In 2012 singer-songwriter David Myhr (one time of The Merrymakers) released his solo debut ‘Soundshine’. That album was one of the best power pop releases of the decade – possibly even ever – with Myhr celebrating pop’s past, his love of McCartney and myriad 70s pop bands cutting through the core of each track. This follow up EP (issued in early 2014) rounds up a few extra tunes, each one delivered with a broad smile designed for that maximum feel-good factor.
Tag Archives: pop
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA – Zoom
Fifteen years after their last major hit (‘Calling America’) and subsequent break-up, Jeff Lynne revived Electric Light Orchestra. The move seemed to come from necessity, since his own recording in the interim (‘Armchair Theatre’) was not as successful as many predicted it would be. It was by no means a flop – and Lynne, too, achieved critical and commercial success as a member of Traveling Wilburys in the wake of his former band – but it seemed that any recordings made with the bespectacled and bearded Brummie at the helm (supergroups notwithstanding) stood a far better chance of acceptance if the ELO moniker came attached.
SIRS&MADAMS – Sirs&Madams
Brooklyn’s Sirs&Madams is very much a band of two distinct moods. On this debut release, when not laying down thoughtful pastel sounds with an alt-folk leanings, they’re tearing it up via some chunky and melodic indie rock workouts. While this perhaps might sound a little too broad stylistically speaking, they have one absolute constant. Whether rocky or rootsy, the bulk of the material is held together by some truly outstanding performances from frontwoman Laura Gwynn. Her voice, a confident, belting array of sounds with a sheer melodic edge cutting through at all times, is one of the finest voices to appear on the DIY music scene for a very long time. It’s one of those voices that has such power, she could sing almost anything and make it sound utterly spellbinding.
NICK FLORA – Futureboy EP
At the beginning of 2015, Nashville-based singer songwriter Nick Flora set out on a mission. That mission was to raise enough funds to record three EPs’ worth of all-original material for release throughout the following year. The first of those releases, ‘Futureboy’, places Flora squarely within the powerpop mould – it’s five songs bringing a few sunny vibes at a time when the actual summer begins to bid the northern hemisphere goodbye.
THE JAM – Fire And Skill (Live 1977-1982)
Although only a recording unit for just under six years, The Jam left behind a musical legacy that influenced the generations to come; from the whole of the Britpop movement, through to The Libertines, Kaiser Chiefs and so many others, The Jam had, in turn, become as influential as the bands which had influenced them. The songs penned by the young Paul Weller – whether capturing heartfelt political statements, the anger of youth or an occasional melancholy ballad – set him on the road to being one of Britain’s finest songwriters, a man whose lyrics have really stood the test of time.