Month: June 2024

Dan Miraldi’s ‘Ulysses’: A Captivating Chapter in His Power-Pop Trilogy

Posted on by patrickdonders

Recognizing quality can be straightforward, and Dan Miraldi’s new release, ‘Ulysses‘, is a perfect example. You’ll quickly notice its excellence. With ten tracks that leave you wanting more after just half an hour, it’s a compelling listen. Fortunately, ‘Ulysses’ is the second installment in a garage rock power-pop trilogy that Miraldi is crafting, or so it seems. He delves into this project with Sweet Sweet Music blog, explaining how it all comes together.

You can find ‘Almost Sounds Sincere’ showcased on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

I spent most of 2022 focusing on the release of my seventh album, Radio Friendly Darling, so recording for Ulysses did not really commence until January of 2023. A few months prior, I had moved to a new apartment and finally had my home recording setup in place. I had four songs fully written as my starting point. I knew that the title track was supposed to open the record. I also had two song fragments that I managed to complete once production began. Then, as often happens when I am recording, new ones start to come to me and I wrote four additional songs that ended up on the album. I wrote a good number of other songs that will likely be saved for an album next year as well, but I thought these ten songs for Ulysses made for a satisfying listening experience.

Where do you see yourself situated within the broader landscape of the music industry? How do you perceive your unique role and contribution?

I recognize that I am a niche artist. I think my music is accessible and likable, but I have no commercial expectations. The music industry is an abyss. There is no meritocracy. I love rock and roll. I make the records I want to make. My first album came out fifteen years ago. I feel like I have been very consistent at releasing quality music. I have toured and gotten to play shows with some of the big kids, but my greatest musical blessings have been the support of some independent DJs in the Cleveland area as well as SiriusXM. I can get really existential, but for the sake of this interview, I will focus on the positive. I am proud of the records I have made and grateful to anyone who finds their way to my music.

How would you describe the evolution of your sound in this new album compared to your previous works? Were there intentional shifts in style or themes?

This will be a long answer unfortunately. I feel like my career and sound can be broken down into three phases with transitional records in between. My first three albums and four EPs are phase one. I was developing my sound trying to pull my retro rock and roll influences with garage rock revival and elements of punk. I was on the road, traveling in a van with my band, really trying to make things happen. Eventually, it was not turning out commercially the way I was hoping and I had to rethink my career and business model. My third album, Chaos Destruction & Dancing, is a transitional record. It was made when I knew I was moving from my hometown of Cleveland to try new things in NYC. It did not come out until a year after I moved to New York.

In phase two, you get to New York-era records – Love Under Fire and then the big one for me Alphabet City 2 AM. I had a period of creative doubt when I first moved here. I wondered if I had already written my best songs, but then I found my voice and confidence. The new city and the friends I was making inspired me. I wrote so many songs, that it provided material that has found its way on to multiple albums. In this second phase, I also made the acoustic Mood Music records and the proto-punk 15 Minutes of Fury which were important, because I was getting comfortable recording myself at home just as the pandemic hit and throughout it.

Coming out of the pandemic, I feel like this is phase three. I did not plan it this way, but I think I am making a garage rock power-pop trilogy. Radio Friendly Darling was part one. I was trying to make something upbeat and comforting as we all had been through a lot during covid. Now with Ulysses, I feel like it rocks a little harder, but it is still fun. Songs I did not get to during Radio Friendly Darling, provided the starting points for Ulysses. While making Ulysses, I wrote a bunch of new songs. I could have technically made a double album, but did not want to go that route. It is tough to get people’s attention long enough to listen to one new song, let alone a whole record. So I set those other songs aside and hope to finish another collection for next year. I am excited to share Ulysses and excited to know that I have another potential album up my sleeve. I am not delusional. I recognize that I have limitations in reaching an audience in these days of algorithms and the oversaturation of tens of thousands of songs being released daily to streaming services. Most people will never hear about it, but that is not what drives me. If I may be so bold, if people like garage rock and power-pop, I am making something special for them. I am going to throw down the gauntlet with this next record. It’s written and probably 75% recorded.

With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?

I am all about the deep cuts.

The Records “I Don’t Remember Your Name.” If you find a copy of the album Crashes by the Records, buy it. It is not available on CD or streaming, but it is great power-pop from the late 70s early 80s. “I Don’t Remember Your Name” has a great Revolver-esque guitar riff, but it has great lyrics about being at a party wanting to go home and not remembering the names of the guests you’ve been introduced to throughout the evening. I identify with it.

Kurt Baker “Anchors Up.” Kurt is a cool guy and I am only beginning to dig into his rich discography. I really enjoyed 2023’s Rock N Roll Club and “Anchors Up” is a highlight. I saw him play it live and it was killer.

Nathan Hedges “Times Are Changing.” Nathan played guitar on two of the Ulysses tracks and is one of my best buds. However, I am including him because he is talented and underrated. He put out his own EP last year in the Americana-rock genre. It’s excellent and “Times Are Changing” is a rockin’ highlight.

The Knack “Can I Borrow A Kiss.” The Knack’s “My Sharona” has my favorite guitar solo in all of rock and roll, but like I said, I like the deep cuts, so I am instead adding “Can I Borrow A Kiss” to the mixtape with the hope that you listen to Knack records beyond their debut. “Can I Borrow a Kiss” is perfect power pop. The song is thoughtfully romantic, but still an infectious listening experience.

Stephen Stills “Singin’ Call.” Stills is my favorite guitarist. I also love his voice. It’s a vulnerable song to be listened to late at night. Kids these days don’t know enough about Stephen Stills. Between 1967 to about 1975, he was on fire as a writer, producer, arrangement and instrumentalist. There are many songs I could point you to, but this has been my go-to over the last couple of years.

Envision recruiting three singers to provide harmony vocals on your next record. Who would you invite, and what qualities do they possess that resonate with you?

I listen to a lot of older rock music, but my favorite singer under the age of 70 is Grace Potter. She is one of the best rock and roll singers out there. I once played a festival she headlined and we shared a golf cart ride together, but I did not have the nerve to ask her to sing harmony.

Graham Nash is one of the greatest harmony singers ever. In his eighties, he is still great. Songs for Beginners is one of the most underrated albums of the 1970s. To sing with Graham would be monumental. I met him when I was 16 and he was very gracious. A few years ago, I reached out to his manager to see if Graham wanted to do a writing session together. The manager politely responded that Graham very solidly booked for the foreseeable future. Maybe I should follow up?

Paul McCartney, because the Beatles are the best and Paul’s work ethic has always inspired me. Assuming I could manage to talk in his presence, singing with him would be an honor. I do not have a Paul story, but I once opened for his son James. It was cool.

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, what exciting plans or projects are on the horizon for you?

I celebrated the album’s release by performing at the International Pop Overthrow festival in Copenhagen a few weeks ago. I plan on doing more shows likely in the New York City area this summer and fall, both solo acoustic and full band. I will also be returning to my hometown of Cleveland for a reunion show of Dan Miraldi & the Albino Winos, my old touring outfit in September. We have not performed together in five years, but that will be fun.

I will also be continuing to record. I have that power-pop record I mentioned earlier as well as a folky collection that I am still developing into a potential EP.

In the digital age, visual elements are intertwined with music. How did you approach the album’s visual aesthetics, such as album art and accompanying visuals? How do they complement the sonic experience you’ve crafted?

The album art was one of the last things that came into place. I record at home and like to make the lighting vibey when recording. I lower the lights and have this “nebula projector” that puts celestial patterns on the ceiling. I was messing around with the projector. I pointed it at myself and then took a selfie. I thought it looked cool and used it for the cover. It was spontaneous, but once it happened, I knew it was right.

The other visuals are coming in the form of videos. My wife, Meaghan, works in film and directed a music video for “Unfollow Me” while we were honeymooning in Barcelona. She is in the process of editing the footage. It is looking cool. The music video is very tongue-in-cheek with the visuals matching the lyrical commentary on social media and how people present themselves. We hope to have it out in the coming weeks.

Exploring ‘Princess Feedback’: The Dreaded Laramie’s Audacious New Sound

Posted on by patrickdonders

PunkRockTheory writes, ‘The Dreaded Laramie are now ready to show you their whole world; from audacious melodies to unvarnished vulnerability, from artful craft to unbridled energy.’ With their new release, ‘Princess Feedback,’ the band has discovered a bigger sound. Describing that sound as a bouncy version of The Muffs is meant as a high compliment. While this comparison may not fully capture the essence of either band, if you seek outspoken, catchy, hook-laden, and honest Power Pop, The Dreaded Laramie is the perfect choice for you.

You can find ‘Where’s My Crystal Ball?’ showcased on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

Singer/guitarist M.C. Cunningham introduces the new album.

Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

    The road to “Princess Feedback” has been long and winding. Some of the songs on the album were written as early as 2016, and the beginning steps of the album itself began in 2021, before our last EP was even released. It was important to me that we do things well, not quickly…but it would’ve been nice if it had happened a little more quickly. We connected with our producer Dave in 2021, demoed and refined songs over the course of 2022, and recorded in the spring of 2023. There was a lot of prep that went into this project!

    How would you describe the evolution of your sound in this new album compared to your previous works? Were there intentional shifts in style or themes?

      I think this album shows a lot of growth from the previous releases. Musically, it is much tighter (and faster!), which I think is a result of us playing together a lot more often. Lyrically, it is a much more honest album. In past releases, my lyrics have been pretty cryptic (if not entirely opaque), but the lyrics on this album are much more straightforward displays of emotion, often frustration and heartbreak. That shift is intentional—with the amount of time, effort, and resources that went into this project, it felt important to me that the songwriting and voice come from an authentic place.

      As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

        It does not come naturally. It doesn’t come naturally to me in songwriting, in interpersonal relationships, or even in my own intrapersonal reflection/journaling/whatever. There isn’t comfort in it, and I also wouldn’t say that I’m seeking to find comfort in it or trying to get more comfortable with it. And I think that’s fine. I’m also not sure that it’s the act of baring emotions to the world that’s profound—like, when someone gets angry at a barista and slaps them in the face, that’s a kind of baring-your-emotions-to-the-world, but I wouldn’t call that a profound act. I think it’s more self-understanding (of emotion and other things) that is the profound or interesting thing. It’s easy to act unreflectively in a way that betrays some kind of emotion; it’s difficult and profound to look inward and see what is really there, whether you like it or not. To me, that project is more philosophical than artistic. It’s essentially Socrates’s life project. I’m not sure if that’s truly natural to anyone, but it does seem worthwhile.

        Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?

          I’m not sure this lyric is particularly profound, but I have found it helpful! In “Breakup Songs,” the last line of the song goes, “healing isn’t train tracks / it’s a trapeze.” What I’m getting at here is a pretty basic idea that’s easy to forget and relieving to keep in mind: healing is a nonlinear process. When you feel like you’re doing well and things are looking up, you can get knocked back down, and that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. This is true for grieving of all kinds—grieving relationships, deaths, failures…you name it. It isn’t a process that moves in a straight line. It is a pendulum that swings back and forth.

          Albums often involve collaboration with various musicians and producers. Could you shed light on how these collaborations contributed to shaping the album’s identity?

            It’s difficult to overstate the impact Dave Schiffman (our producer) had on this album. He produced, mixed, and engineered the album, and he had a pretty substantial role in pre-production stuff too (particularly song selection). In our initial talks with Dave back in 2021, he told us that the goal of this album should be to find our sonic footprint, or the thing that makes our recorded music really ours. Everything we did with Dave contributed to finding that unique footprint. In that sense, our collaboration with Dave was key to finding not only the album’s identity but a new sense of the band’s identity.

            Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?

              What a fun question! Okay, I would pick:

              1) Matt Thiessen, whose songwriting has had (and continues to have) a huge impact on me. I think his lyrics are brilliant, and his range is incredible. He does both the driving punk thing and the slow/sad/folk-y thing super well.

              2) Rivers Cuomo. Dude knows how to write a melody, and his creativity is prolific and steadfast in a way that is so admirable to me. I’ve taken a few pages out of his songwriting strategy book, and they’ve served me well. I think writing with him would be a blast. and…

              3) Justin Hawkins. He gets guitarmony, power pop, half-mocking-half-adoring big guitar music, and taking the bit to an unrecognizably high level. I often find myself limited by people going “okay that’s maybe a little too over the top,” and I love that with Justin Hawkins “over-the-top” is the goal. I think trying to write something absolutely ridiculous with him would be a blast.

              the dt’s: Capturing the Magic of Live Performance with ‘Live at Lakehouse Studios’

              Posted on by patrickdonders

              ‘the dt’s’ is a Power Pop band hailing from New Jersey. Fronted by David Cacciatore and Tom Losito, the group crafts straightforward, irresistibly catchy pop tunes that are perfect for live performances. Fittingly, their latest EP, Live at Lakehouse Studios, captures the energy of their live shows, as the title suggests.

              You can find ‘Tina’ showcased on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

              How do you balance experimentation with commercial appeal in your music?

              We love to experiment in the studio, whether that involves exploring new recording techniques or instrumentation that can add flair to a song. We appreciate songs that are concise and structured with plenty of hooks and melodies, but also those that leave the listener wanting more. Balancing experimentation with memorable melodies is a challenge that we enjoy tackling.

              Lyrics are too often taken for granted. What is the line of text or are the lines of text that you hope listeners will remember? And why?

              Some lines of text that we hope our listeners will remember are the last lines of our single, “Refresh”: “Don’t hit that refresh, ’cause I know I’ll regret seeing what you’ve been up to, seeing the things that you do.” Throughout the song, the narrator wants to “hit that refresh” to see what this person they used to know has been up to. However, in the end, the narrator realizes that this habit of checking up on this person is unhealthy and ultimately decides not to “hit that refresh.” It’s a song that comes full circle for the narrator, showing growth, which we love!

              We also try not to overthink lyrics and prefer having a stream of consciousness for what we are feeling in the moment. We always find ourselves looking to rhyme or finding certain phonetics that make a chorus pop, as the melody is most important to us. We love clever lyricists and wordsmiths like Nick Lowe, Jason Isbell, and John Prine!

              Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

              We love playing live and we try to leave everything on stage when we are in front of people, whether it is a big show or a small, intimate one. Many times, people mention to us that it looks like we are having the times of our lives on stage. And truthfully, we are! Putting on a show with crowd involvement, good vibes, and full-throttle energy is what we are all about and what we look forward to the most.

              If you could tour the world with two other bands, who would you ask, and why?

              We would love to tour with The Lemon Twigs, Silvertwin, The Brook and The Bluff, or Inhaler (yes, we know that is more than 2!). All of these bands are writing incredible songs and we feel our sound would mix very nicely with them. We’ve been admiring their work and content over the last few years!

              What compliment you once received will you never forget?

              One of our favorite compliments is when people mention that our voices blend nicely together or they love our harmonies. There was one time we were playing an acoustic duo show in South Orange, and a group of choir students from Seton Hall University complimented our vocals and asked if we sang professionally. Neither one of us went to school for music, and we both have limited formal training. So, to hear that from students who are being formally trained in their voices meant a lot to us. Harmonies are something we put a lot of emphasis on and put a lot of practice into, so when people compliment us on that, we are always grateful.

              If you could pick three singers to sing harmony vocals on your next record, who would you ask?

              Tom: For me, I would have to pick Sir Paul McCartney and Don/Phil Everly.

              Dave: Hozier, Noah Kahan, Jon Bon Jovi (Jersey!!).

              What’s up for the next couple of months?

              In the next couple of months, we have a ton of shows lined up both as a duo and with our full band. We have a great show lined up at the Crossroads in Garwood, NJ on July 18th. The bill will feature a ton of talented friends including Kelli Bruno, Gina Royale, and The Extensions!

              We also have a new single coming out on July 5th! We recorded this song a while back with our good friend Joey Papa, and are anxious to finally release it. We think it can become a summer playlist staple! Additionally, we will be focusing on rehearsing some new songs with our band so we can prepare to head back into the studio. Similar to our latest EP, The dt’s Live at Lakehouse Studios, we are excited to get back to the studio to record our new songs and capture the energy of our band!

              Mid-Year Melodies: Sweet Sweet Music’s Best Power Pop of 2024 Playlist

              Posted on by patrickdonders

              We’re nearly halfway through 2024, and it’s shaping up to be another fantastic year for Power Pop.

              Did you know that the Sweet Sweet Music blog curates a “Best Power Pop of 2024” playlist on Spotify?

              The playlist now features over 200 songs, with new additions every week.

              Every Friday, the 10 hottest tracks of the week are highlighted at the top of the list.

              If you enjoy it, feel free to follow the playlist. I’d love to see you join in.

              Happy Power Popping!

              Mark Ward’s ‘LET ‘ER RIP’: A Power Pop Gem Set to Shine

              Posted on by patrickdonders

              “LET ‘ER RIP,” the new album by Mark Ward, will be released on June 14. This record is packed with incredibly catchy, classic Power Pop songs. It shines, sounds fantastic, and has even garnered praise from Paul Collins.

              Sweet Sweet Music blog sits down with Mark Ward.

              Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

              Having recently relocated from Alaska to Washington State, I left my long-term band, Last Train, behind, along with my valued creative outlet. We had a pretty good run with four albums of edgy Alt-Americana rock and some international airplay. However, arriving in Washington during a pandemic, I found I was really on my own musically. As a guitar player, my songs are admittedly guitar-centric. With that, I can cover most instrumentation and vocals, but I was without a drummer, and my drummer friends in Alaska were busy with their lives. A buddy of mine and fellow collaborator, Chad Reynvaan, suggested I contact Dylan Mandel to play drums. Though he’s in Pennsylvania, we immediately hit it off and started tracking drums remotely. He’s a total pro and, frankly, I could not have finished this project without him.

              Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?

              Over the years, my songwriting has taken on a much more serious tone, especially with everything that’s going on in the world today. But serious songs can take a toll on both the performer and the listener. While I think it’s important to speak your mind and give voice to a sense of reason, it is equally important to just have some fun. While there are a few serious songs on the record, in this election year, I decided to take a hard departure from that and just write some fun pop songs that don’t necessarily have to mean anything, because that’s also okay. I set out to finish a song I had written a guitar line for some 40 years ago with that sound in mind, and the song “I’ve Been Around” just fell onto the page. It was so refreshing that I decided to write another, and another, and pretty soon I had a pile of power pop songs, because why not? The trick then became how to sequence the album so it didn’t feel disjointed. I think it works, and the album at least leaves you with a sense of hope.

              Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?

              Great question. I’m not a full-time musician and can’t easily play out as I don’t have a band where I live anymore. I’m not really interested in touring as I have a pretty busy, fulfilling life that music is only a part of. In this day and age, there is really no money to be made in the music business unless you’re a mega pop star. So I guess success for me is having my music appreciated, respected, and enjoyed by people who want to hear music that is not force-fed to them by an algorithm. As we used to say in my previous band, if we can sell enough CDs to cover the cost of making the album, it’s a no net loss and therefore a success.

              As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

              It comes naturally to me, I suppose. I have always felt lyrics deeply in others’ music and my own. In fact, when you are working on a meaningful song and a line pops into your head that immediately brings you to tears, you know it’s the right line. This happens to me often. The trouble is, it can often be difficult to perform a song like that live. If the lyrics mean something to you and you are feeling the lyrics too much, you can quite literally choke up, which makes it impossible to sing. It’s a fine line, not going too far over the edge.

              How would you describe the evolution of your sound in this new album compared to your previous works? Were there intentional shifts in style or themes?

              My previous efforts have been tailored to the bands I was in, being mostly Americana, Alt-Country, Cow-Punk, or because there’s a pretty distinct sound of music coming from Alaska, a genre I called “Alaskana.” But my writing has always tended on the more pop side of things. Since my college years, playing in a New Wave band and loving bands like Paul Collins, The Nerves, The Beat, The Heats, 20/20, The Knack, etc., I’ve always had a power pop bent to my writing. With this album, I just decided to go all in for the majority of the songs.

              Albums often involve collaboration with various musicians and producers. Could you shed light on how these collaborations contributed to shaping the album’s identity?

              My philosophy on making a record is that you just can’t (or shouldn’t) do everything yourself. You need other expertise, ears, and sometimes ideas to make a song worthy of listening to. Dylan Mandel’s drumming gave a cohesive sound to the record. Even though he used three different kits and multiple snares, his drumming is spot on for the sound I was after. I’ve collaborated with my Alaskan buddy Chad Reynvaan, who runs Wattage Studios in Anchorage, on a number of things over the years. He’s been a great resource to bounce things off of as well as add the occasional synthesizer or backup vocal, which he did on this record. The well-respected Anchorage musician and producer, James Glaves, added some tasty keyboard and piano to a couple of songs. The finale of the record includes a list of friends who lent their voices quite literally to the choir on the song “Hope.” The last line still gives me chills. At the recommendation of Paul Collins, I used Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering for the finishing touch. He’s amazing, and I think his efforts provided the final polish the record needed.