Anderson Council: The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon

It was standing room only at the Maxwells main stage in Hoboken NJ. International Pop Overthrow (IPO) 2002 was about to kick off and the lineup was an impressive one. The headliner, if you could say that there was one, had to be Evelyn Forever. They were a pop-punk outfit with an impressive three albums to their credit. Copperpot was another band worthy of the “headliner” label. When they went on, a gentleman dressed entirely in black wearing sunglasses and a large hat, seemingly unaware he was indoors, came over to me and starting talking them up. He mentioned that Jarrett Randazzo, the band’s top dog, had been speaking with majors and a record deal was imminent. 

Despite the fact that most of us were there to see one or both of these bands, there was another that was pretty impressive. They came and went without a whole lot of fanfare. All these years later, only The Anderson Council still stands.

A Distinctly British Feel

The Anderson Council always felt like a psych-pop band to me. But The Devil, The Towers, The Star, The Moon, their latest, sounds a lot closer to straight up power pop to my ears. Yeah, there’s the occasional psych-pop flourish. That said, it’s the hooks and sing along choruses that really grab me.

The opening single, “Tarot Toronto” is a great example. The guitar intro is very much out of the psych-pop mold but it’s the memorable chorus that grabs ya and doesn’t let go. Then there’s the jangly guitars of “Million Miles Away”. Even the fills between chorus and verse are something to admire.

“Picture This” is brilliant with soaring harmonies and a distinctly British feel. The keyboard parts are just right. And I’m not even a keyboard guy. The equally Anglocentric “Messed Up My Mind” had me singing along after just a couple of spins. And with “Untrained Eyes” the guys give us a little bit of country twang. I love unexpected surprises, especially when they’re this good.

Get The New Anderson Council LP Here

The Anderson Council’s The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon is another excellent Jem Records release. You can be it directly from the Jem website,  Apple Music, Amazon or anywhere fine records are sold.