The Sunshine Pop Thread

[Superfly]

Hello again Lads and Ladies :cool Since the old, broken down, ready for the scrap-heap of cyberspace version of PE is going to the Great Gig In The Sky, I thought I'd better migrate my Sunshine Pop thread over here now. Through the old thread, I've discovered a few new bands, and hopefully so have you. So let's keep it going here.


http://youtu.be/JB657W91rX4

One excellent recent discovery I made was an album by Brent Cash called: How Strange It Seems. It's very Carpenters meets Burt Bacharach meets 5th Dimension. As good as any of those? Maybe not, but he gives it one hell of a try and the album is well worth checking out.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ptfKGH6DqY&feature=share&list=PLF86F6831F48997AD

[Rickenbacker]

Here's one I really like. Someone from that kids show Yo Gabba Gabba dug this forgotten gem up & did an updated version. But here's the original from '72. So sweet & pure...& the best part is, it wasn't done with an ounce of irony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_OXAOILYq0

[Superfly]

Love the Free Design. I first heard about them in an interview with japanese musician Cornelius (who was also featured on Yo Gabba Gabba) and have been a fan ever since. It's mind boggling that they were not as well known back in the day as they are now. Better late than never I guess. While some of their work is pure fluff, the vocal interplay and the depth of the arrangments more than make up for it. And that original track - 1967!

[Progbear]

This song is simply gorgeous:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WEgdyP3O2w

I can’t get into The Free Design, they’re just too corny for my tastes. I hear their stuff and I just think Up With People.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"'Thin Thighs For Your Man.' But I don't *like* men with thin thighs" --Daria

N.P.:“All Through the Night”-Lou Reed/The Bells

[progholio]

i heard this gem on the radio last week (yes, real terrestrial radio)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yep6gusOqAE

[progeezer]

Nothing to post right now. Just checking in.:)

[Superfly]

All Geezers present and accounted for..check! :lol

[Superfly]

I can’t get into The Free Design, they’re just too corny for my tastes. I hear their stuff and I just think Up With People.

There's nothing 'up with people' about this track, but I do know what you mean. Some of their covers are a bit on the fluffy side, as are the Carpenters covers, but beyond those, there are some true gems. Here's one of them.


http://youtu.be/U5ZRJ6Cwm9o

[Superfly]

Seems like The Explorers Club (not the trent gardner band) has decided to bow out after the release of their next CD. A shame really, they've done two excellent albums, but a third will be most welcome. Music of quality and distinction.


http://youtu.be/Vqr2jjQrr1c

[PeterG]

I think this Christian Ska song qualifies as both sunny and poppy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8

[Superfly]

I think this Christian Ska song qualifies as both sunny and poppy :)

Ok...now that's just being cruel :lol

[Luckie]

More Free Design love from me. I admit that commercial compromises occasionally led them to appear unremarkably whitebread, but Chris Dedrick as an original composer and interpreter of others' work was a masterly arranger. This is a prime example of them at their most poignant, Love Does Not Die:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXhDk8PL3co

and this is the best cover version of Light My Fire I've ever heard (the backing vocal arrangements are utterly audacious):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAeki1bv4ns
Like all the best Free Design tracks, they build in complexity as they unfold.

[mogrooves]

Lennon supposedly dug these guys:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yT17DEeneM

[Cuz]

Here's another vote for the Free Design, who I first heard about on a Sunshine Pop thread on the old PE.

They are definitely corny, but their is something about them that I love. When asked to describe them, I told a friend that they make the Cowsills sound like the MC5.

[Wisdomview]

The posted 'The Millennium' song is fantastic! Thanks.

[Progbear]

↑I love The Millennium’s album. If you like them, you’ll probably enjoy Curt Boettcher’s earlier project, Sagittarius (two albums: Present Tense and The Blue Marble).

A rather late entry into the Sunshine Pop sweepstakes from Finland: “One, Two, Three” by Seija Simola & Paradise. Sounds like 1968 but is actually from 1973:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDvjHQcH0n0

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"'Thin Thighs For Your Man.' But I don't *like* men with thin thighs" --Daria

N.P.:“Magisches Licht”-Karat/Schwanenkönig

[Superfly]

Here's one from the first Sagittarius (present tense) album, highly recommended if you liked that Millenium track:


http://youtu.be/HoIZGUqLVBc

Another band that I really love from this genre is The Sunshine Company. They came so close to making it with Jimmy Webb's Up Up and Away, but the 5th Dimension just beat them to it with a version of the song that sounds almost identical to TSCs. Here's a track from them that's well worth a listen:


http://youtu.be/avANncr8GyU

[Mr. Grizzly Bear]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRTpxHrQC8

[bill g]

Doesn't get much better than this, from M Coast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ViyBRAfJqI

[bill g]

Had a chance to listen to the clips posted. Some nice stuff there. The Explorers' Club I know already, nice song there reminds me of 'The Now People' somewhat, another modern Brian Wilson influenced band.

I'd never heard of the Appletree Theatre, but that was quite nice. I know the Free Design, have the 'Kites are Fun' cd, but there was a song back there I didn't recognize that was quite nice. And I love the chorus to that song my 'Milennium'. I hadn't heard them before either.

I wish there were more songs on youtube from M Coast, that really is a great album, albeit slightly more modern sounding than some of the above, but still overall falling under maybe a slightly progressive sunshine pop.

Edit: I checked out more songs from 'Millennium' and really like some of it, seeing Curt Boettcher is on it too, and pretty much like his songs on Millennium.

[progeezer]

M Coast might be at the top of my list along with High Llamas, and I can thank Bill G. for the recs., having never heard of either group before.

[bill g]

M Coast might be at the top of my list along with High Llamas, and I can thank Bill G. for the recs., having never heard of either group before.

Very glad you liked M Coast and the High Llamas. For those that haven't heard them, The High Llamas are like sunshine without the pop, if that makes sense. In a couple months the sun may come out here in the northwest, and I'll have to break out the M Coast again! I never tire of that album.

[progholio]

i heard the original '69 version of this on the radio today which in turn had me stumble upon this funky (in a Loveboat sort of way) but very cool 80's live version


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGerL1-MpSU

[progholio]

The High Llamas are like sunshine without the pop, if that makes sense.


i'm not so sure, we've been spinning the Llamas a lot lately, there's still plenty of pop present, especially on Talahomi Way - like a good pop album it's over way too quick.

[Superfly]

Some Llama albums are more upbeat than others, but I like them all. Great chill out music. Are any of you folks into Belle And Sebastian? A band my son introduced me to several years ago who also share a bit of love for Brian Wilson. Very sixties pop influenced and some excellent lyrics infused with a lot of humor. Not all sunshine, but then few of the bands from the past were always sunny either. I think you may like these guys (or not ;). Recommended albums: Are You Feeling Sinister, Dear Catastrophe Waitress (produced by Trevor Horn) or The Life Pursuit. Here's a couple of samples:


http://youtu.be/iBU-MxydbWQ


http://youtu.be/PDpF6_MQnw4

[ThomasKDye]

Seems like The Explorers Club (not the trent gardner band) has decided to bow out after the release of their next CD. A shame really, they've done two excellent albums, but a third will be most welcome. Music of quality and distinction.

Thank you for introducing the Explorers Club to me. I totally love their BB pastiches and downloaded "Do You Love Me?"

[progholio]

Are any of you folks into Belle And Sebastian?

i like them very much, in fact their album Write About Love was in my player and turned up loud on a lot of sunny summer days last year. this one's pretty infectious


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd4QMN_lErc

[bill g]

How about this gem from modern indie band 'Tennis'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atGRFemBV30

[Superfly]

Here's an album that's been in heavy rotation in the studio this past month. 'Seth Swirsky's Watercolor Day.' Beatlesque, Wilsonesque, Bacharachish with a dash of Nilssonism. One of his other projects is The Red Button. "As Far As Yesterday Goes" - highly recommended.


http://youtu.be/N_ALirH22jY


http://youtu.be/2VtcOr3r-gs

[JKL2000]

Hey, I don't know much "Sunshine Pop" (didn't even know about this genre), but has this song been mentioned here at all?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA-SxvDfsQE

Also, I guess this doesn't qualify as Sunshine Pop, but when I was about 6 years old I got this on a 45 that I had to cut out of the back of a box of Super Sugar Crisp cereal. Somehow I thought it was an awesome song. Not quite sure why now:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUv0UUDLY4U

I had this from the back of a box of Super Sugar Crisp too, with a few other songs on it as well:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsdLJSFbqAk

[The Gak Omek]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yjlXKliYYA

[Jefferson James]

In honor of the first day of summer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CjXGg3Jzdo

[progeezer]

In honor of the first day of summer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CjXGg3JzdoDare I admit that I really dig that tune, KC, "I took a drive through the canyons of my mind" notwithstanding!;):D

[JJ88]

I've been playing The 5th Dimension's 'Magic Garden' album quite a bit lately- a very ambitious work, composed by Jimmy Webb at the height of his powers (save for a cover of 'Ticket To Ride'). I love the vocal arrangements on things like 'Carpet Man' and 'Paper Cup'. I think I got into that album (though I knew the big hits) because some of the guys in Yes mentioned it as being an influence on them. I do hear a 5th Dimension influence on their very first album- 'Looking Around' and the vocals on 'Survival'.

Looking at the original post it reminds me I've also played that Carpenters' debut a bit too, but I've never appreciated that as much as their later work- it feels a lot more 'dated' to me than their subsequent work, especially that horrible vocal effect on their version of 'Get Together'. On there I do like 'All I Can Do' and 'Eve' a lot though, especially the latter- amazing melody! There's also a song called 'Someday' which they did again in 1980 as part of a medley- that particular performance might be my favourite ever Karen Carpenter vocal.

[progholio]

In honor of the first day of summer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CjXGg3Jzdo

dude, that is awesome! got anymore of that stuff?

[progeezer]

State Cows, from one town "over" in northern Sweden from Moon Safari according to Tobias, is a side project of some of the prog band Dynamo Bliss.

These guys have amazingly captured the whole southern Cal vibe, and have obviously listened to a lot of Becker/Fagen music, which is reflected brilliantly imo in both their chord changes/progressions and their arranging.

I asked Stefan (who's in both bands) what they put in the water there to generate all the great bands from Sweden, to which he replied, "salmon":).



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBDJRS0sqa0&feature=share&list=PL98DC82A77A9428A0

[Progbear]

Ha ha, the Sugar Bears! That’s Kim Carnes singing backup on “You Are the One.” She and her squeeze/writing partner Dave Ellingson wrote some songs for the Sugar Bears album (though not that one). Here’s “Happiness Train,” which features a co-lead from her:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suQPjMCHLgk

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

‘“What blow, Goblin?” said Corinius.’ --E. R. Eddison

N.P.:“Come and Fly”-Canamii/Concept

[ThomasKDye]

I asked Stefan (who's in both bands) what they put in the water there to generate all the great bands from Sweden, to which he replied, "salmon":).

In that case, we need to have more good bands in Washington State, besides Presto Ballet. ;)

[bill g]

dude, that is awesome! got anymore of that stuff?

I heartily agree. Kerry, that is a fantastic summer song. The type of stuff I'd buy in an instant.

Okay, that Jacco Gardner song is also great, by the way.

[bill g]

Here's an album that's been in heavy rotation in the studio this past month. 'Seth Swirsky's Watercolor Day.' Beatlesque, Wilsonesque, Bacharachish with a dash of Nilssonism. One of his other projects is The Red Button. "As Far As Yesterday Goes" - highly recommended.


http://youtu.be/N_ALirH22jY


http://youtu.be/2VtcOr3r-gs

Wow, I love this too. I think I will buy this. Still like Kerry's song the best though..

[philsunset]

I've been playing The 5th Dimension's 'Magic Garden' album quite a bit lately- a very ambitious work, composed by Jimmy Webb at the height of his powers (save for a cover of 'Ticket To Ride'). I love the vocal arrangements on things like 'Carpet Man' and 'Paper Cup'. I think I got into that album (though I knew the big hits) because some of the guys in Yes mentioned it as being an influence on them. I do hear a 5th Dimension influence on their very first album- 'Looking Around' and the vocals on 'Survival'

The album was an influence on Kevin Gilbert as well, who recorded a cover of "Carpet Man". Agreed, The Magic Garden may be Webb at his peak, along with the two Richard Harris albums A Tramp Shining and The Yard Went On Forever......

[Jefferson James]

Dare I admit that I really dig that tune, KC, "I took a drive through the canyons of my mind" notwithstanding!

LOL, I've caught a lot of slack over that cliched line; one dude asked me if "I'd been perusing Jewel's notebooks". :) Thanks for the check-out, Steve!


dude, that is awesome! got anymore of that stuff?

Thanks for listening, man, really appreciate it. There are other songs on my YouTube page but none of them sound too much alike -- by design. :)


I heartily agree. Kerry, that is a fantastic summer song. The type of stuff I'd buy in an instant.

You rule, man, thanks Bill; I am neck-deep in Heliopolis (http://heliopolislaprog.wix.com/heliopolislaprog) these days but have been talking with a possible producer about working up a solo album in 2015, Allah willing. Fingers crossed!

[bill g]

Thanks Kerry. You know if you put the song on bandcamp or amazon as a single, I'd buy that sucker right up. Well the Heliopolis is going to be great. I know I speak for many when I say I'm looking forward to it.

[bill g]

By the way, due to this thread, the other night I bought the 2 Seth Swirsky albums and the first 'Explorers Club' cd 'Freedom Wind' which I liked much better than the Grand Hotel from the soundclips. They seemed to depart from their Brian Wilson sound somewhat on the 2nd album, but I did download 3 songs from it, and we'll see from there.

[progholio]

I just heard this on the radio a little while ago and like an ice cold Colt-45 tall boy it works every time.
not exactly sunshiney but at least it comes from the right era and geographical location - enjoy it loud.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-SuGfLhqo4

[progeezer]

I just heard this on the radio a little while ago and like an ice cold Colt-45 tall boy it works every time.
not exactly sunshiney but at least it comes from the right era and geographical location - enjoy it loud.

X) plus Love's 1st 3 albums = still perfection (except Revelation) after almost 50 years!

Several songs on those 3 albums could be called sunshine pop, or at least sunshine pop psych.

[progholio]

X) plus Love's 1st 3 albums = still perfection (except Revelation) after almost 50 years!

Several songs on those 3 albums could be called sunshine pop, or at least sunshine pop psych.

hah, I should've known you'd respond to this, you must have some special Love radar:ipa.
now that you mention it there is some sunshine in those old Love albums


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKu4m4zzHSQ

[Superfly]

I heartily agree. Kerry, that is a fantastic summer song. The type of stuff I'd buy in an instant.

One Summer Sunday - I recognize this from the Ultra Suede tunes you sent me Kerry. The one here's a little different but no less fantastic!

Great to come back here and see the thread thriving.X)

[Jefferson James]

One Summer Sunday - I recognize this from the Ultra Suede tunes you sent me Kerry. The one here's a little different but no less fantastic!

Great to come back here and see the thread thriving.X)

Right on man! That Ultra Suede stuff was pretty cool...a damned shame the band just literally drifted apart. We're all friends, there was no bitter, beshitted breakup, we just kind of let it fizzle out. We only played three gigs but some of the rehearsals we had were fucking off the charts. Really makes me wish we had kept it going...glad you liked it. :)

[progeezer]

You already know how much I love US, dude!:)

Why am I not surprised that the "Fly" also thinks it's killer:D.

[progholio]

jeezus, i'm driving down the street earlier and heard this on the radio, haven't heard it in like 40 years and pretty much forgot about this little sunshiney gem, this "live" performance version is extra special.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khOXYrK90Gk

lo and behold a version where Gary Lewis and the Playboys baroqued it up a little bit


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-5eCw1pNuA

[Superfly]

The Cyrkle did only two proper albums and one soundtrack, but their talents lived on in the advertising world for decades. Truth story here, Red Rubber Ball (cyrkle version) was playing on the radio when my second son was born. Here's a song by theirs that was never on the original LP releases but was released as a single. Why this wasn't a huge 'hit' boggles the mind. A little Left Banke, a little Bee Gees, all awesome. "Reading Her Paper"

http://youtu.be/I0eUAVO876c

[Jefferson James]

"Reading Her Paper" is a beautiful song, thank you for turning me on to this, Superfly! Love it.

[Jefferson James]

Hey Mr. Renfro -- dude, I owe you hugely. That Cyrkle song is simply incredible. Man, I have been having the best time the past 24 hours; yesterday a The Shaggs song (of all the crazy things) tore my head off ("That Little Sports Car") and now this masterpiece. "Reading Her Paper" is classic, textbook, Songwriting 101. Great verses? Check. Pre-chorus? Check. Hooky chorus? Check. Post-chorus transition? Check. Cool lyrics? Check. Bridge? Check. Modulation at the end? Check. Minor variation of chorus on outro? Check. Move me to tears due to the innocence and beauty? CHECK!

Holy shit, they truly don't write 'em like that anymore. I can't stop listening to this and for some reason this is making me cry. I'm going to be living inside of this beautiful bubble all day thanks to you.

I don't care how fast the world seems to be unraveling -- music like this gives me reason to live this life two minutes and fifty eight seconds at a time.

Thank you for this, 'Fly.

[bill g]

What a great post Kerry-I am now very pumped to listen to this song when I get home tonight! Always liked 'Turn Down Day' as a kid, not to mention 'Red Rubber Ball'.

Incidentally, the album from Seth Swirsky 'instant pleasure' is fantastic. The song 'Edinburgh' is perfection, in less than three minutes.

[progeezer]

Never a fan of "Red Rubber Ball", but loved "Turn Down Day".

I agree that "Reading" is a very well-crafted 3:00 piece of music.

[Jefferson James]

What a great post Kerry-I am now very pumped to listen to this song when I get home tonight! Always liked 'Turn Down Day' as a kid, not to mention 'Red Rubber Ball'.

Incidentally, the album from Seth Swirsky 'instant pleasure' is fantastic. The song 'Edinburgh' is perfection, in less than three minutes.

Sweet! And, YES, Seth Swirsky is a monster; did you know he wrote "Tell It to My Heart" for Taylor Dayne? :)



Never a fan of "Red Rubber Ball", but loved "Turn Down Day".

I agree that "Reading" is a very well-crafted 3:00 piece of music.

:) Yeah man, for whatever reason this song just hits me. :)

[progholio]

did you know he wrote "Tell It to My Heart" for Taylor Dayne? :)



kinda weird, Taylor Dayne is one of those performers i'd forgotten about maaaaany years ago and now I see her referenced twice today - first I open up the paper and see she is headlining the local Pridefest this weekend (can't honestly say they're pulling me in with that one), next she shows up on a PE post.

[bill g]

Oh my goodness, is 'Reading Her Paper' ever a gorgeous piece of music. Made my eyes moist. Like Seth Swirsky's songs, it ends much too soon. I now have the after feeling of hearing something great for the first time.

About the Cyrkle, when I was about 10 or something, I loved 'Turn Down Day' and liked 'Red Rubber Ball', but rather outgrew RRB I think. still like 'Turn Down Day'.

Never knew Seth wrote 'tell it to my heart', actually I don't know that song. Actually I'd never heard of Seth Swirsky before this thread.

[Superfly]

Oh my goodness, is 'Reading Her Paper' ever a gorgeous piece of music.

Indeed, I'm glad you guys liked it, when I first heard it on Sundazed 'Red Rubber Ball' re-release I was blown away, and couldn't help but wonder "Why the hell hadn't I heard this before?!". One thing about the song that makes me love it even more is that it seems to share a very similar theme, lyrically, with Kevin Gilberts "Tea For One", like longing, missed connections and the ever present internal monologue. If ever a song should have been a hit on the radio, it's Reading Her Paper. But the upside of that, is that no one is sick to death of it from over exposure :)

Here's a dreamy gem from The Bee Gees, if you haven't heard Kilburn Towers before, (I'm sure you have) then you're in for a treat. Love that sweet 'tron' at the beginning.


http://youtu.be/yGdyVqcC6wg

[progeezer]

I love the first 2 BeeGees albums and Odessa as much as I hate pretty much everything in their catalog after Odessa. Is the later music well-crafted and superbly sung? Of course, but the overwhelming rancid scent of Limburger completely negates that for me.

"Melody Fair" is a very good song, as well as "I Laugh In Your Face" imho.

[Yves]

Would the 80s band The Wonder Stuff qualify? Their debut "The Eight Legged Groove Machine" was nothing but clever, catchy pop goodness imo:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcAKjJNfr3Y

[Banquo]

Always dug these guys. Anyone recognize the guitarist on the far left?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnFZsrs32Co

They got much hipper when Dennis Provisor joined...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K4x2NNHv7Q

[Superfly]

Would the 80s band The Wonder Stuff qualify?

Probably not, the up front jangly guitars would place it more in the garage arena, but I like it! Kind of reminds me of late era Buzzcocks. Sunshine Pop tended to focus more on intricate vocal harmonies and smoothing out the rough edges, but it's not all love and sunshine either, there are many baroque moments of deep introspection, such as the work done by the Left Banke.

Always liked The Grass Roots, I'm pretty sure the band changed with each album release since they were primarily, at least originally, a vehicle for the work of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. There's a whole chapter dedicated to these guys in the book: The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret , by Kent Hartman. Much of pop music in that era was assembled by producers and songwriting partners, they'd have a great song and need a 'band' to perform it, the lucky winner in this case were The Bedouins. Name change, hit song, music history.

As for the Bee Gees. I certainly don't consider them 'sunshine pop' much more rainy day pop, but they were brilliant in every way, especially on those first half dozen or so albums. And, as much as I hated disco at the time, their style change also proved to be a brilliant move for them. I think most bands would be happy to sell even 1% of the discs these brothers moved. Some people do like to dump on them around here a bit, but they completely under estimate what an amazing musician Maurice was, and Barry and Robins ability to create such killer hooks and make it look easy, well, they deserved every bit of success they achieved. But they didn't deserve the stigma of being a 'disco' band, because they didn't start that shit, and they were SO much more. Even on their very last album, there were a couple of killer tracks.


http://youtu.be/VIkeOLBhJ6c

[Superfly]

Bill G, love that link you posted by the band Tennis, reminded me a lot of Stereolab...Oh, and someone mentioned it here, or on the old PE thread, that Stereolab did a song called "The Free Design", probably my favorite song by them, here you go.


http://youtu.be/QPcc07HqZUc

[Jefferson James]

Stoked to finally see this released -- this is a song I wrote (music and co-wrote lyrics) and gave to a friend with a band called The Popdudes; this was produced by Sharknado's Robbie Rist (who also sings and plays guitars) and features John Borack on drums (he also wrote the bulk of the lyrics), me on bass, Chris Jackson on keys and backing vocals, and Steven Graff on backing vocals. It's definitely sunshine pop.

You can stream it or download it (free) here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/danacarlpresentthisisrocknrollradio/song/18089824-high-popdudes?1336410755

The song is called "High", thanks to anyone who takes the time and bandwidth to check it out.

[progholio]

Stoked to finally see this released -- this is a song I wrote (music and co-wrote lyrics) and gave to a friend with a band called The Popdudes; this was produced by Sharknado's Robbie Rist (who also sings and plays guitars) and features John Borack on drums (he also wrote the bulk of the lyrics), me on bass, Chris Jackson on keys and backing vocals, and Steven Graff on backing vocals. It's definitely sunshine pop.

You can stream it or download it (free) here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/danacarlpresentthisisrocknrollradio/song/18089824-high-popdudes?1336410755

The song is called "High", thanks to anyone who takes the time and bandwidth to check it out.

Very nice!

seriously, in all of your spare free time you need to put together a power-pop project, you obviously have a good handle on it.

[ThomasKDye]

This was produced by Sharknado's Robbie Rist (who also sings and plays guitars)

Not to sound tacky, but... formerly "Cousin Oliver"? And I mean that in the most "more power to him" sense possible, honest. It IS a very nice tune. :)

[bill g]

Stoked to finally see this released -- this is a song I wrote (music and co-wrote lyrics) and gave to a friend with a band called The Popdudes; this was produced by Sharknado's Robbie Rist (who also sings and plays guitars) and features John Borack on drums (he also wrote the bulk of the lyrics), me on bass, Chris Jackson on keys and backing vocals, and Steven Graff on backing vocals. It's definitely sunshine pop.

You can stream it or download it (free) here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/danacarlpresentthisisrocknrollradio/song/18089824-high-popdudes?1336410755

The song is called "High", thanks to anyone who takes the time and bandwidth to check it out.

Nice.

Incidentally, I finally listened to 'Kilburn Towers'. Another gem there, I didn't know the BeeGees wrote stuff like that. I was pretty moved by that one.

That Stereolab song comes from 'Cobra and Phases', which I always felt was probably their best. There are some really great songs on that one, but there is also a clunker, a long drawn out piece of drivel called 'Blue Milk'. Other than that though, that is a very fine album, especially the first half.

[polmico]

RIP Bill Doss.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJobXSveRtE

[mnprogger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CliAti_8VUw

[Jefferson James]

Not to sound tacky, but... formerly "Cousin Oliver"? And I mean that in the most "more power to him" sense possible, honest. It IS a very nice tune. :)

Yes sir, the one, the only, the inseparable Robbie Rist. Thank you for the very kind words, Thomas. :)

[philsunset]

One of my favorite "neo" sunshine pop songs is "Everybody's World" by Elliot Kendall. Shoulda been a huge hit in a perfect world!!

[Superfly]

Just thought you'd like to know, Seth Swirsky is working on a new album called "I Loved Last Night". Should be interesting.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1146669_10151810854245149_1566675030_n.jpg

[nosebone]

Anybody shared this gem yet?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmNKCaOeZk

[mogrooves]

Recent article about Curt Boettcher in the NYT:

http://tinyurl.com/o68jjyr

[bill g]

Just thought you'd like to know, Seth Swirsky is working on a new album called "I Loved Last Night". Should be interesting.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1146669_10151810854245149_1566675030_n.jpg

Excellent. There are some gems, especially on his first album - Edinburgh, for example, is just gorgeous. I just sometimes wish his songs weren't so short, but he's very good at brevity! And so the songs remain fresh much longer ;)

[Superfly]

Gorgeous indeed.

http://youtu.be/-q4ydu5HWFk

[Modry Effekt]

The Doors - Summer's Almost Gone


http://youtu.be/DcEAI5p-wUg

[Adrian]

Has anyone mentioned The Polyphonic Spree?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN3rGIUx2ew

[Superfly]

Has anyone mentioned The Polyphonic Spree?

At some point, yes, I'm sure they've been talked about. Have you heard their latest album yet? Very upbeat, even for them. I like the direction they're heading in.

[klothos]

I may have missed it but I saw no mention of Spanky & Our Gang. This is easily my favorite song by them (below)...also (dont tell my friends), but i am a HUGE Bubblegum Music fan.....on many of the compilations I have, many sunshine pop bands are considered Bubblegum (including this song) -- is Sunshine Pop a subset of Bubblegum or are they two seperate entities with similar criteria?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqw1MGEHKNE

[progeezer]

IMO Sunshine Pop & Bubblegum are apples & oranges.

I love Spanky & Our Gang, and to equate them with the 1910 Fruit Gum Co, The Archies, The Lemon Pipers etc. is a great insult to them IMO.

"Give A Damn" was used in a racial tolerance campaign in NYC while I was still living there and fostered all sorts of good stuff! That song can still give this child of the 60s goosebumps.

[klothos]

IMO Sunshine Pop & Bubblegum are apples & oranges.

I love Spanky & Our Gang, and to equate them with the 1910 Fruit Gum Co, The Archies, The Lemon Pipers etc. is a great insult to them IMO.

"Give A Damn" was used in a racial tolerance campaign in NYC while I was still living there and fostered all sorts of good stuff! That song can still give this child of the 60s goosebumps.

yeah, thats how I feel too, which is why I scratch my head when seeing Spanky & Our Gang, The Cyrkle, The Cowsills, The Flying Machine, Strawberry Alarm Clock, etc listed on the same compilation CDs with Ohio Express, 1910 Fruitgum Co., early Sweet, Buddha Records one-hitters, etc.... must be a public domain/creative-commons liscencing thing and the labels that put these out thought they were close enough for marketing <shrug>

[klothos]

Speaking of The Flying Machine:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR3xcZ-osqE

[progholio]

I may have missed it but I saw no mention of Spanky & Our Gang. This is easily my favorite song by them (below)...also (dont tell my friends), but i am a HUGE Bubblegum Music fan.....on many of the compilations I have, many sunshine pop bands are considered Bubblegum (including this song) -- is Sunshine Pop a subset of Bubblegum or are they two seperate entities with similar criteria?


yessir, I posted that one in the PE ver 2.0 sunshine pop thread, very swell it is.

[klothos]

yessir, I posted that one in the PE ver 2.0 sunshine pop thread, very swell it is.


Im new here :(

[progeezer]

Im new here :(In the words of the great sage Peter Townsend, "You Are Forgiven" (repeat incessantly while at least 2 others chant "Cello, cello, cello, cello" repeatedly);)

[Ribo]

A bit of Sunshine Pop irony:

http://youtu.be/uw4S1k-Ka9E

And one more:

http://youtu.be/HcFXPqIYfqA

[mogrooves]

And one more:

Saw them in '67. They were the wrong kind of "sunshine" on that night. We were there for The Mandrake Memorial.....

[progholio]

Im new here :(

cool deal and welcome.
this topic and anything psych or related to Progday is where all the cool kids hang out :)

[Superfly]

Now Sounds is putting out a new compilation this next week, Book a Trip 2: More Psych Pop Sounds of Capital Records. If you picked up Volume 1, then I'm sure you'll want to check this out. Volume 1. Book a Trip: The Psych Pop Sounds of Capitol Records, is as near a perfect compilation as you're likely to find. No track list yet, but a lot of the content is hitting CD for the first time. Now Sounds has really put out some fine releases over the last couple of years. Especially into the Serendipity Singers and Sugar Shoppe albums.
27212722

[philsunset]

Love the Free Design. I first heard about them in an interview with japanese musician Cornelius (who was also featured on Yo Gabba Gabba) and have been a fan ever since. It's mind boggling that they were not as well known back in the day as they are now. Better late than never I guess. While some of their work is pure fluff, the vocal interplay and the depth of the arrangments more than make up for it. And that original track - 1967!

Until recently I'd only heard a track or two by them and thought they were very good. Then in the last few weeks I've bought 7 of their albums and am fairly well stunned and amazed by a lot of the writing and vocal arrangements.

[JJ88]

One CD I often play is a Rhino compilation I picked up second hand, called something like 'Tune In Summer Of Love'. That has a lot of 'sunshine pop' hits on there, and best of all, it features the original mono mixes on every track.

I'd agree it's not 'bubblegum'. 'Bubblegum' for me is a specific type of sound, usually driven by choruses featuring colours, nonsense words or girls' names. I like my share of that, being a real oldies' junkie I like almost all kinds of music from the 60s, but 'sunshine pop' is more sophisticated. I'm not sure how you define it, nor am I sure it's always the best description given a song like 'Sunday Will Never Be The Same' isn't exactly a 'sunshine' song, but I guess it's always harmony-led, with almost classical influenced vocal arrangements.

[progholio]

Submitted for your enjoyment-
This caught my ears today on the radio, it will appeal to anyone who digs the Beach Boys, Wondermints, Jellyfish or High Llamas as much as I do



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcOzXtOwPH8&noredirect=1

[bill g]

Yeah I have that Blinker The Star album. Wonder what happened to them?

[progeezer]

Jeeez!! Why did I listen to that BTS clip?

This thread is a f*****g money pit!:D

[Firth]

Cool thread.

[Superfly]

Love that Blinker the Star clip, thanks! Here's one that refuses to get out of my mind.

http://youtu.be/K0U9CLYenOg

[progholio]

Jeeez!! Why did I listen to that BTS clip?

This thread is a f*****g money pit!:D

yes, but for a good cause.

[progholio]

a couple of things - I landed a copy of Blinker The Star / August Everywhere from which that Below The Sliding Doors was taken and wow, this is a great record start to finish, highly recommended.

next, I listened to Butterfly Jones / Napalm Springs over the weekend which is a mighty fine album and has plenty of sunshiney and psychedelic tendencies.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dzlzcTQSUw

This is a side project from 2 of the 3 members of the band dada which I like a helluva lot.

[bill g]

Until recently I'd only heard a track or two by them and thought they were very good. Then in the last few weeks I've bought 7 of their albums and am fairly well stunned and amazed by a lot of the writing and vocal arrangements.

Yeah, I just listened to the 'Kites Are Fun' album last friday night, and was stunned as well. There is a song, 'Never Tell The World', that blew me away. I liked all that album, but that one song took it to the next level for me. One of those rare songs that is as good as anything I've ever heard, and sticks with you, continuing to haunt you. I listened again the next night and everything was just as good. Funny, I've had the album awhile, and though I always liked it, it didn't blow me away until the other night.

[philsunset]

Yeah, I just listened to the 'Kites Are Fun' album last friday night, and was stunned as well. There is a song, 'Never Tell The World', that blew me away. I liked all that album, but that one song took it to the next level for me. One of those rare songs that is as good as anything I've ever heard, and sticks with you, continuing to haunt you. I listened again the next night and everything was just as good. Funny, I've had the album awhile, and though I always liked it, it didn't blow me away until the other night.

That's the thing. I started playing a song of theirs for someone and they said Up with People. And I can understand why they'd say that for a song or two but then an amazing beautiful musical world opens up. Chris Dedrick (RIP), the main writer and vocal arranger hopefully will be recognized as a musical genius. Listen to more Free Design.

[bill g]

Oh, sorry to hear Chris Dedrick has passed away. So far, I like the first two the best (Kites are Fun & You Could Be Born Again-the last 2 songs are great from that one) I was wondering did Sandy Dedrick get married where she had a different last name, or is the other Sandy that wrote 'Never Tell The World' a different person?

[progholio]

This discussion about The Free Design caught my interest, I knew about Kites are Fun but not much else so I wanted to check out more samples.
I was looking into the Stars Times Bubbles Love album where it sounds like their sound had progressed a little so i'm thinking "holy shit, Stereolab totally lifted stuff from these guys" and lo and behold, Stereolab has a song called The Free Design.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPcc07HqZUc

[philsunset]

Oh, sorry to hear Chris Dedrick has passed away. So far, I like the first two the best (Kites are Fun & You Could Be Born Again-the last 2 songs are great from that one) I was wondering did Sandy Dedrick get married where she had a different last name, or is the other Sandy that wrote 'Never Tell The World' a different person?

I'm fairly sure that Sandy Dedrick was married hence S. Zynczak writing credit on Never Tell the World.The S. Dedrick writing credits on Kites are youngest sister Stephanie Dedrick.Yea, the last two songs on You Could Be Born Again are great. They kind of creeped me out at first.

[philsunset]

This discussion about The Free Design caught my interest, I knew about Kites are Fun but not much else so I wanted to check out more samples.
I was looking into the Stars Times Bubbles Love album where it sounds like their sound had progressed a little so i'm thinking "holy shit, Stereolab totally lifted stuff from these guys" and lo and behold, Stereolab has a song called The Free Design.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPcc07HqZUc

Very cool.

[bill g]

I'm fairly sure that Sandy Dedrick was married hence S. Zynczak writing credit on Never Tell the World.The S. Dedrick writing credits on Kites are youngest sister Stephanie Dedrick.Yea, the last two songs on You Could Be Born Again are great. They kind of creeped me out at first.

Okay that makes sense. Although I thought the youngest Dedrick that joined them on future albums was Ellen. Interesting that if Sandy wrote such an incredible song, why she didn't do any writing on later albums.

[bill g]

http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2012/05/free-design-interview-with-sandra.html

Okay, this interview I found with Sandra answers all of that. You're right there was another sister named Stefanie, and Sandra mentions her husband. She also mentioned Stereolab and the High Llamas, which is cool.

[philsunset]

Good interview. The Free Design website links to another in Shindig magazine.

[Superfly]

I've been listening to a lot of early Kenny Rankin lately; Mind-Dusters, Family, Like a Seed and Silver Morning are all quite excellent pieces of work. An amazing singer and an extraordinary guitarist as well. His version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps' is probably the best cover of it I've ever heard. There's more on youtube, but if you haven't heard of Kenny before, here's the one song he's famous for writing. Check it out.


http://youtu.be/iKMUQXofa3E

[progeezer]

Loved Kenny Rankin on the other side of the way-back machine, Wil. Thanks for the reminder. Shit, more $ gone;).

Your comment about his guitar playing is spot on. Very under-appreciated as a guitarist because his voice is (was) so good.

[progholio]

thought I'd re-energize this thread with this little gem


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeRB-3nDR8

[mogrooves]

^^^^^ My first Marshall, 50-watt with an 8x10 cab, 1968. Wish I still had it!

[JKL2000]

Are the MC5 Sunshine Pop? I heard a pretty hilarious song by them recently called High School which seemed to fit the bill.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ZkaF1GNNA

I guess looking them up in Wikipedia they're more proto-Punk or something, but this song has a pretty sunshiny sound to it.

[mogrooves]

Are the MC5 Sunshine Pop?

I don't think so....though I suspect they did their fair share of "sunshine" X)

[philsunset]

thought I'd re-energize this thread with this little gem


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeRB-3nDR8

Ah from Ogden's. My favorite album from one of my all-time favorite groups. Great stuff!

[JKL2000]

I don't think so....though I suspect they did their fair share of "sunshine" X)

Listen to that song though - it sounds like The Archies.

[mogrooves]

Listen to that song though - it sounds like The Archies.

Granted, it's not "kick out the jams, muthafuckers!," but The Archies don't immediately spring to mind either (but then I never considered them "sunshine pop").

[bill g]

The Archies don't immediately spring to mind either (but then I never considered them "sunshine pop").

No, I'd consider them 'bubblegum' pop, to my ears quite a bit different than sunshine pop, but I could see how one might assume otherwise.

[progholio]

Are the MC5 Sunshine Pop? I heard a pretty hilarious song by them recently called High School which seemed to fit the bill.



I guess looking them up in Wikipedia they're more proto-Punk or something, but this song has a pretty sunshiny sound to it.

Nope, the MC5 are definitely a good ole' slab of proto punk, a real good kick in the sack. That High School song is pretty much out of character, I'm thinking it was meant to be a tongue-in-cheeky send-up to the Beach Boys or something (probably a big influence on The Ramones). Man, I'd love to see a companion thread discussing he virtues proto-punk, the Monks, Sonics, Kinks, MC5, the Stooges, even The Who to an extent - If I had to listen to only those bands for the rest of my life I'd be ok with that.

[klothos]

No, I'd consider them 'bubblegum' pop, to my ears quite a bit different than sunshine pop, but I could see how one might assume otherwise.

Go back one page and see my (ancient) posts #82 and #84.....I am a Bubblegum Music fan (probably the only one here :D) and on many of my Bubblegum Compilations, there are a lot of Sunshine Pop tunes sprinkled throughout and mixed in -- it confused me also - i always thought the two styles were similar but distinct so its always a headscratcher when I find a Bubblegum Comp CD that has Spanky & Our Gang mixed in with Ohio Express.

By the way, the Wiki doesn't say so, but wouldn't this be the first Sunshine Pop song (the Wiki doesnt include it at all)?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHNGvEdTwBQ

[mogrooves]

i always thought the two styles were similar but distinct

I think so as well; kissin' cousins. But, I expect a degree of musical sophistication, even complexity, in Sunshine Pop that is largely absent in Bubblegum--however expertly done--though there are exceptions both ways.

"Downtown" is straight up Pop music, imo.

[klothos]

I think so as well; kissin' cousins. But, I expect a degree of musical sophistication, even complexity, in Sunshine Pop that is largely absent in Bubblegum--however expertly done--though there are exceptions both ways.

+1 I agree...... With Classic Bubblegum, the lyrics are ambiguous: On the surface, they are juvenile but - more often than not - "adult" innuendos and metaphors are weaved into the lyrics (this is a key component in some of the best Bubblegum Music and almost a prerequisite of any Kasenetz-Katz production). Everything is written around an infectious hook......Sunshine Pop is hooky and melodic, but nowhere near as kitsch or campy


"Downtown" is straight up Pop music, imo.

Perhaps, but I wonder if the song was exactly the same but the artist was Spanky and Our Gang and not Petulia Clark, if it would still be just considered pop?

[JJ88]

Petula Clark had a few of those Tony Hatch/Jackie Trent tracks that skirt the boundaries of 'sunshine pop'...I'm thinking 'Colour My World', 'I Couldn't Live Without Your Love' and 'Don't Sleep In The Subway'. Those Hatch/Trent ones are the songs of hers I like most, though she was also releasing schmaltz like 'This Is My Song' at the same time.

'Downtown' isn't really like that, to my ears...the arrangement is of the sort you hear on Tom Jones records or whatever. The three songs I mentioned have arrangements somewhat more reflective of wider developments in 60s pop, I think.

'Bubblegum' is another thing- in my experience, it's usually upbeat and usually has lyrics about girls' names, sweets, colours or nonsense words!

[progholio]

ok, it's a sunny Friday afternoon, 71 degrees, and even though this is stretching the confines of sunshine pop it's one of those little gems you want to blast while driving the convertible with the top down


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNdLt24eOlc


a spectacular version by the Wondermints that's almost better


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CLXGTlcKco

[Superfly]

I was already familiar with the Wondermint's version from their fantastic covers album "Wonderful World Of". But I've never heard the original until now. Very cool. Thanks!

Here's another from that album.


http://youtu.be/HqUIA0oQPDs

[JJ88]

The Smoke were more of a psychedelic/freakbeat group. Didn't Boney M cover 'My Friend Jack'...and The Creation's 'Painter Man'?? Truly bizarre! With The Smoke, I only know a couple of their songs- 'Sidney Gill' is the other one I know well, that's maybe a little more 'sunshine-y'.

[bob_32_116]

I had never encountered the term "sunshine pop" until I saw it on this forum. Is it a recognised genre, or just a term coined by someone on here?

If it's taken to just mean "joyful", then almost every song by The Beach Boys would qualify, making them the quintessential "sunshine pop" band.Of course the SMiLE album transcends pop, I would label that "sunshine prog". :) It is almost impossible to feel depressed when listening to that album.

[bill g]

"sunshine prog"

I like it!

[Superfly]

Here's a really nice breakdown of the genre...and yes, The Beach Boys are at the top of the list for sure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_pop

[bob_32_116]

Here's a really nice breakdown of the genre...and yes, The Beach Boys are at the top of the list for sure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_pop

Funny, I never thought of those bands as a sub-genre, I just think of it all as "pop".

This phrase made me laugh:

sunshine pop may thus be considered an umbrella term
Unbrella? Somewhat inappropriate.

[Superfly]

I'm not sure how it's inappropriate, especially in this context :cool


http://youtu.be/ao1c75D3he8

As far as sub-genres, it's not surprising some madman has broken 'pop' down into so many, hell, look how many 'prog' sub-genres there are. We even have a new one now 'sunshine prog'. But who cares for the title as long as you like the music.

[bill g]

I cant neglect this moving little gem from Swing Out Sister:


http://www.youtube.com/watch/v=LAxITHqm9vA

[JJ88]

I'm not sure it's the right place given the gloominess of the lyrics (all suburban lives gone wrong, as far as I can make out!), but for want of a better topic to post in and due to all the lavish harmonies, what do people think about The Four Seasons' 'Genuine Imitation Life Gazette'? I've been playing an old record of this one I got many years ago cheaply and I find it fascinating. The arrangements/melodies are very inventive and there's some full-on psychedelic kitchen-sink production. I think it's worthy of more attention...certainly to anyone who liked The 5th Dimension's 'Magic Garden'.

[progholio]

I was already familiar with the Wondermint's version from their fantastic covers album "Wonderful World Of". But I've never heard the original until now. Very cool. Thanks!

Here's another from that album.


http://youtu.be/HqUIA0oQPDs

I love that Wondermints album, the first track covering The Porpoise Song sets the scene quite nicely.

[progholio]

I cant neglect this moving little gem from Swing Out Sister:





very nice! kind of a Brazil 66 meets 5th Dimension vibe.

[bob_32_116]

hell, look how many 'prog' sub-genres there are. We even have a new one now 'sunshine prog'..
Yes, I wonder who the tosser was that coined that term. Ummm... wait a minute...

[bill g]

very nice! kind of a Brazil 66 meets 5th Dimension vibe.

Yes its too bad they are often written off because of their first album, which was a hit, but (to my ears) not very interesting. They got really good later, especially their 'Where Our Love Grows' album that boasts four great instrumentals (well no lyrics per se), including the one posted above.

[bob_32_116]

what do people think about The Four Seasons' 'Genuine Imitation Life Gazette'? I've been playing an old record of this one I got many years ago cheaply and I find it fascinating. The arrangements/melodies are very inventive and there's some full-on psychedelic kitchen-sink production. I think it's worthy of more attention...certainly to anyone who liked The 5th Dimension's 'Magic Garden'..

I never heard of this album. I only have ""Who Loves You". Most of the Four Seasons' career was in the days before albums were considered as works in their own right; they were basically compilations of hits plus "filler" - not that the filler tracks were always bad.

I have been meaning to check out the first two 5th Dimension albums at some stage, since I have heard very few Jimmy Webb compositions that I don't like, especially from that era.

[bob_32_116]

I cant neglect this moving little gem from Swing Out Sister:]
What a lame video. Nice "song" (vocal instrumental really), but much better listened to without watching the accompanying video.

As a mater of fact I have that opinion about most videos, but that one is worse than most.

That song sounds very authentically Brazilian, so I am guessing it's not original, but something written by a well known Brazilian writer.

[JJ88]

I never heard of this album. I only have ""Who Loves You". Most of the Four Seasons' career was in the days before albums were considered as works in their own right; they were basically compilations of hits plus "filler" - not that the filler tracks were always bad.

I have been meaning to check out the first two 5th Dimension albums at some stage, since I have heard very few Jimmy Webb compositions that I don't like, especially from that era.

'Genuine Imitation...' was clearly conceived as a proper album, with some sort of concept and an album cover which pre-dates 'Thick As A Brick' (the whole spoof newspaper thing). Bob Gaudio and Jake Holmes wrote the whole thing; indeed, I never realised Bob Gaudio was part of the band until fairly recently.

Unfortunately it flopped badly...I don't think the un-hip photo of them on the front helped. The same as The Beach Boys, a band with an unfashionable image at that time yet still making lovely music.

The same team wrote a concept album for Frank Sinatra called 'Watertown' which was probably his worst selling album but again, was very good.

[bill g]

What a lame video. Nice "song" (vocal instrumental really), but much better listened to without watching the accompanying video.

As a mater of fact I have that opinion about most videos, but that one is worse than most.

That song sounds very authentically Brazilian, so I am guessing it's not original, but something written by a well known Brazilian writer.

No its written by Andy Connell and Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister. The video is NOT the band, but something released by fans of the band. I like it personally, but the video is unimportant. The song I think is brilliant, as is much of their music of this time period.

[Superfly]

A little less sunshine in the world today. Larry Ramos of the Association and the New Christy Minstrels has passed. It was posted by Now Sounds and then by his son.

"It is with immense sadness I write this. My Dad, Larry Ramos passed away this evening. As you all know he had been ill for the past three years following his heart attack in 2011. What you don't know is he was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma last year (he wanted that diagnosis to be kept private while he was alive.) While his illnesses were trying at times, his passing was peaceful and he was surrounded by family. "

[Superfly]

I damned near killed the thread with that Larry Ramos post. Here's something to bring us back to the Sunshine!

http://youtu.be/7fSCWgHxVpU

[klothos]

Im glad somebody revived this thread...I just did a gig last Saturday with these guys:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olm7kjB9R8Y

[Yaman Aksu]

freeze frame, by j geils band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVJT5S-EvM

[Sean]

The new Yes will feel like a ray of sunshine pop on your heart.

[augdimsus]

Newish sunshine pop?

http://cornerlaughers.com/track/the-perfect-weather

http://cornerlaughers.com/track/8-18

[bill g]

Wow, never heard of 'The Love Generation', but that was really cool.

[augdimsus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_f16t1JGHo

[progeezer]

You Were On My Mind had its own sub-genre: Sunshine Folk:D.

It was written and originally sung by Sylvia Fricker Tyson of legendary folkies Ian & Sylvia. With others, I had the pleasure of their company for dinner one night in 1964. It was a spaghetti dinner that Sylvia had prepared.

[Superfly]

Here's a pretty rare live clip of The Free Design :

http://youtu.be/WlZNlk4Awwo

And how's this for a pretty damned good Association impression. Love this album by the Sixpentz.

http://youtu.be/v_PpgmhQAn4

[mogrooves]

...also "associative":


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGrPoro7CqM

[Superfly]

...also "associative":

Excellent! I have that Blades Of Grass album and it's a wonderful slice of late sixties baroque/sunshine pop. They do a real interesting take on the Beatles "Help" as well as a solid version of Walk Away Renee. Here's another cut from that album:

http://youtu.be/FBi4bxJXqGw

[progeezer]

:mad

Hey Bangor, stop making me spend so much f*****g money!

Just ordered "Not For Smoking". The 2 tracks I just listened to are as good as The Association at their best ("Requiem For The Masses") imo.:)

[Superfly]

:lol You won't regret it. It's a great album, and their version of "I Love You Alice B. Toklas" is even better than Harpers Bizarre's version. Truly a lost classic of an album IMO.

[mogrooves]

Excellent! I have that Blades Of Grass album and it's a wonderful slice of late sixties baroque/sunshine pop.

Yeah, definitely a cut above so much of that stuff.


their version of "I Love You Alice B. Toklas" is even better than Harpers Bizarre's version.

...and their version of "Happy" beats The Sunshine Company's as well.

"Will You Be Staying After Sunday" was Peppermint Rainbow's hit, but I always thought this one had a vaguely Curved Air-ish vibe:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJBi5cn7CEM

[Yaman Aksu]

Ace of Base - Beautiful Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9hdMSr6Duc

[progholio]

Greetings, I thought I would pass along this nice piece of sunshine psych


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3RLPiOzP8c

BTW, that Peppermint Rainbow song was f'king brilliant as were the Sixpentz and Blades of Grass, thanks for sharing.

How the hell did those people pack so much awesomeness into less than 3 minutes?

[Superfly]

How the hell did those people pack so much awesomeness into less than 3 minutes?

I think this can be traced back to Brian Wilson and Good Vibrations. Such an amazing piece of music, layer upon layer of imagination unfurled. From that point on, a lot of bands felt free to try new things in new ways. Some would say Sgt.Pepper was the culprit, but I think Wilson is the man.

Great clip by Heather MacRae!

Here...check this out, rare footage of the BB's getting it all together:

http://youtu.be/d8rd53WuojE

[bob_32_116]

I think this can be traced back to Brian Wilson and Good Vibrations. Such an amazing piece of music, layer upon layer of imagination unfurled. From that point on, a lot of bands felt free to try new things in new ways. Some would say Sgt.Pepper was the culprit, but I think Wilson is the man.

Much has been made of whether it was the Beatles or the Beach Boys who were at the forefront of musical innovation, but the truth is that they fed off each other's creativity. Brian Wilson has stated that Rubber Soul opened his eyes - or rather ears - to the possibilities of what a pop album could be, and was the inspiration for Pet Sounds. That record in turn inspired the Fabs during the Sgt Pepper era. Paul MccCartney is on record as stating a number of times that God Only Knows is his favourite song of all time.

[bill g]

Paul MccCartney is on record as stating a number of times that God Only Knows is his favourite song of all time.

That was the song that did it for me too when I was a kid. I remember being at the radio one summers day listening to that song, and nearly in tears afterward. There was nothing like it at the time. Then when I was introduced to prog, I reacted with similar emotion.

[progeezer]

McCartney has said many times that The Byrds were also a big influence on the Mops, and the whole "jangly" guitar thing (If I Needed Someone, I've Just Seen A Face, Ticket To Ride & more) was directly stolen from McGuinn.

[JJ88]

I first heard 'Good Vibrations' what must have been in the mid 90s, on Brian Matthew's 'Sounds Of The 60s', which is a radio show here playing 60s songs well-known and obscure. It's still on now, in the same slot. Even then, before I'd even made double-figures age wise, I found it extraordinary- a distillation of the ambition and positivity of the era which still attracts new listeners to this day.

There were a whole host of kitchen-sink-production-job singles on both sides of the Atlantic then. Richard Harris' 'Macarthur Park', Barry Ryan's 'Eloise', Sagittarius' 'My World Fell Down', Keith West's 'Excerpt From A Teenage Opera'. All of them pushed the single format to its limit in terms of bombast and sometimes length.

There were also several deeply strange singles that came out in the UK which made no impact then and only really seem to have gathered attention in the 1980s, when legally questionable compilations came out featuring these songs. Like the equivalent of the US 'Nuggets' garage compilation, but the British psychedelic sound was often much more heavily produced. Songs like One In A Million's 'Fredereek Hernando', The Sands' 'Listen To The Sky' (a B-side, which takes a detour into a Holst-inspired, proto-prog musical climax), Dantalian's Chariot 'Madman Running Through The Fields'...Not sunshine pop, but the post 'Good Vibrations'/'Strawberry Fields Forever' essence of pushing the single format is still there.

[Superfly]

There were also several deeply strange singles that came out in the UK which made no impact then and only really seem to have gathered attention in the 1980s, when legally questionable compilations came out featuring these songs. Like the equivalent of the US 'Nuggets' garage compilation, but the British psychedelic sound was often much more heavily produced. Songs like One In A Million's 'Fredereek Hernando', The Sands' 'Listen To The Sky' (a B-side, which takes a detour into a Holst-inspired, proto-prog musical climax), Dantalian's Chariot 'Madman Running Through The Fields'...Not sunshine pop, but the post 'Good Vibrations'/'Strawberry Fields Forever' essence of pushing the single format is still there.

I'm very interested in hearing more about these obscurities. Is there a good compilation worth checking out?


One thing I know about Wilson from a bio I've read, is that he was very influenced by Phil Spector as well, which is quite evident if you've heard the Pet Projects compilation. I think he could have gone on to be one of the great producers himself if he'd not lost his way as he did.

[JJ88]

^There were a series of 80s anthologies of oddball British psychedelic singles called 'Chocolate Soup For Diabetics' and another called 'The Perfumed Garden'. I have some of these on CD and these songs I mentioned are on them. There has always been speculation as to the legality of these releases, particularly as some of the songs are obviously taken from record. There was then another long-running series called 'Rubble' which I think was legit, but IMHO the track selection wasn't quite so consistently good.

Rhino did a 'Nuggets II' box set which had a lot of these songs too, but I don't have it as it was always far too expensive for me and sadly is now out of print. A lot of the best compilations are! The major labels did a few nice compilations in the 90s, some of which are still available. 'The Psychedelic Scene' and 'The Freakbeat Scene' by Deram and 'Psychedelia At Abbey Road' by EMI. Just things I've picked up cheaply over the years.

Agree with you on Brian Wilson. I get the impression he just wasn't given the support that he needed.

[The Gak Omek]

Both of these compilations are available from Amazon and iTunes.

Realistic Patterns: Orchestrated Psychedelia

This compilation rounds up 20 (previously uncomped on CD) tracks, all of which have been enriched, rather than diluted, by orchestration. There has long been a prevailing school of thought that psychedelic bands and orchestras do not mix. Even the compiler, Nick Saloman (The Bevis Frond), admits he has been guilty in the past of dismissing many a fine track because of the unwelcome intrusion of brass and strings. It was down to bands like The Left Banke, with their innovative use of baroque instrumentation and chord structure, to show that psychedelia could be orchestrated and still sound superb. You'll hear fuzz guitars, flutes, organs, sitars, horns, strings and some strange, strange lyrics. Okay, we concede that the mental image of a mob of penguin-suited, straight-laced classical musicians sawing away over a tripped-out psych backbeat may not appear particularly "rock & roll" (well actually, maybe it does!), but open your ears and your mind, and you cannot fail to be seduced. In among these mellifluous sounds you'll find a future Allman Brother, Texan garage band The Kitchen Cinq operating under a pseudonym, a band of loggers and firemen from the Pacific Northwest who nabbed a brief one-album deal, a former member of Paul Revere & The Raiders, and the man who would become Bruce Springsteen's manager. Step right this way. Artists include: Burned, The Subterranean Monastery, The Moon, Bubble, Compass, Tim Wilde, The Sound Solution, The Mystic Astrologic Crystal Band, The Byzantine Empire, A Handful, Douglas Fir, Gregg Shively, Nobody's Children, The Balloon Farm, Dunn & McCashen, The Visions, Drake, The 31st Of February, Natty Bumpo and The Little Boy Blues.

Wednesday Morning Dew: Realistic Patterns 2

[JJ88]

^I think these are US bands. Only one I've even heard of is Balloon Farm.

There have been compilations of 60s UK 'sunshine pop'. I don't have them but there was a series called 'Ripples'. There is one UK song in this vein I do really like, and am surprised wasn't a hit- 'Riding A Wave' by The Turnstyle. Very catchy. Not sure how familiar US fans are with the song but there was a 'cash in' hit single by The Flowerpot Men called 'Let's Go To San Francisco' which I've always loved- lots of harmonies and Mellotron on it.

[progholio]

It's time for some end of summer instrumental happiness


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Z8RS4O8OA

Now, someone tell me - are those background vocals real or Mellotron choir?

If that's a 'tron then it's my new favorite song.

[mogrooves]

are those background vocals real or Mellotron choir?

Doesn't sound like it to me.

[Superfly]

Hey hey! The thread's still here. Well alrighty then. I don't know about you, but this Japanese dude knows a lot about sunshine pop and music history in general. I absolutely love his Fantasma album. This is some breezy listening from Cornelius:

http://youtu.be/u76XEmLdWz0

[progholio]

Hey hey! The thread's still here. Well alrighty then. I don't know about you, but this Japanese dude knows a lot about sunshine pop and music history in general. I absolutely love his Fantasma album. This is some breezy listening from Cornelius:


Thanks for sharing, probably wouldn't have found this on my own. Kind of reminds me of Stereolab whom i like a lot.
Just ordered this used from Amazon for a freakin' penny (+3.99 shipping), quite a bargain i'd say.

[hippypants]

Kenny Rankin was a good one.

Donovan I think fits here:


http://youtu.be/J4JmKFHg3Zk

[hippypants]

The Turtles pretty much fits:


http://youtu.be/tasZnFq3ZPM

[hippypants]

The Cowsills


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IuFf4ow5YU

[bob_32_116]

Donovan I think fits here

Speaking of Donovan, this is his song also, but I think this version by Judy Collins is much better and "sunnier" than the original:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7a_zbUOTxY

[The Gak Omek]

Temples - Sun Structures

These guys are keeping the Sunshine Pop Psychedelic Rock sound alive on their new album. I've been groovin' and fruggin' around the house to these cool tunes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUGEnXz4EG8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWjLn1rIPXY

[mogrooves]

^^^^^ Nifty! Actual songs!!

[progeezer]

Took me 16 bars of Colours To Life. Ordering today!

Thanks for posting, GO.:up

[The Gak Omek]

>Thanks for posting, GO.<

You are welcome. The CD has been in heavy rotation at home and in the car since it arrived about a week ago.

[Speare-shaker]

In another forum, I once posted a history of bubblegum music and while not all sunshine was gum and not all gum was sunshine, there is an awful lot of common ground between them. Unlike a lot of "proggers" (I am not saying that I call myself one of these), I do not disparage bubblegum simply because I was boy in the 60s and I grew up listening to a lot of it--how could anyone back then who was a kid have avoided it? Gum and prog do have one thing in common--both had their "official" starts in 1967. And despite what people may think, psychedelia was rampant in gum more than it was anywhere else. I'm even tempted to say that gum started psychedelia but that would no doubt cause some here to challenge me to a duel after figuratively slapping my smug mug with a pair of goatskin gloves.

I was fortunate enough to grow up with older siblings--three of them. All substantially older than me, so I was exposed to a lot of stuff early that I otherwise probably would never have heard until much later in life. Dylan, the Byrds, the Beatles, the Moody Blues, the Electric Prunes (Mass in F Minor), Steppenwolf, Hendrix, Mamas & Papas, Simon & Garfunkle, etc. were all bands I grew up with--their music defines my childhood. My oldest sister was a real wild child back then and even played Miles Davis and Coltrane for me and my older brother introduced me to the Fugs and we're talking I'm 8 and 9 years old. But between my sisters (both older than me) they had every damn bubblegum single out there.

Sunshine, I think, is a more nebulous term especially when it collides with gum. For example, the Lemon Pipers were called gum but Peppermint Rainbow is called a sunshine band and yet they "borrowed" the Pipers' instrument tracks for "Green Tambourine" and sang over them when they covered the tune.

Here are a few tunes that I think rode the cusp between sunshine and gum:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Fgp-KihIA
Written by Marvin Hamlisch, no less.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVFny3TYfYI
Features Don Grady (Robbie Douglas on "My Three Sons") on the drums.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjsh2j7W6Bo

[Speare-shaker]

Couple more:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFFLifnbe8g


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTQS3hkmUVk
Not sure who the woman is but she coulda banged my tambourine all day and all night.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvV5vC9NP2E
Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan along with bassist Jimmy Pons became part of the Mothers of Invention. Drummer Johnny Barbata went off to play for CSNY as well as being the original drummer Jefferson Starship.

[Yaman Aksu]

Daydream Believer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQLPJL0UQMg
(some Japanese, some English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynZaE4t887c

[progholio]

Took me 16 bars of Colours To Life. Ordering today!

Thanks for posting, GO.:up


Their Sun Structures album is a very nice dose of Psych. They tour a lot, got to see them twice last year, only bummer is they only have 1 album and the show goes by too damn quick. Oh, and you will probably see more girls than guys at a Temples show :up

[interbellum]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yjlXKliYYA

This one is from Jacco Gardner's debut-album "Cabinet Of Curiosities" (2013). He just released his second CD/LP, "Hypnophobia" (http://www.jaccogardner.com/). It's another sunny album, slightly more upbeat, with sometimes a Krautrock-rhythm, sometimes an Air-like atmosphere.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDSiImxP6Vw&list=RDYDSiImxP6Vw

"Find Yourself" is one of the tracks from the new album.

[The Gak Omek]

This one is from Jacco Gardner's debut-album "Cabinet Of Curiosities" (2013). He just released his second CD/LP, "Hypnophobia" (http://www.jaccogardner.com/). It's another sunny album, slightly more upbeat, with sometimes a Krautrock-rhythm, sometimes an Air-like atmosphere.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDSiImxP6Vw&list=RDYDSiImxP6Vw

"Find Yourself" is one of the tracks from the new album.

Thanks for the heads-up on this. I was not aware that it had been released. I just ordered it on Amazon. Sunshiney days!

[progholio]

This one is from Jacco Gardner's debut-album "Cabinet Of Curiosities" (2013). He just released his second CD/LP, "Hypnophobia" (http://www.jaccogardner.com/). It's another sunny album, slightly more upbeat, with sometimes a Krautrock-rhythm, sometimes an Air-like atmosphere.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDSiImxP6Vw&list=RDYDSiImxP6Vw

"Find Yourself" is one of the tracks from the new album.

Because of this thread and our awesome local radio station I am completely hooked on this guy and just received Hypnophobia today, rest assured Cabinet will be landing in the mailbox as well. More psych than sunshine but who cares, it's fukkin (that's how it's spelled in the Netherlands, really) superb stuff, thanks for the tip.

You lucky bastards who are anywhere but St Louis have a prime opportunity to see him -

Jun 12 Green Label Live at McCarren Park (Northside Festival) Brooklyn, NY
Jun 13 Press Room Portsmouth, NH
Jun 14 Middle East Upstairs w/ Calvin Love, Doug...
Cambridge, MA
Jun 16 Bar Le "Ritz" P.D.B. w/ Calvin Love
Montreal, Canada
Jun 17 NXNE at Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, Canada Jun 18 NXNE at Silver Dollar Toronto, Canada w/ Calvin Love
Cleveland, OH
Jun 20 Beat Kitchen w/ Calvin Love
Chicago, IL
Jun 20 Wicker Parks Green Music Fest Chicago, IL
Jun 21 7th Street Entry w/ Calvin Love
Minneapolis, MN
Jun 23 Stage 112 w/ Calvin Love
Missoula, MT
Jun 24 The Sunset Tavern w/ Calvin Love
Seattle, WA
Jun 25 The Fox Cabaret w/ Calvin Love
Vancouver, Canada
Jun 26 Doug Fir Lounge w/ Calvin Love
Portland, OR
Jun 27 Brick and Mortar w/ Calvin Love
San Francisco, CA
Jun 29 The Wayfarer w/ Calvin Love
Costa Mesa, CA
Jun 30 The Echo w/ Calvin Love
Los Angeles, CA
Jul 01 Casbah w/ Calvin Love
San Diego, CA
Jul 02 The Flycatcher w/ Dinner
Tucson, AZ
Jul 03 Lowbrow Palace w/ Dinner
El Paso, TX
Jul 04 Red 7 w/ EZTV, Dinner
Austin, TX
Jul 05 Club Dada w/ EZTV, Dinner
Dallas, TX
Jul 06 One Eyed Jack's w/ EZTV, Dinner
New Orleans, LA
Jul 07 The Earl w/ EZTV, Dinner
Atlanta, GA
Jul 09 New Mountain Theatre w/ EZTV, Dinner
Asheville, NC
Jul 10 Joyful Noise Records w/ EZTV, Dinner
Indianapolis, IN
Jul 11 4th and 4th Fest Columbus, OH

[bob_32_116]

That song "Find Yourself" is not bad, but I'd hardly call it Sunshine Pop.

[Yaman Aksu]

Just some article I stumbled on that gives a playlist of 10 sunny tunes:
http://www.pajiba.com/music/science-has-determined-the-worlds-most-feelgood-jam.php

[bob_32_116]

Half the songs in that list make me puke. Not sure if that qualifies as "feeling good.".

[Yaman Aksu]

^^ I'm not supporting those 10 songs and I'm not a fan of all of them. I shouldn't have said "10 sunny tunes" because I agree they're not all "sunny". Someone has apparently thought they're all uplifting, it's their opinion not mine.

[JJ88]

Only 'Good Vibrations' would really be deemed 'sunshine pop'...maybe you could get away with The Monkees as well, but that doesn't have the intricate harmonies I consider to be a prerequisite of the style.

[bob_32_116]

^^ I'm not supporting those 10 songs and I'm not a fan of all of them. I shouldn't have said "10 sunny tunes" because I agree they're not all "sunny". Someone has apparently thought they're all uplifting, it's their opinion not mine.
I know, I realise it's not your opinion. Also, I'm not so much criticising the labeling of the songs as "sunshine pop", as their claim that they make the listener feel good.

I mean, if it puts a smile on someone else's face to listen to bloody Katrina and the Waves, that's better than them getting depressed and commiting suicide, or going out and murdering people, so who am I to complain. Just as long as I don't have to listen to it. I hate that song with a passion.

The ABBA, Beach Boys, Cyndi Lauper and the Monkees songs are all OK. I'd probably appreciate "I Will Survive" a lot more, were it not for the fact that I'm gay and therefore have heard that song belted out so many times at various functions that I'm pretty much over it. It seems to be a favourite of drag performers.

[bob_32_116]

In the spirit of putting my money where my mouth is, THIS is what I call "sunshine pop" (probably better if just listened to, rather than watched):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK8_99qg8Uw

[progholio]

Only 'Good Vibrations' would really be deemed 'sunshine pop'...maybe you could get away with The Monkees as well, but that doesn't have the intricate harmonies I consider to be a prerequisite of the style.

A couple of nights ago i was on the porch hoping to catch the blood moon/eclipse (too many clouds dammit!) and was listening to The Beach Boys Smile Sessions, i came to the conclusion that Good Vibrations is the best song ever written and recorded (better than Close To The Edge, there, i said it).

[JJ88]

^It's a contender for the finest 45 single of all. Weirdly when Capitol UK put it out, they had 'Wendy' from 1964 on the other side!

[bob_32_116]

^It's a contender for the finest 45 single of all. Weirdly when Capitol UK put it out, they had 'Wendy' from 1964 on the other side!
not so weird if you knew what was going on between the band and the label at the time. The label wanted pop hits, not experimentation.

[JJ88]

^I'm aware of that. My point was that it was a song a few years old that had already been released and had nothing to do with where they were at the time.

[Superfly]

The other night I watched Love & Mercy, the film about Brian Wilson. Anyone else seen this? Well worth a look. Paul Dano was quite excellent as the young Brian and even though I thought John Cusack would be more distracting than interesting, he surprised me greatly. Even though I know the story of the Pet Sounds era Beach Boys pretty well, it was brought to life with so much color and energy that it was very entertaining, unsettling and thought provoking. I came away with a little more understanding and sympathy (especially for Mike Love)...love & mercy. Check it out.

Those Temples songs further up the page...yeah, nice, right up my alley. Thanks

Nice to see this thread rise again, you folks rock. here' I'll leave you with this:

https://youtu.be/ihjalKpYYDE?list=PLF2213CE4BB061DED

[bob_32_116]

The other night I watched Love & Mercy, the film about Brian Wilson. Anyone else seen this? Well worth a look. Paul Dano was quite excellent as the young Brian and even though I thought John Cusack would be more distracting than interesting, he surprised me greatly. Even though I know the story of the Pet Sounds era Beach Boys pretty well, it was brought to life with so much color and energy that it was very entertaining, unsettling and thought provoking. I came away with a little more understanding and sympathy (especially for Mike Love)...love & mercy. Check it out.

Yes, I've seen the movie and thought it was excellent. My friend thought so too, and he's not a huge fan of the Beach boys, so that's probably more indicative.

[progeezer]

The other night I watched Love & Mercy, the film about Brian Wilson. Anyone else seen this? Well worth a look. Paul Dano was quite excellent as the young Brian and even though I thought John Cusack would be more distracting than interesting, he surprised me greatly. Even though I know the story of the Pet Sounds era Beach Boys pretty well, it was brought to life with so much color and energy that it was very entertaining, unsettling and thought provoking. I came away with a little more understanding and sympathy (especially for Mike Love)...love & mercy. Check it out.

I absolutely dug this movie big time! Check it out X2 for sure.

[bill g]

I absolutely dug this movie big time! Check it out X2 for sure.

Me too. The next day I was inspired to write a song that sounded shamelessly too much like 'God Only Knows'. I'll probably need to see this a 2nd time definitely.

[progholio]

here's a good one


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymTitCiMieg


Word has it that this one made Brian Wilson shit his pants


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAiBIwmY0_0

[progholio]

I just listened to this one earlier today, no self respecting sunshine pop fan should be without it


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L54EhlzOXNQ

[JJ88]

^From memory, 'It's You' was my favourite song on that. Worth checking out Sagittarius' work of that same period, also heavily involving Curt Boettcher.

[philsunset]

^A great album. Worth checking out are The Ballroom and GoldeBriars for more Boettcher. Also, many productions of his. (The Association, Tommy Roe, etc...)

[philsunset]

It's been a while for some Sunshine. Here's a so very groovy song by The Groop. The Jet Song (When the Weekend's Over). One of the great Sunshine songs.

https://www.thisismyjam.com/song/the-groop/the-jet-song-when-the-weekends-over

[StevegSr]

Been listing to The Point from Harry Nilsson. Still as good as the first time I listened to it. :)

[regenerativemusic]

I gravitate towards this kind of pop music naturally, and covered a lot of ground looking at this kind of music in Europe during the 60s. I never heard the expression Sunshine Pop before, and never heard of this band much nor heard their album, which is pretty progressive for a pop album:

The Peppermint Trolley Co. - S/T (1968, Full Album)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwNPKFKHbQQ

[regenerativemusic]

This band sounds more like prog from their first song:

Chrysalis - 1968 - Definition [Full Album, Reissue] HQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KNBjWOBhLQ

[Progbear]

I must have recommended Begin at some point earlier up-thread. That is, hands down, one of my most-loved 60s albums. A stunner from start to finish. One of these days I probably ought to get that The Complete Ballroom/Millennium Recordings set (I just have the single-disc reish of Begin with one or two bonuses). Still have yet to hear The Goldebriars. I’d recommend Sagittarius (at least Present Tense, the only one I have) but be forewarned, they are very twee! Curt Boettcher also has a solo album, There’s an Innocent Face, which I have yet to hear.

[bill g]

Really looking forward to the new one from 'The Explorers Club', 'Together'. Here's a track from it:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa68NswMMD0

[Captain Geech]

Really looking forward to the new one from 'The Explorers Club', 'Together'. Here's a track from it:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa68NswMMD0

This is their second, all out tribute to the BB's sound and vision, and it's a damned fine one at that. Very similar to the Beach Boys most recent release, "That's Why God Made The Radio". I still prefer Grand Hotel, but The Explorers Club really 'get it' and more people should check them out.

[progholio]

Really looking forward to the new one from 'The Explorers Club', 'Together'. Here's a track from it:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa68NswMMD0


I just received this disc over the weekend and jesus christ is it good! I'm finding it to be more influenced by the post Smile stuff like Friends or Wild Honey era and they do a damn fine job with it (the artwork even resembles Friends). I'm gonna do my level best to get to that Progtoberfest gig.

I had a great time listening to Together this weekend along with the Monkees - Good Times and High Llamas - Here Come The Rattling Trees while having the last of my Oberon (so long summer :( )

[Captain Geech]

I had a great time listening to Together this weekend along with the Monkees - Good Times and High Llamas - Here Come The Rattling Trees while having the last of my Oberon (so long summer :( )

I've yet to pull the trigger on that Monkees disc, is it worth the time? I do love me some Monkees. That High Llamas is a nice slice of sunshine as well.

Something not so sunny but awesomely fascinating is The Claypool-Lennon Delirium album. WOW! Psychedelic city. There seems to big a great resurgence of psychedelic bands out there right now but this one is the real deal. Worth checking out if you're at all a fan of psyche.

Speaking of psychedelic, here's one of my new paintings. Meet Thalidomide Jeremy:
8575

[progholio]

There's been some really good releases this year and i would say yes to The Monkees, it's way better than it needed to be. They even did a pretty amazing job with the old Davy Jones recording.

Groovy painting, Thalidomide Jeremy looks like a byproduct of the psychedelic age. Thalidomide, is that stuff still around??

[progholio]

Here's a minty fresh little slice of sunshine for you


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwzuGO_hoeU

[The Gak Omek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GviNwYSZY6k

[Koreabruce]

Here's a minty fresh little slice of sunshine for you


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwzuGO_hoeU

At 1:19: "Don't just sit around and mope / Buy yourself a great big bag of dope."

:lol

[progeezer]

Well I see the Missouri-Maine Axis of Evil is now Flat responsible for Exploring ways to separate more money from the poor fixed-income retired bastard!;)

[Superfly]

Well I see the Missouri-Maine Axis of Evil is now Flat responsible for Exploring ways to separate more money from the poor fixed-income retired bastard!;)

I don't know about the rest of these guys, but there's something in the water in Bangor that just brings out the best in us. :) Hey Geez, check out my latest series of paintings. No goofy kids stuff this time. Yup...something in the water does not compute. :P

10311 10312 10313 10314

[progeezer]

Sweet WR! I particularly like the 2nd from the right.

Temporary derailment - You might appreciate the mind of an artist named Henn Kim, Bangor. Google her & I'd be interested to hear your comments.

[Koreabruce]

I don't know about the rest of these guys, but there's something in the water in Bangor that just brings out the best in us. :) Hey Geez, check out my latest series of paintings. No goofy kids stuff this time. Yup...something in the water does not compute. :P

10311 10312 10313 10314

Very nice! Thanks for posting.

[progholio]

Buy yourself a great big bag of dope and continue to enjoy this thread.

Here's a really good one from last year's brilliant Monkees album written by Andy Partridge and has his stamp all over it if you ask me (the guy probably does pretty well living in the shadows as a ghost writer).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvq5ozeNvGU

[progeezer]

In the last week, I've listened to "Swoon", "Jordan" & "McQueen/2 Wheels" by the wonderful Prefab Sprout.

A lot (not all) of their writing imo fits this thread, even though there ain't no palm trees in the UK.

[Superfly]

I have been loving this band recently; Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. Some pretty kick ass musicians. Don't let the word SKA scar you, unless, of course, you love second wave ska then forge ahead. This one has a very cool sunshine vibe.


http://youtu.be/LjoHb9PMoT4

[mogrooves]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdw-x6ZukrU

[saucyjackstl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3t66Nrqteo

[Superfly]

http://youtu.be/WlZNlk4Awwo

[Superfly]

http://youtu.be/Gy9FtCnAF78

[progeezer]

^^ My favorite Association song, and way better than anything else they wrote (although Windy has some great vocal harmony chords).

Too bad they didn't have the balls to do it live.

[JJ88]

^I only really know their Greatest Hits album. I like all of it but that song stood out as being different from the others. Being pedantic I'm not sure it's 'sunshine pop' but a great track. Another one in a similar vein is The Turtles' 'Grim Reaper Of Love'...different from the songs they are more famous for ('Happy Together', the parodic 'Elenore', 'She'd Rather Be With Me', 'You Baby' etc.).

[Superfly]

^^ My favorite Association song, and way better than anything else they wrote (although Windy has some great vocal harmony chords).

Too bad they didn't have the balls to do it live.

If not my favorite, certainly in the top five. I think their album 'Birthday' is a masterpiece. There are some actual live clips about, but most are from the later years.

[Superfly]

When I started this thread in November of 2012 here, it was as a continuation from the old PE site. I never expected it to survive for years and multiple pages. 'Sunshine Pop' was a very diverse genre, incorporating classical and jazz elements (the Free Design) to baroque, bubblegum and psyche (The Fun and Games) as well as the well known sunshine harmonies ( The Sunshine Company, Spanky, The Cowsills etc). This was the first video I shared and it is well worth repeating.


http://youtu.be/JB657W91rX4

[progeezer]

This thread singlehandedly turned my merely acknowledging that Karen was ok and could sing into someone who now realizes just how incredible and unique a talent she was!

The best baritone intonation and vocal richness of anyone with a vagina.;)

[JJ88]

Some of their earliest recordings are definitely in line with what acts like The Free Design were doing- that one, the classical 'Invocation'/'Benediction' links, 'Don't Be Afraid', 'Turn Away' etc. My favourites of their early recordings though are the more melancholy ones, particularly 'Eve' and 'Someday'. The latter was returned to by them over 10 years later for some TV show medley and that 1980 version has one of my absolute favourite Karen vocals.

Their second album Close To You has a few hangovers from that type of sound as well because some of the songs date back to the 60s. 'Crescent Moon', 'Mr Guder', 'Another Song' (I remember this one causing a stir on the old board when I mentioned it, due to its big instrumental finish!), 'Help' and 'I Kept On Loving You'. You won't find much 'sunshine pop' or related sounds on subsequent albums but it's pop of the highest calibre.

[philsunset]

This thread singlehandedly turned my merely acknowledging that Karen was ok and could sing into someone who now realizes just how incredible and unique a talent she was!

The best baritone intonation and vocal richness of anyone with a vagina.;)

I agree with ya Steve

[ewiser]

Karen was wonderful another singer that reminds me of her voice is Rumer.
https://youtu.be/dnck1L_f6mU


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Superfly]

Here's another incredible Carpenters piece recorded before fame took it's toll on their creativity.


http://youtu.be/29lIRbYY_yE

[JJ88]

^That one was before they were 'the Carpenters' as such (obviously both of them are on it, though!) and is from their jazz trio days in the 60s.

There is a limited-press mid 60s regional single of Karen as a teenager singing Richard originals. Worth big money, as you'd imagine.

http://www.45cat.com/record/ml704

A few other recordings from that time have also seen CD release.

[progholio]

I have been loving this band recently; Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. Some pretty kick ass musicians. Don't let the word SKA scar you, unless, of course, you love second wave ska then forge ahead. This one has a very cool sunshine vibe.


http://youtu.be/LjoHb9PMoT4

Not so much catching the sunshine but totally diggin' the Ska from these guys, thanks for sharing.

[progholio]

I'm going to throw another one out their by The Flat Five. We had the pleasure of seeing these guys live about a month ago along with Chuck Prophet and the crowd was absolutely bowled over and we're still talking about it (i think they might of knocked some of the steam out of Chuck's performance). I hope they keep making music for a long time.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6U1_nIC4xk

[Superfly]

Not so much catching the sunshine but totally diggin' the Ska from these guys, thanks for sharing.

I've never been much for following rules. :) I just love the upbeat sunny sound of the song, and I didn't want to start a new thread, plus she sings like something you'd hear on an old Jackie DeShannon album. I've been diggin' The Flat Five as well. Thanks for sharing that!

I mentioned The Fun and Games earlier, here's a very good impression of the Association by them. Love this song.

http://youtu.be/UrFURw-zo7k

[JKL2000]

I think you Sunshine Poppers ought to dig the new album from Fernando Perdomo, guitarist for the Dave Kerzner band. I picked it up at ProgDay, and it's really good!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_DpOFsmJg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1EDB9WMdLc

[Progbear]

Does the Daisy Chain (60s band featuring Rosemary Butler and the sadly late Michele “Shele” Pinizzotto, later with Birtha) count?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hGsLp-D1tU

[Lopez]

I have been loving this band recently; Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. Some pretty kick ass musicians. Don't let the word SKA scar you, unless, of course, you love second wave ska then forge ahead. This one has a very cool sunshine vibe.


http://youtu.be/LjoHb9PMoT4

This stuff is great! Love Ska (Two-Tone, especially), and this band is kicking. Got to find out more about them.

[progholio]

I think you Sunshine Poppers ought to dig the new album from Fernando Perdomo, guitarist for the Dave Kerzner band. I picked it up at ProgDay, and it's really good!



I wasn't all that into the Kerzner band at PD but i thought their guitar player played some of the nicest solos of the weekend, his solo stuff sounds well worth checking out.

[progholio]

Does the Daisy Chain (60s band featuring Rosemary Butler and the sadly late Michele “Shele” Pinizzotto, later with Birtha) count?



I have that cd around the house, been a while since i listened to it. I remember it being a little more on the garage-y side but that tune sounds like it could have had some influence on Stereolab, i need to reconnect with it soon.

[JKL2000]

I wasn't all that into the Kerzner band at PD but i thought their guitar player played some of the nicest solos of the weekend, his solo stuff sounds well worth checking out.

Note that his solo stuff doesn't actually feature much in the way of solos, though there are a few. It really is much more pop than anything else, but he adds enough sonic frosting that I enjoy it. What I've heard anyway, which is the two most recent albums.

He co-produced and plays on the new Linda Perhacs album which is coming out later this month!