Tag: power pop

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The Bret Tobias Set “For Christ’s Sake” (2025)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

Hey! Is The Bret Tobias Set lining up to be a yearly Philadelphia Christmas tradition? Can I manifest this? We’ll see… (I missed 2024’s song… but go check it out!)

I wrote about The Bret Tobias Set’s excellent 2023 cover of Everything But the Girls’ “25th December” earlier this year, with what might be one of my shortest reviews of recent memory. I don’t know why I get sheepish about that kind of stuff – I just don’t want folks to think because I haven’t gone on and on about their record that I don’t really love it. Some days I just have a few minutes to spare, a headache, or existential ennui… you know… shit happens! Do all those words above count towards the review? I hope so!

The Bret Tobias Set is back with a reworking of a 2004 song that Bret wrote with his previous band, The Bigger Lovers, for their last record, This Affair Never Happened… And Here Are Eleven Songs About It. Bret calls the Lovers’ version “blue-eyed soul,” and I suppose I hear that – but it just sounds like a rock ballad to me. When I hear the term blue-eyed soul, I think about half the bands on Colemine Records, not The Bigger Lovers. But I am NO expert, despite this silly site.

Bret’s new version, which he calls a “country pop duet,” has Bret sharing vocals with Krista Umile, and man, these voices sound lovely together. The song lightens with the addition of Krista as well as the increased tempo, and as a result, the length shortens enough to leave you wanting more. I do hear the country twang, but I don’t know if I’d call this “country pop.” I would call it an “alt.country power pop ballad.” Gotta complicate things!

Bottom Line: This song’s arrangement feels like it has found its forever home.

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Heyrocco “Christmas Shopping in Santa Monica” (2022)

Cobraside
Buy: Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Amazon.uk MP3 | Amazon.de MP3 | Amazon.fr MP3

Is a band from the town they started in, or the town they have resided in for a while? Like, are the National a Cincinnati band, or a Brooklyn band? I find myself mulling this over as I think about Heyrocco… who are either from Charleston, South Carolina or Los Angeles. So, pick your flavor, and now that I’ve placed them in the general United States, we can move on. Heyrocco’s most recent release also happens to be their excellent 2022 Christmas song, “Christmas Shopping in Santa Monica.” This song has a late 90s – early 2000’s powerpop feel that I love. The jangling rhythm guitars, the layered vocal harmonies, all the “oh yeahs,” I’m transported back in time. It’s a fun one, you’ll like it.

Of note, this is not the only Heyrocco Christmas song… there are a few Bandcamp accounts that all appear to be associated with the band, and they covered (as did everyone) Wham’s “Last Christmas” back in 2014. Low-fi demo quality, but interesting to hear in comparison. Around 2:20 it gets weird, which is worth a listen if you’re curious.

Bottom Line: This is the kind powerpop that I love.

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Health & Wellbeing – Christmas Demos (2022)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp (NYOP)

Who is this mysterious Health & Wellbeing? I can’t find anything on them! Too bad, because I’m jamming to these Christmas Demos and they are quite good. Power/dream/brit pop original Christmas songs. I’m absolutely positive that they are going to be somebody’s favorite from this holiday season. There’s even a little nod to The Rolling Stones in “Take it Easy this Christmas,” and it totally works. These were all recorded in the past 3 weeks, and if these are the demos… look the fuck out for the full versions, because these sound great already.

Bottom Line: Well that was a short, rather shitty review for what are 4 pretty great songs? Well… yeah. But now you know about them at least, even if we know nothing about the band!

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David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels “Winter Tragedy” (2021)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

David Newton, of C86 indie popsters The Mightly Lemon Drops, has just dropped this toe-tapper of a holiday song. Plenty of hooks and handclaps infuse this joyous romp with enough energy to get you through a whole afternoon. But then you listen to the lyrics – and that is where they get ya! Indiepop has this way of having such happy music, with terribly dark or sad lyrics. “Winter Melody, winter tragedy’s here / Picturesque landscape surrounded by holiday tears / Cold and bleak December / Frozen to the bone / Stranded at the airport / December all alone.” Ahhh well, just keep dancing!

However, I must say… the video is deceiving! David Newton plays every note on this song! Thee Mighty Angels is pretty much David doing overdubs… those his friends hanging out to be video stars and drink cold beer. Which would actually work really well for me… as I don’t play anything well enough to be in a band. Starting a band but need some fake musicians to back you up? DM me!

Bottom Line: Just a bit of tragic fun – a classic indiepop bait & switch!

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The Martial Arts – Christmas With The Martial Arts (2020)

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp

I’m in a mood tonight. I want to just yell and swear (in a good way) about every record I find. You have no idea what I’ve already written and deleted for this review, but let your mind go crazy. Glasgow’s The Martial Arts is a project of Paul Kelly, whose CV is a murderers row of great bands (BMX Bandits / Carla J Easton / The Primary 5 / Ette / Radiophonic / Tuckshop / How to Swim / The Hector Collectors) has put together this just FUCKING FUN AND WONDERFUL Christmas EP, recorded over eight years and finished over lockdown. The first two bouncing, beautiful tracks, “Stockings” and “Snow Flakes,” just take off like a rocket and shoot sparklers out of their ass for four minutes a piece. I devoured every second, with a giant grin on my face. “My Christmas was in June” is a cover of a Ze Malibu (feat. members of Redd Kross and that dog) song, and while the tempo slows to a stroll, the scenery is gorgeous. The final track and the only one actually fully-recorded in 2020, “Blinded by the Night” takes me back to the 80’s, to an emotional moment in a movie with lots of driving in the rain and staring out the window. “Stare into my bright disco eyes,” god I love that line. Go buy this record, but wait a few hours for #Bandcampfriday, why don’t ya?

Bottom Line: This is an indie/power/retro pop mixture that, like the unholy concoction the Long Island iced tea, will fuck you up real good.

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Jeremy Neale “Christmas (Turn This Around)” (2017)

Dot Dash / Remote Control Records
Buy: Bandcamp

Aussie Jeremy Neale LOVES Christmas. His first Christmas single, 2016’s “Christmas Time (Is My Favourite Time Of The Year)” pretty much sums up his holiday attitude. (That track is great too, maybe I’ll need another post.) His 2017 Christmas single, “Christmas (Turn This Around),” finds Jeremy giving a holiday humbugger a pep talk – they have never found happiness in Christmas, but he is going to turn their holiday around. The driving power-pop rhythm culminates in a flurry of brass and congas that will not be denied, making this perhaps the happiest Christmas song that I can possibility stand at the moment. I mean, can’t you tell I’m falling apart here? I am writing about HAPPY MUSIC. I’m desperately trying to be positive. GO VOTE.

Bottom Line: This song is so happy it could turn a grinch into a Who! GO VOTE. *smooches*

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Color TV “This Christmas” (2016)

Color TV - This Christmas

Self Released
Buy: Bandcamp | Vinyl

The other day while checking out what my fellow Bandcamp enthusiasts are buying… I came across this powerpop gem from LA’s Color TV. The production is great, the lyrics are clever, but it’s the attitude that really sells this song. This band has a polite snarl (yeah, wrap your head around that description) that just works so well. This song could get WAY more eyes, had it only had the “christmas” tag in Bandcamp! Quick side note… BANDCAMP, get your act together and give us a better keyword search! OK, got that out of my system – but THERE IS MORE TO THIS SONG THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. This track is part of a new, vinyl (or digital download card) compilation on Gearhead Records, Rodney On the Rock Presents: Santa’s Got a GTO Vol. 2 LP, which is available (with no additional track list) at the Gearhead Records website. So, throw some money at them – either $1 at Bandcamp, or $22 if you’ve got money to burn and collect Christmas vinyl! I know there are some crazy folks out there… go now, it has got to be pretty limited.

Bottom Line: Power-pop with attitude that bleeds through the speakers. Brilliant.

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Make Like Monkeys “Christmas Doesn’t Last” (2017)

Make Like Monkeys

Self Released
Buy: Free!

HELL YEAH! Make Like Monkeys, whose back catalogue of Christmas tunes is vast, has made what I consider to be… his best Christmas song yet! This power pop jam of a boozy Christmas has a complex levity that I truly appreciate at this particular moment. “So screw the bills, the mortgage and the cat / you gotta grab it now, cause Christmas doesn’t last.” There is screaming along to Christmas songs, drunken joy and close friends, but also a reminder of those credit card bills waiting for you on the other side. You know, reality. But I FEEL that sentiment… you gotta grab it now, cause Christmas (hell, everything) doesn’t last.

Bottom Line: Make Like Monkeys has upped his game even higher. Truly pleased Mark reached out today. (Of note, I find this song best listened to loud… louder than your computer speakers might let you. Just gives it that extra bit of oomph.)

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Make Like Monkeys “Xmas Time W/ U” (2016)

Make Like Monkeys

Self Released
Buy: Stream

Ok… so I pretty much just chose one song, because to tackle the whole thing would be overwhelming. There are 20+ songs on Make Like Monkeys’ Soundcloud account – some covers, and lots of originals. Not many have over 50 listens, and for these most recent ones… I was the first tick on the counter. “Xmas Time W/ U” is one of 6 new tracks released overnight, each one with the same 60’s influenced, lo-fi power pop treatment. I wish I knew more about MLM, but truly, Soundcloud is it – no other social media to be found. Simply said, the songwriting and production are certainly more interesting than most milquetoast Christmas releases, and especially for you power-pop folks, you may just find what you’re looking for here.

Bottom Line: Make Like Monkey’s Christmas output is certainly worthy of many more listens. There is some really solid stuff here.

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Los “Christmas In D” (2016)

Los "Big Surf"

Grande Vague Musique
Buy: Bandcamp | Amazon MP3 | Vinyl (shipping from Canada)

How about some surf/power-pop from Québec for your hump day enjoyment? Los‘ released Big Surf on October 7th, their LP follow-up to the EP Small Surf, and snuck a Christmas song on the end! “Christmas in D” has me recalling the feel and sound of Mojave 3 at their most poppy, which isn’t necessarily very poppy, but more a mid-tempo, atmospheric, country-twinged dream pop scenario. I’m thinking this through as I write it, so bear with me. I’m really feeling a healthy dash of Pernice Brothers too, especially with the dark lyrics and the vocal layering. “All is well, you never can tell / If heaven is a place to sell / if loving is a wishing well / pulling you under” Los has some nice turns of phrase here, highlighted nicely with multiple listens (so listen!). Los has delivered a complex and interesting Christmas song, perfect for a place like Christmas Underground, and poison for a Christmas party. Hey… that would be a good tagline for this site!

Botton Line: A complex song stylistically, lyrically, and emotionally. Los has my vote! #twomoreweeksofhell

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