As is evident from the following rundown of my 2011 faves, last year was a fine one for both established pop artists and some upstart newcomers.  And for the first time in a few years, there was so much great pop music being released that I had a tough time whittling my favorites down to just 20.  But alas, after many long, painful nights which ended up with me pondering my very existence on this planet….ah, who the hell am I kidding?  There’s no existential B.S. allowed here – just some cool music.  Here’s the list:

Kurt Baker

1. Kurt Baker – Rockin’ For a Living (Stardumb/Oglio)
Baker lets his pop flag fly loud and proud – on good ‘ol fashioned vinyl, yet – on this 10-song release. How do we know he’s pop? Well, he wears a skinny tie, he co-wrote one of the tunes here with Tommy Dunbar from the Rubinoos, and he covers not only the Knack, but also a 30-year-old number from Wisconsin’s new wave/power pop semi-legends Yipes!, for corn’s sake. The other (pop) proof is in the pudding, where Baker and his band barrel their way through a deliriously catchy group of stellar original tunes (“Just Forget About It” and “Don’t Steal My Heart Away” in particular deserve induction in that mythical Power Pop Hall of Fame) that owe big ‘ol debts to early Elvis Costello and the aforementioned Rubinoos. Hooks, energy and panache to spare – what’s not to love? (Technical-type notes: the LP was released by Stardumb in the Netherlands, while Oglio released a condensed, 6-song EP here in the U.S., which  unfortunately excises the Knack cover and a sweet little Gary Lewis-like charmer called “Since You’ve Been On My Mind,” among others.)

Fountains of Wayne

2. Fountains of Wayne – Sky Full of Holes (Yep Roc)
Ho hum, another typically wonderful FoW disc. Snappy melodies, smart (and often smartass) lyrics and Chris Collingwood’s understated lead vocals are again the stars of the show, while tunes such as “Someone’s Gonna Break Your Heart” and “A Dip in the Ocean” are as good as anything they’ve ever done. Elsewhere, “A Road Song” manages to push both the sweet and smartass buttons while name checking Steve Perry and Will Ferrell, and “Hate To See You Like This” is actually a pretty tender ballad(well, as tender as a song that uses the word “disinfected” can be).

The Wellingtons

3. The Wellingtons – In Transit (Zip)
Ain’t no power pop like Aussie power pop, and the Wellingtons dish it out here in a high energy, fun and consistently engaging manner. The boy/girl vocals are quite fetching indeed, as are the daubs of well-placed synthesizer on many of the songs. Nothing even close to a duff track to be found, and “Baby’s Got a Secret” just might be the song of the year for me.

Andy Reed of An American Underdog

4. An American Underdog – Always On the Run (Pop Factory)
Michigan’s Andy Reed is the brains behind An American Underdog, and here he fashions (nearly all by his lonesome) a winning combination of upbeat pop numbers (the distorto guitar-led “Nothing I Can Do” and the uber-poppy “I’ll Miss You Girl” are personal faves) and more languid slower ones. Reed’s clear, sweet voice is one of his greatest assets, and overall, this is the kind of stuff that gives singer/songwriters a good name.

Michael Oliver

5. Michael Oliver & The Sacred Band – Yin & Yanxiety (Self-released)
Some old school popsongs here, some Beach Boys-influenced whimsy there and a whole slew of well-written and well-played tunes that are just plain enjoyable (hello, “Love While it Lasted”) comprise the excellent Yin & Yanxiety. The downcast ballads “It Was You” and “I Won’t Get Over You” are highlights, as is the sweet “Tell Me What You’re Dreaming” and the boppy “This Close to Heaven.” Oliver’s obvious flair for melody and the fact that his spare ballads slot in easily alongside the full band rockers help push this album over the top.

Tommy Keene

6. Tommy Keene – Behind the Parade (Second Motion)
Keene’s been a model of consistency for close to 30 (!) years now, and Behind the Parade is one of his finest later period efforts. The guitars ring and crunch appropriately and songs such as “Deep Six Saturday,” “Already Made Up Your Mind” and “His Mother’s Son” should find their place on the next TK “best of” compilation.

The Cry

7. The Cry! – The Cry! (Self-released)
If you’re a fan of Locksley – you know, young fellas who dole out slightly reckless, ’60s-influenced mod tuneage – then you’ll find plenty to like about The Cry! Hailing from Portland, OR, these kids also spice up their short, sassy tunes with some aural nods to the ’50s from time to time, and spit out their dozen songs in less than 30 minutes. Fave moment: during the instrumental break on the pounding “Modern Cinderella,” you can hear a Cry guy admit, “I f**ked up, guys.”

Smithereens

8. Smithereens – 2011 (Eone)
Reuniting with producer Don Dixon for their first collection of original songs in many moons, the Jersey boys sound as if they’ve never been away. As a matter of fact, tracks such as “Sorry,” “One Look at You” and “Rings On Her Fingers” make this sound very much like a worthy follow up to 1988′s Green Thoughts. Powerful guitar pop like only the ‘Reens can do it.

Brandon Wilde

9. Brandon Wilde – Hearts in Stereo (Self-released)
A low-key, under the radar stunner of a record (actually a download, since that’s the only way to obtain it) from NY’s Brandon Wilde. It’s very singer/songwritery, but the melodies are quite often drop dead gorgeous: witness the sweetly glorious “Ooh La,” another contender for song of the year.

Dwight Twilley

10. Dwight Twilley – Soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
Beginning life as a batch of autobiographical tunes meant to accompany a proposed documentary about his life, Soundtrack ended up as Twilley’s best album in years. Joined by old cohorts Bill Pitcock IV on guitar (who sadly passed away not long after participating in the sessions) and Susan Cowsill on harmony vocals, it’s a welcome return to the classic mid-tempo, melodic Twilley sound. The ballsy “God Didn’t Do It” rocks like hell, the beautiful “Out in the Rain” recalls Twilley’s own “You Don’t Care” and “The Lonely One” should stand as one of his best ever cuts after everything is said and done. Oh, and “Good Things Come Hard,” an aural tribute to Twilley’s late bandmate Phil Seymour, is sure to induce a tear or two from power pop fans.

11. The Breakdowns – The Kids Don’t Wanna Bop Anymore (Rock Indiana)
You say you like classic late ’70s power pop? If so, you won’t want to miss this release, which recalls the Plimsouls (especially vocally) and other bands of the period, such as the Tremblers. There’s also a serious Ramones influence going on, especially on tunes such as “Summertime Twist,” which sounds nearly identical to the Ramones’ “Touring.” Still, it’s mighty fab stuff.

12. The Red Button – As Far As Yesterday Goes (Grimble)
Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruekberg are back with another helping of marvelous ’60s-inflected pop, greatly influenced by the Beatles (“Caught in the Middle”), Zombies, Nilsson, Byrds and sunshine pop. The overall sound is a bit closer to Swirsky’s solo efforts than it is to the first Red Button record, but no matter – it’s all good.

13. Michael Mazzarella – Songwriter (Kool Kat)
As the leader of the Rooks and as a solo artist, Michael Mazzarella has released some of the most outstanding – and deeply felt and personal – pop music of the past 20 years. Songwriter is a 5-disc collection of all things Mazzarella: it basically takes his entire songwriting output and presents it in a new light by juxtaposing all the tracks in an entirely different order from their original release. The quality of it all is revelatory, as is a 21-track bonus disc of previously unreleased demos – “Shades of Green,” “A Great Pretender,” “To Tell the Truth” and “Save Me Baby” (to name just a few) are all classic Maz.

14. The Fire Apes – A Life in Letters (Self-released)
A Life in Letters finds the Fire Apes transitioning to a more harder-edged and (dare we say it?) commercial sound without sacrificing one whit of their pop sensibility. “It’s Over” and “‘Cause You Don’t” are two uber-catchy examples of the Apes’ new direction, while “If Things Don’t Look So Good Today” and the string-laden “6 1/2 Years” both showcase leader John Seymour’s uniquely expressive voice in a slightly mellower pop setting. Very cool.

15. Meyerman – Who Do You Think You Are? (Pretty Decent)
Mixed and engineered by Gripweeds drummer Kurt Reil, Meyerman’s debut release features up front, power chorded guitars, snappy, compact tunes and tight vocal harmonies – in short, this is what power pop should be. Picks to click: the statement of purpose “New Direction,” the tongue-in-cheek “Permission to Rock You” and the Cheap Trick-influenced “Metalface.”

16. David Mead – Dudes (Self-released)
Gotta admit that I’ve never been much of a David Mead fan, but this one really hit me hard. From the gentle sway of “I Can’t Wait,” “Tell Me What I Gotta Do” and (especially) “The Smile of Rachael Ray” to the overtly non-PC vaudevillian strut of “Guy on Guy” (yes, it’s about that) and the hilariously vulgar “No One Roxx This Town No More” (the fact that it sounds like Michael McDonald-era Doobies is part of the gag), the songs here are across-the-board great. Oh, and I dare you not to sing along to “Bocce Ball” after one listen.

17. Cirrone – Uplands Park Road (Escape)
Miss Badfinger? Snap this one up, then. Quite beautiful, well-produced and unfailingly melodic.

18. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding (Dangerbird)
I was never much of an Oasis fan, either – always thought they sorta tried too hard – but if you’ve got a hankering for a varied, entertaining record that brings the Britpop sounds of the ’60s into the new millennium without any sort of pandering or retro B.S., then check out the latest from Liam Gallagher’s post-Oasis combo.

19. Nick Lowe – The Old Magic (Yep Roc)
Nick Lowe’s last several efforts have generally been too quiet and mellow for my tastes, but The Old Magic seems to strike just the right balance between an “adult” sound and something of a subdued country rock vibe. I particularly dig the swingin’ “Somebody Cares For Me” (which sounds like a not-too-distant cousin to Lowe’s “Half a Boy and Half a Man”), a speedy little shuffle called “Checkout Time” (“I’m 61 years old now/Lord, I never thought I’d see 30″), the devastating ballad “House For Sale” and a nice reading of Tom T. Hall’s “Shame On the Rain.” The sound of growing older gracefully.

20. Terry Anderson and the OAK Team – More Smooth Jazz and Sweet Sweet Jams
Coming off like a cross between Exile On Main Street-era Stones and your favorite band at the local watering hole on a Saturday night, Terry Anderson and the boys play their brand of rock fast and loose and with some country-esque overtones. It’s a highly enjoyable brew that’ll have you singing – and probably drinking – along in no time flat.

by John M. Borack

David Bash’s International Pop Overthrow franchise celebrated its 13th year in 2010, which meant a 13th compilation of all-over-the-map tunes from acts who played one of the venerable pop festival’s many stops throughout the US and UK. Making my way through the behemoth-like three-disc sets of recent years has become somewhat of a daunting task, but after spending some time digging through volume 13, I unearthed many treasures deserving of pop fans’ attention.

IPO has branched out and broadened its sonic palette since the fest’s inception in 1998; rather than simply focusing on jangly, toe-tapping power pop sounds, the festival lineups (and the CD’s) also include everything from slammin’ punk and synth-flecked indie rock to garage pop and singer/songwriter missives (and from eight countries, yet). This is mostly a good thing, as it’s prevented IPO from being pigeonholed as a festival for cultists – plus there seems to be a little something for everyone. Of course not everything is top-shelf, but that’s certainly to be expected for a 66-track comp, right?

In any event, here are some short, random observations on some of the artists/songs that stood out on IPO 13:

The Royalties: Nice modern power pop tuneage with just enough quirkiness to make it memorable.

Susannah Blinkoff: Oh Susannah, I’d like to hear more of these cute vocals combined with those edgy-yet-catchy guitars.

The Mayflowers: If Jellyfish (the band, not the free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria) was Japanese and influenced by the Beatles’ “Getting Better,” it’d sound like this. Which is a good thing.

Deadbeat Poets: Hey, they borrowed the “You Really Got Me” guitar riff!  Or was it “All Day and All of the Night?”  No, wait….”Hello, I Love You?”

Chris Richards and the Subtractions: “I, Miss July” adds up to classic-sounding power pop. (Subtractions…adds up….get it?)

Ulysses: Gary Glitter, meet T. Rex.

Stephen Lawrenson: If Matthew Sweet ever needs an understudy, this could be the right man for the job.

The Dirty Royals: Speedy tempo, lots of harmonies. Very nice.

Nushu: One of the shining lights of the L.A. pop scene offers up one of their hookier, punchier numbers.  Lisa Mychols and Hillary Burton  – you rock!

The Romeo Flynns: Not unlike the E-Street Band meeting Michael Stanley in someone’s garage.  Whether that’s a positive or negative depends on what you think of the E-Street Band and Michael Stanley.

Matthew Pop: With a last name like Pop, it’s gotta be good, right?  The crunchy guitars and the “woo-hoo’s” help make it so.

The Roebucks!!: They have exclamation points!!  I don’t know why!!  They also have an undeniably catchy, mid-tempo swagger about them!!

The Beat Rats: Rough and tumble Merseybeat madness. Wonderful.

The Shamus Twins: I was reminded of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. For sham(us)…

Maxi Dunn: Beautifully atmospheric, perfectly sung.

Popfilter!: Imagine Queen if Queen was really, really mediocre.

The Stanleys: “What Are We Gonna Do?” might be the best thing here. It’s classic, powerful pop that is highly reminiscent of ’70s-era Midwest power popsters The Boys. Turn it up.

Rob Bonfiglio: A winning, soulful, piano-based tune.

Skick: Supercharged female-fronted punk rock.

Jeremy Morris: The Nicest Guy in Pop flies like a Byrd…

The Pondhawks: Imagine a peppy Gerry Rafferty listening to “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.”

Tiny Volcano: More Jellyfish (not the hydrozoan or hydromedusae) crowned with a Queen-like guitar solo.

Golden Bloom: Pretty, mid-tempo sunshine pop sounds.

The Secrets: Hypnotically catchy garage-pop.

Zoe Scott: Has an “Every Breath You Take”/”Missing You” (John Waite) vibe.

Agony Aunts: Bouncy, quirky and cool. A highlight of disc 3.

Cosmo Topper: Seriously weird sh*t here. Brown acid, anyone?

The Sunchymes: See Golden Bloom.

Blue Cartoon: A smooth little number from this veteran IPO combo.

The Kings: A potential radio smash in waiting, this one.

Hijinx: Snappy tune, great band name.

The Afternoons: “I Want it Anyway” is what it’s called, and it’s probably the second-best track here. Love that sweet guitar jangle.

Susan Hedges: A grating, ’80s-influenced dance number. Ugh.

The Romeros: Sloppy punk with sax = no bueno.

The Ringles: You gotta give these guys credit for shamelessly appropriating the opening guitar figure from “Stairway to Heaven” for their own wannabe epic – but I guess a bit of turnabout is fair play, since the Zep dudes certainly “borrowed” many a riff back in the day…

Overall, IPO 13 is a damned fine collection, with the many high points making it a more-than-welcome addition to any pop fans’ music library. Great way to discover many heretofore unknown acts, too.  Visit www.internationalpopoverthrow.com for more info on both the CD’s and the festival.

By Patrick Prince

Breaking Laces, an indie rock trio from Brooklyn, New York, returns with a new album, “When You Find Out,” this year. The band (Willem Hartog on guitar/vocals, Rob Chojnacki on bass and Seth Masarsky on drums) have shown the knack for writing well-crafted power pop songs in their fairly short existence. That talent remains with “When You Find Out,” where there is a certain maturity added to the mix. The new songs, recorded in Nashville, win the listener with a blending of a witty, acoustic pop-flavor with a driving rock ‘n’ roll force.

Breaking Laces lineup: (left to right) Seth Masarsky, Willem Hartong, Rob Chojnacki (Photo by Jen Maler).

“The idea was to take simple acoustic pop songs and make them bigger than life,” explains singer/guitarist/songwriter Willem Hartong.

Breaking Laces’ homebase may be Brooklyn but the band has become a touring monster, with a reported five-hundred shows in five years. And the reviews are usually positive, whether it be a small gig in the middle-of-nowhere or an anticipated show at a large music festival/event like SXSW (South By Southwest, Music and Film Interactive).

The following is a short interview with vocalist and guitarist Hartong:

Do you consider yourself a “pop” band?
Willem Hartong: I’ve always found the label “pop” to be a tricky one. It sort of reminds me of “emo,” which I learned comes from the word emotional. And I was kind of taken aback upon learning that thinking, ‘What music isn’t emotional?’ But emo has come to mean a certain thing to many people. And pop has as well. So no, we aren’t a pop band, but oddly enough we are very popular.

Do you like the term “indie rock” then?
WH: Yeah, sure. But the term sprung up around a group of bands who either by choice or necessity practiced outside the major label system. And now that the major label system is somewhat gone, the term indie rock has sort of lost its relevance. I don’t bemoan that fact, it just means we all have to get a little more specific.

If so, how does Breaking Laces stand out from the rest?
WH: We stand out by showing up. We stand out because we know how to work hard but also enjoy the moment. I am going to stop there lest I start sounding like a brochure.

How is the new album “When You Find Out” different than past releases?
WH: Instead of being air-dropped into the middle of the wilderness with only a swiss army knife and our wits, this time we also had some camping gear and a couple of guides.

The band is constantly playing shows. Does that take a lot out of the members both mentally and physically?
WH: Sure. But we really love being on the road. It’s hard to explain in full, but either fate or luck brought three people together who are suited to how long and hard we go out there. It’s funny in that we meet many bands who really don’t care for the grind. And knowing what it can be sometimes, I can’t blame them. I suppose we’ve always looked at touring as an adventure and a daily challenge. So the mental and physical wear are simply things to be dealt with and/or conquered. In the process you learn a lot about yourself and your band mates especially when you show up and are met with a Spinal Tap surprise, which no matter who you are will happen at least once a week.

You get to vent a lot on your tour diary on your Web site though, right?
WH: I suppose venting is a part of the tour diary process. But most of the time I find myself thanking people or explaining myself and why I pulled my pants down in the middle of the show.

You don’t seem intimidated by sharing a bill with other bands, no matter how loud or fast.
WH: Yeah, I guess that’s true. I suppose it just comes from having confidence in ourselves and what we can do. Plus we’ve also had the experience of trying to do too much on stage in a given situation. It usually resulted in a long night for everyone. So we stopped doing that.

Tell us about this year’s SXSW experience — drummer, Seth Masarsky, breaking his wrist.
WH: We will be releasing a self-made dateline special on the topic on our website’s TV channel. Suffice it to say, it was an accident. Maybe not the wisest of choices in how it happened, but hey, that’s rock and roll. Outside of the injury, we played some great shows and probably had our best SXSW to date.

Is SXSW worth it?
WH: Depends on what you are looking to accomplish. As a fan of music, it is always worth it. As a band who last two times went down with specific purposes in mind (i.e., certain targeted music biz people to play in front of), yes it was worth it. Then again, I always look at a chance to play in front of new people as worth it. Maybe that’s why I’m in the band and not managing it.

Was the recording of “When You Find Out” in Nashville planned, for capturing a certain vibe?
WH: No. It was an EP session that due to our ambitious producer turned into a crazy stacked recording session over five days. Good thing we are no stranger to that process, otherwise we might have gotten caught staring into the headlights.

Washington Times once compared you to Rivers Cuomo of Weezer (“a more down-to-earth version of Rivers Cuomo with his head screwed on straight”) … how did you feel about that comparison?
WH: Who wouldn’t invite a comparison to Rivers? And I’m also glad to know that someone thinks my head is screwed on straight. Personally, I don’t see it.

BTW, is Brooklyn becoming “too hip for its own good” now, or is it still the place to be for a music scene?
WH: Just like any place that garners attention, it depends on which circles you choose to run in and subscribe to. I’ve always thought it’s only too hip if you allow it to be. Besides that, I’ve always really enjoyed living here for the music scene and beyond.

GM: Where does Breaking Laces find itself in 10 years?
WH: Hopefully still together, at least to some degree. In the meantime I’d like to be able to dictate our touring a bit more as far as when and where we go. We’re getting close to that level and it would be helpful in many ways. Then again, if the heat comes ’round, I’ll always be ready to go out the door in less than thirty seconds.

It’s the ’80s all over again.

Tommy Tutone is to release an album titled “A Long Time Ago” on May 31 via SPV’s Yellow Label.

TOMMY HEATH with guitarist Jim Keller formed the band TOMMY AND THE TU-TONES. They soon shortened the name to TOMMY TUTONE and recorded for Jupiter Records in the late 1970s. In 1980 they signed with Columbia Records and had a minor hit with “Angel Say No” later that year. This led to an opening slot touring with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Determined to break out with a hit, the band spent the better part of a year writing and recording the next album “TOMMY TUTONE”, which was released in late 1981. The first single “867-5309/Jenny” proved to be their breakthrough record and reached #4 on the pop charts in 1982. The song was written by Keller with Alex Call of the bay area group Clover. The two bands were closely linked and over the years swapped members and wrote songs together. Clover never had a hit record, but will be forever remembered as Elvis Costello’s backing band on his debut album “My Aim Is True”. TOMMY TUTONE the band released their third album for Columbia, “National Emotion” and eventually called it quits in 1984.

Heath continued in the music business as a songwriter and headed to Nashville, the song-writing capitol of the world, in the late eighties. He co-wrote with heavy hitters like Keith Sykes (writer for Jimmy Buffett, Rosanne Cash, etc.) and Johnny Neal (of the Allman Brothers Band).

Heath recorded this solo album with Nashville producer Fred James which was originally released in 1994 as “Nervous Love”.

Fred James has remixed, re-mastered and added extra tracks to this re-titled album. Quite to his surprise, when he dug out the old tapes he found several out-takes and alternate versions of songs. He had completely forgotten that they had tried both electric and acoustic versions of “Another Slow Dance” and “Nervous Love”, and an acoustic version of the mega-hit “867-5309/Jenny.

For more info visit:
http://www.tutone.com