Big Hello, Fastball and The Knack: Power Pop Music News Album Reviews by Don Krider | |||||||||||||||||
| BIG HELLO: Apple Album | |||||||||||||||||
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Make sure you take a bite out of the "Apple Album" by Big Hello. This new Parasol Records release gives you more than a mouthful of tracks --- 11 new songs (plus 11 alternate versions)--- 22 tracks in all. It's a great tasting album. Drummer Brad Elvis continues to amaze with a powerful backbeat and is an awesome songwriter as well (check out "Today Will Be Yesterday Tomorrow" and "Riot Gurl"). Chloe F. Orwell, on piano and lead vocals, sings with girlish charm and punk charisma on all the tracks. She's also a capable songwriter (as proven by "O' Canada" and the great "I Don't Like You"). Guitarist Johnny Million's "Hooked On The Girl" has one of the best hooks I've heard all year (the kind of song you can't get out of your head). Add bassist J.A.C.K.I.E. to the mix, and you've got a band, folks! No egos getting in the way...just four great talents making great music on a great record. HOMETOWN: Chicago. RATING: ****. Photography by Peter Kuehl. | ||||||||||||||||
| FASTBALL: All The Pain Money Can Buy | |||||||||||||||||
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There's nothing painful about Fastball's second album, "All The Pain Money Can Buy" (Hollywood Records). Already certified gold (sales of over 500,000 units), with two Top 10 hits ("The Way" and "Fire Escape"), this is one album that deserves all the success it is getting. Not only that, but this power pop trio pulls it off live as well (as seen on "The Tonight Show" and on HBO on US television this year). The band has two tremendous lead vocalists/songwriters in bassist Tony Scalzo ("The Way") and in guitarist Miles Zuniga ("Fire Escape"). These gentlemen may also bring back lamb chop sideburns as well (especially rock-steady drummer Joey Shuffield). Besides the hit tracks, several of albums 13 songs are dynamite: "Better Than It Was," "Sooner Or Later," "Out Of My Head" and "G. O. D. (Good Old Days)." Find "The Way" to the record store and buy it! HOMETOWN: Austin, Texas. RATING: ****. | ||||||||||||||||
| THE KNACK: Zoom | |||||||||||||||||
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The Knack is back. Three original members (lead singer/guitarist Doug Fieger, guitarist Berton Averre and bassist Prescott Niles) are joined by former Missing Person/Frank Zappa collaborator Terry Bozzio on drums. Original drummer Bruce Gary left the band to perform with Bob Dylan and Bette Midler, among others (he joined ex-Raspberries Scott McCarl and Wally Bryson on stage at Poptopia in February 1998). The new Knack offers us "Zoom" (Rhino). The very first track sets the pace with "Pop Is Dead, but the real stunner is "Can I Borrow A Kiss?" which is a definite WOW! from beginning to end (great lyrics: "When you know I exist/Can I borrow a kiss/And I'll give it right back to you..."). The band can rock with tunes like "Love Is All There Is" and "Mister Magazine", or mellow out with the sweetness of a ballad like "Everything I Do" (the closest similar-style song I can think of is Raspberries "Rose Coloured Glasses" by Scott McCarl...you've got to hear it). HOMETOWN: Los Angeles. RATING: ****. | ||||||||||||||||
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