2003
release ex-00 Spies frontman and songwriter Rick Hromadka and his crack
band! A dash of Cheap Trick, a sprinkle of ELO and Klaatu with some Jellyfish
on the side(well, both sides), and a big dollop of The Beatles puts a
definition of Maple Mars. It has an warm, sunny and strong paisley spirit
that one sees with some of the better bands in Los Angeles(their home)......fans
of Cloud Eleven, Wondermints and Chewy Marble will hear the inspiration
of their fellow musicians in the area. Like their debut record(sadly,
out of print on the much missed Permanent Press Records label, this one
is on Kool Kat, who are shifting into very fine gear with some cool new
label releases in 2003, here's to hoping there's lots more like this),
the sophmore effort here blends and bleeds similar sounds of the previous
album and throws a bit more panache, power and confidence into corners
and fresh, more worked-out arrangements. There's a more established, tight
band here playing this material, which helps greatly. But its the songs
that stand tall. And they cut loose and float high over the landscape
of the panoply of their influences.
Extremely Highly Recommended! – Not Lame
After spending some time “undercover” as one of the Double Naught Spies and the Maple Mars' debut album a coupla years ago, Rick Hromadka comes back with his best work to date.
Instead of the occasional programmed rhythm, taking away a part of some of the songs from the debut, Circular Haze is the work of real men in its entirety.
Not unlike most of fellow L.A. power-pop scenesters, the Maple Mars sound is all wrapped up in product ional sophistication, be it the rocking little tunes full of Jellyfishin' Beatle references like First Chick In Space and Golden People or an “utopistic” take on some of Brian Wilson's late '60s teenage symphonies, which is Undiscovered ... And speaking of Brian, The Soft Carousel might easily pass for an unreleased “pet sound”, unearthed through the recent, Wondermints-backed tour.
Some of the songs (Walk Of Fame, Silver Spy Satellite...) bring to mind/ears some of the top Swedish power-popsters like The Merrymakers (another Jelly-hint) or Dorian Gray (also a “Merry-made” production) but if you want an unbeatable commercial potential of the highest order, take Good Time For A Friend, capable of making the crowd go crazy on a hot sunny day of any of the summer festivals and also out-Noeling “our kid” in his own game.
The album ends with the McCartney-ish-in-a-Crowded-House-way
song Home, taking you back 'ome, out of the trippy “circular haze”,
which is sure to leave your mind blurred
for a long while. - Goran Obradovic (Popism)