July 2021 REVIEWS

by Mike Baron

RICHIE MAYER: The Inn of Temporary Happiness

Power pop is a big tent and Richie Mayer visits all the tables in this expansive set. “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” starts like a Rolling Stones song but breaks for daylight in the bridge and chorus. “Love Will Find A Way” will remind everyone of “She’s Leaving Home” for about four bars, and then it, too, heads into the sun. There’s a Zappa-like guitar break in “How Can I Leave You When I’m Already Gone” before marking out fresh chords. “Warmth of the Sun” is a fever dream of a song with hints of Burt Bacharach, and its own bittersweet melody that is both mysterious and alluring. Andy Gibb might have written “Don’t Say Nothing,” while “The Hall of Blame” falls somewhere between George Jones and George Strait. “She Is Why” is reminiscent of the Dukes of Stratosphere in its seamless blend of Beatlesque and Beach Boys, and “The Inn of Temporary Happiness” has the feel of a Dylan song with a hint of Jerry Jeff Walker.

Throughout, Mayer remains his own man and most of these songs hit the bullseye.

HIGHER THAN A MOUNTAIN: The Songs of Andy Gibb (Curry Cuts)

For those of us familiar with Andy Gibb mainly through the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever, this comes as a revelation. Gibb was a gifted pop songwriter whose work recalls that of Burt Bacharach and Glenn Campbell. There’s a hint of disco in the Corner Laughers’ “Shadow Dancing,” and aching vocals on the Sparkle*jets’ “I Can’t Help It.” Greg Pope kills on “I Just Want To Be Your Everything.” Power pop appears on Irene Pena’s “Wherever You Are,” which bears an uncanny resemblance to DL Byron’s “Big Boys,” and the crunch gets crunchier on the Test Pressing’s “Why.” Jason Berk’s “Flowing Rivers” also finds the power pop in Gibbs’ song, while Ken Sharp and Fernando Perdomo’s “One More Look At The Night” sounds like vintage Glen Campbell.

Curry continues to present old wine in new bottles to memorable effect.

KINGDOM OF MUSTANG: Tales From The Atomic Tambourine

Some composers are immediately identifiable for their song structure, such as Michael Brown (The Left Banke) and Marshall Crenshaw. Mark Roebuck and Tim Ryan are like that. There’s a direct line between Roebuck’s 1979 The Deal, and Kingdom of Mustang, an elegiac masterpiece comparable to Crowded House’s Woodface and Lannie Flowers’ Home. With its lilting, unforgettable melody, “Jeannie When You Killed The Stars” stays with you long after it’s ended. “Yesterday’s Blues” recalls Crenshaw, and Ryan’s mastery of chord structure, alternating major and minor, can be heard on “It’s A Perfect Day.”