Getting back to the basics. Which means getting back to power pop or melodic pop music in general. No matter how far in the country zone I have traveled, this will always be the foundation of my music taste.
First we have Ryan Allen and His Extra Arms and their new album Heart String Soul. I’ve had this one on my playlist for several weeks and I’ve been enjoying it a whole lot. Heart String Soul is such a damn fine rockin’ pop record. Unlike some others, Ryan hasn’t forgotten that there’s a word “power” in the name of the genre. I also love the fact that the album keeps on reminding me of all those fairly unknown, but magnificent pop bands that I found from the Not Lame catalogs. It makes me want to pick up those records and keep on spinning them for the first time in several years. However, first I’ll play this new Ryan Allen and His Extra Arms album as loud as the neighbors can tolerate. This is the album opener Should Be Me.
Ryan Allen & His Extra Arms Website
I’ve been following Canadian Taylor Knox for a few years and I’ve been waiting for a full-length album. Unfortunately I still don’t get that full-length, but he will release a new Lines EP later in March. Taylor Knox has played with a lot of great Canadian bands/artists like Sloan and Hayden. Mostly drums if I’m not mistaken. It would be a good time to step up front and sing his own tunes. I think this guy has a lot of talent and does that Sloan-ish melodic power pop rather perfectly. I’ve pretty much loved everything I’ve heard so far. I haven’t heard the EP yet (unless the songs are the same he has released by himself before, I know some are at least), but I’m fairly confident that it’s going to a really good one. This is a live video of I See Lines from the forthcoming release out 31st of March on Maple Music Recordings.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoRmKIuPtlw]