Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers (CD, 2008)

 

Kathleen Edwards is a Canadian singer/songwriter from Ottawa, Ontario. Asking For Flowers is her third album. If you were to trying to describe her music you would likely use the term "Americana" (even though she is Canadian) or "Alternative Country". I sort of understand these labels because there is a little bit of a "twang" in her music. For example, listen to I Make The Dough, You Get The Glory. For something less twangy try Oil Man's War. 

Listening to this record makes me feel warm. Kathleen's voice and her music just feels right. For me, Goodnight, California is just perfect. What a mood!

The Arch Angel

Ray Wonder - Superwonder (CD EP 1994) (Swedish Pop Collection, CD #4)

 

More guitar driven pop from Sweden. This is my first time listening to Ray Wonder and it sounds like a glorious mess. What do I mean? Ray Wonder's vocalist strains his throat when he sings but it works with the music. Check out the last song on this CD EP, Pregnant. It works, doesn't it? Good find. I will be interested to hear more from Ray Wonder.

The Merrymakers - Saltwater Drinks (CD Single, 1998) (Swedish Pop Collection CD # 5)

 

The Merrymakers. Well, these guys are legends in the pop world. Anyone that has spent time collecting or really exploring the "power pop" world is going to know all about Sweden's Merrymakers. In fact, I already own this CD single but I do not mind having a second copy at all. 

Frankly, you should try and find all of the Merrymakers' output if you can. You will not be disappointed. Here is a link to the video for Saltwater Drinks for you. You need this.

Track Listing:

1. Saltwater Drinks; 2. Sad; 3. Saltwater Drinks (Remix)

The Arch Angel

Various Artists - Rock 'n' Roll Party - vol. 1 Top Rockers From The Past (CD, 2005?)

 

Wow, this red-hot CD is not even listed on Discogs. Maybe I am searchin' incorrectly 'cuz I can't seem to find it. Anyway, this collection is fun and you will find yourself boppin' along to this platter of old 45s. Just put this in the CD player in your car and you are guaranteed to get wherever you are headin' much faster! 

Check out the track listing. Heard of any of these artists or songs before? Yah, neither have I. However, whether these artists were famous or not they are on this CD because their songs rock. Check out this two-fer from Barry Lane- Oh Geronimo & Gettin' Ready for Love.  The version on this CD is much cleaner so don't fret from the scratchiness of the YouTube version. If you liked that then Sonny Lowery's Goodbye baby goodbye will rock your world. Do I sound excited? I am because this music makes me smile because it is so pure. Enjoy.  The Arch Angel

Popsicle - Template (CD 1992) (Swedish Pop Collection CD #3)

 

Popsicle! This is really bright, guitar driven pop. This CD kinda reminds me of the Posies' Frosting on the Beater-era. Melodic but loud guitars. Noisy but pretty. This release is listed as a mini-album on Discogs. 

Discogs has a good description of what I am hearing on this mini-album

The songs were written by Norberg and Mattsson and was initially influenced by British guitar-based shoegazer band My Bloody Valentine and Ride. Popsicle may have laid the foundations of the Swedish indie scene, but it was not until four years later as the band played through to a wider audience, that they had their biggest hit - the single "Not Forever" from the self-titled third album 

For me think more Ride than My Bloody Valentine but the description is not too far off the mark. Overall, the songs are good and if you like the last song of six, Never Know, you will enjoy the whole disc. This is worth the search! 

Track Listing:

1. ten 2. wonderful 3. blow up 4. further 5. loveflies 6. never know

The Arch Angel

Sweet Chariots - Beat Based / Song Centered / Spirit Led (CD 2000) (Swedish Pop Collection, CD #2)

Wow, Sweet Chariots, a great band name. This is from 2000 and has a much more refined pop sound. The album has a more of groove-vibe to it rather than power pop. It is a little different from what I expected but not a bad thing. This band seems more refined and leans more toward sounding British. In other words it doesn't have that typical "Swedish Pop" sound like Eggstone or Leslies. The songs range from All I Want is What I Had to the R&B-tinged Never Gonna Stop. The song Ten Tons of Cargo also caught my ear. As you can hear, this band has a different sound but it is still excellent. This CD was not what I expected but it is good.

The Arch Angel

 

Leslies - Totally Brilliant (CD, 1996) (Swedish Pop Collection CD #1)

 

Ok, so I am starting a new series here. I just purchased a collection of Swedish pop music CDs from a well known and very knowledgeable music collector. While she collects and listens to a wide variety of music, she was well known for her expertise and deep collection of Swedish pop music. The collection became suddenly available and I acted fast before others could strike. I literally sent her a message at 3am and I had a response back at 6am. By 7:30 am we had agreed to a price and I sent the money. Just a few days later, that collection was in my hands. So what follows in this series are my thoughts on the collection. First up, Leslies!

This is my first time listening to the Leslies and I have been missing out. Discogs tells me that this is the band's first album. So what it does it sound like? Well, check out this song, The Lime Song. Why is that when I listen to music like this I think of young guys with fresh haircuts, wearing hip clothes, sipping espressos at an outdoor cafe, and they are all wearing bright-colored cardigan sweaters? This is not an insult. It is just the image when I listen to music like this...there is an innocence to it. Whatever, I love the melodies.

If you like the song linked above you are probably going to like the whole album. To make sure, try the opening track, A Daydream

The album is pretty consistent. If you like great melodies and want to smile a little, Swedish pop almost always works and Leslies first album delivers the goods!

The Arch Angel

Various Artists - Oh! You Pretty Things: Glam Queens and Street Urchins (3 CD Box Set, 2021)

 Almost all of the Grapefruit Records 3CD themed- various artists box sets are tremendous and you should probably own a few. However, if you do not then why not start with this one? This box set concentrates on the "Glam Rock" period of the early 70s in Britain and give us songs from such well known bands like Roxy Music, ELO, Slade, Sweet, and Be Bop Deluxe. However, there are also songs from less popular bands like The Hollywood Brats, Silverhead, The Hammersmith Gorillas, England's Glory, Heavy Metal Kids, and Hard Stuff. There are a bunch more as well. Check out the back of the box set for a track listing!

I was excited by this box set since it would introduce me to bands and music from an era that I did not know that well but sort of lived(?). No, I wasn't a glam rocker. Let me explain. I remember the glam rock era of the early 70s because as a pre-teen I would look at the music magazines on the racks of my local 7-11 or Circle K. In those magazines I would see stories and pictures of bands wearing bright and frilly clothes, make-up, teased-hair just-so, and platform shoes! Imagine being a kid and seeing pictures of Ziggy Stardust, The Sweet, or the New York Dolls. It just wasn't stuff you would see every day out and about, ya know? In addition, the older brothers and sisters of some of my childhood friends listened to this music and had posters of glam rockers on their bedroom walls. Unfortunately, unless some of this music was played on the radio, I did not get to hear the bands pictured in those music magazines or the bands on the posters that featured on Billy's sister's bedroom wall. But now I can!

One of the nice surprises arising from this box set is that you get exposed to some of the prettier music from that era. Check out the songs from artists like Duncan Browne, Simon Turner, and Leo Sayer (yes that Leo Sayer). However, for a more standard glam rock sound check out the Sweet track or the track by Rusty. 

Get this!

For a taste: Leo Sayer - The Dancer or The Sweet - The Six Teens or Rusty - All I Wanna Be

Duncan Browne - Send Me The Bill For Your Friendship

G

Donnie Vie - Beautiful Things (CD, 2019)

 
Donnie Vie, the raspy voiced ex-lead singer of the melodically-gifted Enuff 'Z' Nuff (ENZ), has given us another batch of amazing songs on this hard to find release from 2019. If you like your rock music with catchy hooks and melodies that you will find yourself humming for hours/days after hearing them, then you should run to get this CD. 

Unfortunately, the Vie-era ENZ gets dismissed too easily by some music fans (e.g., power pop fans) because they can't get over ENZ's early 'hair-metal' beginnings. But if you are a fan of Matthew Sweet or some of the other "power-pop" artists that are held in high-esteem, there is no reason why won't love this collection of songs. For me, it is that good. Don't believe me? Check out the title track, Beautiful Things or the Beatleish, Breaking Me Down. 

  

An Introduction and why music is like dirt

 Hi All

Music like dirt! Just like dirt, music is everywhere 😆 Now you know what the title means.

I am going to give this blog another try. I have managed to consolidate all my previous posts here so I feel like I am better organized and that my previous attempts have not been in vain. I hope I stick around. 

To be clear, this is a labor of love. I paid for all the music that I review. I am reviewing or commenting on LPs, CDs, cassettes, and or 45s that I have purchased and own. I provide links so that you can enjoy a taste of what I am describing.

 Enjoy. 

Dr. Boogie - Gotta Get Back to New York City (2015)

 

Wow, this is really good. Dr Boogie is (was?) an LA band that is playing in that glam, RnR/Dolls/Heartbreakers-style. However, there is a some boogie swagger in their sound as well since on some of their songs sound like a Faces/Black Crowes fusion. 

This CD was from 2015 and they do not seem to have much out except a few 45s. I may need to hunt these guys down a bit to see what has happened to them (if anything). Either way, this is an excellent record and if you can find it you should. 

By the way, I got this directly from Dead Beat Records. I was reading their posts on Instagram and they highlighted this so I jump on it. See Dead Beat Records