Essential New Music: Steve Miller Band, International Pop Overthrow collections

The Steve Miller Band's amazing Welcome to the Vault and a showcase of today's best power pop add up to two essential multi-disc collections worth adding to any discerning listener's music library.

Artist: Steve Miller Band
Title: Welcome to the Vault (Capitol)
You might like if you enjoy: Steve Miller Band, Les Paul, classic rock, blues
Tell me more: The rich and expansive legacy of singer-songwriter-guitar master Steve Miller is explored across the Steve Miller Band's outstanding and must-have Welcome to the Vault anthology. The amazing collection includes three audio CD discs as well as a DVD that are collectively loaded with more than enough music to thrill casual and hardcore fans of the groundbreaking Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. The anthology includes 38 previously-unreleased rarities including alternate versions of well-known songs, live performances, and five previously-unheard Steve Miller Band songs from the 1960s and '70s. 

Highlights abound across the loaded DVD disc. On a 1973 episode of "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert," a young Miller delves into his mix of blues, funk and rock with a full-length set. I was particularly impressed by the freewheeling jazz-meets-funk of "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma,"a jazzy take on "The Gangster is Back," a solo rendering of bluesman Robert Johnson's 1937 masterpiece "Come On In My Kitchen," and early version of his then work-in-progress "Fly Like an Eagle." Later, a legendary appearance by Miller and Les Paul captured at Fat Tuesday's in 1990, and archival performances ranging from the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 to "Live From Austin City Limits" in 2011 all thrill. Indeed, the DVD features 21 live tracks captured across six decades.

The audio recordings expand the Milwaukee-born artist's legacy to be sure, no sooner than with the opening track on the collection – a 10-minute tear through Little Walter's 1953 single "Blues with a Feeling" at the Fillmore West in San Francisco in 1969.

As if all the great music wasn't enough of a draw, the special collection includes  a hardcover book with detailed liner notes from writer David Fricke, 10 guitar picks, four postcards, a poster and an authentic backstage pass! Information: SteveMillerBand.com.

Artists: Bird Streets, Danny Wilkerson, Lannie Flowers, The Top Boost, Van Duren, Peter Holsapple, more
Title: International Pop Overthrow: Vol. 22 (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Roger Joseph Manning Jr., the Raspberries, Cheap Trick, Big Star 
Tell me more: The three-disc (!) International Pop Overthrow: Vol. 22 marks the latest must-have collection released in connection with power pop proponent David Bash's ongoing "International Pop Overthrow" festivals – better known as IPO. This year's collection again features some of melodic rock's most essential heroes. From the high-powered opening track from the Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club ("Christine You're Mean") to the Beatlesque offering from the Last Hurrah ("Saturday in the Sunshine") that closes things out, the sixty-nine selections make for a terrific marathon listen. This writer was  super excited to see some of his favorite music makers included on this set; Bird Streets thrill with the previously-unreleased harmonies-adorned "The Rabbit," Lannie Flowers excels on the infectious "Straight to the Blues," and Peter Holsapple is at his confessional best on the probing "Commonplace." Standouts on disc one of this expansive collection include the propulsive Britpop-styled rocker "Bitter Pills" (courtesy of Velvet Starlings), the progressive psychedelic pop of Pikal's Zombies-meets-Hollies "Balik Sa Trabaho," and the Lilacs' rollicking "If You Get Home." Disc two is home to the luxurious sound of the Top Boost's "Dreaming" (featuring guest Roger Joseph Manning Jr.), the driving "Oh My Girl" from the Sharona, the stunning "Lonely Place" from Three Hour Tour, the Americana-tinged "Cowboys" from the Occasional Orchestra, and the prog-rock tunefulness of Rainy Day Crush on "Heartbreak (Or How to Get Over It)." Disc three is bolstered by the chamber pop of Ulysses' "Calendar Street," Danny Wilkerson's dazzling "Too Much of A Good Thing," Scott Gagner's intoxicating "Bella," magnaphonic's aptly-titled "Daydream" and the exhilarating "Run Away" from Belgium's Alain Pire Experience. International Pop Overthrow: Vol. 22  is an expansive and exciting collection worth discovering. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.


Robert Kinsler

21st Annual International Pop Overthrow (IPO) coming to Los Angeles, July 27 through August 5

International Pop Overthrow - better known as IPO - is back! The annual celebration of melodic rock, power pop and all round good music returns to the Southland this Friday, July 27, and continues through Aug. 5, 2018.

I've been out of town the better part of July, so I caught up with IPO founder and CEO David Bash via email and had him reflect on this year's highly-anticipated event, as well as the history of IPO...

Robert: Talk a little bit about what makes the 21st Annual IPO special? I saw, for instance, you have Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (a founding member of Jellyfish and the long-time keyboardist and backing vocalist for Beck) performing at a date in early August.

Chris Price / Photo: Kyle Safieh

David: Well yes, that's certainly one thing which makes it special, having Roger back for the first time since 2006!  He rarely plays, so I'm especially honored to have him.  Actually, the whole bill on August 3 is pretty amazing (that event at Molly Malone's also features Chris Price, Rob Bonfiglio, David Myhr and others)!  Of course, I think all the shows are great, and no, I'm not biased...It's also special because, at 21 years, we're finally legal.

Robert: How has the Power Pop/melodic rock scene changed over the years since your first IPO event?

David: It's certainly grown quite a bit since 1998, when we started IPO, as with the proliferation of ways to record at home, virtually anyone who wants to record an album has the ability to do so.  Of course, that means more music that's underpar, but also more music that's good...and I certainly accept that trade-off because my wife Rina and I are very diligent about separating the wheat from the chaff, doing copius research online to find the best pop artists we can, and invite them to play the festival.

Diamond Hands

Robert: Are there any certain artists that you have performing that are unique; maybe talk about the range of artists performing across the 10-day event this summer.

David: I don't know about unique, but I will say that the parameters of the festival have widened quite a bit since we began doing IPO.  While early on it was primarily a "power pop" festival, we now feature much more than that.  We have a nice cross-section of indie-rock, modern rock, psychedelic pop, folk-pop, singer/songwriters, etc...there's definitely something for everyone at IPO Los Angeles!  On the schedule page of our website, we have links to all the artists playing the festival, so feel free to check them out at https://internationalpopoverthrow.com/schedules/ipo-2018-schedules/los-angeles-2018/X

Robert: Thank you David!

Roger Joseph Manning Jr.

You can check out the IPO schedule at: https://internationalpopoverthrow.com/schedules/ipo-2018-schedules/los-angeles-2018/ 


Robert Kinsler

Inbox Update: International Pop Overthrow, Kings of Leon, The Waterboys

Hope everybody is having a great weekend! Here is a recap of noteworthy new items that have landed in my inbox over the past few days...

International Pop Overthrow coming to Los Angeles, Orange County
Annual Power-Pop festival to be staged July 26 - August 4, 2013

Many of power-pop's most talented modern-day proponents will be featured during the extensive run of the annual International Pop Overthrow (IPO) that comes to Los Angeles and Orange County, California, Friday July 26 through Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013.

John Borack rocks with The Popdudes

Among my favorite artists set to perform at the annual bash include The Galaxies, Maple Mars, Lisa Mychols (of Masticators and Nushu fame), Scott Samuels, Plasticsoul, Jeremy, Scarlet Crush and the Popdudes. 

Among the venues hosting IPO concerts in 2013 are Molly Malone's, Fais Do Do, Good Hurt (all in Los Angeles County) and Fitzgerald's located in Surf City, Huntington Beach.

A special "thank you" to event founder and power-pop champion David Bash who continues to bring far-flung and noteworthy melodic rock to discerning audiences around the globe!

For more information on IPO, visit www.internationalpopoverthrow.com.

KINGS OF LEON RELEASE NEW SINGLE, "SUPERSOAKER," JULY 17

PERFORM ON LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON JULY 22

NEW ALBUM, MECHANICAL BULL, OUT SEPTEMBER 24

 

On July 17, Kings of Leon will release the first single, Supersoaker, via iTunes, Amazon and all digital providers. The song is from their soon-to-be released record Mechanical Bull. The album was produced by Angelo Petraglia and recorded at the band's studio in Nashville, TN. The band will perform "Supersoaker" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on July 22.

Kings of Leon are currently on the road in the UK and Europe and will perform along with The Flaming Lips, Jackson Browne, Built to Spill and others at the Rock for Oklahoma benefit on Tuesday July 23 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The band will be returning to Europe in August and then will perform at the 2013 Global Citizen Festival on September 28 in New York's Central Park.

The Waterboys set for extensive tour of North America this summer/fall

Mike Scott is set to embark with his Waterboys on an extensive tour of the U.S. and Canada this fall. Read George A. Paul' post on the band's forthcoming late summer/early fall tour here.