When the Fairfax, VA-based band Escape the Armada hit me up to listen to their recent release Monsters, I have to tell you that I didn’t know what to expect–but I didn’t expect this. It’s a great blend of powerpop, rock, electro, dance and even rap–pretty much everything that makes pop music “popular” these days.

From the opening notes of the opening track, the immediate impression I had was the fantastic production value. This band is currently unsigned, but you’d never know it from the record. The blend, the mix, and the overall sound easily matches anything you’d hear on Top-40 radio–plus solid rhythms and great hooks that make you want to dance and sing. Everything the way it should be.

Except…

Here’s the only critique I have about the record: it’s great, but it’s not new. The music and the songs are catchy, but I didn’t hear anything on the record that I haven’t heard in some version elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong, Monsters is not “mediocre,” not by any stretch; it’s really good, it’s worth a listen, and it’s lots of fun. It’s just that this band has done an excellent job doing what pretty much everybody else in their field is doing–and in an already over-saturated market, it’s not enough just to make really good pop music. Without some extra “oomph” to make them stand out from the throng, I think it’s really a crap shoot as to whether their vibe is going to take them very far in this market.

If I were coaching this band, I’d say Escape the Armada has laid a really good foundation thus far; now it’s just time to take the next steps. The question in front of them isn’t what makes them good, but what makes them different.

But heck, that’s just my opinion. Here’s my personal favorite track off the record, “Without You.” Listen for yourself and see what you think.

Photo: Steve Stanton

Back in April of this year, I got the chance to do a profile piece on Denver artist Rachel James for Examiner.com. During that interview, James talked about the difficult year she’d had, and how it was deepening her as a songwriter.

Then, a few weeks ago, she sent me a copy of her new EP Not Giving Up, slated for digital release this week. Listening to this stuff compared to her earlier work, I was honestly blown away. This is nothing short of a quantum leap forward. It’s a short-but-sweet, three-song EP with compelling lyrics and some of the most solid hooks I’ve heard come out of Denver in quite awhile. I seriously can’t listen to the song below (the title cut of the EP) without waking up with it stuck in my head the following morning. This stuff isn’t just good; it’s chart-worthy.

If you happen to be in the Denver area this Friday, Nov. 4, you should come to the Hard Rock Cafe on the Sixteenth Street Mall downtown around 9PM, where Rachel James and her band will be officially releasing the EP at a show benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the fight against breast cancer–a worthy cause, and one that the EP’s theme suits quite well.

Says James, “This EP is very much about the fight–the fight against the evils in our lives, with ourselves, with God. It is about not giving up. Life is good, and it’s worth the fight to find truth, love and beauty.”

Gauging from the new music, it appears Rachel James’s own fight has paid off.

Rachel James “Not Giving Up”

I’ve gotten a few emails in the past few months by Courtney Green, the frontwoman for California indie-pop band See Green, about reviewing the band;  but to tell the truth, it was a busy time, and without my having a lot of direct connection to California indie acts, See Green got sort of lost in the shuffle.

My bad.  I should have been paying attention.

Although I never got around to covering See Green, their tune “Think Twice” made its way onto my ipod. And I’ve noticed that every time that song comes up on shuffle, it makes me stop and listen.  It’s just got a really catchy sound. This morning, the song came up again–and finally, this Los Angeles-based band got my attention.

My apologies, Courtney and crew; better late than never.

That said, this tune is definitely worth a listen, as is the band’s latest effort Violet. See Green has this danceable alt-indie-pop vibe that has a modern feel while drawing from several retro elements. I hear a little bit of Brit-synth-pop, a little bit of California surf–just a great vibe overall.  Really draws me in.

On a side note…maybe I’m late to the proverbial party here, but See Green isn’t the first California indie-pop act to reach out, and I’m noticing a consistent sound with them–perhaps an emergence of a specific new California sound.  I first noticed it with San Francisco’s Music For Animals. Maybe someone already has named this new California sound, but just for kicks, I’m going to name it “Cali-pop” and see if anyone picks it up.

Take a listen to See Green’s “Think Twice”, then watch the video.  See what you think.

See Green: “Think Twice”

Buy Violet from iTunes:

Hailing from San Francisco, Music for Animals has been gaining traction on the west coast for the past few years. Their hooky, danceable pop/rock vibe has drawn comparisons to The Killers. As a songwriter, I’m always looking for the “hook” in songs or in a sound.  I also look for the balance between creativity and accessibility.

I don’t know how original the sound is, but I think this song off the band’s EP is pretty catchy. But don’t take my word for it–see what you think.

Music for Animals: “Nervous in NY”