What's in your CDP tonight? the minority report

Two albums on the Permanent Press label, which specializes in Pop:

1- Chewy Marble: s/t. Pianist Brian Kassan is a really, REALLY good songwriter. His chord progressions are very sophisticated (ala Brian Wilson), his melodies instantly sing-along-able, his harmonies superb. He was playing bass in The Wondermints until shortly before Brian Wilson heard and then hired them as his post-Beach Boys road band. Chewy Marble bassist Derrick Anderson is an excellent player (very melodic, ala McCartney), one of the best in Rock. More recently he has been on the road with The Bangles.

2- The Van DeLecki’s: Letters From The Desk Of Count S. Van DeLecki. Serious fans of The Andy Griffith show may get the joke that is the band name ;-). Leader Jamie Hoover is a well-known figure in the N./S. Carolina musical community, involved with the likes of Don Dixon (who appears on the album) and Marti Jones. He has also been a sideman for REM on the road. Good, hooky Pop songs, on the slightly Progressive (odd chord structures) side.

I got to know both Brian and Jamie when we were all hired to back Emitt Rhodes when he made first public appearance in a quarter century. Which reminds me:

- Emitt Rhodes: s/t. An absolute Pop classic. Emitt not only wrote all the songs, but plays and sings every part on the album. It was released at the same time as McCartney’s solo debut, and is by far the better album. One great song after another, fantastic production by Emitt, who also engineered.

Emitt was the drummer in L.A. Pop group The Palace Guard, then the singer/songwriter/guitarist of The Merry Go Round. He and they had a hit single ("Live", covered by The Bangles and others) when Emitt was barely out of High School. A very talented guy, and a very miserable one. I spent a day with him in his studio, and it was "troubling". Bad record deal, bad marriages, all the normal stuff ;-) .