Spins and Reviews | July 6, 2016 | by Alan Haber
The hits just keep on coming, with the Carpenter touch in today’s lead positions…
Michael Carpenter and the Cuban Heels | Ain’t Nothing Left to Say Country? Sure, there’s that, but moreover there are a dozen room-filling explosions of sound emblazoned with Carpenter’s trademark melodic touch. Witness the boom-boom-to-snare power of the catchy “One of these Days I’m Gonna Get Myself Right,” the easy intro-to-mid-tempo-pop punch of “Big in the City,” and the pumping, big guitars, big drums punch of “Black Chevy.” There really isn’t anything this Australian musical magician can’t do. Our playlist, and melodic pop music in general, benefit always from his mastery of the pop form.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “Ain’t Nothing Left to Say,” “Black Chevy,” “I Should Have Told You,” “One of these Days,” “One of these Days I’m Gonna Get Myself Right,” “Photo,” “Big in the City,” “You’re Givin’ Love a Good Name,” “Thank You.”
Crash and the Crapenters | Set in Stone Pumping and thumping within just about the complete opposite spectrum of the Cuban Heels’ platter, the combo of three Carpenters–Chris, Michael, and Paul–congregate to bash out 15 smashing Chris and Michael originals (plus one Paul Weller cover). The breathless pace and let-it-all-hang-out attack is somewhat outside Pure Pop Radio’s usual purview, but the four-on-the-floor pop-rocker “Pray to Your Own God” and the upbeat, early Elvis Costello nod “Everything’s Coming My Way” fit perfectly. Yet another side of Michael’s musical palette, and a fun, assured debut for brother Chris.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “Pray to Your Own God” and “Everything’s Coming My Way.”
Cloud Eleven | Garden of Obscure Delights: A Retrospective (1996-2015) Spanning a period of 19-years, from the infant waxings of Jiffipop to last year’s sterling Record Collection, this ace release showcases the many colors and moods contained in Rick Gallego’s paintbox. An astounding selection, highlights include the lovely, mid-tempo pop ballad “Flying” from 1996’s debut from Jiffipop, Demolicious, to the dreamy, luscious, melodic wonder “Ocean,” from 2006’s Sweet Happy Life. A trio of outtakes from 2015’s Record Collection, including a winning, atmospheric cover of the 1971 Fleetwood Mac single, “Dragonfly,” close out the top-flight program. Gallego is an artist that deserves, as he always has, to fly well above the radar. He can only fly higher from here.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “Blue Butterfly,” “Dragonfly,” “Evaporate,” “Flying,” “Hurry Home,” “Ocean,” “Rainbow Station,” “Sound on Sound,” “Take Control,” and “The One.”
Solarflairs | “Stereo Alley” Literally just in minutes ago from these Memphis power popsters that, the band says, don’t sound like a power pop band, this gently aggressive and lively guitars-driven number adds to the previous songs already on our playlist. Catchy as always.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio.
Kirk Adams | “Love’s Looking for You” (from Indie Artists United for World Peace) Appearing on this compilation promoting the world’s number one goal alongside wife Gale Trippsmith and Pop 4 compatriots Andrea Perry and KC Bowman, Florida resident Adams unspools an outtake from his superb 2015 long player Undertown. Beautiful ballad drips with melody to spare; a superbly sung and played and featuring a lovely George Harrison-esque guitar solo, this is a keeper for the ages.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio.
Andy Reed | An Introduction to Andy Reed Andy Reed’s importance in the grand scheme of all things melodic pop can not be overstated; the proof is here in this peerless collection of songs spotlighting his innate talent. The pure pop pleasures of “World of Make Believe,” from 2011’s An American Underdog album, Always On the Run; the beautiful, melodic “Dreaming of the West Coast,” from last year’s Relay Vol. 1 EP, and the glorious, straight-ahead cover of Jay Ferguson’s “Thunder Island” from the vinyl release of 2013’s celebration of lite rock, Drink a Toast to Innocence, dazzle, but then so do all 11 tracks. A great introduction, available on vinyl and in digital form, to the joy of listening to Andy Reed.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “Thunder Island,” “Dreaming of the West Coast,” “World of Make Believe,” “Your Reign is Over,” “The Show Goes On,” “Crimes of Paris,” and “Always on the Run.”
Flossy | “Cloudy Brain” From Perth, Australia, songstress Lauren M. O’Hara and her sister Sinead pair up to produce this bluesy rocker balancing above a pop highwire. Deep, thumping bass, thrashing drums by Chris Winterburn, raging guitars, and committed vocals rule the grooves. Impossible to ignore, and you shouldn’t.
Now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio.
More to come.
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Further on from yesterday’s list of new songs and artists recently added to our ever-growing playlist, we’ve got another parade of truly excellent melodic pop sounds that are now spinning in rotation.
Brett Harris | Up in the Air Yesterday, we proclaimed Eytan Mirsky’s new album Funny Money to be one of the great albums thus far released in this young year. Here’s another great one you’ll want to be playing in your home and on the go. Brett Harris’s second full-length is a terrific collection of 10 wonderful pop songs delivered with skill and heart.
Crash and the Crapenters | “Everything is Coming My Way” Pure Pop Radio favorite Michael Carpenter and his brother Chris have teamed up to stir a steaming pot of sizzling ska-soaked punky rock and pop that made our ears stand up at attention. In just under two and a half minutes, Chris and Michael take over and demand your attention with organ and chugging electric guitar lines and plugged-in-to-the-walls vocals. Plus, it’s hookariffic, it is. This song demands your attention and called out to us to add it to our playlist. Which we did. Now playing in rotation and taking no prisoners. As nature intended.
Cotton Mather | “Child Bride” and “The Book of Too Late Changes” To say that the return of Cotton Mather, the makers of the always and truly hall-of-fame album Kontiki, is welcomed with open arms is hardly telling it completely like it is. We were thrilled to hear these great songs, both of which are now playing in rotation. “Child Bride” is a mix of sixties motif (Left Banke, anyone?) that opens with a Byrds-like intro. “The Book of Too Late Changes” is a whole other thing, channeling the propulsive side of the Who with a melodic pop-rocker for the ages that closes with a quite thrilling vocal array. More please, and please, let the more come soon.
Strangely Alright | “We Still Can” Regan Lane and company’s latest song is a lovely mid-tempo ballad with a gorgeous melody and a solid, hooky chorus. We’re proud to be playing this group’s songs on our air and look forward to the next great release.
Dermot | “My Love’s a Light that Will Never Go Out” We’ve been playing this song since it came out last December. It’s been a favorite spin since then. This really pretty, affecting number about everlasting love will absolutely resonate with you, and you too. Consider this bit of lyric: “My darling/When we sing/All the angels up in heaven are envious/Of our harmony.” See what we mean? Lovely, lovely, lovely, and now playing in rotation.
