A Few of My Favorite Things, 2023 Edition -- Part One, The Albums

By Henry Lipput

Another year, another year-end list. Twelve albums are featured in my round-up of favorites from 2023. Once again there are the bands and artists I've enjoyed for a while as well as new faces and voices and two collaborations. I've reviewed many of these albums last year so I've edited them for this post and wrote new text for the entries I either didn't get to in 2023 or missed until recently.  Part Two of the Pure Pop blog will include my favorite EPs, singles, a live one, compilations, and a reissue.

For each album I've included a link to where you can buy the music (as well as a song from each album) and, as aways, I encourage you to support indie music by purchasing a download, a CD, or a record. 

The Boo Radleys – Eight (BooSTR Records) 

In 2022, following a gap of 24 years, The Boo Radleys released Keep On With Falling, an album I liked a lot. Their new album, Eight, is not only a giant step in the band’s regeneration, it continues their brilliant sonic journey. It’s also where the new album fits in Boo Radleys discography and makes it clear there’s a throughline in the history of a band that before last year had not released an album since 1998 and where the band is now. Favorite song: “Seeker”

Maia Sharp – Reckless Thoughts (maiasharp.com) 

On Reckless Thoughts Maia Sharp builds on the relationships she’s made with the many musicians and songwriters she’s known over the years since her debut in 1995. Sharp’s production on Reckless Thoughts is a low-key affair highlighting each song’s melody with subtle arrangements that wash over you like a warm bath and then come back to revisit you. The literate lyrics for each song are polished to a gem-like finish. Favorite song: “Fallen Angel”

Bill Pritchard – Pritchard Sings Poems by Patrick Woodcock (Tapete Records) 

You may think after having written both words and music for wonderful songs on 2016’s Mother Town Hall and 2019’s Midland Lullabies that Bill Pritchard would have little incentive to collaborate with the Canadian poet Patrick Woodcock. But it turns out this is a genius move. Pritchard has lost none of his ability to create brilliant melodies and his vocals and simple arrangements make you stop what you’re doing and listen to Woodcock’s words. Favorite song: “The Lowering"

The Cleaners From Venus – K7 (Bandcamp) 

Since the 1970s, Martin Newell, has released music under many monikers including The Stray Trolleys, The Brotherhood of Lizards, The Cleaners From Venus, and his own name in the 90s when he gave us the wonderful The Greatest Living Englishman and The Off-White Album. For the last few years Newell has released an album’s worth of material each year as the one-man band that is The Cleaners From Venus. His latest, K7, is once again filled with tunes that jangle (he’s known as the Jangling Man) and lyrics that recall the working-class vignettes of Ray Davies. There’s also the gorgeous “Postcard to Heaven” about the loss of a friend and “The Beautiful Stoned” where he cranks up the jangle. Favorite song: “Postcard to Heaven”

The Lost Days – In The Store (Speakeasy Studios SF) 

I’ve been a fan of Tony Molina’s work since his great Kill The Lights album in 2018. A master of short, extremely melodic songs recorded in a very lo-fi DIY way, all of his labels (In The Store is the fourth since Kill The Lights) release his full-size records (about 15 minutes of playing time) that are to be played at 45 RPM for “maximum sound quality.” On In The Store Molina is joined by Sarah Rose Janko of Dawn Riding who provides a wonderful take on his lyrics. The duo is joined by Nick Bassett on drums and keyboards (he also supplied the basement in which the album was recorded) and Jasper Leach on piano and Hammond organ. Favorite song: “For Today”

Lydia Loveless – Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again (digital: Bloodshot Records/CD and vinyl: lydialoveless.com) 

Loveless has an awesome voice that makes it clear it’s not going to take crap from anyone; she’s also very good on the album’s more emotional turns. Along with her crackerjack band the results are not unlike Carlene Carter on her 1980 Musical Shapes album where she matched her twangly vocals with the lads from Rockpile (just check out “I’m So Cool”). On Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again, Loveless has songs that alternate between hitting the big time (“Sex and Money”) and leaving behind a bad relationship (“Toothache”). Favorite song: “Toothache”

Robert Forster – The Candle and the Flame (Tapete Records) 

Robert Forster had three years’ worth of songs he had written for a new album before his wife and musical partner Karin Baumler was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. While Baumler underwent chemotherapy, Forster set out to quickly record songs at a local studio in Brisbane. The sessions turned into an extended family affair with their son Louis taking part along with Adele Pickvance, a long-time friend and bass player on the last three Go-Betweens albums (and the Adele of Adele and the Chandeliers). The result is a literate and heartfelt album. Favorite song: “Tender Years

Steve Stoeckel – The Power Of And (Big Stir Records) 

What do you get when you put a musical mix of styles in a blender and hit the puree button? If you’re lucky (and it turns out we definitely are this time) you’ll end up with The Power Of And the debut solo album from Steve Stoeckel. The Power Of And alternates between the Rockpile rockabilly of “Laura Lynn” to the wonderful acoustic treats of “Heather Gray,” “Birds” (a lovely melody as good as anything on a McCartney album), and “Strange Cameo” with its “I’ll Follow The Sun” vibe. Favorite song: “Birds”

Gramercy Arms – Deleted Scenes (Magic Door Record Label) 

The music and lyrics of Deleted Scenes recall the 1970s, a time when young people -- artists, writers, actors, filmmakers – flocked to New York City. Gramercy Arms fits into the zeitgeist of the time as it’s a collective led by Dave Derby who was also a member of another collective of sorts: The Negatives, a band led by Lloyd Cole resulting in 2001’s The Negatives.  Cole, it turns out, is also part of Gramercy Arms and co-wrote and plays on “Yesterday’s Girl,” the first single from the album. Having worked with Cole for more than 20 years, Derby has, especially on this song, picked up some of the former’s vocal mannerisms. Favorite song: “Fucked Up and Beautiful”

Tamar Berk – little injuries (Bandcamp) 

On tiny injuries Berk hits the ground rocking and then opens up to include heart-felt and heartbreaking ballads and, with the addition of horns, she’s building on her musical palette. Berk plays the quiet, acoustic card when she needs to and she and her band know how to bring the loud guitars. Berk has a songwriter’s gift for collecting the important parts of overheard conversations between lovers and friends especially the ones that signal the end of relationships. Favorite song: “sunday driving”

SUPER 8 – HOOPLA (The Beautiful Music) 

HOOPLA is a cornucopia of musical delights. Written and performed by the super-talented one-man band Paul Ryan, also known as Trip, he’s been releasing high-quality tuneage since 2018 (including the amazing hat trick of three albums of all new material that year). The new album not only continues his streak of presenting technicolor melodies (the title of his first 2018 album) but the time he’s spent since then, tinkering in his shed, has given his songs more textures, sounds, and arrangements. Favorite song: “Out of my Head”

The New Fools – seashells (Bandcamp)

On seashells, The New Fools adds trumpet and saxophone to the mix and the result is a rousing blast of sound. It’s their first “full-length” album (being more than the eight songs of previous ones) and their best yet. The band shares duties on creating lyrics and tunes for seashells. For example, bassist Dave Seabright was asked to write a theme song for the band which could be used to open shows. The resulting instrumental “Mr. Grimsdale” opens the album with a burst of sound. It’s both an overture and a statement of intent.  Favorite song: “Nice One Pete”

Caleb Nichols: a new album and a fab Christmas mashup

By Henry Lipput

Let’s Look Back

Let’s Look Back (Kill Rock Stars), the new album from poet, singer, and songwriter Caleb Nichols, continues the backwards looking journey he began with last year’s Ramon (one of my favorite albums of 2022).

Ramon is a queer love story (he used #queerthebeatles on the tweeter to promote the album) about a young gay boy growing up in a small town in the 1990s and finding the music of The Beatles as an escape. There’s also a rocky love story about Mean Mr. Mustard and Captain Custard although the names may have been changed to protect the innocent. The album also contained “(I Fell In Love On) Christmas Day” my new favorite Christmas song.

Following Ramon, Nichols released Chan Says & Other Songs which consisted of both an EP and a book of poems. He described the songs and story being at “the intersection of land/sea, sexuality/gender, and fairy tale/reality” as they tell the story of a young boy born to parents who wanted a girl.

So Let’s Look Back is more like Let’s Look Back Some More. In stark contrast to the warmth of “(I Fell In Love On) Christmas Day,” the new album starts off with “Christmas, California” and it’s clear the trip back home is not one that's looked forward to. The opening guitar riff recalls the music from a Sergio Leone western (or an overture to a shoot-out at the holiday dinner table).

“Demon Twink” and “Absolute Boy” are the album's pop highlights. The latter is a jangle-pop treasure with a sad message at its core: "The time you clipped my wings." “Albatross” rocks out and offers advice to those who have been hurt in love and not ready to move on yet: “Everything you lost/Wear it like an albatross.”

“The Wires,” the penultimate song on Let’s Look Back, is my favorite and the best song on the album. The song starts slow with a strummed electric guitar and an entreaty to a potential lover: “Hold me tonight/Show me.” The song slowly builds, an acoustic guitar dominates the bridge, and it ends with a majestic orchestral conclusion.

So This Is Crimble

It’s hard to deny Nichols’ Beatles credentials. In addition to the very Beatles-influenced Ramon, he also released the single Double Mantasy with covers of McCartney’s “Waterfalls” and Lennon’s “Watching The Wheels”(and he's made them his own).

The main attraction and centerpiece of the So This Is Crimble  EP (Kill Rock Stars) is “Crimble Medley” in which Nichols creates a wonderful mashup of a song from a Beatles Christmas fanclub disc as well as holiday offerings from three solo Beatles along with Ringo's "Photograph" which fits very nicely in the mix (what's Christmas without photographs?). The EP also includes his two most recent Christmas songs, “(I Fell In Love On) Christmas Day” from Ramon and “Christmas, California” from Let’s Look Back.

Here’s the video for “Crimble Medley:”

More life-affirming jaunty pop from BMX Bandits

By Henry Lipput

It seems like right now, with everything happening in the world, it’s more important than ever to have music that just makes us feel better when we hear it.

Well, Duglas T Stewart, and the family of musicians that make up BMX Bandits, have come to the rescue with just what we need. These kings of jaunty pop have returned with “Setting Sun” (Tapete Records) the first taster for an album to be released next year.

And it’s also perfect time for this song for other reasons. As we end the year and it’s cold and gray the thing you need and want the most is some time in the sun. And “Setting Sun” sets the scene for that as well. So, pull up the beach chair in the garage and pour a pina colada and turn up the volume.

16 Again: 16 songs from 11 years now on vinyl

By Henry Lipput

The wonderful Dot Dash collection, 16 Again (Country Mile Records), is the first time these songs have been on vinyl and it’s a great way to hear them (but you really need to visit, or revisit as the case may be, the original CDs to get the whole sonic picture). It’s also a terrific way to introduce new fans to the band and a way to remind current fans why they liked Dot Dash so much in the first place. 

You can think of these songs, hand-picked by the band, as "a greatest hits album by a band with no hits" as the Bandcamp page says. But there's a difference between songs not being hits and songs loved by fans that should have been hits ("Unfair Weather" is one). The title 16 Again refers to the fact that these songs (all but one but more on that later) have been previously available on all seven of their albums released by Wally Salem’s The Beautiful Music label between 2011 and 2022.

Seven of the eight songs on Side One of 16 Again focus on the band’s two most recent albums Madman in The Rain and Proto Retro. Both of these albums were recorded with the current Dot Dash lineup of Terry Banks (guitar), Hunter Bennett (bass), and Danny Ingram (drums) and a have crisper, poppier sound thanks to producer Geoff Sanoff and both albums are full of bangers. The last track on Side One, “Holly Garland,” is from 2016’s Searchlights but although it has a slightly different lineup it fits right in.

Banks, Bennett, and Ingram have been with the band since 2011’s Spark>Flame>Ember>Ash but between that album and 2016’s Searchlights there were other lead guitarists. But since they left, Banks has expertly handled both all guitar duties and continues to contribute lead vocals. Banks has the perfect power pop voice and his guitar work is clean and drives the songs as do the brilliant rhythm section of Bennett and Ingram.

Side Two continues this musical journey with songs from the other four albums beginning with “Tatters” from 2015’s Earthquakes & Tidal Waves and ending with “There and Back Again” from their debut release in 2011. But they’re not done yet: 16 Again ends with Dot Dash’s cover of Television Personalities’ “Jackanory Stories” which was included on Volume 4 of The Beautiful Music’s series of tributes to Television Personalities.

Thinking of The Bablers

By Henry Lipput

We may never get all of Like The First Time, the album The Bablers only released in Japan and Finland (their home country), although there have been mentions of an eventual release at a future date. But as of now we’ve been treated to four singles from the album which put together give one the impression that when it is released to the rest of the world it will surely be a very, very big hit.

“Thinking Of You” (Big Stir Records), the new single from The Bablers, is just the latest knock-out track following “Holding Me Tight Tonight,” “You Are the One for Me” (my personal favorite), and “Mr. King” which was released as the commutation (as a certain Mr. Lennon might have said) of Prince Charles was taking place.

Usually, bands make singles available to generate interest in a forthcoming album that has yet to see the light of day but The Bablers seem to be doing it in reverse. And I have no problem with this when what we’re getting bit by bit is this good. Keep babbling gents!

“I’m Trying” is the new Fallon Cush single

By Henry Lipput 

Steve Smith has been a staple of the Sydney music scene for over 30 years. With his band Fallon Cush he has released five full albums, the last being 2019’s Stranger Things Have Happened.

And then things went quiet.

At the beginning of 2020 Smith suffered a breakdown that left him with crippling anxiety, He stopped working, becoming increasingly isolated, and barely picked up a guitar.

I wasn’t aware of any of this when earlier this year I reviewed “Grain of Salt,” the second single from the new Fallon Cush Tricks EP. It seemed to me the lyrics were an ask for help during a difficult time from someone who has cried wolf or misled a friend too many times. It didn’t sound anything like an ask for help from its author, but it certainly sounds like that now.

However, the lyrics for Smith’s latest single from the new EP, “I’m Trying,” are in the first person: “The anxiety won’t subside/But I’m trying/To break free.” The sound is a bit more upbeat than the first two singles with Smith and producer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Schuberth giving it more of a full band sound; it’s as if the full strength of Fallon Cush and Steve Smith are right around the corner. It’s certainly a positive sign for the future.

You can pre-order the Tricks EP and you’ll get three of the five singles (“Hang On To Me,” “Grain Of Sand,” and “I’m Trying”).

Not such bad times after all

By Henry Lipput

It’s been difficult for me to find albums of songs by my favorite bands covered by other artists. The I Am Sam soundtrack and the series of CDs from Mojo Magazine (especially Revolver) did it for me for The Beatles. The Futureman Records wide-ranging (the digital edition had 50 covers) Garden of Earthly Delights did it for me for XTC.

Now Philly’s Creep Records, with their tribute album Let the Bad Times Roll (digital available on Bandcamp and the vinyl from Creep Records), has done it for me with The Replacements.  This collection of 13 songs that span the ‘Mats recording career is played by a group of bands and singers that I’ve never heard of playing songs I’ve been listening to for 30 or so years. And I’m really, really liking it!

The versions of Replacements songs on Let the Bad Times Roll run the gamut.  Mikey Erg channels the early ‘Mats on “Wake Up” and although Goddamnit’s “Can’t Hardly Wait,” Her Heads On Fire’s “Alex Chilton,” and Celebration Summer’s “Left of the Dial” have arrangements close to the original they just reinforce how great these songs are. “Unsatisfied” by Neckscars may be in the same ballpark but from the jangley open on it’s just a brilliant musical pledge of allegiance to what those four boys from Minneapolis accomplished. And Low Coast’s gorgeous take on “Here Comes a Regular” shows why this song should be a standard if it hasn’t become one yet.

But the real gems on Let the Bad Times Roll are the ones that feature a different take on these beloved songs. Crazy Tom Martin’s “Sadly Beautiful” is electronically infused and Sammy Kay has an acoustic take and a Tom Waits vocal on “Favorite Things.” 

New Dolph Chaney single helps to make Summer last longer

By Henry Lipput

Although Autumn is only days away, Dolph Chaney’s poptastic new single, “Cool in the Sunshine” (Big Stir Records), will help us to enjoy Summer just a little bit longer. It’s the second single before the release of the Chicago-based indie rocker’s new album MUG (also Big Stir, natch!) out in October. (The single also includes "The Old Ghosts," an exclusive non-album virtual B-side.)

On “Cool in the Sunshine” he’s awe struck in what seems to be the perfect unrequited summer romance (well not perfect if you've ever been in this guy's shoes). “I’ve set my heart on you” he says to himself about a girl who knocks him out: “Oh your casual hair flipping/Meets the smell of fresh grass clipping” (I love this clever couplet!). There’s a breezy vibe to the song and a great Revolver-like guitar solo (you can hear the influence of songs like “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Doctor Robert"). 

Tamar Berk’s new album is reviewed and she answers the Pure Pop Phive

By Henry Lipput

tiny injuries

Tamar Berk’s new album tiny injuries (Bandcamp) hits the ground rocking and then opens up to include heart-felt and heartbreaking ballads and, with the addition of horns, she builds on her already extensive musical palette. Berk plays the quiet, acoustic card when she needs to and she and her band knows how to bring the loud guitars.

Berk has a songwriter’s gift for collecting the important parts of overheard conversations between lovers and friends especially the ones that signal the end (my favorite line is from the ballad “what’s become of me, my friend” with its feel of a self-created breakup “be what I want and maybe I’ll stay”).

Now living in California and having grown up in Chicago, Berk has written what might otherwise be throwaway lines but instead illustrate how she also uses her own life and memories in her songs.  On “if you know, u know” she sings “and I haven’t seen snow in over three years” and in “sunday driving” it’s not clear whether the trip is to or from Chicago but “then you’ll say ‘you’ll be okay 3000 miles away.’”

Perhaps even more importantly, Berk creates the melodies to those lyrics that conjure up the feelings her words have. “if you know, u know” starts with the line “The sun comes up and I’m already down” and the music reflects the feeling of knowing it’s not going to be a good day. The music of the piano-based ballad “cash out” has a sense of resignation as things come to an end in a relationship and there’s anger in both the words and music of “another drop in the bucket.” And if you’re looking for a positive message from a strong woman who’s had enough just take a listen to “gonna call it,” Berk’s version of Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” (it certainly sounds like he’s playing piano on the track).

The Pure Pop Phive

Tamar answers the PPP, the questions all the cool kids are talking about:

How would you describe your music?

I’ve heard indie pop, pop rock, power pop, alt pop. I don’t know…what do you think?

What/who are your major influences?

Beatles, Classical, Elliot Smith, early Liz Phair, Lana Del Rey, David Bowie

Do you perform live? Do you have any upcoming gigs?

I do perform live and currently I’m working on booking some shows, but I am more of a loner and prefer being in my studio writing and recording rather than playing live…so I really have to push myself to get out there!

How do you support yourself so you can continue to make music?

Sell music, sell paintings, freelance VoiceOver and composing, and using my savings! Yikes!

What’s an album you can’t live without (that's not one of yours)?

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie

SUPER 8 has it covered

 By Henry Lipput

Since his second album, Turn Around Or …, in 2018 (one of three released that year as part of a musical hat trick), SUPER 8 has included songs written by others on nearly every album and even a few singles. He has now collected these covers and added more to create the groovy personal jukebox that is Raindrops On Roses (available as a free download on Bandcamp).

These songs run the gamut from music released decades ago to those recently reimagined. There are hits from the ‘60s like Lulu’s “It’s My Party,” Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman,” and Neil Diamond’s “Cherry Cherry” (which was paired on SUPER 8’s HiLo album with his brilliant “Angels & Neil Diamond”) and deep cuts like The Kinks’ “Autumn Almanac” (one of my favorite Kinks songs).

There are songs that the man known as Trip (real name Paul Ryan) no doubt grew up listening to: The Beatles’ “Across the Universe,” The Smith’s “Back to the Old House” (a lovely acoustic guitar and mandolin arrangement), Psychic TV’s “Goldstar,” and “Ride A White Swan” by T. Rex. More recent picks are BMX Bandit’s “Serious Drugs” (the one on Turn Around Or … that started it all) and The Replacements’ “I Will Dare.”

Then there are some amazing things SUPER 8 has done to reimagine and/or finish up two songs.  “Susan Revolving” is based on a fragment by XTC’s Andy Partridge and has a cool Dukes of Stratosphere vibe. The other is “Now & Then (reimagined)” from a demo recorded by John Lennon in the 1970s; it’s a haunting listen not only because of the arrangement but also knowing Lennon wasn’t around to give it a proper recording.

Speaking of arrangements, some songs like “I Will Dare” start off as if SUPER 8 is doing a faithful recreation of the tune but then he makes a left turn and gives us a clever and surprising twist. And that happens a lot on Raindrops On Roses which is one of the album’s delights.

I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining but one of my favorite SUPER 8 covers didn’t make the cut: it’s “X Hits the Spot” by Michael Head & The Strands which appeared on 2019’s Backers & Maracas album and is worth checking out. Also worth checking out is the rest of SUPER 8 releases on Bandcamp and while you’re there you could, since Raindrops On Roses is a free download, buy yourself an album, a single, or a download to support this extremely talented musician and songwriter.

Eight is a great number

By Henry Lipput

Despite a gap of 24 years between albums, The Boo Radleys great new release Eight (BooSTR Records) continues the band’s brilliant sonic journey. Eight is not only where the new album fits in Boo Radleys discography, it also makes it clear there’s a throughline in the history of a band that before last year had not released an album since 1998 and where the band is now.

Speaking of the 2022 release, Keep on With Falling brought back three members of the band’s original lineup with Sice on vocals, guitar, and keyboards; Rob Cieka on drums, percussion, and vocals; and Tim Brown on bass, guitar, keyboards, and vocals. It was wonderful the hear them making music together again and I really enjoyed the album especially the singles, “Keep on With Falling” and “A Full Syringe And Memories Of You” as well as the songs “I’ve Had Enough I’m Out” and “I Say A Lot Of Things.”

Eight, however, is a giant step (I couldn’t help myself) in the band’s regeneration (I prefer that to “reboot”). I’m not sure if the album’s fuller sound has anything to do with the fact it’s the first Boo Radleys album I’ve had on vinyl (the 1990s were a vinyl wasteland in the U.S.) but there’s the confidence of the three members and their musical associates having a great time (by the way, it’s also sounding more than fine as a download). The album begins with a banger called “Seeker” and keeps going with “Now That’s What I Call Obscene” (a pro-LGBTQ anthem comparing military killing machines with loving same-sex couples and the people who have no problem with the first one), “Wash Away That Feeling” (a showcase for both Brown and Sice), and the closing rave up “How Was I To Know?”

I started listening to Boo Radleys about halfway through their original run with 1995’s pure pop blast Wake Up! and then eagerly moved on to the glorious From the Bench at Belvidere EP (I still LOVE the title song and “Almost Nearly There”), the little-loved but time-for-a-rethink What’s in The Box? (there is the lovely “New Brighton Promenade” and the very cool “Annie and Marnie” B-side), and 1998’s Kingsize, an album I consider to be the band’s crown jewel and not only my favorite Boo Radleys album (Eight is in second place) but one of my favorite albums over all.

Over the past few days, I’ve been listening to all of this music on shuffle to find the throughline I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this review and it’s more than obvious there are many songs that would fit side by side as examples. But to hear the best of these all you need to do is listen to Eight’s “Sometimes I Sleep” alongside the title song from Kingsize and you’ll hear it too. Welcome back Boos!

Moving to Nashville must be working for Maia Sharp

By Henry Lipput

Having moved to Nashville from her native California, Maia Sharp has taken advantage of the local music scene, a city that American Songwriter magazine described as “the natural songwriter’s habitat.” The result was her album Mercy Rising, (one of my favorite albums of 2021) and her first solo release in six years.

Her superb new album, Reckless Thoughts (maiasharp.com), builds on the relationships she’s made with the many musicians and songwriters she’s met in Nashville and has also had over the years with friends and colleagues since her debut in 1995. The new album, like Mercy Rising, is a self-produced collection and recorded in Nashville’s Resister Studio. It contains co-writes with Dean Fields, Mindy Smith, Garrison Starr, and Kim Richey but Sharp’s views of life and love are always front and center.

Working with a supporting cast of seasoned musicians, Sharp’s production on Reckless Thoughts is a low-key affair highlighting each song’s melody with subtle arrangements that wash over you like a warm bath and then come back to revisit you. The literate lyrics are polished to a gem-like finish with just enough detail in the characters and conversations to double as a pitch meeting for a Netflix series. (If you look up ‘literate’ in the dictionary you’ll find Sharp; she’s part of a pantheon of currently working great American singer-songwriters that also includes Lucinda Williams and Freedy Johnston).

Standout tracks on Reckless Thoughts include “She’ll Let Herself Out” (“She’ll let herself out/The gate to the cages she’s been living in/Now that she’s realized they lock from the inside/She’ll never be something she’s not/Not again”), “On A Good Day” (“There are days it’s harder not/To bring you up in conversation/All the ways you still exhaust her/Move in steady slow rotation/With a good day”), “California” (“You were always good to me/I never thought that I would leave you/California”), and, my favorite track (hence the extra lyrics), the glorious, bluesy “Fallen Angel” (“She said, ‘Honey don’t fall for this fallen angel’/I said ‘Don’t tell me what to do/If I want to drop to my knees all fuckin’ faithful/Well it’s really not up to you/Besides you with a halo is like me with a crown/And that ain’t the way we make a joyful sound/I’ve been waiting so long’”).

It’s a joy

By Henry Lipput

“It’s A High” (Bandcamp) is the latest single from The Shop Window and it’s a sunny, jangle pop delight. Songwriters Carl Mann and Syd Oxlee have crafted yet again another wonderful song that is a joy to listen to. “It’s A High” employs the sun and clouds as metaphors for how the light from a loved one’s eyes can make life so much better: “When I’m feeling down/Your light of day just washes over me/A sun within a cloud.”

The line-up for The Shop Window continues to be Mann on vocals and guitar, Oxlee also on vocals, Martin Corder on bass, and Phil Elphee on drums. They are now joined by Paul Reeves on guitar, saxophones, and assorted instruments; Reeves became part of the band when The Shop Window toured behind their last album A 4 Letter Word after it became too difficult for Mann to play two guitars at the same time (and you just know he tried to do it).

“It’s A High” is also the lead-off single from The Shop Window’s next album Daysdream out next year. It’s a two-record event with the “Days” disc filled with summer jangle and the “Dream” disc full of melancholy melodies. Daysdream is the first album released on the band’s very own Jangle Pop Records, a very DIY affair, and you can preorder it here.