Further Observations From A Jangly Music Fan

When it rains it pours! Not the kind of precipitation that comes from the sky, but a surfeit of excellent pop discs that made June the banner month for 2005! And not just a bounty of hum-along pop discs, mind you … but a crop of new releases that are overflowing with jangly, chiming and ringing guitar riffs! There were so many terrific new jangly tunes this month that "Song of the Month" honors will have to be shared by a number of deserving songs. Without further delay, here are the jingly-jangly discs and songs that are keeping me entertained while the temperatures rise and the mid-Atlantic drought continues:

The Quarter After's brilliant self-titled debut disc picks up where the Lears' The Story … So Far left off - with a surfeit of psych-pop and jangly retro-pop that would make the bands that originated the Sunset Strip sound of the mid-60s proud … if not downright envious! Several tracks, "Always Returning" and "Too Much To Think About," merit favorable comparison with the Grip Weeds' splendid multi-layered psych-pop repertoire. "Too Much To Think About," clocking in at over eleven minutes, is evidence that the Quarter After like to stretch things out. "Taken" is a magnificent journey that effortlessly holds listener interest for just over nine minutes. The ten-song pseudo-60s joyride opens with the Byrds-inspired track "So Far To Fall" and the album comes to a jangly finish with the equally Byrds-inspired "Everything Again." In between these two tracks, the Quarter After tip their hats to Gene Clark, Arthur Lee and Love, numerous other Nuggets-era artists, and even REM. Guitar enthusiasts will drool over the full color insert photo of the band's arsenal of stringed instruments. The Quarter After is a solid contender for Top Ten Album honors in 2005!

Bright Yellow Sun - by the Tunes. This, too, may be a 2005 Top Ten contender! I was delighted to discover that this bouncy, upbeat pop disc is the product of a Finnish band. Work colleagues had led me to believe that Finland is home to a very stoic culture, but you'd never know it from the nature of this album! The jangliest tracks are "Season Of The Midnight Sun" (think Cosmic Rough Riders!) and "Talk To Me," but "The Tunes Theme," "Don't You Fall In Love" and "See You Tomorrow" are close behind with chiming riffs. There's a great pseudo-60s vibe to all the tracks … and a strong similarity to the Velvet Crush and Teenage Fanclub in the Tunes' song structures. When the sun retreats during those long northern winters, Finns should find their homes a lot brighter due to the Tunes' music!

Hearts & Bars (2005) and Honeymoon (2002) - by the Livingroom Legends. Move over Pete and Maura Kennedy; move over Michael and Dyann Woody - there's a new husband/wife duo (Ken and Mindy Stephens) on the block that has recorded two nifty home-recorded discs that feature wonderful vocals, original melodies and chiming guitar riffs. From start to finish, both of these albums (I found them on the CDBaby website!) are outstanding examples of DIY pop. The guitar work and Mindy Stephens' vocals on several tracks also remind me of late 80s Hummingbirds material. Toss in a few REM references (the Stephens are Georgia residents) and jangly music fans should be snapping up both of these albums! Jangly tracks include "Lovin' Left," "Colorado Wind," "Her Dirt," "Stay," "Another Number," "On My Own," "Change Your Mind," "Diamond In The Rough" and "Leave Me Some Lovin'."

Melodies For Afternoon - by the Green Fields. This 2003 release has been flying underneath the indie pop radarscope for too long! Kudos to Bruce Brodeen at Not Lame for discovering this gem and making it available to pop fans! Toss in some strong Canyon Rock influences (everything from Dillard & Clark, the Sweetheart-era Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers to contemporary artists like the Beachwood Sparks), some Southern California sunshine pop, some solo Gene Clark references (check out the acoustic guitar lead-in to "The Queen Of Nine Worthies") and some Simon & Garfunkel-styled harmonies on "Golden Afternoon" and you've got one exceptional disc. Jangle'n'twang enthusiasts will love the blending of pedal steel guitar with 12-string guitar riffs. Let's keep our fingers crossed that there is a sophomore effort from these young and very talented artists!

Wasn't Born To Follow - by the Gordons. This disc flirts with some of the same country-pop influences that the Green Fields disc showcases … along with some more traditional country influences (Roberta Gordon's lead vocals have that Tammy Wynette feel to them). It's hard not to hear the Byrds influences on the great jangly title track and the Gordons' excellent version of "Chimes Of Freedom."

August Sun - by Neil Traynor. Mix a high voice that sounds eerily similar to Ken Sharp's voice and tons of great chiming Rickenbacker 12-string riffs, and you've got a 2003 release that is overdue for pop enthusiasts' attention! Every track features the kind of jangly guitars we've come to expect from Jeremy, Herb Eimerman … and Ken Sharp. My favorite songs are "Sarah," "I Want To Tell The Whole World" and "I Love Only You."

Elliot Street - by Satch Kerans. Kerans is pictured on the cover of this CD with a Rickenbacker 6-string guitar (ala Monte Warden), and this instrument of choice is easy to recognize on many of the disc's tracks. "Raven Haired Girl" is a strong contender for my "Song of the Month" honors. "Don't You Even Try," "Well Traveled Man," "When Push Comes To Shove" and "Hey, Don't Quit On Me Babe" are other chiming treats. The title track reminds me of the great power pop released by the Canadian band, the Kings; but it is hard for Kerans to escape comparisons with Tom Petty, Pete Droge and Comanche Moon. There's even a bit of a Turtles/60s garage-rock sound on several tracks. Long may you run, Sir Satch!

Ready - by William Bates. Here's another disc that may be escaping mainstream attention, but jangly pop enthusiasts and fans of early REM should be flocking to find this disc. Bates' is catchiest on the radio-friendly "David Haze," "There's A Way" (featuring the same repetitive chords used by the Shambles on "I Believe"), "Hampton Avenue," "Ghosts" and "The Angels They Deserted Us."

California Redemption Value - by Chris von Sneidern. This may not be as jangly as the discs mentioned above, but in my opinion this is CVS's finest album since Big White Lies. CVS is one of the few contemporary artists who can effortlessly craft Beatlesque yet original pop. Topping the tunes on this disc that are saturated in Beatles-styled pop are "I'm Like You," "Symphony Of Love" and "You Walked Away." DIY solo artists should use California Redemption Value as a measuring stick for their album quality. Top Ten? Yeah, baby!

Man-Made - by Teenage Fanclub. As this band matures, they sound more like their American cousins - the Velvet Crush. Whether they opt for slow, mid-tempo or upbeat material, they remain a band that others emulate. "It's All In My Mind," "Slow Fade" and "Flowing" all demonstrate the band's continued ability to reinterpret the Byrds' classic 60s sound to a 21st century audience.

I'll have to save mention of the other dozen worthy new discs until my next column. Until then, jangle on!

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