IPO New York 2018
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Artists from New York/New Jersey
The Anderson Council – These Jersey boys have the most authentic, Creation-influenced mod-psych sound conceived by any band west of The Thames. All three of their excellent albums, as well as their recent Listening Party EP, deftly convey the sense of whimsy that defines late ‘60s British pop-psych. Their latest release, Assorted Colours, presents an aural history of The Anderson Council: recorded at The House of Vibes under the stewardship of Kurt Reil (of The Grip Weeds), the album includes punched-up re-masterings of three tracks from each of their previous albums, along with four newly recorded gems in a seamless presentation. Watch out for a brand new album, possibly available by later this year!!
Binge – IPO is proud to have ‘em at any of our festivals at which they wish to play, as their witty and wiry brand of indie pop is catchy as heck, and accessible enough to appeal to pop fans of all shapes and sizes. Their hit song, “Anna Kournikova,” brought them a certain measure of fame (appearances on E! Entertainment, etc…) back in the day, while their album of the same name reveals a softer, earthier, more melodic side, and is well worth the search to find yourself a copy!
Blockhouses – Founded on a Three-Legged Stool of Rock comprised of great songs, energy, and coolness, Blockhouses is here to bring high-energy, catchy, punk rock ‘n roll to the masses of NYC and beyond. The songs on their debut album, Greatest Hit Songs of All Time, are inspired by the likes of The Who, The Ramones, Chuck Berry, The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and so on and so on. Gentlemen will raise their fists and bang their heads. Ladies will dance and swoon. Children will shout with joy. The world shall be right again!
Brother Reverend – Their recently released debut full length album, The Tables Turn Too Often, has been gathering some glowing attention and nods from some quarters as a contender for album of the year, and deservedly so! As MusoScribe puts it, the album is “[w]eird and sophisticated, but in a wholly unpretentious fashion, a delightful collection, a testament to the deep well of talent that exists on the indie fringes of the pop music landscape.” Fans of Randy Newman, 1967-era Beatles, or quirky modern Brit-pop will love this!
Bubble – A tight, rugged power pop band whose 2000 CD, Bash Bish, sounds exactly as the title would imply. “Principal songwriter Dave Foster constantly gets it right, fashioning killer hooks into a collection of songs which demand the listener’s attention throughout and are guaranteed to provide a lot of pleasure to those of a pop inclination” (Luke Magazine). After a break during which Foster released his debut solo CD, Blue Circle, Bubble returned in 2009 with the release of the aptly named Seconds, and they’ve been going strong ever since! They are in the studio with producer Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu) recording their third full-length album, which we can’t wait to hear!
The Carvels NYC – If the Ramones and the Ronettes had children and Lou Reed was the nanny, they would grow up to be The Carvels NYC. They’re led by Lynne Von Pang, former front woman of seminal NYC “scum rock” blues punk band Da Willys and later the tight hard rocking outfit Trick Babys, whose voice has matured into a rich, nuanced instrument that runs the gamut from honey-sweet to kissing-the-concrete-gritty, with the inescapable smart-ass attitude of the NYC streets, and rounded out by a cadre of seasoned musicians – co-founder Brian Morgan on lead guitar, Steve Pang on drums and David Spinley on saxophone. Their Everything With You Is A Travesty EP is a favorite of legendary DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, who plays it just about every week on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, and they’ve got a new one due out imminently!
Changing Modes – The ensemble led by Wendy Griffiths and Yuzuru Sadashige, a pair of classically trained composers whose influences range from Bartok, Stravinsky to Nirvana, along with King Crimson & Sparks! Changing Modes creates unique, darkly complex art rock delivered with punk energy and prog-rock flair, all the while maintaining a melodic pop sensibility. Their latest CD, Goodbye Theodora, is art rock at its finest, tossed liberally with hints of new wave punk and more chord and tempo changes than you can count! Fans of Zappa and The B-52s will love this band!
The Cooler Heads, feat. Steve Katz & Donnie Nelson of The Wind – After growing up listening to classic pop, rock, and r&b records, Steve Katz, formerly of The Wind and Tan Sleeve, has spent the lion’s share of his musical career focusing his energies on studio recordings. But now, Steve is back, along with Donny Nelson, former drummer of The Wind, as The Cooler Heads, showcasing both new and vintage material in a live, bare bones setting. Picture Hal Blaine setting up his drum set in Carole King’s Brill Building cubicle, and you’ll get a good idea of The Cooler Heads’sound. It’s acoustic, yet it rocks. It’s intimate, yet powerful.
The Hell Yeah Babies – Loud, fun, and smarter than they look…or act…or sound, The Hell Yeah Babies are a four-piece rock n’ roll outfit from Astoria with that garage-glam-power-pop thing that we at IPO just can’t get enough of! One listen to their debut album, All The Things That You Believe, and you too will be hooked! Hell Yeah!
Wendy Ip – This very impressive New Yorker (by way of the Canadian prairies) is back from a stint in London, for which New York pop fans should be very grateful, as she writes some of the coolest songs around, with eccentric hooks that sneak up on you and hit you hard! Her latest full-length CD, A Different Kind Of Life, is replete with unforgettable melodies that linger in your head even if you’ve heard them only once. She’s working on material for her next opus, Bad Example, and her IPO performance will feature a set of all new original songs that we can hardly wait to hear!
The James Rocket – An indie rock combo whose power pop sensibilities are brought to the forefront on their latest album, Thrust. They sing about everything from bartenders, time, roller derby, lies, dolls, spy planes, and the rent, and combine frenetic angular chord changes with stick-in-your-head hooks and harmonies galore. Fans of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, They Might Be Giants and Cheap Trick should check them out!
Lieder – Formed in the spring of 2007, Lieder (which means “songs” in German) was personally given its name by rock legend Pete Townshend of The Who! They display an aggressive style of power pop, steeped in the tradition of American and British rock n’ roll, and thrive on playing live. They revel in the immediate response to their energetic style of play and challenge anyone not to enjoy their enthusiasm! They’ve become a perennial highlight of IPO New York each year, so make sure you don’t miss them!
Andy Mac – Combining classic songwriting a la Lennon-McCartney or Elton John with a touch of indie-folk angst reminiscent of John Mayer or Ed Sheeran, Mac writes pop songs for people who don’t think they like pop music. Although the hooks and harmonies are pleasurably addictive, the lyrical focus skews darker, speaking to an earnest melancholy. Check out any of his albums or his live showcase to see and hear what we mean!
Manager – With its self-titled debut album, this Brooklyn four-piece has created a balm for our souls, a buffer from the hubris of a world gone to shit. In just nine songs, you will find catharsis and relief. You will believe there is still something to believe in. Mastered by Bob Weston (Shellac, Volcano Suns), Manager might remind you of luminaries like Guided By Voices (most of the band shares an Ohio lineage), Bob Mould, and pre-Deschanel Death Cab for Cutie, but there’s no denying that the band has found its own collective voice, and an eloquent one at that!
Isabella Marriott – The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and her band came together in early 2014, adding a rock sound to her lyrically driven style. Even with the added instruments, her intimate and personal voice is still very much a defining characteristic of the band’s new music. Ranging in genre from lush pop-rock ballads to gritty up-tempo electric folk, her latest release, Three Hundred Days, is a thematic exploration of world-wariness and isolation, with a glimmer of practical optimism that will appeal to fans of Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, and Aimee Mann, to name but a few!
meyerman – A band who strive for crunchy power pop goodness in all they do – and succeed quite nicely! Their long awaited debut CD, who do you think you are? was mixed by Kurt Reil of the Grip Weeds, and was hailed as one of the best power pop releases of 2011! If you love Badfinger, Big Star, Cheap Trick, Teenage Fanclub, and The Replacements – and let’s face it, what power pop fan doesn’t? – then you will love meyerman!
The Modulators – Their reunion show at IPO New York in 2009 meant a lot to me personally, as in the early ‘80s I used to hang around guitarist Joe Riccardello as he managed the quintessential northern New Jersey record store, Vintage Vinyl. Joe is responsible for turning me onto artists like R.E.M. and Marshall Crenshaw, and when I found out he was a member of a Crenshaw-inspired band called The Modulators, I couldn’t wait to buy their first 45 (“She’s So Cynical”). They have the distinction of playing The Dirt Club more than any other band, and their excellent album from 1985 is available as a reissue on CD by Kool Kat! Not ones to rest on their laurels, they released an album of current music, Try, Try, Try, which proves they’ve still got it! They’ve floored IPO audiences from New York to Boston to Liverpool every time they’ve played, and I can’t wait to see ‘em do it again!
Layne Montgomery Paper Company – Rising from the ashes of beloved Brooklyn drunk-rockers The Great American Novel, Layne Montgomery Paper Company is the brainchild of Layne Montgomery, Aidan Shepard, Max Miller and Steve Shaw. Mixing ‘90s power pop sensibility and crushing ‘80s arena rock production from former Passion Pit member Ayad Al Adhamy, Layne Montgomery Paper Company is delighting audiences across the five boroughs of NYC, and could very well be your next favorite band! Their 2016 EP, Let’s Be Sad Together, has us eagerly awaiting a full length!
Christian Navarro – The main man of San Francisco pop outfits Smith Point and Talk Tonight now makes his home in The Big Apple, and San Francisco’s loss is definitely New York’s gain! Smith Point were known and loved for their catchy melodies and hooky riffs, and Talk Tonight continued in a similar vein, providing straight up, ultra radio-friendly rock n’ roll with a pop twist on their 2015 release, It’s Your Move. Navarro’s voice is something to behold, and his performances solo or with band are always highlights of IPO, so we can’t wait to see him again in New York!
Overlord – A Brooklyn-based indie-pop band comprised of vocalist/guitarist George Pasles, bassist Sarah Brockett (Palomar), synthesizer player Tris McCall (My Teenage Stride), and drummer Matt Houser (The Human Hearts), Overlord draw inspiration from ’60s British Invasion, ’70s Bubblegum, ’80s New Wave, and ’90s self-involvement. Their latest album, The Well-Tempered Overlord, will particularly appeal to fans of The Who and Queen, and we can’t wait to see them do their thing live! Definitely one of IPOs faves of recent vintage!
The Peaces – Concentrating on the three-minute song and the six-part harmony, The Peaces are here to refresh, renew and remind you that tunes that make you feel good are a reward. Their latest CD, Is, Are, Was, Were was one of the best of 2007, and we can hardly wait for their next one!
The Penultimate – An All-American power-trio, they proudly proclaim themselves as loud and fast, influenced by the ‘70s and ‘80s American and British punk and mod movements, but playing the rock of the future. Fans of The Jam, X, and MC5 should check them out!
Speed The Plough – Founded by John and Toni Baumgartner and Marc Francia, this New Jersey-based band has had numerous line-ups over the years, including former members Rich Barnes and Chris O’Donovan (of Wild Carnation), Stanley Demeski and Brenda Sauter (of The Feelies), writer Jim DeRogatis, John Neilson (Wharton Tiers), and veteran DJ Frank O’Toole. Their latest album, …And Then, the follow up to 2016’s Now, represents a return to the band’s more stripped-down origins…sparse, a little psychedelic, heartfelt, but just as cool as their more rockin’ side!
Lane Steinberg and David Foster (Gershwin Brothers) – The latest project to play IPO led by the prolific Mr. Lane Steinberg, and Bubble main man David Foster! Steinberg is best known as one of the main men of The Wind and Tan Sleeve, and he has has penned many a quirky pop song and hauntingly beautiful melody. Foster is a formidable power popmeister in his own right, and this is quite the winning combination!
Zombies Of The Stratosphere – The duo of J and A Zombie follow in the tradition of their idols Ray Davies, Elvis Costello, and Brian Wilson, i.e., churning out gem-like compositions with maddeningly infectious tunes and obscure lyrics – songs built to last by nerdily obsessive craftsmen with big record collections. Their fourth – and most recent – release, The Physical Kids, adds a glammy space-rock touch that fans of Bowie will really dig!
U.S. Artists From Outside New York/New Jersey
Corin Ashley – A singer/songwriter who for several years was the driving force behind Boston’s hyper mod-pop band, The Pills. Ashley’s first solo album, Songs From The Brill Bedroom, is a stripped down, organic and homegrown affair which falls halfway between Neil Finn and Neil Young. His latest, Broken Biscuits, is “…filled with deep rewards for Anglophiles and power pop fans” (Pop Matters), and is all the more remarkable in that he suffered a stroke and came back post-nine months of recovery to complete it!
Color School – Fronted by Camille Miller, who had acquired a loyal following on local indie radio in her hometown of Vancouver for her quirky and sometime poignant folk-pop songs and beautiful vocals, Color School brings out her more fun-loving rockin’ side. Now making her home in Washington DC, she’s joined by Jerry Herg, Bill Kalish, and Paul Hyland, cranking out should-be classic three-minute garage pop ditties you can get up and dance to. We’re thrilled to welcome her and the band to their first IPO New York appearance!
Oberon Rose – An underground psych-rock band from Connecticut, led by the songwriting prowess of Tim Oberon and Rebecca Rose, whose 2012 debut disc, wunjo, has drawn comparisons to The Posies, The Zombies, and The Kinks. Their recently released sophomore disc, Tell Me About It, is even better, and has been described as “…grand retro pop/rock replete with nostalgic aromas of Beatlemania and psychedelic progressive rock of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The melodies shimmer with coruscating energy, while the vocals exude nuanced textures and pastel hues. Light and ebullient describes the mood of the music, making it wonderfully cathartic.” (Randy Radic, thriveglobal.com) Very cool!
Leslie Pereira & The Lazy Heroes – A three-piece punk/pop/pub rock band from Los Angeles whose tight catchy melodies have drawn comparisons to artists such as The Pixies, The Pretenders, Throwing Muses, The Breeders, and Sonic Youth. Their debut full-length album, Fight For Now, was recorded and produced by world renowned producer, Earle Mankey, who has produced artists such as Sparks and The Quick, among many others. They’re also a lotta fun live, so don’t miss their IPO showcase!
The Shellye Valauskas Experience – Based in the New Haven area, The Shellye Valauskas Experience is led by Shellye Valauskas (a high school biology teacher) and Dan Falcone (who wears many hats). In addition to being Valauskas’ songwriting collaborator, bandmate & producer, Falcone has served the Connecticut music scene since the early ‘80s with Jon Brion in The Excerpts, his own Dean and the Dragsters and a host of others. Their 2008 EP, Box It Up, was named one of the top 10 local releases in yearly roundups by The New Haven Register and New Haven Advocate. Their debut full-length, History of Panic, was 10 years in the making, and is likely to follow suit as a contender for many “best of” lists this year, as their shared love of the punchy pop of Crowded House, The Posies and Aimee Mann helps them nail a distinctive, accessible, radio-friendly sound from the start.
International Artists
Col Lewis – A gent from Burton-on-Trent with a fine-tuned ear for melody, Lewis has played with a number of bands, including Postcards From Places That Don’t Exist (who played IPO Liverpool from 2010 to 2012). He’s currently working on his solo material with producer Fran Ashcroft, who has produced The Quarrymen, The La’s and many more artists in and out of Abbey Road Studios. If you like simple catchy sing along choruses with an early timeless sound, you will want to make a point of catching his IPO showcase…and keep your eyes open for his Whispers of Pop album, due out in 2019!
James Blonde – A Canadian alt-rock band made up of three lead singers and multi-instrumentalists: Neil Carson, Phil Taylor and Steph Mercier, who craft their own unique blend of pop and hook infused indie-rock. The band debuted on Jan 1st, 2017 opening the Niagara Falls New Year’s Eve concert with Sam Roberts Band and Serena Ryder to over 10,000 people, and went on to perform at the Invictus Games with Sloan later that year. With their debut 10 song eponymous LP out, James Blonde is only getting started and plans on delivering their explosive performances across North America in 2018. We’re glad to include IPO on their road to world pop-rock domination!
Dave Rave & Hailee Rose – The venerable Mr. Dave Rave began popping very powerfully indeed a near quarter century ago as part of the legendary Canadian bands Teenage Head and The Shakers, has often been referred to as “The Canadian Nick Lowe,” and is now an inductee in the Canadian Indie Music Hall of Fame!! (Congratulations, Dave!!) A recent CD, Live With What You Know, was nominated for a Grammy, as was one of its songs, “Anne Marie,” and he’s recently shown his enduring love for quirky ‘80s-style pop on Indicator, his latest release with The Governors! From 2010 to 2014 he played 50 IPO festivals in a row (yes, you read that right), and he still plays many of them…and we look forward to many more. Miss Hailee Rose has been his protégé and backup singer for the past three years, but is also a gifted songwriter and quite the dynamic performer in her own right. The songs on her debut CD, Introducing Hailee Rose, range in style from power pop to soul to blues and the power of her voice will blow you away! They’ve teamed up for a special combined set at IPO New York that you will not want to miss!
Starry Skies – They come to New York from Glasgow on the heels of the release of their Be Kind album. Recorded at Belle and Sebastian’s rehearsal room & La Chunky studios, the album was mastered by the famous Geoff Pesce at Abbey Road, and features an unruly group of mixed up melodies tearing up a path of Garage Pop, Americana and Nue Punk Folk. Come out and give them a big New York welcome!