Best of 2011 Countdown: #5 The Red Button – As Far As Yesterday Goes
Here’s #5 in our countdown of the 11 best power pop albums of 2011….
The Red Button – As Far As Yesterday Goes
The Red Button’s new CD, As Far as Yesterday Goes, shows what a songwriting wonder Seth Swirsky is. His ties to yesterday are tangential at best. He’s one of the world’s biggest fans of basecball history. In fact, he’s got a NY Times bestselling book on baseball to prove it. And his influences most definitely bring back memories of the music of the 60’s. Admittedly, like a first baseman trying to pull in an errant throw, it can be a bit of a reach to try and define Swirsky by the music of yesteryear. But as far as best power pop albums of 2011 goes, the connection is clear.
“There’s plenty more of that refreshingly retro goodness here Ddriven by the stirring musical chemistry of Swirsky’s romantic optimism offset by Ruekberg’s tart sense of realism, it features delightful melodies, harmonies and production textures that sound as if they could have been transported directly from the magical era when AM radio was king.” – PowerpopOverdose
Seth Swirsky, despite his songwriting prowess, editorial contributions to the Huffington Post, and hit songs written for the likes of Al Green, Olivia Newton John, Eric Carmen, Celine Dion, and Michael McDonald, may be better known as the guy who owned (and recently auctioned off on eBay) the ball that went through Bill Buckner’s legs in game six of the 2002 World Series. While he’s not a houshold name, he’s an immense talent so don’t be surprised if you start hearing about him as a film maker. He’s nearing completion of a doc about the Beatles. But not just any doc. Read more here.
The Red Button is Swirsky and the equally talented Mike Reukberg whom you may be familiar with from his days in the powerpop band Rex Daisy. Musicians friends of mine from the Minneopolis and Chicago areas rave about him (I assume that’s where Ruekberg is from) and his collection of odds and ends released last year as Acrimony and Cheese was really a great deal of fun to listen to.
You can buy one of the best power pop albums of the year, As Far As Yesterday Goes, HERE. I promise you won’t be trying to sell it on eBay once you’ve had a listen.
website:http://www.seth.com/
Cruel Girl
Interview on ABC News
