Scroll down for capsule reviews of British Sea Power, Goodbye Blue Monday, Anders Parker, Dallas Orbiter, a Bread tribute, The Capitol Years, The Plastic Cloud, Splendid, The Shivers, Reverb, The Love Thugs and A Northern Chorus.

British Sea Power -- Open Season (Rough Trade): This album is to British Sea Power's debut what the Psychedelic Furs' Talk Talk Talk was to their debut. In both cases, youthful clangor is replaced by something wiser and more controlled. If anything, BSP's transformation is more dramatic. While the band displayed a softer side on their first effort, I didn't expect that this side would rule the roost already. British Sea Power's sound is springtime ready, verging closely to the mid-tempo work of Echo And The Bunnymen, and that ain't necessarily a bad thing. If there is a drawback to this ‘cuddlier' BSP, it's that even though the songs here are uniformly enjoyable, and there are some hooks, there are no out-and-out great songs. Sometimes, that means a bland or nondescript record. That isn't the case here, since the band has such a defined personality, starting with Yan's breathless empathetic vocals, the great rhythm section work and scores of catchy lead guitar figures. You can't help but feel good hearing the acoustic guitar bounce of "Victorian Ice", or the stately yearning pop of "Like a Honeycomb", which has a stirring, romantic chorus. The band only heads towards anthem territory on "Please Stand Up", and even then, the more subdued and mature approach is apparent. But the strong lead guitar lines can't be denied. While not nearly as striking as the debut, this album speaks well for British Sea Power's longevity, as the music is so compelling that I can help but keep listening to it. roughtradeamerica.com

Goodbye Blue Monday -- Help Is On The Way (Loud + Clear): No, the title is not a reference to the Little River Band hit. Goodbye Blue Monday play rock with an expansive sound, making great use of alternatively shimmering and stabbing guitars. This a band in the process of carving out an identity, and they make dramatic music that is along the lines of early U2, early Radiohead and Bloc Party. This 7-song disc is a testament to great talent and significant potential to make some enduring music. The song that excites me the most is "This Is Your Four Leaf Clover". The song begins with intricate intertwined lead guitar work that seems to find a common ground between Robert Fripp's exercises in repeated patterns (on so many recent King Crimson records) and Television, and then picks up the pace until it takes on more of a Gang Of Four attack. Add some strong Peter Hook worthy bass playing, and solid drumming, and you get music that supports a basic melody, while offering layers of sound. This song doesn't have a hook per se, so much as a series of musical ideas that are strung together in a way that maximizes their impact. This is edgy, intelligent and powerful. Other killers include "Painkillers in Love" (which definitely merits a Bloc Party comparison) and "Help is on the Way", a mid-tempo number with flanged guitars, insistent rhythm and passionate vocals -- the usual post-punk influences are present, but sliced-and-diced in an original fashion. This is an EP with enough intensity for a full disc. loucandclearrecords.com

Anders Parker -- The Wounded Astronaut EP (Baryon Records): What's a talented performer to do when he has more good songs than will comfortably fit on his LP? Wait just a bit and kick out a nice little EP. This six song disc from the former frontman of Varnaline is more of the same in the best sense. You could make a reasonable argument that any of these songs was worthy of inclusion on his debut album, but you'd have a hard time figuring out which songs to remove. This disc shows off Parker's versatility, as he can do a rootsy song that will capture the ears of a Son Volt fan and can pen a modern pop tune that would make a Flaming Lips acolyte take notice. In fact, the title track actually seems to blend the mystical swoony pop melodies that the Lips specialize in with a nice Americana musical setting. Of course, Parker is just as at home doing a straightforward song -- "The Smile" is a fine mid-tempo number that shows off his slightly grainy baritone to its best advantage. There is one somber slow song, "Everyone Will Shine". Parker sings over a nice atmospheric mix of keyboards, and gentle electric and acoustic guitar notes that are kept way in the background. The song is bracing like a chill wind blowing off a rocky beach during the fall. This may be the best track he's cut yet as a solo act. Often this type of EP is an excuse to give fans substandard tracks -- that is not the case here, as Parker delivers more great stuff. baryonrecords.com

Dallas Orbiter -- Magnesium Fireflies (Princess): An indie-pop record that is at turns accessible and challenging, succeeding at almost every turn with creative and memorable music that both relies upon and subverts formulas in a winning fashion. The Orbiter is capable of ‘60s-kissed pop-rock numbers that exude the skill and pep of bands like The Minders and Apples In Stereo, while not being as retro or cutesy, respectively, as those bands can be. On the pure pop front, the song "Arise" (as in "arise/magnesium firefly") is driven by a rousing chorus. There's nothing complex about it, it just swoops in and takes you for blissful three minute ride. On "Molecules Kissing", the band mixes an aggressive melody and guitars with Beach Boys/Pilot-like harmonies and spacey keyboards and effects in the vein of Flaming Lips and Granddaddy. As the album progresses, it ventures into interesting areas. "73rd and Something" shows off some art-rock moves, as the band plays with jazz fusion precision, using a funky time signature. This song moves in a few directions before ending with a repeated refrain for the last three minutes or so of the track. Cool. There are some purely atmospheric numbers and the closer, "The Kids", is a twelve-minute journey that slowly unwinds and shows the band's mastery of mood and arrangement. As you can tell, it's hard to encapsulate this band very easily. This is an excellent record from five guys who don't give a shit about trends and have a lot to say musically. princessrecords.com

Various Artists -- Friends And Lovers: Songs Of Bread (Badman): This tribute to the ‘70s soft-rock superstars was put together with a lot of thought. Take a bow Eric Shea and Dylan Magierek, for getting together a nifty group of performers who, for the most part, strip away some AM Top 40 Radio gloss and show off how many great songs Bread waxed. One of the most brilliant tracks here is Call And Response doing "Baby I'm a Want You", with vocalist Carrie Clough exuding a nice Karen Carpenter vibe, and the band giving the song a nice Bacharach/bossa nova twist. That twist isn't much of a stretch, as Bread front man David Gates's best songs evince a sophistication that puts them on par with Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Webb and Joni Mitchell. Listen to the middle eight of "It Don't Matter Me", splendidly rendered by Josh Rouse, which has a jazzy inflection similar to Joni Mitchell's "Help Me". Or psych-pop specialists Oranger donning their dinner jackets for a good natured bounce through "Make It With You". This album features both of the main men from the Posies, and Jon Auer ("Games Of Magic") and Ken Stringfellow ("Down on My Knees") both come through with aplomb. Erelend Oye adapts "Friends and Lovers" into the twee-friendly motif of Oye's band Kings Of Convenience. And Rachel (ex-Slowdive/Mojave 3) Goswell sings like an angel sent down to earth, and she finds a way to make "If" sound important, when it is a song that skirted the edge of cheesiness (or, in the case of Telly Savalas's cover of it, fell over the edge and drowned immediately). The worst that can be said about this tribute is that a couple of the tracks are just alright, and by tribute standards, that means this is an excellent disc. Oh, and perhaps the failure to do the song "Aubrey" is a mistake, but that's really not fatal, is it? Other good contributions come from Emily Sparks and Cake. Very few bands were as uncool to like in the ‘70s than Bread, and to see the likes of Gates and Co. (and somewhat similar artists like The Association) get the respect they deserve from some talented contemporary artists is a nice reward. badmanrecordingco.com

The Capitol Years -- Let Them Drink (Burn & Shiver): Veteran ‘60s inspired rock band that flits about from style to style with obvious skill, though they lack a distinctive personality. Initially, this gave me a poor impression of this disc, but after a few plays, the quality of some of the tracks shined through. For example, "Nothing to Say" blends a light dash of psychedelia with a modern rock pulse in a manner reminiscent of The Dandy Warhols. "Mounds of Money" is melodic blues rock that will entertain fans of bands like The Sights. There's a thread running from rocking pop bands like The Kinks all the way to more modern bands like The Hang Ups, and on "Ramona", the Years show they can be mentioned with that ilk -- a good ilk of which to be a part. When a band does a lot of things well, then they're diverse; when they just do things well enough, they show promise, but might be better served focusing on developing an identity. That's what I think about The Capitol Years -- talented, but in need of a direction that would allow them to make their own footprints rather than tread in behind the ones on the many paths they take. burnandshiver.com

The Plastic Cloud -- The Plastic Cloud (Lion Productions): This is a reissue of a folky slab of psychedelia from Ontario, Canada. This album was originally released in 1968, and mixes lovely harmony inflected pieces with more trippy constructions with Eastern sounding guitars and foreboding melodies. The main Cloud man was Don Brewer, who was a pretty darned good songwriter. Okay, his lyrics are a product of faux-mysticism that at one level, is pretty silly and pretentious, yet, when married to this authentic tie-dyed music, fits hand in glove. This is evident on "You Don't Care", which is a muddled piece of social commentary that sounds great. Featuring some back-of-the-mix fuzztone guitar and extended instrumental breaks, the song has a great chorus and a plaintive melody in the verse. It doesn't overstay its welcome, even though it's ten-and-a-half-minute length, because Brewer and his mates build the song to a final freak out with Brewer babbling on about how everybody has to stand in line. Based on this song alone, these guys must have been a terrific live act. They also rock very well on "Shadows of Your Mind", a song that compares favorably with The Pretty Things during their psychedelic phase. For all the mind expanding qualities, there is a certain quaint preciousness to their music that, for me, adds to the entertainment. While I can appreciate the seriousness of the anti-war stance of "Dainty General Rides", which aspires to be "Masters of War", it's rather clunky -- I mean, c'mon, it's called "Dainty General Rides". Still, the sincerity of the performance carries the day. Then there's the impenetrable "Art's a Happy Man", which may be a jab at suburban existence, featuring a brilliant, near-Association quality backing vocal arrangement, that doesn't quite hit its target: "And though everybody knows his name/everybody likes him just the same." Again, this is still a fine tune. The disc ends with the lengthy "Civilization Machine", which features some stunning guitar work, as distorted lead guitar plays along to Brewer's sober pronouncements. I really enjoy this album -- it's not quite up there with the best psych of its day, but it's quite good. The sound is exquisite, and while I appreciate the lyrics and press releases in the liners, a little essay that could have provided context would have been appropriate for such an obscure band. lionproductions@earthlink.net.

Splendid -- States Of Awake (Popboomerang): This is the latest project from Angie Hart, the former lead singer of Frente. Hart still possesses an adorable voice, sweet and feminine, with that prominent Australian accent. Whereas the mellow sounds of Frente went against the grain of the alt-rock times they lived in, Hart's music fits right in with so many acts that are popular with the college radio set. Not quite twee, this is gentle folk-pop that hits the mark every time. There is a very inspired cover version here, with Hart fully engaged on the Pet Shop Boys' should-have-been-a-hit "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk". Hart's Splendid partner, Jesse Tobias is the subtle star, using an array of guitar effects to create a pretty but discombobulated musical bed that enhances the lyrical themes. The outlier on the disc is the lively opener "Asleep", driven by a robust New Order style bass line and insistent electronic drum pattern, with Hart gentle yet intent, precisely phrasing her words to fit in with the constant rhythm. Guest Mike Farrell adds a cool clarinet sample that adds a wrinkle of melody to track. This followed by the charmer "Disappointed", which hooks with an odd rising melody in the chorus, Hart moving up in her range on each syllable of the title. It's good enough that it resurfaces in a punched up remix at the end. This EP shows that Hart is making music as good as she ever has and promises a nice future ahead. popboomerang.com

The Shivers - Move All You Wanna (self-released): Ultra-fun mod rock from...Indianapolis? Indeed, The Shivers are full of bouncy pep and lay down nine tracks that will get the scooter kids frugging and doing the Mashed Potato. Things get grooving right away with the head-shaking "Ice Cream Van". The song is essentially a build and release special, with the verses just ratcheting up some tension, as the guitars go up the scale, and then releasing on a bopping chorus. Faux drama and real fun mix well. The band can lay down tracks that add a bit Merseybeat pop giddiness to the proceedings -- "Pixydust and Voodoo" is a compelling example. The band rolls out a reliable neo-mod staple on "She's Got the Thyme" -- a back-and-forth rhythm in the vein of "Taxman" and The Jam's "Start", and the band pulls it off with enough verve to make it work. These guys remind me a bit of the Dining Room Set in their light touch with this style of music. Okay, that's an obscure reference, but if you get it, you might get this. .

Reverb -- Swirl (Elephant Stone): This compiles tracks from an unjustly overlooked British band from the mid-‘90s. Basically, they were ahead of the curve on this whole post-punk revival thing. One influence apparent on early tracks is Echo and the Bunnymen. Indeed, they ultimately got Echo's Will Sargeant to produce a few of their songs. But Reverb was no one-trick pony, and they could rock it up with ‘77 rock fury, and had a songwriting sensibility that evoked the melodies of bands like The Chills and The Velvet Underground. Many of the songs are grounded in the swirling rhythms laid down by bass player Dave Battersby with drummers Ben Godding and Jason Absolon. Ant Walker was not a classic post-punk crooner, and was a bit more of a working class yob striving for romanticism and reaching it, when he wasn't simply seething. Walker also provided sheets of guitar and cool accented leads. Songs like "Swirl" and "Deep" are powerful atmospheric rock and serve as a bridge between Echo and The Chameleons and current practitioners like British Sea Power and Interpol. My favorite track of this stripe might be "Colorblind", which seems to bring almost all of its influences into a coherent whole. The mix of pretty melodies and guitars with explosive rock power is enhanced by a very Chills-like composition. These guys definitely were on to something. They could also flat out rock, as on "The Man Who Came Back", which builds to fiery conclusion. The band even knew its way around a hook, as shown on the pithy "Mr. Soundman" and the twice-waxed "Shopping", which an enterprising pop-punk band should have a go at. Yet again, as with its Delta compilation, Elephant Stone is preserving some terrific music from the not-so-distant past that still sounds vital today. elephantstonerecords.com

The Love Thugs -- Babylon Fading (Rainbow Quartz): The Thugs have set their wayback machine for 1968 or thereabouts. This is a good-but-not-great slab of psych-pop. The band, for the most part, likes to work the lighter side of the style. Heck, "Close Beside Her" is a cute number, with an adorable call-and-response vocal in the verses that I wish The Turtles had tried, and a chorus that has a sublime melody that is a bit Lennon and McCartney and a bit Difford and Tilbrook. And dig the sitar solo! If there's one thing that is not in short supply on this effort it's breezy melodies. You simply cannot listen to this album and feel depressed (unless, I suppose, you were already feeling depressed). However, this means the album is a tad polite. Other than the odd bit of fuzz, the sitar or a couple other period wrinkles, the backing is nondescript. Thus, on a cut-by-cut basis, everything is at least decent, and often quite good. Yet, over the course of thirteen songs, the lack of different textures and competent but unexciting execution creates diminishing returns. I can't be too down on the Thugs though, since there are some sublime moments, including a couple of songs that have a whiff of Bacharach sophistication. I just wish they would challenge themselves a bit more, as on "Wonder", which has a great instrument break where the band really stretches out and lead guitarist Jorgen impresses with his soloing ability. It shows how much promise this band has, and how high they should aim. rainbowquartz.com

A Northern Chorus -- Bitter Hands Resign (Sonic Unyon): This Canadian band makes spacious music that is awash in beauty and sadness. They aren't quite orch-pop or shoegazer or slowcore, nestling somewhere between those styles. When everything comes to together, the results can be awe-inspiring. This is certainly the case with "Costa Del Sol", a song so majestic and wonderful, the members of this sextet had to have come away after mixing this track with a feeling of utmost satisfaction. Quite a few Northern Chorus songs are premised on quiet flowing soundscapes that build to a guitar crescendo. On "Costa Del Sol" they perfect this formula. The song softly wafts in, and the instruments are precisely layered -- light drums, subtle keyboards, pretty reverberating guitar, and Alex McMaster's cello all creating a dreamy mood. The lyrics are a cryptic cautionary mantra, delicately rendered. Then the tidal wave builds, and a velvety maelstrom of guitars crashes down. This song reveals a band that has learned lessons from artists like Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine and Kitchens Of Distinction, and used that knowledge to make breathtakingly powerful songs. Two other songs nearly measure up to the high standards of "Costa". "Subjects & Matter" touches on the notion of allegiance to leadership, and how so many of us are resigned to trusting those in charge, since the alternative seems scarier: "the signs are posted daily/confused by a message that screams we're right." This song also features an inspired instrumental break, as McMaster's cello and the guitars of Stu Livingstone and Pete Hall reach for the sky. The band keeps the guitars going in the last verse, in a thrilling climax. The finale, "Winterize", is stately and haunting, and then builds in tempo (very slightly), with Owen Davies (bass) and Marshall Bureau (drums) moving it along. Finally, the song hits the highest emotional temperature of any on the record, and then abruptly shifts and melts away. This isn't a record that you'll throw on at any time, but at the right time, it will envelope and comfort. sonicunyon.com

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