Various Artists - You Can Walk Across It On The Grass - Grapefruit Records - 3 CD Box Set - 2024

 

Another gem from Grapefruit Records. This is a collection of 60s London! Imagine having great soundtrack of real music from the 60s for any Austin Powers movie. Is it groovy? Absolutely. While some of the artists and bands will be familiar to some or all of you...The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Tom Jones, and Dusty Springfield, - there are tons of songs by bands and artists that were not so famous or familiar (at least to me)...I have chosen a few down below that you can test for yourself...I definitely recommend this box set. Just put it on and let it play..it really captures a mood and holds it well throughout...I guess it is the mood of 60s swingin' London!

A Band of Angels - Invitation

Tony Rivers and The Castaways - Girl Don't Tell Me

The Hi-Fi's - London Look

David Bowie with The Lower Third - Can't Help Thinking About Me

The Roll Movement - I'm Out On My Own

The Odyssey - How Long Is Time

Michael Rault - I'll Be There/Sleep With Me - Wick Records 7" (WCK 1009)

 

Another one from Wick Records- Daptone Records garage rock/indie rock imprint. This release is more along the indie rock side. Michael Rault has a nice, higher-register voice. The songs are melodic and the B side has some nice string (programmed?) arrangements. This is from 2019. The A side has a nice, tasty guitar riff that starts off the record. Good effort. 

Johnny's Uncalled Four - Please Say/Daydream - Wick Records 7" (WCK 1010)

 

Wick Records is the garage rock imprint of Daptone Records (yeah the soul label!). I did not know that before I bought the 45. For some reason I thought I was buying some soul 45s. No problem! 

The A side is solid, mid-tempo rocker with a hypnotic beat. The B side is an instrumental with a soft lead guitar line. Reminds me of a surf song about a long winding road. I just made that up but that is what it sounds like to me. Good record. 2020 release. More Wick Records releases coming!

Various Artists: New Guitars In Town - Power Pop 1978-82 (3 CD Box Set) Cherry Red Records

 Another power pop box set. There are a few of these out now. My interest in power pop is starting to cool given the amount of releases out now. All of them sort of mining the same era and bands. I bought this because Cherry Red puts out excellent box sets.  

This is a strictly UK affair so don't look for any U.S. bands here. The definition of 'power pop' here is a bit broad as there are songs from The Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones, and even The Jam. All the bands just named were originally thought of us being part of the late 70s U.K punk movement. However, that is not bad because it better to think of this box set as capturing good to great guitar pop rock. In other words, don't fret whether or not these are really 'power pop' bands. Rather, just enjoy this is 3 CD set of good music from guitar-oriented bands from the U.K. - from 1978-82. 

I did discover a few bands and songs that I had not heard before. A couple of stand outs include The Motors - Forget About You and The Jags - Party Games 

A few may enjoy The Upstarts- Beggin 

Or Straight Eight - Tonite or  The Covers - Too Hot To Handle

Eugene Edwards - My Favorite Revolution (Tallboy Records) 2004 CD

 

Wow, I have no idea why I sat on this gem of a CD for so long. What a pleasure this album is! Eugene Edwards writes some great power pop songs with a strong sense of melody and a little bit of twang. I have known about Eugene Edwards for a long time, however, I had always hesitated in buying this album for some unknown reason. A few years ago (6 or 7 years now?), I saw Eugene playing guitar for Dwight Yoakam. After watching him play, I reminded myself that I had to go and get the CD. It is out of print but I am sure you can find copies around. Do yourself a favor and go get this. It is hard to take off the CD player. I am definitely burning this to my ipod...this has to be played a lot.

Here is a taste of Congratulations, My Darling   or Telling that Lie Again

The Jayhawks - XOXO (2020) CD

 

In 2020, The Jayhawks are still releasing warm, melodic records with just enough twang to firmly lay claim to their upper Midwest roots. All their records are worth buying but this really reminds me of their very early releases. I am not claiming that this was their intention but there is something about the feel of this record that reminds me of their releases back in the late 1990s. That is a good thing.

I lived in Minnesota for 4 years. While many bands and artists can state they represent the "Minneapolis/St Paul sound", the The Jayhawks capture the sound of rural Minnesota. Maybe because I lived there, The Jayhawks represent for that "feeling"...what is that "feeling"? ....'Feelin' Minnesota'. 

Listen to Bitter Pill

Various Artists - Best of 2 Tone (Chrysalis) (2017) Digipak (Europe)

                                                                        

Purchased for nostalgic reasons. This neat compilation contains songs released on the 2 Tone label in the U.K. For those that do not know, the Two Tone label spearheaded the U.K. ska revival. Actually, to be honest, 2 Tone probably led the global ska revival of the late 1970s. All of our heroes are here: The Specials, The (English) Beat, Madness, The Selecter, The Bodysnatchers, and legendary Cuban-born, Kingston, Jamaica-raised, trombonist, Rico (Rodriguez).  

For many, the music on this CD may seem dated but to me it sounds classic. This was the music of my high school years. Listening to this compilation also re-introduced me to a song I loved back when it was originally released,  The Selecter - Missing Words. 

Some of the later releases by The Specials moved away from the traditional 2 Tone-ska sound but it is still worth revisiting. Good buy.