Fountains of Wayne--Traffic And Weather

Big event here!  Just released...Review coming soon...

Featured Tracks: "Someone To Love", "This Better Be Good", "I-95"

Holmes--Stop Go

Singer/Songwriter/Producer Roy Shakked is Holmes and his latest release Stop Go is a refreshing cross-section of musical genres.  Holmes serves up punchy Rock, tuneful Power Pop and even smooth R&B with the help of top-notch musicians the likes of Lyle Workman and Brett Simons.  It doesn't get much more fun than the title track, which delivers exactly what it's title promises.  The whistle-along melodic treat that is "Another Week" recalls other tune-masters like Bleu and The Argument.  "Five Days A Week" is a smooth Power Pop ride right out of the Joe Jackson songbook.  You've probably heard Holmes already as his music has been featured on many television shows and album compilations.  Chances are you'll be hearing a lot more of him everywhere else very soon.

Featured Tracks: "Stop Go", "Another Week", "Five Days A Week"

The Fire Apes--The Fire Apes EP

The Fire Apes absolutely kill on their new EP.  "Hey Kate!" and "It's Over" are nothing less than Power Pop classics with super catchy choruses and slamming power chords.  What's really different about "Hey Kate!" is the way The Fire Apes contrast a reggae-flavored bridge between the chugging verse and a chorus that would make Rivers Cuomo blush.  "It's Over" is an outstanding track with emotion-heavy lead vocals with just the right backing harmonies to keep it sweet in the ears.  Watch these guys...they've got what it takes to be massive. 

Featured Tracks: "Hey Kate!", "It's Over"

Simon Morel--Record #2

British-born turned Australian singer-songwriter Simon Morel has just released his second record, appropriately titled Record #2.  It features two indie-pop gems, "As Time Goes By" which falls very close to the Jason Falkner pop tree and "Tomorrow's Maybe", a power chorded rocker that sounds like a lead track from a Sloan or perhaps a Teenage Fanclub album.  Record #2 is sure to be appreciated by fans of jangle pop and smart indie-rock.

Featured Tracks: "As Time Goes By", "Tomorrow's Maybe"

Class Three Overbite--Rendezvous

Bradley Jendza and Mike Elgert (whose Days Gone By release made our "Best of 2006" list) absolutely astound here with Rendezvous, an album jam-packed with pop/rock goodness.  Rendezvous is a blast to listen to as its loaded with great songs of varied styles, all wonderfully executed and expertly performed and arranged.  Check out the disco-flavored title track, the Queen meets Jellyfish-like sweetness of "No Good Rotten" and the riff-heavy 70's guitar rock of "Milkshake".  Prepare to be knocked out by this one!

Featured Tracks: "Milkshake", "Rendezvous", "No Good Rotten"

CATCHpenny--From Where You Are

Review coming soon...

Featured Tracks: "Tell Me Tomorrow", "When You're Gone", "Jealousy"

Wired All Wrong--Break Out The Battle Tapes

Review coming soon...

Featured Tracks: "Let Me Go", "Nothing At All"

First Wave Hello--The Lord and It's Penguin

Review coming soon...

Featured Tracks: "Suitable", "Falling Apart"

The Ditchflowers--Carried Away (Sunshine Drenchy Records)

Tampa-based Ditchflowers have mixed sharp melodies, thoughtful lyrics and wonderful production into a pleasing package titled Carried Away.  Ed Woltil and Brian Merrill head up this talented cast of musicians who offer songs of longing, faith and getting older into tuneful tales of intrigue.  The Ditchflowers have excelled here, merging sophisticated pop not unlike Steely Dan and XTC with the straight-ahead rock of artists like The Smithereens and The Kinks.  The songs "Home Away From Home" and "All The Time In The World" feature pretty pop that fit in seamlessly with country-flavored tracks like "Since I Met You" and "Walkin' Back".

Featured Tracks: "All The Time In The World", "Since I Met You"

Tripsitter--California Son (Side B Music)

Perfect summertime music has arrived in the form of Tripsitter.  Actually, this CD was released back in 2005, but in anticipation of a new album in 2007, we're adding songs from this terrific effort.  The sounds here are familiar and fresh at once, with bright harmonies and strong, smooth vocals.  You can put this one in the tray, hit play and let it go.  Tripsitter's tunes are definitely influenced by the Beach Boys and the Beatles but we can also hear the Tories, the Churchills and Jellyfish.

Featured Tracks: "California Son", "Transformation", "There Goes The Sun"

The John Does--The John Does

The John Does are Jim Roberts, Scott Cresswell and Chris Benelli.  They've put together a dynamite demo of tunes which exemplify their skill and experience in recording, performing and production.  "Shine" is a delight that sounds like a long lost song by The Grays with a little help on guitar from The Smithereens.  Honestly, is Jason Falkner doing the vocals on this one?  "Life Is Beautiful" is a breakneck rocker with plenty of distorted Power Pop guitars and some great keyboard fills.  We're hoping to have a few more tunes from this super effort soon!

Featured Tracks: "Shine", "Life Is Beautiful"

Matt Beal--Contributions For An Atom Bomb

Ah yes, the joys of straight ahead, blasting rock are here for all to enjoy courtesy of Matt Beal.  Matt scores big time with "Atom Bomb", a big smack of growling guitars that we know would raise the roof off any arena.  Matt and his Gibsons are also in fine form on "Get In", which combines Led Zeppelin swagger with Billy Squier-like vocals.  There's excellent guitar work all over this CD and the influences of the Black Crowes, Nirvana and King's X are evident.

Featured Tracks: "Atom Bomb", "Get In"

Red Carpet Rats--Red Carpet Rats

Check out these two great new tunes from Nashville's Red Carpet Rats.  This is radio ready rock filled with terrific vocals and harmonies and choruses that absolutely stick in your cerebellum.  There's a Marvelous 3/Butch Walker vibe going on within these songs with the obligatory nods to Cheap Trick.  Here's hoping they have an EP or LP or something coming soon.

Featured Tracks: "Photographic Memory", "Creeping In"

The Alice Rose--Phonographic Memory

Purveyors of fine Pop should be quite overwhelmed with The Alice Rose, an exciting quintet out of Austin, Texas.  They have managed to assemble a collection of fresh and bright music with not a trace of filler to be found anywhere.  When we say fresh we mean it, The Alice Rose has certainly taken cues from bands like The Beatles, Jellyfish and Squeeze, but they have used these influences to create something original.  Phonographic Memory sets the melodic mood from the very start with "Light Up", a guitar-based mid-tempo rocker that mixes Gish-era Smashing Pumpkins with Ed Kowalczyk (Live) sounding vocals.  "Ocean" is a smooth Gin Blossoms-meets-Squeeze tune, that's jacked up by a grungy guitar solo backed by ever so tastefully slight harmonies.  The album wraps up with the full-on chugging "This Night", a song that could have led off the album much less closed it.  It's proof positive that Phonographic Memory is loaded.

Featured Tracks: "Light Up", "This Night", "Ocean"

Fall Out Boy--Infinity On High

The Pop/Punk genre has evolved to the point where it's mass-market acceptance has loaded it with a lot of bands that frankly don't deserve the airplay (or sales, for that matter) that they receive.  However, to our ears, Fall Out Boy is not one of these bands.  Listening to Infinity On High has made us aware that they deserve to be elevated to the elite class of bands within the Pop/Punk genre.  In our opinion, it's time to mention Fall Out Boy in the same breath as the genre's respected acts like My Chemical Romance, Green Day and All-American Rejects.  Infinity On High signals an evolution in their music.  They're often experimenting here and it's a welcome step toward maturity and well-deserved respect.

Featured Tracks: "The Take Over, The Break's Over", "Hum Hallelujah", "I'm Like A Lawyer...(Me & You)"

Tammany Hall Machine--Amateur Saw

This is appealing 60's-flavored pop with an undercurrent of edgy psychedelic rock just below it's surface.  Better yet, Joel Mullins and the rest of THM manage to lend a spirit of experimentation to the music.  The influences of such fixtures as The Beatles and The Beach Boys are all over this one, but we can also offer up a sound comparison to that of more current artists like Redd Kross and Superdrag.

Featured Tracks: "Mega Lamb", "Authority", "Pedal To The Metal"

The Hard Left--The Avant-Garde Sounds of The Hard Left

Driving rock is what you're going to hear when you take a listen to The Avant-Garde Sounds of The Hard Left.  This Minneapolis band's debut release was produced by Ed Ackerson (Polara, Pete Yorn, etc.).  The tunes here are straight-ahead garage guitar rockers with strong choruses and great vocal work.  For comparisons sake, their sound reminds us of fellow city-mates Hindurodeo and The Replacements and a couple of other not-so-local bands like Ruth Ruth and The Kinks.

Featured Tracks: "Who She's Gonna Turn To", "Take It Out On Me"

Ed James--...In The 21st Century

Thrill to the Power Pop sounds of the 21st Century courtesy of Ed James.  Ed starts our journey with the effortlessly tuneful "Out Of This Town", a crunchy, chugging power-chorded beast.  It's followed by the pretty, Posies-meets-PFR wonder of harmony called "She's The One".  "Girl Gone Bad" is a marvel, it's as if Ed hired Andy Sturmer to front Adrian Belew and The Bears.  "Miss Polly" is massively catchy with it's doot-doot backing vocals and clever, ultra-fun lyrics.  Recollections of the '80s come rushing back to us when we hear the Utopia-flavored pop on display when listening to "And When She Smiles".  Now...keep in mind, we've only covered the first five tracks!  This is truly a must have release that solidifies Ed James' status as a major Power Pop player.

Featured Tracks: "Out Of This Town", "Miss Polly", "Disposable"

Wiretree--Bouldin

Wiretree is a great new project from singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Peroni.  This full-length winner melds a variety of influences with an acoustically-based sound to form an instantly enjoyable, bright and catchy listening experience.  We've heard Wiretree's sound compared to The Smithereens, Tom Petty and Brendan Benson.  But we also hear Dear 23-era Posies and early (i.e. good) Goo Goo Dolls.  This is really an exciting new Indie Pop release! 

Featured Tracks: "Big Coat", "Whirl", "Don't Need It"

Jody Shelton Band--Child EP

NYC singer-songwriter Jody Shelton and his band offer up a brief preview of future listening pleasures on their new EP, "Child".  The title track leads things off and its a winner.  Jangly, shiny guitars coax Shelton's vocals into a higher register within a beautifully subdued chorus.  The practically bouncy "Driveway" contradicts its upbeat pace by painting a picture of a loner who seems to long for more than his solitary existence.  It brings us back to an old Todd Rundgren tune named "Hideaway", which we love it for.  Thankfully, more is coming from the Jody Shelton Band as they plan to release their first full-length LP in 2007.

Featured Tracks: "Child", "Driveway"