Top Ten Records Of 2014

It's mid-december, the nights getting longer, days shorter - so it's time to finish the year 2014 (musically).
It was an incredible year with stunning new music! Here they are - my Top Ten Records of 2014:

1. Dan Wilson - Love Without Fear

Love Without Fear has become an outstanding record with a strong collection of songs.

It starts with the title track Love Without Fear: beautiful harmonies and lyrics create an optimistic, catchy opener which draws the listeners attention to what may come next...
... and you won't be disappointed: songs like However Long, Disappear, We Belong Together, When It Pleases You are mature work and perfect musical handcraft. 
The record closes with the amazing Even The Stars Are Sleeping (maybe my personal highlight of the record).

For me the most amazing aspect about this album is the awareness of having a honest piece of work which carries true emotions.

2. Jeremy Messersmith - Heart Murmurs

The singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith from Minneapolis has maybe created his masterpiece with his fourth album: Heart Murmurs. While his last record - The Reluctant Graveyard - was centered on death, Heart Murmurs is about love - with all its perspectives, such as addiction, self-laceration and desire.

If you like smart music, an incredible voice, and a record that has all the indication of being an instant classic, you'll be right with Heart Murmurs.

3. Vacationer - Relief

If you're still looking for the perfect summer-record, I think I can help you there: Vacationer - a group from Philadelphia - just released their second album Relief. Vacationer are Kenny Vasoli, Matthew Young and Grant Wheeler.

Relief is not just the title of the record - it's the record's proposition.
From start to finish the album is the musical image of vacation, palm trees, wide sand beach and blue sky (the cover fits quite well).

Vasoli says: “Whether through love, exploration or relaxing, we all strive for relief. It’s just a quick flip-of-the-switch away, and think it’s good to be reminded of that.”

Make sure you listen to: Onward & Upward, The Wild Life, Paradise Waiting, In The Grass and Heavenly

Official website: vacationermusic.com

4. The Cry! - Dangerous Game

The second studio album by The Cry! is called Dangerous Game. With upbeat songs full of pure energy, catchy guitar riffs and harmonies The Cry! are a reminiscence to the 50s, 60s and 70s. But they are surely more than that! You'll instantly recognize their influences like The Beach Boys, Exploding Hearts and The Sweet. The band brings back Rock'n'Roll, Power Pop, Glam and Punk, which makes them timeless.

Dangeous Game are 10 tracks - and 28 minutes of pure musical fun and Rock'n'Roll.

5. OK Go - Hungry Ghosts

The new record of OK Go - called Hungry Ghosts - was one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in 2014. And it was worth it for sure - just listen to the songs or better - watch their stunning videos: 

6. Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams (2014)

Three years after his last record Ashes and Fire, Ryan Adams is back. The new record is simply called Ryan Adams. The album was produced by Adams himself and Mike Viola at his own Pax Am Studios in Los Angeles.

7. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness is the debut record of Andrew McMahon's same titled band.
Andrew McMahon is a singer-songwriter and pianist known from bands like  Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin. In 2013 he released his first solo EP - The Pop Underground.
The album was partially produced and co-written by Mike Viola.
Do yourself a favor and listen to his music NOW!

Listen to the first and second single "Cecilia and the Satellite" and "High Dive" here:

www.andrewmcmahon.com

8. Sunday Sun - We Let Go

The new record of Sunday Sun - and after three EPs this is their first full album - is called 'We Let Go'. And it's at least as good as their EP 1 - 3, which may be the best compliment you can pay to them.

The first single will be I Call You Honey:

Order on iTunes: http://bit.ly/SundayiTunes

9. Jeremy Fisher - Lemon Squeeze

Jeremy Fisher is back with Lemon Squeeze. It's available at www.jeremyfishermusic.com (digital, CD, Vinyl).

  

10. She & Him – Classics

The fifth album of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward consist of classic songs. The arrangements on Classics are handled by a full 20-piece orchestra.  

Deschanel explains: “We are incredibly excited to release a record of our favorite songs. It was a dream of ours to record these songs in a way that highlighted the brilliance of the songwriting and the beauty of their melodies. We had a wonderful time making the record and we hope people have a wonderful time listening to it.” 

Honorable mention:

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty OST

There are very few movie soundtracks that are so different, inspiring and outstanding to outlast the popularity of its movie - the soundtracks of Magnolia or American Beauty are two perfect examples for this.

All of a sudden The Secret Life of Walter Mitty OST happened to me. And it stuck since then.

Side A (yes, on vinyl) opens with the epic Step Out by José González to Dirty Praws (Of Monsters And Men) and Stay Alive(José González) - it left me breathless.

Side B continues without deceleration with two songs from Junip (Far Away and Don't Let It Pass) and the beautiful dreamy Lake Michigan by Rogue Wave. On Side C and D you'll find the gorgeous Rogue Valley with The Wolves & The Ravens but the second half of the record is dominated by cover versions: Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Jack Johnson, Don't You Want Me by Bahamas, José González with #9 Dream and Space Oddity (it's the original David Bowie song except the first verse which has Kristen Wiig at vocals). A very different version of Maneater (by Grace Mitchell) closes the record.

By the way, if you didn't watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty yet you should do it, just because the movie is equally good as the soundtrack. It's just an amazing experience.

  

Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion

If you have a look at the right side of this blog, you'll find a complete index of artists I wrote about in the last four years. A great deal of these musicians came together on Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion. I am lost for words... 

...well, not completely: Here Comes The Reign Again is a compilation by Andrew Curry. It's his second project, his first was Drink a Toast to Innocence. Find all information and updates also at the Facebook page of Here Comes The Reign Again.

Involved artist are: Mike Viola (Everybody Wants To Rule The World), David Mead (Save A Prayer),  Bleu (Don’t You (Forget About Me)), The Nines (Life’s What You Make It), Eric Barao (Tainted Love), Taylor Locke (Dancing With Myself), Cliff Hillis (Wouldn’t It Be Good), Chris Collingwood (Life In A Northern Town), Rachael Yamagata (Do You Really Want To Hurt Me), Kelly Jones (Something About You), Linus Of Hollywood (Every Time You Go Away), Ken Stringfellow (Digging Your Scene), Chris Price (Don't You Want Me), The Corner Laughers (Our House), Big-Box Store (Kids In America), An American Underdog (Things Can Only Get Better) - and many more!

Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast OST

"Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast" is the new full length Disney movie out in early 2015. The soundtrack features music from KT Tunstall and Bleu.

"Float" (written by Bleu, sung by KT Tunstall), "Strange Sight" (sung by KT Tunstall) and "1000 Years" (a duet by KT Tunstall and Bleu!) are three damn fine songs.  Especially the latter is Bleu at the top of his game.

Listen (and buy) the soundtrack at iTunes:

   

Ransom & The Subset - No Time to Lose

Ransom and the Subset is an American alternative rock band based in Seattle, Washington.

Ransom and the Subset is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist RanDair Porter. Along with producer/multi-instrumentalist Brian E. King (OranJuly and Parks) and Grammy-winning engineer/mixer Ducky Carlisle (Mike Viola, Bleu, Major Labels, Taylor Locke and the Roughs) the team collaborated to create Ransom and the Subset’s debut album No Time to Lose. 

Ransom and the Subset is one of the most interesting new discoveries in 2014 (just listen to "Anna" and "Million Out Of Me").

www.ransomandthesubset.com

The Cry! - Dangerous Game + Interview with the band (update)

The second studio album by The Cry! is called Dangerous Game and will be released on March 1, 2014 (CD/Vinyl/Digital).

The Cry! are Brian Crace (Lead Guitar, Vocals), Ray Nelsen (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals), Dave Berkham (Bass Guitar, Vocals) and  Evan "Maus" Mersky (Drums).

The band's debut LP "The CRY!" received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Maximum Ronk'n'Roll, and dozens of industry sources.

With upbeat songs full of pure energy, catchy guitar riffs and harmonies The Cry! are a reminiscence to the 50s, 60s and 70s. But they are surely more than that!

You'll instantly recognize their influences like The Beach Boys, Exploding Hearts and The Sweet. The band brings back Rock'n'Roll, Power Pop, Glam and Punk, which makes them timeless.

Dangeous Game are 10 tracks - and 28 minutes of pure musical fun and Rock'n'Roll.

There will also be a 10 track live record ("The CRY! Live at The Banana Stand") released January 21, 2014.

The band was so kind to have a Q&A with PowerPopSquare:

PPS: How did "The Cry!" come about?

The Cry!: Well, I (Ray) wanted to start a Rock ‘n’ Roll band so I wrote some songs. I tried to get Brian Crace, a guitar player I’d heard about, to join but he thought we (drummer Johnny Martinez and I) were kind of losers. I got him to come over to the house one night and we got drunk, egged some houses and bonded. Honestly, that was the beginning of The CRY!

We went out around Portland (OR) looking for a strong bass player that could sing and eventually found Dave (Berkham) playing guitar and fronting his band “Midnight Callers.” We were so impressed that we immediately asked him if he played bass and would help us record a few songs.

At first Dave thought we were losers too but we convinced him to track a few songs with us. In January 2011 we went into Fetish Pop studios in Portland and laid down seven tunes: Waiting Around, I Think I’m In Love, Be True, Such a Bore, Sleeping Alone, I Wanna Know and a cover of Herman’s Hermits Henry IIIV.

Recording went pretty well but when we first sat down heard the playback of our vocals, with backgrounds and all, we knew we had something special. Since that day it’s been CRY! Or DIE!

PPS: Was it difficult to record album #2?

The Cry!: Writing the songs was (and is) the easy part. Dave, Brian and I write a lot of songs so materials were pretty easy to come by. But still this was a much harder record to make. This record took almost two years to complete for a few reasons.

Our first record got a lot of great press and sold a gang of copies well. We knew we had to at least match that effort and really wanted to outdo it. I guess we had a bit of “sophomore blues.”

Next, we were spending all our money on touring (130 shows in 2012), and had no money for recording (Dave is the only one with a “real” job). Probably the biggest thing was that we when got together to record we just started partying too hard and fucking around like mates do.

Finally, we got focused in the summer of 2013. Our drummer, Evan “Maus” Mersky, was starting up a recording outfit called “Red Lantern Studios” He offered to record/engineer at all hours of day and night when the studio didn’t have paying customers. So we did a day here and a week there until the tracking was done. We finished mixing in October of 2013.

PPS: Why do you think vinyl has this huge comeback particularly these days?

The Cry!: Don’t know about other kids but I’m sick and tired of this digital shit. Digital is convenient and great sound quality but is kind of an empty experience. I want something to touch and look at. A vinyl record is more like a keepsake and playing a record is like a ritual event. For me, putting vinyl on the player, hearing the scratches, looking at the pictures and liner notes is kind of a religious thing.

PPS: Who was the last artist or band that took you by surprise?

The Cry!: The new Justin Bieber 7” really got me off…NOT! Seriously, I got to give a shout-out to Wyldlife. There new record is killer. Their songs remind me of how The CRY! lives and that’s what great music does. Tuck (Biters) produced their last record “Time Has Come To Rock & Roll” and it’s a smasher. They are one of our favorite bands these days and we’d love to work with all those guys soon.

PPS: Do you think the internet is good or bad for musicians/bands?

The Cry!: It’s both good and bad. It’s good because it levels the creative playing field and allows more players create solid tracks and get their shit out there to be heard. The CRY! would never have been able to make records or videos without digital tools and the internet.

We do a lot of Facebook, ReverbNation, YouTube etc… On the other hand, it’s bad cause it make it crazy hard for new artists to make money. We are broker than shit… but we look good and have great fans.

PPS: Which genre do you mostly relate to with?

The Cry!: We don’t like being lumped into one or the other. We are obviously influenced a lot by power pop with heavy punk and do wop trimmings.

Honestly, in the end, its only Rock & Roll and we like it!

Official website:
www.thecrypdx.com

The Cry - 2nd record on Kickstarter!

The Cry are on kickstarter right now. 
Folks - donate for the second album of these guys - the first one was a real gem! 
Nine days left! NINE days!

Top Ten Records Of 2012

Again a bit early this year (but hey, it's tradition!): here they are - My Top Ten Records of 2012:

1. Mike Viola - Acousto de Perfecto

With a LP-friendly two sided concept of Acousto De Perfecto, half new songs half new interpretations of older songs and all the StageIt.com web-concerts, giveaways (Kenmore Square), the tip fight (resulting in Future Horror Hockey Game), the superb Facebook Fan Group (you people are the best!), the complete Mike Viola discography project and the re-release of the Blue Thumb Candy Butchers record it was a very very special year regarding Mike Viola. 

Highlights: Secret Radio, I'm Your Dog, God Give Me Strength, Hair Of The Dog, Date Night

2. David Myhr - Soundshine

Soundshine is a record title which couldn't fit better. This album is so uplifting, positive and listenable, it shines.

Highlights: I Love The Feeling, Looking For A Life, Got You Where He Wanted, Loveblind

3. Air Traffic Controller - Nordo

I had not those high expectations for the record. Then I read who produced it and got curious. And I wasn't disappointed. It's a very strong record. No fillers. All tracks shine on their own. That's a rare compliment.

Highlights: Blame, You Know Me, Any Way, Ready Or Not, Magic

4. Ben Folds Five - The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind

After long long years of no hope for a reunion the new record suddenly was there. It's a huge grower kind of a record - many of the songs unfold at second listen. 

Highlights: Sky High, Draw A Cloud, The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, Michael Praytor, On Being Frank, Thank You For Breaking My Heart

5. Aimee Mann - Charmer

Charmer is the strongest Aimee Mann record for a long time (which doesn't mean the last records were bad!). It reminds me of Lost in Space.

Highlights: Labrador, Charmer, Soon Enough

6. Ken Stringfellow - Danzig in the Moonlight

To be honest, it first got my attention by the cover (which is really beautiful and shines on LP in all his glory). Then I had a chance to listen to the songs (I had no big expectations).  Danzig in the Moonlight is not a record I like in full, most of the songs are amazing pieces of work, a very few are not my cup of tea though.

Highlights: You're a Sign, Pray, History Buffs, Superwise

7. Sunday Sun - EP I-III

Sunday Sun suddenly got my attention with EP I and blew me away with EP II & III. Buy it here: Sunday Sun Official Website

Highlights: Ordinary Love, Sunday Sun, Ready Take A Left, Better Than That, Honest And True, Beating Low

8. Bryan Scary - Daffy's Elixir

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears where in my memories for their superb EP Mad Valentines from 2009. Daffy's Elixir tops it all.

Highlights: Ziegfield Station, Ballroom Kid, Day Glo Waterfalls, Wicked Frontier, The Tale Of Opal Dawn, Another Ace In The Hole

9. Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite

Ben Kweller's fifth record Go Fly A Kite is also his first record of his label The Noise Company. 

Highlights: Jealous Girl, Free, Mean To Me, The Rainbow

10. The Cry - The Cry

I can't even nearly say how often The Cry was recommended to me from different sources. And they were right. The Cry are somewhere between The Beach Boys, Jet, The Ramones and The Beatles, which means there's a highly enjoyable mix of 60s sound, punk and pop harmonies packed in 2 minute songs.

Highlights: Be True, Alone In The Dark, Down In The City, sleeping Alone, I Think I'm In Love, Wouldn't Last

The Cry - The Cry

 

I can't even nearly say how often The Cry was recommended to me from different sources. And they were right.  

The Cry are somewhere between The Beach Boys, Jet, The Ramones and The Beatles, which means there's a highly enjoyable mix of 60s sound, punk and pop harmonies packed in 2 minute songs.

The Cry - The Cry (2011)

1. Down In The City 
2. Modern Cinderella
3. Waiting Around 
4. Sleeping Alone 
5. Forget It 
6. Think I'm In Love 
7. I Wanna Know 
8. Wouldn't Las
9. Alone In the Dark 
10. Be True 
11. Girl (I Wanna Know Your Name) 
12. Such A Bore 

It's available digitally at CDBaby and even on CD (only at No Idea Records - from Japan).