Win Vanilla’s Latest Pop Smash!

June 13, 2016May 17, 2021 ~ Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio ~ Leave a comment

We’ve lately been firmly set in contest mode; our latest giveaway finds five downloads of Vanilla’s catchy song, “On a Night Like This,” ready to be won by some of our lucky listeners and website visitors.

“On a Night Like This,” a song we here at Pure Pop Radio are very excited about and love so much, is from the mystikally titled Mystik Nights of Takoma, Vanilla’s next album. Once again, Jayson Jarmon’s ace outfit is releasing one song a month on the way toward completing the collection.

The bouncy and mega-catchy “On a Night Like This,” a typically wonderful Vanilla number that we love, about a guy whose words can’t be trusted when the bubbly is flowing his way, is sung with smooth pop finesse by Tube Top’s Gavin Guss, who is ably supported by Jayson, who wrote the song and slings a sweet acoustic guitar and nifty solos over his shoulder; Sean Gaffney, who plays electric guitars, bass, and sings backing vocals; Dana Sims, who mans the drums; and Eric Robert, who makes the Hammond B3 sing. What a melody! What a song!

A download of “On a Night Like This” can be won by five lucky folks. Simply fill in the form below and send it our merry way. The contest ends this Friday, June 17 at 5 pm ET. You can only enter once. Be sure to type “Vanilla” in the Comment box, and don’t forget to include your email address. Good luck! Pure Pop Radio loves to give away pop stuff!

Alan Haber’s Pure Pop Radio is the original 24-hour Internet radio station playing the greatest melodic pop music from the ’60s to today. From the Beatles to the Monkees, the Posies, McPherson Grant, the Connection and the New Trocaderos, we play the hits and a whole lot more. Tune in by clicking on one of the listen links below.

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Looking for New Music? You’ve Come to the Right Place!

June 3, 2016May 17, 2021 ~ Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio ~ Leave a comment

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Our most favorite thing in the world is to take receipt of music from both new and heritage melodic pop artists, spin it, and add it to our ever-growing playlist. Every day is akin to unwrapping presents; the treasures contained within these virtual packages are sweet gifts that we’re thrilled to be able to pass on to you.

Here are five of the latest groovy additions to our playlist, now playing in rotation (more new adds posts coming next week):

Vanilla | “On a Night Like This” Jayson Jarmon’s ace outfit is once again releasing one song a month on the way toward completing their next album, this time around mystically titled Mystik Nights of Takoma, a moniker that conjures up images of a bunch of lodge brothers and their bartenders, all decked out in bright red smocks and fezzes, gathered around a glowing, weathered oak table late into the night, imbibing and chewing the fat and bottomless tubs of Turkish Taffy until last call or the inevitable call home that starts with “Um, can I get a ride?”

But first things first. The bouncy “On a Night Like This,” a typically catchy Vanilla number about a guy whose words can’t be trusted when the bubbly is flowing his way, is sung with smooth pop finesse by Tube Top’s Gavin Guss, who is ably supported by Jayson, who wrote the song and slings a sweet acoustic guitar and nifty solos over his shoulder; Sean Gaffney, who plays electric guitars, bass, and sings backing vocals; Dana Sims, who mans the drums; and Eric Robert, who makes the Hammond B3 sing. What a melody! What a song!

Our love for Jayson’s writing and Vanilla-esque execution knows no bounds, so we’re confident that, even if Mystik Knights of Takoma doesn’t contain a sequel to the much-loved “Monkeypox!,” which has been adopted as the Pure Pop Radio clubhouse’s call-to-arms Kumbaya song, it will rank high in esteem whichever way the wind blows.

Stay tuned for a special Vanilla contest coming next week to this space. In the meantime, don’t listen to this superb number without your fez on, oh no!

Stepford Knives | “I Don’t Want Her (Anymore)” Jamie Hoover’s latest project, with Otis Hughes, is the wonderfully-named Stepford Knives, which may or may not call to mind an image of sharp tools exhibiting zero emotion that still manage to live on the cutting edge. These Stepford Knives, however, are full of emotion and pop goodness, delivering a powerful take on a great song from the late David Enloe, guitarist for the Woods.

This insanely catchy, hook-filled song explodes with fireworks-powered percussion, lots of gutsy guitars, a strong melody, and in-your-face vocals. Mastered to impress (and boy does it!) by Dave Harris, the song’s quite-alive psychedelic light show-powered video, created by Phillip D’Angelo, is an essential component of the complete Stepford Knives package (see it here).

Bravo, Messrs. Hoover and Hughes, and don’t let too many days flutter away before your next wonderful creation hits our ears!

Erik Voeks | “Being in Love With You” and “She Was Doomed” Just released and already reaching top-flight status here at Pure Pop Radio, this classic-sounding one-two pop punch continues Erik’s run of great new songs. “Being in Love With You,” about a relationship at odds with itself, starts out as a tender ballad and quickly becomes a power pop number with teeth, and a great, hooky melody.

“She Was Doomed” is an uptempo raver powered by another great melody; guitars, guitars, guitars; delicious vocal harmonies, and a pounding drum turn. Co-producer Patrick Hawley played the drums and percussion, and Cameron Hawk sang background vocals on “Being in Love With You.” Credit Erik with everything else. Another terrific release from one of Pure Pop Radio’s favorite artists.

Kenny Herbert | “3 Days of Summer (Woodstock ’69)” Hot on the heels of the release of his wonderful new album, the romantic song cycle Forever and Beyond, Kenny Herbert returns with a rocking, sentimental look at the magic of Woodstock. Cleverly inserting Crosby, Stills and Nash harmony bits that also echo Stephen Stills’ “Love the One You’re With” amidst the lyrical look back at a very different and well-remembered time, Kenny sings about the historic festival and the devoted music fans who endured three days of mud and rain and peace and harmony and came together as one.

“They danced to all their heroes, making rock ‘n’ roll history,” Kenny sings with heartfelt emotion. Guitarist Rab Howat, bassist Roy Martin, and drummer Martin Wykes bash out this terrific tune; Rab and Nobby Clark sing the backgrounds. David Valentine, from the band RAF, produced to great effect. A wonderful song from one of our favorite music men.

The Monkees | Good Times! We just reviewed this fantastic release by Micky, Mike, Davy and Peter (read Alan’s take here). We’re now playing all of the tracks on this glorious album in rotation: “Birth of an Accidental Hipster,” “Good Times,” “Gotta Give it Time,” “I Know What I Know,” “I Was There (And I’m Told I Had a Good Time),” “Wasn’t Born to Follow,” “Little Girl,” “Love to Love,” “Me and Magdalena,” “Our Own World,” “She Makes Me Laugh,” “Whatever’s Right,” “You Bring the Summer,” and two bonus songs available as part of the iTunes version of this album: “Terrifying” and “Me and Magdalena (Version 2).” Absolutely wonderful.

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New Interview with Vanilla’s Jayson Jarmon Posted on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation’s PodOmatic Podcast Page

September 22, 2015May 17, 2021 ~ Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio ~ Leave a comment

Alan Haber’s marathon interview with Vanilla’s Jayson Jarmon is now available for listening and downloading from Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation’s PodOmatic podcast page.

Jayson goes behind-the-scenes for a detailed tour through his musical life that includes an ongoing membership in Liar’s Club and his current band, Vanilla. Three songs from Vanilla’s new album, 2.0, were played during this program, including a straight-ahead pop number, what sounds like a centuries-old traditional, and one of our favorite songs of this year, “Monkeypox!,” which deals with…well, you know. (In case you were wondering, and we know that you were, Alan discusses Jayson’s fixation with monkeys, which also make an appearance in 2.0’s “South Tacoma Way.”)

A link to Vanilla’s Bandcamp page is provided so you can listen to the songs played in the broadcast version of this program: “Perfect Year,” “The Angel of Swain’s Lane,” and “Monkeypox!”. After you listen to these wonderful songs, why not purchase the album, which will become a treasured part of your music collection.

You can listen to Alan’s interview with Vanilla’s Jayson Jarmon by clicking here. You can also listen to more than 60 additional interviews with pop’s greatest artists. Enjoy!

Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, the premiere melodic pop interview program hosted by Alan Haber, airs Tuesday nights at 7 pm ET (4 pm PT) and repeats on Sunday afternoons at 5 pm ET (2 pm PT). Archived, podcast versions of interviews are posted on the In Conversation PodOmatic podcast page; click here to listen to more than 60 shows previously broadcast on Pure Pop Radio.

Listen to Pure Pop Radio on the go using your Android or iOS devices! Download Our Mobile App.

Jayson Jarmon Guests Tomorrow Night on a Tasty Edition of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation

September 14, 2015May 17, 2021 ~ Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio ~ Leave a comment

Alan Haber: Proud Music Geek! — Alan Haber, your host

Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation is back tomorrow night, Tuesday, September 15, at 7 pm ET (4 pm PT) with the first part of another, all-new conversation with one of melodic pop music’s top talents. Jayson Jarmon from Vanilla sits behind the microphones to talk with Alan Haber about his musical history and the band’s sparkling new album, 2.0. It’s the second two-part program in a row, following last week’s talks with the members of Pop 4.

In part one, Jayson goes behind-the-scenes for a detailed tour through his musical life that includes an ongoing membership in Liar’s Club and his current project, Vanilla. You’ll hear three songs from 2.0, including a straight-ahead pop number, what sounds like a centuries-old traditional, and one of our favorite songs of this year, “Monkeypox!,” which deals with…well, you know. (In case you were wondering, and we know that you were, Alan discusses Jayson’s fixation with monkeys, which also make an appearance in 2.0’s “South Tacoma Way.”)

Part two follows this Wednesday night, September 16, at a special time: 9 pm ET (6 pm PT). This short program packs a big punch: You’ll hear world premiere acoustic performances of two new Vanilla songs that may or may not appear on the next album by the group: “On a Night Like This,” a drinking song; and “The Big 5,” about what are referred to as the “big five” accounting firms. Both are superb; you won’t want to miss them. They’ve been performed and recorded exclusively by Jayson for Pure Pop Radio.

We say this all of the time, but it’s especially true now: You won’t want to miss these shows. Musicians and fans alike will thrill to the conversation and world premieres of two new Vanilla songs that you will not hear anywhere else.

To recap: Tune in tomorrow night, September 15 at 7 pm ET (4 pm PT) for part one of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation’s two-part talk with Vanilla’s Jayson Jarmon. Tune in Wednesday night at a special time: 9 pm ET (6 pm PT) to hear two new Vanilla songs that don’t appear on 2.0. It just doesn’t get more exciting than this!

Listen to Pure Pop Radio on the go using your Android or iOS devices! Download Our Mobile App.

Tune In and Turn Us On: Pure Pop Radio has More New Music for You, You and You, Too!

March 4, 2015May 17, 2021 ~ Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio ~ Leave a comment

We’re always listening to music here at the well-appointed, Ikeafied Pure Pop Radio headquarters. Headphones on or headphones off, we’re constantly looking for just the right sounds that we can add to our ever-growing playlist. We’re dedicated, we’re steadfast, and we’re here to say we’ve found some more great platters that do indeed matter.

So, without further ado, here are the latest songs and artists now spinning in rotation:

Vanilla | “South Tacoma Way” It goes without saying that Jayson Jarmon and his band of merry musical souls are held in the highest of esteem by our singular staff. Releasing one song a month toward the completion of an album-length release to be called Vanilla 2.0, Vanilla have been wowing us with their seemingly no-holds-barred way of coloring outside of the lines. The retro, clarinet-fueled, Harpers Bizarre vibe of the group’s latest song, “South Tacoma Way,” is a kind-of close cousin to last month’s wacky and quite insane (in a good way) “Monkeypox,” because, well, monkeys play a prominent role here, as well they should.

Jayson says that this song is a “1930s period piece celebrating the virtues of my hometown’s most, eh, remarkable street. It features coffee-pot-shaped buildings, a legendary lowland gorilla, seedy watering holes, and a glimpse into that area’s special indomitable spirit.” I’m not sure where the gorilla comes in, but the Vanilla monkey brigade is sure jumping through various hoops in the “South Tacoma Way” narrative: you can “watch the monkeys” and remember when you danced “until the monkeys screamed.”

“South Tacoma Way” is a wistful travelogue that points to landmarks across the sum of one’s travels. “You say these memories/Don’t amount to much/But to a guy like me, they’re the stuff (full stop)/That dreams are made of,” the narrator sings. This one’s got all of the food groups, folks. It’s another stellar offering from the Vanilla Corporation, and it’s playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio. Hotcha! – Alan Haber

Dana Countryman | “What If” Written for his wife this past Valentine’s Day and slated to be a part of his next album, Dana Countryman’s “What If” is a sweet, Harry Nilsson-esque love song with wonderful, imaginative lyrics (“Would you just look at me like I’m crazy/And maybe I’m crazy, it’s true/But I could be handy and fix your toaster for you”) and a lovely chord progression that surprises and delights. Alone at the piano, Dana has crafted yet another classic song, and we’ve got it spinning in rotation. A Pure Pop Radio exclusive (thanks, Dana!).

Jean-Jacques Perrey and Dana Countryman | “Beyond the Milky Way” Dana Countryman and his longtime friend and collaborator Jean-Jacques Perrey, the French creator of cool electronic music, birthed this ELO/Klaatu-sounding number, which features a lovely melody and a computerized vocal. “Beyond the Milky Way” is the only song with a vocal done by the duo; it’s from their 2008 album, Destination Space. We’re proud to be featuring this great song on Pure Pop Radio.

DC Cardwell | Bonus Tracks from Pop Art Because we can never play enough of DC Cardwell’s songs, we’re spinning the three bonus tracks that accompany his latest album: “Birthday Present,” a gorgeous ballad with lovely background vocal harmonies and atmosphere to spare; a guitar instrumental version of Pop Art’s “In the Cloud”; and a uke and bass version of “Know Me,” from DC’s Some Hope album. Sweet stuff from one of our favorite singer-songwriters.

Promise | Promise This privately-pressed classic, originally released in 1980 on Promise’s own label, Cumulus, and rescued for reissue (from the original master tapes) by Got Kinda Lost records, is a wonderful power pop album that fans of Badfinger, Emitt Rhodes, the Sweet, and Raspberries will love. A couple of cool rock and rollers bookend the album: “Say Allright!,” a number that sounds like it was taken off Badfinger’s No Dice album, and the mid-tempo, harmony-rich “Putman’s Ranch.” We’re playing all but one song in rotation: the two aforementioned tracks, plus “Back in My Heart,” “Guitar,” “Later on Tonite,” “Hands of Luck,” “Lucky Star,” “The Find,” and “Captain Domino.” The find of this young year.

Turnaround | Let’s Do It Zero Hour Records has done its usual great job compiling this classic Australian band’s previously-released tracks and unreleased demos for a 16-song audio bonanza that power pop fans will love. Sounding like a cross between Shoes and the Cars, the band makes a splash with rockers “Turnaround” and “Nobody’s Child,” and the lovely, mid-tempo ballad, “Is It the End,” which sounds like it’s being sung by Steven Lindsay from the Scottish band, the Big Dish. We’re playing the aforementioned songs, plus “I’m Here for You,” “I Need You,” and “Boom.” Great stuff.

Jeff Cameron | Giraffe Featuring the talents of Adam Marsland and Three Dog Night’s Chuck Negron, who duets with Jeff on the powerful “Heroes,” Giraffe is a solid collection of pop-rock numbers that will surely catch the ears of listeners. We’re playing “Heroes” and four other songs in rotation: the melody-rich, melodic stomper “Princess Blue”; the beautifully-sung, hooky “Two Hearts One Love”; the early Prefab Sprout-sounding “Let It Roll”; and the catchy “Long Island Sound,” which sports an infectious middle-eight and cool background vocals. Another great addition to our playlist.

DB Cooper | The Catherine North EP and “The Election” We dig the sound of this indie rock band from up north–so much so that we’re playing songs from their 2014 EP and their new single, the upbeat, high-energy and melodic “The Election.” From 2014’s The Catherine North EP, we’re spinning the equally energetic “The World.”

Jared Lekites | Looking for Diamonds While we wait for Jared Lekites’s next album with Connor Anderson, performing together as the Lunar Laughs, we are pleased to add four songs from Jared’s 2010 EP, Looking for Diamonds: the poptastic, harmonica-laced “Looking for a Diamond”; the sixties-influenced “The Electric Car Ballet”; and the lovely ballads “Love that Lasts” and “Let Your Hair Down (Once in a While).”

The Jeanies | The Jeanies Thanks to Ray Gianchetti at Kool Kat Musik, this album, previously released only on cassette and as a download, gets a proper CD release. This Brooklyn, New York quartet rocks a heady combination of garage aesthetic with sprinkles of Badfinger, Chuck Berry and T. Rex. We’re spinning three songs: the straight-ahead pop-rocker “I Think You’re the Wrong One,” the rocker “It’s for You,” and the T. Rex-into-Chuck Berry high-energy rocker “The Girl’s Gonna Go.” Sweet.

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Tune in to hear these and more than 6,300 other melodic pop songs playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio. Click on one of the links below to listen. We’re broadcasting to the world 24-hours a day!

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