Jem Records has been around since the early 1980s, as one of the great indie rock labels. Since 2020 they’ve been celebrating the masters of rock, and all are fine tribute compilations.

Marty Scott, the president of Jem, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

Andrea Weiss: How did the album come together?

Marty Scott: Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies is the fourth in a series of albums celebrating the greatest writers in rock. I started in 2020 with John Lennon, followed by Brian Wilson in 2021 and Peter Townshend last year.

AW: Did the artists choose the songs, were they assigned, or some of both?

MS: The artists choose the track(s) they want to record. I may make a suggestion or discuss the song, but in the end it's their decision.

AW: Did the bands feel comfortable with the songs they recorded?

MS: They picked the track they wanted to record and turned in a great rendition. Everyone was very happy with their recordings.

AW:Each band really put their own stamp on these songs, which is great. How did each band approach doing that?

MS: You would have to ask the artists themselves for answers.

AW: Does Ray Davies know about the project?

MS: We do not contact the artists when doing these albums. They find out, one way or another. We did hear from Brian Wilson's people that he liked it.

AW: Would you say this album is a good introduction to the Kinks if, say, someone young had never heard them before?

MS: It’s a good introduction, but I would suggest the person also purchase The Kinks Greatest Hits to hear their versions.

 Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies

Various Artists

Jem Records

This is the fourth in a series of tribute albums to the greats. John Lennon was the first, Brian Wilson the second, Pete Townsend the third, and now Ray Davies.

All the songs covered here are classics in one way or another, it’s just that as great as the originals are, the covers are somewhat better; by bringing these songs into the present, they’ve modernized a band, the Kinks, that always looked to the past for inspiration.

The most recent song covered, from 1982, is The Midnight Callers doing “Come Dancing,”  the Kinks' last hit. They make a fun pop song into a hard rocker, and a good one too. Lisa Mychols and SUPER 8 make “Days” almost folk/rock. Nick Piunti cranks the amps to 11 and blasts out “Til The End Of The Day,” my all-time favorite Kinks song, with a little of “All Day and All of the Night” at the end. The Weaklings render “Lola” even more iconic, an anthem for trans people everywhere.

This is a wonderful tribute from start to finish and well worth picking up. Then seek out the Kinks, starting with their 60s output. You won’t regret that either.

Andrea Weiss

 The Big Believe

Super Impose

Self-released

“Pirate Radio,” the lead-off track on this great, new album from the UK band, was in my Top 10 singles last year and still sounds wonderful. Next comes “Girl On Wire,” which rocks very well.

The whole album is dreamy power pop, but with a spine and a lot of toughness. The lyrics are about romantic ups and downs. The music is mostly made by Amanda Thompson, with contributions from friends, and was mixed by Thompson. She’s great and the band is rock solid.

“Dot to Dot to Dot” was mixed by Mitch Easter and it’s magic. “Doing My Utmost" was co-written by Thompson and Daniel Wylie of Cosmic Rough Riders. The song lives up to its title.

So if you want something new and different that’s a little off the beaten path, this album is for you. One of the best albums of the year.

Andrea Weiss

If you want power, and powerful pop, The Flashcubes are for you. They do both, and it is a real tonic for the troops -- the more guitars the better! I’ve loved all the big Stir singles they’ve released, and now they have an album out as well.

The band was kind enough answer a few questions for me.

Andrea Weiss: How did the project come together?

Tommy Allen: During COVID we recorded our version of Pezband's “Baby It's Cold Outside.” About halfway through the process I reached out to Pezband's Mimi Betinis on Facebook and asked him if he'd like to join us. He said yes, and so it began!

Gary Frenay: Organically, really. Tommy had the idea to record the Pezband tune, “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” and we all recorded our parts. Then he reached out to Mimi Betinis to see if he wanted to join in, and he did, much to our great joy. Initially, we thought we were just recording a new single, but as we added track after track, with participation from the majority of the bands we were covering, an album began to take shape.

AW: How were the songs chosen?

TA: lots of songs were on the list, and we couldn't do them all!

GF: It was a collective effort, with all of us tossing songs into the hat that we had an interest in. But it was left to Tommy to make the ultimate choice given that he was the engineer and producer, and would have to listen to each track hundreds of times while mixing them.

AW: Do you have any favorites?

TA: Honestly, I love them all or we wouldn't have put them on the CD!

GF: Probably the Pilot song. I’ve always been such a huge fan. Back in the day, I had a Pilot mix tape that we listened to often on the way home from gigs, singing along at the top of our drunken lungs. To be able to do my favorite David Paton song, with him actually joining in on vocals and piano was such a huge thrill!

AW: Were some songs easier to cover than others?

TA: Ask Gary!

GF: I think some were more in our wheelhouse than others. We had performed The Spongetones and Posies tracks live in our sets over the years, so those came naturally. Others, like the Stamey, Twilley, and Shoes songs, took a little more work to sort out the arrangement to our particular strengths.

AW: How were the guests brought in?

TA: In each case an invitation to participate was accompanied by a somewhat realized work mix and more than a few crossed fingers!

GF: We’re all home recordists, so the first question in approaching them was to find out if they were too. We weren’t going to ask anyone to go into an actual studio and run up a bill at our expense. Luckily, most were able to record at home, and happy to do so.

AW: I like that, while the originals are really good, your covers sometimes are a little better. Was there a danger of upstaging any of the originals?

TA: We absolutely love the songs and the artists we chose to cover, and our reverence for the music is apparent. As for upstaging, well, our goal was to honor our heroes, and I think we've done that!

GF: We never really considered that. We just did whatever we thought the song required, and what we could bring to the table. Given that some of the original tracks were recorded 40+ years ago, it was to be expected that we could improve on the sound quality and production in 2023.

AW: If someone doesn't know the originals, do you hope that people will listen to them and get into them?

TA: Yes!

GF: We certainly hope so! These are some of our favorite bands, and songs, of all time. We would like nothing more than for people to go back to the originals to experience what we were inspired by so many years ago!

AW: Are there any songs or bands you want to highlight?

TA: All of them! 

GF: I’m especially proud of the job we did as a band, and of the sound Tommy got as producer, on the songs by Pilot, Pezband, Cyrus Erie, Slade and the Shoes. Way better than we ever expected we could do! 

 The Flashcubes

Pop Masters

Big Stir

This comp comprises singles released on Big Stir this year, and it’s very good. There is real power in this pop, as it’s heavy, but not weighted down, and loud without being overbearing.

In some cases members of the bands who are covered make guest appearances, to basically say they like the covers. That’s one reason why Shoes’ “Tomorrow Night” has Jeff and John Murphy and Gary Klebe from Shoes on it. Randy Klawon of Cyrus Erie is on their signature song, “Get The Message.” Both covers shine. There is a rocking take on Slade’s “Gudbuy T’Jane” featuring Steve Conte, where the amps are cranked up to 11.

All the covers here have something to offer, and all work great. This album was made with love and fun, and is just a blast to listen to. It's one of the best albums I’ve heard all year.

Andrea Weiss

 I really like Love Too Late… the real album from Sorrows, and equally like Steppin’ Out!, Arthur Alexander’s solo debut for Big Stir. Both albums are of a piece, and a good one.

Arthur was kind enough to answer some questions for me.

Andrea Weiss: This is radically different than Sorrows. What prompted the change?

Arthur Alexander: Is it?!? Interesting you should say that. On the one hand, it seems like a natural progression, and on the other, I guess it’s also a natural process of what happens when you’re stepping away (or stepping out?) from a self-contained band into a solo artist framework. There are certain dynamics in play when you work with your four band mates and try to shape the sound and musical landscape of a band like that. When you enter a “solo arena” things change, or I should say, they should change, or what’s the point?! There are many solo albums I’ve heard from a band member who came out with their solo record and they sound just like their band, only without them. So yeah, what was the point of that? Sounds more like an ego trip to me, so the other guys don’t give you any lip and you can do whatever the hell you want, rather than something truly musically and stylistically different, something that’s really a vehicle for them to express something that’s free of constraints of the band they’re in, and you can say, “Oh, I see why he or she did that!”

AW: The music starts off as blues rock, but by the end it’s folk rock, which I like. What made you want to cover different styles?

AA: Well, it may start off as blues rock and end with folk rock, but indeed, there’s a lot of this rock and that rock in between! LOL  If you listen to Sorrows albums and my first solo album One Bar Left, you will notice that, in large measure, it goes back to what I just said above. Sorrows are anything but a one trick pony! We cover a lot of diverse styles and musical landscape. As did I on my first solo album, and this album is no exception, just a further extension of that mindset. It’s my musical DNA talking. “Ecletic” is what I do! Throughout my entire music career people tried to pigeon-hole me into a musical box of one kind or another -- as long as it’s a “box.” That’s not how I roll, I don’t do “boxes!” Music is a universe of sounds, genres and styles and I love a lot of them. Whatever I hear in my head finds its way into my music and I don’t question where it came from. The only things that matter: do I like it, is it good and does it serve the song? The best example of that? As I was working on this new album, Steppin’ Out!, I did say to myself, on many occasions, “Man, this thing is really all over the place! How the hell is this all going to work as an album?!” And then, when I finally put it all together, kicked back, closed my eyes and listened to it as a whole body of work, when the record ended, I opened my eyes and said to myself, “Damn, it works just great, cool songs, all over the place, something for everyone!… OK, I’m done!

AW: The music sounds both contemporary and old at the same time, which is great. What were you going for the most?

AA: I went for what I always go for: to write good songs, and songs that people can actually remember! All that set to cool, musically varied and interesting arrangements, and sounds that are an amalgamation of the whole music library that’s in my head. I may start with some preconceived ideas, but in the end, whatever sounds and styles subconsciously resonate with me, that’s where I go and I don’t fight or question it.

AW: Lyrically this is about love and life, with a hint of politics. What made you want to cover all the bases?

AA: Again, same thing. A feeling of a song kinda dictates the mood and subject matter. And it all evolves from there. Love songs… well, that’s a timeless topic! There’s not a person on this planet that can’t relate to that subject, especially when the lyrics are heartfelt and delve a little deeper than “Baby, I love you, don’t leave me!” We’ve all been in love (or still are), been screwed by someone who swore they had your back, or you’re still looking for “the one!” “Life” is another good one to share with a listener. Mine’s great, how’s yours? People need to hear that whatever they’re going through, they’re not alone. They may need a little pick-me-up, or just be reminded that one life is all you got, so you’d better make the most of it. No do-overs! “Politics?”... ahhh, that’s another good topic. It’s a good vehicle to raise issues in the listeners’ consciousness, make people either feel affirmed that their social and political views are shared by others whose music speaks to them, or, to just piss people off! That works great too! LOL

AW: Were you glad to see the Sorrow album released?

AA: “Glad” would be an understatement of the year. No, wait... make that a lifetime. I suppose you do know that the album you’re referring to, Love Too Late… the real album, is the real version of what Sorrows expected to record back in 1980 when we went to London to record our second album, a follow-up to an extremely well-received Teenage Heartbreak, not the cluster fuck our then record label and the hack we brought in to produce for our band, not himself, foisted upon us behind our back. I spent 40 years to get to the point when we, Sorrows, will be able to finally relegate that piece of fake garbage that was Love Too Late to the dustbin of history, or better yet, environmental laws allowing, a bonfire! Fortunately, since the album was a total flop and it was only released on vinyl, there are not too many copies floating around, mostly promo copies sent to DJs, who quickly dumped them at record stores’ used record bins. If you find one, buy it, burn it, and I’ll pay you for it. Love Too Late… the real album is, in my thoroughly biased opinion, one of the finest power pop records ever released and I, for one, am damn proud of it. Now you can ask me how I really feel about it!

AW: Why did you decide to make a solo album?

AA: I didn’t just decide. Steppin' Out! is a follow-up to my 2018 first solo album, One Bar Left. A natural progression of things, I suppose. Sorrows no longer being a full-time functioning band, a lot of songs, accumulated and newly written, a lot of pent up energy! I felt it would be cool to put them out into the world and hope people will like what they hear. Judging by the reception both albums received thus far, it was the right move. And besides, this boy wants to rock and roll!

AW: If a young person wanted to play power pop and post punk, what would you say to them?

AA: I would tell them do not start with power pop or punk. First immerse yourself in the music of the 50s and 60s. This is where it all came from. Understand and learn the craft of a good song and then, and only then, you’ll actually be able to make something worth listening to. In spite of what many bands would like to believe, getting a Rickenbacker guitar, Vox amp, and a pair of Beatle boots, or mindlessly slamming through tuneless songs with guitars fuzzed out into oblivion is neither power pop, or pre/post or after punk.

AW: Do you have any plans to tour?

AA: YESSSS, I DO!!!!  Like… forever!?!? I have a great band and we love to play live! But these days the climate for touring, at least for lesser known bands, is not a friendly one. We’ve been touring up, down, and sideways around Los Angeles, but it costs a lot of money to put and keep a band on the road and, especially in the US, the venues are not exactly known for being truly supportive of musicians. You don’t get paid enough to put the gas in the van, much less to actually come home with some money in your pocket to put it towards your next tour? It’s really frustrating, but one day, and hopefully soon!

 Arthur Alexander

Steppin' Out!

Big Stir

Alexander’s Big Stir debut mixes the late 60s and early 70s into a very tasty mix of rock, sometimes blues, sometimes new wave, sometimes power pop, sometimes folk/rock. And it all fits together seamlessly. He and his band nailed these songs, with expert production by Arthur.

The lyrics are about romantic ups and downs, one political song “Humming Blues In Four,” and one jazz  song, “Oh Lulu, Won’t You Be My Girl.” And they're good and sensible, even when he’s pining away for the woman of his dreams.

Alexander was in two bands before being on his own, the Poppies (and some of the songs here are from that time) in the 70s, and Sorrows in the late 70s and early 80s. Sorrows are what happens when a good band get screwed over by its label, and while I’ve not heard the album that landed in the music business jail, from what I read about it, I didn’t need to. What I did hear was Love Too Late...the real album, which is wonderful, and was finally released on Big Stir in 2022.

Steppin' Out! is a really good album: fun, rocking, and a blast on earbuds. It’s very enjoyable, and if you give it a chance, you’ll feel the same. Then pick up Sorrows, and have fun with that too.

Andrea Weiss

 SUPER 8

HOOPLA

The Beautiful Music

On this very Beatles-like album Paul “Trip” Ryan, who is SUPER 8, has done a very good job updating them with his own style and sound. Everyone knows the Beatles are constantly being updated, sometimes well and sometimes not, but this stands out.

The Beatles were never this quirky – and they did have their quirks – but these quirks aren’t off-putting, just friendly, fun, and happy. While every song here has something to recommend it, tracks like “Out Of My Head,” “Not Like the Rest,” and “Our Town” make the album shine. "The Hangman’s Daughter” shifts the focus a bit to late 60s Byrds, and ends the album on a high note.

If you love the Beatles, you’ll love this. If you like psychedelic pop, you’ll like this. If you want something different, try this. Your ears will get rewarded, as will your head and heart.

Andrea Weiss