Sunday, April 26, 2015

Doug Powell - Tribute Tracks and Demos

Doug Powell has an interesting history. Between 1996 and and 2010, He released 7 full length albums along with a series of high profile side projects.   He played as a member of Todd Rundgren's band and worked on an early version of the "New Cars" reunion project (in which he was ultimately replaced by Todd himself).  He sang lead on a large portion of "Catch-All" the sole album released by the Nashville supergroup "Swag" (also featuring Jerry Dale McFadden  and Robert Reynolds).  More recently Doug has been concentrating on a new career in religious commentary (not my thing). 

Still his Power Pop album output is impressive.   The albums "More" and "Day For Night" are personal faves.   In them he  veers from straight forward power pop songs into more ambitious prog epics.   ("The Apprentice’s Sorcerer" his latest album (from 2010) spends a bit too much time in prog land for me.)  

Doug has always been an insightful interpreter of other people's songs and I've collected a bunch of cover songs from tribute records along with a few early demos.  Hope you like this compilation (by the way completists will note that I'm missing one track "Anyway But Love" from the 1998 Todd Rundgren Tribute "Grok This".   If anyone has that track I'd appreciate the chance to add it to this collection.)  Would love to hear Doug return to his roots sometime soon..

1 She Satisfies - Shoes cover from "Shoe Fetish" tribute compilation
2 When She Awoke - Demo Version
3 Early Morning, Cold Taxi - Who cover by Swag from "The New Sell Out" tribute compilation
4 Love is Like Oxygen - Sweet cover from "Are You Ready, Steve" tribute compilation
5 I Woke Up In Love This Morning - Partridge Family cover from "Right To Chews" bubblegum tribute compilation
6 Water's Part - Let's Active cover from "Every Word" tribute compilation
7 Till I Die - Beach Boys cover from "Making God Smile" tribute compilation
8 Candy-O - Cars cover from "Substitution Mass Confusion" tribute compilation
9 Can't Get It Out Of My Head - ELO cover from "Lynne Me Your Ears" tribute compilation
10 Every Day is Christmas - Swag Christmas track from mp3.com
11 All The Lights Are Blue - Swag Christmas track from mp3.com
12 God Bless Us All - 8-track Demo of Christmas track from mp3.com