Excellent Pop Inspired by Beach Boys and Beatles

Love the 1960s pop of the Beach Boys and Beatles? Then we highly recommend the brand new album CLOUDHEAD by Jamie Ward. This is a new favorite at Rancho Oddio.

     

This follow-up to 2015’s “I Am The Sun” shows Jamie Ward’s ability to push even further into a mixed bag of 1960’s inspired pop gems. Written, recorded, performed and produced by the artist, it is a more complex album in it’s songwriting and arrangements, tipping it’s hat to Brian Wilson’s modular recording style employed on “Pet Sounds” and the orchestral arrangements by George Martin on The Beatles middle period records, plus Phil Spectors layered “Wall Of Sound” technique. Elements of other 1960’s music makers including The Byrds, The Left Banke, The Rolling Stones, Harry Nillson and others are also honoured in this collection of original songs.   

“CloudHead” was written as a concept album, a commentary on the disillusionment of a consumer driven existence based on the artists personal experience of transition between western society’s force-fed values and expectations to self-realization. The album represents a complete day in the life, starting with “Get Up!” and ending with “End Of The Day/Now That’s It’s Over”. It is a tribute to the dreamers, the “CloudHeads” of the world.
 

We are also wildly in love with Jamie Ward's aforementioned I AM THE SUN EP. You can find both albums on Bandcamp and on the FMA.




PS: If the voice sounds vaguely familiar, you may recognize Jamie Ward as the voice of that legendary children's artist, Uncle Neptune, a long-time favorite at both Kazoomzoom and Oddio Overplay.

Bandcamp | Facebook | Free Music Archive

MUSIC COPYRIGHTS:All Rights Reserved; FMA-Limited License
IMAGE: album cover
NATIONALITY: Americas: Canada: Ontario
CLASSIFICATIONS:Psychedelia; Pop; Sunshine Pop
FILED UNDER: Digital: Popular Music: Psych Pop, Bubblegum

Self - Porno, Mint And Grime

Porno, Mint And Grime is one of several albums of B-sides and unreleased tracks given away by Matt Mahaffey, his project Self, and the Self fan community at Selfies.com. Although the site is no longer breathing, there is an archived version with all those albums still available to new ears.

Several Self CDs are on the shelves in the Oddio Overplay library and still get play. These are meticulously well-produced, quality pop and rock albums. Recommended for fans of Beck, Devo, XTC, and good alternative pop music in general.

Official Website | AllMusic | Matt Mahaffey | Facebook | Twitter

MUSIC COPYRIGHTS: All Rights Reserved
IMAGE: album cover
NATIONALITY: USA: California: Los Angeles; USA: Tennessee: Murfreesboro
CLASSIFICATIONS: Pop; Rock; Experimental Pop; Hip Hop Beats; Electronic
COMPOSERS: Matt Mahaffey
LANGUAGE: American English
FILED UNDER: Digital: Popular Music: Rock, Blues Rock, Classic Rock

Nina Hagen Live At DNA Lounge

Nina Hagen is many things — The Mother of Punk, model, actress, singer, songwriter, all-around performer, to name a few. She is also a hero to countless punks of at least two generations.

This live show from the The DNA Lounge Live Collection was recorded at the club in San Francisco, California, 9 February 2005. Nina performs songs reaching all the way back into her catalog to the 1970s, as well as two songs from her then current album, Big Band Explosion, and some uniquely Nina cover renditions.

Live Recording Sets

recorded via the soundboard
 

1.) DJ Set by AplusD [Adrian (of Blue Period) and Mysterious Dee]

2.) Opening Set by Jill Tracy

3.) DJ Set by AplusD [Adrian (of Blue Period) and Mysterious Dee]

4.) 03:28:04 Nina Set Begins

Nina Hagen Set Playlist

01.  Acappella German cabaret song (This is Nina, after all!)

02. Let Me Entertain You (2003, Big Band Explosion)

03. Return of the Mother (2000, Return of the Mother)

04. Zero Zero U.F.O. (2001, Sternenmaedchen)

05. Fever (2003, Big Band Explosion)

06. I'm Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song (gospel classic by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey) (1993, Revolution Ballroom)

07. New York New York (1983, Fearless) / Prima Nina in Ekstasy (with a new rap) (1985, In Ekstasy)

08. A Horse With No Name (reggae version of a classic by America) / Hey Shiva Shankara

09. King of Hearts (1993, Revolution Ballroom)

10. All Apologies (Nirvana cover)

11. Take A Giant Step (The Monkees cover, song by Gerry Goffin and Carole King)

12. She's So Stupid

13. Ska Thing (1996, Bee Happy -- music and words by Nina)

14. Born In Xixax (1982, Nunsexmonkrock)

15. Just Squeeze Me (Ella Fitzgerald classic)

16. LSD

17. Born To Die In Berlin (1996, Bee Happy -- music by Dee Dee Ramone, words by Nina)

18. Bang Bang

19. Pollution Pirates (1993, Revolution Ballroom)

20. Ave Maria (1989, Nina Hagen)

21. 1st Encore: Young People / United Women of the World (2003, charity song with other women singers)

22. 1st Encore: Runaway (1996, Bee Happy -- music and words by Dee Dee Ramone)

23. 1st Encore: How Could I Be So Lucky?

24. 2nd Encore: (uncertain about this one)

25. 2nd Encore: TV-Glotzer (White Punks on Dope) (1978, Nina Hagen Band)

Official Website | AllMusic | Wikipedia | IMDB | Facebook

MUSIC COPYRIGHTS: All Rights Reserved
NATIONALITY: Euro W: Germany: Berlin
CLASSIFICATIONS: Punk; Voice; Pop; Dance; Vocal Experimentation; Vocal Pop; Frontwoman
SOURCES: The DNA Lounge Live Collection, Internet Archive
LANGUAGE: German; Madhya; Hindi; English ESL
FILED UNDER: Digital: Popular Music: Punk, Post-Punk, Power Pop

Voice and Keys by the American Dionne Bromfield

The brand new release this week, Love Letters And Broken Hearts, from Gumbo Soul Music features singer and keyboardist Dionne Bromfield. Her voice is lovely, controlled, and jazzy. Her songs are from the heart.

Bromfield on keys and voice is joined by Derrick Hines playing bass guitar and Robert Campbell on drums.

This Dionne Bromfield is an American performer.  It seems, however, that the images embedded in some of the mp3s may be British pop and soul singer-songwriter, Amy Winehouse goddaughter and collaborator, and TV celebrity of the same name, Dionne Julia Bromfield. Confusing. See Dionne's bio below.

Gumbo Soul Music writes:

Dionne Bromfield is fabled to have been born with microphone in-hand. She was raised engrossed in performing and worship artistry by her classically trained jazz pianist father and choir director mother. This eclectic artist grew up active in music, theater and dance but perhaps the greatest impressions were left when she was given a chance to “sit-in” with her family’s bands, vocal groups and orchestras. Dionne emerged on the professional Colorado music scene as a teen and, because of her sophisticated musical ear, attention to detail, and ability to effectively adapt her sound to most sounds and styles of music, was quickly dubbed a chameleon.

Not your average “Pop Girl”, Dionne earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in Music, studying musical techniques ranging from jazz and classical to soul, gospel and Negro spirituals. A former Fisk University Jubilee Singer ™ (Nashville, TN), Dionne renders a unique, youthful artistry infused with spoken word and many music genres including soul, classical, rock and Christian music. As a writer, she draws from her faith, experiences, observations and education. As a result, compositions and arrangements are an eclectic art form of their own. She calls her musical blend of storytelling “Life Music”. Currently, Dionne is materializing as an artist to watch. She also remains a highly sought after session and stage vocalist, songwriter and arranger. Dionne’s passionate delivery, personal testimonies, poetic styling and magnetic energy produce a distinct and refreshing experience for all “within reach”.


Music License: © All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: Atlanta

United States of Electronica

United State of Electronica, or U.S.E, is a Seattle, Washington based dance rock band. The U.S.E self-titled album United State of Electronica feels like Daft Punk as power pop. Fun at parties!

Check out the first track, "It Is On", and see if you are smiling before the end.



Smiling yet? Here's the whole album!

Official Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | myspace | Wikipedia 

Music License: All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Image: U.S.E promo photo from official website gallery

Twangy Psychedelia from The Spectacular Fantastic

We dig the psychedelic indie pop and rock of The Spectacular Fantastic and have been promoting them to readers for years.

Remember the sounds of Camper Van Beethoven and early Flaming Lips? Mix those sounds with southern twang and bigger doses of psychedelic pop and you have yourself something like the mighty friendly flavor of The Spectacular Fantastic.

Mike writes, "TSF has been many things over the years.  The "band" began as a solo recording project that eventually evolved into a full blown rock and roll band and has recently devolved back into a recording project in, near, and around Cincinnati.

"I have been very fortunate to share a musical bond with many of my friends over the past 5 years or so.  The members/collaborators have included Jon Schwartz, Doug Baum, William Ryan Fletcher, Roger Pott, Bryan Dellefield, and Jonathan Williams.  We have played many shows throughout the region and have released several albums and a few EPs.  The lineup currently consists of Jonathan Williams and myself.

"We live in the studio and are refining and practicing the art of songwriting on an ongoing basis.  We may or may not re-emerge as a live band but as long as I am around, we will probably release an album here and there.  We do believe in making music that is easily accessible and either very affordable or free to enjoy."

Continue reading for three more players

Our Disco Disastro and Our Corto Discorso

A Smile for Timbuctu was a fun band from Italy made up of Cristiano Crisci and Simone Brillarelli with designer Jonathan Calugi. Brillarelli is now now famous as Digi G'Alessio and as a founder of the Fresh Yo! label.

This happy 5-song EP, Our Corto Discorso, made for Kazoomzoom is a spin on A Smile for Timbuctu's album, Our Disco Disastro, and is played only with machines: synthesizers and a drum machine.

Enjoy other albums by A Smile for Timbuctu on their site, including the original Our Disco Disastro.

Kazoomzoom | Bandcamp | myspace | Free Music Archive

Music License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
Artist Location: Florence, Italy

Joy From Brazil: Gryner E Jardim

Rafael Gryner e Leandro Jardim -
Sementes Musicais Para Um Mundo Cibernético (Seeds For A Musical Cybernetic World)

 

Sementes Musicais Para um Mundo Cibernético by Gryner e Jardim

 Download from Musicoteca or Um Que Tenha 

Just as the seed needs water, the song requires a listener. Like a small grain that blossoms into a tree, the song desires to transcend its own brevity. Inspired by these thoughts we invite you to listen to our E.P. Six songs that require no more than 16 minutes of attention, because they wish to be perceived as an integral work. A work that, worry not, intends to suit these hectic times we live in. So faced with the fleeting time in our world comes the significance of being brief.

Here we find ourselves on the web, contemplating all that is cyber and governs our world today. This is the source of inspiration for our arrangements, instrumentation, chants and effects.

And so our task, to get the rawness of a seed, those that grow into trees to turn into guitars, mix it with the electronic, virtual, digital world, appearing ever so fiercely to compete with our notion of reality - and there you go – these are our proposed aesthetics.

An aesthetic in service art itself, the art of songwriting, the art of brazilian songwriting, passionately invoking everything that was done up till now, and why not? moving on.

So now we open this door, reach out a hand, and invite you to witness our way of re-processing old emotions, those that happily afflict everyone on this world, and enjoy these seeds which hopefully will flourish within the listener. 

 -- Rafael Gryner e Leandro Jardim

Official Website | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Musicoteca | Um Que Tenha

Music License: © All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: Brazil

Goofball Pop-Punk from The Blendours

Once upon a time there was a cool, teen pop-punk band in Iowa City, Iowa. They were called Everybody Nose, and they sang fun lyrics, rocked out, and firmly embedded hooky songs in our heads.

We loved them so much that when two of the Oddio Overplay team were married, several songs in their wedding mix were sweet, upbeat love songs by Everybody Nose. The teen band captured those raw feelings of love so well.

Then Everybody Nose broke up, as young bands usually do, and their songs were pulled from the FMA leaving holes in the wedding mix and sadness among the new fans who had found them there. Good news! We found those songs on Bandcamp!

We learned that Rachel and Luke are in Lipstick Homicide, Molly E is in The ILLS, and Trevor is now in The Blendours and The Surf Zombies (Facebook, Reverb Nation), who play all original "hot rod horror surf" instrumentals

The Blendours have released heaps of acoustic power pop in the vein of Everybody Nose. Listening to those albums leads us to believe Trevor was probably the lead songwriter for Everybody Nose. Jumping around though their Bandcamp albums, you will find many are free, such as Disability Blues [2011] and a fun covers EP, Blendours For Sale (For Free) [2012].



The live show is often plugged in and so is their split LP on Eccentric Pop Records.

The Blendours Bandcamp | Facebook | Buy Vinyl | YouTube |  

Artist Location: Iowa, USA

Grupo Laberinto

All Music describes the music of Grupo Laberinto (Labyrinth) as boisterous, amiable, good-natured, playful, exuberant, fun, rollicking, cheerful, confident, earnest, and energetic.

"Formed in 1987 in Ciudad Obregón in the Mexican state of Sonora, Grupo Laberinto specialize in corridos, rancheras, boleros, and a danceable, tropical blend similar to merengue. The group made its recording debut playing this latter style, but it quickly expanded its horizons to include rancheras, corridos, and ballads in its repertoire, a stylistic shift that widened the group's appeal to other parts of Mexico as well as the United States." -- All Music

La Bomba Tropical Del Pacifico
[anthology]

Me Voy Como Vine
[2012

Totalmente Ranchero
[2006]

Laberinto's label, Discos Musart, shares some of their work on last.fm.  Enjoy the albums La Bomba Tropical Del Pacifico (an anthology of early hits), Me Voy Como Vine (2012), Totalmente Ranchero (2006), and tracks from other albums.

Official Website | All Music | last.fm | iTunes | Amazon

Music License: All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: Sonora, Mexico

Jarrell Perry's Rhythm and Blues

Jarell Perry's controlled voice soars in layers through his self-released LP, Simple Things. The contemporary R&B album was released on his website this spring and is making quite a splash.

Idolator says, "... it’s Perry’s vocal skills alone that might be the most impressive part of this whole package: a melodic, full-bodied blend somewhere in between Miguel and Usher. Seriously — the man knows how to wail with conviction."

MTV's Buzzworthy notes, "In addition to co-writing Fat Joe and Chris Brown's 'Another Round,' Jarell's worked with everyone from Cormega, Thurz, and Cadence Weapon, to Usher, to producers Diplo, Hassan Johnson, and Boi-1da."

Jarell Perry - Simple Things (continuous mix) by JarellPerry

Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook | YouTube

Music License: All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: California, USA

New Sounds of São Paulo, Brazil

Sounds and Colours is a magazine promoting South American music and culture. Their compilation Nossa, Cara! New Sounds of São Paulo showcases some of the best sounds coming from Sao Paulo.

Sounds and Colours writes:

Nossa, Cara! New Sounds of São Paulo is a labour of love highlighting what we think are some of the most exciting artists to be found anywhere in the world, never mind stacked up on top of each other in the same city.

Nossa, Cara! New Sounds of São Paulo in partnership with Brasil Music Exchange features a wide variety of music being made in São Paulo today. M. Takara 3, Psilosamples and Guizado represent some of the exciting electronic music coming out of the city. Chankas and Bodes e Elefantes make music which has a fearless approach to sonic exploration. The sounds of north-eastern Brazil are represented by Iara Rennó, Juçara Marçal e Kiko Dinucci and Metá-Metá (featuring Juçara and Kiko with added Thiago França). R. Brandao and Lurdez da Luz show the way forward for São Paulo hip-hop. They are joined by Tulipa, Bruno Morais and Lulina, who continue the MPB tradition in delightfully absurd ways, Karina Buhr, Juliana R and Bárbara Eugênia who bring a number of new ideas to the Brazilian cantora tradition, and Rafael Castro, who confounds with each new slice of dexterous folk or rock he puts to tape. 

Nossa, Cara! New Sounds of São Paulo is available from the Sounds and Colours website and from Bandcamp.

Official Website | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Facebook

Music License: © All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: São Paulo, Brazil

The Lush Sounds of the '70s from Ill Mondo

The label Circle Into Square descibes Ill Mondo's De Novo album as "a psychedelic exploration of epic proportions" and goes on to say:

Recorded on classic, vintage equipment in authentic 70's style, Ill Mondo employed dozens of studio musicians and a variety of vocalists to complete the album. The recordings started with a Kraut-rock influenced studio jam session, and the sessions were edited down before extensive overdubbing; Mellotron flutes and strings blend with live horn and string sections, Latin percussion accents against the funky drums and a full choir section complements the space echo guitars.

Official Website | SoundCloud | myspace | Facebook | YouTube

Music License: © All Rights Reserved

Artist Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA

Proot, Home of Fun Electropop

The stable of artists at the awesome Proot Records produce some of the bouncy, happiest, most fun music in the world. Here are some of our personal favorites in that wacky kingdom of joy.

Proot Records
official website

Thaiz Itch - Binjoum

Yvan&Lendl - Made In Swiss

Katapulto - Bodyhammer

Thaiz Itch - Misty

Tep - Humble

Ergo Phizmiz - Pie Hateaux

Batfinks - Stema Tarnyt

Goto80 - 6

Official Website | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Google+ | Facebook | Free Music Archive | Internet Archive | last.fm | myspace | Shop

Music License: Multiple Creative Commons Licenses

The Guitaret Album

The Guitaret is an an electric lamellophone instrument by produced by Hohner andinvented in 1963 by Ernst Zacharias. It was only produced for two years. The Guitaret has a tone something like an electric thumb piano (kalimba) and a plucked guitar or banjo.

Champion of the instrument, Michael Peters (Tonlab), released an album featuring the Guitaret a few weeks ago with several fellow performers.  The 11-song compilation is aptly titled The Guitaret Album.

See Vintage Audio Berlin's online museum for photos of the instrument. Hohner offers downloads of the original Guitaret product flyer and player's guide.

Owners of Guitarets are invited to join the Facebook Guitaret Fan Club where these artists gathered and planned this release.

Michael Peters Official Website | Hohner Guitaret

Music License: © All Rights Reserved
Images: the original Guitaret product flyer and player's guide by Hohner

Freeway Audio's Zamalek Soundtrack

Several years ago, Oddio shared the news that Test Pressing shared four tracks by Freeway Audio (Jil Christensen, Stephen Levitin). Those tracks bear sharing on Blogio.

Test Pressing writes that Jil Christensen "studied at the New England Conservatory, wrote a piece for the American Symphony Orchestra, scored an opera, plays in a jazz ensemble, lives in North Carolina and makes modern classical music influenced by the likes of John Cage."

The four Freeway Audio tracks Christensen shared are from the Zamalek original soundtrack she produced. The first of which, "Maadi", features vocals from Yazarah, a singer who has worked with artists such as Erykah Badu.

Music License: assume © All Rights Reserved
Image: from original Test Pressing post
Artist Location: Sweden?

VitalFM Compilations

VitalFM, "First for Underground and Underrated Dubstep, Drum and Bass, and Electro", put out the call to artists for their compilations and met with success. Move your body to Infinity and Dystopia. Preview videos of both albums below. You will also find mixes and podcasts at VitalFM.

Various Artists - Infinity

Various Artists - Dystopia

Official Website | SoundCloud | Facebook

Music License: assume © All Rights Reserved

Discount Hi-Fi, Friends Making Music

Discount Hi-Fi is or was a business in the Porter District of Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Discount Hi-Fi is also the name of a band in the same town. Discount Hi-Fi is an album by the Melodicans, also of Gainesville, and made up of some of the same friends as the band Discount Hi-Fi. It is also the name of an album by fellow Florida band Honey Chamber.

The Letter by Discount Hi-Fi is an album of melodic pop rock. This is the fun album that had the Oddio Team digging for more information.



Meanwhile, Discount Hi-Fi by the Melodicans is an album of reggae tinted pop songs.



Cheers to all the musician friends who make this music together.


Music License: Both albums © All Rights Reserved
Image: Discount Hi Fi, Gainesville, FL by Samfeltus
Artist Location: Gainesville, Florida, USA

The 88, Not Just The Kinks Reborn

The 88 is the backup band of Ray Davies, co-founder of The Kinks, one of the most influential rock bands of the British Invasion. In this role, The 88 performs songs by The Kinks, whose classics include "You Really Got Me," "Lola," "All Day and All of the Night," "Sunny Afternoon," "Apeman," "A Well Respected Man," "Come Dancing," "Tired of Waiting For You," and "Waterloo Sunset."

The 88 is much more than "The Kinks Reborn." They are their own rock band with their own sound. To hear for yourself, check out this great 11-track album they are offering up for the taking. Well-produced pop to play over and over again.

Official Website | NoiseTrade | Lyrics [PDF] | Facebook | iTunes | Amazon

Music License: All Rights Reserved
Artist Location: Los Angeles, California, USA

New David Byrne and St Vincent EP

David Byrne writes today of a 5-song EP from David Byrne and St. Vincent:

"After the release of Love This Giant last year, we did a tour of North America and Australia that was like nothing we’ve ever done before—drums, keys and Annie and I supported by 8 choreographed brass players. We did the new material, but also a lot of recognizable songs, arranged for that group. The sound is incredible, and it’s a bit of a visual spectacle as well. We were pretty excited at how it turned out. The critical and audience response was great too! Touring a group that size with a fairly complex show is a big financial gulp, so it has taken us a while to collect enough offers in North America and Europe, but now they are in and we kick off in a few weeks.

"One of our business folks had the idea that we might offer a taste of what we’re up to—so we put together an EP to give folks a taste of what to expect. It has one song that didn’t make it on the record (a waltz featuring some lovely glass harmonica), a couple of energized remixes of some of the album tunes and two live tracks of the sort of more familiar material we do in the set. Did we say it’s FREE? We’re very excited at how this whole project came out so we want more folks to discover it. Download it below!"

The David Byrne and St. Vincent tour begins in June. The Brass Tactics EP comes with cover art and a credits and lyrics booklet.

Music License: all rights reserved
Image: Byrne and Clark, courtesy lovethisgiant.com