JANGLE ON!

SEPTEMBER –  2020

by Eric Sorensen

            Another month of “social distancing” and another month without live music.  Thank goodness for the online  “house concerts” from the Kennedys (kennedysmusic.com) and for the periodic “Pandemic Houseguy” shows from Parthenon Huxley (parthenonhuxley.com) .   Once again, there is no shortage of chiming, jangly pop/rock tunes.  Two superb CDs lead off the list of CDs and single tracks that will appeal to fellow jangle enthusiasts:

Long Overdue – Librarians with Hickeys.  This is definitely a great example of synergy – where the sum of the parts exceeds the whole!  Veteran power pop musicians Ray Carmen and Mike Crooker have combined with an equally talented rhythm section (Andrew Wilco and Rob Crossley)  to produce what is my favorite album of 2020.  I hear some great references in the twelve original tunes: Shoes, Dwight Twilley (“Alex”), Windbreakers, Catherine Wheel, Lemon Clocks, Connells, Shane Faubert and the Cheepskates, the Dharma Bums, the Byrds, REM and Velvet  Crush.  Every time I listen to this disc, I hear yet another reference.  The REM influence is pronounced on tunes like “Obsession” and “Poor Reception;” the latter song being an “ear worm” cousin to “Fair Exchange” by Jimmy Silva and the Goats and “Fair Touching” by Guided by Voices.  Lisa Mychols provides guest vocals on the chiming “That Time Is Now,” and the disc finishes with the lively pop gem “Black Velvet Dress.”   Long Overdue has it all – vocal harmonies,  jangly guitars, catchy melodies – all of the elements that makes power pop the appealing genre that it is.  Long may you run, Sir Ray, Sir Mike, Sir Andrew and Sir Rob!

Poets & Sinners – Rogers & Butler.  Power pop fans should be drooling over this collaboration between Edward Rogers and Stephen Butler (best known for his lead role with Smash Palace).  An all-star supporting cast that includes Don Piper,Sal Maida, Dennis Diken, Joe McGinty and others further enhances what Edward and Stephen bring to the studio.  There are definitely some British influences (Zombies, Kinks, Hollies and Graham Nash) in the eleven tracks, and some chiming Byrdsian guitar riffs on “A Satisfied Mind.”  Like the aforementioned Librarians with Hickeys CD, Poets & Sinners also warrants hitting the replay button when the disc ends.  Stephen Butler confided to me that the duo has already written enough new songs for a follow-on CD.  In a year void of good news, that is cause for cheer. Long may you run, Sir Edward and Sir Stephen!

Some other single tracks that I have added to my music library recently include: “Statues” by Cleaners From Venus (inspired by recent events); “Somewhere Man” by the Laissez Fairs; “She Waits For Your Smile” by the Sunchymes; “May God’s Love Be With You” by Borgh; “City Song” by the Umbrellas; “No One Falls Alone” and “Turn Again” by the No Ones; “Diamonds On Neptune” by the Old 97’s; and “Salaud Days” by Spygenius.

I also pre-ordered Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983 – 1987, which will be released in early November.  The first song available for download is “Trusted Woods” by the Reverbs – which is a tease for more of the REM-inspired chiming Rickenbacker music that will appear on the full-length disc.  I encourage jangly music enthusiasts to check it out.

Until next time, jangle on!