Thursday, March 29, 2012

Beyond Veronica - Hard Time for Dreamers


Beyond Veronica has found a meaningful, inspired niche in the rock ‘n roll world, citing a diversity of influences ranging from ‘60s girl groups and ‘70s punk, to contemporary indie rock.
Performing throughout the west coast in various venues and festivals, Beyond Veronica helped pave the way for the resurrection of female-fronted  power pop.

 
What a great album!  I could harp on about female fronted bands, but see no point in drawing a comparisons to others that have walked the path of Power Pop before.
Bonnie Veronica must have stood before the creator and said, "Yeah, everything is fine, now give me the best voice for Power Pop!" and clearly, she got it!
The rest of the band compliment Bonnie and keep the whole thing powering along at a 100mph (160kmh for our European friends).....just the way it should be.
It is not often that I am bowled over by an album, I don't give albums marks out of 10 but I am certainly turning this up to 11!

What they’re saying...
“Beyond Veronica are one of the best bands I ́ve heard this year.” --Punk Globe Magazine/punkglobe.com (UK)

“Really solid and consistently enjoyable straight ahead rock `n roll. Front-woman Bonnie Veronica has a vocal command that sweetens and straightjackets the melodies in the songs and sweet, but assertive rock `n pop melodies hold it all together with aplomb. Very highly recommended!”-- Notlame.com

 
“Hard Times For Dreamers” is available on limited edition vinyl (with download card) nationwide from CD Baby.com and download from CD Baby, iTunes.com, Amazon.com, and many others.

Contact info:
 beyondveronica@gmail.com
  Official website:www.beyondveronica.com

SPENCER DAVIS GROUP - THEIR FIRST LP (FONTANA 1965) Japan Edition with 9 bonus tracks


His ferocious soul-drenched vocals belying his tender teenage years, Stevie Winwood powered the Spencer Davis Group's three biggest U.S. hits during their brief life span as one of the British Invasion's most convincing R&B-based combos.

Guitarist Davis formed the band with Winwood on organ, his brother Muff Winwood on bass, and drummer Peter York. Signing on with producer Chris Blackwell, the quartet got their first hit (the blistering "Keep on Running") from another of Blackwell's acts, West Indian performer Jackie Edwards. After topping the British charts in 1965, the song struggled on the lower reaches of the US Hot 100.

The group's two hottest sellers were self-penned projects. "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man" were searing showcases for the adolescent Winwood's gritty vocals and blazing keyboards and the band's pounding rhythms. Although they burned up the charts even on the other side of the ocean in 1967, the quartet never capitalized on their fame with an American tour. At the height of their power, Winwood left to form Traffic, leaving Davis without his dynamic frontman. The bandleader focused on producing other acts, including a Canadian ensemble called the Downchild Blues Band during the early '80s.

The group's first album is basically a reflection of their early repertoire and very heavy on the R&B/soul standards. Dominated by covers of Ike & Tina Turner, the Coasters, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, Brenda Holloway, and others, only three of the tunes are original. Two of these are written by Stevie Winwood, the other by Spencer Davis; Winwood's mid-tempo soul number "It Hurts Me So" is easily the best of them. Winwood is in fine voice and the group is energetic, but this is neither as good as their best work nor nearly as good as the best British R&B albums of the era by competitors like Them and the Rolling Stones. Includes their first two British singles, "Dimples" and "I Can't Stand It."  
Listen: HERE

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Grimm Generation - The Last Record Party


From the flaming wreckage of the 'Record Industry' arise The Grimm Generation. Carmen Champagne and Jason P. Krug met for one date, thought better of it, so instead co-authored a book, 'Say Anything: Dispatches on Love, Lust and Longing from The Grimm Generation'. One night, Jason dropped by with acoustic in hand and convinced Carmen to sing. And the 'Post-Apocalyptic Pop Stars', The Grimm Generation was born. The GG design is simple: one guitar and two singers. The hook comes in the 'confessions', the loud and public sharing of their perception of modern 'love', told over tunes based on blues+country+glam+show music (= Rock And Roll) featuring emotionally wrung out vocals leaving no doubt that these are real moments, captured, reshaped, and harmonized with. The Grimm Generation hail from the suburbs of the Northeast, USA and have been compared to Lou Reed, X and The Doors.
 
The Grimm Generations "The Last Record Party" is an album full of thought provoking songs with a Velvets feel delivered by Carmen Champagne with her unique, sometimes haunting, voice.  Subsequent listens to this album have unearthed more depth and beauty that was not so apparent on first listening but have ensured it to become a mainstay in the collection.

Contacts:

Listen to more:

Monday, March 26, 2012

The Animals - The Animals 1964

One of the most important bands originating from England's R&B scene during the early '60s, the Animals were second only to the Rolling Stones in influence among R&B-based bands in the first wave of the British Invasion. The Animals had their origins in a Newcastle-based group called the Kansas City Five, whose membership included pianist Alan Price, drummer John Steel, and vocalist Eric Burdon. Price exited to join the Kontours in 1962, while Burdon went off to London. The Kontours, whose membership included Bryan "Chas" Chandler, eventually were transmuted into the Alan Price R&B Combo, with John Steel joining on drums. Burdon's return to Newcastle in early 1963 heralded his return to the lineup. The final member of the combo, guitarist Hilton Valentine, joined just in time for the recording of a self-produced EP under the band's new name, the Animals. That record alerted Graham Bond to the Animals; he was likely responsible for pointing impresario Giorgio Gomelsky to the group.

Gomelsky booked the band into his Crawdaddy Club in London, and they were subsequently signed by Mickie Most, an independent producer who secured a contract with EMI's Columbia imprint. A studio session in February 1964 yielded their Columbia debut single, "Baby Let Me Take You Home" (adapted from "Baby Let Me Follow You Down"), which rose to number 21 on the British charts. For years, it was rumored incorrectly that the Animals got their next single, "House of the Rising Sun," from Bob Dylan's first album, but it has been revealed that, like "Baby Let Me Take You Home," the song came to them courtesy of Josh White. In any event, the song -- given a new guitar riff by Valentine and a soulful organ accompaniment devised by Price -- shot to the top of the U.K. and U.S. charts early that summer. This success led to a follow-up session that summer, yielding their first long-playing record, The Animals. Their third single, "I'm Crying," rose to number eight on the British charts. The group compiled an enviable record of Top Ten successes, including "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place," along with a second album, Animal Tracks.

In May of 1965, immediately after recording "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place," Alan Price left the band, citing fear of flying as the reason; subsequent biographies of the band have indicated that the reasons were less psychological. When "House of the Rising Sun" was recorded, using what was essentially a group arrangement, the management persuaded the band to put one person's name down as arranger. Price came up the lucky one, supposedly with the intention that the money from the arranger credit would be divided later on. The money was never divided, however, and as soon as it began rolling in, Price suddenly developed his fear of flying and exited the band. Others cite the increasing contentiousness between Burdon and Price over leadership of the group as the latter's reason for leaving. In any case, a replacement was recruited in the person of Dave Rowberry.

In the meantime, the group was growing increasingly unhappy with the material they were being given to record by manager Mickie Most. Not only were the majority of these songs much too commercial for their taste, but they represented a false image of the band, even if many were successful. "It's My Life," a number seven British hit and a similar smash in America, caused the Animals to terminate their association with Most and with EMI Records. They moved over to Decca/London Records and came up with a more forceful, powerful sound on their first album for the new label, Animalisms. The lineup shifts continued, however: Steel exited in 1966, after recording Animalisms, and was replaced by Barry Jenkins, formerly of the Nashville Teens. Chandler left in mid-1966 after recording "Don't Bring Me Down" and Valentine remained until the end of 1966, but essentially "Don't Bring Me Down" marked the end of the original Animals.  By Bruce Eder

Listen: HERE

Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Counters - This Doesn't Mean We're Friends


When I received this album with text mentioning Power Pop and Country, I have to admit I was somewhat dubious but as always, when anyone takes the time to send me anything, I listened to it and yes, it is country and yes it is power pop, not mixed but on seperate tracks!
Album opener, "When You Come round" is as perfect power pop as you could wish for as an opening track, this is followed hot on the heels by  "Please don't say" which is undeniably country but they sit next to each other in harmony and when you start to breakdown Power Pop, it has the roots of many music styles wrapped in melody and jangly guitars, so why not embrace the two on one album.  This works. ICM.

 This Doesn’t Mean We’re Friends is the debut album from The Counters, a London, Ontario group made up of local singer-songwriter Rupert Heath and 9 guest musicians. Half the album draws on the inspiration of classic powerpop-inflected bands like the Beatles, the Byrds and Big Star. The other half is under the spell of classic country, folk and singer-songwriters like Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Nick Drake and Richard Thompson. But The Counters are their own beast. This Doesn’t Mean We’re Friends is a long-player which takes sharp turns, uncovers a few new leaves, and bears little resemblance to anything else coming out of London (or anywhere else) this year. The album was recorded and mixed by London legend Andy Magoffin at the House of Miracles studio, and features some of the city’s best musicians including members of local live aces The Mongrels, ex B-Girl drummer Marcy Saddy and fiddle wizard Martin Horak (the latter mostly recently to be heard on London artist Graham Nicholas’s solo debut Bury Me Under The Dancefloor). Harris Newman mastered.

 Listen to and purchase the album with a name your price price tag at Bandcamp 

Follow and LIKE The Counters Facebook


Friday, March 23, 2012

Phenomenal Cat - UPDATE


Phenomenal Cat have informed me that the allotted 200 free downloads of "postcards From The British Empire" are nearly all out on their bandcamp page.
These songs are really great and if you haven't already downloaded them, go and get them now whilst there are still some free downloads left and remember to go to the facebook page and click on the "LIKE" button to keep up with the new release every month for the whole of the year, these will also be limited to 200 free downloads!!!!!!

 


The District Attorneys . Waiting on the Calm Down: The Basement Sessions. FREE DOWNLOAD


I don't know an awful lot about The District Attorneys other than what is on their bandcamp page, but I do know they make good music with some lovely vocal harmonies and they are giving two EP's away for free!!

Download both EP's here: BANDCAMP

Catch them live this Spring!
 Contact, like and follow on FACEBOOK

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Candy Strypers

Every now and then my inbox is graced with something sweet, almost familiar but somehow different.  
Today it was The Candy Strypers, the brainchild of Paul Hughes, a Manchester lad who passed through the same school as one Mr Ian Brown and one Mr John Squier, listening to a couple of riffs on this album, you can imagine they could have had the same music teacher?
Not only does the album have traces of the Roses in there but also present are The Byrds, and Big Star, but Paul, very nicely, puts his own stamp on the recordings making them all his with some beautiful vocal work to boot!

Listen and download 10 tracks here:

Other tracks by The Candy Strypers are available here: iTunes

Contact, follow and like on FACEBOOK

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Flamin' Groovies - Supersnazz 1969

The Flamin' Groovies' debut album went almost directly into the cut-out bins within a year or so of its 1969 release. Fortunately, the band survived the neglect heaped on that record, and has survived in one form or another into the 21st century. And in the ensuing years, Supersnazz has achieved an exalted reputation among not just Groovies fans, but lovers of rock & roll in general, having held up extraordinarily well across the decades and still able to make its own case for greatness as an astonishing document of straight-ahead rock & roll circa 1969 -- fully contemporary to its time (and, by extension, almost timeless), with none of the artificial period nostalgia (and parodying) that was already creeping into the "oldies" scene. But it's also a lot of fun; in fact, based on the evidence, Supersnazz may well have been the most fun record of 1969. Roy Loney, Cyril Jordan, Tim Lynch, George Alexander, and Danny Mihm run through a quirky mix of Loney and Loney/Jordan originals and standards, encompassing styles from proto-'70s punk (want to bet the Ramones wore out copies of this album?) to '50s New Orleans R&B, country music, and even ragtime, and while a small bit of it is compromised by the presence of some too-prominent clarinet and saxophone, the whole record is a rollicking good time, made even better by the sequencing, which offers a full range of surprises, even on the fourth or fifth listen -- one can never settle in with this record before something weirdly wonderful comes along to draw the listener in yet another direction. From the fiery, Brian Jones-era Stones-style, fuzztone-driven opener "Love Have Mercy," the band shows what it can do in everything from straight-ahead boogie to slow ballads ("A Part from That") and '50s rockers ("The Girl Can't Help It," "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu"), country ("Brushfire"), and R&B, all done with a unique array of stylistic flourishes that made this one of the most original long-players of 1969. By the ninth track, the pounding, punk-driven "Somethin' Else/Pistol Packin' Mama," the whole album achieves a kind of otherworldly continuum, like something out of a strange and wonderful corner of the universe that -- though none knew it at the time -- pointed the way to a coming decade of achievement by the likes of the Ramones, Jonathan Richman, et al, not to mention the Groovies themselves. The 1969 LP was wonderfully offbeat and perfect in its presentation, and recent CD reissues, incorporating the single mixes on four of the tracks, are also a bit of an insult. It seems almost like sacrilege to place anything after the catchy group singalong "Around the Corner."-AMG

Listen: HERE

The Frank and Walters - Greenwich Mean Time. VINYL AND CD's NOW AVAILABLE

Vinyl and CD Copies of the new Frank and Walters album Greenwich Mean Time are now available to order:


Downloads available as always on ITunes 



Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Dropkick - Time Cuts the Ties. Plus 59 FREE previously unreleased songs for download.


“Time Cuts The Ties” is Dropkick’s 4th release on Swedish label Sound Asleep Records. Coming less than 6 months after their 2010 Christmas EP “25th December”, the album sees the band reverting back to their original line-up with the return of founding member Ian Grier after a 5 year break. “Time Cuts The Ties” is Dropkick’s most varied and accomplished collection of songs to date, demonstrating a new maturity in their songwriting and arrangements. The generous sprinkling of piano, organ and strings has added new textures and an extra dimension to their already well established alt-country powerpop sound.
 Dropkick’s profile has risen significantly since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2001. The band have now released a further 9 albums and 2 EPs, mainly on their own label Taylored Records label. Their 2008 album “Dot The i” was re-issued on Rock Indiana Records of Spain and was also made “album of the week” on BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal’s Rapal show. Since autumn 2008, Dropkick have released material on Sound Asleep Records of Sweden, including the critically acclaimed albums “Patchwork” and “Abelay Hotel”. 
 Dropkick have played hundreds of gigs (including several headline Scottish tours, the Darvel Festival, Tartan Heart Festival, International Pop Overthrow Festival and most recently, 4 sell-out headline shows in Spain) in the past 5 years. They have also had significant airplay over the same period, including BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland’s Tom Morton, Brand New Country, Get It On, Vic Galloway and Janice Forsyth shows. Many local UK radio stations also regularly play Dropkick’s music, as well as countless stations throughout the world, particularly in Spain where the popularity of the band’s music has increased dramatically thanks to the internet. Dropkick have performed 10 songs live on the Tom Morton Show on BBC Radio Scotland, firstly on an outside broadcast in July 2007 and then at the BBC studios in Nov 2007, the latter being part of a Children In Need special. They also played live on the same station’s ‘Highland CafĂ©’ show in July 2008 and again in July 2009. 

 In recent years Dropkick have shared the stage with acts such as Marc Olson, Seasick Steve, The Primary 5, Half Man Half Biscuit, Snow Patrol, Kit Clark (ex Danny Wilson), Nigel Clark (Dodgy), Sid Griffin, Roddy Hart and ‘Guitar George’ Borowski.

The album can be downloaded from the following sites:
Physical copies can be purchased via Amazon on the bands site or through Sound asleep Records. 

 Dropkick recently made 59 previously unreleased recordings free to download from their website: HERE all of which are well worth downloading, but don't stop there, the bands previous recordings are all highly recommended.
 
                                                         www.myspace.com/dropkickmusic

or contact via

                                                  

Monday, March 19, 2012

Silver Sun - Disappear Here

Disappear Here is an album that is built to be enjoyed in the classic Silver Sun style. This is how pop music should be made; ten tracks and it`s all over in exactly thirty minutes as the band adhere to the three-minute template of the perfect pop record. It`s impossible not to get that adrenalin rush you get from hearing boisterous guitar pop catchier than a dose of chicken pox. You just can`t help but to want to dance to this record. Nowhere is this more evident than on the first single taken from the album, `Bubblegum`. As the album opener this sets out the Silver Sun manifesto in three perfect minutes. The guitars crunch gloriously, while the melodies forcefully implant themselves in your brain. By the time the `na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na` section kicks in it`s sugar-coated power-pop heaven.. hopefully the world will be ready this time around for Silver Sun`s brand of high energy power-pop and this album will see the band back in the spot-light in 2005. As James Broad advises in the sleeve-notes, `the way to enjoy this? - play it loud.-Americana-UK.com.  
 

Listen:HERE

Friday, March 16, 2012

Phenomenal Cat.....A single a month for the whole of 2012......FREE DOWNLOADS!!!

Another wonderful bandcamp find PHENOMENAL CAT are a power pop 4 piece from Sandgate, Kent, UK. who are releasing a single each month for 2012, the three songs that are up so far are delectable slices of power pop from the top shelf of the power pop confectionery shop!
 Since they all lost their jobs at Woolworths, Phenomenal Cat have made the most of their free time writing and rehearsing a load of new tunes in a small room above a local greasy spoon. 'Sugary Tea' has been their hallucinogenic of choice and helped fuel a batch of new songs about love, money, jobs, sex and 21st century England.


January's release "Letters Home From Nazi Occupied France" a song written from the perspective of a front line soldier in the trenches during World War 2, is a really well crafted piece of power/indie pop with overtones of The Kinks (maybe not surprising given the bands name is a Kinks song) and The Doors amongst others, this really is a great piece of music and a great song.

Februarys release, "Ramshackle Heart."  Once again a well crafted number with lyrics suggesting love is like Richard and Judy (A husband and wife morning TV presentation team)....brilliant and humorous!
"Postcards from the British Empire" is another blinding song, both lyrically and musically. Phenomenal Cat are writing in a style that relates to the now in the same way that Blur wrote in the 90's and The Kinks wrote in the 60's, these are great songs backed with some real ear pleasing tunes, the only downside to Phenomenal Cat and it really is quite terrible....is that we have to wait another month for the next song to come out, I don't like to wish my time away, but I am looking forward to playing the 12 tracks that the band produce this year in one go, I hope they can keep up the momentum and continue to release 9 more songs of the same brilliance as these.
 Phenomenal Cat are:
Samuel Carney (Guitars, Organ, Mellotron and Voice)
Ben Day (Drums & Percussion)
Natalie Kuroczycki (Bass Guitar)
Mik Peirson (Guitar & Voice)
Other musicians:
Dan Whitehouse (Trumpet)  

Download "Letters from occupied France" HERE  and navigate to the side bar on the right hand side of the bandcamp page to download the singles for February and March.

The band are pressing a limited 25 cd singles for each song and they are currently being sold in a charity shop, with the total sales price all going to that charity.  If you want to collect the whole 12, contact the band and I am sure they will sort something out....all for charity....what lovely people as well as a great band!


Contact, like and keep up to date with the next 9 releases FACEBOOK

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Femme Fatale - Fading Night Sounds FREE DOWNLOAD

The primordial core of FEMME FATALE born during the summer of 2007. Rox and Mick, high school’s mates, met Dave, a Mick's old time friend. Rox and Dave discovered to havea common passion for indie rock and played music, so they had the idea to form a band, getting Mick involved.
Only two guitars and the vocalist were ready. Looking for a drummer, Rox thought of a guy met during the just finished summer at the Arctic Monkeys’ gig in Turin: Nick. About the bass guitar, they decided to entrust this role to Mick. With the confirmation of Nick, the personnel of the band was ready. The monicker FEMME FATALE got chosen, as homage for a certain kind of woman’s charm and for Velvet Underground’s song, dedicated to Edie Sedgwick.
In October of 2008 the band cuted their its first “single”: You’re The One. In September 2010 they’ve released their first, totally self-produced, EP ”Fading Night Sounds”.
Later they began to pursue the goal of playing live as much as possible. The route brougth them to Milan, Florence, Genoa, Turin, Ferrara, Pavia, Biella, Novara, to mention few. The Femme Fatale’s style begins to be forged: emotional and tough, cynical and meteorosensitivity.
The band is now composing new songs whose sound is slowly detaching from the initial Brit Pop. It’s opening itself to other sounds always connected to the North American independent scene which developed during the 90s.
 
Free Download of Fading Night Sounds: HERE

Femme Fatale shall be playing 15th May at the Cavern Pub Liverpool and May 16th Cavern Club Liverpool as part of the International Pop Festival.

Contact and Like Femme Fatale here: FACEBOOK

Red Jacket Mine - "Listen Up (If the World is Going to Hell)" Limited edition 7" single

 From Red Jacket Mine’s origins as a bedroom four-track project, through two studio albums (including 2009′s Ken Stringfellow-produced Lovers Lookout) and dozens of high-profile shows, bandleader Lincoln Barr has displayed a restless stylistic curiosity and unique command of his influences, masterfully whittling shards of soul, country, blues, rock, and pop into a coherent whole.

The latest incarnation of Red Jacket Mine finds Barr, who also serves as guitarist in Seattle power-pop heavy hitters Stag, marrying that band’s penchant for the sub-three-minute pop gem with his love for vintage soul and ’70s British pub rock. The results are thrilling, infusing Red Jacket Mine’s trademark commitment to songcraft with a welcome dose of humor and devil-may-care kineticism.
 Longtime drummer Andrew Salzman thrives in this context, propelling the songs with a Stax-y swagger and strut, while bassist Matthew Cunningham artfully snakes his way around, over, and through Barr’s sophisticated changes. Veteran producer Johnny Sangster (The Tripwires, Cobirds Unite) proves the perfect foil for this rejuvenated lineup, contributing his trademark sparkle and peerless pop sensibility.

After club-testing the new songs in early 2011, the band and Sangster entered Seattle’s Avast! Studios and emerged with material for two singles. The first – the Curtis Mayfield-meets-Nick Lowe soul of “Listen Up (If the World is Going Hell)” [FIN-LE7-014] – was released as a limited-edition 7″ on Fin Records in February 2012, and is currently in rotation on KEXP 90.3FM.

Read and interview with Lincoln Barr here: Seattle Weekly Interview


Recommended if you like: Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Nick Lowe, Alex Chilton, Squeeze, Graham Parker, Steely Dan, 10cc, Paul Weller
 

Red Jacket Mine are:
Lincoln Barr (vocals/guitar)
Matthew Cunningham (bass)
Andy Salzman (drums/vocals)
 
 
Find Red Jacket Mine around the web and buy the record here: 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Stands - All Years Leaving

U.K. quartet the Stands traffic in gentle jangle pop rooted in the Byrds and the '60s West Coast sound, the mid-'60s Beatles, country Dylan, and in their missing and missed countrymen the La's. Their debut album, All Years Leaving, is coated in honey-sweet vocal harmonies, rollicking tempos, gently strummed guitars, and a general sense of easy nostalgia. Many, many bands have treaded this leaf-strewn, autumnal path and the Stands don't do much to distance themselves from the pack, nor do they stumble significantly. Middle of the packers then and that's not so bad. In fact, it is unfailingly pleasant. The tunes tend to blend together in a sepia-toned wave of gentle melancholia, but there are worse ways to spend 40 minutes. There are even a few that you will want to throw on mixtapes, like the dreamy opener, "I've Waited So Long"; "The Love You Give," which has a languid beat, slow-motion guitar plucking, and fine la-la-la backing vocals; and the album's crown jewel, "Here She Comes Again." It's definitely a cousin to the La's' "There She Goes," with a lovingly similar melody (and an almost direct lift from the Cars' "My Best Friend's Girl"), but it adds some Byrds-y 12-string and an emotion-packed bridge that does what a bridge should and jumps the song's intensity up a notch. It's the kind of song that you will want to listen to about five times in a row every time you hear it, the kind of song that would make you want this album even if the rest stunk. If they can come up with a couple more like it on their next record, they might take a giant step to the front of the pack. Until then, All Years Leaving is a fine, solid debut. -All music guide

Listen: HERE
 
 

The Best Of The Northern Soul Story

Disc 1
01. Bob Brady And The Con Chords – Everybody’s Goin’ To The Love-In
02. Major Lance – It’s The Beat
03. Johnny Johnson – Breakin’ Down The Walls Of Heartache
04. The Spellbinders – Help Me (Get Myself Back Together Again)
05. Major Lance – Ain’t No Soul (In These Old Shoes)
06. Peaches And Herb – I Need Your Love So Desperately
07. Larry Williams And Johnny Watson – Too Late
08. Little Richard – I Don’t Want To Discuss It
09. The Vibrations – Gonna Get Along Without You Now
10. Shirley Ellis – Soul Time
11. Phillip Mitchell – Free For All (Winner Takes All)
12. Bobbi Lynn – Earthquake
13. Billy Butler – Right Track
14. Major Lance – Investigate
15. Roy Hamilton – Crackin’ Up Over You
16. The Exciters – Blowin’ Up My Mind
17. The Sweet Things – I’m In A World Of Trouble
18. Johnny Moore – Walk Like A Man
19. Willie Kendrick – Change Your Ways
20. The Glories – I Worship You Baby
21. The Cavaliers – Hold On To My Baby
22. Herb Ward – Honest To Goodness
23. Lorraine Chandler – I Can’t Hold on
CD 1 


Disc 2
01. Majoe Lance – You Don’t Want Me No More
02. The Charmaines – Eternally
03. Lou Courtney – Trying To Find My Woman
04. Susan Barrett – What’s it Gonna Be
05. Lee David – Temptation Is Call My Name
06. Dana Valery – You Don’t Know Where Your Interest Lies
07. Reperta And The Delrons – Panic
08. Morris Chestnut – Too Darn Soulful
09. Laura Greene – Moonlight Music And You
10. Spiral Staircase – More Today Than Yesterday
11. Shane Martin – I Need You
12. Lou Ragland – I Travel Alone
13. Beverley Ann – You’ve Got Your Mind On Other Things
14. Nancy Ames – I Don’t Want To Talk About It
15. Tony Middleton – Paris Blues
16. The M.V.P.’s – Turnin’ My Heartbeat Up
17. Paul Anka – I Can’t Help Lovin’ You
18. Lorraine Chandler – I Can’t Change
19. Dean Courtney – I’ll Always Need You
20. Bernie Williams – Ever Again
21. The Trammps – Hold Back The Night
22. Tobi Legend – Time Will Pass You By



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Dot Dash - Spark>Flame>Ember>Ash


Dot Dash are:

Terry Banks - guitar, voice;
Bill Crandall - guitar;
Hunter Bennett - bass;
Danny Ingram - drums
Guitarist/singer Terry Banks and bassist Hunter Bennett were in punky power poppers Julie Ocean. Before that, Terry was in a bunch of jangly guitar bands, including The Saturday People, Tree Fort Angst, Glo-Worm and St. Christopher, Guitarist Bill Crandall was in the mod/pop band Modest Proposal. Drummer Danny Ingram began musical life in Dischord-label punks Youth Brigade before moving on to Strange Boutique and later, U.K. guitar-wranglers Swervedriver.
Dot Dash cite their influences as The Jam, Joy Division and The Byrds with an appreciation for the Creation, Postcards and Whaam record labels and you can certainly hear the influence of The Jam on album opener "The Colour and the Sound" that has a riff very similar to "All mod cons."

The 14 songs on the debut album are very well crafted with intelligent lyrics and some catchy guitar riffs and impressively recorded in just 3 afternoons.
You can hear many influences on the album, both in the songs and in Terry's vocal styles, there is a nod to the source of the bands name on track 3, "Learn how to fly" which starts of very much like a Wire song but is then dressed with the bands own stylings.
Overall, the album is really good, maybe missing out on some angst and the kick of distortion here and there, but I think that Dot Dash will certainly be flying high in the future if this debut is the first stepping stone.


Check out the band's Facebook
The album can be purchased from The Beautiful Music, Amazon or iTunes.


Monday, March 12, 2012

Len Price 3 LIVE DATES

If you have not seen this exciting, energetic band live and any of these dates are near you, go along and check them out.  Len Price 3 are going to be a band to watch this year!