If the focal point for Philadelphia-based vintage rockers Sheer Mag isn’t Tina Halladay’s instantly recognizable belted vocals, it’s the backing band of parents’-vinyl enthusiasts spearheaded by guitarist and songwriter Kyle Seeley. Moving with ease across power pop, hard rock, and jangle pop on their new LP Playing Favorites—with notes of funk and glam for good measure—Seeley will be the first to cop to the specific sounds of the ’70s and ’80s that the band references on their debut for Third Man Records. Which, let it be known, does not include Thin Lizzy.
“Thin Lizzy is one of the best bands of all time, but we’re getting tired of the comparisons—we really don’t sound like them!” Seeley exclaims, introducing an influences playlist consisting of 18 songs ranging from the once-new wave of British heavy metal to the boogie-heavy disco of Chic, the instrumental post-Beatles riffage of George Harrison to the calming soft-rock of the late Eric Carmen. “There’s no shortage of other guitar bands we ripped off instead,” he concedes.
With Playing Favorites arriving at the beginning of March, the band’s Lizzy-deficient track list speaks to the literalness of the new record’s title, with Seeley pointing out the specific ideas ripped from some of Sheer Mag’s musical faves. “I bet 50 percent of the Sheer Mag riffs you think are Thin Lizzy worship are actually just me unsuccessfully trying to copy Boston.”
Check out the album here, and find the playlist and corresponding write-ups for each track chosen below.
Pure Prairie League, “Two Lane Highway”
PPL are a highly underrated country-rock band, in my opinion. I especially appreciate this song because there’s so much instrumentation, but it still feels spacious and laid back. It’s got plenty of the Southern-rock major pentatonic guitar harmonies popularized by, say, The Allman Brothers (another huge influence)—but they feel particularly deliberate and tasteful in this song. Some of the most melodically interesting guitar and steel work is in the trade-off solos. Also, nothing beats a song where they make you wait for the root chord payoff until chorus. It makes for a great moment.
Prism, “Freewill”
Canada’s Prism are one of my all-time favorite ’70s rock bands. There’s a particular drive to the drum production of this band that I’m obsessed with. It’s very much the sound I set out to achieve for Mag. Also, who doesn’t love a good I’ll-do-whatever-the-hell-I-want song.
Twisted Sister, “Bad Boys (of Rock and Roll)”
Amazing upbeat tune about sticking up for the outcast rockers—something they always righteously maintained. By today’s standards of things worth fighting for, it’s pretty redundant, but I still find that angle of their band to be really fun and endearing. You gotta fight for the right to rock. Musically this song is a perfect hybrid of heavy metal and power pop with an all-power-chord punk swagger. The drum intro and feel of our song “Paper Time” is an homage to this one.
George Harrison, “Hari’s on Tour (Express)”
This is the first song on Harrison’s album Dark Horse. I hadn’t spent time with the record until recently, but when I heard this I had one of those lightbulb moments. It’s a bold move to come out of the gates with an almost five-minute-long instrumental rock song, even though it’s a fully realized banger. This tune inspired me to make the instrumental rock intro to “Mechanical Garden.” I’d been sitting on that song for two years as a standalone non-instrumental track, and the guitar line was at one point supposed to be the vocal melody.
Quiet Riot, “Slick Black Cadillac”
Another great example of upbeat, poppy glam metal that still feels very tough. The twists, turns, and descending blasts of accented power chords makes for a menacing arrangement. This song is so much more complex than meets the ear. Quiet Riot is a ’70s rock band that didn’t blow up until the ’80s, and that really shows in their chops here. After the two-minute mark, I begin to lose count of key changes. [Our] song “Eat it and Beat It” is a tip of the hat to this style.
Eric Carmen, “Sunrise”
This is a tune off Carmen’s 1975 debut solo record. I love all his work with the Raspberries, and I wouldn’t call this a huge departure for him, but I really appreciate the shimmery soft-rock, almost Beach Boys feel of this one. It’s such a beautiful melody and a simple, happy message. Call me basic but this shit makes me feel good! I also think it should be a TV show theme song or montage. I’d say songs like “Golden Hour” and “Tea on the Kettle” likely drew some inspiration from this one.
Boston, “Party”
Gotta throw some Boston on the playlist. Tom Scholz is easily a top-three guitarist for me. I bet 50 percent of the Sheer Mag riffs you think are Thin Lizzy worship are actually just me unsuccessfully trying to copy Boston. The main guitar riff from “Party” directly inspired the riff from “Eat It and Beat It.” I even own one of his signature Rockman DI amps for the studio. I think I used it on a few songs on the new record, can’t remember which ones!
Fairport Convention, “Time Will Show the Wiser”
This early Fairport song is a cover originally by Emitt Rhodes. I think Richard Thompson’s contribution to the main guitar hook is super catchy. It’s that type of instantaneous earworm melody that I’m obsessed with. You can spend all day learning to shred if you want, but you’ve got to spend time on the hook if you want to keep them coming back.
Silver, “Trust in Somebody”
I bought this record randomly years back just because I thought the logo was cool (and it is). Well, turns out they’re a great SoCal country-rock band featuring a cousin of an Eagles member and Brent Mydland, who would later go on to join the Grateful Dead on keys in the ’80s. I love how the vocal melody interplays with the chord progression. Right up my alley.
Accept, “Midnight Highway”
Rules for many reasons. I would call them a metal band, but they’ve dabbled in all things heavy rock. My favorite version of Accept is when they basically just do supercharged AC/DC. Believe it or not, the intro to “Moonstruck” was inspired by the intro to this song. I’m really curious if people will hear the resemblance.
Firefall, “Count Your Blessings”
I don’t know if this song falls under the category of “yacht rock,” but if it does, I’m all in. I’m a rocker but also a huge sucker for these wholesome gems. Some of the softer tunes on Playing Favorites remind me of this. I think we incorporated a similar Byrds-style jangle guitar pattern on “Tea on the Kettle.”
Stevie Wright, “The Loser”
A buddy of mine in Melbourne turned me on to this Aussie rock legend. He was the lead singer for the Easybeats (featuring the brother of Angus and Malcom Young). This track from his solo record is exactly what I love about that old-school Australian boogie-rock sound. Extremely dry, gritty vocals and cutty guitars. Also excessive shaker in the best way possible. It’s heavy. I think this one also inspired the first bit of “Mechanical Garden.”
Al Stewart, “Time Passages”
Al Stewart is one of my all-time favorite songwriters. He also always seems to have the best backing band and musical arrangements on his records. “Time Passages” is probably his best example of this. There’s so much instrumentation, but everything has its place.
Roy Wood, “Any Old Time Will Do”
Another one of those songs that feels like a lost TV show theme. Wood’s music really hits for me. I think we share a mutual obsession with making every second of an arrangement count. There’s never a moment in this song where you aren’t completely engaged with either the vocal melody or an instrumental overdub carrying you along to the next part. Also, it’s very impressive to me how each time he brings the listener back to the verse, he does it in a different and increasingly complicated way, still feeling effortless. This is a perfect pop song.
Macho, “Not Tonight”
This album Roll by Spanish disco outfit Macho straight up kicks ass. It feels like a 50/50 cross between dance music and heavy metal. I absolutely love the interplay between the punchy bass jabs and the high-gain guitar chords in the verses of this track. I first heard it on the radio when I was driving a box truck for a moving company and I almost crashed because it pumped me up so much. Big inspiration for “All Lined Up.”
Saxon, “Wheels of Steel”
Saxon is probably my favorite among the new wave of British heavy metal bands—although my buddy Graham from the band Annihilation Time once described them to me as “transportation rock,” which I thought was possibly more fitting. I think Paul Quinn is one of the more innovative lead guitar players in classic metal. A lot of his parts have distinctive string bends to intervals that you don’t often hear from other NWOBHM heavy hitters. The intro to “And the Bands Played On” is a great example of this.
Chic, “Stage Fright”
This one is an all-time favorite for me. Nile Rodgers is a master of the riff. This is totally the inspiration for the main portion of “Mechanical Garden.” It’s so cool how he and [bassist] Bernard Edwards manage to fill in the gaps between each other’s parts, resulting in this insanely satisfying groove.
Fleetwood Mac, “Hold Me”
This is my favorite song, period. I’m sure it’s incepted every single one I’ve written somehow. RIP Christine McVie, the greatest.
