Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio

Spins and Reviews | 02.15.17
By Alan Haber – Pure Pop Radio

This week’s second batch of reviews of new and new-to-you songs and artists added to the Pure Pop Radio playlist kicks off with a powerhouse EP from the New Trocaderos. Take it away, Kurt, Geoff, Brad, Kris, and Rick:

The New Trocaderos | New Trox (2017)
Good golly Miss Molly, and you too Peggy Sue: When all was said and rocking, the New Trocaderos were left with a trio of terrific tracks that didn’t make the final cut for 2015’s Thrills and Chills long player. Those tracks make up this top-flight EP, which some folks, including me, might just peg as our favorite Trocs recordings ever. Which is really saying something, when you consider that pretty much everything these gentlemen have released hits the mark.

The catchy deets: “Come On Girl” tops a tasty pop and roll sundae with a Mick Jagger-meets-Joey-Ramone lead vocal and an out-of-left-field barrelhouse piano solo; “The Air” practically defines the idea of blues-pop, rolling out delicious sax and electric guitar lines in the first instrumental break, and a tasty Fats Domino piano run in the second. The cherry on top of this sundae is a deft mix of Everly-Brothers-meets-Ramones-meets-The-Cherry-Drops vocal harmonies atop a crunchy rock ‘n’ roll base.

Cheery, chunky and clearly clapalongable, New Trox is a must-get for your pop music collection. Play these songs at your next party and watch the dance floor shake, rattle, and roll!

Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “Come On Girl,” “The Air,” and “You Broke My Heart”

Where to Get It: Bandcamp

The Nerk Twins | “Against the Grain,” “Eyes on the Prize,” “Everything Between,” and “Either Way” (Alternate version)
Herb Eimerman has distinguished himself with not only a series of wonderful, transcendent solo albums, but also as a member of the powerhouse world-spanning supergroup, the Britannicas. What some people may not know is that in 1997 he was one-half of super duo called the Nerk Twins. Eimerman’s partner-in-merriment was Shoes’ Jeff Murphy, who produced and engineered the set, titled Either Way. Tracks from Either Way still play in rotation on Pure Pop Radio, 20 years later.

A fun, alternate version of the title song from the Nerks’ one-and-only album appeared on the second volume of Stefan Johansson’s legendary Pop Under the Surface series in 1998. We’ve added that Nerks nugget to our playlist, along with three wonderful co-writes that didn’t make the duo’s album but appeared on the first three International Pop Overthrow compilations. The Byrdsian “Against the Grain” appeared on IPO Vol. 1; the jangly “Eyes on the Prize” appeared on IPO Vol. 2; and the gorgeous “Everything Between,” a pretty number sporting a delicious chord progression and equally delicious melody, appeared on IPO Vol. 3.

If you don’t know the Nerk Twins’ Either Way album, you can correct that situation by clicking here or here. Which you really should. Meanwhile…

Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “Against the Grain,” “Eyes on the Prize,” “Everything Between,” and “Either Way (Alternate version)

Where to Get It: Amazon is probably your best bet for these out-of-print CDs.