Mike Viola - In Studio Performance December 23, 2011

Mike Viola completists probably already have this one. However, if you missed it, here is a link to a download of Mike's recent radio show on WFMU last December.

Thanks very much to the folks at WFMU for posting this great session at Archive.org.

Mike performed most of his new album "Electro De Perfecto" along with a great cover or Andrew Gold's classic Lonely Boy. Mike says that he had such a good time performing that song, that he is considering doing a completely 70's pop cover project. Sounds great. It'll be interesting how that slots in around the new "Acousto De Perfecto" project he is readying for Record Day release.

Thanks to Power Pop Priest Bruce Bodeen for yet again "showing me the way" to this one. Tracks below:

1 Soundtrack of My Summer

2 Field of Guns 'N Roses

3 Here's The Rub

4 El Mundo De Perfecto

5 Me and My Drinking

6 Closet Cutter

7 Get You Back

8 So Much Better

9 Let's Have a Baby

10 Girly Worm

11 Clusterfuck

12 Lonely Boy

The Merrymakers - Rare B-sides and Compilation Tracks

So its early 2012 and I'm still waiting to to hear the entire Soundshine album by David Myhr (only released in Japan as I write this). In anticipation, I was listening to the two albums by his previous band "the Merrymakers".

The Merrymakers were a Swedish Power Pop unit co-lead by David Myhr and Anders Hellgren. Their two albums "No Sleep till Famous" and "Bubblegun" were some of the best examples of Power Pop to come out of the Swedish Power Pop renaissance of the late 1990's. In my opinion 1998's "Bubblegun" is maybe the best single album from that scene, benefiting from the arranging, producing and co-writing of Jellyfish leader Andy Sturmer.

The Merrymakers were only together for a short time. They appeared on the scene in 1992 and released two classic albums (along with one hard to find early singles collection). By 1998 they were gone (The band continued to exist until 2010 but there was nothing released after 1998 - I wonder if there are any good unreleased material from that 1998 - 2010?). Here is a collection of their B-sides and compilation tracks for your listening pleasure. This compilation reminds me of how great this band could be (makes me anticipate David Myhr's Soundshine release that much more).

1 Feel A Whole Lot Better - Byrds cover From "Full Circle: A Tribute To Gene Clark"
2 Somebody Made for Me - Emitt Rhodes cover. Bonus track from "Bubblegun"
3 Parachute - B-side of "Monument of Me"
4 No More Lonely Nights - McCartney cover from Tribute Compilation "Listen to What the Man Said"
5 What About? - Bonus track from "Bubblegun"
6 You Get What You Give - New Radicals cover from the Bam Balam Explosion Compilation
7 Love (You Can Make it Alright) - B-side of "Monument of Me"
8 Still Someone to You - B-side of "Monument of Me"
9 Strange Kind of Girl - From 1998 compilation "Somewhere Down the Road"
10 High Horses - 1993 track from split flexi included with Swedish SOUND AFFECTS magazine
11 Saltwater Drinks (Remix) - B-side of"Saltwater Drinks"
12 The Prettiest Star - B-side of "Superstar"
13 Superstar (Remix) - B-side of"Saltwater Drinks"

Thanks to one of my Power Pop friends (you know who you are) for helping me pull this collection together. We would not be listening to all of these great rare tracks without your generosity.

Top 25 Power Pop Releases of 2011

Time to say goodbye to 2011 and in spite of the lack of any commercial acceptance to speak of, it was a year of great Power Pop releases. Notable by their absence are two releases that didn't make it out (in the states) this year. "Besides" by Blue and "Soundshine" by David Myhr. We've heard a lot of tracks from these two releases but still haven't had the chance to hear the entire albums. Oh well, these will represent a great start on the year in 2012. My favorite Power Pop albums of 2011 follow:

1. Fountains of Wayne - Sky Full of Holes
   I love this album and think its a return to form for FOW. There isn't a bad track on the album and each track builds upon (and flows into) the next. On his album Electro De Perfecto, Mike Viola wrote a tune entiled "Soundtrack of My Summer", however "Sky Full of Holes"ended up being the soundtrack to my summer this year. Perfect summer pop album.
   



2. Pugwash - The Olympus Sound
   Another collection of winning Beatlesque tracks by Irish Power Pop genius Thomas Walsh and the crew. Thomas can't seem to write a bad song and "The Olympus Sound" just raises the bar on an already high standard. Keep em coming Thomas. We are listening!
   



3. Paul Steel - LL Cosmonaut
   This one just snuck in under the wire in December. Brighton Power Pop phenom Paul Steel is back with a new EP released under the moniker of "LL Cosmonaut". Yes I know that its just an EP (and one of the tracks came out on Myspace last year), still the material is so strong, the arrangements so rich that it ended up as one of the best of the year. You have to hear this one for yourself. No one working today is producing Brian Wilson influenced material of the quality of Paul Steel. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the tracks in 2012.
   



4. David Mead - Dudes
   This fine album has already received a lot of great press (deservedly so). I concur that David Mead is back and Dudes is his best Power Pop album in years. The album flips between sweet folk ballads and rockers with strong hooks. Wonderful record!
   



5. Mike Viola - Electro De Perfecto
   For 2011, Mike releases a more serious and rockin effort...and of course its terrific front to back. The songs mine familiar melodic territory but somehow achieve something new. Mike mixes in louder guitars, pares down the arrangements and deals with more serious themes and still produces a collection of memorable songs. A great effort!
   



6. The Wellingtons - In Transit
   Australia's Wellingtons deliver another collection of smart, insightful pop songs. Check out tracks "Adamant" and "Baby's Got A Secret". No better tunes were released this year in my opinion.
   



7. Popfilter! - Pop This
   Boston's Popfilter finally released the epic pop song-cycle they'd been working on and its a stellar release. This one sounds like the Cars meet the Sweet. Great production and a nice album all the way through. Listen to this one!
   



8. The Red Button - As Far as Yesterday
   Seth Swirsky is one of the best singer songwriters working today and the sophomore release by "The Red Button" his band project with Mike Rukeberg delivers another album of mid period Beatles influenced pop.
   



9. Greg Pope - Monster Suit
   The man is a phenomenon. For each of the last four years, we've been treated to an annual Greg Pope release. This year, its a soundtrack and a terrific collection of songs to boot.
   



10. The Nines - Polarity
    In 2011, the Nines put out their own collection of B-Sides and Demos and the collection hangs together very well. Castaways from the Nines are better than efforts by most other bands. I will always be a Nines completest and I hear that there is another collection in the works for 2012!
    



11. Captain Wilberforce - Ghost Written Confessions
    A new album from Captain Wilberforce this year continues his streak of three great prog/romantic pop albums. This one starts slow and serious but builds into sweeping rockers. By track five, he had me....again!
    



12. An American Underdog - Always On The Run
    Personal favorite, Andy Reed released a great set of tunes under the band name "An American Underdog". This album features tuneful gems start to finish. Welcome back Andy Reed.
    



13. The Genuine Fakes – The Striped Album
    The Genuine Fakes continue to carry the torch of Swedish Power Pop. Tunes are strong and the band plays hard. Hopefully this one plus the new one by David Myhr will help rekindle the Power Pop torch in Sweden in 2012.
    



14. Brandon Wilde - Hearts in Stereo
    I've been following Brandon Wilde for years. Loved his earlier release "Songs From the Deep Sleep" and his band project "Black Bunny". "Hearts in Stereo" continues with an album of quirky insightful pop.
    



15. The Turnback - Drawn in Chalk
    Mid period Beatles. Great albums released on the Rainbow Quartz label. The Turnback evoke them all. I couldn't stop listening to this one.
    



16. The Bangles - Sweetheart of the Sun
    I had no idea that Bangles would return with a vital lively effort like "Sweetheart of the Sun" but here it is. This album pushes all the buttons. Lots of 60's influenced Power Pop, a strong cover in Open Your Eyes by the Nazz... and of course there are the harmonies.
    



17. Cirrone - Uplands Park Road
    This is the rocker of the year. Evokes "The Shazam" or "True Love". Great playing. Great production and strong songs.
    



18. Robyn Hitchcock - Tromso Kaptein
    Didn't hear about this one much in Power Pop quarters but it works very well for me. This is one of those well arranged Hitchock efforts (as opposed to those tossed off ones he releases - I like those too, just not as much). This one has strings, strong melodies and of course feature's Robyn's warped lyrics. The Beatles in an alternate universe.
    



19. Smith and Hayes - II
    The second album by Smith and Hayes is another tribute to the Beatles. The thing is that Smith and Hayes write really good songs, have great players and produce a nice sounding album. I particularly loved the track "Turn it Up". A classic!
    



20. Tommy Flake - Second Skin
    I didn't know about Tommy Flake but "Second Skin" his 2011 albums is a winner throughout. Reminds me of Tommy Keene or Adam Schmitt. Great effort.
    



21. The Ditchflowers - Bird's Eye
    Sophmore effort by Brian Merrill (formerly of Barely Pink) and Ed Woltil. Just like their first, "Bird's Eye" helps evoke Jim Boggia and Jon Brion. Good songs that you want to listen to over and over.
    



22. Michael Oliver & The Sacred Band - Yin & Yanxiety
    I really liked this one all the way through. Nice rockin effort with good power pop hooks. well recorded. A very strong album.
    



23. Longplayer - Longplayer
    Miss ELO? Can't wait for another ELO tribute like LEO from Bleu and Mike Viola? Well Longplayer is the group for you. Very entertaining release. Nice new tracks in the style of Jeff Lynne.
    



24. Meyerman - Who Do You Think You Are?
    Another rockin' effort. Meyerman knows the moves, has the hooks and plays em well. The Cars meets Superdrag. A great one for your car.
    



25. Richard Snow and The Inlaws - Am I Really That Boring?
    Always enjoy the British jangle pop from Richard Snow. It's great to have a new effort to listen to.

Happy Hollidays and a safe happy New Years to all!

David Mead - More Out Takes, Demos and Studio Performances

David Mead put out "Dudes" late last month and as promised, its a return to classic Power Pop form. Dudes artfully weaves the gorgeous folk pop he demonstrated on last year's "Almost and Always" with the same type of Beatle influenced tunes he explored on 2006's "Tangerine". Obviously "Dudes" is a serious contender for Power Pop CD of the year.

For new listeners, David released a free compilation of hits and out takes called "25 days to Dudes". If you haven't downloaded this collection, do so while it's still available and free. There were three "new" out takes made available on the collection. I've included them in my new collection of demos, studio tracks and out takes. The remainder were released on earlier version of Mead's web sites. Check out my previous collection of out takes, demos and rare tracks. Dudes is great...so purchase it now. Also, check out this new collection of rare tracks and let me know if you have something I'm missing.

1 Lease on Life - out take from "Indiana"
2 Slow Night - out take from "Mine and Yours"
3 Hallelujah, It's a Girl - demo from "Tangerine"
4 Dudes - studio performance from the Ivy League
5 Bucket of Girls - out take from "Luxury of Time"
6 Girl on a Roof - studio performance from Ivy League
7 I Hate It When We Fight - duet with Joy Williams
8 Sweetheart Sorrow - demo
9 Rainy Weather Friend - demo from "Almost and Always"
10 From My Window Sill - studio performance from World Cafe
11 Nashville - studio performance from Ivy League
12 Hallelujah, I Was Wrong - demo from "Tangerine"
13 Didn't I Warn You - out take from "Mine and Yours"
14 Indiana - studio performance from World Cafe
15 Last Train Home - demo from "Almost and Always"
16 Little Boats - studio performance from Tune In at Home

Pugwash - In My Own Time (Rare Tracks #2)

Today's rare Power Pop gem comes to us courtesy of the ever creative Mr. Thomas Walsh of Pugwash. This collection is the second of several compilations of rare demos and acoustic tracks recently posted by Thomas on YouTube. How many of these terrific rare tracks will we get? Only Thomas knows. He's been publishing one or two tracks every day for the last month of so. I've loved checking every morning for unreleased Pugwash tracks. I particularly treasure the two unreleased out takes that never made official Pugwash albums. (Any more of these laying around Thomas?). There are also a handful of live radio show performances as well. One of them is a cover of the early Bee Gee's tune "In My Own Time" - a dead ringer for Revolver-era Beatles if every there was one. Great Version!

If you haven't purchased this years Pugwash release "The Olympus Sound", you better go ahead and do so. It's Pugwash so every track is filled with sweet Beatlesque melodic hooks. Along with Fountain's of Wayne's "Sky Full of Holes", this one is in the running for Power Pop release of the year! Enjoy this collection of rare tracks:

1 Heal Me - B-side of "Answers on a Postcard"
2 In My Own Time - Live Bee Gees cover
3 It Doesn't Matter - Out take from "The Olympus Sound"
4 Pedalo - Bonus track from "The Duckworth Lewis Method"
5 Low - Out take from "Eleven Modern Antiquities"
6 Take Me Away - Acoustic version
7 Sunrise Sunset - Demo
8 Home to Me - Alternate mix
9 Telephone Line - Acoustic ELO cover
10 Finer Things in Life - Demo
11 The Canon and the Bell - Early mix
12 This Could be Good - Acoustic version
13 Anchor - Dub mix
14 Song For You - Demo
15 15 Kilocycle Tone - Demo
16 Ram On - Acoustic Paul McCartney cover
17 Answers On a Postcard - Demo
18 There You Are - Acapella
19 Four Days - Demo
20 Inside the Gullet of the Pelican King - Unreleased instrumental
21 Mr. Blue Sky - Live ELO cover from "The Duckworth Lewis Method"
22 Fall Down - Acoustic version

Mike Viola - Live Set from Boston

Mike Viola is touring in support of his new album "Electro de Perfecto". I'm really looking forward to catching his set - but the good news is that we have a sneak peek of the show courtesy of one of the readers of our blog. Its a high quality audience recording of Mike's recent show in Boston. Thanks so much for sending it on for everyone to enjoy. A great description of the set follows:

"I caught Mike Viola and band opening for Rachael Yamagata at the Brighton Music Hall, (formerly Harper’s Ferry) in Alston, Mass. on Oct.30. Great sound and a tight band (just MV with a bass player and drummer). Mike played most of the new album, Electro de Perfecto that night, though looking at the setlists posted on his blog he’s been mixing in more older songs at other gigs. With only a 45-50 minute opening slot he still found room to be himself….casually improvising here, encouraging a sing-along there, joking with the audience. Every band today, young or old, could learn a thing or two from Mike about how to entertain an audience-it's as if he walks into your living room, plugs in and asks what you want to hear! If you’re a MV fan and haven’t yet, definitely purchase his new album/cd…it’s vintage Mike, stripped down to a power trio format with the same quality songwriting MV fans have come to expect!"

1. Soundtrack of My Summer
2. El Mundo de Perfecto
3. Me and My Drinking
4. Field of Guns and Roses
5. Maybe, Maybe Not
6. Here's The Rub
7. Girly Worm
8. Let's Have a Baby
9. Chemical Night
10. Get You Back

Bleu - Besides B-Sides

One of the best releases of the year is itself a B-sides compilation. This one an official release from the ever prolific, always brilliant Bleu McAuley. Bleu has pulled together some of his recent demos, outtakes and B-sides and assembled another masterful release that really shows the depth of his songwriting and his amazing voice. If you haven't picked up "Besides" yet, then you really need to. Bleu is making the project available in two formats. Vinyl with digital download and digital download only (...with some minor differences in track listing that drive completest like me crazy.)

Speaking of completeists. I searched my archives and found a number of tracks that didn't make the cut on Besides. These are later tracks than the early B-sides compilation I posted before and none of them are the same as Bleu's official effort. Check them out. Even Bleu's castaways are very, very good. As usual, please let me know if you have something rare that I'm missing.

1. Glass Houses - Outtake from "Blizzard of 05" period. Posted on MySpace

2. Golden Handcuffs - More recent disco track in the vein of "Blow up the Radio" from Besides. Posted on ReverbNation

3. I Have to Have You - Recent track that Bleu has been doing at solo shows.(I was expecting this on Besides). Cool tune. Posted on SoundCloud

4. When it Rains it Pours - Another outtake from "Blizzard of 05" period. Posted on MySpace

5. Sakura (Cherry Blossom Bloom) - Compilation track from "Together We Are Not Alone"

6. Taylor Locke (Rex of Rocke) - Fun track. A "note" to Taylor Locke of Rooney fame. Posted on Soundcloud.

7. Blacklight - Another disco track in the vein of "Blow up the Radio" from Besides. Posted on ReverbNation

8. Cold, Cold Christmas - One of those great bluesy gospel tracks Bleu does so well. This one a Christmas song from ReverbNation

9. Ordinary Breakdown - Yet another outtake from "Blizzard of 05" period. Posted on MySpace

10. I'm in Love with My Lover (Acoustic) - Solo acoustic version from "Brixton Sessions" video

11. How Blue (Acoustic) Not the version from Besides. This solo acoustic track is also from a "Brixton Sessions" video

12. Happy Birthday Mara - Personalized track for a Kickstarter supporter. Posted on Soundcloud