Retro Pop: European Skies Music Video

Video directed by Geno Carrapetta.

joel_sarakula10a1

Mr Retro Pop is back!

I like this dude. I am talking about Mr Retro Pop Joel Sarakula. He is a down to earth kind of guy and he seems to be the sort who seldom gets offended. He is also very accommodating especially when it comes to explaining his style of music and also how much he has grown creatively after his last album The Golden Age which I reviewed here.

This single is taken his latest album The Imposter which I enjoyed a lot. I took it out for a bike ride, took it to the beach, listened to it during so many sleepless nights. European Skies is a breezy song with that signature 70s sound-I mean Europop and disco. he explained to me that the video is his attempt to be funny. Yeah I totally dig the moves.

I also dedicate this post to the late Melanie Lynch who passed away this year. She loves The Golden Age and I will definitely miss talking to her about this type of music.

EP review : Failure in Many Dimensions by Panophonic

Panophonic Failure in many dimensions copy

Also featuring Joel Sarakula, Layne Greene etc…

As Halloween creeps up it is great to have a companion soundtrack. The sumber beauty of Panophonic’s Failure in Many Dimensions reminds me of old Joy Division and Cure with that guitar and synth sound. There are six songs and the EP has a (in my opinion) a fantastic artwork. Failure in Many Dimension is released by Patetico Recordings which is an independent  label and promotional company based out of Philadelphia. It is the same label that brought us great music from bands like Under the Wire, Stellarscope and ShiShi.

This is a follow ep to their fantastic EP Sounds of Desolation. Although the arrangements vary per track and the approach evolves per release, you can always expect somber melodies and atmospheric synths from Panophonic. After all these are the things that make their sound unique.

The EP opens with In You I Want to Swim which is a haunting song reminiscent of 80s New Wave/Goth Rock music. What Do You See is mind blowing in its simplicity. The pulsing beats are gorgeous. This brings me to shoegazer heaven. All the tracks in this EP pay tribute to dream pop if you love that style of music. The guitars are ethereal. The singing, sublime. Give it a listen to bring smile to your face despite its somber mood.

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New single by Joel Sarakula

“Hello. I am proud to present to you my new single Northern Soul. This is my first release since I released the ‘The Golden Age’ last year.” Joel Sarakula
Joel Sarakula is a singer/songwriter from Australia who is now based in the UK. This is a new single which will be included in a new album which will be released next year. I don’t have the information as to the title but I know anything from Sarakula is worth a listen! I just left a message to his fanpage saying ‘this is a smile inducer!”
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People of Pictou Country: Layne Greene

Layne Greene geared up to release an album next year.

Got this from People of Pictou County:

He’s a musician. When he was four years old, his mother put him in piano lessons. It wasn’t long before he discovered his love of music. Over the years he’s played guitar, piano, and dabbled with a few other instruments.

But there is one instrument that means the most to him–an acoustic guitar. It’s not just any guitar, though. His grandmother shares his love of music, and one day about 50 years ago, while his grandparents were camping, they came across a gentleman playing a guitar. His grandmother wanted it, and his grandfather was willing to buy it. Some bargaining, and $13 later, his grandmother had the guitar she wanted. They kept it, but years passed and it started to collect dust. A few years ago, this young man discovered the old guitar in his grandmother’s closet. He knew it was special, and he wanted it.

The guitar was in need of serious repair, but he saw the potential. When he graduated from St. F.X. he decided to fix the guitar as a present for himself. Just as he’d known, it was an amazing guitar and he’s been using it ever since.

And he’s used it well. Today he has music that has been listened to over 52 000 times online, played numerous concerts, and he’s about to release his first CD.

Watching him tell the story, I couldn’t help but notice how much his eyes lit up. A simple guitar, purchased on the spur of the moment during a camping trip, had been handed down to the best possible person. Someone who saw treasure and memories in a $13 guitar.

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Got this while perusing the web:
Annual UK vinyl sales set to crack the one million mark for the first time since the mid-’90s – FACT Magazine: 

Sphere Music Podcast #8

The 8th podcast in the series featuring old and new songs
Exiles( The Wolves of Midwinter-Mary Fahl
Sweet Tea Oleander-Heyway Howkins
Matchstick Girl-Joel Sarakula
Moving Backwards-Ben Rector
Circle-Eddie Brickell and The New Bohemians
Inflation-Layne Greene
I’d Rather Dance than Talk With You-Kings of Convenience
Corners of Your Mind-Ivy
Fruit Tree-Nick Drake
Take A Long Way Around-Teenage Fanclub
The Sun Always Shines on TV-A-ha
No One is Like Everyone Else-Alex Pardini

www.radiohappy.eu

Sphere Music Podcast #7

 

Yes again another podcast bringing you the coolest music on the Internet!

Von Shakes-Bali II
Roisin O-Hold On
Heyward Howkins-Nogales
Cocteau Twins-Violaine
Alex Pardini-Trouble In Paradise
Layne Greene-Untitled
Steve Moakler-Run
Drowning Dreams-Leave it all behind
Stephanie Dosen-way out
Sorrow Church– The Wind that Shakes the Barley
Peter Chains-Darkside of the Mind
Don BeeKeeper-Shake the Tambourine
Joel Sarakula-Bohemian
Haiku-Shine
Gavern-The Otherworld Fragments
Peter Chains-Carrion Crows

www.radiohappy.eu

Sphere Music Podcast #6 With Layne Greene as Special Guest

Layne Greene and Bryan MacDonald during the skype interview for www.radio-happy.com

Layne Greene and Bryan MacDonald during the skype interview for http://www.radio-happy.com

Hello listeners of my radio show in www.radiohappy.eu and readers of this blog. The sixth podcast is out and this time I have a special guest, Canadian singer/songwriter Layne Greene( Interview begins at 29:45 of the show). A cool interview where he performs three original tracks accompanied by guitarist Bryan MacDonald. There are also great artists you will hear when you click ‘play.’ So listen to this podcast and if you have requests feel free to tell me on the comments section.

Playlist

Sugar Man by Sixto Rodriguez 
The Rock by Eve Williams and Dominik Boncza-Skrzynecki
Robinson Crusoe by Von Shakes 
Only One Still Dancing by Joel Sarakula 
Disappointed Me by John Munnelly
Broken Wings by Chemical Sweet Kid
Cliffs Along the Sea by Layne Greene 
Interview with Layne Greene 
Talk Dirty and Work by Black n White
Energy by My.Cosmo 
Speeding Train by Dennis McCalmont 
Homesick by Western Skies Motel