Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio

The New Trocaderos | Frenzy in the Hips | 2015 | A review by Alan Haber

They’re either coming at you with the force of a speeding locomotive riding atop a five-alarm fire, or they’re pushing out the beat at a bit of a slower pace with pop music on their minds. Either way, the New Trocaderos are taking no prisoners and that means you, baby!

Frenzy in the Hips, a collection of previously-released songs from EPs and “Luckiest Man in the World,” a new tune with the usual frenetic Trocs pedigree, is proof positive that this hybrid collective comprising Brad Marino and Geoff Palmer from the Connection and one of pop music’s greatest progenitors, Kurt Baker, is a force to be reckoned with.

Two of these songs, “Dream Girl” and “The Kids,” both fired up with great melodies, solid hooks and airplane-level propulsion, have spent time spinning at the exalted alter of Little Steven’s Underground Garage, where they were designated as Coolest Songs in the World–reason enough to let them loose in your own home.

Even if these tunes didn’t wear the cool song Crown, you would, as power pop fans, welcome them with open arms. The wild-and-wooly “Money Talks” gets arms and legs moving to the four-four-coming-off-the-floor beat. The Ramones-esque “Brain Gone Dead” is even more amped-up at somewhere in the neighborhood of a million beats per second.

Not everything here is taken at such a frenzy-riffic pace, however. “The Kids” wears its British Invasion clothes with dancing shoes and a strong melody. “Dream Girl” sounds like an Elvis Costello pop number driven by a Jackie DeShannon engine. “Real Gone Kitty” is a cool, 1950s-styled rocker injected with speed to spare and a ginormous-Jerry Lee Lewis-y piano break. The new song, “Luckiest Man in the World,” channels the early Who with appropriate Roger Daltry-ish vocals.

The Trocs’ secret weapon is one Michael Chaney, an attorney by day and pop rocker (and honorary Troc) by night. Chaney either wrote or co-wrote all six songs and shows that he is as important to this band as the force with which it delivers its wares to waiting ears.

Breathless, faster than Superman breaking land-to-speed records to save Lois Lane, and able to hit power chords on electric guitars with a single strum, the New Trocaderos take care of business with this fun, powerful disc. Turn it up to 11 and treat your neighbors to the sound of New. In fact, why not treat yourself right now? Check out “Luckiest Man in the World” right here:

[Frenzy in the Hips is a Kool Kat Musik exclusive]

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