The Weeklings – Raspberry Park

The Weeklings’ latest album, their fourth, is a concept piece of sorts. Their promotional material describes it as “a trip to the mythical and magical Raspberry Park based on The Weeklings’ stylized musical interpretation of their adopted hometown, Asbury Park, New Jersey…” Made up of 13 new originals and a few well-chosen covers, The Weeklings’ Raspberry Park is more fun than cruising the boardwalk in the summertime – and won’t cost you 100 smackers to park for the day.

Glen Burtnik (Lefty Weekling) and Bob Burger (Zeke Weekling) write most of the band’s original material, so one knows what to expect from these guys – consistently outstanding, British Invasion infused power pop. First and foremost, they owe their sound to The Beatles. This is particularly in evidence with the opening track, “Like We Used To Do” and the aforementioned “April’s Fool”. The lyrically dark “Falling Down a Flight of Stairs” asks the eternal question “how could you do this to me?”. The 13 originals on Raspberry Park also include a few previously released singles such as “Brian Jones” and “April’s Fool”, both keepers.

Peter Noone, The Kinks & More

Bob Burger has style all his own. His solo album, Domino Effect, was one of our top albums of the year in 2022. “All the Cash In the World” bares all the earmarks of one of his compositions. It’s a sugar coated melody wrapped in a sense of defiance. And the Beatlesque ending is a nice touch. There’s a distinct Kinks flavor to “None of Your Business” with its main riff sounding like “You Really Got Me” turned on its head. The shout along chorus is a blast. As an added treat, Peter Noone appears on a cover/mashup called “Mr. Soul Satisfaction”. 

Get The Weekling’s Raspberry Park

In addition to Misters Burger and Burtnik, John Merjave (Rocky Weekling) and Joe Bellia (Smokestack Weekling) round out the lineup for one of New Jersey’s finest power pop outfits. Available on JEM Records, Raspberry Park officially releases on January 19. Pre-order your copy at Amazon or anywhere fine music is sold.

Highly Recommended