THE PLIMSOULS - LIVE ON THE CHERRY BLOSSOM CLINIC (2006)

Since 1998 and their last album "Kool Trash", the Plimsouls have been reuniting sporadically. Promoting the CD reissue by Oglio Records of their live set "One Night In America", they played some dates in 2006, and after performing at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco (december 2nd), the band was recorded live for this broadcast on WFMU on The Cherry Blossom Clinic with Terre T, December 9th!.

Special note: The concert was given to me by PPO Curt, i made the artwork using some pictures shot during the Red Devil Lounge concert. Photos by Joshua Uziel.

Songs
How Long Will It Take / Makin’ Time / I’ll Get Lucky / Everyday Things / Great Big World / Hush, Hush / The Oldest Story In The World / Everywhere At Once / Hobo / Now / Zero Hour / Million Miles Away / Good Times / Paper Dolls / Chat with Terry T

TRIBUTE TO THE FAB FOUR - REVOLVER (2009)

In 2007, i started the "Fab Four Experience". So far, i've made 8 volumes (all available on PPC, search for "fab four" in the blog dialog box), and after an overlong 7 months hiatus, it is time for me to start the end of that "experience ". "Revolver" (the 7th album) is considered by many Power Pop aficionados as the best Fab Four album. I used one of the original draw of Klaus Vormann for the front artwork.

ZS (95 mb)

VARIOUS - THE BAM BALAM EXPLOSION VOL 1 (1995)

The very first volume and really hard to find Bam Balam Explosion compilation. This very highly recommended collection focused on spanish power pop bands. Served by J. from Spain.

Click on pix for details

PAUL COLLINS BEAT - LIVE ON THE CHERRY BLOSSOM CLINIC (2009)

Paul Collins joined forces with Gentleman Jesse to go out on the road for 10 shows in the South/Mid West/East Coast starting January 24th at The Earl in Atlanta Georgia! Paul met Jesse when they performed together this past summer in Atlanta at The Earl and also at the Wildweekend Power Pop Festival in Austin Texas. The two become fast friends and started their own mutual admiration society. This led to Jesse offering to not only organize a tour but also assemble the backing band for Paul,(recently relocated to NYC) using members from his own group Gentleman Jesse. Once the ball got rolling Get Hip, Paul's US label, has come on board to lend a hand in securing dates and promotion at press and radio. Gentleman Jesse opened the concerts performing songs from his releases on Douchemaster Records and Rob's House, two Atlanta based labels and then Paul Collins took the stage to perform songs from his entire recorded output in support of his latest release Ribbon of Gold (Get Hip) and also the stunning new release "One Way Ticket" of his first band The Nerves (Alive Records). The tour culminated with this live broadcast on WFMU on The Cherry Blossom Clinic with Terre T, February 7th!.

Paul Collins Beat
The Kids Are The Same / Working Too Hard / I Don't Fit In / Do You Want To Love Me / USA / She Doesn't Want To Hang Around With You / Falling In Love With Her / Helen / Rock'n'Roll Girl / Don't Wait Up For Me / Hanging On The Telephone / Letter To G / Walking Out On Love

Head over to the great Power Pop Overdose blog to get the other half of the broadcast featuring Gentleman Jesse & His Men.

DWIGHT TWILLEY - THE UNRELEASED LUCK LP (1994)

Despite his status as the godfather of new wave, by the early 1990s Dwight Twilley's career was stymied by a series of label failures and other business setbacks. Teaming with veteran producer-engineer Richie Podolor, "The Luck" is something of a lost treasure among pop aficionados.
Picking some of the best of his recent material from the early ‘90s, Twilley recorded and shopped an album to be called "The Luck" that was completed in January 1994, although it was never released at the time; much of the album was produced by Richie Podolor, who produced many, many hits starting in the late ‘ 60s at his own American Recorders studio (including those by Twilley ' s ex-partner Phil Seymour). The album was to have contained: Side One: “Grey Buildings” (a song included on XXI) , “Perfect World” (a song released in several limited places, but included on Between The Cracks, Vol. 1), “The Luck” (rerecorded for Tulsa in 1999), “Reach For the Sky” (released on BTC, Vol. 1), “You,” Side Two: “Holdin' On,”“Worry ‘Bout You,” “Oh Carrie” (released on BTC, Vol. 1), “I Wanna Have You” (this track would be featured in ‘96 in the film Lovers Knot), and the epic “Gave It All Up For Rock'n'Roll” (which features an all-star chorus with Vicki & Debbi Peterson of the Bangles, Susan Cowsill, and Rocky and Billy Burnette). Source

Special note: This was transferred from the best generation tape i ever heard (courtesy of a fab french mate). I made a special PPC artwork based upon the 2001 version (still available from amazon)

Songs
Grey Buildings / Perfect World / The Luck / Reach For The Sky / You / Holdin' On / I Worry About You / Oh Carrie / I Wanna Have You / Gave It All Up For Rock 'n' Roll

THE ROSWELLS - THE ROSWELLS (1996)

The Tomorrows' "Jupiter Optimus Maximus" is certainly one of the most talked about records of the year just released by Kool Kat Music (an exclusive 4 song bonus cd is only available at Kool Kat), and this gem of a record will be a strong contender in every top list at the end of 2009.
But i guess this is no surprise when you look at the names of Mark Stewart and Scott Fletcher who were in the legendary Roswells. Not only their first eponymous album is now a classic, but it was also ranked #169 in the Not Lame Ultimate Power Pop Guide.
They also released a second album "Mantra" (2000) before splitting and then Marc Stewart with Scott Fletcher were teaming up again to form the Tomorrows. So as the 1st Roswells album is now rather tricky to find (it is not even listed on AMG), purchase the Tomorrows album instead and you won't be disappointed. Full review of the Tomorrows album here.

Songs
Like It This Way / What's Going On / C'mon C'mon / Sparkle / Sea of Tranquility / Yellow Means Yes / Foul Feather Friend / Never Say Never / Heaven Knows / Lying On The Grass / Eyes Wide Open / Pair Of Green Eyes / Tell Her Please / Fell To Earth

TIM LEE - THE NEW THRILL PARADE (1989)

"What Time Is Tell" (1988) is a terrific album and every tune is great. But perhaps even better is Tim's followup French only album "The New Thrill Parade". (Bobby Sutliff)
In early 1989, Tim Lee went into the studio with Gene Holder to record "The New Thrill Parade" and remained unreleased until french label New Rose issued this gem in 1992 and is today the most tricky item to find. Tim Lee remastered some parts of the album to include them on his anthology "All That Stuff (1983-1993)"

  ZS (284 mb)

Songs
Down At The River / Scared Of Love / Big Rain / Kiss Me Goodbye / The Very Last Time / Shame For Things I've Never Done / Everybody's Waiting On Doomsday / On My Way / Crossed Paths / Sunday's Girl / Whistling Thru A Graveyard

BIG HELLO - LEMON ALBUM (Rarities & Outtakes)

After neo-power pop group the Elvis Brothers disbanded, drummer/songwriter Brad Elvis formed a new outfit in late 1994, which he dubbed Big Hello. Despite a rash of early personnel changes, the band built a following in its hometown of Chicago and around the Midwest through extensive touring. The remainder of the lineup eventually settled on vocalist Chloe F.Orwell, guitarist Johnny Million, and bassist Tom Atteberry. In addition to contributing to several power pop compilations, Big Hello gained increased exposure through hosting Chicago Pop Mondays, a highly successful series of concerts at the Beat Kitchen. In December 1996, Big Hello released a limited-edition, cassette-only live recording entitled "Live Via Satellite...Girl", which made a strong impression on local power pop fans. In early 1998, the Break-Up! label issued the group's "Girl Versus Boy Verses EP", which in months was the best-selling release in the company's history; the full-length Apple Album followed on Parasol that same year. Two years later the Break-Up! label issued the Orange Album to critical acclaim. AMG

Then in 2001 Break-Up records released "Apples & Oranges" which contains the remastered re-release of Big Hello's first two critically acclaimed CDs (which are both individually sold out and out of print) plus six rare bonus tracks, unavailable anywhere else. Featured bonus tracks include the sought after Brad Elvis penned "Cynical Girl," which first appeared on the now sold out limited edition vinyl EP, "Girl Versus Boy Verses" (Break-Up! Records) and Big Hello's punky, modern-rock version of the Jimmy Webb/Fifth Dimension classic "Up, Up and Away."

Big Hello officially disbanded in 2003. Leader/Songwriter/Drummer Brad Elvis and Lead Vocalist/Songwriter Chloe F. Orwell began laying down the plans for their current project THE HANDCUFFS throughout the next several years and officially released their debut CD in late 2006. That CD, "Model For A Revolution", is available on CD Baby and through iTunes, etc.). The follow up "Electroluv" was released in 2008. For more information about THE HANDCUFFS

Special note: I got these unreleased recordings of Big Hello from the same "impressive " power pop fan. Those rarities, live and outtakes were changing hands through unofficial channels, and i made an unofficial album and called them the "Lemon Album" inspiring myself from the Orange and Apple original artworks.

Songs
Today Will Be Yesterday Tomorrow (Demo) / Satellite Girl (Demo) / If This Ain't Love (Demo) / Back At Zero (Demo) / Love Suicide (Demo 1989) / If This Ain't Love (Demo 1995) / Party Line (Demo 1995) / Kamikaze (Demo 1995) / King Of The Mountain (March 1990) / See You Around (March 1990) / Couldn't I Just Tell You (June 1994) / Ballrooms Of Mars (June 1994) / When Heroes Go Down_The Price Of Love / Winterlong (January 1995) / Big Sky (January 1994) / Pictures Of Lily (January 1994) / Couldn't I Just Tell You (January 1994) / Cynical Girl (Girl Vs Boy EP) / Cynical Boy (Girl Vs Boy EP) / Lip Service (Girl Vs Boy EP) / Up Up And Away (IPO Vol 2) / Your Mad Mad World (Pop Matters 1995)