PowerPopSquare

The year draws to a close, and musically it was a stunning year again. So - here is the Top 10 of PowerPopSquare for 2018: 1. Marc Martel - Thunderbolt & Lightning Marc Martel - former member of the band Downhere - became well-known because of his incredible voice and the similarities to the late great Freddie Mercury . In 2011 he put a video on Youtube singing " Somebody To Love " - and it blew my mind (and about 15 million other viewers). Since then he released a marvelous debut solo album ( Impersonator ), as well as a covers EP ( My Way - Volume 1 ) and three Christmas EPs. And now there is Thunderbolt & Lightning : it consists of eight Queen songs. Marc Martel hasn't just put out a record of Queen songs, he altered them and put them to a whole new level. Buy the CD and digital download directly at the official website: www.marcmartelmusic.com Listen to: Somebody To Love, You Take My Breath Away 2. Bird Streets (John Brodeur, Jason F...

Marc Martel - former member of the band Downhere - became well-known because of his incredible voice and the similarities to the late great Freddie Mercury . In 2011 he put a video on Youtube singing " Somebody To Love " - and it blew my mind (and about 15 million other viewers). Since then he released a marvelous debut solo album ( Impersonator ), as well as a covers EP ( My Way - Volume 1 ) and two Christmas EPs. Now - in 2018 - a new record is out: Thunderbolt & Lighting . It consists of eight Queen songs. These songs are not just covers, they are new interpretations of the original songs. And they are amazing. If you need any proof, just listen to his interpretation of Somebody To Love and You Take My Breath Away . Incidentally he also did a live version of Bohemian Rhapsody (mind blown again): Marc Martel hasn't just put out a record of Queen songs, he altered them and put them to a whole new level. I really hope for new o...

In 2002 David Mead created the later Wherever You Are EP aiming for a full album. Short after the recording David was dropped by RCA. The record was cut to a six songs EP and finally released by Eleven Thirty Records in 2005. The Wherever You Are EP is simply a perfect record. It became one of my top ten records ever. All six songs are extremely strong pieces of work. Track list: Wherever You Are Hold On Only a Dream Astronaut Make It Right How Much There are eleven (!) songs that were left off from the EP. David offered some of these unreleased tracks at his site mineandyours.com as a Christmas gift (site site is down by now). The tracks give you a hint how the full album would have sounded like. In short: it would have been awesome. These tracks are: Wherever (a beautiful intro to the original album) Attitude Beauty (rerecorded for the Indiana album) Growin’ Up Subway Little Sister Patience Oneplusone (rerecorded for the Indiana album) All...

As pop music morphs and see-saws through different styles every few years, Parthenon Huxley continues to do his thing, his way. Over a span of nine albums it's now abundantly clear that catchy songs built on sing-along melodies, guitar hooks galore and real life-inspired lyrics are what Huxley was born to write. His latest album, This Is The One , may be his best yet. " I occasionally get the itch to follow the latest computer-based trend, " says Huxley, " but it never lasts. I came up when making records was an exotic business run by professionals. I'll always record with live musicians in real studios on the best equipment. I'm rarely fashionable, but my catalogue is pretty consistent. " Start with: Song For James , Off We Go , This Is The One , Running Home To You More info at: parthenonhuxley.com

Just three months after the (digital) release of The American Egypt there's already a new record by Mike Viola . Bitten and Cursed is kind of a Halloween 2-track release. The title track includes a B-Side called It Does A Number On My Brain . Both are incredible songs. Bitten and Cursed is quite different to the American Egypt release, it's more of a straight rock record. And it will blow you away. Buy it digital at Amazon, iTunes, stream it on Spotify or just buy the vinyl record at Grandphony.com (there are a lot of sets with good stuff like pins, shirts, patches and stickers)  This is a live version of It Does A Number On My Brain :

" Days Go By " is the follow up to 2010's debut " The Grown Ups " from UK based Mick Terry . Mick's long awaited, "difficult 2nd" album is a mix of Power Pop, '70's AOR, Motown and Americana combined with the melodic storytelling that Mick is known for. The lead single " Emily Come Back " is a fine example of his work. The record is filled with songs of IndiePop prettiness. " Ignorance Is Bliss " is my personal favourite - there are some awesome harmonies! Produced by Jim Boggia , the album features musicians like Tracy Bonham, Richard Causon (Ryan Adams, Jayhawks, Ray Davies), Dana Myzer (Cotton Mather, Farrah), Henrik Irgens (Natalie Imbruglia, Jamie Lawson). Rosalie Deighton also guests providing the sublime harmony vocals on the beautiful duet, " Riverbend ". Recorded in London, Philadelphia and New York, these 10 new songs written by Mick and expertly arranged and curated by Jim Boggia are th...

Bird Streets is the musical endeavor of songwriter John Brodeur , who released his first solo recordings nearly two decades ago.  The record is a collaboration between Brodeur and power-pop legend Jason Falkner , and features guest appearances from Miranda Lee Richards and Luther Russell. Bird Streets became a mélange of John Brodeur 's solo work and Jason Falkner 's influences. If you are desperately looking for a new record by Dan Wilson / Semisonic (" Carry Me Home ", " Last Resort "), PowerPop highlights (" Betting On The Sun ", " Until The Crown "), Bleu (" Stop To Breathe ") or Jellyfish - this is your record. And it may be nothing less than my personal record of the year. Listen to: Stop To Breathe, Betting On The Sun, Carry Me

The new album of Mike Viola - The American Egypt - is out NOW! The release was scheduled for late 2018, but Mike decided not to wait and got it out digitally (Vinyl and CD will follow in winter 2018). A new release by the one and only Mike Viola is always quite special to me. While Lurch or Hang on Mike are PowerPop records in perfection, there were also Just Before Dark or Acousto de Perfecto showing his insanely awesome singer-songwriter skills. So, there is " The American Egypt ". And it's different, quite different. The American Egypt is multi layered, rich of complex harmonies and lyrics and you will need some time until it unfolds completely. But it's absolutely worth it. Just listen to the album from start to finish with good over-ear headphones! Collins is pure Rock 'n' Roll, Sunset America will brings you to tears with its lyrics and harmonies, Snow Face a 9 minute long (!) masterpiece and Dr. Frankenstein is musically from anoth...

Chris Price - Dalmatian (Vinyl) Chris Price will give the " Dalmatian " album the treatment it deserves: the Vinyl release will be around November 2018! Mike Viola - The American Egypt (CD/Vinyl) Mike Viola released his latest record " The American Egypt " surprisingly early in July 2018. The physical release (CD and Vinyl) is scheduled for winter 2018. Mike also talked about two EPs (?) and a single release of " Teenage Mutant Ninja " along with an exclusive B-Side. Marc Martel - My Way 2 - Queen EP  Marc Martel continues his EP series with number 2: The EP will be themed around Queen , which means it can only be marvelous (out October 19, 2018)!

Bent Van Looy is back with his 3rd record: " Yours Truly ", produced (again) by Jason Falkner in Los Angeles. The first two albums (" Round The Bend ", " Pyjama Days ") are both a stunning piece of art.  I highly recommend to listen to them. " The Open Road " is the first single. Listen to it below.  " Yours Truly " will be released on the 5th of October 2018.

You may know this intro: Sure You do. The song (" You Get What You Give ") is by a band called New Radicals . They had one hit album - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too . So why bother about a one hit wonder? Mainly because of the man behind all: Gregg Alexander - an American singer-songwriter. His first album ( Michigan Rain ) was recorded in 1989 when he was 18, followed by a second record ( Intoxifornication ) in 1992. Both records were quite overlooked. Most artists would stop their career after that - for Gregg Alexander something different happened... ... Six years later he created the New Radicals . The band had no permanent member other than himself and Danielle Brisebois . The album ( Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too ) and the single ( You Get What You Give ) where both international smash hits. But soon he became tired of the musical fame: " Traveling and getting three hours sleep in a different hotel every night to do boring ...

The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness is a new band, and Nervous Man is the first song of them. It's so good - and I have absolutely no information about it except the soundcloud link! Listen:  

Astral Drive , the debut record of Phil Thornalley is an unbeknown classic. The style of the 1970 is written all over it. You haven't heard about this classic record yet? That's probably because it's from 2018! Thornalley 's vision of a long lost album from the 1970s that only existed in his own mind, this labour of love is very much the statement of a lifelong music fan living in the modern world. The result is a homogenous, in a positive way old-fashioned and warm record. Fortunately there is also a dash of The New Radicals / Gregg Alexander in some of the songs. Just listen to the first single - Summer of '76 ! Phil Thornalley   may not be a household name but many of the records he’s made with artists as diverse as The Cure , Psychedelic Furs , The Jam , Duran Duran , Paul McCartney , and Natalie Imbruglia (he produced and co-wrote her worldwide smash "Torn") certainly hold a special place in the hearts and ears of millions. While just h...

Six years after his solo debut, the Swedish singer/songwriter David Myhr is back with his new full-length album Lucky Day . The former Merrymakers frontman created not just a ten track album, it's more a portfolio of his work as part of a doctorate.  The origin of the songs go back even before the release of Soundshine .   Jealous Sun was a result of recording sessions in the Abbey Road Studios in London.  Another part of the project was a trip in 2015 to the United States. Myhr states: " I wanted to meet with people I look up to musically, write songs with them, and document the process on audio and video ". Artists include Bleu (Jealous Sun), Linus of Hollywood (Lovebug), Young Hines (My Negative Friend), Bill DeMain (Room To Grow) and Steve Schiltz (Everyday It Rains). The result of these journey and experiences is excellent. I highly recommend the record (start with Jealous Sun and Room To Grow ). Lucky Day is out now at Lojinx d...

Bent Van Looy is an outstanding Belgian musician, singer and songwriter. He was frontman of Das Pop and drummer of Soulwax . In 2013, Bent Van Looy released his first solo album Round the Bend , produced in Los Angeles by Jason Falkner , who played most of the instruments. The second album - Pyjama Days - followed in 2016 ( Jason Falkner produced it and played the instruments again, he also co-wrote some of the songs). I highly recommend these two records, start with the second ( Pyjama Days ).

I found Ron Sexsmith by a German newspaper (SPIEGEL-ONLINE). There was an article (beware: it's in German!) about him. They stated that Sexsmith is a songwriter and performer, respected by critics, many famous artists like Paul McCartney or Chris Martin (the latter recorded a duet version of Sexsmiths song Gold In Them Hills ) and music lovers, but unknown to the majority. That made me curious and I started to listen to his songs... Ron Sexsmith is from Canada, he started to write songs after the birth of his first child. His songs are mellow and marvellous. They are pure bliss. To date he recorded fifteen (!) albums since his first one in 1991. Discography: 1991: Grand Opera Lane 1995: Ron Sexsmith 1997: Other Songs 1999: Whereabouts 2001: Blue Boy 2002: Cobblestone Runway 2003: Rarities 2004: Retriever (listen to: Imaginary Friends, From Now On, Whatever It Takes, Happiness) 2005: Destination Unknown 2006: Time Being (listen to: Hands Of Time, All In Good ...

What do you know about Nik Kershaw ? Let's see... Wouldn't It Be Good , The Riddle , The 80s, One-Hit-Wonder. Anything else? No? Let me help you: Nik Kershaw had huge success with his records The Riddle and Human Racing in the early 1980s, after that his album sales went down. After his less successful album Radio Musicola in 1986 and The Works in 1989 he disappeared as musician, but not as a songwriter. Chesney Hawkes ' hit The One And Only , which he wrote and co-produced, went straight to number one in the UK in 1991. In 1999 he decided to release music again under his own name. The records 15 Minutes , To Be Frank , You've Got To Laugh and the acoustic album No Frills is something I can recommend warmly. Discography: 1983 Human Racing 1984 The Riddle 1986 Radio Musicola 1989 The Works 1999 15 Minutes (listen to: Somebody Loves You, Your Brave Face, What Do You Think Of It So Far, 15 Minutes) 2001 To Be Frank 2005 Then And Now (Best Of) 2...

Today's thesis: music video clips are NOT dead. You need a proof? OK Go ! (I highly recommend to watch it in full screen!)

Have you ever heard of Darren Jessee ? No? Maybe you heard of Ben Folds Five ! Darren was/is the drummer of Ben Folds Five . Already through Phil Collins we know that drummers can be successful as solo artists. And no, Darren does NOT sound like Phil at all. He also does not sound like Ben Folds Five . After the split of Ben Folds Five not only Folds continued as solo artist, also Darren. His first self-titled album Hotel Lights was released in 2004. The even better Goodnightgoodmorning EP and his standout albums Firecracker People , Girl Graffiti and Get Your Hand in My Hand followed. To describe his music: it's melancholic, intense and may be a good soundtrack for cold, windy autumn days. Discography: Hotel Lights (2004) Goodnightgoodmorning EP (2006) Firecracker People (2008) Girl Graffiti (2011)  Get Your Hand in My Hand (2016)

The singer-songwriter David Mead delivers crafted pop songs since 1999 with now six solo records and a fabulous EP. His fifth album - Almost and Always - is an intense, fascinating collection of gems, the Wherever You Are EP and the latest record (" Dudes ") are a perfect way to start. David Mead surely deserves to be played in the radio and to have a permanent place in the charts  - but as you guess - he's not. Discography: The Luxury of Time (1999) Mine and Yours (2001) Indiana (2004) Wherever You Are EP (2005) Tangerine (2006) Almost and Always (2008) Dudes (2011)

There is this kind of musician who is writing, releasing records and performing his own music for more than two decades - but misses the aim that is chart success? The one who creates stunning music and don't get any recognition by public, but by his loyal fans? One of them is Jason Falkner . To sum it up: he may be one of the most underrated musicians of the last two decades. What a pity! Falkner started his musical career with a band called The Three O'Clock but soon he joined a new band of his former bandmate (Roger Joseph Manning Jr.) - Jellyfish . After the success of the first record ( Bellybutton ) he left the band and said he'll be never again a band member again (where he was clearly wrong). His solo career started in 1996 with Presents Author Unknown , followed with the fabulous Can You Still Feel? . I recommend to listen to Can You Still Feel? from start to finish - there's no filler song, no low point. 2001 was a good year for loyal fan...

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jeff Litman latest release, Crowded Hour is out now!  Litman was born in Minneapolis at the end of the 70s, playing piano by age six and guitar by ten. Listening to grunge and metal throughout the 90s, he eventually became hooked on the melody-driven classic rock of the Beatles and Beach Boys as well as the gritty melodic rock of Minneapolis bands like The Replacements , Soul Asylum , and the Jayhawks . After being tuned into Miles Davis by a guitar teacher, he dropped into the deep end of jazz, eventually earning a degree from Indiana University’s prestigious jazz program in 2002. After college, he followed his growing love of classical music to New York City, where he enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music, earning his masters degree in classical guitar in 2006. Listen to the Crowded Hour EP here - and buy it (digital or CD): Crowded Hour by Jeff Litman

Elise Trouw is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the US. To tell her story with her own words: " I was born in Southern California to a South African father and a mother from New York in the very last year of the millennium. Raised on The Carpenters, Green Day, and 80s New Wave, I always looked forward to rides in my mom’s car where she played her “mixtapes", whether it was on a compilation CD or an ancient iPod. Inspiration struck when my six-year-old self first heard the haunting piano melody in “My Immortal” by Evanescence. I distinctly remember a five hour plane ride that consisted of that one song blasting repeatedly into my ears. So I begged my parents for piano lessons, and after they finally relented, they were then begging me to not practice at five in the morning every day. I did it anyway, and my love for piano just grew stronger. Life changed when my family bought the game Rockband for Xbox. After mastering the drums to "Dani California”...

Most of you may know Roger Joseph Manning Jr from Jellyfish , but the man had also 2 fabulous solo records: Land Of Pure Imagination (it had a slightly different release in Japan with 3 different tracks and was called Solid State Warrior ) in 2006 and Catnip Dynamite in 2008. Since then it was very quiet regarding new records - until now! The is a new campaign on Pledgemusic for his complete musical work: A new four track EP called Glamping (digital and CD release in May 2018, vinyl later), reissues of his first two records (CD & colored vinyl), signed stuff, lyric sheets, art books, clothing, Skype interviews, writing birthday songs and much more.

The new record of Chris Price is out now! After his critically acclaimed second record Stop Talking nearly 50 songs were left off from the record because they simply didn't fit in its concept. With the arrival of Dalmatian , Price’s brand new third album and second release in only 10 months, that music finds new life. The 13 tracks found on Dalmatian are all written, produced, engineered, arranged and mixed by Price himself (with occasional help from co-writers Taylor Locke, Fernando Perdomo, and Alex Jules). Price says, “ This is a collection of fragments, outcasts and ideas from the sessions that produced Stop Talking . A lot of material that I love was left off of that album for one reason or another. Whether it was because the songs didn’t fit tonally or thematically, or the sonics didn’t match up, I found myself sitting on a pile of stuff that couldn’t find a home. I’m not sure if this is my new album or a companion piece to the last one (Disc 2, if you will)...

' Sara ' is the first single taken from the upcoming Teitur album ' I Want To Be Kind '. Buy or stream the song here: TeiturMusic.lnk.to/SaraSt If you're old-fashioned - just wait for the new record!  

Preparing for his latest record " Dudes ", David Mead created a 25 song collection named " 25 Days To Dudes " in 2011 for free. It contains some of David’s best hits, album cuts and previously unreleased outtakes from the last 12 years, plus two new songs from Dudes .   To say it's a fine collection is underestimated by far. It is superb. Listen to it! Listen to the collection and get it here: noisetrade.com/davidmead/25-days-to-dudes

Jeremy Messersmith is back with his latest album having the excellent and reflecting the current state of the world title Late Stage Capitalism .  The lead single is called Purple Hearts (listen below). The album is out due March 9, 2018. Pre-order the upcoming album Late Stage Capitalism now: www.jeremymessersmith.com

In July 2012 Mike Viola released his latest full length record Acousto de Perfecto . You can order it directly at Lojinx (vinyl, CD, digital). Along with the record release Mike Viola was so kind to give me an interview: How Acousto De Perfecto did came about? After recording Electro De Perfecto and playing a few shows with my rock trio around Los Angeles I headed out on tour solo, alone with my guitar where I landed on this idea to make Acousto De Perfecto . Stripped down versions of Electro De Perfecto . I have this tendency to compartmentalize my material. "This is my rock record" - "this is my live acoustic record with all new songs" - "this is my guy trapped in his basement far reaching swinging for the fences POP record" - this whole idea of Acousto De Perfecto kind of flies in the face of compartmentalization. Confuses things.  Muddles the story.  But it's ultimately really satisfying to hear the Acousto De Perfec...