The Stage Is Set And The Show Is Beginning

Jason Falkner. Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. Brian Reitzell. All names that Too Poppers are likely familiar with. For context, how about Jellyfish, Moog Cookbook, The Grays, Imperial Drag, Air, and Beck? All three have been in or worked with those artists and together, they are TV Eyes.

I've been covering TV Eyes since the early days of Too Poppy. She's a Study was the first tune we all heard, instantly hooking us with the keyboards and beats that uncannily sound more authentic 80s than merely reverential 80s. Their debut album was finally released in 2006 after several months and years of being teased. Sadly, it was only released in Japan, as was their follow-up EP.

We should've seen this coming. Omnivore Recordings clearly must be run by fans of Jellyfish and its many branches - er, tentacles - given their ongoing reissue campaign. Indeed, on October 7, Omnivore is finally releasing TV Eyes' debut album stateside complete with most of the Softcore EP. CD. Digital. Yellow vinyl! I'll let the trailer finish this post off...



Pre-order

They Just Seem a Little Weird

Check out Jellyfish's Roger Joseph Manning Jr. playing keyboards with Cheap Trick!

Watch the full episode. See more Austin City Limits.

Like it? Like Austin City Limits on PBS? Like NPR's All Songs Considered? Well then you damn well better support public broadcasting. Too many in Congress think there is no longer a point to funding such a fundamental piece of our culture. It's time to tell them they are so fucking wrong. Public broadcasting is in serious danger and Too Poppy relies on it in more ways than you'll ever know. I bet you do too. Here's one place to start voicing your support and let Congress know that we cannot take this vital resource for granted. In the meantime, I'll step off my soapbox so you can enjoy Cheap Trick above!

We All Race For The Finish Line

Bleu is previewing a few new tunes from his upcoming album Four on Facebook and one of them prominently features Jellyfish's Roger Joseph Manning Jr.! Sounds fantastic - quite Macca-esque. Can't wait to hear the rest.

It's You Who's Asking For More

Rooney's third album is Eureka and will be available June 8. Their last album was chockfull of Jellyfishy goodness so I have high expectations for the band named after the principal character in Ferris Bueller who ended up liking boys younger than Ferris a little too much in real life.

Leave Your Sorrows

Ah, the power of the Internet age. Bryan Scary is using a novel online approach to fund the new BS & The Shredding Tears' album Daffy's Elixir. If you pledge a certain amount of $$ for the album, you'll be rewarded with some amazing items. Sure, autographed albums, t-shirts, etc. are yours for the pledging, but if you contribute $1,000 or more they'll write a song about you. Priceless! The best news is that they're already near their goal so this new album will surely be recorded!

Check out a demo for The Wicked Frontier, the anticipated lead track. As always, deliciously Jellyfishy.

Too Much, Too Little, Too Late

Steve Harris interviewed Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish back in 1993 and has graciously posted the interview on YouTube. Enjoy...



Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

You and Your Angelic Shout

Mogul = Bleu, Mike Viola, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., and Rooney.
Mogul performing Jellyfish's That is Why = stunning.


Thanks, @myhmphs!

We're All Different and Nothing's Universal

I was click-wheelin' through my collection this morning on the way to work looking for something different when I landed upon Ro Sham Bo. Let me take you back in time. The year is 1993. Grunge has not yet disrupted the growing popularity of power pop. Matthew Sweet's Altered Beast is in the record shops (remember those?) just a few rows down from Jellyfish's Spilt Milk.

Recently departed Jellyfish member Jason Falkner teams up with power pop royalty Jon Brion, Dan McCarroll and Buddy Judge to form The Grays. Their only album, Ro Sham Bo, is released in April 1994 and kicked off by the single The Very Best Years. Wow. This is power pop at it's ultimate best. Even 15 years later, this album is fresh, inventive and inspiring. It's also filled with kick-ass hooks. The album takes you on a roller coaster ride of melodic wonders.

Unfortunately, The Grays disbanded shortly thereafter and went their separate ways. I guess all good things have to come to an end eventually, but this was too quick. What is even sadder, Ro Sham Bo is long out of print. All you can get from iTunes is the music video of The Very Best Years. Amazon offers up a few physical copies but nothing to download. Hell, even YouTube won't let me embed the video for The Very Best Years on this post. This is one album that begs to be rediscovered.

If this isn't part of your collection, do yourself a favor and track down a copy today.

Sad Sad Story Indeed

If you ever need a reminder of how freakin' cool Not Lame is, get a load of their latest find: Love Bang!

Love Bang is the unreleased project that Eric Dover of Jellyfish finished before joining J-fish.

Not Lame goes on to describe it as a ballsier Crowded House full of Beatles and Jellyfish. Judging from the clips they posted, that description seems spot on. And what a great back story:

Recorded at Ardent Studios at great expense, major labels made offers `substantial ones` but, for whatever reasons, they were not accepted. In fact, one offer to Charisma Records, soon to be the home of Jellyfish, was rejected because their A&R man said they had just signed a band with a very similar sound.

Man, just imagine how many other 'almosts' are out there waiting for Not Lame to discover them. This seems to be a required purchase for any self-respecting Jellyfish fanatic, and we know because we are.

Buy now from Not Lame!

All Those Crazy Aspirations

Who doesn't love a great break-up record? Girlfriend and Songs From the Year of Our Demise are two prime examples that happen to be favorites of mine. Jeff Litman's Postscript makes a noble attempt at greatness with this debut and announces a dazzling pure pop talent that you cannot and should not ignore.

With hooks and melodies that amount to gluttonous ear candy, Postscript is instantly catchy, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and familiar. His voice at times reminds me of Elvis Costello and Julian Lennon, and the tunes range from The Monkees to The Clash - this is a good place to be in.

The only rub (and it's definitely minor) is that Litman tends to straddle that line between familiar and overly derivative a bit too much. Way2Poppy and I had some fun playing Name That Tune (listen for Peter Pumpkinhead, Rainbow Connection, Is It Like Today?, and Isolation). In this genre derivation comes with the territory, but after a couple of listens it almost sounds like a crutch.

With all the goodness on this release, I have no doubt Litman will find his own voice and pave his own path. In the meantime, Postscript is perfect for days when the sun shines a bit longer.

Cool Poppers' Reviews:
Powerpopaholic (10/10!)
Bill's Music Forum

Download Postscript at iTunes
Official Site

It's Ok With Me

Palo Alto Pop Overthrow has an extensive interview with Jason Falkner. I haven't had a chance to listen to it all the way through, but I did jump ahead to hear about plans for a new album! I won't spoil it - listen for yourself:

Thanks for the heads up, Phil. Nice work as usual!

Sonic Boom

Recently, I've found myself revisiting Flight of the Knife by Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears and it keeps getting better with each listen. At first, I felt like I needed to be an Olympic gymnast just to keep up. Once I realized that keeping up was a losing proposition, I just let myself become absorbed by the journey the album takes.

The influences are obvious, whether it's Jellyfish and Queen on virtually every song or distinct references to British Beatlemania. La Madame on the Moon sounds like a deep album track from McCartney's 70s albums. The Curious Disappearance of the Sky-Ship Thunder-Man must be considered in the same context as the classics Rocket Man and Space Oddity and is the strongest track on the album. Yet despite the similarities, Bryan Scary sounds completely original - there's no one quite like him.

I still can't get my head around the music and lyrics - they feel like a sonic assault in the best of ways yet I'm left pondering what the fuck I just heard. Scary is the maddest of geniuses and his music is absolutely challenging and thrilling. At the heart, though, are catchy-as-hell tunes that you can't shake and wouldn't want to. The Flight of the Knife is a trip you can't miss.

Assimilation Process

TV Eyes (the 80s new wavey side band featuring Falkner and Manning of Jellyfish) have a new release! It's merely an EP called Softcore, but it features a few new tunes and several remixes of songs from their full-length.

The bummer is that so far, this - like their full-length - is only available via Japan. You can order the import at Amazon.com or you can order it from CDJapan, which Manning recommends. I bought one of Manning's albums from CDJapan and I was impressed at how quickly I actually received it despite their warnings that it could take awhile.

So, why no downloads to make this easier for North American fans? Can't be too tough to get it on iTunes, emusic, or any of the other outlets. Take a cue from fellow popsters The Major Labels who have figured this thing out. Harumph.

Tracks:

1. STOP ME
2. ASSIMILATION PROCESS
3. WON'T LAST FOREVER
4. FASCINATING (JASON FALKNER REMIX)
5. SHE'S A STUDY (ROGER JOSEPH MANNING JR. 'MALIBU' REMIX)
6. FADE AWAY (QURULI 'NOISE MCCARTNEY' REMIX)
7. TIME'S UP (BRIAN REITZELL REMIX)

Order the one with the DVD - it appears to be the same price as the regular release ($15-ish) although it is region-2 encoded (making it that much more frustrating.)

Bleed All About It

You may recall Burning Sky Records' release of Jellyfish covers last year that seemed to be pretty popular in the J-Fish circles. Well, they've done it again - this time with The Posies! Beautiful Escape features a jaw-dropping 45 covers on three discs, including re-workings by Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer themselves as well as many cool poppy groups. For the full track list and to order the collection, click here.

The following was also shared on the Andy Sturmer email list by Alan Heaton at Burning Sky Records:

as far as I know, Jon is not working on another solo album right now. A new Posies album in late 2009 is more likely (and a real possibility)

Bummed there will be no new Auer solo album anytime soon. Songs from the Year of Our Demise is easily my favorite album of the past few years. A classic. New Posies is cool news, though, and surprising coming from a band that supposedly broke up at one time!

---

lyric source

Look to the Heavens

The Not Lame blog continues to rave on and on about Bryan Scary. The latest is an interview with Scary.

Note: the new album Flight of the Knife, which Not Lame deemed a "good ear worm," is now available for purchase. To buy from the source of such praise, go here. To download from iTunes, go here. To read my meandering thoughts on his first album, go here. To download a delicious tune from the album, see below!

MP3: Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - The Zero Light (via Spinner)

It's a Carnival

Bryan Scary ... Bryan Scary ... Bryan Scary. I kept seeing the name pop up in my world of too pop, most notably at new Cool Popper (see blogroll to the right) Powerpopaholic (he had me at "...Jellyfish fans will flip over.") Scary (and his band The Shredding Tears, which seems to mostly consist of him), has a new album coming out 4/1 called Flight of the Knife. In preparation of this Too Poppy-worthy event, I thought it necessary to develop historical perspective. In other words, I bought his first album The Shredding Tears.

Wow, Jellyfish indeed, and McCartney, and Wilson, and Bowie, and Pink Floyd, and Queen, and did I mention Jellyfish? I instantly loved the sound and had high expectations. This was going to be a fun listen. Though after 15 tracks, honestly, I was a little relieved it was over. It consisted of everything I loved about music so I can only conclude I was overwhelmed.

Scary swings for the fences - not with every song, but with every note! I felt a longing for an off-note or an abrupt ending to a song - anything to shake up the meticulous production. It was like listening to Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite over and over and over and over and over again - great on the first few plays, but by the 15th, it's time for a change.

That's not to say everything was a miss. Quite the contrary, this album is so rich and heady that it's going to take many listens to absorb it all. It's saying something that I had this reaction after only one listen. This is not disposable pop and I expect it will have a lasting impact on me, but I was hoping to have a little more fun than I did.

Download The Shredding Tears here
Visit here
Stream here at HisSpace

I'm Bigger Than Jesus Now

John Faye has quite a power pop history. He's fronted the hard-to-find Caulfields (if you're reading Too Poppy, surely you remember the Jellyfishy greatness of Devil's Diary) and John Faye Power Trip. His latest act Ike has a new album out today (which is not their first, btw) and although I haven't heard it yet, knowing Faye's past work, this one will be chock-full of the hooks and harmonies that inspire this blog.

Listen, learn, and download.

Beatnik Beatch

It's been a collector's item for Jellyfish nuts for over a decade. Noble Rot Records will change that on October 9 when they re-release Beatnik Beatch, the band's self-title major label debut.

Read more and hear more about Beatnik Beatch at theirspace. In short, Beatnik Beatch is to Jellyfish as The Quarrymen is to The Beatles.

Squeezing Tupac From Peter Criss

Upon review of Frisbie's new New Debut, the material issue is whether derivativeness warrants merit or demerit. C'mon, we're talking power pop here! It's less about originality of melody than originality of execution. And wow, no cheap tricks here, my friends. Frisbie's execution is an exercise in perfection.

Who are Frisbie? They are a group of guys seemingly guided by voices of not only haunts of their hometown of Chicago, but of notable contemporaries as well. I was struck on numerous occasions by the ghost of Ellison clearly making his voice heard, especially on the stand-out track I Speak Your Mind. For a split second, I was resentful of the tragic reminder, but then I accepted the sheer nostalgic joy it evoked. Horns reminiscent of CTA and ELO flourishes balance perfectly with modern GBV melodies and Jellyfishy wit. Big stars they are not, but a Frisbie of a generation ago would undoubtedly be influencing the young poppers of today.

The recognition of Frisbie's greatness on New Debut is instant and exponentially more rewarding with each listen. "You're so fucking beautiful" ... "Yes impossible everyone." I dare you to try to shake them off, but why would you want to? The album clocks in mercifully at about 40 minutes - the quicker to reward yourself all over again. I finally know why the repeat function exists.

Sure, Frisbie sounds familiar, but on New Debut, familiarity hardly breeds contempt, it breeds a classic. Relish in the familiar and enjoy - over and over and over again.



iTunes
CD Baby
Not Lame
FrisbieSpace
DigFrisbie

Previously...

That's What You Get When You Live in a Small World

News to me. Andy Sturmer (he of Jellyfish - uh, you should know that) is credited with vocals on Rooney's new CD Calling the World. Normally his are quite recognizable but they slipped by me. From the Andy Sturmer email group, Taylor from Rooney responds:

im in rooney. he sang some background vocals on track 3, "i should have been after you". he initially did tons of jfish style bgv's. we edited and used a couple of lines. in the future we'll have to release a version, with all of andy's vocals in, and turned up loud. rooney/jfish mashup!!

Despite the jokey undertones of his suggestion, i would find a "rooney/jfish mashup" quite pleasurable. And Sturmer should be leading his own damn band, not doing backups for others. We'll take what we can get.

I will now go listen to I Should Have Been After You. Goodbye.

UPDATE: Wow, that tune is very Jellyfishy. Can' t believe I didn't really notice it the first few times I heard it. Still, couldn't isolate Sturmer from everybody else. Bummer.