Album Notes

If I often praise certain bands for ignoring the past thirty years of “progress” in popular music, then surely I have to like a band that’s ignored the past fifty. It’s 1962 all over again when I’m listening to The Connection. And since ‘62 predates my birth by nine years, my love for this band has nothing to do with nostalgia. What it has to do with is great music. I was raised on oldies radio. And back then, “oldies” meant The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Chuck Berry. You know….the best music ever made! Ever notice that today, “oldies” radio now means The Eagles and Jimmy Buffet? Hell, you might as well listen to Top 40! Thankfully some people still appreciate real rock n’ roll. You might remember the names Brad Marino, Geoff Palmer, Chris Faulkner, and Andy Casey from bands like The Guts, The Queers, The Rydells, and Red Invasion. Now they are The Connection – the pride of Portsmouth, New Hampshire! If you love real oldies radio like it used to be, you’re gonna love The Connection. New album New England’s Newest Hit Makers takes it all the way back to the classic sounds of the early ‘60s – most notably the British Invasion and early Beach Boys. Whether you prefer the Mersey Beat/proto power pop bliss of “All You Gotta Do” and “I Want You”, the surfy splendor of “Little Lies” and “My Baby Likes to RnR”, or the ’50s flavored goodness of “It’s All Right”, you’ll just have to smile listening to this record. There’s no posturing here. There’s no pretending to be “tough” or even trying to be “punk”. Straight-up, this is fun, feel-good rock n’ roll of the highest quality. The songs are great, the energy is contagious, and the style is timeless. What’s not to love?! This is the debut album The Oneders could have made. If you say it sounds like something your grandma would like, I am pretty sure The Connection would take that as a high compliment. A+!