FURTHER OBSERVATIONS FROM A JANGLY MUSIC FAN

Music fans are often bemoaning the fact that their collecting habits are subject to "feast or famine" market trends. In my case, I found that this February was a "feast" period that added many fine discs to my music library. Here then, in no particular order, are some of the disc/song titles that have caught my fancy:

Wild Carnation's Tricycle. No, it's not a recent release. In fact, it was released in 1994. If you're a Feelies fan, like me, you will absolutely love this disc. Tricycle features Feelies alum Brenda Sauter … and an assortment of terrific strummy, jangly, melodic tunes. One song even has the same catchy opening melody as the Gin Blossoms' "Til I Hear It From You." This disc has been on my want list for ages, so imagine my surprise when I was able to procure it through Tower Records' website catalog!

The Posies' Nice Cheekbones and a Ph.D CD-EP. John Auer and Ken Stringfellow have matured and returned to the harmonic and melodic pop that stood out amongst the Posies' 90s repertoire. This CD-EP features mostly acoustic tracks - including a superb acoustic cover of David Crosby's "Lady Friend" (which deserves to be included in any future Byrds tribute compilation). If this latest iteration of the Auer/Stringfellow on-again, off-again collaboration does not last, this is the type of material they should be remembered for!

Buffalo Nickel's Long 33-1/3 Play debut disc. Call it pop/rock; call it rock/pop. This Universal Records release deserves serious airplay and attention! Not Lame guru Bruce Brodeen likens this band to the 80s AOR band, Little America ("Walk On Fire"). That analogy is accurate, but references to the Gin Blossoms, Wanderlust, the Bodeans, the Brandos, Winter Hour, the Rave-Ups, the Pistoleros and Live are equally deserved. There isn't a weak moment among the album's twelve tracks, and "This Ain't Nowhere," "Good Day," "Stayed" and "Evil Wind" are the standout tunes. I am anxious to see this band when they tour to promote this excellent album!

Graham Gouldman's And Another Thing … full-length disc. British veteran Gouldman shines on jangly pop tunes like "You Stole My Love" (even sounding like Nick Heyward) and "Walking With Angels." The album also features a very nice cover of "Heart Full Of Soul."

The Orange Peels' So Far. Although I have their earlier release, I seldom listen to it. This will not be the case with So Far! Strummy/jangly tunes abound on this disc, and their harmonies even remind me of the Cosmic Rough Riders. "Girl For All Seasons," "So Far," "Redwood City" and "You're So Clever" are my early favorites on this hook-filled album.

The Spinning Jennies' latest disc, Peer Pressure. This truly is their best power-pop album to date!

Mark Knopfler's Sailing To Philadelphia. The Dire Straits front man again showcases his solo abilities with a strong assortment of guitar-driven tunes. Jangleholics' ears will perk up when they hear the chiming, Byrdsian tune "Who's Your Baby Now."

The Honeydogs' Here's Luck CD and CD-EP. This is a strong hybrid (pop and alt-country) album, and the EP features a wonderful jangle'n'twang tune, "Piece Of Cake."

Brian Jay Cline's Twisty Town self-released debut disc. Borrow a bit from Bill Lloyd, Monte Warden, Ray Brandes and Blue Rodeo and what you get is an excellent jangle'n'twang album. "Strangest Star" is the jangliest tune in the bunch.

Hangtown's second full-length disc, Eleven Reasons. Ted Lukas, his bandmates and virtuoso producer/musician Steve Connelly (formerly of the Headlights) have returned with another terrific album that is chock full of their contemporary take on 70s Southern country/rock. Connelly's pedal steel guitar once again gives the album jangle'n'twang appeal.

The Psychedelic Cowboys' Tragic Songs And Hop-Alongs. How can you not like the moniker chosen by this band? How can you not like the chiming 12-string guitar on the song "Hippie Girls & Sippin' Whiskey?" Like another L.A. band, the Beachwood Sparks, the Psychedelic Cowboys are giving "Canyon Rock" the kind of attention it has not enjoyed since the days of the Flying Burrito Brothers!

Rod Clements' Stamping Ground album. I bought this disc because it includes an excellent tribute song to Byrds founding member Gene Clark - "Cowboy In The Rain." The rest of the folk/rock tunes proved to be very pleasant to listen to.

In the Byrds/Gene Clark-related category are two other recent additions: the International Submarine Band's very nice rendition (it sounds like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) of "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better;" and CMH Records' Eight Miles High: A Bluegrass Tribute To The Byrds - which includes a cool bluegrass version of "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" (and it features Sweetheart of the Rodeo alumnus Jay Dee Manness on pedal steel guitar).

My move of six months ago made my home-recorded tape collection much more accessible, and I pulled an early 90s "European Pop" compilation from the stack not too long ago. It was great fun to hear songs by Los Valendas, Pribata Idaho, the Bloomingdays, the Bratchmen, Poverty Stinks, the Kliek, the Kwyet Kings, Los Impossibles, the Time Lodgers and the Candy Dates again. Lots of jangly tunes in this mix - particularly from the Rickenbacker-friendly bands Pribata Idaho and the Time Lodgers.

Speaking of jangly, Rickenbacker-friendly European bands, Horst-Peter Schmidt (the lead guitarist for Germany's Different Faces) recently informed me that fans of Different Faces can now save on international postage by ordering the band's discs from a U.S. domestic source - Dforders@aol.com. Current information about the band is accessible via their website at www.differentfaces.com.

Before closing, I would also be remiss if I did not mention how much fun it is to correspond with "fufkin" readers. I extend my special thanks to fellow pop enthusiast Chris Fabiaschi, Alan Sack, Bob Pisciotta and Donna Sue for their recent e:mail correspondence. That's the latest from Arlington, Virginia. Until next month, jangle on!

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Eric Sorensen: February, 2001, January, 2001, December, 2000

Eric Sorensen Reviews: February, 2001

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