Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Forty-Two

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Forty Two

Once again, our heroes go right to the task of dissecting (with wry humor and very on-point observations) the political circus/nightmare; the dominoes falling in the latest sexual harassment accusations list; a critique of R.E.M.’s Automatic For The People on the 25th anniversary of its release; a “visit” from a dead president and so much more.

You’ll laugh; you’ll be shocked – you’ll love it.  They say the things you’re afraid to but they do it with intelligence and reasoning.  So come revel in the splendor…

Radio City With Jon Grayson & Rob Ross: Episode Forty Two

The podcast will be on the site as well as for subscription via iTunes and other podcast aggregators. Subscribe and let people know about Radio City, as well as Popdose’s other great podcasts David Medsker’s Dizzy Heights and In:Sound with Michael Parr and Zack Stiegler.

Album Review: Alex Rose, “Arcadian Pages”

According to the press release, “there are many moments, memories, people, and places stretched across Alex Rose’s Arcadian Pages. The debut album from the Los Angeles-born, Austin-raised
musician is a project four years in the making; an intimate and evocative collection of mental snapshots, born in homes, houses, cars, and hotels spanning from Washington to New York to Texas and California.”  Certainly, for a first album, it’s an adventurous and (at times) daring collection of songs.

Starting with an acapella opening for most of the track “Ty”, you immediately are drawn in by Ms. Rose’s voice – there are no distractions and it’s a warm, embracing and genuinely sweet sound which is infiltrated a little more than halfway through by random (yet fitting) guitar twangs and notes – no chords or “accompaniment”, which – again – is a daring moment.  “Elephant Eyes” is also restrained but has delicious harmonies and stark guitar/bass/percusssion/keyboard accompaniment – the production has very little gate on her voice, leaving it pure and effect-free and the “band” sound is live; “A Gun Called Patience” is haunting, with guitar and (what sounds like) violin scratching-interplay and soundscapes; certainly the most powerful piece on the album and “Howling Wolves” is another spacious piece with intricately quiet guitar, intermittent harmonies and is the other high moment of this collection.

All in all, a fine and ponderous debut effort, which I like.  I always appreciate when you have to think about what you’re listening to, rather than always being automatically presented with an “obvious” lyric, etc.  Her voice is captivating and I would hope that on her next release, she can elevate what she’s done here to even greater effect.

RECOMMENDED

Arcadian Pages is currently available

http://www.alexrosebb.com/

The Popdose Comeback Club: Class of 2017 (Round 2)

There are some comebacks the world doesn’t need: Sean Spicer, Bill Cosby, another Spiderman reboot — and plenty that are long overdue: til Tuesday, Lone Justice, Heathers (imagine Veronica & friends navigating the adult world), and a big budget Buffy & Angel movie.

In the music world, something incredible has been happening since the dawn of the 2010’s; beloved bands from the 70’s, 80’s and now 90’s – you know, the kind who typically milk their aging catalog on the nostalgia circuit – came roaring back with amazing albums that are not only rank among their career best – but are also way better than a lot of the new music that clogs homogenized playlists on conglomerate-owned radio stations worldwide.

Earlier this year, POPDOSE welcomed The Godfathers, Animotion, Modern English and, kid you not, Right Said Fred into the Comeback Club. In previous years, Devo, Duran Duran, The Wild Swans, the Ocean Blue and Thomas Dolby have all been celebrated. As 2017 draws to a close, we further expand the ranks.

POPDOSE Comeback Club Qualifications:

  1. Had to have had an original good run (a string of notable albums or singles)
  2. Followed by either a breakup, one or more greatest hits albums, nostalgia touring, and possibly a few sub par “hey, who want’s to hear a new song?” releases
  3. A reunion with key original members (preferred)
  4. New Music that holds up to, or tops, the classics (mandatory)

Here are this year’s second round of inductions to the Comeback Club:

CHEAP TRICK • We’re All Alright!

We get by with a little help from our friends. Just like Rick Rubin helped bring about a Johnny Cash renaissance near the end of his life, we thank Scott Borchetta for believing that a still in their prime Cheap Trick has WAY more to offer the world than simply being one of the world’s greatest live acts. You might not know the name, but Borchetta runs a bitty little country label, Big Machine, that only has one other pop act on its roster, a young lady with tremendous promise named Taylor Swift. We’re All Alright! is packed with 13 blistering rock tracks that capture the energy of early classic Cheap Trick albums like In Color and Dream Police.

We’re All Alright! (like the Blondie record we discuss below) debuted and peaked at #63 on the Billboard 200 – the only way I can explain such dismal results is because both albums got trampled in a sea of new releases. Thankfully, both acts and albums will hold up to the test of time, so hopefully they can steadily build their fan bases in 2018 and beyond. And speaking of great stocking stuffers, Cheap Trick even more recently dropped Christmas Christmas – one of the rare holiday albums that doesn’t suck and actually rocks.

GOLDFINGER • The Knife

Fun facts you might not know about John Feldmann, lead singer of 90’s ska/punk/pop darlings, Goldfinger – in addition to a kickass Goldfinger catalog, he’s one of the top producers and songwriters in the genre – working with the likes of 5 Seconds of Summer, Blink 182 and The Used. I was obsessed with the band’s first three albums – from their first hit “Here in your Bedroom” through the must-have 4-track 7-inch “gold” single featuring “Car Dog” and “FTN” – a 20-year old song that sounds like a prophecy of the dark age we live in today…

Fuck Ted Nugent he’s a fucking jerk / I wish that he’d be gone / Chauvinistic Republican, kills animals / He forgot how to write a song / He’s a dick! Fuck him! Asshole! Fuck him! / Fuck Ted Nugent, and fuck the NRA / And fuck their attitude / He thinks riding a buffalo and wearing Oakleys / Will make him look real cool…

Goldfinger’s ‘Ted Nugent’ follow-up, an animal rights-centric, Open Your Eyes, was heavy-handed even by Morrissey standards and that’s when I gave up on the band – until now.

With Blink 182’s Travis Barker sitting in on drums, Goldfinger delivers what could be their best-ever album and one of the top platters ever in the pop punk arena, The Knife. Not to be left out, Blink’s Mark Hoppus guests on ‘See You Around’. On ‘Get What I Need’, Feldmann fronts a high-energy horn section all while lamenting “Watch the days, the months, the years turn to rust… watch the memories I made turn to dust.” On ‘Am I Deaf’, he sings “Sometimes I feel so old, yeah am I deaf, or just a little left of what they listen to today?” Thing is, he could still just as easily mop the stage with just about any young punk band on the planet.

GENE LOVES JEZEBEL • Dance Underwater

If you thought the quarreling Gallagher brothers of Oasis fame were a handful, they hold nothing to the dueling Ashtons of Gene Loves Jezebel. I adored the band during their original run – they blew the roof off the Phantasy Theater in Cleveland during a late 80’s tour with Flesh For Lulu – but I gave up on them soon after their album 1993 Heavenly Bodies, which according to Wikipedia, “did well in Portugal.” They were the last band I’d ever guess would make the Comeback Club, primarily because each of the twins fronts their own version of the band. Once again, according to the Wiki page, Jay gets to use the name in the UK and has to tack on “Jay Ashton’s…” in the US; the reverse is true with Michael’s rights to the name. If nothing else,  their parents taught them that sharing is caring…

To muddy the waters, Dance Underwater, Jay’s band’s latest album came out in the states under the name Gene Loves Jezebel, perhaps on a technicality as all available CD pressings appear to be imports. The album, is by far the “brand’s” best since 1990’s The Kiss of Life (which was also a Jay joint). Breathtaking cover art photography by Kaya Fesci under the design direction of Adrian Wear welcomes you back into the world of GLJ (quick aside, here’s an option, why can’t Michael use GLJ as a name?). If you can move past the annoying vocal effects in the otherwise stunning album opener, ‘Charmed Life (Never Give In)’, the band lets loose with signature guitar riffs, waves of dreamy keyboards and haunting vocals. Jay’s Gene marries post punk atmospherics to genuinely great pop songs – highlighted by immediate ear worm ‘Summertime’. ‘How Do You Say Goodbye (To Someone You Love)?’ is the emotional highlight of the record and it’s followed by the truly awesome ‘Izitme’ which brings a little Love-era Cult to the proceedings.

Enthusiasm for this album encouraged me to subsequently pick up the 5-disc box set of Gene Loves Jezebel’s first 5 albums, complete with bonus tracks, which turned out to be more glorious than I imagined. I had most of these albums on cassette so the upgrade takes my appreciation of the band to a whole new level.

BLANCMANGE • Unfurnished Rooms / FADER • First Light

POPDOSE welcomed Neil Arthur into the Comeback Club when his Blancmange album, Semi Detached, topped my overall, retro-heavy Best Albums of 2015 list. But then he had his membership suspended by releasing two interesting, but off brand albums in their wake. The instrumental Nil by Mouth and mostly instrumental Commuter 23 were perfectly fine, weird, minimalist, experimental electronic records – they just didn’t have the wit, tightness or pop ambitions of Blancmange’s seminal work when they were a duo (Happy Families through Blanc Burn) or as an Arthur-fronted solo act (Semi Detached and the inessential remake Happy Families Too). If released as solo records or under different names, they would have been cherished additions to any completist’s Neil Arthur collection.

Well, in 2017 – both Arthur and the Blancmange brand came roaring back in fine form, releasing 11 CDs of essential music between June and September. First up came First Light from Fader, a new partnership between Arthur and electronic music artist, Benge (Ben Edwards). First Light is a tight and stellar post punk record that would satiate fans of The Fall, Joy Division and Interpol. ‘I Prefer Solitude’ is also one of Arthur’s most anthemic vocal performances since ‘Waves’ (see below). Arthur and Benge released a second album a few months later, but under the Blancmange brand. Unfurnished Rooms is the follow-up Semi-Detached truly deserved, with guitarist David Rhodes back in the fold. Rhodes has appeared on just about every Blancmange record plus, when he found the time, I think just about every Peter Gabriel album.

 

In between the two releases, Edsel released The Blanc Tapes, a 9-disc box set spotlighting Arthur’s first three Blancmange albums with Rhodes and keyboardist Stephen Luscombe. Most of the b-sides and rarities were previously released on earlier reissues of Happy Families, Mange Tout and Believe You Me – this set adds fresh liner notes, BBC radio sessions and concert recordings. Each of these albums are also sold separately as 3-disc reissues.

OMD • The Punishment of Luxury

 

One would think with an album title like The Punishment of Luxury, the LAST thing a band would do is hawk a $100 special edition that features a bonus CD of demos, colored vinyl and lavish packaging – but they did, and I bought it (I am such a sucker). While the box set doesn’t provide a return on investment like Debbie Gibson’s mega box set We Could Be Together, the album continues OMD’s comeback streak that began two albums prior with History of Modern in 2010 and continued with English Electric in 2013. The album, a dissection of “first world problems” pushes OMD back towards their stripped down electronics and sciencey nerd themes of their early records.

OMD releases The Punishment of Luxury: B-Sides & Bonus Material in the UK on 12/15 and in the US on 12/22.

BUCKINGHAM MCVIE

Buckingham McVie is much more like a Stevie Nicks-less Fleetwood Mac record and much less like a Stevie Nicks-less Buckingham Nicks. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie are all over this record; it bridges the gap between Mirage and Tango in the Night and is way better than any Mac album from 1990 onward, including their last formal outing, a Christine McVie-free Extended Play EP in 2013 (a release so instantly forgettable they didn’t even bother to name it).

SPARKS • Hippopotamus

If Sparks never released anything except for ‘Cool Places’ with Jane Wiedlin or the Roy Moore survival guide ‘Tips for Teens’, they would forever have a place in my heart. But they’ve been back with a vengeance since teaming with Franz Ferdinand to form the supergroup FFS in 2015. This year, the brothers Ron and Russell Mael returned with Hippopotamus, an utterly ridiculous, giddily joyful, over the top new wave pop opera. ‘Probably Nothing’ begins the show with all the cheeky grandeur of a Broadway opening salvo. ‘Missionary Position’ follows; finally someone has the balls to admit there’s nothing wrong with it: “The tried and true is good enough for me and you…”. The same thought might apply to Sparks brand of pop – there’s nothing else like it and that’s good enough.

At 15 songs in length, taking in this album in a single sitting is like trying to eat a 15 scoop banana split sundae in a single setting. Split it in half and it’s a delicious escape from the dreariness of the real world.

BLONDIE • Pollinator

Blondie used to be one of the world’s sexiest, most dangerous bands. They married new wave synths to edgy guitar post punk, dabbled in reggae and disco, and brought rap to the top of the charts. Just like it took an outsider, Mark Ronson, to plug long the wayward Duran Duran back into their original mojo (2009’s All You Need is Now), it took a village of today’s biggest songwriters to take “safe Blondie” (post 1997-reunion) back to the grit of Warhol-era New York, complete with graffiti-laden subway cars, porn in Times Square and a still-standing CBGBs. Pollinator is an exhilarating ride, a cohesive masterpiece born out of dozens of imaginations.

Joan Jett kicks off the collaborations, and Laurie Anderson (in a hidden track on the CD) ends it. In between, cool kids like Charli XCX, Blood Orange (Dev Hynes), Johnny Marr, Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio), Nick Valensi (The Strokes) and Sia create music on-par with Parallel Lines that also sounds modern or ahead of its time in 2017. Debbie Harry’s voice has never sounded better. Chris Stein and the band play with the vigor of scrappy young upstarts. Blondie is sexier and more dangerous than ever, plus they can use their AARP cards on the road for tremendous savings with gas, food and lodging.

BOB SEGER • I Knew You When

While most members of the Comeback Club are new wave artists, we were thrilled beyond words to induct Bob Seger this year. After watching Steve Miller’s post Rock Hall induction tirade, I was fearful Seger was going to fall into the same old “grumpy old man” trap. My fears were dashed the instant I heard his tribute to the late Glenn Frey. Seger gave away ‘Glenn’s Song’ on the anniversary of the Eagles frontman’s passing – such a fitting tribute since Frey’s passing sort of got lost amidst the monumental deaths of Bowie and Prince.

Long before I ventured left of the dial to discover punk, post punk and new wave via Cleveland’s top college stations WRUW and WCSB, Seger was among my favorite artists and a staple on WMMS, the flame-throwing buzzard. In the 1970’s, Detroit and Cleveland were the epicenters of industry and culture; Seger’s songs were anthems of the people who lived all around me. For most artists, live records were contract fillers; for Seger, Live Bullet and Nine Tonight rank among his most important work and remain on par with fellow classics Cheap Trick At Budokan and Frampton Comes Alive.

I Knew You When (available in a 13 track deluxe powerhouse affair) is a total return to the classic sound of Night Moves, Stranger in Town and The Distance. It’s hard to imagine Seger’s last huge album, Like a Rock, is now 31 years old. You’d never know it from Seger circa 2017, his voice is as resonant as ever, the songs as urgent, the stories are as deep. The track list includes two flawless and very timely covers: Lou Reed’s ‘Busload of Faith’ and Leonard Cohen’s ‘Democracy’. With this album, Seger regains his title as king of Motor City blues infused rock – Jack White held the title for a few years before heading south to Nashville.

I Knew You When debuted and peaked at #25 and in week #3 is close to plummeting off the Billboard 200. The cover art, which depicts a very young Seger, might confuse buyers who might think this album is a reissue of one of his late 1960s records. Hopefully with the prestigious recognition of this Comeback Club induction, the record will catch fire and find the audience it deserves.

And finally, a few HONORABLE MENTIONS

Charter members of the Comeback Club, The Wonder Stuff, were somewhat back in 2017; We Came Here to Work is the latest sideshow from frontman Miles Hunt and violinist Erica Nockalls. Depeche Mode was back with Sprit, but they never stopped releasing awesome records, so they’re (so far) ineligible for the Comeback Club. And finally, it was such a divine honor to hear the late, great, Comeback Club ineligible Chuck Berry end his career on the highest note imaginable with the amazing album, Chuck. More on these records in upcoming year-end recaps.

Listmania: What Are Your Ten Favorite Pop/Rock Instrumentals?

The day when an instrumental song could top the pop charts is probably long gone. It wasn’t always the case, and that doesn’t necessarily mean the usefulness of the instrumental track is over. It has, however, severely changed.

You could even say that the instrumental artist is the pillar of the modern pop music machine. You only have to go as far as producer Frank Dukes (a/k/a Canadian-born Adam King Feeney) who creates whole albums of instrumental tracks expressly for the purposes of providing hip-hop artists with pre-made beats to rap over. There’s still a decent instrumental movement in the deepest part of indie rock where Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed You Black Emperor, and Pelican reside. But you will not see something like Harold Faltermeyer’s “Axel F,” otherwise known as the Axel Foley Theme from Beverly Hills Cop, take pride of place on the charts. 

So when the Popdose Staff was recently thrown the question, “What are your ten favorite pop/rock instrumentals,” the answers were revealing in their wide range and their deep-seated nostalgia.

Before we dig into which songs were the most mentioned, it is interesting that three tracks did not make the cut: Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas,” Jan Hammer’s “Theme From Miami Vice,” and Gershon Kingsley’s 1969 song “Popcorn” from the album Music To Moog By. A couple of years later, the group Hot Butter would make a hit of the song. The initial version of the song was one of the first fully-electronic tracks to be recognized and embraced by a large audience, and is often regarded as proto-electronic dance music.

A couple of artists appear on multiple occasions on the list including Rush and The Allman Bros. Many surf-rock bands make appearances as well like The Ventures, The Chantays, Dick Dale, and Surfaris. Even the Beach Boys appear, but hardly in surf-rock mode.

A couple of songs appear in spite of having an occasional chant shout-out in their tunes. The Ventures’ “Walk Don’t Run” stretches the definition in some versions where the title is briefly chanted, and The Bar-Kays’ “Soul Finger” goes even farther. “Hocus Pocus” by Focus is the most controversial of what’s included. Are the yodels singing, and can they be considered lyrics even though they’re more vocalization than verbalization? We leave that for you to decide.

In terms of which songs received multiple votes: Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser”; The Tornadoes’ “Telstar”; Eric Johnson, “Cliffs Of Dover”; The Allman Brothers’ “Jessica”; Booker T. and the MGs’ “Green Onions”; “Wipe Out” by Surfaris; The Beach Boys’ “Let’s Go Away For Awhile”; and the previously mentioned “Axel F” and “Soul Finger” each scored twice.

If there are winners in duplication, it comes down to a tie between Santo & Johnny’s “Sleepwalk” and “Oscillate Wildly” by The Smiths which received three nods each.

Here is the full list in alphabetical order by artist.

808 State – Pacific
Art of Noise – Love
Blur – Intermission
Booker T and the MGs – Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG’s – Time Is Tight
Boston – Foreplay
Camper Van Beethoven – Waka
Colourbox – Sleepwalker
Daft Punk — Da Funk
Dick Dale – Miserlou
Dick Dale – Nitro
Duane Eddy — Rebel Rouser
Duran Duran – Tel Aviv
Eagles – Journey of the Sorcerer
Edgar Winter Group – Frankenstein
Elton John – Funeral for a Friend
Eric Johnson – Cliffs Of Dover
Explosions in the Sky – Your Hand in Mine
Floyd Cramer – Last Date
Focus – Hocus Pocus
Frank Zappa – Didja Get Any Onya?
Frank Zappa – Night School
Harold Faltemeyer – Axel F
Jeff Beck — Beck’s Bolero
Jeff Beck – Freeway Jam
Johnny Thunders – Pipeline
Kai Winding – More
King Crimson – Larks Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 1
Led Zeppelin – Moby Dick
Link Wray — Rumble
Los Straitjackets – Pacifica
Love and Rockets – Saudade
Luther Ingram – Exus Trek
Mason Ruffner – Courage
Michel Polnareff — Voyages
New Order – Elegia
Paul Mauriat & Orchestra – Love Is Blue
Paul McCartney & Wings – Zoo Gang
Pink Floyd – Careful With That Axe, Eugene
Pink Floyd – One of These Days
Prince – Father’s Song
Prince – Alexia de Paris
REM – Endgame
Reverend Horton Heat – Big Sky
Rob D – Clubbed to Death
Roger Webb – Moon Bird
Rush – La Villa Strangiato
Rush – Malignant Narcissism
Rush – YYZ
Santo & Johnny – Sleepwalk
Smiths – Oscillate Wildly
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – Scuttle Buttin’
Surfaris – Wipe Out
The Alan Parsons Project – Sirius
The Allman Brothers — In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
The Allman Brothers – Jessica
The Bar Kays – Soul Finger
The Beach Boys — Let’s Go Away For Awhile
The Chantays – Pipeline
The Mar Keys – Last Night
The Shadows – Apache
The Tornadoes – Telstar
The Who — Quadrophenia
Tomoyasu Hotei – Battle Without Honor Or Humanity
UB40 – Nkomo a Go Go
Van Halen — Spanish Fly
Ventures – Walk Don’t Run
War – City, Country, City
Yes – Clap
Yngwie Malmsteen – Icarus Dream Suite Opus #4
Yoko Kanno and the Seat Belts – Tank!

Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments section!

Best of 2017: 10 Albums for the Buy Curious

In the age of streaming, does anyone still care about someone else’s top albums list when every album in the known universe is at your fingertips 24/7 (if you have good cell signal and a decent data plan of course). We here at Popdose hope so, as this is our second published list of the day.

“Year End” lists had a purpose back when the music industry operated on the absurd business plan called the Circle of Love: artists would pour their hearts and souls into records, people would buy said records, in turn, the artists could afford food and shelter and, ideally, make another record. Back when there were record stores (you know, those giant versions of that Target end cap sandwiched between DVDs and books), critical acclaim helped worthy records find loving homes.

I’ll admit, I’ve been compiling my year-end best of’s since I was a pre-teen die-hard fan of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. Every December, I would even rank my cassettes in their plastic vertical cassette rack for the whole world – namely my older brother – to see. In the 90’s, my co-workers and I would fret over our yea-end lists before discussing in depth over beers. And then came the Internet where I found an audience beyond four guys and an empty pitcher.

Unlike every other media outlet on the planet, you won’t see Jay Z on my list this year. In my humble opinion, his tonnage of Grammy awards and critical nods, much like his wife’s, seem more about celebrity adulation than artistic appreciation. Instead, I wound up tracking down a digital version of Jaz’s Word to the Jaz, a stellar album Jay Z (as Jay Zee) appeared on as a hype man. I’ve had the 12-inch single to ‘Hawaiian Sophie’ since the day it came out and the whole album turned out to be freaking awesome.

While everyone else is rushing their Top 10’s to market this week, I am still marinating on my final rankings. It seems to change by the day, and great new music is still sinking in (like U2’s Songs of Experience and Tove Lo’s Blue Lips) or has yet to come out (Charli XCX drops a new mixtape on Friday and OMD release a new EP on 12/22).

Until I tally everything up, here’s a sneak peek at a few albums that would look great under your tree, in your stocking, and on your turntable this holiday season:

The Comeback Club

Blondie • Pollinator

Hot off the press of their star-studded return to form album, Pollinator, Debbie Harry and Joan Jett present themselves as the most deserving duo to take over the news airwaves from the likes of Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer…

Cool kids like Charli XCX, Blood Orange (Dev Hynes), Johnny Marr, Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio), Nick Valensi (The Strokes) and Sia also appear on this album — and when you buy the CD, you get a hidden bonus track with collaborator Laurie Anderson. Suck on that Spotify.

Bob Seger • I Knew You When

Let’s admit it, once “Like a Rock” became a ubiquitous truck-selling machine, Seger never needed to work again a day in his life. Thankfully, he’s back and has plenty to say, with an urgency I haven’t heard from him in decades. The first song released is the album’s closer, a tribute to one of his best friends, Glenn Frey, who dove into the river of sadness that swept away the likes of Lemmy, Bowie, George Michael and Prince.

Big Breakthroughs

Amilia K. Spicer • Wow and Flutter

Folk circuit darling Amilia K. Spicer released a Rumors-rivaling masterpiece of rock, country, Americana, joy, heartache, loss, redemption and longing. Wow and Flutter was years in the making and well worth every minute of wait. Unlike Taylor Swift’s Redemption, which fills every conceivable sonic nook and cranny with synth, polish and pulsating energy, Spicer’s songs slowly unpack and settle in, instruments have room to breathe, as does the singer. Her lyrics are captivating and reward undivided attention, her stirring rhythms and rich harmonies will steady your nerves during long road trips when you just need to tune out. Wow and Flutter was the year’s best Americana, Country and Alternative record all on one.

The biggest tracks on the album, ‘Harlan’, ‘Windchill’ and ‘Wild Horses’ (not a Stones cover) have yet to get their big budget videos, but this track will give you just a taste of the majesty that awaits you as her beautiful album unfolds.

Louise Burns • Young Mopes

Canadian phenom Louise Burns released her third solo album this year and I probably would have never known about it had it not been for a link within the facebook feed of her former band, Lillix. That band had a few radio hits in the US back when Lindsay Lohan was a bankable movie star, but the strength of their albums, musicianship, songwriting and harmonies was tragically overlooked by the masses. Burns, lead guitarist on their first two albums, is now three for three for driving home runs deep into dream pop left field. Her angelic voice is buoyed by layers of shimmering guitar that lovingly nods to New Order, the Church, the Chameleons and Echo & The Bunnymen.

Best New Artists

Pacific Radio • Pretty, but Killing Me

Do you remember when rock was fun and rock stars had swagger? That’s what makes Pacific Radio such a freaking riot. The California 4-piece released a flawless 4-track EP earlier this year that previewed a full length-album that finally drops this week. The band recently tore up the West Coast on tour and are steadily becoming one of the best live acts in the business. Their look and tunes come off like an Eagles of Death Metal and Foo Fighters love child; epic and audacious songs about chicks, cars, dudes and bars. My personal fave from the album hints of the anthemic side of Airborne Toxic Event…

Dua Lipa • Dua Lipa

And showing there is some justice in this world, 2017 gave rise to a bonafide superstar in the form of Dua Lipa. This stunning English model/singer captures the best elements of Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Cheryl Cole and Amy Winehouse to create an absolutely spellbinding tour de force. The deluxe version of her self-titled debut spirals to a dizzying 17 tracks and there’s nary a dud in the bunch. Overseas, the awards are rolling in and the hit singles are racking up. She’s on a headline tour of the states as we speak to seduce more converts into her gorgeous church of soulful pop.

Returning Champions

Mynabirds • Be Here Now

One of the great tragedies of 2017 is that Be Here Now, the fourth album by Laura Burhenn (who is to the Mynabirds what Chrissie Hynde is to the Pretenders), is unavailable on CD — it sounds great smunched into MP3, but I would love to hear it in higher fidelity (it is also on vinyl, but that does me little good in the car where I get my best listening in). Much like Goldfrapp (a band that ranges from disco to electro to alterna folk), anything is possible when a new Mynabirds album drops. Her second album, Generals (which I think was the first review I ever posted to Popdose), was a hard rocker; her debut, Things We Lost in the Fire, was drenched in Americana. Be Here Now builds upon 2015’s lush and lovely Lovers Know. Mynabirds songs hook you in an instant yet reveal all sorts of textures, surprises and deeper meanings with subsequent and obsessive listens.

 

Cait Brennan • Third

Cait is a beloved friend of Popdose. We first met and interviewed her at the start of a whirlwind year that began with the release of her decades in the making power pop epic, Debutante; continued with her meeting Sire Records legend Seymour Stein who signed her to a 4-track demo deal; and ended with her signing to the perfect label to realize her vision: Omnivore. The album has been praised from coast to coast and around the world by a snowballing and quite rabid fanbase.

The title, Third, is is a nod to Big Star — a big influence on Brennan; the album was recorded at the legendary Ardent studios in Memphis managed by Big Star drummer Jody Stephens. Fernando Perdomo, this generation’s Todd Rundgren (even though we already have a perfectly fine Todd Rundgren), returns as producer and co-conspirator. Somehow at those Ardent sessions and back in LA, Perdomo also found the time to record his own masterwork, The Golden Hour

The Golden Hour delivers almost exactly what it promises, an hour (if you listen to it 1.3 times) of AM Radio Gold from the 1970’s. This is a new album for lovers of “long distance dedications” and bonafide classics by the likes of George Harrison, Tom Petty, Andrew Gold, America, Jeff Lynne, Todd Rundgren, Al Stewart and more. Perdomo is scruffy in person and on stage, but his voice is smooth as a lake at sunset, his guitar work sparkles like a desolate sky full of stars.

Best Reissues

Debbie Gibson • We Could Be Together

While the critics will oooh and aaah over the deservedly cool reissues by the likes of Radiohead, the Smiths and R.E.M., I just can’t shake my love for this massive box set from the original TayTay, Debbie Gibson. We Could Be Together (yes, I ponied up about $100 for it — get it for less via Amazon.co.uk), captures just about everything in her canon with only a few slight exceptions (my favorite being the clubby, dubby 10-minute opus, “Only in My Dreams (Dream House mix)” from the Foolish Beat 12-inch single.

Still, its hard to complain when you have hundreds of Debbie Gibson classics to rediscover or hear for the first time. Her tragically overlooked Atlantic albums, Anything is Possible and Body Mind Soul, shine especially bright here and would fit right into today’s pop radio landscape if given the chance. Edsel delivers amazing packaging, lots of photos, videos, concert recordings and deep liner notes built around an interview with Ms. Not-So-Nasty herself. The final CD in the set sticks the landing with a few plum new tunes; so here’s hoping coming off her turn on Dancing with the Stars, there’s another box set of great music still within the Divine Ms. Gibson.

How About You?

So, do year end lists still matter? Do you still buy albums? If so, what are your favorite albums of 2017? Let us know.

Popdose Video Premiere: Ryan Brahms, “Love Dealer”

If you like your music videos as aesthetically pleasing as they are fun to listen to, you’re in for a treat as Ryan Brahms travels to gorgeous South America for his single, “Love Dealer.”

Directed by David Montoya, the New York-based singer/songwriter pumps out a catchy, rhythm-laden banger that perfectly complements the dreamy, saturated scenery of Cartagena, Colombia. Presumably operating on the “stranger in a strange land” trope, Brahms meets a gorgeous local and woos her using the “Love Dealer” moniker (which, if I’m honest, reminded me of that VH1 show The Pick-Up Artist for a hot second. Mystery, anyone?).

Though the “Love Dealer’s” sound is a real departure for Brahms’ usual piano-based fare, it’s indicative of a larger shift within the singer/songwriter community, showcasing that it’s not solely an acoustic, open-mic night free for all. When you have artists like Ryan Brahms creating modern pop like this set against a provocative and elaborate backdrop, it’s a sure sign things are changing.

Check out the video for “Love Dealer” below!

Popdose Exclusive Single Premiere: Populuxe, “Lady Liberty”

It’s always a good time around Popdose when we can debut a new track from one of our (collective) favorite bands, Populuxe.  This trio of popmeisters return with a pretty timely new single, “Lady Liberty” and it’s not for the faint-hearted.  Contained within the hooks and melody are couplets like “…a boat of poets afraid of what they say/a boat of actors bruised by false love…”.  This is a piece to make you think.

Hopefully, this will whet your appetites for the upcoming new album from the band, due in the spring of 2018.  But for now, here’s our (and Populuxe’s) little aural holiday gift to you…

“Lady Liberty” will be released Monday, December 11th, 2017

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