Pop Masters is part covers album, part tribute album and part collaboration between the Flash Cubes and the artists they wanted to collaborate with often playing on their own songs. The album began life as a series of singles that has now evolved into this album.
The Flashcubes still have the bands original line-up of guitarists Paul Armstrong and Arty Lenin, bassist Gary Frenay and drummer Tommy Allen who formed in 1977 before breaking up in 1980 and then reforming in the 90's.
The album opens with Baby It's Cold Outside featuring Mimi Betinis from Pezband who originally wrote the song that shakes and shimmies its way into life, as all the regrets are held at bay, as the harmony vocals and chiming guitars should have you dancing and singing along in no time, as those guitars really dazzle. Obviously this is not the much covered classic Frank Loesser film song.
Get Up And Go features David Paton who reprises his vocals on this cover of Pilot's classic, his vocals sound almost exactly like they did back in the 70's this is sweet as he urges you to Get Up And Go as this sounds like it should be bursting out the speakers of your local radio station.
Get The Message is with Randy Klawon adding guitar to this tune originally by Cyrus Erie who I have to say I've never heard of, but this is a great slice of power pop with crisp harmonies and scintillating guitars that mesh and accentuate the pleading in the vocals, go on, go over and make there day.
Gudbuy T'Jane features Steve Conte from New York Dolls/Michael Monroe band covering the Slade standard, that I have reviewed more versions of than I'd like to remember in the last couple of years, as the Slade re-issue program continues at pace (I have two more albums in my review pile.) The vocals on this version aren't as raspy as Noddy Holders, but instead brings out the pop glory on this song warning of the dangers of growing up too soon, be careful what you wish for. Love the way the barrel house piano rolls through this, as they get the foot stomping drums just about perfect.
Tomorrow Night enlists The Shoes to help re-work their classic song full of lush harmonies, dazzling organ and guitar interplay, as we find out just what you want to happen Tomorrow Night.
Come Out And Play is with the Paley Brothers that leads off like a long lost Doors song, before the vocals come in and it becomes a sweet soda shop Power pop song, urging the current object of your desire to Come Out And Play, will she give in or will they have to harmonize all night long.
Have You Ever Been Torn Apart? Is with label mates The Spongetones who are involved in a tempestuous relationship that was always a battle from day one, the lying, the cheating, the betrayal, open while pretending to be closed, among the close harmonies and pinpoint guitars.
Forget About You that has me singing and dancing along like I always did to The Motors original back as a kid when this was a school disco favorite, this is true to the original, is great fun and has me thinking about some very early girlfriends.
The Summer Sun feels far more Autumnal as this tale of love and longing, hope springing eternal over that harmony guitars and vocals with delicate yet insistent piano, evokes the Beach Boys or Love gently bucolic psychedelia.
Alone In My Room may be about his loneliness having been dumped, but it also has the best guitar rave up of the album, it fries as he lets her know he's all alone, she don't care, she's out having a great time without this loser.
Flavor Of the Month is sweet harmonies tight guitars, love gone wrong, lustful insights, great production, dazzling guitars, pinpoint drum crashes, perfect power pop songs.
Nothing To Do and the loser is still pining for his lost love, whose off with someone not as desperate as he sounds, the poor sap can't find a thing to do without you, giving a good hint as to why she left in the first place, all wrapped up in a Beach Boys influenced sing along pop heartbreaker, that has Nothing To Do other than to perfect one more Guitar break.
Find out more at https://bigstirrecords.com/product/896409 https://bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pop-masters https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100047014851326
