For power pop fans and aficionados of the mid-to-late-‘70s Boston and downtown New York scenes, news that at last a CD is coming out containing ALL of the sides the Paley Brothers released on the Sire label would be reason enough for rejoicing. But news that said CD also contains 11 unreleased bonus tracks drawn straight from the band’s archives…well, that’s cause for a national holiday among certain quarters of rock ‘n’ roll fandom!
Andy Paley was the lead singer and songwriter for the legendary Boston band the Sidewinders and played with the Modern Lovers, while Jonathan was a member of CBGB’s fixture Mong before the siblings formed the Paley Brothers in 1975, and were signed to Sire Records soon thereafter. However, while the band was a favorite of Sire label owner Seymour Stein, and their good looks put them on the covers of teeny bopper magazines, the Paley Brothers only recorded one LP and several singles of sweetly harmonious power pop for Sire that have since become serious cult classics.
For the first time in the franchise’s thirteen-year history, the hugely popular SpongeBob SquarePants animated TV series has spawned a holiday album. It’s A SpongeBob Christmas! Album is out this month from Nickelodeon Records, offering 12 tracks of original SpongeBob music in tune with the season. The album features vocals and songwriting by voice actor Tom Kenny. Kenny co-wrote ten of the album’s songs with producer Andy Paley, and has voiced the character since the show’s inception. SpongeBob SquarePants was recently named “the most loved TV series in America” by USA Today.