The gap between the release of Brendan Benson’s underrated third full length, 2006’s ‘Alternative To Love’ and 2009’s ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ seemed far longer than three years.  It’s not like Benson hadn’t kept himself busy in the interim, of course, since after the release of ‘The Alternative To Love’, he recorded with Jack White as part of The Raconteurs.

‘My Old, Familiar Friend’, his fourth solo release (recorded in 2007, between the two Raconteurs albums, but not released until August 2009), in places, treads some very familiar ground. Benson chooses to bring little to no influence from his stints with the Raconteurs to the table, marking a very distinct difference between that band and his solo releases.  Whereas The Raconteurs provides Benson with an excuse to be a little edgy, ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ celebrates his many 70s power-pop influences and, in places, proves a much smoother listening experience than the bulk of his previous solo outings. Aptly titled, this album feels like a familiar friend even upon early listens. If anything though, Brendan sounds more confident than ever before, with the quirky, disjointed elements of his ‘One Mississippi’ debut left far behind.

The first couple of tracks could have been slotted in somewhere on Benson’s earlier outings, but that’s not to say they’re not memorable at all, in fact, the opening track ‘A Whole Lot Better’, is quite the opposite.  It begins with some great old fashioned keyboard fuzz, before breaking into a decent slab of upbeat pop rock.  The drumming is especially tight and the guitars give the piece plenty of drive, but it’s the bass and keyboards which are the most striking.  Throughout the four minutes, the track is coloured by lots of early eighties keyboard work – the kind that any number of power pop bands from the period – Shoes, Paul Collins’ Beat, 20/20 et al – would have been more than proud to showcase.  That bassline though – upfront and jaunty – is absolutely glorious.  Once Benson throws in a couple of hooks, the most notable coming in somewhere toward the end, the track proves to be a more than solid opening statement.  ‘Eyes On The Horizon’, meanwhile, is a little more laid back, led by some great electric piano.  The mid-paced pop/rock ditty allows Benson more room vocally and his distinctive (and slightly treated vocal) fits the arrangement very well.  Once again, the chorus is a winner, but it’s in very much a tried and tested formula and will strike a familiar chord with those familiar with Benson’s previous releases.

It’s upon first hearing of ‘Garbage Day’ you’ll realise that this album is something special. A retro tune, it could be seen as a power pop take on 60s soul, being led by punchy rhythms and fleshed out by strings.  The snare drum lays down a steady beat, under which the very warm bass guitar and electric piano pick up the bulk of the arrangement.  There are hints of acoustic and electric guitars throughout, but the track could have almost worked entirely without them.  For a man with a voice far from smooth at times, Benson lends a suitably restrained vocal, too.  In all, a definite album high point – maybe even a career high point.   ‘Gonowhere’ is similarly polished, but far more in the singer songwriter mould.  The late 70s keyboards would be enough to make Greg Hawkes smile, although they’re in a style which may not appeal to all.  The piano adds some great flourishes, while a harmony filled chorus has a certain level of subtlety which means it registers far later than some of the other hooks present on this disc.  Within the singer-songwriter stylings and multi-layered arrangement, there are traces of the mighty Todd Rundgren and maybe even a dash of Jeff Lynne, but it’s all served in Benson’s own sense of style.

‘Feel Like Taking You Home’ brings the album’s only real curve-ball. Nowhere as smooth as previous tracks, there are definite new wave influences at play, which possibly owes much to the fact the arrangement is almost guitarless.  The focus – like ‘Eyes On The Horizon’ and ‘Gonowhere’ – is totally on the keyboards, but unlike the aforementioned tracks there’s a tension and all round edginess building throughout.  Interestingly, parts of the vocal melody are reminiscent of The Raconteurs’ ‘Broken Boy Soldiers’ but that’s as far as any comparison between any of Benson’s solo work and his band activity goes.  ‘You Made a Fool Out of Me’, an acoustic-based track, at first shows the harsh edges in Brendan’s vocal style, but before long a piano and strings flesh out the arrangement.  It’s a nicely written piece which has hints of Mike Viola during his more reflective moments.  It doesn’t really stretch into any unexpected territory beyond it’s opening, and compared to a few other choice cuts on ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ it isn’t quite as essential listening, but at just three and a half minutes it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

‘Misery’ is absolutely classic power pop which could have been from the late 70s/early 80s golden period, leading to a tune which could have been part of the Nick Lowe back catalogue. Clanky guitar chords, a pounding drum and a layer of organ open the tune in style, before falling away to make room for Benson’s lead vocal.  The verses are relatively ordinary, but once the chorus chimes in with British Invasion influences followed by fantastic ‘doo doo’ vocal, it becomes instantly loveable.   ‘Poised and Ready’ offers another slice of classic drum-led pop/rock with all the relevent key changes; imagine Jellyfish’s noisiest side meeting a pre-county music Ben Kweller and you get the picture. The drum sound is crisp, the pianos hard-struck, the staccato rhythms all adding up to a track dripping with attitude.  You’ll have heard it all before by this point, naturally, but it still brings plenty of power pop thrills.

The Jellyfish influences carry through even farther on ‘Don’t Wanna Talk’ with its marching on the spot feel and ‘la la la’ choruses.  This is a stupidly infectious tune, and Benson knows it, with its simplicity being its greatest strength.  Each of the musicians brings something to the table: the drums provide the backbone, but looking at the smaller details, there’s some great rhythm guitar work and more organ hiding the back of what eventually becomes a very busy mix.  Brendan is not responsible for your singing this on the bus or in the supermarket; play this track at your own peril.

Rounding out the album, neither ‘Lesson Learned’ or ‘Borrow’ show any sign of slacking off or being consigned to the “filler material” file.  ‘Lesson Learned’s simple arrangement and electric piano have a certain retro cool, which when matched with Benson’s relaxed vocal style sounds very effective, especially once a few harmonies creep in.  ‘Borrow’ meanwhile, finishes the album with a mid-paced number full of jangling guitars and quirky keyboards.  Similarly to the way ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ began, the mood is similar to a lot of the best numbers on Benson’s three previous records, making it a track guaranteed to please a lot of fans.

Eleven songs: all good, most of ’em great, with no filler.  In anyone’s book, that makes for a potential classic.   The best songs on 2002’s ‘Lapalco’ may still represent some of the artist’s strongest work as a songwriter but, as a complete body of work, ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ could easily be Benson’s most consistent release.  Those unfamiliar  could do far worse than pick up ‘My Old, Familiar Friend’ as a jumping off point, especially since not only does it represent Benson in a superb light, it’s also one of the best power pop records of the late 00’s.  Supposedly, these tracks were culled from a much larger volume of work; if those left behind are anywhere near as good as those which made the final draft, there’s more great listening to be had sometime.

December 2009/January 2012

Although he may already be familiar to some as producer Jazzelicious (aka The Tao of Groove), multi-instrumentalist Roy Shakked also records retro-influenced pop albums under the moniker of Holmes.  His earlier works in this field have gained comparisons to Ben Folds and Beck.  Since Holmes was already working on new self-penned material in 2011, this third record – made up of cover tunes – is essentially a stop-gap.  That’s not to say it’s in any way inferior; across thirteen tracks, Holmes painstakingly recreates some very familiar artists work, often in his own image and while it was recorded in a home studio on a small budget, it still sounds like an expensive, very professional recording.

Fancy hearing Ice Cube’s ‘It Was a Good Day’ in the style of Ben Folds? That’s precisely how Holmes chooses to make his entrance on this release!  The general pace is similar to that of Ice Cube’s original track, but in place of the big beats Holmes strikes some crystal clear piano chords.  Naturally, Ice Cube’s spoken delivery is dumped in favour of a vastly superior sung vocal.  The combination of piano, strong vocal and funky basslines makes a great opening number.  As with Folds’s own similar version of Dr Dre’s ‘Bitches Ain’t Shit’, it has to be said the bad language really greats within such perfect power pop confines – but there’s no getting around that if these things are to be done properly.  A low-key rendition of INXS’ ‘Need You Tonight’ feels unsettling at first, with Holmes choosing a piano style which sounds as if it’s been lifted from a John Carpenter horror movie, but the addition of accordion and bass soon gives things a distinctly European flavour.  By the end of the first chorus, it’s quickly obvious this isn’t about to break into anything grander.  How Holmes decided the song would fall so easily into such cinematic spaciousness shows great imagination and foresight: while he should get kudos for thinking way outside the box, the jury is out as to whether it works or not.  It’s certainly the polar opposite to Powerman 5000’s hugely straight-ahead cover of ‘Devil Inside’.

It would have been too predictable for Holmes to take ‘Why Didn’t You Call Me’ by Macy Gray and base it around a funky electric piano/clavichord arrangement a la Stevie Wonder.  That’s probably why he’s decided it would work even better as a raucous glam-rock stomper!  Combining fuzzy guitars with a nice live sound in the rhythm department really gives this track an edge without ever sacrificing melody.  Buried somewhere in the mix there’s also a stabbing keyboard which is augmented by handclaps; in all, it’s a fantastic track – a great and very inventive take on one of Gray’s best numbers. The electric piano that was so expected on the Macy Gray number makes a belated appearance throughout ‘Don’t Be Cruel’.  This maudlin, yet still brilliant, run-through of Elvis Presley’s 1956 track couldn’t be farther from The King’s recording if it tried.  In a slowed down, thoughtful rendition, it actually owes far more to the works of Electric Light Orchestra and Wings as it does the early days of rock ‘n’ roll.  At a slow pace, it really hammers home the sentiment behind the lyric.  This kind of reimaging works in a similar fashion to Howie Day’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘Help’ and comes far better suited to the lyrical content.  Move over Cheap Trick – your cover isn’t really needed any more.  Holmes takes a similarly perverse approach to the Genesis hit ‘That’s All’, where he throws away the distinctive piano riff and replaces it with acoustic guitars.  Essentially a lightweight hoedown, it works well in this format, particularly with a twanging upright bass with banjos and dobros flesh out the sound.  Even without its overly familiar piano part, this will be just as instantly recognisable to Genesis fans due to Holmes’s insistence on retaining all of the original song’s vocal melodies.

The second hit by synth-pop duo Yazoo (Yaz in the US) is reworked here as a bouncy piece of pop which melds a strong bassline with an acoustic guitar part which sits somewhere between a latin shuffle and cocktail lounge music.  A mid section with a jazzy piano interlude pushes the envelope of invention even father, but perhaps the tracks biggest quirk comes from Holmes taking the original synth line and reworking it in to a counter-vocal.  This is something which works just brilliantly.  There are a few 80s synths scattered around the place – complete with a tone befitting a Vince Clarke composition – but they don’t necessary turn up where expected!   With some of the off-beat elements at the centre of most of these covers, you’d expect Holmes to have an absolute field day with a Queen number, and yet on his recording of ‘Bicycle Race’, he plays things as straight as possible – perhaps just as Jellyfish would have done, had they ever thought to record it.  The multi-layered vocals are pleasing; in fact, although it’ll never replace the Queen original in your affections, the whole arrangement is tight.  The only major change comes during the fast section, where Holmes replaces Brian May’s chorus pedals with some jarring seventies keyboards.  On the whole, this cover shows a great respect and an even stronger love for one of the world’s greatest bands – more respect than Brian May and Roger Taylor have given the Queen name since Freddie Mercury’s untimely departure…

A brave version of Electric Light Orchestra’s ‘Mr Blue Sky’ takes what was always essentially a piece of fun (but somewhat self-indulgent) seventies pop and twists it into an a cappella workout.  The adventurous approach of taking about a dozen different vocals and then going crazy with them in the studio really suits Holmes.  Despite dispensing with the orchestrated elements and various layers of the Jeff Lynne original, against the odds, this version still features nearly every nuance of the main part of the familiar ELO number.  It sounds as if it took a long time to piece together, but it was definitely worth the effort.  It mightn’t be as wondrously off-the-wall as Petra Haden’s similar re-working of the whole of The Who’s ‘Sell Out’ LP, but the love for this track really comes through.

Covers albums either work or they don’t, but this one certainly falls into the first category.  While 2011 saw more than enough covers albums hit the market, this one by Holmes is not to be missed.  Throughout, Holmes shows a strong sense of musical vision and puts his studio know-how to fantastic use.  Classy pop arrangements, other people’s material and a bit of imagination have rarely sounded so good.

November 2011

Gustav Nilsson’s previous work ‘Like You Never Really Cared’ presented him a singer-songwriter vein, pitching his heavily accented vocals against a semi-acoustic backdrop, kind of like Coyote Shivers playing Bob Dylan covers reimagined by Paul Westerberg. There’s none of that in evidence on his fifth EP ‘Makeup On, Letdowns Off’, which finds Nilsson surrounded by a full band. In Nilsson’s own words, the EP sounds like the work of “Julian Casablancas (circa 2002) meeting Courtney Love (circa 2008) in a bathroom and then being threatened into making music by Phil Spector pointing a loaded gun”. It doesn’t sound like that especially, but compared to his previous works, Nilsson certainly brings a greater musical range to his lyrics this time out. Maybe that’s what he was getting at with the big statement in the title? Or maybe it’s just that the lead track is named after KISS hero Paul Stanley?

As its title suggests, ‘Paul Stanley’ comes loaded with a seventies glam/power pop vibe. The guitars are full of jangly goodness – though none of the jangly rhythms quite match the old school solo which Nilsson throws into the mix. With handclaps a plenty, a strong hook and a stabbing piano, it’s a relatively rousing arrangement, though the general vibe never sounds much like KISS. A little Cheap Trick, maybe, but not really KISS. This track really hammers the point that Nilsson has moved on, musically speaking, since ‘…Never Really Cared’, and the numbers which follow kind of cement such a theory.

‘But Courtney, I’m a Little Bit Younger Than You’ has a simple, pounding approach which should work better than it actually does. It quickly becomes evident that the guitars are a little too simple and as such do not maintain interest for the track’s duration. There’s a reasonable chorus, but the verses are a just flat all round. The single release ‘Down Down Down’ is a little more instant, but as cheesy as hell, with Nilsson attempting something which is clearly modelled on Dion and the Belmonts (more specifically ‘Runaround Sue’). It’s likely to be a skipper after the first couple of plays since it’s just a little too familiar. If you’re someone whose generally excited by music in this particular style, then ‘Down Down Down’ may offer some enjoyment, but for others it’s the sound of seventies party hell, played in a slightly inferior way. Looking briefly at a small positive, though, some of the guitar lines are okay (in a rock ‘n’ roll sense) and the predominant bassline (also played by Nilsson) carries the weight of the work well enough.

Bringing a semi-acoustic vibe to the table ’Paper Cuts’ is the best track here without question. The electric lead guitars sound really great played against the acoustic rhythm guitars and Nilsson’s lead vocal is a little softer. Topped off with glockenspiel percussion, this is a great number, with a tiny hint of Gigolo Aunts. This is clearly what Gustav Nilsson is meant to be doing – a couple more tracks in a similar mood definitely would have improved the EP.

So, letdowns off? Sadly not. Although it’s easy to see what Nilsson was aiming for with each of its six featured songs, this EP falls short of the mark in various places. His heavily accented vocals don’t sit so well with the more power pop style he’s adopted here, while the bigger musical backdrops highlight a somewhat limited budget. In summary, despite flashes of greatness, ‘Makeup On…’ isn’t quite as enjoyable as ‘Like You Never Really Cared’, on which, his ragged vocal is far better suited.

September 2011

Justin Kline’s 2008 EP ‘Six Songs’ is one of many brilliant, yet unsung power pop releases of the 00’s; it’s six numbers recalling the work of Will Owsley (who sadly left us in 2010). Kline’s follow –up release isn’t exactly what he had planned. With a new release nearing completion, his studio was broken into and the master tapes were stolen.

With only a couple of the songs surviving, work on his full length debut would have to start almost from scratch. So in the meantime, Kline released the early mixes of the two surviving songs, coupled with a couple of out-takes as an EP. ‘Triangle’ (which seems like an odd name, when you consider it features four numbers) is almost split in two regarding musical styles: two of the numbers feature a similar kind of Owsley meets Jellyfish power pop (as delivered on the ‘Six Songs’ release), while the other two show far more invention – maybe pushing things a little too far into unnecessarily quirky territory.

‘Baby, You’re a Mess’ features Kline in classic power pop mode. During this superbly arranged piece of seventies-themed, Jellyfish inspired pop/rock, Kline delivers a simple, catchy hook. His slightly high register is backed ably by chiming chords, solid drumming and an uncomplicated bassline, then topped with an occasional keyboard fill that could be best described as Cars-esque. A strong opener, certainly – one which is almost certain to please fans of Kline’s previous EP. With a slightly spikier feel and use of a timeless “na na”, ‘Alison, We Cannot Be Friends’ takes this style and cranks it up a notch. A strong lead vocal is counterbalanced by multi-layered harmonies and once again, the musical arrangement is brilliant. Beneath the layers of vocals, Kline’s use of electric piano is subtle and although a twangy guitar solo may not appear to be the most obvious style choice here, somehow it seems to work. The end musical arrangement seems far too chirpy for a song about a break-up, but musically, at least, it’s another almost faultless example of classic power pop.

‘Please Go Away’ opts for a carny vibe. It’s not the kind of cool and sinister carnival atmosphere conjured up by Tom Waits on his ‘Blood Money’ disc. Nor is it the kind of brilliant sideshow you could possibly associate with Alice Cooper. No, Kline’s carnival atmospheres are brightly coloured, dizzy affairs – kinda like being stuck on a merry-go-round horse in ‘Mary Poppins’, while being force-fed candyfloss by Dick Van Dyke. A piano waltz provides something off-kilter, but it doesn’t stop there: Kline’s distinctive vocal style makes the piece feel as though it’s spinning even further and keyboard overdubs create a feeling of increasing unease. Throw on some sleigh bells for good measure and the end result becomes rather claustrophobic. ‘The Coffee Song’ closes the EP with a similarly styled sugar overload, being another power pop waltz with multi-tracked vocals, sleigh bells, stabbed piano, whistling and glockenspiel overdubs. Like ‘Please Go Away’ it’s impossible to deny that the end result is expertly crafted – and with great production values – but it’s more than a little cloying.

Since two of ‘Triangle’s four songs veer a little too far towards kitsch values, this is not quite as essential as Kline’s previous EP. If you were a fan of Kline previously, you’ll certainly find something here to make you sit up and take notice, but first time listeners may be better advised to seek out ‘Six Songs’ first.

October 2010

Following the release of the third Silver Seas album ‘Chateau Revenge!’ in July 2010, frontman Daniel Tashian must have worked solidly over the following year. The Silver Seas released an acoustic counterpart to that aforementioned album and played various live shows, while Tashian’s second solo release – the semi-acoustic EP ‘The Lights of Town’ – was also released. By the summer of 2011, Tashian had recorded and released another solo record. ‘Arthur’ brings together nine songs, supposedly themed around the movie of the same name, although naturally, they’re capable of standing alone as individual compositions.

‘When You’re Gone’ is brimming with seventies pop goodness, the kind which sits at the heart of Tashian’s best compositions. It may feature some sharp guitar chords in places, but a harmony vocal, warm bass and soft electric piano lend a strong sense of melody. It’s a number which showcases Tashian’s gift for arrangement. As good as it is, maybe it could have done with being a tad longer… By the time you really get a feel for this track, it’s gone. Equally top-notch Tashian, ‘Tigerlily’ combines acoustic guitars and a smooth electric piano. The lead vocal is also suitably smooth, as the track ambles in a way which evokes a warm summer evening, with its friendly, yet slightly downbeat vibes. Its retroness makes it feel at once very familiar, but never in a way which would suggest Tashian is recycling previously used ideas. The acoustic based ‘Lighthouse’ is pure lounge-pop; it’s not bad by any means – Tashian’s voice is strong and the slide guitar lends a certain mood, but the slight samba rhythm leans on the side of just a little too easy. Still, if the intention here was to capture the feeling of the sea and drifting, it’s certainly successful.

‘Nightmarch’ finds Tashian in a rockier mood than usual, as he cries out above a jangling rhythm guitar, augmented by slightly edgy lead guitar work. The drums are fairly crashy here, too, and the bass appears unobtrusive yet rather busy in its overall approach. There’s a reasonable chorus on show, but it’s a number which requires a few plays before you’ll realise how good it is. ‘Swimming Against The Tide’ opts for a mood that’s almost disco-pop. Tashian’s vocal is strong, but unless you’re really into stuff which sounds like a Bee Gees demo sketch dressed in a Jeff Lynne cloak, it’s just a little too retro. Still, if that’s your bag, you’ll find a really funky bassline (which sounds like it was powered from a keyboard) and a generally tight arrangement here. For those who’ve spent a lot of time with The Silver Seas’ ‘High Society’ or ‘Chateau Revenge!’ there’s a possibility you’ll end up feeling that this number could’ve been the basis for something better.

‘Anna’ is an equal match for ‘Tigerlily’ in terms of greatness. Musically, it sits other end of the scale, being this album’s most feelgood number. An upfront bassline leads the way with a warm riff, which sounds incredibly effective when pitched against occasional electric piano and ringing guitar chords. Tashian’s vocal moves between whispered verses and sung choruses; the contrast between the two styles is effective. His soulful approach on a what is a very enjoyable chorus should have been this track’s big draw, but Tashian takes things a step farther… An occasional string sting tops things off excellently, reminding the listener of this artist’s obvious love for ELO and all things 70s AM radio. While this sounds a little like a ‘Chateau Revenge!’ leftover at times (mostly through its use of electric piano), it’s not second division in quality – and for those who’ve already fallen in love with The Silver Seas sound, this will likely be the number which – unsurprisingly – stands out on ‘Arthur’.

‘Arthur’ contains some enjoyable material which, in a couple of places, finds Tashian branching out a little. Since it doesn’t always reach the dizzy heights of some of the best Silver Seas stuff, it may not be the best entry point to Daniel Tashian’s work. As you’d expect from a great songwriter, though, ‘Arthur’ isn’t without a few genuine gems.

September 2011