THE BADGE
Calling Generation Mojo (Detour; CD)
     The Badge nail their colours to the mast on the cover, which proclaims 'File under 60's Mod Beat Pop.' Happily this doesn't mean the band are a boating jacketed three piece  bashing out third rate Jam and Who impersonations! I have always considered "mod" to be an elusive musical description. The Badge aren't "beat" in the Kaisers/Rapiers sense, either. However, there is definitely a lot of good '60s influenced pop to be found on this record. This styling is evident from the way the band pronounce Mojo on the very first song. (A title like 'Calling Generation Mojo' should be good for lots of jokes about our esteemed editor, but I can't think of any at the moment.)
     Essentially The Badge are a fine power pop band, equally at home with up beat numbers like 'It Girl' or romantic ballads like 'All For Love'. The production, (by band member Jeff Slate) is full and strong, the guitar parts are varied and the harmonies and backing vocals are fine. The Keyboard contributions are also crucial. 'Reach Out, I'll Be There' is not often covered as it is hard to match the instrumental clout and vocal virtuosity of the original, but they have a good go at it.
http://www.detour-records.co.uk/
Phil Suggitt

BEAM
Beam (Antenna Farm; CD)
     Information about this band is sparse, as their web site is still under construction. Song writer and lead vocalist Helene Renaut sounds French, and sings the first song in French, but it isn't clear if the other three male members of the band are French Canadians. The second song is 'California Cradled You', so they could be American.
     This is a modern take on the largely acoustic, jazz/folk records that Vanguard records used to put out. Helene's songs have a quiet, dreamy feel to them. A typical Beam song goes at a slow, restrained pace. There is a subtle, jazzy ambience, due to the vocal phrasing and the sparing use of violas, trumpets, piano and vibes to add little flourishes to the largely acoustic songs. Most of the guitars are acoustic, electric guitars are used quietly and selectively.
     This is the kind of modern record I would expect to hear in the type of boho café that serves 32 kinds of java and has copies of the Beat writers lying around. There is a nice feel that I prefer to the individual songs. At times Beam veer towards inoffensive background music, but usually there are enough little vocal and instrumental touches to keep you listening.
www.antennafarmrecords.com/
Phil Suggitt

CHAMELEON
The Music Plays On (Demo CD)
     Chameleon are a three-piece blues rock unit based in Lymington, Hampshire. They are all seasoned players indeed, their drummer is Gary Murphy, ex-Mike Stuart Span / Leviathan so no shortage of experience. This is essentially a blues-rock by numbers set of eleven numbers combining Murphy (and one by guitarist Martin Perry) originals with covers (e.g.'Born To Be Wild, 'I Just Wanna Make Love To You', 'Come Together'). Whilst Perry's guitar has a nice smokey tone to it, the CD is really little more than a calling card. The vocals are adequate but don't project or cut through as this kind of music requires. At your local blues club or pub venue on a Saturday night you could do a lot worse than this, but nothing here moves beyond that.
chameleon@span47.fsnet.co.uk
www.geocities.com/chameleon_rockblues
Paul Martin 

THE COME-ONS
Play selections from the Serge Gainsbourg Songbook (Larsen; CD)
     It's a shame that The Come-Ons chose to make the A side a cover of 'Je T'Aime', because the song is so famous and internationally well known. I much prefer the more obscure B side, 'Sous Le Soleil Exactement', as it is rather more obscure, and is thus a more interesting tribute. Deanne Iovan sings well on both songs, and the 'Je T'Aime' cover is mercifully short on cheap porno gasps and sighs.
www.larsen.asso.fr/
Phil Suggitt

LES DRAGUEURS 
...A la Surboum! (Wild Wild; LP)
     Parisian garage punk band Les Dragueurs went down very well at the last Wild Weekend in Benidorm. So well, in fact, that I immediately bought their LP. As a live act showed a knack for mixing French language covers of '60s classics with some strong tunes of their own. Lead singer and guitarist Jon showed a great sense of style and humour. For example, he picked a Spanish girl from the audience and offered to write a song especially for her. The girl was called Clara, so the band played a storming version of 'Cara-Lyn' by The Strangeloves, altering the chorus to 'Clara'.
     The live Dragueurs were a four piece, adding an organist to the basic three piece on this record. The organist added a great deal to the sound, and also contributed extra backing vocals. On record, the sound is rougher and punkier than on stage - with most bands it's the other way round! A modern fuzz guitar dominates some of the songs, whereas the live band went for a much more authentic sixties band, which I much prefer.
     With this small reservation this is an enjoyable album. The stand-out songs are those that focus on simple catchy hooks and avoid a modern garage sound, such as all the great songs about particular girls: 'Sophie', ('Soapy', en Francaise,) 'Amandine', 'Metro Gjirl', 'Tati Girl' and 'Sheherazade'. You also get red vinyl, funny sleeve photos and a fun board game about a typical day in the life of a Dragueur. How can you lose?
www.grunnenrocks.nl/label/w/wildwild.htm
Phil Suggitt

EASTERLY
S/T (Not Lame; CD)
     Some pop is unfairly labelled as easy listening because it isn't "in your face" power pop. US five-piece Easterly could get tarred with this brush, as they write polite, low key pop songs with some subtle touches that can pass you by on the first couple of listens. The first song, 'Lover Is Fine', is a case in point. On first hearing it was fairly anonymous. By the third play the quiet strengths of the tune are apparent.
     The best songs on this album are slow to medium paced and brooding, such as the lengthy 'Only So Much'. The piano and keyboard parts of Noah Hall and Paul Brady are impressive, and the vocals are pleasant without being distinctive. It isn't clear if lead vocalist Hall also does all the backing vocals, as none of the other members gets a vocal credit.
www.notlame.com
Phil Suggitt

BENNY GORDINI WITH THE TEEN AXEL SOUL ARKESTRA
Ring-A-Dang Doo ( B-Soul; LP)
     This is a "father and son" LP from the Oliveres, better known as the singer and organist of The Slow Slushy Boys. Benny G, (father Denis) does all the vocals, whilst his teenage son (Teen Axel) plays everything else - drums, percussion, bass, guitar, piano, organ and vibraphone. I'm surprised there aren't some backing vocals from Mrs. Oliveres to make this a real family album!
     As on the previous 45s by this line-up, the songs are a homage to the black sounds of the '50s and '60s. There are R&B, soul, boogaloo, doo-wop influences, as well as a couple of ska and rock-steady covers and a neat soul-style version of Gainsbourg's 'Intoxicated Man'. 
     It is a tribute to Teen Axel and producer Djan that the songs sound like a funky band, not a sterile multi-tracked solo effort. This is an old-fashioned party LP, best played loud at a party, as most of the songs are uplifting, dance-orientated foot-tappers with great organ parts. Lots of original songs sit nicely with the covers, such as 'Smash it Up' and the instrumental 'Do The Elephant Step'. Move and groove!
www.larsen.asso.fr/
Phil Suggitt

THE GREEN CIRCLES 
Brass Knobs, Bevelled Edges (And in 23 Different Positions) (Off The Hip; CD)
     This is a great pop album. The opening songs, such as 'Knee Jerk Reaction' are driving Oz power pop in the tradition of The Screaming Tribesmen, Huxton Creepers et al. Lots of big, loud, simple riffs and harmony vocals. 
     The Circles are extremely versatile, and don't get stuck in a single style. They are equally adept at a variety of garage and pop styles. Slow, brooding organ dominated ballads such as 'Given Time' mingle with the epic five mins plus pop psyche of 'Jasmine T'. And how can ya not love a song about a girl in a record store called 'Girl With the Black Vinyl Heart'? There is also a loving tribute to British late '60s pop pysche, 'Brown House In Stepney'. The final live cut, 'Get On the Outside Of This', is harp wailing R&B. 
     The common denominator is that The Green Circles have more hooks than a piranhas' mouth. What makes this CD stand out from the many power pop albums in a similar style are some really, really catchy tunes.
www.offthehip.com.au
Phil Suggitt

THE JUPITER AFFECT
The Restoration of Culture After Genghis Khan (Orange Sky/Dionysus; CD)
     How does he do it? Michael Quercio looked a fresh-faced seventeen when he first emerged in the early '80s, as part of the Paisley Underground. These days he must be forty-ish, but he still looks seventeen! It isn't surgery, so what is his secret?
     Leaving aside the portrait in Mike's attic, there is an "inconsistent consistency" to all the records he has been involved in. I have enjoyed parts of all the releases by Quercio's former bands The Salvation Army, The Three O'Clock and Permanent Green Light. The same is true of this album. Some of the tunes really hit the spot, with intelligent songwriting, interesting and off-beat lyrics and pop choruses. The final song, 'Genghis Khan Love Theme', is great. Other songs are merely pleasant, and tend to wash over you. The songs which go for a rockier approach do nothing whatsoever for me (Editor: But then, I dug them.)
     Although Quercio is the lead vocalist, bassist and main songwriter, this is a four-piece band, not a solo effort. To my ears the most effective songs are those which add subtle and slightly unexpected instruments to complement Quercio's voice. The use of jazz piano, brass and strings is excellent, because they aren't allowed to swamp the tunes. Similarly, the band use theremins and moogs with taste and restraint. On the other hand, some of the tunes are spoilt by the use of incongruous "heavy" guitar or unnecessary guitar solo's that are ill at ease with the rest of the material. 
     There is a strong sense of a band having fun and playing what they love, rather than trying to shape hits. How else to explain a song called 'You Are Wise In Your Conceit O'Beautiful Woman Of the Tartars'? In the last song culture is restored and Michael sings "love is the answer to all I know and see". Who would disagree?
www.dionysusrecords.com
Phil Suggitt

THE KENNEDYS
River Of Fallen Stars 
Life Is Large (Varese Sarabande; CD)
     The Kennedys have a huge amount going for them. Maura K has a fantastic voice and I could listen to Pete K's guitar parts all day. His acoustic playing is never dull and his electric playing overflows with effervescent Rickenbacker jangle. 
     River Of Fallen Stars is a reissue of the couple's first album from '95. Although it has many good songs I prefer their later effort, Life Is Large. All the key ingredients are present; the strong female vocals and jangly guitars. There are some fine songs, particularly 'Same Old Way' and 'Winterheart'. (Who can resist a tune that begins "She's like a goddess with a loaded gun" underpinned by banks of Byrdsy guitars?) There is also a brave attempt at Richard Thompson's classic 'Wall Of Death'. However, many of the songs are based in the folk, as opposed to folk-rock idiom. As a result the second half of the CD is dominated by mournful, downbeat songs. There is a sense that some key ingredients are missing. Maura's voice is great but Pete's harmonies are too far back in the mix. 
     In the sleeve notes to their fine cover of The Beatles' 'And Your Bird Can Sing' Pete and Maura note that this has everything that they love: shimmering guitars, uplifting melodies and great harmony parts. The reason that Life Is Large is a much more satisfying album is that all three elements are present and correct. On River Of Falling Stars, the last two only appear on some of the tunes. 
     The Kennedys recorded Life is Large on the road with contributions from numerous more established names. At first glance it might seem a "heavy friends" album, but this would be a superficial assessment, as the famous names really complement the songs. Roger McGuinn's 12-string is predictably sublime on the title track, and the harmonies are much stronger due to the likes of Susan Cowsill, The Dixie Hummingbirds and Peter Holsapple. 
     The Kennedy's songwriting is more direct on Life Is Large. The tunes are mostly pop songs with middle-eights and big choruses "Uplifting melodies and great harmony parts". The songs have more of a band feel, with excellent Hammond parts from Pete. In my opinion The Kennedy's folk-rock pop songs are their forte. There are dozens of alt-country and folk singers, but hardly anyone does folk-rock well these days.
     It should also be noted that Varese Sarabande reissues are always very good value for money, as both discs have numerous extra tracks, out-takes and instrumentals.
www.varesesarabande.com
Phil Suggitt

THE LONELY HEARTS BAND
St. Nicks Christmas (Not Lame; CD)
     This CD is billed as "classic Christmas songs with a dash of Pepper". I thought that the idea of some seasonal tunes covered in the style of The Dukes Of Stratosphere might be intriguing, but this album isn't anything like that. If you see this going cheap next Christmas, pass it by. It consists of truly horrible covers produced on a cheap synthesiser. If I want to hear 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' or 'Frosty The Snowman' I need the classic versions, not some clunking synths and a drum machine. Thank heavens it's January and this ghastly mistake can be forgotten.
www.notlame.com
Phil Suggitt

THE MAHARAJAS
h-minor (Teen Sound; LP)
     In the words of The Prisoners ''cor fuck me, bloody 'ell'.
     Why have I left this album at the back of my pile of stuff-to-review for so long?? Doh!! In ignoring h-minor I've been depriving myself of perhaps the best neo-garage album of the year. Jens Lindsberg, now joined by the gravel voiced Mathias Lilja (of the greatly missed SD faves The Strollers - the last important new garage band in the world), have most certainly not forsaken songcraft for anything and turned out a wonderful album. h-minor is full of melodies backed with a beat that The Beatles made famous! This is art. Not trash! Why are a boring duo with one drumbeat and a strangulated singer and an old bloke with a big 'tache that has played the same chords for 20 years so adored when Jens is all but forgotten? The Maharajas have brilliant tunes, wit and style. They sound great without going lo-fi '60s. And in short, they are amazing! This is one helluva platter that brings to mind new bands like The Coral (who in my mind sound more garage than any of the so-called garage winners!) as much as the New England Teen Sound! If there was any justice these guys would make it beyond the garage scene. Hook, line and sinker! Take my word for it, you need this.
mistylane@iol.it
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

PEACHFUZZ
About a Bird (Orange Sky/Dionysus; CD)
     The sleeve photos and credits show Peachfuzz to be a guitar/bass/drums three piece, with Andrew Chajnacki handling all the vocals and lead guitar. I wrongly assumed from the line-up that this would be a loud garage-y record, but in fact Peachfuzz are a power pop band who go easy on the fuzz.
     This is a very much a studio album, as the songs feature a lot of harmony vocals and extra guitar parts that the band could not duplicate live, as bassist Nicole Arslan and drummer Tom Hernandez are not credited as singing or playing other instruments.
     Peachfuzz have promise. Andrew Chajnacki emerges as a young songwriter aiming to combine some of the classic elements of power pop. His songs are clearly in the Big Star/Cheap Trick tradition, without being slavishly imitative. When it works, as in 'About A Bird' and in the mainly acoustic 'Pop Fiction', the songs are memorable and combine originality with tradition and great hooks. The next song, 'Have You Always Known Me', supports my contention that some of the songs are competent without being sufficiently distinctive to be really memorable. In general the rockier songs sound like pop-by-numbers. 'Foolish Girl' and 'Little Signs' are really fine songs with melodic, yearning harmonies and an acoustic foundation. This type of song works best, as some of the vocals are spoilt by adding effects.
     In the end there are enough fine tunes and memorable melodies here to warrant your investigation.
www.dionysrecords.com
Phil Suggitt

THE POETS
Surrealistic Rain (Teen Sound; LP)
     Reasonable beat-pop from young Italian trio that impressed me with their debut 45 but have failed to keep up the consistency and make any real impression with this album. Musically the style is cut from the same Hollies/Beatles cloth that both SD assistant editor/ designer Andy Morten's Bronco Bullfrog and Madrid's The Winnerys have adapted. The Poets, somehow - due to the occasional shaky vocal and a general lack of energy - come off a little weak and uninspired. And at that, sound closer to a c86 Sea Urchins-type fey indie band rather than the genuine article! But I do think that if they stick at it, spend some time writing and go for a bigger production next time around they could do great things. Their songs are quite catchy and they can harmonise well. The bass playing captures the inventive flair of Macca and they recreate the overall feel of the mid-'60s without sounding like a Kasiers-a-like Mersey parody. At the moment though their studio recordings sound like under rehearsed Bronco Bullfrog demos (which is no bad thing) -- but I sincerely believe that they could and should be a lot better. Still, it's nice to hear an Italian '60s inspired band break away from the US teen punk mould. Here's hoping for a new lease of life with the follow-up. The Poets will definitely be a band to look out for!
www.thepoets.it
mistylane@iol.it 
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

PYRAMIDIACS
Teeter Totter (Off the Hip; CD)
     This reissue of the ' 96 second CD by Sydney's Pyramidiacs is full of the driving, rocky power pop sound that Australians do so well. "TuffOzPop"; - I just coined a new sub-genre!
     The Pyramidiacs music is perfect for driving; meaty uptempo pop designed for cruising along a freeway in an open topped car with a babe in the passenger seat. (A distant fantasy in the UK,crawling round the "cursed earth" of the M25 in the rain.)
     Michael Carpenter's involvement with the band as producer and sometime drummer goes some way to explain the high quality of the backing vocals. There are great swathes of them that really make a difference to every song. 
     Most of the tunes move along at a fast, powerful, pace. Big choruses and hooks abound. When I finally wrenched this disc from the car stereo and played it at home I wished the fuzztone guitars were further down in the mix, as they figure largely on many songs and wear thin on me after a while. Sometimes the ratio between power and pop could be adjusted so that the vocals are higher in the mix, but this doesn't spoil a good album.
www.offthehip.com.au 
Phil Suggitt

THE RAILS
Introducing the Rails (Research-Director; CD single)
     A two note organ riff that dominates the first song, 'Girls Night Out'. Although there are some classic one or two note riffs in the history of pop, this one is just annoying. The half-spoken lead vocals of Louise Andrews don't really work, either. The three songs here have a jerky 'new-wave' feel that doesn't do a lot for me.
www.therails.ca
Phil Suggitt

SCREAMIN' ERIC
Freak Show (Heptown; CD)
     This is the sorta music made by butt ugly drunk guys who think that playing shit rock'n'roll as fast as humanly possible is a good thing. These not-that-great-Danes might actually be quite good, y'know, but at that speed every song sounds exactly the same as the next one. These kids have obviously got some good taste - hints of the Devil Dogs and New Bomb Turks come through when I really concentrate hard. But mostly it sounds too much like 1980s psychobilly than real garage rock'n'roll to me. Calm down, boys, okay - I dig fucked up rock'n'roll as much as the next asshole on the bus but, hey, a bit of a tune here and there would be useful from time to time. Shit, that makes me sound like I'm getting old…
Murray Abisch

THE SHIFTIES
The Shifties (Kool Kat Musik; CD EP)
     The Shifties are a new US pop band with some '60s influences. To their credit they don't sound like their major influences - they play in a variety of styles from catchy pop rockers to all acoustic numbers to instrumentals.
     As the band are recording their first album at the moment, I hope they have a good producer or a good studio. A lot of this material is a bit on the lo-fi side, when the songs are crying out for a meatier and beatier sound. Similarly the vocals can be on the thin side.
    Hopefully the band are honing their song writing talents, as the first two songs are memorable, especially 'Can't Go On', with a strong chorus and nifty instrumental close. 'Tell Me Why' is good acoustic '60s pop. The rest of the songs lack distinctive features to raise them above the ordinary. 
http://www.theshifties.com/
Phil Suggitt

SILVER
White Diary (Bad Afro; CD)
     Another month, another great Norwegian band. Sometimes predictability can be a wonderful thing. Silver have been knocking around Oslo for a few years now, and the word on them was that rather than being Hellacopters-manqués like many compatriots, their influences were more geographically left-field: specifically, they were said to sound a lot like Finland's magnificent Hanoi Rocks (original version, not the Mike Monroe/Andy McCoy band currently using the name). An attempt to get hold of their first two EPs last year failed (but thanks anyway, Alasdair!), so this is the first opportunity to assess those rumours. And oy vey, they were RIGHT on the money. Pale Scandinavian boys: check. Trowelled-on makeup: check. Mankily matted blond hair: check. All claiming to be about 18: check. And sumptuous tunes, tunes, tunes coming out of their addled young minds. 'The Emptiness' is a barnstorming opener in the grand tradition of 'Malibu Beach Nightmare', with a riff that's a cross collateralisation of 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' and 'Holiday In Cambodia'. 'Intimate Cussing' Keefs along very nicely. How refreshing to hear the 21st century R&R lyric taking modern cultural developments into account with 'Funeral Class One's' "I need another plastic surgery" refrain. Mike Monroe wouldn't have sung that (mind you, when you looked as good as he did, you wouldn't have needed to). And a re-recorded version of 'Riot 1-2-3' (now retitled 'Gentlemen's Blues') makes me even more determined to get hold of the original EP. But the clincher that makes an old Hanoi fan - and anyone who has a penchant for the epic - give it up for this band is final track 'Angels Calling', a colossal rawk ballad with girly vocals (or perhaps one of the band has a very high voice?), elegaic lyrics and a heartbreakingly gorgeous guitar solo. One teensy weensy criticism though: guys, it is NOT UNCOOL to use your real names, OK? Surely by this time, Scandinavian monickers should be a mark of quality in rock rather than a hindrance? Any rocker who's even vaguely aware of the number of astounding bands who've come out of the Nordic area since the early 1980s is far more likely to buy a record with band names like Tommy Akerholdt and Ivar Nikolaisen than Amy Jubb and Blanco Summer, right? Silver are far too good for inept pseudonyms! OK, enough cultural imperialism in reverse. This fills a glaring gap in the sadly withered sleaze rock field. And Gluecifer's long-lusted-after follow up to Basement Apes is imminent too. Oh happy day!
www.thesilverband.com
Jane Farrell

THE STANDS
All Years Leaving (Echo; CD)
     New music! New music! New music! What is the state of play in 2004? Well, when a band like The Stands (perhaps on the back of fellow 'pudlians The Coral, Oz rockers Jet and the Californian-lovin' Thrills, but even so) are managing to gain major kudos points and rave reviews from playing genuinely no-holds-barred '60s styled music it can¹t be in that bad a shape. 
     Although All Years Leaving can sound a little formulaic, main-man and writer Howie Payne has a good vocal range that blends John Lennon with that stoned Dylan twang. More importantly, he can also pen a decent tune: take the jaunty 'Outside Your Door' and its wonderful chorus or Payne's cheeky homage to Lee Mayers' Scouse classic 'There She Goes' ('Here She Goes Again'); if you want The Beatles the 'Rain'-like 'The Love You Give' is Fabs to the max and then there's the countryish, Byrdsesque 'I Need You' and the guitar dominated psych-a-thon closer 'The Way She Does' -- all fine songs that show off the band's abilities and understanding of the music. Of course, Payne's writing misses out on the major innovations heard on Rubber Soul or Buffalo Springfield Again -- such genius just won't ever happen again -- but this album is still a major step in the right direction for a new band. If strong '60s guitar pop played in that jangling pot-infused Liverpool way appeals, then this will definitely float your boat. It's a pleasure to hear new British bands not bowing down to the zeitgeist and playing what's 'supposed to be cool'. 
http://www.the-stands.com/ 
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE UNTAMED
Eerie Stories (Heptown; CD)
     Jeez, man, more butt ugly drunk guys (and one not so ugly chick too) from Denmark. This one's going for more of a primal rockabilly kinda vibe but updated for the 1990s, or something, yeah, the new millennium, or whatever. First track, 'Big Black Cat' , is kinda like The Stray Cats with a lot more balls. Second track, 'Papa Bumwallah', is a whole lotta fun, reminds me of that 'Headhunter' record by '50s Mexican-American rockabillies Mike Fern(andez) and the Del Royals. Hmmm… Going on a bit further, there's a bit of a Screaming Jay Hawkins influence on some tracks, a bit of the late, great Ronnie Dawson…and a lot more too. Woah! There's even a pretty cool rock-a-ballad! Nice one… Okay, you readers wanna lazy comparison here to save space for some other reviews. Then I'll say that if you dig the Cramps and their ilk you'll surely get along mighty fine with these guys.
http://www.theuntamed.dk/
Paul Marsh