Two for Thursday, 9/8/11

Baby Scream-Secret Place. Juan Pablo Mozzolla & Co. are back again with their third full-length in three years, and Secret Place finds Baby Scream branching out from the (mostly) mellow Lennonesque pop they've become known for. There's a reggae track ("Cold Weather Reggae"), some neo-soul ("Patiently") and a T. Rex cover ("20th Century Baby") to spice things up, and the opening track "The Last Call" has a rootsy, Band-like feel. But those who come for the languid, melodic pop of the previous releases won't be disappointed either - "Hit and Run" and "London Sun" are standouts in this regard. Mozzolla continues to refine his craft, and we're the better for it.

iTunes | MySpace

Former-The Kids Deserve Cable. Since the release of 2008's And Nothing But the Truth, Former's Denny Smith has been busy with The Great Affairs, releasing 2 full-lengths and an EP. But here Smith puts his alter ego aside for another turn of hard power pop that has more in common with Butch Walker and Cheap Trick than the mellow roots pop of his other band. The frenetic "Head Light" lets you know where you stand right off the bat with a driving hard pop beat that recalls the Foo Fighters. "How Does it Feel?" steps off the accelerator a bit but still rocks out in a Steve Bertrand/Rob Bonfiglio fashion, while "Sister" has that Walker's kind of swagger. And "Lie to Me" is a flat-out classic (see video below). For those who want to emphasize the "power" in "power pop", this is your disc.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

A quick roundup.

Former-And Nothing But The Truth. This Nashville band describes their music as "loud pop", and I can't disagree. High-energy rock/pop that recalls Swirl 360, Steve Bertrand's Avion, and Rob Bonfligio in spots, Former is truly worth checking out. Highlights include "Lies", "I'll Sleep" and "Nobody Knows You". Perfect for those who love the "power" in "power pop".

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

SpreaderCraig-Who I Am. This pop singer/songwriter from Sheffield, England with the strange moniker has given us a charming debut that will appeal to fans of Neil Finn, Glenn Tilbrook and Mitch Linker . Top tracks: "I'm Gonna Make It", "A Million and One Things Unsaid" and "I'm on Top of the World". But be warned - these tracks definitely have a quite high stick-in-your-head factor.

CD Baby | MySpace | iTunes

Mitch Friedman-Game Show Teeth. You may not be able to judge a book by its cover but quite often you can with albums. No better example of that than Mitch Friedman's Game Show Teeth, which is as quirky and goofy as the cover art would indicate. No joke, though, is the fact that XTC's Andy Partridge and Dave Gregory help out with the proceedings, and Friedman is a fine songsmith even if his songwriting is in service of some silly numbers. "This is a Song" is a particular standout, as Friedman mocks, lays bare, and pays homage to the classic pop song structure. Obviously your QTF (quirk tolerance factor) may vary, and you'll know within one or two tracks whether you love it or hate it, but one thing you shouldn't do is ignore it.

CD Baby | Official album site (a hoot) | iTunes