Eric
Sorensen:
November,
2001

After cheering for the Arizona Diamondbacks (I grew up in Phoenix) in the World Series, it now seems a bit anticlimactic to address the latest in jangly pop music, but there is lots of news to share with my many fellow pop enthusiasts. This month’s “sleeper” is a wonderful disc by Gary Ritchie entitled Pop! Radio. The disc features twelve very catchy strummy and jangly tunes, with “Living For A Dream” heading the pack. This primo song combines an early REM/Peter Buck jangle with a classic 60s Merseybeat sound. You can acquire Ritchie’s excellent disc through pop purveyor Jeremy Morris of JAM Records.

Speaking of JAM Records, the Lolas have just released their outstanding sophomore album, Silver Dollar Sunday, on the JAM label and it’s every bit as solid as their superb debut disc. “Radio Dios,” “The Only People In The World” and “The Summer Sun” are early favorites, but the entire album features top-notch power pop ala the Shoes, Records, Byrds and Pyramidiacs. Many of the songs are drenched in sweet harmonies and chiming guitar riffs. Veteran pop writer John Borack contributed the liner notes to this disc, and John’s endorsement should be sufficient reason to waste no time in adding this disc to your own collections.

Two other noteworthy discs are also available through the JAM Records catalog: Metrojets Volume 1 (a Red Rubber Ball compilation of tunes from 1979-1982) and Waylon Smith’s Too Far Gone. The former disc archives some of the Red Rubber Ball label artists who kept the power pop fires burning twenty years ago - “I’m Sorry” by the Straight Eight, “”I’ve Got A Heart” by the Realists, “True” by the Fans and “Tonight Tonight” by the Speedometors are fine examples of these “nuggets.” Singer/songwriter Waylon Smith’s Too Far Gone is highlighted by intelligent rock/pop/Americana tunes that remind me of Mark Helm’s recent work. Smith’s “Juliana” is a slice of power pop perfection that greatly deserves indie radio play.

The Grip Weeds, one of NYC’s finest pop bands, just keeps getting better. The quartet sparkles on their latest 14-song release, Summer of a Thousand Years. Rickenbackers chime in all the right places, and Beatlesque and psychedelic flourishes enhance the hooks and melodies. My favorite tunes include “Save My Life,” “She Surrounds Me,” “Rainy Day #3,” “Is It Showing,” Future Move,” “Love’s Lost On You,” “Love That Never Ends” and “Moving Circle.”

Henry Gross’ solo release I’m Hearing Things (available only from www.henrygross.com) has lingered near my disc player for several months. “Tomorrow’s Gonna Come” could be mistaken for a Michael Martin Murphy or Kenny Loggins pop tune; “Mona Lisa Smile” wears its Buddy Holly signature proudly. Gross is a veteran musician who has embraced the influences of the past five decades in his original tunes. This one is well worth tracking down!

Three brand new discs that also merit attention are Flower Bomb by Phil Angotti and the Idea (available from JAM Records), Once We Were Trees by the Beachwood Sparks and Normal As The Next Guy by the Knack. The first disc features yet another excellent take on pseudo-60s pop from Phil and his Midwestern bandmates; standout tunes include “Myself In Your Place,” “Away From Me,” “At The Bookstore,” “Flower Bomb One,” “Being Colin Blunstone” and “Try To Dream.” The Beachwood Sparks’ sophomore release features “Canyon Rock” that could easily be mistaken for the Byrds’and the Flying Burrito Brothers’ pedal-steel guitar-driven repertoire. The Knack’s latest disc proves that Zoom! was no fluke. This veteran band continues to set a high standard for the indie power pop community - witness songs like “Disillusion Town,” “Girl I Never Lied To,” “It’s Not Me,” “Seven Days Of Heaven” and “A World Of My Own.”

In the not-so-jangly category is The Pretty Dive by Jolene, a band that matures with every new album. The Pretty Dive flirts with rock, pop and psychedelic influences; Jolene’s instrumental skills and melodies now remind me quite a bit of Blue Rodeo. Another band better known for its roots-rock, Big In Iowa, also has another hit on its hands - Green Pop. Newlywed lead singer “Big Bob” Burns and his bandmates crank out jangle’n’twang rock tunes with notable dosages of Marshall Tucker Band, Bottle Rockets and Rolling Stones barroom rock. Green Pop is available from Europe’s finest indie rock label - Blue Rose.

My listening habits during the past month have also included several “blasts from the past” - 1987’s In The Heart Of The Heart Country by Fire Town (remember when Butch Vig used to churn out power pop music with a melody?), Roundhouse by the Headlights and 1995’s Forever Blue by Chris Isaak. Fire Town was one of the finest Midwestern jangly bands in the late 80s - “Carry The Torch,” “Secret Heart,” “Heart Country,” “Favorite Song” (which borrows its lead chord progression from the Byrds’ “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better”), “Places To Run” and “The Mystery Field” bring back many fond memories of the indie club scene back then. The Headlights are best known for backing Roger McGuinn when he toured in support of his 1991 Back From Rio album; Roundhouse should have garnered this now disbanded Florida group far more attention. “Denial” jangles with the best of ‘em, and many of the tunes sound like Firefall’s light genre of country-rock. Isaak’s Forever Blue is highlighted by one of his jangliest tunes, “Somebody’s Crying,” and another excellent pop tune “Shadows In A Mirror.”

Before signing off, I would like to thank Ida S. Langsam of ISL Public Relations for continuing to send me some “cutting edge” and avant garde pop/rock releases even though the material doesn’t match my jangly and pseudo-60s tastes. Ida is one of those rare individuals who still relies on personal relationships with her indie music contacts, and she never twists your arm to endorse one of her artists’ releases. Recent discs promoted by ISL include the excellent CD EP by Washington, D.C.’s alt-pop band, Moodroom, and the high-energy reunion album by the Damned. While I may not embrace some of the heavier Damned tunes, I still dig their 1986 cover version of the Love/Arthur Lee song “Alone Again.”

Until next month, jangle on!

__________________________________________________________

To reach any other page contained in this month's update on Fufkin.com, read the home page for the appropriate link and click on it. You can also search the site from any page using the search box located at the top of each page. Merely type in the word, phrase, name of the band, recording, name of the Fufkin writer that you are looking for or Whatever in the search box, and then click on "Search". If you would like to e-mail us, go to the About Us page for a list of e-mail addresses.

Go back to the home page by clicking here

__________________________________________________________