Further Observations From a Jangly Music Fan

Between visits by family and friends, my own vacation in Canada (to celebrate my wedding anniversary with Miss Arizona 1971) and work, June became a very busy month. In spite of the hectic pace, I still found time to sample plenty of excellent new music. Here is a brief summary of the terrific new discs (that feature many jangly, chiming and ringing pop tunes) that were added to my collection during the past month:

The Power Of Pop by Nillah. At first listen, this was a very pleasant indie pop album that showcased some nice Rickenbacker 12-string riffs. The more I listened to this disc, the more excited I became as I realized that this Atlanta trio (Greg Gentry, Elisabeth Eickhoff and Jeff Dehner) sounds like the late, great Aussie pop band - the Hummingbirds. Tunes like "It Hasn't Been My Year," "A Good Idea," "Deep Ocean Blue," "Don't Hesitate," "Punk Rock City" and "The Ghost Again" mimic the Mitch Easter-produced sound of the Hummingbirds very nicely. The band's pop/rock music and Elisabeth Eickhoff's vocals also merit favorable comparisons with Belly and Sun 60 … but Hummingbird fans should jump at this one! This wonderful disc is available through the CD Baby website (www.cdbaby.com).

Everything Up To Now … by the Wombats. Album art often tells you a great deal about the contents of an album. A big old wide body Gretsch guitar on the front and a Vox amp on the back are strong clues that the Wombats' disc is chock full of primo pop. Discounting the intro, there are sixteen tracks on this disc that will remind seasoned listeners of Javelin Boot, the Connells, Ghost Of An American Airman … and even the Mayflies USA. From start to finish, this is an excellent album. If it's jangly tracks you're interested in, look no further than ""Man About Town," "Roll Away The Stone," "Spacewalk," "Margaret In The Morning" and "Hurdle In My Brain" (which also features some nifty chiming bells). A great big thumbs up for the Wombats; this is a band I definitely want to hear more from!

In The Moment, the latest release from heartland (Illinois) popsters, Bill Retoff, Dan McKenzie, David Butler and Ed Pierce - better known as RMBP (no, they're not a law firm or a consulting firm!) This quartet has been wearing their 60s influences on their shirtsleeves ever since they first recorded together in 1989. Veteran RMBP fans and new fans alike will be pleased by another full-length disc that is brimming with jangly and melodic ear candy. "Sugar From The Stars" is my favorite tune, but the eleven tracks move so seamlessly that the listening pleasure is over almost too quickly. This can be remedied by pressing the replay button and enjoying more of the "good karma" that Bill Retoff and his cohorts at the Psychedelic Farmhouse have recorded on our behalf. Long may you run, RMBP!

For the past two months, I have given mention to David Grahame's "fan appreciation" CD, Emitt Road - which is not available commercially. I finally received my own copy of this disc and it is yet another testament to David's superb songwriting and musicianship. The eleven songs are a treat for those who love Beatlesque and pseudo-60s pop; audio and visual references to two of Grahame's icons - Paul McCartney and Emitt Rhodes - are notable. Jangleholics, like me, will be very pleased to hear chiming and ringing guitar riffs throughout the songs. If you haven't already acquired a copy of this disc, have someone take a picture of you holding one of David's previous releases; then send the picture and $1.25 (to cover all costs) to Dog Turner Records, 4219 Kraft Avenue, Studio City, California 91604. If you're lucky, the little elves working in David's home recording studio may press a copy of Emitt Road to send to you.

Speaking of Beatlesque pop, the Vinyl Kings have just released an homage to the Fab Four - the disc A Little Trip, which features thirteen original tunes that have a, shall we say, very familiar sound to them. The psych/pop tracks favor the vintage 1966-1969 Beatles catalog. A bit of George Harrison-inspired jangle is evident on the song "I Took A Chance," but the rest of the hooks and melodies stand on their own - with or without 12-string accompaniment. This is another cool find on the CD Baby website, and the disc can also be acquired through www.vinylkings.com.

The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down by Tommy Keene. Indie pop luminario Tommy Keene (who was once a member of the same band with Richard X. Heyman) has never rested on his laurels. The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down takes pop fans on yet another impressive "ride" - that features the high-energy pop that Keene is known for. "Hanging Over My Head" and "Circumstance" showcase Keene's jangly side, and many of the other tunes display Keene's rock-oriented, crunchy (and sometimes blistering) lead guitar riffs. One of the tracks, "The Final Hour," even takes listeners on a sixteen and a half minute psych/pop journey. Long may you run, Sir Tommy!

The aforementioned former bandmate of Tommy Keene, Richard X. Heyman, will release his latest solo disc, Basic Glee, in early July. Check the www.richardxheyman.com website for details!

This Way Up by Joe Molland. Hey fans, this is what indie pop music is all about! If Joe Molland never releases another album, this one is a winner! The disc features thirteen well-crafted power pop songs, and four of them - "Happy," "A Way To Be," "Tell Me" and "Isn't That A Dream" - jangle, chime and ring in all the right places. Molland's vocals and song style remind me of Tom Petty and Russ Tolman. Get your copy through www.joeymolland.com.

Lunar Kit - the sophomore release (on Get Hip Recordings) by the Resonars, a Tucson, Arizona band that is very comfortable playing Mersey-styled, pseudo-60s pop. This disc has a little more Who-influenced fuzz'n'crunch in its contents, but the crisp vocals still remind me of the Hollies … and all of the tracks shine. Top jangly tracks include "Lunar Kit," "Everything You Said," "Why Does It Have To Be So Hard" and "Way Way Way Way Out." Check them out at their site - www.resonars.com.

Elevatorup by Kingfly. This is a masterful debut disc by an indie pop band that blends Gin Blossoms stylings with their own North Carolina pop identity. They jangle on "Getting Ready" and "All The Roads."

Overdue mention is owed to Steep by the Tea Sea and Fables In Slang by Post Office. The Tea Sea disc features some clever pseudo-60s baroque pop, contemporary artist LMNOP and vocals that remind me of the Cyrkle. The original material is fresh and listener-friendly - as is their cover of the Beatles' "Don't Bother Me." The album concludes with an excellent piano-laced ballad "I've Been Kissing All The Wrong People." The Post Office disc, featuring the talented Larry O. Dean, is pop/rock in the vein of Girls Say Yes. In fact, Dean's vocals remind me of Russ Tolman (one of the Girls Say Yes extended cast). Post Office jangles on "Over Here," rings on "Briefly" and they add some crunch to the guitar riffs on "Anhedonia." This disc was worth the full price of admission, and now several online catalog sites are offering it at a discount price. Snap it up while you can!

The latest good news to share with fellow Gene Clark fans is that writer/musician Pam Richardson has cemented the date and venue for a Chicago area Gene Clark tribute show. The gig is scheduled to occur at Nevin's, in Evanston, Illinois on Saturday, November 16th. As I learn more about the artist and special guest lineup for this event, I will share information with fufkin readers. Those who would like more up-to-date information are encouraged to visit the www.geneclark.com website. It's been too long between tribute shows, so it should be loads of fun to hear Gene's repertoire performed by a group of admiring indie pop artists in the Windy City area.

Although it hasn't arrived yet, I am anxious to hear the 12-CD Sidewinders/Sand Rubies anthology, In The Beginning, that "Desert Rock" guitar guru Rich Hopkins just released. The compilation promises to showcase plenty of previously unreleased music by the finest pop/rock band to emerge from the Arizona music scene in the past twenty years. Rich Hopkins and David Slutes forged a songwriting partnership and a "wall of guitars" stage presence that deserves comparison with the Stephen Stills/Neil Young collaborative efforts during their Buffalo Springfield heyday. If that doesn't pique your interest, I don't know what will! You can learn more about Rich Hopkins' many fine releases by visiting the www.sanjacintorecords.com website.

Until next month, jangle on … and/or keep on rockin' in the free world!

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