roll.
Melodic Rock
PoP RECOMMENDS : FLEET FOXES – FIRST COLLECTION 2006 – 2009
Lost within the hype, attention and brouhaha over the 50th anniversary re-issue of The Beatles “White Album”, is First Collection 2006 – 2009, a retrospective on the early Fleet Foxes recordings.
ROCK HISTORY | PoP LEGENDS : THE BEATLES SUPER DELUXE EDITION
After the success of last year’s Sgt Pepper remix reissue, this 50th anniversary edition of my favourite Beatles album was the one to look out for!
ROCK’S NOT DEAD — YOU ARE!!! THE CASTOR TROYS – LEGENDS NEVER DIE (EP)
Hard rock revival? I fuckin’ hope so! Add another band to the burgeoning list – Ontario’s The Castor Troys.
PoP RECOMMENDS | POP POWER!!! SPIRIT AWARD – MUTED CROWD
Seattle new wave revivalists Spirit Award are back with a new album, Muted Crowd.
REEL TO REAL : MUSIC DRAMA – BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
It’s impossible to be objective about Bohemian Rhapsody as I have been a Queen fan since 1977.
PoPTV | THE NEW ROCK N ROLL : THE RACHETS – “DOTARD ON THE DIAL”
The Rachets (Ashbury Park, NJ) sound like a cross between The Clash, The ‘Mats and The Hold Steady. Which is fine with me!
PoP TV | POP POWER : SHANNON LUKE – “THE SURVEY” (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
A rare thing indeed to come across a pop song that addresses the social issues of Singapore but Shannon Luke has done exactly that with his latest single, “The Survey”.
PoP RECOMMENDS | PoP LEGENDS : ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS – LOOK NOW
EC fans received a bit of a scare after the singer-songwriter cancelled a clutch of live dates due to ill health. But news of his recovery and the release of Look Now – one of Costello’s best albums of recent times – must have cheered diehard followers!
PoP RECOMMENDS | THE NEW ROCK N ROLL : MOLLY BURCH – FIRST FLOWER
There is a pleasing new wave of music artists taking the bold step of making ‘real’ music again. The old-fashioned way, so to speak. Like Texas-based singer-songwriter Molly Burch.
PoP RECOMMENDS | THE NEW ROCK N ROLL : RESTORATIONS – LP5000
Philly indie rockers Restorations return from a 4 year hiatus to deliver a powerful new album, LP5000.
PoP RECOMMENDS | RETROPOPROCK : NEW ALBUMS FROM PAUL WELLER, PAUL MCCARTNEY, PAUL SIMON AND SUEDE
In 2018, retro pop rock still has relevance though probably not for millennials and younger generations. But it matters not. I know that the PoP Faithful will enjoy these releases. Good enough!
PoP RECOMMENDS | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : MCPHERSON GRANT – SONG
Songwriting duo Scott McPherson and Jamie Grant present a debut album that lives up to its name.
PoP20 | THE NEW ROCK N ROLL : BRASS BED – MIDNIGHT MATINEE (2008)
Continuing our lookback at our publishing history with a decade-old review of Brass Bed! BRASS BED Midnight Matinee (Self released) I’m guessing that Brass Bed got their name from Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay but I could be wrong.
PoPTV | THE NEW ROCK N ROLL : THE REFUSERS – “DISOBEY”
When Trump became President, there was lots of talk about how resistance to his administration would inspire loads of protest music similar to the 80s with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Has not quite panned out that way, so thank goodness for Seattle’s The Refusers!
PoP RECOMMENDS | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : KEN SHARP – BEAUTY IN THE BACKSEAT
The moment one gets into Ken Sharp’s latest album, Beauty in the Backseat, one is transported back to the ’70s, where pop-rock was king of the airwaves.
PoP RECOMMENDS | POP POWER!!! : BITTERSWEET MACHINES – “ONLY YOU AND ME” SINGLE
Once again, Bittersweet Machines (a.k.a. Matt Mocharnuk) delivers another potent shot of melodic adrenaline infused with 80s pop-rock sensibilities of the highest order!
PoP RECOMMENDS | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : HUX & THE HITMEN – SOGGY OXYGEN
Faithful visitors to Power of Pop will know how much I am a fan of the music of young singer/songwriter/guitarist Huxley Rittman.
PoP20 | PoP LEGENDS : THE JAYHAWKS – RAINY DAY MUSIC (2003)
Blast from the distant PoP past – 15 years on… THE JAYHAWKS Rainy Day Music (Lost Highway/American) After the greater pop emphasis of Sound of Lies and Smile, the Jayhawks return to the roots rock approach of their earlier albums (especially Hollywood Town Hall and Tomorrow the Green Grass) with Continue Reading
PoP RECOMMENDS | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : ADDISON LOVE – THOUGHTS ON LUNCH?
If you are a rabid fan of Power Pop Rock N Roll, then Addison Love‘s new album (out now on Big Stir Records) is an easy sell.
PoP RECOMMENDS | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : THE LEMON TWIGS – GO TO SCHOOL
Risk-taking is such a rare thing in the contemporary music scene, that when it does happen it hits us like a lightning bolt!
PoP20 | PoP LEGENDS : ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA – ZOOM (2001)
An ELO review from 2001! If the announcement of a new ELO album, after a 15-year absence, raised eyebrows, then the realisation that Zoom is essentially Jeff Lynne playing everything caused many brows to furrow.
PoPTV | THE NEW ROCK N ROLL : THE SWAGGER – “HEART ‘N’ SOUL”
London rockers The Swagger release their new single “Heart ‘N’ Soul” which continues in the vein of their debut EP (2016) i.e. a ballsy amalgam of ’90s Britpop and ’00s garage-punk that deserves our attention!
THE LISTENING BOOTH | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : THE DAHLMANNS – “AMERICAN HEARTBEAT”
The Dahlmanns return with “American Heartbeat”, a teaser for upcoming new album of the same name, dropping at the end of the month!
THE LISTENING BOOTH | POWER POP ROCK N ROLL : KERRY COMPOST CHICOINE – “THOSE DAYS ARE OVER”
Another new release from a member of the Pop Underground – this time, it’s Kerry Kompost Chicoine!