Catcing up with some more old friends.

Here's another round of artists previously featured here who have new material out:

Artist: The Great Affairs
Last Seen on AbPow: November 2010 with Ricky Took the Wheels.
New release: Happy Ender EP.
A few words: fORMER's Denny Smith is back with the third Great Affairs release in about 18 months time, and this EP is more of their laid-back, tuneful best. Happy Ender was recorded over two days in the studio and it has a loose-limbed feel, with the peppy "Bird on a Wire" the highlight. Smith also advises there's a new fORMER album in the works, always welcome news.
Links: CD Baby | iTunes | ReverbNation

Artist: Michael Gross & The Statuettes
Last Seen on AbPow: August 2010 with Telepath.
New release: Imaginary Signs EP.
A few words: Gross & Co. have been quite busy these days, and the new EP is a continuation of their heartland rock sound. The one departure here is "A Revelation", which reminds me of Bends-era Radiohead.
Links: Bandcamp | iTunes



Artist: The Brigadier
Last Seen on AbPow: November 2010 with The Secret of No Success.
New release: Holiday Special EP.
A few words: Matt Williams returns again with a seasonally-themed EP, this one summer-related. The standout here is the leadoff track "When the Sun Comes Out", which captures summer's optimistic, carefree nature while being a damn catchy tune.
Links: CD Baby | Bandcamp | iTunes



Artist: Radio Days
Last Seen on AbPow: October 2008 with Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous.
New release: C'est La Vie.
A few words: This Italian band is back with another disc of their Paul Collins Beat (with whom they shared a 7" release)-styled power pop. The followup to their debut EP is an excellent one, from the Beatlesque "Sleep it Off" to the Teenage Fanclub-influenced "Enemies for Friends" to the jangle pop of "Sweetest Lullaby".
Links: Bandcamp (two tracks) | iTunes

Wednesday Roundup.

Billy Kill-Minuits in the Making. Billy Kill hails from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, a Philly suburb, and his debut disc is a definite ear-catcher. It's kind of a combination of Doug Powell and Bryan Scary with a bit of Jason Falkner thrown in. Top tracks: "You Belong to Me", "Big Things Come", the 80s-kitschy "Destination Love", the gay wedding celebration of "Patti & Susie" (where the Bryan Scary comparison comes in), and "Salvadore Dali", whose art inspired the album cover. And the hometown tribute "Conshohocken Strut" closes the disc with a perfect dose of whimsy. I can definitely see this one being big among fans of the more baroque power poppers mentioned above.

CD Baby

Kai Reiner-Kai Reiner. We all know the old saying about judging a book by its cover, but this is one case where you can most definitely judge a disc by its cover art. The Rickenbacker pictured on the cover of Kai Rainer's debut disc says it all: 11 tracks of jangle. Although he's German, there's a Swedish power pop sound at work here (I hear The Tangerines) as well as a definite Teenage Fanclub influence. Top tracks: "Cold Summer", "Only We Both Know", "I Don't Want Your Crown" (definite TF sound), and the driving "Brown Eyes". There's a real uniform quality to these tracks, and if jangle's your thing, Kai Reiner's your man.

CD Baby | MySpace

Radio Days-Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous. At Absolute Powerpop, we scour the globe for power pop, leaving no stone unturned. Our latest global find is Italy's Radio Days, and their enjoyable EP Midnight Cemetery Rendezvous (OK, truth be told, we haven't left Florida and they sent a disc for review). These guys do put the power in power pop, and recall a mix of Cheap Trick and the Paul Collins Beat. "Brand New Life" comes right out the gate with hooks, guitars and more, "Don't Keep Me Waiting" throws a bit of Beatlesque melody into their crunchy mix, and "Rock 'n' Roll Girl" will have your head a-bobbin'. Bravissimo, guys!

MySpace | Buy Here