The Easy Button - Through Our Own Parade

​The Easy Button

Through Our Own Parade
self-released; 2024

TOP ALBUM

By ​Dino DiMuro

The Easy Button is a power pop-rock band from Tampa, Florida that has been around since 2017. They have released numerous albums and collaborated with other artists, and after a long break, they are back with a new album titled Through Our Own Parade. Fans of Weezer, Ozma, and Fountains of Wayne should find much to love here.

The band members are Brian Jones (vocals/guitar/piano), Rich Tiemann (guitar/vocal), Preston Jones (bass), and Cailun Seay (drums). After the "kitchen sink" approach of their previous release, "Lost on Purpose," the band decided to create a more cohesive, consistent album this time, both musically and lyrically. There's an undercurrent of melancholy that the boys are known for, but with a positive thread indicating that brighter days just might be ahead.

For myself, this band represents a kind of power pop I truly love. I was first reminded of The Weakerthans, but even more so of the legendary indie band LMNOP because of the vocals, the tight-as-a-drum arrangements, and even the somewhat depressed world view. Writing and recording were done by singer-guitarist Brian Jones, with mastering by Frank Calcaterra. The album will be released on CD and vinyl, along with digital downloads and streaming. Eleven killer tracks, but here are some of my favorites.

"Valley High Junior Prom" has a beautiful Badfinger-like acoustic guitar and piano intro. The lead vocals are youngish-sounding in a pleasing upper range, perfect for the teens-in-angst subject matter: "I could go on and on about the Junior Prom… Boys will be boys, but no one will love you like I do." When the electric guitars kick in, the mix still stays nicely balanced like the best pop music going way back to The Beatles. "Buffalo Gal" jangle-rocks right from the top, with some impossible-to-resist vocal harmonies. It's loud with great energy, but everything sits exactly where it should in the mix. "Stargazer" has a more deliberate, stately tempo but also features some cool chiming electric grace notes during the choruses. Another great couplet: "She is a laser / My stargazer."

"Mansions" is the fastest and most energetic track thus far, and yet again, I'm amazed how these guys project such power while still sounding so clean. There's a cool, quiet middle section where all the instruments take a step back before roaring back for the finale. Speaking of quiet, "That Side of Me" has a jaunty British Invasion arrangement where the guitars have little to no effects for the opening (you can easily imagine them on Ed Sullivan!) before cranking up the fuzz boxes yet again. Stellar harmonies here, and I'm sure that's gonna be the case on every track. Quite sophisticated major-to-minor chord changes too.

"Light Went Out" lumbers in on the wings of a primitive, trebly bass riff. This is the band on the hardest rock setting. The wall of guitars is thicker with heavier cinderblocks, but those cool chord changes and bright, note-perfect vocals still abound. This song also has a "written" guitar solo that's either a neat plugin or has been overdubbed a few times. The ending is a "crazy breakdown," which is always fun. "Headlights" has a hint of the early Smashing Pumpkins. It's yet another ode to a troubled romance ("Headlights / Something that blinds you and fades in the rearview"). A heavy jangle quotient sets this track apart, so that it sounds happy though it's probably not! The final track, "Don't Take My Keyboard Away," not surprisingly features a keyboard, but it is a surprise to hear a melody clearly inspired by "A Whiter Shade of Pale." At any rate, it's a fitting conclusion as the piano floats off into a cloud of oblivion.
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I love retro power pop, and this album is going on my playlists. If you do too, check them out, like right now!

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theeasybutton.bandcamp.com/album/through-our-own-parade

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