Marc Martel - Thunderbolt & Lightning (Queen EP)

Marc Martel - former member of the band Downhere - became well-known because of his incredible voice and the similarities to the late great Freddie Mercury.

In 2011 he put a video on Youtube singing "Somebody To Love" - and it blew my mind (and about 15 million other viewers).

Since then he released a marvelous debut solo album (Impersonator), as well as a covers EP (My Way - Volume 1) and two Christmas EPs.

Now - in 2018 - a new record is out: Thunderbolt & Lighting. It consists of eight Queen songs. These songs are not just covers, they are new interpretations of the original songs. And they are amazing.

If you need any proof, just listen to his interpretation of Somebody To Love and You Take My Breath Away.

Incidentally he also did a live version of Bohemian Rhapsody (mind blown again):

Marc Martel hasn't just put out a record of Queen songs, he altered them and put them to a whole new level. I really hope for new original material from him - as well as take advantage of his gift of a voice for Mercury's songs.

Buy the CD and digital download directly at the official webite: www.marcmartelmusic.com

David Mead - Wherever You Are EP

In 2002 David Mead created the later Wherever You Are EP aiming for a full album. Short after the recording David was dropped by RCA. The record was cut to a six songs EP and finally released by Eleven Thirty Records in 2005.

The Wherever You Are EP is simply a perfect record. It became one of my top ten records ever. All six songs are extremely strong pieces of work.

Track list:

1. Wherever You Are
2. Hold On
3. Only a Dream
4. Astronaut
5. Make It Right
6. How Much

There are eleven (!) songs that were left off from the EP. David offered some of these unreleased tracks at his site mineandyours.com as a Christmas gift (site site is down by now). The tracks give you a hint how the full album would have sounded like. In short: it would have been awesome.

These tracks are:

• Wherever (a beautiful intro to the original album)
• Attitude
• Beauty (rerecorded for the Indiana album)
• Growin’ Up
• Subway
• Little Sister
• Patience
• Oneplusone (rerecorded for the Indiana album)
• All Is Forgiven  (unreleased)
• How Will The Kids Get High (unreleased)
• NYC Girl (unreleased)

Does anyone of you, my fellow readers, know anything about the three unreleased tracks and the original track order?

By the way, if you're interested in these eight outtakes, just post a comment or write an email: powerpopsquare@gmail.com .

Parthenon Huxley - This Is The One

As pop music morphs and see-saws through different styles every few years, Parthenon Huxley continues to do his thing, his way.

Over a span of nine albums it's now abundantly clear that catchy songs built on sing-along melodies, guitar hooks galore and real life-inspired lyrics are what Huxley was born to write.
His latest album, This Is The One, may be his best yet.

"I occasionally get the itch to follow the latest computer-based trend," says Huxley, "but it never lasts. I came up when making records was an exotic business run by professionals. I'll always record with live musicians in real studios on the best equipment. I'm rarely fashionable, but my catalogue is pretty consistent."

Start with: Song For James, Off We Go, This Is The One, Running Home To You

More info at: parthenonhuxley.com

Mike Viola - Bitten and Cursed

Just three months after the (digital) release of The American Egypt there's already a new record by Mike Viola.

Bitten and Cursed is kind of a Halloween 2-track release. The title track includes a B-Side called It Does A Number On My Brain.

Both are incredible songs. Bitten and Cursed is quite different to the American Egypt release, it's more of a straight rock record. And it will blow you away.

Buy it digital at Amazon, iTunes, stream it on Spotify or just buy the vinyl record at Grandphony.com (there are a lot of sets with good stuff like pins, shirts, patches and stickers) 

This is a live version of It Does A Number On My Brain: