February Album Reviews: Bloody Red Baron
GUEST POST: Mike Baron
Mike Baron (aka Bloody Red Baron) was the longtime album reviewer for Pop Geek Heaven. With the closure of that legendary power pop newsletter, we are very happy to host his latest round of album reviews here at Remember The Lightning.
Joy Buzzer—Pleased To Meet You (Wicked Cool)
The album design echoes The Replacements’ Pleased To Meet Me, but no one will confuse them. This record snaps and pops on every track, opening with a bang and a high singing bass on “Judy Judy Judy.” Plimsouls thrust meets XTC melodic invention on every track. “Jeanette” unfolds like a cascading mountain stream, the guitar a playful trout. “The Secret Word” is reminiscent of Ransom and the Subset, one of the year’s best releases. They both share an instinct for distinctive melody—unexpected but delightful. There’s a sweetness to all these songs without being cloying. “Vicki Loves a Garden” is serendipitous, adjacent in theme and melody to The Secret Powers’ “What Every Rose Grower Should Know.” I’d bet money neither of these bands is aware of the other. Even “Try Not to Be an Asshole” has a great melody. Certain to end up on Top Ten lists for the year.
The Cheap Cassettes—They’ll Never Forgive You For Pop (Rum/Bar)
You might think these guys are punk squallers from their name but they’re not. The Seattle-based quartet, formerly of Boston, claims pop punk roots but the music is too sophisticated for punk. Forgive me, but I associate punk with bands that substitute passion for virtuosity, and these guys are virtuosos, from the incandescent guitar fill on “New Gun In Town” to the roadhouse contours of “Bad Xerox.” Charles Matthews’ singing sounds artless on “The Right Note.” He sticks the melody without affectation, pulling a paisley bridge out of nowhere with his guitar. The record is unexpected. Full throated horns on “Hung the Moon” with another memorable guitar fill and endless first/fourth harmonizing. It pulses like a lighthouse. Echoes of the Shazam, but stronger echoes of the early Stones, especially “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” on “Down to Mexico,” a six and a half minute epic. All these songs are longer than you would expect and none overstay their welcome. “Down to Mexico” sounds like the soundtrack to a Sam Peckinpah movie.
The On And Ons—Come On In (Jem Records)
Aussie quartet gets power pop from the inside out. Filled with yeahs and shout-outs, this album contains elements from every era, from the British invasion to the American revolution to the Scandinavian reconstruction. “Long Ride” sounds a little like Automat, but these guys are so exuberant and polished, comparisons are optional. “She’s Leaving” has the maturity and depth of The Grays and the melodic explosion of The Beckies. “Let Ya Hair Down” reminds me of Milwaukee’s The Shivvers, with better sound quality. “Games People Play” could have come from The Hollies, the harmonies, and the delicate acoustic guitar solo. The Kinks might have written “To Die For.” A tour de force.
Sorrows—Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow (Big Stir Records)
Hard to believe this was recorded in one all-night session in 1981. It bursts from the speakers as fresh as tomorrow. Arthur Alexander’s compositions are instantly identifiable due to his chord changes, all over his 2018 release One Bar Left (highly recommended.) The Stones’ “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows?” sounds nothing like the Stones. It sounds like the Sorrows. “Slo Surfin’” is an instrumental showcase for surf guitar. It’s nice enough but it’s songs with vocals we crave, and with fourteen tracks, nothing’s missing. “Let Me Know” flashes rockabilly roots. “Cricket Man” begins with a capella harmony before diving into the Beatles-like piano intro, circa Magical Mystery Tour, fully fleshed out in Sorrows regalia. Joey Cola’s “That’s Your Problem” dives back into rockabilly. The assured and exuberant “Love Ain’t Nothin’ (Without You)” is the last original, but the last song is Leslie Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me,” sounding nothing like the original.
