VARIOUS ARTISTS – Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion

second british invasionIn the spring of 2013, record producer Andrew Curry gathered many power pop superstars and cult artists to record their own versions of 1970s AM radio hits.  Highlights included a note perfect take on 10cc’s ‘The Things We Do For Love’, alongside previously unheard covers by the almost legendary Mike Viola, ex-Candy man Kyle Vincent and – no stranger to the cover version – one man pop factory Michael Carpenter, who put his own stamp on Cliff Richard’s UK #1 hit ‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’.  ‘Drink a Toast To Innocence’ was the embodiment of “guilty pleasure”, for those who believe that such things exist.  A year on, Curry gathered more cult pop performers – including return visits for some – for ‘Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion’, a similar look back at 80s radio hits.

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ROONI – Pilot EP

pilotIn 2011 Swedish singer songwriter Gustav Nilsson released his fifth EP, ‘Makeup On, Letdowns Off’, a collection of tunes which mixed power pop and indie in a way that marked a departure from his more rootsy beginnings.  Not perfect by any means, the recording had spirit – and one track in particular, ‘Paper Cuts’, set Nilsson aside as an artist worth watching. Not too long after the release of ‘Makeup On’, Nilsson reappeared as frontman with retro pop/indie pop outfit Rooni [not to be confused with Taylor Locke’s defunct US band Rooney].  The band issued a couple of standalone tracks via their soundcloud account in 2012 – both of which showed promise – but it was the release of their song ‘Ambulance’ the following year which really hit the mark.  ‘Ambulance’ is one of those tunes that once heard a few times really sticks; its blend of early 90s indie and a knowing wink to power pop of many years previously resulted in an almost perfect three minute earworm.  The styles with which Nilsson had experimented on his last solo EP had finally blossomed into something marvellous.

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