Redd Kross - Any Hour Every Day

You have GOT to love Redd Kross. They evolved from pre-teen LA punk stars during the 1980s into a full fledged Power Pop force during the 1990s. Albums from Redd Kross have been few-and-far-between however, and much of their best stuff has come out as singles and compilation tracks . For the power pop collecter, I recommend all the 1990s albums - from Third Eye on. Essential stuff!

I've collected most of their fine singles and compilation tracks here: 

1 Any Hour Every Day
2 Switchblade Sister
3 So Cal V8
4 Fancy
5 What's Wrong With Me?
6 Dancing Queen
7 Popular Cult
8 Tico and Yolanda
9 Yesterday Once More
10 Misery is Mother
11 Byrds and Fleas
12 Girls Can Tell
13 The Insatiable Kind
14 Star Lust
15 How Much More
16 Trance
17 It's In The Sky
18 What Cha Doin to That Girl?
19 I'll Meet You Half Way
20 Sick Love
21 It Won't Be Long
22 Hard Luck Woman
23 Sister Teresa's Biography
24 I Was Born to Love You
25 Marry Christmas
26 Super Sunny Christmas

Enjoy and let me know if I've missed anything. I hear they are working on a new album (don't get too excited. They've been promising that for years.) Can't wait....

The Andy Sturmer Demos

In 1990 and 1993, Jellyfish released two mind-blowing Power Pop classics, Bellybutton and Spilt Milk. Though years later we continue to feel the effcts of those amazing albums, Jellyfish was never (really) heard from again (...well not if you don't count Not Lame Record's excellent live and rare tracks compilation from a couple of years ago).

Band members have put out their own fine efforts. The Roger Joseph Manning Jr. cds have been great ... and obviously Jason Falkner and Eric Dover have gone on to find their own voices and to release Power Pop epics of their own. However we have heard almost nothing from the lead voice and major song writer of Jellyfish, Andy Sturmer. What follows are all the demos that Andy sings on that have leaked out over the years. (I get requests for this stuff often.)

For avid readers of this blog, these tracks are probably old news. Great songs all (at least until the end of the compilation where Andy's recent work on cartoon soundtracks is featured) but there is nothing new or different here. However, for the uninitiated, these tracks should be a revelation, very much in the spirit of Jellyfish. You have to wonder why finished versions never saw the light of day. If you haven't heard these songs, you'll want to get them immediately. The original songs are great and the cover versions bring you back to what was great about Spilt Milk and Bellybutton.

Listen to the collection here

Thanks to the contributors from the Andy Sturmer Yahoo Group who remixed and extended some of the unfinished tracks. I really appreciate your work!

As the first track says, "we're holding out for something better..."

Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers - Something Special

In honor of the upcoming release of the Mike Viola and Bleu's power pop project "The Major Labels", I'm posting some collected demos by Mike and the Candy Butchers. This compilation contains tunes from a number of sources including some songs posted on an older version of the Candy Butchers website.

Some of the best songs are at the beginning of this compilation and though they are great, however I've got to warn against trying to listen to them on headphones. Somebody (maybe Mike?) "released" this stuff a few years ago in a version sure to discourage bootlegging by all except the most devoted fan. The stereo channels are reversed on the first four tracks every couple of seconds or so. The effect is absolutely maddening over headphones - yet you really don't notice at all when listening over speakers.

Listen to them and let me know if you love this stuff as much as I do. Mike should really consider releasing these tracks. Also, if you have any other demos or outtakes from Mike and the Candy Butchers would you let me know about them?

Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers - Something Special

Enjoy. Can't wait till the "Major Labels"!

Mike Viola + Bleu + Ducky Carlisle are "The Major Labels"

This is a big deal. Mike Viola, Bleu and Ducky Carlisle have just released a killer summer album under the name of "The Major Labels". I've listened to this three times and it is absolutely great! To my ears, lots of 60's pop mixed together with Queen/ELO/Wings style vocal choruses. Think a cranked up sequel to Bleu's LEO project (a fabulous effort if you haven't heard it). Anyone who has any interest in the music talked about on this blog should own this.

Here is the kicker. You can pay what you want to download a digital version of this. Follow the link below. Listen before you buy. I guess they get the money... so support these guys. What are you waiting for? Get this. You will not be sorry.

"Can't Get Enough of..." The Wannadies

I miss the days when Sweden produced lots of bands concerned with putting "power" in their pop. The Wannadies are one of my favorite Swedish bands from that period. They produced 6 essential albums in 13 years.

Nothing has been heard from the Wannadies since 2003, so I put together a compilation of b-sides and rare tracks . I know that it's far from complete (the Wannadies were great about releasing b-sides and rare tracks).

If you have something I'm missing , please let me know. If you don't know this band, these b-sides should help you see what you've been missing.

1990 The Wannadies
1992 Aquanautic
1994 Be a Girl
1997 Bagsy Me
1998 Skellefteå (Best of)
1999 Yeah
2003 Before and After

Blinker the Star - Collected B-Sides and Demos

In 1999 Canadian muli-instrumentalist Jordon Zadorozny released "August Everywhere". It was a departure from the two earlier efforts with his band Blinker the Star. Those earlier albums had fine moments but were a bit unfocused, sounding like many indie-bands of the time influenced by Nirvana. August Everywhere was more synthesizer based and contained a series of Beatles influenced tunes mixed in a britpop influenced manner. There is not a bad track on the album. Very much worth picking up.

It took four more years for the next Blinker the Star to release their next album. 2003's "Still in Rome" was a mixed bag. In many ways it returned to the harder edge sound of the two earlier albums. There were great moments though. The pop tune "Got to Go Through It" is great, as is the bitter but catchy "Don't Believe It".

Since 2003, Zadorozny has released a tantalizing trickle of songs on the three MySpace pages he controls in addition to his now deleted Blinker The Star homepage. Each of these songs is a nicely produced PowerPop epic. Many as good as the pop contained on "August Everywhere". I've collected all of these songs in one place. They include b-sides from 'August Anywhere" as well as demos and singles from more recent sessions. Also included are three songs by "Abbey", Jordon Zadorozny's new band with fellow Canadian singer Sofia Silva. Silva has a voice that complements these songs and they integrate well with the others that Jordon sings.

Listen to this Collection of Blinker the Star B-Sides and let me know what you think. Hopefully Jordan will eventually release his next epic. These tracks show he has it in him.

1993 Blinker the Star
1996 A Bourgeois Kitten
1999 August Everywhere
2003 Still in Rome

Jason Falkner - Live Acoustic

I'm very glad that Jason Falkner is putting out something new...even its part two of his Bedtime with the Beatles series. His first volume of instrumental lullabies was filled with clever "Jason" takes on classic Beatles tunes. Lots of fun.

However, what I most appreciate about Jason Falkner are the excellent songs he writes. I'm posting a fine sounding solo acoustic concert from years ago below. These stripped down solo performances help bring out the power of his song writing. I'm enjoying listening to these classics all over again.

Jason Falkner - Solo Acoustic