Regrets of a Company Man
© Copyright-greg pope
(837101196451)
Record Label: Edmund's Crown
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Edmund's Crown is back. The self-styled purveyors of "southern power pop", who made a splash in the genre with 2003's Collected, have just released Regrets of a Company Man. With its conference room table cover and tracks like "Company Man" and "Stuck in an Office", you might be forgiven if you thought Regrets was going to be an album of Dilbert-rock. But it's more than that, much more.
In fact, leadoff track "Keep Your Feet on the Ground" is one of the brighter openings to an album I've heard this year, and sounds more like a romp through the park on a sunny day than a trip to the water cooler, despite the admonition of the title, and "Damsel" follows with a blast of Southern-fried Kinks. The aforementioned "Company Man" is next, a gorgeous (dare I say power?) ballad about a rocker who trades in the leather and jeans for a shirt and tie, undoubtedly a fate of many we review on this site who are brilliant artists but unappreciated by the marketplace. And while it may be the same narrator in the next track, "Stuck in an Office", the fast-paced power pop of the tune is his way of saying his spirit will not be crushed. Meanwhile, "Nashville Star" is the antithesis of "Company Man": the singer here quits his day job to take his guitar to Nashville in hope of stardom.
Other standouts include "Not That It Matters", a near-perfect slice of jangle pop that details a relationship in its post-breakup phase; "Keith Richards" in which the singer presents his case that "Keith Richards is still God" to an Eric Clapton partisan; and "Eight Years Ago", another outstanding mid-tempo jangler.
18 tracks in all including five bonus demos of additional songs that showcase the band's rocking side, for the bargain price of $10. If you'd prefer to stream the four songs available for download, they're at their myspace page. Rocking but not overbearing, catchy but not saccharine, and literate but not pretentious, Regrets of a Company Man is a high quality power pop disc that will undoubtedly contend for my year-end top 20.
-AbsolutePowerpop.com
Greg Pope: Vocals, Guitars
David Sprouse: Drums, Percussion
John Putnam: Bass, Back up vocals
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Sure as hell hope there’s more where this comes from...
author: Whisperin & Hollerin
Greg Pope’s songs are beautifully-observed, detailed accounts of love and (often) loss, directed at both matters of the heart and his apparent choice of a career. Throughout ‘Regrets…’ they prove themselves to be a terrifically talented unit: Pope is seriously adept in the hooks and melodies department and brandishes a mean Telecaster; bassist John Putnam often indulges in lots of classy, McCartney/ Bruce Thomas-style high-end counterpoint runs and drummer David Sprouse is the very epitome of muscle, inventiveness and rock-solid time-keeping behind the kit. Together, they produce something really rather sublime...
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TWO FOR TWO
author: Eric Sorenson, Fufkin.com
Nashville trio Edmund’s Crown straddles the line between country-rock, alt-rock and indie pop. Greg Pope, David Sprouse and John Putnam shine throughout the 13 studio tracks and the five bonus demo tracks. The guitars chime most on “Damsel,” “Company Man,” “Eight Years Ago” and “Not That It Matters.” When an indie band is two-for-two when it comes to their full-length releases, you should check them out!
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Catchy, Smart, True...
author: harold jakeson
Edmund's Crown reminds me of hearing late era Replacements albums for the first time. Great melodies, the ability to go from acoustic playing to electric rock overdrive in a blink, that fine balance of playful sloppiness and locked-in hooks. On the way home from work last night I played the title track three times in a row. Same goes for "Feet on the Ground," "Not That It Matters," and "She's Never Coming Back." I hear traces of The Who and The Beatles as well, and for whatever reason could imagine this entire set being used as a Cameron Crowe film soundtrack.
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It's just, simply, stunning...
author: Bruce Brodeeen
Fans of Fluid Ounces, Derby, Fountains Of Wayne, Owsley, Splitsville, Bowman and Gigolo Aunts perk those ears up! Bristling excursions down scorchingly memorable power pop paths - the intent is pure in all the undulating melodic centers of this outstanding material.
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