92 Degrees, an overlooked classic

If your a fan of Shoes, you'll like these guys even more. Not quite as tame as Shoes but with a similar knack for catchy hooks and multi-layered harmonies, these guys produced a debut that I still listen to often. On the Black Vinyl label and produced by Jeff Murphy, it's consistent with the Chicago power pop sound of bands like Shoes, Material Issue, and Cheap Trick...with a lot more in common with Shoes than the later two.

The band consists of Mike Galassini on vocals and bass,
Steve Steffens on lead vocals and guitar, and Dane Svoboda on drums.
Standout tracks include: I've Been Thinking of You, I'm Telling You Now, Sharon Won't, In Her Glow, and She'll Never Know. If you should find this in teh cut-out bin of your local Wal-Mart grab it. It's a keeper.

Nu Look From An Old Dog

If you're familair with North Carolina pop, you know Don Dixon is a giant among giants. Even if you're not familiar with North Carolina pop, you know Don Dixon's work. He's produced hit records for the Smithereens and Marshall Crenshaw among other. I was amazed at what a soulfull voice he has when I last saw him in concert.

His new record (which is actually over a year old) is a collection of pieces written by himself with several contributions from other NC luminaries. You'll hear songs by Jamie Hoover (Spongtones) and Hollsapple/Stamey (dB's) as well as Dixon's originals. There's also a few old blues covers that are really outstanding.

This disk comes highly recommended to anyone who's taste straddles the line between pop and soul. If that's you, pick this one up right away.

PS-Don Dixon performs in Winston Salem NC tonight at The Garage. If you're in the neighborhood don't mess it.

House of a Thousand Guitars...Thanks A Million!

I must admit that I've never been a Willie Nile fan. I'd heard very little of his music and I was under the impression that he was nearly a Dylan / Springsteen knock-off. Boy, was I wrong. Someone sent me the latest release (thanks, Gary!) and I figured that it couldn't hurt to give it a listen. House of a Thousand Guitars is nothing short of a top notch pop record.

I never thought of Willie Nile as pop. I doubt if he does. This collection of songs runs the gamit from protest songs to anthems, to introspective pieces...and they're all outstanding. But I'm a pop guy so it's those songs that I focus on. While you may think of Nile in terms of Dylan like protest songs or Springsteen like social commentary, this guy writes pop hooks that stick like bubblegum. You can't ignore it. The irresistible "Her Love Falls Like Rain" makes me think of Tom Petty, who's songwriting has as much in common with Nile as anyone else in my estimation. In fact, had the Traveling Willburys done this song we'd all be hearing it on the radio as it would be in constant rotation. The anthemic "Give Me Tomorrow" is likely about the hope and promise of a new administration in Washington (a viewpoint I do not share, by the way) but one can't deny how catchy this song is, with a hook that will grab you and carry you away until you find yourself shouting along "Give me tomorrow, nah, nah, nah, Give me tomorrow, nah nah nah, Give me tomorrow nah, nah nah, right now". Great stuff. Nile and power pop mutually exclusive? I think not! Give "Magdalena" a listen and tell me you couldn't see the Romantics doing that number. With another undeniable hook you simply cannot escape, you'll be humming this one for days. In short, go out and buy this CD. It's an order.