lauren o’hara | Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio

Hundreds of newly-added songs are now airing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio, and we’ve only just begun. We’re anxious to tell you all about them, so let’s get right to it, shall we? Week two, day one begins…now!

Peter Lacey – Last Leaf. Lacey’s latest, a song cycle that harkens back to the singer-songwriter’s folk roots, is a tremendous collection and without question one of the best albums released by any artist so far this year. Many miles away from the beach, Last Leaf plays its hand in the circles of everyday, country life: on patches of grass surrounded by sprouting trees, and by the water, on a calmly-stated lake. Lacey’s new songs are about the simpler, and more important, things in life; every element of this album is calm and soothing and powerful. Recorded with precision and heart, songs such as the beautiful “The Woodwind” and the astonishing instrumental “Seven Hills to Hangleton,” which paces itself carefully until a fiddle infused, percussive attack ends the song cold, are acoustic keepers. In addition to these two songs, we’ve added “Right as Rain,” “Harvest Moon,” “Fisherman,” “He is Sleeping,” and “Boy in the Rings of a Tree,” a particular favorite. We are proud to be featuring Lacey’s new songs that enter as a blessed whisper and move on in the manner of a sprite granting wishes to deserving souls. Best of the year material for sure.

The Tangerines – Turn on the Light. An album packed with equal measures of delight and magic, Turn on the Light delights with no less than 16 catchy songs and as many merry melodies, all crafted with care and songwriting prowess. The Tangerines have put together a spirited group of songs laced with chiming guitars that practically demands repeat play. Honestly, we loved this album so much that we were happy to add all of its songs to the Pure Pop Radio playlist. The rundown: “Turn on the Light,” “It’s Alright,” “Once in a Lifetime,” “Girls’ Girls’ World,” “Sitting in the Greenhouse,” “She,” “She’s so Fluffy,” “Everyday a Drama,” “How Does it Feel,” “Don’t Get Lonely,” “Waiting at Her Door,” “Late,” “Heartbeat,” “Up the Country,” “Love You Still,” and “All Through the Years.” This is the Tangerines’ White Album and, not surprisingly, an instant classic. A whole lot of fun awaits you.

Identical Suns – “Show Me a Sign” and “Common Ground.” We’ve added two more songs from Identical Suns, a band to watch and grow with. “Show Me a Sign” is a soulful number, kicking off with single voice and electric piano, adding harmonies, bass, drums and expressive electric guitar. “Common Ground” is an upbeat, harmony-rich summer song that features out-of-this-world background vocals from the Sonic Executive Sessions’ Christian Phillips. More pearls to come from this spirited group of music makers. We love the Identical Suns.

Also playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio this week, and new to the playlist:

* Cool King Chris – “You Can’t Stop It.” While we wait for the highly-anticipated, brand-new EP from this Pure Pop Radio favorite, who not long ago was featured with producer pal Jamie Hoover on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, we are able to bring you this musical pearl, produced by Jamie. The moral of this song’s story? Once a movement gathers enough steam, you can’t stop it. A timely lyric from a great singer-songwriter, now playing in rotation.

* The Simple Carnival – “The Problem with Friends.” We are longtime fans of the Simple Carnival. We always hope and pray that the Carnival (aka Pennsylvania’s own Jeff Boller, a most creative fellow) will record a new album of wonderful songs, but Jeff’s attention has lately been on creating 3D moving pictures. We’re happy as can be to be able to share this wonderful song, an easygoing, Bacharach-David-esque tune that even mentions 3D in its lyrics. We’re interested in anything Jeff does, so we hope for more at some point in time. Meanwhile, enjoy “The Problem with Friends.”

* Marc Platt – “I Can’t Hide”, “What a Life” and “Selling Crazy.” This top talent continues to write and record top-flight songs. We’ve got three of them for you: “I Can’t Hide” is a Byrdsian kind of tune, “What a Life” sounds like it was plucked from somewhere around 1966, and “Selling Crazy”? Yeah, about 1966 or so, too. Great stuff, now spinning in rotation on Pure Pop Radio. More to come, soon.

* Lauren O’Hara – Sol. We’ve got two songs from this intriguing EP now playing in rotation on Pure Pop Radio: “No Remission,” a spirited, lovely acoustic song, topped off with a wonderful violin part; and a meaty tune, “Sunday Sun,” powered by our friend Joe Algeri’s drums, bass and organ. Joe also mixed this song and mastered the entire EP. Lauren O’Hara is definitely a talent to follow.

That’s it for today. More tomorrow, of course, and through this second week of our exclusive melodic pop songs explosion. Ka-boom, indeed!