JANGLE ON! – April 2023
by Eric Sorensen
March 2023 was another banner month for jangly music. For the second month in a row, the Chime School released a superb chiming single – “Coming To Your Town” – that earned my Song of the Month honors. I recommend the following CDs, CD EPs and single tracks to fellow jangly music enthusiasts:
Magic Spells Abound – Kevin Robertson. This latest full-length CD from Kevin Robertson (on the terrific Subjangle label) features more of the jangly, pseudo-60s psych-pop that Robertson is known for as a solo artist or with his band the Vapour Trails. Vocal harmonies echo back to the Beach Boys and more recent power pop acts like Teenage Fanclub and Dropkick. Jangly guitar riffs can be traced to the Byrds and more recent artists like REM, Teenage Fanclub and Dropkick. Music fans will detect an emerging pattern here! Chiming guitars abound on the first eight tracks, and pyschedelic overtones dominate the final track “Equilibrium Blues.” Long may you run, Sir Kevin … and long may you run, Sir Darrin Lee – founder of the Subjangle label.
I Saw A Star Behind Your Eyes, Don’t Let It Die – Bennett Wilson Poole. I remember when the term “super group” was first used in the late 1960s to describe groups like Crosby, Stills & Nash and Blind Faith. Bennett Wilson Poole is certainly a “super group” in the power pop community, and they deserve jangly music fans’ attention owing to the presence of Tony Poole’s chiming Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. “I Saw Love” is my favorite song (harkening back to CSN and the Travelin’ Wilburys) on this second full-length release from these veteran pop musicians. Long may you run, Sir Robin, Sir Danny George and Sir Tony!
A Colossal Waste of Time – the Eyelids. This Portland band caught my ear several years ago; they flirt with Feelies and REM influences while crafting their own power pop sound. My favorite track on this latest CD is “The Snowfire Band.”
Pop! – Ray Carmen. I was first exposed to this 1988 DIY release through Bruce Brodeen’s Not Lame mail order catalog. The disc has certainly stood the test of time; if “Can’t Wait ‘Till Summer” sounds familiar it is because Carmen’s current “super group” – the Librarians With Hickeys – covered it on its most recent release. Chiming guitars have been a hallmark of Carmen’s songs for the past five decades. Long may you run, Sir Ray!
In the soon to be released category are Loose Ends … (“Overpower,” “April Light” and “Tears In Your Eyes” are available as pre-release tracks) by Terje Torkellsen and The Wireless Revolution by Dropkick. Jangly music fans should keep an eye out for both of these imminent releases.
Byrds fans should seek out the 12-song CD Goin’ Back … to the Time of the Byrds by the Thorns – a gifted group of Northern California musicians who invited Gene Clark’s son, Kai Clark, to provide lead vocals on two of the songs: “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” and “Set You Free This Time.” And, if Byrds fans don’t already have this material in their libraries, they should acquire the excellent 22-track Diesels Play Byrds CD by Diesel Park West and some righteous covers of Byrds songs by the Brazilian band Continental Combo.
Favorite new singles from the past month include: “Coming To Your Town” by Chime School; “Trout Fishing In America” by Speckled Bird; “Down On Me” by the Mystic Braves; “Bank Robber” by Salt Lake Alley; “Southbank Park” and “Walk Around Oblivious” by William Seen’s Transport; “Arboretum Miles” by Laughing Chimes; “You Should All Be Murdered” by Space Kelly; “304 Molino Way” by the No Ones (yet another “super group” of veteran pop artists); “Time & Again” by Tough Age; “Time Lost” (sounding eerily like “Higher Ground” by the Feelies) and “Deeper Blue” by Super Hit; “Let’s Call It Love” and “Autumn Girl” by the Parties; “Everything And Nothing” by Sewage Farm; “Must Be Love” by the Rallies and strong jangly covers of “Rhythm of the Rain” by the Pooches and “Soldier of Love” by the Popdudes.
Until next time, jangle on! ERIC
