JANGLE ON!

The Best In “Jangle” from June/July 2011

by Eric Sorensen

It’s great to be collaborating with Bruce Brodeen again here on the Pop Geek Heaven site.  My last column, written in December 2009 and devoted to the passing of fellow pop enthusiast and pop musician Jeffrey Glenn, appeared on Bruce’s former Not Lame blog site.  A lot has occurred since then and there is much ground to cover.  So let’s take a brief step back a bit in time to this past June.

On June 1^st, I flew across the country to join friends and my younger son for the historic Buffalo Springfield concert at the restored Fox Theater in downtown Oakland, California(you can read my review of the concert HERE).

You know those Master Card commercials that air on TV?  This short trip to the west coast fell into the “priceless” category.  Messrs Young, Stills and Furay gave a terrific concert that night – showcasing 17 Buffalo Springfield tunes and ending the evening with Young’s anthemic “Rockin’ In The Free World.”  My review of this show appears elsewhere on the Pop Geek Heaven site.  I didn’t expect to hear a whole lot of jangle at this concert, but Richie Furay did get some chiming riffs from his wide body Gretsch guitar.   The remainder of the summer featured a host of jangly tunes.

So without further fanfare, here are some of the jangly artists, songs and albums that have caught my ear during the June and July, 2012!

(Scheduling Note: my next “Jangle On!” column will post here on October 7^th and will feature my favorites from August.  Then, October 14^th, “Jangle On!” will focus on September – and then we’ll be on schedule in late October for discussion of October!)

Here are some of the jangly artists, songs and albums that I have included in my play list for June and July:

JUNE, 2011: 

The Belltowers EP and the Lily-Pad Sessions EP – both by The Belltowers.  In the late 90s, a superb Byrds-inspired band – the Lears – released its only full-length CD The Story So Far on the Get Hip label.   Over a decade later, Lears alum Paul Mutchler has returned with two CD-EPs that are both a must-have for a jangleholic’s music library.   The chiming, compressed sound of a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar is prominent on all ten tracks.  Song of the Month honors go to the Belltowers’ great rendition of the Flamin’ Groovies’ “I Can’t Hide,” and the band also excels on its cover of the Byrds’ “Thoughts And Words.”   Both of these discs are available through the Kool Kat Musik website.  Long may you run, Sir Paul!

Here Before – The Feelies.  The masters of strummy, jangle-pop (the Feelies were the REM of Hoboken/NYC in the 80s) have triumphantly returned with thirteen classic new Feelies tunes.  Glenn Mercer and his bandmates are at the top of their game.  “Nobody Knows” sets the stage for a toe-tapping experience that will warrant full plays (and repeats) of this disc.

2011 – the Smithereens.  Wow!  Another NYC area band that enjoyed pop success in the 80s is back at the top of its game also.   This band still understands the value of radio-friendly hooks, and they combine timeless pop influences (the Beatles, the Knickerbockers, the Dave Clark Five, the Outsiders … and even REM) to maintain their signature sound.  Although Jim Babjak’s Rickenbacker guitar is more muted than chiming on this latest album, the all-original tunes on this disc are every bit as catchy as the band’s vintage material.

Through A Faraway Window: A Tribute to Jimmy Silva – Various Artists.  Pop music archivist Professor Jud Cost and Texas Music Hall of Famer Freddie Krc teamed up to release this superb tribute disc on Freddie’s Steady Boy Records label.  The under-heralded Jimmy Silva passed away in 1994, but his recordings have been sought after by indie pop fans in the know.  I remember the joy I experienced when I found his Heidi CD at a used CD store, and I heard his magnificent jangly pop music for the first time (which reminded me of the Windbreakers/early Bobby Sutliff material).  “City of Sisterly Love” remains one of my Top 25 pop songs of all time – combining mandolin and Rickenbacker 12-string as you might imagine that Chris Hillman and Roger McGuinn of the Byrds would do.  One of Silva’s Northwest peers – Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows (also a touring member of REM and a co-founder of the Minus 5) contributes several tracks to the tribute disc with his respective bandmates.  Jon Auer of the Posies contributes a stripped down arrangement of “City of Sisterly Love.”  The participating artists show tremendous reverence for Silva’s work and the standout jangly tracks are Dennis Diken’s “Waking Up,” the Minus 5’s version of “St. Catherine’s Statue” and Joey Kline’s “Tell It ToThe Raven.”   Through A Faraway Window should certainly enhance Jimmy’ stature among those pop fans who were previously unfamiliar with his work.

Speaking of Freddie Krc and Steady Boy Records, the label also released the Three Ring Circus CD and DVD featuring Freddie’s early 80s power pop band the Explosives.  In addition, Steady Boy Records released Live From Sugarhill Studios by Freddie’s current band – the Freddie Steady 5.  Both bands feature longtime pal and bandmate Cam King on lead guitar and Rickenbacker 12-string.  Three Ring Circus compiles material from the Explosives’ Restless Native album, other studio tracks and some live bonus tracks.  The result is vintage power pop/garage rock from that era – Austin’s answer to L.A.’s Plimsouls.  Live From Sugarhill Studios features overwhelmingly original Krc-penned tunes … along with some very cool cover tunes … all recorded at Houston’s venerable Sugarhill Studios – where many classic Top Forty hits were recorded decades ago.  Freddie and friends prove again that power pop is still alive and well in Texas!

The Rainbow Quartz label released some excellent discs in the past year.  Ghost, She Said by Deleted Waveform Gatherings, Displayed In Reflections by the Broadfield Marchers, the Cryin’ Shame EP by the Parties and Wow & Flutter by the Telepathic Butterflies were all released before the end of 2009.  Although only the Parties embrace a jangly sound, each of these bands embraces a serious pseudo-60s vibe.

Canada’s Blue Rodeo has entered its third decade together as a band, and they have released a cool two-disc set entitled The Things We Left Behind to celebrate their longevity as a band.  “Never Look Back” is the most pop-oriented tune in the bunch.

Discs by artists that I am less familiar with have also captured my ear.  These include:

Tangle-Free World by Anny Celsi.  “Piece of Heaven,” “Tangle-Free World,” “Thanksgiving In Hollywood” and “First Love Freezes” should all appeal to fellow jangleholics.

Tearjerker & 9 Others – the Janglemen.  The title alone whets my interest, and the contents do not disappoint!  There’s a nice fireglow Rickenbacker 360V64 12-string guitar pictured on the back sleeve.  “Jen” takes the prize for sounding most like a Byrds/Beatles tune.

Sans Everything – Chris Corney.  A terrific power pop album that met my search criteria on the CD Baby site.  “When Jenny Smiles” is as close to a perfect pop song as one can hope for, and “Breaking Waves” is a close second.

Starting All Over Again – Rich McCulley.  Another superb disc by a veteran indie pop artist.  The most jangly tracks are: “Dreams Tonight;” “Waiting On The Sun;” and “Tell Me, I’m Listening.”  This is another album that is solid from start to finish.

Innocence Is Bliss – Frank Royster.  When I first heard Royster’s vocals, it immediately reminded me of an early 90s power pop group that I used to listen to – Flight of Mavis.  Royster shines on “Oh, Mary!” and “I Need You” and he will certainly make Boomer pop fans happy with his rendition of “Every Little Thing.”

Speaking of Beatles’ covers, Dwight Twilley’s The Beatles has some very cool cover tracks – the tracks with the most jangle are “I’ll Be Back,” “It’s Only Love” and “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away.”

Stepping Out of the Shadows – David McKay and Thirsty Boots.  The DJ who said that David McKay’s music sounds like Tom Waits meets the Byrds was correct … but there are many other recognizable influences from each of the decades between the 60s and now on this terrific disc. McKay’s strong, gravelly voice reminds me of the Alarm’s lead singer … and the lead singer for the more obscure indie pop band Big Mean Turtle. Nearly every track on Stepping Out Of The Shadows jangles with the familiar chiming tones of a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. “Here She Is” is a great first track that could be mistaken for “Angels Tonight” by the Gin Blossoms. Byrds and Roger McGuinn fans will really dig “Forever Passin’ Through.” The Rickenbacker riffs are quite reminiscent of mid-70s Paul Thornton and Les Fradkin material, and many of the song structures/chord progressions sound similar to the late 80s pop band the Grapes of Wrath. It’s not every day that a newly released album can be played so readily in rotation with discs from prior decades – and that’s what makes this disc so listenable and timeless!

A Million Year Picnic – the Temponauts.  The Rickenbacker 12-string guitar on the front cover is a clue to the jangly pseudo-60s contents of this Italian band’s disc.

Grape and Grain – Taylor Locke and the Roughs.  Another excellent find from Bruce Brodeen/Not Lame.  The snappy pop/rock track “Hourglass” sounds like Michael Carpenter and the Gin Blossoms joined forces.  It’s all good!

Everything is Spinning – Ray Pearen.  Blend an amalgam of the Gin Blossoms with some Tom Petty riffs, and you’ve got a very catchy album that features radio-friendly songs like the title track, “Drive,” “Run Away With Me” and “Wait.”

JULY: 

Atomic Café  – by the Honeywagon.  This excellent disc alternates between catchy roots rock and power pop; hence it falls into the jangle’n’twang category.  Mike Penner (vocals, guitar) writes most of the band’s material and tracks like “Throw It All Away,” “Go Someplace,” “Lust,” “Holding On,” “Thing” and “Janet” are all terrific mid-tempo tunes with plenty of jangle.  If you order this disc through Kool Kat Musik, you will also receive Penner’s solo disc – reprising every song on the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night album.  Penner’s version of “A Hard Day’s Night” features just as much jangly guitars as the original 1964 version.  The great closing number – “I’ll Be Back” – eerily reminds me of the version recorded by the late Jeff Glenn and his band the Retros.  Many thanks to Ray Gianchetti at Kool Kat for making both of these discs available through his online pop music site.

Late Arrival – by Katy Lied.  This power pop band adds jangly guitars to the title track, “Crash And Burn,” “Going Down,” “Coming Soon, “Waiting On The Line” and “Every Time You Call My Name.”  Who do they sound like?  Katy Lied channels the Grapes of Wrath (“Oh Lucky Man”) from the late 80s extremely well.  Late Arrival is a top-notch album from start to finish.

Hum, Sing … Repeat – by Gary Ritchie.  Speaking of discs that sparkle from beginning to end, this disc (with 18 tracks!) does just that.  I became familiar with Gary Ritchie ten years ago, when he released his Pop! Radio album.  Hum, Sing … Repeat should make many Top Ten lists in 2011.  Ritchie is an excellent tunesmith.  Beatles influences abound in his compositions, while easy comparisons can be made with the Retros, Gary Frenay and the Flashcubes and Bill Retoff.  The jewel case artwork depicts a Danelectro 12-string guitar – which gets lots of play on tracks like “This Time Around,” “Alright,” “Hear From You,” “Lock On Love” and “Could Have Been Love.”  This is pseudo-60s pop at its best!  Well done, Sir Gary!

As Far As Yesterday Goes – by the Red Button.  Messrs Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruekberg return with another well-crafted pop album.  “Girl, Don’t” and “I Can’t Forget” are overflowing with chiming, ringing guitar riffs – making them co-favorites for my Song of the Month honors.  Close behind these two tracks is “Caught In The Middle.”  This disc may also vie for Top Ten accolades in 2011.

SOOP (Songs Of Other People) #3 – by Michael Carpenter.  When Michael Carpenter isn’t recording his own original material as a solo artist or with a band, or producing other artists, he does the pop world a big favor and records cover versions of some of his favorite songs by other songwriters.  SOOP #3 features another twelve nuggets, with “If I Needed Someone,” “They Don’t Know,” “(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love & Understanding” and “Fading Out” having the most jangle.  Like the rest of Michael’s body of work, SOOP #3 is an outstanding pop disc, and every track shines with his unique gift for interpreting others’ material.

Fire and Ice – by Shake Some Action! (what a great name for a pop band!)  Although there is a hint of an 80s electronic vibe to this disc, “Touch The Sky,” “Fire And Ice,” “Can You Feel?” and “I Wasn’t Born Yesterday” are very catchy pop tunes with ringing guitars.  The instrumentation and James Hall’s lead vocals are quite reminiscent of the catchy pop tunes that Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians released twenty years ago.

The Distance In Between – by the Rationales.  “Burned Again,” “Tongue Tied” and “The One You Wanted” are all jangly mid-tempo tracks, but the entire album is a solid effort by a power pop band that must have listened to the Gin Blossoms over the past two decades.

Give A Tree Your Name – by the Feedbacks.  Another excellent power pop disc from the good folks at the Rock Indiana label.  While the band favors crunchy pop over jangly pop, the emphasis is still on melodic power pop.  “The One For Him” and “Call Her Summer” are the standout tunes.

Time Cuts The Ties – by Dropkick.  The album cover reminds me of one of the album covers by the great seminal roots-rock band Uncle Tupelo.  Dropkick has released several very strong albums – this latest disc is a bit more muted than radio-friendly.  “Hold On” and “Losing The Game” come the closest to mid-tempo Teenage Fanclub-influenced pop.

Polarities – by the Nines.  The Nines are one of the finest Beatlesque bands in the indie pop community.  “It’s On The Radio” has the most chiming guitars, and every track continues to sound like it could have come off a Paul McCartney or David Grahame album.

Pieces – by Satch Kerans.  Kerans’ vocals and jangly tracks like “Cheap Carnival Lights” and “Sweetness” remind me of Russ Tolman’s solo work two decades ago – so much so, that I pulled Russ’ discs off the shelf and put together a very nice compilation CDR.

I have only scratched the surface when it comes to jangly tunes that have emerged in the past sixteen months.  I will endeavor to mention more of these tracks in forthcoming monthly columns.  It’s good to be back.

Until next time, jangle on – and next time will be on October 7th, when I’ll cover the best in jangle from August!

Eric Sorensen is a Baby Boomer music enthusiast who is passionate about jangly music and pseudo-60s pop.  He has written CD reviews and authored pop music columns for the past fifteen years.  Eric was also the Project Manager for three tribute compilations: the 36-song Full Circle: A Tribute to Gene Clark; Five Way Street: A Tribute to Buffalo Springfield; and the four-CD Timeless Flyte: A Tribute to the Byrds.