VARIOUS - DREAMLAND WITH THE POP SNOWFLAKES (2008)

A long time ago, the first Christmas compilation i ever bought was the Phil Spector's "A Christmas Blog Gift For You", actually this is the Christmas album by which all later holiday releases had to be judged, and it has inspired a host of imitators including myself. So after "A Christmas Blog Gift For You" (2006) and "Another Christmas Blog Gift For You" (2007), this is my third Christmas special compiling some of the best Christmas carols recorded by phenomenal powerpop combos. Have a Merry Christmas, and enjoy.

CD1
Angels We Have Heard On High / Warm This Winter / Christmas In New York / I Want A Guitar For Christmas / Ski Party / Christmas Stars / Christmas / Christmas In The City / We Three Kings / It's Christmas Again (Now I Have It All) / Christmas All Over the World / All I Want For Christmas (Is a Chance) / All Winter Long / O Holy Night / Christmas Carol / Unto Us / Christmas Kiss / I Love Xmas / Your Christmas Whiskey / Christmas Time / Some Children See Him / Christmastime / Jingle Jangle / Merry Christmas

CD2
Christmas Christmas / A Merry Jingle / Another Christmas / Merry Xmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight) / If Christmas Can't Bring You Home / Another Lonely Christmas / Merry Christmas (Wherever You May Be) / Happy Holiday / Snow Day / Christmas (I Remember) / Christmas is Holy / Santa Claus / Santa Came In Stripes / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Christmas Time / All I Want For Christmas / Christmas / My Christmas Wish / What Child Is This / Christmas Time / Will You Marry Me (On Christmas Day) / My Christmas Was In June / Christmas With The Snow / 'Til Next Hanukkah / I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday


it was two years ago

"a christmas blog gift for you" (2006)

new link

THE DEL-LORDS - JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME DEMOS (1985)

The four Del-Lords studio albums – “Frontier Days,” “Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “Based on a True Story” and “Lovers Who Wander” – are slated to be released on CD with a lot of bonus tracks this year by the American Beat label. Modeled on British bands of the ‘60s that used several singers – Kinks, Beatles, the Who - Kempner’s vision was to create an act that would feature four singers performing his songs, an East Coast Beach Boys, if you will. Actually "Frontier Days” was dedicated to Dennis Wilson and Andy Kaufman, both of whom had died while the album was being recorded. Source

Special note: i grabbed the lossless audio tracks a few years ago on a registered website, the quality of the demos is quite good. I only made a custom artwork for the blog.

Songs
Dream Come True / Saint Jake / Valleri / Obsessed With Mary / Love Among The Ruins / Mickey Paid For What Mickey Done / Frontier Days / I Wanna Be Yours / Livin' With Her, Livin' With Me / Lover's Prayer / Some Summer / Merry Christmas Baby / Heaven / Folsom Prison Blues (version 2) / True Love / Only Love Can Set You Free (a.k.a. Soldier's Home) / Eileen

VARIOUS - THE BAM BALAM EXPLOSION VOL 4 (1997)

Another great compilation (OOP) of power pop from the U.S.A. 24 tracks with a 28 color page booklet if you purchase the album. Some copies are available at Jam Records.

Click on pix for details

THE LAST - CONFESSION (1988)

The Last split up in 1985. A new Last — Joe and Mike Nolte, plus three newcomers — resurfaced unexpectedly in 1988 with a neat album "Confession" produced by All leader Bill Stevenson. (David Nolte - now in Wednesday Week - had been in a very early version of the Descendents, Stevenson's group.) Energized '60s power pop remains the Last's stock in trade, and they've lost none of their pep or melodiousness. The Noltes' new songs have a resigned, cynical edge ("And They Laugh", "Going Gone," "Everywhere You Turn"), but the music belies that with ringing Byrdsy guitars, mild keyboards and appealing harmonies. Trouser Press

Songs
So Quick To Say / Another Side / Going Gone / And They Laugh / I Saw Your Eyes / It Isn't Really You / Don't Care / Soldiers Of Love / Book / Dancing / Everywhere You Turn / Confession

THE LAST - AWAKENING (1989)

Again produced by Stevenson, "Awakening" makes no stylistic changes in composition but benefits from a toughened attack. Giving clear play to the band's dual affinities for punk and paisley pop, the crisply tuneful album ranges from souped-up covers of the Beatles ("She Loves You") and the Shirelles ("Baby It's You") to a great ballad/rocker "You" the Farfisa-heavy pop of "Book of Life" and the intense "Garden Grow," punctuated by Dave Nazworthy's furious snare rolls. Both Mataré and David Nolte make cameo appearances. Trouser Press

Songs (LP)
No Love / Assembly Line / You / Somebody New / Garden Grow / Your Wings / Book Of Life / Dreaming / Tired / Awakening / She Loves You / Baby It's You

WILLIAM PEARS - WILLIAM PEARS (1998)

Hailing from France, an awesome band led by multi-talented Thierry Dubois, This is the 18 song US version which compiled their french releases "From A Chocolate Box" (1993)" and "Elephant in China Shop" (1994) plus a bonus song "The Politics Of Doing Nothing". Only one song is sung in french - and another one song "Surfin'Euskadi" pays tribute to his homeland - the basque country in south west of France, where a young Thierry Dubois was playing with one of his first combos "The Soul Clichés" in the early 80's. Imagine the Crowded House paying homage to the Kinks and 1965 Beatles and you have a handle.

In 1999, Thierry Dubois and William Pears released "Deçu par l'an 2000" (available on iTunes), with all songs written in french. The album was released by Permanent Press in 2001 under the title "Big Bang" with some lyrics re-written in english. Visit the William Pears myspace page. Thierry Dubois is now working on his third album.

Songs
Sound Advice / This Brief Romance / Blow the Whistle / Johnny Rotten / Tymes Goe by Turnes / Grace / Crying Pop Tears / William and the Amazing Sound Machine / It's a Bingo World / The Boy With Dragon's Breath / One Thousand Buddhas / Surfin' Euskadi / Who Is That Man? / The Politics of Doing Nothing / Les Assureurs / Jesus and the Beatles / I Wouldn't Call It a Crime / My Best Friends Died in 1969

SPOONER - WILDEST DREAMS / EVERY CORNER DANCE (1988)

Although obscure and overlooked during their tenure together, the late-'70s/early-'80s rock band Spooner became best-known years later as the launching pad for guitarist Duke Erikson and drummer Butch Vig of Garbage fame. The group (which also included members Dave Benton on guitar and vocals, Joel Tappero on bass, and Jeff Walker on keyboards) hailed from Madison, WI, and issued a total of three recordings - 1990's "The Fugitive Dance" and 1985's "Wildest Dreams", plus the excellent 1982's Gary Klebe (of Shoes fame) produced "Every Corner Dance"- before splitting up. Erikson and Vig decided to stick together, launching another largely ignored outfit in the late '80s, Fire Town, 1986's "In The Heart Of The Heart Country" and 1989's "The Good Life". Vig concentrated on producing alt-rock artists for the early part of the '90s. But eventually, he re-teamed with Erikson to launch the successful alt-pop outfit Garbage in the mid-'90s.

Years after disbanding, a two-for-one release (now OOP and tricky to find) and though dropping "Doing Time" was issued, which included the group's first two releases together, expectedly titled "Wildest Dreams / Every Corner Dance".

Watch on YouTube "Will You Remember Me" where the boys expertly lip-sync to an alternate studio version of this song from "Every Corner Dance" album. This is slightly different from the LP/CD track.

Wildest Dreams (1985)
Sacred Ground / This Town's on Fire / Borderline / Eyes of the World / Again and Again (Looks Like Rain) / Brave New Heart / The Rainy Days / Woman Out of Time / Wildest Dreams / Endless Miles

Every Corner Dance (1982)
Will You Remember Me? / Temptations / Member of the Family / Jackie / Doing Time / Every Corner Dance / Cruel School / Poor Harold / Oo My My / The Way the Stories Go

THE Y.P VOLUMES 1-4 (1993-1997)

You may have these, but if you haven't, then here they are in "glorious" 320 with complete artwork. Click on pix for details.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4

ELO - ZOOM TOUR LIVE (2001)

After an overlong hiatus, ELO, headed by Jeff Lynne, returned in 2001 in this much anticipated concert, kicking off the Zoom Tour at CBS Television City in Los Angeles. The DVD featuring the gorgeous Rosie Vela is available at any online shop.

Special note: Released in DVD only, i extracted the audio files from the DVD and converted them to mp3. I also used the original DVD artwork to make a complete custom set for the blog.

Songs (RS1 + RS2)
Do Ya / Evil Woman / Showdown / Strange Magic / Livin' Thing / Alright / Lonesome Lullaby / Telephone Line / Turn To Stone / Just For Love / Easy Money / Mr. Blue Sky / Ma-Ma-Ma Belle / One Summer Dream / Tightrope / State Of Mind / Can't Get It Out Of My Head / Moment In Paradise / 10538 Overture / Ordinary Dream / Shine A Little Love / Don't Bring Me Down / Roll Over Beethoven / End Credits

VARIOUS - THE BAM BALAM EXPLOSION VOL 3 (1996)

Released in Spain (1996), an amazing Power pop compilation of twenty five U.S.A. bands (80's & 90's). Rare and OOP now, some copies can be purchased from Jam Records. A real bargain which includes a 28 page color booklet.

Click on pix for details

RICH ARITHMETIC - SLEEP IN A WIGWAM (1994)

"The fluttering swarm of Byrdsian jangle in the opener "Postmortem For Winston" renders the tune reminiscent of early Barracudas; the next track "Cambridge" has an educated early Long Ryders ambiance. "And Then You'll Love Me (Tonight)" has a smooth Cars feel. Basically "Sleep In A Wigwam" is a wonderful pop record that feels no need to hide its 80's influences behind a wall of hipster detachment.Don't get me wrong - this music is mainly 60's informed, but it's refreshing to hear the "dit-dit-dit" harmonies and hazy Big Star-ish vocals get lost in an aural maze of sunsconcious (as opposed to self-conscious) pop references and motifs. This is for fans of The Smithereens and Richard X.Heyman - but mainly it's for fans of POP in its widest form. A near masterpiece." Jordan Oakes 1995

Rich Artithmetic is Rich Horton and can be heard on "Timeless Flyte, A Tribute to The Byrds - Reflyte" available at CDBaby. Rich Horton and Bill Retoff cover the classic "It Won't Be Wrong" as Roger & Jim.

Songs
Postmortem For Winston / Cambridge / And Then You'll Love Me (Tonight) / Troy Donahue Axe / Foreign Cigarettes / Thirteen Brides / I Wonder Why / A Part Of Life / Ballet For Richie / Richie's Place / A Mark: A Writer/Bachin' It / The Only-If-You-Pick-Her-Up Waltz / I Dreamed Last Night / Pallid Pilgrims_Birth Of Ringo_The elliot Bay Book Club & Surf Joint / Buying & Selling With The Hogameisters / Richie's Reprisal / UFO's (Unidentified Famous Objects)

THE IDEA - SIDEWAYS SMILE (1992)

A longtime fixture of the Chicago power pop community, singer/guitarist Phil Angotti tenured with acts including the Fleas and the Scuffle before joining with singer Jay Goeppner in 1987 to form the long-running Beatle Brothers. (He also served with Graham and Brad Elvis in the like-minded Not the Beatles.) In 1991 Phil Angotti formed his own group, the Idea, a year later releasing their debut LP "Sideways Smile" on the Lisabet label. It took Angotti five years to issue the Idea's third effort, the Our House label release "Afternoon Balloon". AMG

Songs
Swingset / Sideways Smile / You Say The Funniest Things / You'll Go On /The Knack And How To Get It / For Now / Other Plans / Having Problems / Janet Smiles / Vague / Guessing / Singing For No One / Pop Art In The 90's / Hi / Success

WONDERBOY - NAPOLEON BLOWN APART (1997)

As a child Robbie Rist played Cousin Oliver in the final season of "The Brady Bunch". In the late 1970s, he co-starred in a Saturday morning show called "Big John, Little John", and in 1976 and 1977, Rist played David Baxter (Ted Baxter's son), on the television program "Mary Tyler Moore". In 1980, Rist played "Dr. Zee" on "Galactica 1980".
As an adult, Rist has worked as a voice actor, such as in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" film series (as Michelangelo), from 1984 to 1993, he supplied the voice for the character Whiz in the Saturday morning cartoon "Kidd Video". He was also the voice of Aaron in the PC game "Star Warped".
As a musician, Robbie Rist has performed as the lead singer/guitarist for several rock bands in the Los Angeles area including the Andersons, Cockeyed Ghost, Martin Luther Lennon, Queef, and Wicked Queer. The list of west coast pop bands Rist has performed with numbers in the hundreds. He currently divides his time between film and music production, performing with Los Angeles alt-country band Kingsize Maybe.
"Napoleon Blown Apart" was the final Wonderboy album and considered by many as his best work but not the easiest one to find too.

Songs
Tick / Why Can't One And One Be Two? / Taken / Unconditional Love / What I Mean / Hindsight's 20/20 / Empty / Happy? That's Me! / Something's Missing / Rumours For Sale / Angel Wings / Insercurity Girl / Just Tick