The Junipers’ Robyn Gibson pops by Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation tomorrow to chat about his (in our words) “buoyant exercise in the art of homage,” Bob of the Pops Vol. 1. We’re so excited for you to hear this rather charming conversation that we’re airing it twice tomorrow, May 31: noon and 8 pm (both times ET).
Bob of the Pops Vol. 1 gathers together 14 glorious, sweetly-sung covers of some of Robyn’s favorite songs from (mostly) the 1960s and 1970s. These mostly reverent renditions of such beloved chestnuts as The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man,” The Who’s “I Can’t Reach You,” and The Hollies’ “Listen to Me” star in this collection that is a free download on Bandcamp (run, don’t walk!).
Robyn says fun is the point of these recordings, and he’s absolutely right–if you close your eyes, you can actually feel the fun just dripping from these covers of some of the greatest pop songs of all time. You’ll hear all about how Robyn approached recording and a whole lot more.
As a bonus, and to whet your appetite for Bob of the Pops Vol. 2, which will be available from Futureman Records before you know it, you’ll hear Robyn talk about one of the tracks contained therein: his version of The Dukes of Stratosphear’s “Vanishing Girl” (sounding so much like The Hollies). Bring it on!
Don’t miss The Junipers’ Robyn Gibson talking with me on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation about Bob of the Pops Volumes 1 and 2, tomorrow at both noon ET and 8 pm ET. See you on the radio.
…Bob Fenster and Glenn Black. Congratulations! A copy of The Hangabouts’ wonderful CD and a very snazzy-looking green guitar pick will be going out to each of you shortly. Thanks for entering!
The Hangabouts’ sweet sophomore album, Kits and Cats and Saxon Wives, has risen to the top of the pops. With a baker’s dozen top-flight tunes and a deep well of craft and imagination, the band has produced a set of songs that will surely wind up populating best-of lists when best-of time comes about later this year.
From 1967 albums by The Young Rascals (Groovin’) and Buffalo Springfield (Again) to Eric Carmen’s Boats Against the Current (1977) and Fountains of Wayne’s Utopia Parkway (1999), Al and I get deep inside some top-flight long-players that define the artists who made them.
Curry Cuts’ third release, after swimming with lite rockers and second British Invasioneers, continues the label’s successful run of specially-curated themed compilations with this gathering of 26 covers of all of the songs featured in James Bond films.
Now playing on Pure Pop Radio: “All Time High,” Zach Jones; “Diamonds are Forever,” The Corner Laughers; “Die Another Day,” Big-Box Store; “For Your Eyes Only,” Freedy Johnston; “From Russia with Love,” The Stereo Twins; “Golden Eye,” Identical Suns; “James Bond Theme,” Lannie Flowers; “Live and Let Die,” Popdudes; “Moonraker,” Gary Frenay; “The Living Daylights,” Cirrone; and “Writing’s On the Wall,” Cliff Hillis
Chris Price | Stop Talking (2017)
Five years on from his first solo album, and after producing Emitt Rhodes and Linda Perhacs, these 14 songs recorded by Price between 2013 and 2016 make up the ironically-titled Stop Talking, which isn’t really what this thinking-man’s popster wants you to do after hearing the catchy “One of Them,” the Paul McCartney-meets-Stephen Bishop-meets-Rupert Holmes “Man Down,” and the tour de force, “Darkness.”
Fun of the Pier | “Cavern Song” and “(In) My Town” (from the forthcoming album, 14:42)
“Cavern Song” is a sprightly toe-tapper about getting into the world famous venue on a number of fronts. Taking to task entitlement (“What d’you mean we have to pay?”), expressing the excitement of being there on social media in the most basic of terms (“Take a photo of a photograph/Now upload it to your page/Oh we’re havin’ such a laugh/Take a selfie on the stage”), and the power of the artist (“And at least I get to work it out/With some lyrics…”), the song is perhaps the very first lively, happy-sounding cautionary tale of 2017. Somewhat recalling the vibe of Paul McCartney’s “Hope of Deliverance,” “(In) My Town” examines life in a small burg under siege, from which youth is unable to break out (“Is it any wonder they can’t meet/The demands of a world unknown”). All three players shine, but let’s give Mark top marks for some quite inventive bass playing.
Strangely Alright | “Now is the Time” (2017)
Crime Scene | “Carnival Queen” and “The Highs and Lows of Love” (2017)
Your Gracious Host | Boomerang (2017) | “Boomerang,” “Honor the Aim,” “Rest of Us in the Third World,” “Spritely,” and “You See Right Through Me” 
Plasticsoul | Therapy (2017) | “Her Raincoat,” “The Girl of Many Tribes,” and “Babylon” 
Love Minus Zero | “Mary Says” 
A buoyant exercise in the art of homage, Bob of the Pops Vol. 1 finds The Junipers’ multi-instrumentalist Robyn Gibson having a good old time putting his warm, wide-eyed spin on 14 favorite songs. This free download on Bandcamp is the bargain release of the year and, quite surely, one of the best collections we’ve heard in ages.
The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man,” certainly a familiar and iconic number, fairly drips with the joy Gibson obviously had recording it. The opening, harmony drenched a cappella couplet is sweetly delivered; the song reveals itself as a modern-day folk song, every harmonic element glimmering with life and hope. The Hollies’ “Listen to Me” adopts a bit of a softer pace than the original, the soft harmonies taking a smidge off of the edge of the proceedings for a bit of a warmer performance.
A collection that purports to be brought to life by such musicians as born-as-anagrams Boryng Bison and Sonny Orbbig, bridges the gap between a Beatles classic and a well-known soundalike homage (The Rutles’ “With a Girl Like You”), and sits comfortably within a wrapper designed to mirror the presentation of the old British Top of the Pops album series (with the Leave it to Beaver-ish “Bob,” a staid pipe in hand, subbing for the usual sexy model depicted), deserves a place in your heart.
Cirrone | Kings for a Night (2017)
The Cool Whips | Baddies (2017)
Lisa Mychols | “Loving You” (2017) 
Red Caravan | “Ho Hum” (2017) 
Anchor and Bear | “Hard to Say You’re Sorry” (2017)
R. Stevie Moore and Jason Falkner | Make It Be (2017) | “Sincero Amore,” “Don’t You Just Know It,” and “Play Myself Some Music” 
Michael Slawter | An Assassination of Someone You Knew (2017) | “Count to 10,” “Too Dumb for You,” and “My Marion” 
The Deep Six | “Brand New Day” (2017) 
Cait Brennan | Third (2017)
Bryan Estepa | “Rattled and Rolled” (2017)
The Wellingtons | End of the Summer (2017)
Kenny Herbert | “I’m Coming Home” (2017)
Pat Walsh | “Bygone Days” (2017)
The Outryders | “Piangi Con Me (& Live for Today)” (With Joe Algeri and Herb Eimerman) (2017) 
Lisa Mychols | “He’s Got Me Dreaming'” and “Don’t Wanna Close My Eyes” (2017) (“He’s Got Me Dreaming” 
Irene Peña | “Shut It Down” (2017) (From Trying Not to Smile) 
Radio Days | “I’m In Love With You, Haruka” and “Teenage Kicks” (Undertones cover) 
The Dahlmanns | “Forever My Baby” and “The Last Time”
The Blood Rush Hour | Who Folds First (2017)
Chuck Berry | “Big Boys” and “Wonderful Woman” (from the forthcoming album, Chuck) (2017)
Lannie Flowers | “Kiss a Memory” b/w “Everything a Man Could Want” (2017)
Carl Funk | The Heart of a Siren (redux) (2016)
The Del Zorros | “Happy Anniversary Baby” (2017)
Mod Hippie | Big Wow (2017) | “Up and Away,” Gone All Day,” and “It Ain’t Like that No More” 
Colman Gota | Fear the Summer (2017) | “What Goes in My Head,” “For a Reason,” “Call It Quits,” and “Fear the Summer” 
Flora Reed | Settle Down (2002) | “Beloved,” “Flowers at My Feet,” “Happiness Is,” “Mutter,” “Sweetly Said,” and “Who Brought You Down”
Did you also know that Brian has a new band with Oliver Lieber, son of rock royalty classic songwriter Jerry Lieber (of Lieber and Stoller fame)? Well, he does, and the band’s called The Bayonets. Their smashing new album, Crash Boom Bang!, an exciting expansion (two extra tracks!) of the 2014 self-released collection, comes out on May 17 on JEM Records. The packaging, by the way, is also smashing.
Brian sits in with me tonight, Tuesday, May 9, at 9 pm ET to talk about how he met Oliver and decided to form The Bayonets. Brian also waxes poetic about songwriting and, in particular, lyric writing. You’ll hear two -pop-rockin’ songs from Crash Boom Bang!, “Sucker for Love” and the Rolling Stones-y slow burner, “Cotton Candy.” Hooks galore are in store. (We’re currently playing both of these songs, plus many others, in rotation; check our review and song list coming soon.)