Further Observations From A Jangly Music Fan

Now that the dust has settled from the Super Bowl and the Rolling Stones' halftime show, Americans can focus on other cultural matters … and I can share the latest in jangly music with my fellow jangleholics. Before I do that, I thought I would first share my Top Ten discs of 2005:

World On A Wire - MARC CARROLL. One of today's finest singer/songwriter/ multi-track artists. An interesting blend of Michael Carpenter and Ryan Adams.

Tuesday Music - RICHARD SNOW. One of today's finest singer/songwriter/multi- track artists. Still reminds me a lot of Richard X. Heyman.

Friday Night - RUSS SCHNEIDER. Twenty pseudo-60s tracks that all could have been AM radio hits. Produced by Herb Eimerman.

Rocket Summer - THE AFTERNOONS. Snappy power pop in the same vein as Fountains of Wayne and Teenage Fanclub.

Quarter After - QUARTER AFTER. A winner from start to finish, with chiming Byrds, REM and Grip Weeds references.

California Redemption Value - CHRIS von SNEIDERN. Welcome back to the top of the pop mainstream, CVS!

Like Her - THE VOLEBEATS. Jeff Oakes and Matthew Smith are just hitting their stride as the finest indie jangle'n'twang band in the land.

Matt Mays + El Torpedo - MATT MAYS + EL TORPEDO. Scorching sophomore effort from an emerging Canadian band. Blend equal parts of Neil Young, Crazy Horse, Rich Hopkins and Thin Lizzy and you have the best "desert rock" outside of Tucson!

Lighten Up, Francis! - EVERYDAY THINGS. The Hippycrickets have been resurrected in the New Millennium, with studio assistance from Jamie Hoover. Worth the wait!

Fox Pass - FOX PASS. Jon Macey's latest band blends classic pop hooks and melodies as deliciously as Tommy Keene and Blue Rodeo.

So what's new this month? Read on:

Resistance Is Futile - by Magneto. More great Aussie pop from the folks at Popboomerang Records. This band sounds a lot like the DM3 and the Someloves, and there are plenty of chiming guitars featured on the eleven tracks. The very jangly "Shooting Star" is a strong contender for Song of the Month honors.

Gathering Dust: Rare and Unreleased. Volume 2 - by Kyle Vincent. Most pop artists would be thrilled to release this material as an album; for the talented Kyle Vincent, though, these tracks missed the cut on his previous releases. The disc opens with one of the most radio-friendly, chiming and perfect pop tracks we may hear all year - "In A Heartbeat." "Jonesin' For Zilah" is just as radio-worthy. There are a handful of singer/songwriter/pop musicians whose every release merits inclusion in a music library. Kyle Vincent is one of these artists. Long may you run, Sir Kyle!

Simplicity - by the Toms. Although the artist name implies a band, the Toms are really multi-track artist Tom Marolda … and Marolda falls into the same category as Kyle Vincent. Acquire all of his discs; you will like all of his music. It's that simple. Not Lame has done the pop world a big favor by releasing this latest gem from the Toms!

Wishing Well Eyes - by the Silent Boys. An album that is brimming with jangly, strummy pop that is reminiscent of the Trash Can Sinatras and the Field Mice. The title track is the highlight among the eleven songs.

Debbie Does Nothing - by Deluxe Leisure King. Owing to the vocals, this band reminds me of the sober and pop-oriented Replacements. "I Hope You're There" is a very catchy, jangly tune that features a melody quite similar to the Yardbirds' "Heart Full of Soul." The title track is also very catchy. Another solid collection of tunes from the Deluxe Leisure Kings.

Big As Day - by Heath Haynes. Mainstream pop at its finest - with plenty of tuneful hooks and riffs. Jangleholics will be most pleased to hear "Carry You Home," "Tell Me Your Story" and "Annie's Got A Plan."

Boa - by D.L. Byron. If you aren't already familiar with D.L. Byron's repertoire of material, this is a great album to start with. Song for song, I think that this is D.L.'s best album yet. D.L. likes to tinker with a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar, and you will hear the chiming riffs on "Silver Sunday" and "Stay." Thanks for adding another jewel to the power pop library of music, D.L.!

…tick … tick … tick - by Steve Wynn & the Miracle3. Steve Wynn has always excelled at blending pop with psychedelia, and this album continues his outstanding legacy of music. What happens when you mix the Paisley Underground sound of L.A. with the Desert Rock sound of Tucson? …tick … tick … tick - that's what! The very engaging "Freak Star" sounds like a lost REM track from the late 80s. Long may you run, Sir Steve!

Tales From The Beach (Volume 1) - by the Surfin' Lungs. Mix some surf, pop, fuzz with a bit of the Ramones, and you have a nifty album that features 22 tracks. Fans of the Barracudas and the Chesterfield Kings should really dig this surf guitar blitz!

Three standout songs this past month include:

"School Disco" from the Me Too album by Farrah. This disc was re-released with several added tracks. "School Disco" will remind listeners of Weezer at their best!

"Blue Eyed Girl" from the New Fidelity's self-titled disc. Reminds me of the Modern English!

"The Classical" from the Kiss The Culprit album by Emergency Music. Straight-ahead jangle-pop.

Whether your groundhog saw its shadow or not, enjoy the rest of winter wherever you are. Until next month, jangle on!

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