Allen Clapp & His Orchestra - Mixed Greens (2013)

Allen Clapp has been recording and releasing magical pop records since 1990 or so, whether under his own name or with the Orange Peels. His keen grasp of pop melodies, and his heartbreakingly sweet and pure delivery of said melodies, has been a constant throughout his career and both are on display on Mixed Greens. Working under the Allen Clapp & His Orchestra banner (which usually means it's mostly him), Clapp has created a richly crafted, deeply felt pop record inspired by all kinds of classic pop music (Todd Rundgren, the Left Banke, Carole King, the Zombies) but 100-percent his own. Less powerfully pop than an Orange Peels record, Mixed Greens is gentle around the edges with lots of layered acoustic guitar, stately piano, and reverb, but it still has space for the occasional burst of energetic songcraft like the echoing, almost danceable "All or Nothing." The best tracks have a tenderness and subtle charm that is another hallmark of Clapp's work; songs like "Autumn Heart," or "I Remember What You Said," or the gospel-inspired "Treeline" creep up on you slowly but sink in deeply after a couple spins. He's also very adept at updating the soft rock sound of the '70s without sounding like he's aping it note for note. "Back to Normal" and "The Winter in You" both sound like songs Carole King would have been proud to write, warm and intimate without being even a little cloying. Mixed Greens is the work of a true pop music craftsman, full of impossible-to-ignore hooks and plenty of peaceful soul. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of well-constructed, perfect-sounding adult pop should add this to their collection right away. Just as they should with any record that sports the name Allen Clapp on the cover or in the credits.