FUZZY LOGIC

With the resurgence of 90s alternative/powerpop/rock, bands like Girls, Yuck, WU LYF, Radical Dads and the like channel the influences of Pixies, Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr and Weezer into a beautiful noise. In these circumstances, it seems appropriate that in the Singapore indie rock scene Noel Yeo, Melvin Ho and Robin Chua, members from two nineties bands (viz Suchness and Livonia) have, together with Brian Leery (from Leeson) released a smashing debut album that succinctly captures the zeitgeist of these  sweet and fuzzy times.

The name of the band is Shelves and the eponymous debut LP that has resulted from this collaboration rivals anything its Western contemporaries have mustered so far. Seriously folks, songs like “Against The Wall” and “(She Wakes Up To) The Beat” would have gotten the hipster crowd at the recent Laneway Festival agog with blind worship, if not for the notoriously illogical anti-Singapore sentiment that pervades music lovers here.

Bottom line, kind people, is that it can only be about good music i.e. memorable melodies, crunchy guitars and an easy vibe that appeals to the teenage pop-rocker in all of us. Tracks like “Holiday”, “Killer Concern”, “It’s Always Summer”, “Sussed Out” and “Superstar” are so filled to the brim with superior tunes that it’s almost criminal that a songwriting talent like Noel Yeo still remains an obscure commodity.

Hopefully, Shelves will redress any injustices in this respect and earn Shelves the love and acclaim the melody-driven quartet truly deserves. You can either purchase the vinyl LP at one of the band’s shows or digital download at the Bandcamp link below.

Official Site

Upcoming Shelves gigs:

Mosaic Music Festival 2012 Esplanade Outdoor Theatre 13 Mar 2012

Identite w/ Obedient Wives Club HOME Club 23 Mar 2012

The Pigeonhole 30 Mar 2012

‘There is Only Love” (Single)

In the spirit of presenting you, kind PoP visitor, the most promising and exciting new power pop out there in the wasteland of contemporary pop-rock, I give you The Running Jumps. Consisting of Joel Martin (vocals, guitar, keys), Todd McDearman (guitar, keys, vocals), Dave Johnstone (drums) and Sid Jordan (bass, vocals), The Running Jumps claim an affinity for albums like XTC‘s Skylarking, Jellyfish‘s Spilt Milk, The Beatles‘ Sgt. Pepper, The Kinks‘ Village Green Preservation Society and The Zombies‘ Odessey and Oracle.  All this with a Guided By Voices or Superdrag edge.

“There is Only Love” is the band’s new single and the influences mentioned above offer fair representation of what to expect. Edgy and sweet when it needs to be, the song has an engaging chorus hook which will keep you humming along before too long. The vocals probably need work in certain points but there is no denying the strength of the songwriting. Looking forward to more from The Running Jumps!

Buy the single from CDBaby.

When I started Power of Pop back in 1998, my favourite ‘genre’ was ‘power pop’. Wiki defines ‘power pop’ as

“…a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are usually kept to a minimum, and blues elements are largely downplayed. Recordings tend to display production values that lean toward compression and a forceful drum beat. Instruments usually include one or more electric guitars, an electric bass guitar, a drum kit, and sometimes electric keyboards or synthesizers. While its cultural impact has waxed and waned over the decades, power pop is among rock’s most enduring subgenres.”

When discussing ‘power pop’, inevitably the song used as a reference point is Big Star‘s “September Gurls”.

It’s easy to discern all the elements of ‘power pop’ that Wiki listed out in this song. Melody, harmony and gleaming guitars all in strong evidence. Of course, Big Star itself had many other kinds of musical styles but ‘power pop’ will always be the ‘genre’ the band will be most closely associated with.

The 90s Pop Underground was definitely influenced by Jellyfish (pictured above). The band formed around the nucleus of Andy Sturmer (Vocals, drums) and Roger Manning Jr (keyboard, vocals) and released two legendary albums (in ‘power pop’ circles, in any case) viz. Bellybutton and Spilt Milk. Sadly, Jellyfish‘s ‘power pop’ was out of synch with what was popular at the time i.e. ‘grunge’ and the band soon broke up after the failure of Spilt Milk. But its legacy was felt strongly for the rest of the decade. Here’s a video of the band playing “Joining a Fan Club” live. Amazing harmonies and dynamics.

In the wake of Jellyfish, many other ‘power pop’ bands also signed with major labels and released excellent albums which failed to register with the ‘grunge’ loving public. This list would include The Grays, Wanderlust, Jason Falkner and Greenberry Woods. A couple of ‘power pop’ indie labels like Not Lame and Big Deal soon surfaced to feed the appetites of the Pop Underground fans but by the early Noughties (despite initial mainstream successes of Fastball and Semisonic, the scene had faded away somewhat.

In the UK and Europe, there were also pockets of ‘power pop’ bands that also drew from 70s punk and 80s post-punk to remain relevant to critics but were essentially holding true to the traditions. Teenage Fanclub and a host of bands from the Scottish indie scene (like BMX Bandits and Captain America/Eugenius) flew the flag strongly for melodic guitar pop that bordered on ‘power pop’. But one UK band that really captured the imagination of the Pop Underground was Silver Sun.

Great melodies with crunching guitar work makes for primo ‘power pop’! However, the same decline that was seen in the USA was basically mirrored in the UK as well for ‘power pop’. So here we are in 2012 and the last decade or so has not been kind to ‘power pop’ and there has not been any significant ‘power pop’ band/artist in a long while. However, if you looked closely at bands like Surfer Blood, Best Coast and Cults, the unmistakable affinity for 60s pop blended with the modern guitar sound may be a subtle re-invention of ‘power pop’ for a entirely new generation of music lovers. I leave you with Singapore’s very own ‘power pop’ masters Typewriter with its instant classic, “That Deepest Blue” and hope that like me you will dream of a ‘power pop’ future…

Dangerously Uncool

Seriously folks, when was the last time power pop was considered ‘hip and cool’? The 90s maybe, when power pop bands still got major label deals e.g. Weezer, Jellyfish, The Grays, Wanderlust, Semisonic et al. NYC singer-songwriter Jeff Litman makes no bones who inspires his craft – Tom Petty, Elvis Costello & Paul Westerberg have all been favorably mentioned – and in this day and age, that just about might be career suicide! After all, if the kids of today don’t even know who the hell Sir Paul McCartney is then how in the world would they be able to connect with songs that trickle down from the seminal work of the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Byrds?

But I will emphasize – who cares, right? Call me a blind optimist but for me, holding on to the melodic ideals is really what it’s all about. So yes, I will champion a talent like Jeff Litman who (on his second album – Outside) puts such loving detail in every chord, arrangement and lyric without cynical pandering to attention-deficit young people. Elvis Costello once put his songwriting into perspective by describing it as “creative plagiarism” – the key word being “creative”. So whilst it is clear that the tools Litman utilizes comes from a kinder and gentler age (crafted tunes, organic instrumentation, thoughtful arrangements) but with these implements, Litman has fashioned an album that has enough flair and verve in it to maybe sway the shallow, casual music fan.

So the joy and pleasure comes in equal measure in the soaring chorus of “Over and Over”, the rollicking rhythm of “Runaway”, the hypnotic chord progression of “Chasing My Tail” and the way the melody falls comfortably together on “Don’t Want to Talk About It”. It is easy to discern that with the elements of country-folk, rock n’ roll and power pop prominently featured that the kind of music that Litman deals in is so out of synch with everything that passes for modern pop music in 2012 that there is an almost contrarian appeal working here.

And why would you be content to be lemmings hurtling down sharp cliffs at the bidding of the hipster pied pipers (mixed metaphors whoa!) when you can – if you so choose – broaden your minds to rock music that is timeless and will never ever date. Even as I allow the sweet balladic tones of “Time Heals Nothing” to sweep me away, I realize that I do not need to succumb to the principle that just because classic pop-rock is unfashionable, we can ignore the quality songwriting and arrangements that this kind of music invariably possesses in favor of image and ‘indie cred’.

So here I am again drawing a line in the sand – yes Outside isn’t perfect and it may not even be 100% original but it sure has enough heart n’ soul to encourage this foolish lover of ‘old school’ rock to continue to keep the faith. Indeed.

Official Site

’11 EP

Discovered on Twitter! Yes, thanks to a chance encounter on social media about an hour ago – I am reviewing this really cool EP from Transmission Party (aka Tommy Byrnes). This four-track EP provides a good range of what Transmission Party is about – a classicist take on pop-rock music that takes the best of the sounds of 60s, 70s & 80s and refreshes them for a new generation. If music is cyclical (and it is) then surely it is time for smart, melodic and imaginative pop-rock to make its return.

I personally am quite taken with (You’re My) Lighthouse, which channels the Dukes of Stratosphear uncannily with its poignant Beatles and Beach Boys references to produce a truly gorgeous chorus. Right Left Good Bad and Don’t You Worry ‘Bout Me are bouncy catchy numbers that recall the blue-eyed R&B of early Who, Mick Jones’ B.A.D, Todd Rundgren and Paul Weller. Finally, we have the psychedelic nugget that is Boredom which is a little by-the-numbers but still interesting for its faithful evocation of flower-powered 1967. Certainly, one can detect glimpses of The Idle Race, the Move and Traffic.

All very exciting stuff and am looking forward to more from Transmission Party!

Download the EP at the Official Site. Watch the video of Don’t You Worry ‘Bout Me below.

Ex-Merrymaker David Myhr is busying readying his new album – Soundshine – and Looking For A Life is the 2nd single Myhr has released ahead of the new album. Poptastic! Check out the video, which fits the sunshine pop to a ‘t’. Surely one of the most eagerly anticipated powerpop albums in recent memory. Stay tuned.

Official Site

THE SMITHEREENS Smithereens 2011 (eOne)

Amongst the power pop faithful, New Jersey band The Smithereens remain one of the standard bearers for the genre’s fading influence. In a modern rock scene where power pop is often mistaken for pop-punk (ugh!) – it’s vital for bands like The Smithereens to be recognized as the champions of power pop!

The band (Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and original bass player Mike Mescaros) emerged during the 80s new wave movement, highly influenced by Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Who, Badfinger, Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe. The band’s approach to power pop was simple –  strong melodies married to crunchy power chords or jangly 12-stringed guitar arpeggios – which carried the band through seven critically well-received albums.

With Severo now handling bass duties, The Smithereens return with a brand new album of top notch originals, its first in more than a decade and it is a winner! Chock full of memorable tunes and the appropriate musical references, Smithereens 2011 is a veritable treasure trove for lovers of melodic rock/power pop.

From the moment the incandescent opener – Sorry – springs forth, it’s almost as if The Smithereens have never been away! Containing seemingly familiar Beatlesque cadences, Sorry represents every thing that The Smithereens (and great power pop) is about. Energy, invention and verve wrapped around catchy tunes and hooks.

Other highlights include the psychedelic A World of Our Own, the muscular Keep On Running, the heartfelt Rings On Her Finger, the poignant Nobody Lives Forever and the Costello-channeling Viennese Hangover. In fact, Smithereens 2011 is a mini-pop-masterpiece, especially if you’re hankering for good old fashioned power pop, the likes of which has been hard to come by since the dark age of grunge overwhelmed pop-rock music in the mid to late 90s.

Suffice to say – highly recommended, especially as an education for all the pop-punk kids out there!

Official Site

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As much as I love power pop, I often find myself disappointed with ‘new’ releases of the power pop persuasion. Reason being that most of the time, the artists concerned seem to be satisfied merely regurgitating past glories of the best power pop and fall into the derivative trap. So, I am quite excited about the new album from singer-songwriter Scott Gagner (release date: 1 June), based on the two advance tracks now available for free download. Basically, these tracks contain enough freshness and verve to suggests that Gagner is using his declared influences (Guided by Voices, Wilco, Elvis Costello) as mere starting points. The high melody and energy levels certainly bode well. Check them out! Review to come…

Download: I Hate To Say | Take Two

Official Site

SHALINI Magnetic North EP (Self-released)

I must confess that too much power pop nowadays sounds so jaded and tired, I tend to cringe a little when I come across power pop bands/artists. But I’ll always have time for Shalini! This 90s powerpop songstress (full name – Shalini Chatterjee) has over the course of six commercial releases bless the pop underground with her heady rendition of the girl-pop power tradition i.e. The Go-Gos, Blondie and the Bangles. On this new EP, Shalini gives fans six slabs of pure powerpop, without any compromise or concession whatsoever.

The opening One of One is a midtempo number with a slightly downbeat chorus, Mine As You Ever Were is a driving rocker with attendant bleeping keyboard effects, Echo is a breathless, sweaty proto-punk effort, Sky of Diana is a freakbeat gem, recalling Traffic and Game Theory in equal measure, See You In My Dreams is a crunching twee exercise and Walking Ghost of Death is femme powerpop of the highest order. Sweet crunch being the operative words throughout.

Good to know that prime powerpop continues to thrive even in this day and age. Check out Shalini to understand why powerpop – when executed properly – continues to excite and thrill.

Official Site

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APEX MANOR The Year of Magical Drinking (Merge)

Don’t ask me why but for some reason, power pop and country-folk somehow seem to sit well together. I often think of Scotland’s finest (viz Teenage Fanclub and BMX Bandits) perfect examples of this oddity. The now defunct Broken West also epitomized this lovely blend of power chord and twang and now that band’s singer/songwriter Ross Flournoy has come up with a new name (Apex Manor) and a new album (The Year of Magical Drinking) to continue in this grand pop tradition.

Fans of Neil Young, the Replacements, REM and the Dream Syndicate will fully comprehend where Apex Manor is coming from. This debut album is chock full of world-weary vox, infectious tunes and blissed out fuzz guitars. On this fine album, the power pop quotient may be de-emphasized slightly but there’s no mistaking the right-minded references, the ‘nod and wink’ Flournoy to music lovers in the know.

The Year of Magical Drinking may only consist of ten tracks and be 35 minutes long but it matters not when every song is a cracker. Just to highlight a couple – Holy Roller is a wonderfully pleasing stripped down folk piece, Under the Gun is a raucous old school classic pop-rocker and The Party Line is a rustic, rollicking country number – each one armed with a dangerous melody that will hit the discerning music lover between the eyes!

An essential album for 2011, Apex Manor gives fans of the Broken West and this new year a fabulous start.

Official Site

THE DAVENPORTS Why the Great Gallop? (Motherwest)

In many ways, the 90s were the last time power pop fans were blessed with a true ‘golden age’ when bands like Jellyfish, the Grays, Wanderlust, Splitsville and the like, gave us memorable power pop music that lives on to this day. In fact, the state of power pop is so dire now that other ‘genres’ have co-opted the name! I mean, Plain White Ts is NOT power pop. Sheesh!

The Davenports may have released its debut album – Speaking of the Davenports – only in 2001 but the band, led by singer-songwriter Scott Klass, represented all that was wonderful about 90s power pop. The album itself was undoubtedly one of the albums of that decade and the band would subsequently released a sophomore effort – Hi-Tech Lowlife – which, whilst not hitting the highs of its predecessor was still a worthy addition to the power pop canon.

Thus, it is with great pleasure for me to announce that the Davenports are back with Why the Great Gallop – the first album of note in 2011! With ground-breaking music of the 60s/70s as his resource, Klass and co have constructed a deliciously delightful work that appeals to both intellect and heart, with melodies and arrangements that will keep music lovers occupied for days on end.

The level of sophistication evident on tracks like the breezy Something’s Gonna Get Us, the baroque Figure Me Out and the intricate folksy Now is the Time, will intrigue the musos out there, whilst the pure adrenaline of infectious pop-rockers like Christopher Starts, Anything For Amelia and Don’t Cry Mary will have tune lovers singing along.

If you are sick and tired of the pre-fabricated soul-less crap that passes for pop music nowadays, then let The Davenports remind you what brilliantly conceived and executed pop music is all about. Highly recommended!

Official Site

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JELLYFISH

Sophisticated orchestral pop (think Sgt. Peppers/Pet Sounds/Odessey & Oracle/Forever Changes) has never really gone out of style; it has merely gone underground. The Divine Comedy, The High Llamas and Eric Matthews are other notable modern practitioners that easily come to mind.

However, back at the dawn of this decade, Californian band Jellyfish made an ambitious attempt to evoke those glorious albums with what many power pop enthusiasts have labeled as the one true pop classic of the nineties – Spilt Milk.

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Built around the creative nucleus of Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning, Jellyfish had (with guitarist Jason Falkner) released an exciting debut, Bellybutton in 1990. Strongly influenced by The Beatles and the Beach Boys via such Seventies icons as Queen, Todd Rundgren, 10cc and Supertramp, Bellybutton contained gorgeous gems like The King is Half-Undressed, That Is Why, The Man I Used To Me and I Wanna Stay Home. The album sold a respectable quarter of a million copies and the band enjoyed a successful tour with close friends and fans Black Crowes.

However, their cartoony Alice-in-Wonderland image did them no favours with the mainstream rock press and this also affected the overall impact of Bellybutton. Sturmer and Manning were determined to get things absolutely right with their follow-up effort.

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In the meantime, Falkner had left to pursue more creative avenues with The Grays and bass player Tim Smith was recruited. With Bellybutton producer Alby (Saturday Night Fever) Galuten returning and guest guitarists Lyle Workman (Bourgeois Tagg) and Jon Brion (the Grays) filling in for the departed Falkner, Jellyfish set out to record their masterpiece.

It took them the better part of six months but the results were definitely worth the hassles. Spilt Milk is a joyous smorgasbord of musical ideas and influences. From the opening soft lullaby Hush which recalls Beach Boys-meet-Queen vocal gymnastics to the power mini-suite Joining A Fanclub; from the nursery rhyme inspired Sebrina Paste + Plato (complete with the kindergarten sing-a-long) to the Beatlesque New Mistake (perfected by its Harrisonesque tracked slide guitar solo); from the Pets Sounds evocative middle of The Ghost Of Number One to the raucous Supertramp ish wedding band set up of Bye Bye Bye; from the noise-driven sweetness of All Is Forgiven to the tranquil beauty of Russian Hill; Spilt Milk is bursting at the seams with intricate arrangements, vivid gags and the confident ambition of a band who were brave enough to demand from their music (and their listeners) more than your standard three minute ditty.

Unfortunately, Spilt Milk was released to a media and an audience deeply mired into the first wave of grunge and Jellyfish were soundly mocked for the very things that made their music so wonderful. By mid-1994, Jellyfish were no more but at least they left us with one of THE album of the nineties.

(NB. Article was first published in 2000 at www.fufkin.com)

HINDU RODEO

Indulge me, folks, as I muse a little. A great comic book writer named Mike (Nexus, Punisher, Flash) Baron introduced me to the world of the powerpop underground in the late 90s. One of his strongest recommendations was an album by a band with the oddest name – Hindu Rodeo. This power trio (consisting of drummer Jimi Englund, guitarist Dirk Freymuth and singer-songwriter-bassist Joel Sayles) released a fabulous debut eponymous album in 1995, which is a buried treasure and a wonder to discover.

Imagine a band distilling all the best melodic edgy power pop influences (e.g. The Beatles, Todd Rungren, XTC, Jellyfish) to produce dynamic, fresh and knowing music that is mind expanding all at once! Well, indeed, with songs like the raga-referencing Hindu Rodeo, the gorgeous Everything’s Perfect, the rather clever Bells and Whistles, the reverent Fab Four tribute Chasing the Beatles and the groovy Retro Girl. An awesome obscure treasure!

Hindu Rodeo issued a long-overdue sophomore album in 2003 (without much fanfare, sadly) called Nalladaloobr. What struck me about Nalladaloobr was the indelibly sharp lyrical content that was consistent throughout. Sure, the music was edgy, melodic, smart and always passionate but as good as it is, I was truly blown away by the power of Joel’s words.

Acerbic to a fault, Joel zeroes in on the culture that unfolds in his everyday life and fires away, seldom missing and hitting home almost every time. In the raucous Strip Bar, Joel doesn’t hold back with describing the inherent sadness. The vibrant Dumb It Down expresses Joel’s own frustration with modern pop culture which concerns are echoed in McLifeTM where Joel decries the homogenization of modern living. And there’s more, from the sarcastic Radio Ready to the melancholy Band With My Dad, there’s no denying Joel’s insight and way with a phrase and with a dynamic soundtrack that evokes the likes of XTC, the Beatles, Jellyfish, Brian Wilson and Cheap Trick, the picture is virtually pop perfection!

Unfortunately, I understand that Hindu Rodeo is no more. So obscure that googling “Hindu Rodeo” will not get you very far. However, it appears that Nalladaloobr is available at CDBaby and the eponymous album from Amazon. Go for it!

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POWER POP!

When Power of Pop was first set up in 1998, my main concern was to promote the power pop genre and/or the Pop underground scene.

Power pop?

Yes, the term was originally coined by The Who’s Pete Townshend when asked to describe the band’s then new single – Pictures of Lily – to the NME.

“Power pop is what we play—what the Small Faces used to play, and the kind of pop the Beach Boys played in the days of ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ which I preferred.”

Typically, power pop involves power guitar chords (or jangling ones), infectious melodies, multitude of vocal harmonies and a pummeling rhythm section. The early 60s pioneers – beside the above mentioned bands – include The Beatles, The Kinks, The Byrds, the Hollies, the Monkees and the Zombies.

By the 70s, the genre had solidified somewhat and stuck to bands like Big Star, Raspberries, Badfinger, Cheap Trick and The Knack. The 80s saw a softening of the appeal of pure power pop as many of the post-punk/new wave generation (like Elvis Costello, The Cars, Squeeze, Blondie, Marshall Cranshaw, The Smithereens) had elements of power pop in their music but would not be treated exclusively as power pop bands.

The early 90s witnessed a pure power pop revival of sorts as bands like Jellyfish (above), The Grays, Greenberry Woods, Material Issue, Redd Kross, Matthew Sweet, the Posies and Wanderlust released major label albums.

The revival petered out somewhat by the mid-90s (due largely to the grunge movement) but had gained enough momentum to spawn an underground of power pop bands/artists, often referred to as the “pop underground”, with labels such as Not Lame Records, Big Deal Records, Jam Records at the forefront.

So, this new feature – Living in the Past – will go back to the roots of Power of Pop to highlight “lost” “power pop” songs/albums/bands of the past for the music loving generation of 2010. Hope you’ll come along for the ride… whilst it lasts…

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WEEZER Hurley (Epitaph)

On the 1st single released from Weezer’s new album Hurley, Rivers Cuomo sings, “Memories make me want to go back there”. Considering that Weezer fans (and ex-fans) constantly harp on the band’s past glories, this is perhaps the ultimate irony. Fact is, with Hurley, Weezer embarks on a new chapter in their careers – for the first time, the band have released an album on an indie label, in this case Epitaph (well, okay, a major indie, but an indie nonetheless).

Perhaps that accounts for the album title and cover, which references the LOST character Hugo Reyes (played by Jorge Garcia). In addition, “Hurley” it seems is the name of a clothing brand in the USA which Weezer now endorses in exchange of mucho moolah. See below.

Not very punk rock is it? Hurm.

Frankly, I don’t give a damn about these commercial arrangements – there’s only one thing that matters to me (and to you, dear reader) – the music.

On that count, I’m glad to report that Hurley – whilst not touching the heights of early Weezer magic – is still head above the shoulders of recent lackluster LPs. There are sing-a-long melodies galore and snarky emo lyrics to keep Weezer fans (and ex-fans) satisfied for the next couple of weeks at least, which is really saying a lot!

Highlights – the power poppy Cars-evoking Ruling Me, the ghostly self-deprecating Trainwrecks, the emotionally charged Cobain-referencing Unspoken, the bizarre comedic Where’s My Sex?, the epic Spectoresque Hang On and the maudlin, Kinks-ian Time Flies.

For the fans still waiting for Pinkerton part II, wake up! Everything you liked about Cuomo and company – sharp hooks, relevant words and geek attitude – will be discovered in abundance on Hurley. And for an EIGHTH studio album, is somewhat of a major achievement. Recommended!

Official Site

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PAUL COLLINS King of Power Pop! (Alive Naturalsound)

Well, that’s some claim isn’t it? But can Paul Collins back with up with the music?

Collins has cache in the power pop community, having being a part of The Nerves and The Beat (not to be confused with the English band of the same name), both legendary power pop outfits in the late 70s/early 80s. Since the 80s, Collins has been mainly involved in the power pop scene in Spain and has been a Spanish resident for some time now.

So what about King of Power Pop!? Well, by now, power pop is simply defined – bubblegum tunes, tight harmonies, crunching guitars, pummeling drums and reverent referencing of the Beatles, Beach Boys, the Byrds, The Who, The Kinks, Badfinger et al. The songs here all fit the formula, with the occasional “lapse” into country-rock territory now and then.

There is a deep sense of nostalgia on this album, particularly on Kings of Power Pop, where Collins sings about what it felt to be playing in the Nerves/the Beat in those heady days - ”A couple of boys picked up their guitars/they couldn’t really play so they started writing songs”. Rather wistful, I must say.

The rest of the album doesn’t stray far off and this makes perfect sense as obviously it’s targeting one specific audience – power pop lovers! And if you like melodic guitar pop simple and direct, then you’ll enjoy Paul Collins’ King of Power Pop.

Official Site | Myspace

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This piece of delicious news came in the mail –

The Posies announce their U.S. Fall 2010 tour with co-headliner Brendan Benson and opening act Aqueduct, in support of their upcoming album BLOOD/CANDY on Ryko. Kicking off in Milwaukee on November 5th and wrapping up in their hometown of Seattle on December 11th, the tour spans over 20 major U.S. cities and immediately follows their European tour which begins September 28, the same day BLOOD/CANDY will be available nationwide.

The Posies’ founders, Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, will also join Brendan Benson’s set contributing bass, guitar, keyboards and backing vocals.  Both Jon and Ken have a remarkable knack for interchanging their musical roles and are active members with other bands. They have lent their production and musical contributions to a myriad of artists including R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Big Star, the Minus 5, Bob Mould, Neil Young, the Disciplines, John Wesley Harding and William Shatner.

Prior to their full-fledged international tour, The Posies will perform the first live set of BLOOD/CANDY at their official album release show in New York City. Once fans were notified about the event, all the seats were sold within two hours.  The sold-out gig will be held at The Rock Shop in Brooklyn on September 23rd.

BLOOD/CANDY is the band’s first album in five years and a testament to the band’s evolving sound, boasting melodic hooks, provocative lyrics and intricate layers of instrumentation that blend far-out, spacey sounds with sophisticated hues.  Spin.com calls BLOOD/CANDY a “nuanced, playful romp” with an “adventurous attitude,” and The Huffington Post states “depending on how you want to hear it, it’s a brilliant return to form or a daring move forward.” The band produced most of the album and teamed up with artists from Broken Social Scene, The Stranglers and Letters To Cleo for a variety of guest collaborations.

Tour schedule is posted below and was exclusively announced on Brooklyn Vegan. More dates will be announced shortly, please visit www.theposies.net and www.myspace.com/theposies for most up-to-date schedule.

THE POSIES TOUR DATES

Blood/Candy NYC Album Release Show

Sept. 23 Thu @ Rock Shop, Brooklyn, NY

2010 U.S. Tour Dates w/ Brendan Benson

Nov. 5 Fri. @ Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

Nov. 6 Sat. @ Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL

Nov. 7, Sun @ Southgate House, Newport, KY

Nov. 9 Tues. @ The Majestic Theatre, Detroit, MI

Nov. 10 Wed.@ Outland Live, Columbus, OH

Nov. 11 Thu. @ Mr. Small’s Theatre, Millvale, PA

Nov. 12 Fri. @ Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY

Nov. 13 Sat. @ The Highline Ballroom, New York, NY

Nov. 14 Sun. @ The Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia, PA

Nov. 16 Tues. @ Royale, Boston, MA

Nov. 17 Wed. @ 9:30 Club, Washington, DC

Nov. 18 Thu. @ Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC

Nov. 19 Fri. @ Exit/In, Nashville, TN

Nov. 20 Sat @ The Loft, Atlanta, GA

Nov. 21 Sun. @ Minglewood Hall, Memphis, TN

Nov. 24 Wed. @ Granada Theater, Dallas, TX (No Brendan Benson)

Nov. 26 Fri. @ La Zona Rosa, Austin, TX

Nov. 27 Sat. @ The Argentum, Houston, TX

Dec. 1 Wed. @ Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO

Dec. 3 Fri. @ Club Nokia @ LA Live, Los Angeles, CA

Dec. 5 Sun. @ The Independent, San Francisco, CA

Dec. 8 Wed. @ Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR

Dec. 11 Sat. @ Showbox at the Market, Seattle, WA

Read what PoP thought about BLOOD/CANDY.

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THE 88 Self-titled (88/Rocket Science)

As the years progress, I find it more difficult to properly describe the music of a band that has its roots in the 60s or 70s. Nowadays, the youngsters don’t even seem to recognize bands from the 90s never mind 20/30 years before. Which is a bit of a problem with LA power pop quartet The 88 as the band is quite obviously heavily in debt to the seminal works of the Kinks. Not surprising as the 88 has been participating recently in worldwide tours as both opening and backing band for Ray Davies of The Kinks!

So for you kiddies out there, similar bands (you might know and recognize) would include the likes of Jet, the Strokes, the Hives and The Vines although I would say that the 88 adopt a more classicist style than the aforementioned outfits. Also, the 88s reverence of the Kinks extends from their early garage-fuelled material to the country-inflected songs of Muswell Hillbillies (in the 70s). Not that I’m suggesting that the 88 are purely derivative but astute listeners will know where the inspiration comes from.

Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Keith Slettedahl, pianist Adam Merrin, bassist Todd O’Keefe, and drummer Anthony Zimmitti, the 88′s eponymous fourth album is chock full of infectious melodies and irresistible rhythms where songs like the muscular Closer to the Sun, the Knack-channeling They Ought To See You Now, the Elvis Costello-esque country balladic As Far As I Can See, the psychedelic stomping Hold On and the rustic Acoustic Takes It Away, recommend itself highly to lovers of classic pop-rock.

The 88 (the album) will be available exclusively through iTunes for two weeks starting September 14th. The record will be available at retail and through all digital outlets starting September 28th.

Official Site | Myspace

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The Posies premiere their first song Licenses To Hide off the anticipated CD Blood/Candy (Out Sept 28th) with Ryko. The single, featuring angelic guest vocals from Lisa Lobsinger (lead singer of Reverie Sound Revue and vocalist of Broken Social Scene). Read the PoP review of Blood/Candy here.

Listen

Official Site | Myspace

Buy Blood/Candy

THE POSIES Blood/Candy (Rykodisc)

In the press release accompanying the Posies’ seventh album, Blood/Candy, Jon Auer opines – “with Blood/Candy, we definitely sound like us, but some of these songs are completely from an alternate Posies universe. We subscribe to the “evolve or perish” philosophy. We directed ourselves to new places with this recording and tried not to travel down familiar paths when it could be avoided. Expect the unexpected.”

And… that perfectly sums up Blood/Candy for me really. Sure, it’s easy to describe the Posies as power pop legends (which they are) but the band is so much more. Having “officially” split in 1998 after flirting with the mainstream with mid-90s albums – Dear 23, Frosting on the Beater and Amazing Disgrace – the Posies returned with a big bang as 2005′s Every Kind of Light demonstrated how vibrant and rich the songwriting partnership of founders Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow continue to be.

Labels do not apply to the Posies and pigeon-holing their music is really pointless. Suffice to say that they play guitar pop-rock but when it comes to the songwriting, all bets are off!

So, the band can delve into West Coast sunshine pop (with The Glitter Prize), Jellyfish-channeling music hall jaunts (Licenses to Hide), breezy 80s college folk-rock (So Caroline), slinky Beatlesque sophistication (Cleopatra Street), classic rock piano balladry (For the Ashes) without so much as batting an eyelid. The transitions are seamless as the band explores somewhat newer territory.

Thus, whilst fans will continue to discern the usual 60s/70s influences of the Beatles, the Hollies and Big Star in the Posies’ approach – the band has extended its musical reach further to include jazz and atonal elements into the mix. In this way, Blood/Candy is able to surprise even the most diehard of Posies fan from song and song and within a song in a totally satisfying manner.

if you consider yourself a serious music lover, then Blood/Candy is simply indispensable. Blood/Candy will be released on 28th September by Rykodisc.

NB. Singapore music lovers have a special relationship with the Posies. The band headlined the Baybeats Festival in 2006 and Ken Stringfellow performed at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre earlier this year, whilst Jon Auer plays at Baybeats 2010, later this month. An aperitif for the power and glory to come with Blood/Candy.

Official Site | Myspace

JODY PORTER Close to the Sun (Engine Room)

Fountains of Wayne guitarist Jody Porter steps out of the comfort zone with this excellent debut solo album. Retaining all the hooks of his parent band, Porter’s debut is I guess a little more rockier but never once sacrificing an iota of melodic appeal.

I’m really digging the psychedelic touches in songs like Starscraper, To the Moon, You’re Not Alone and Hide in the Light where Porter’s Pink Floyd influences (and deftness with guitars) shines through. Elsewhere, Porter puts the POP firmly into pop-rock with an astute command of the classic form with Beautiful Life, Aurora, the Kids Get Higher and Cars on the Motorway as echoes of the Kinks, the Who and the Rolling Stones drive the tunes nicely along.

In between, there’s enough space for Porter to throw in some country-folk-rock (The Little Things), jazz-pop (In Between Time) and straightforward pop (Night for Days). A complete pop-rock album in the classicist sense!

Originally released in Japan, the US issue of Close to the Sun comes with two bonus tracks viz. the retro-rockin’ Twilight and the 60s pop-channeling Good To Be Alone.

So, yes, this is the kind of power pop album that Power of Pop was originally set up to champion and I’m glad to give Close to the Sun the highest recommendation! “Life is good…”

Official Site | Myspace

Buy at Amazon

The Futurists represents the musical meanderings and lyrical musings of Paul Housden who is also the singer and guitarist in Foxx on Fire. A debut album will be released soon, featuring the Adrian Whitehead on keyboards, the Terepai Richmond on drums and the Jak Housden on guitar and production. There will be an album launch with hot dogs, balloons… the whole schmear!

Listen: The Futurists – She’s The One

ROONEY Eureka (Califonia Dreamin’)

Is powerpop making a big return in 2010? The last time power pop impacted the public consciousness was in the 90s when bands like Weezer, Superdrag, Fountains of Wayne and Sloan had hits in the Billboard Charts. In the 00s, power pop went seriously under the radar although bands like Phantom Planet and Rooney kept the US power pop flag flying.

NB. I don’t include the likes of Plain White Ts or All-American Rejects into the powerpop equation as the word “emo” crops up too much in association. Whatever…

With the critical acclaim that the retro-leanings of Free Energy is getting now, it seems appropriate for Rooney to release their new album, Eureka, which I believe is their finest yet, brimming over with catchy melodies, sophisticated arrangements and hooks galore.

Eureka certainly lives up to its name and to its obvious influences – the Beatles, the Beach Boys, ELO and Raspberries – and as an album stands up to closer scrutiny. Individually, the songs explore the diverse spectrum of the classic pop-rock of the 60s-70s milieu – crunching guitars, moody pianos, lush orchestration, sweet harmonies and crucially, hummable tunes.

Highlights for me include the dynamic All Or Nothing, the breezy Holdin’ On, the (blue-eyed) soulful I Can’t Get Enough, the jaunty (John Barry channeling) Only Friend and the frenetic Hunch. But seriously folks, this album is a keeper and for fans of driving, smart, melodic pop, a sheer pleasure to have and hold.

Check out a “behind the scenes” video of I Can’t Get Enough over at MTV.

Eureka will be released on 8th June.

Official Site

Myspace

THE NINES Grand Jukle’s Field (T.A.S. Gold Recordings)

Powerpop fans know that they’re safe with The Nines.

By and large, The Nines have a fixed agenda – basically channel the likes of Paul McCartney and XTC into gloriously tuneful pop nuggets that are bright and shiny without a cloud on the horizon.

As a general statement, that assessment is accurate also of Grand Jukle’s Field the latest offering from the Nines.

However, there are a few notable exceptions here that keeps the listener somewhat on his, her or its toes.

Take “I Am Lost” for instance – is this a long-lost outtake from the Bee Gees’ Main Course album? It just might be with its pseudo-disco beat and its breathy harmonious chorus. Whatever, I like it!

Or what about the opening Insanity (The Sanest Thing You’ve Got), with its obvious nods to ELO? Perhaps, that is down to the contribution of Bleu – whose Jeff Lynne-isms are well documented.

But its the McCartneyesque wonders that fans will be looking out for. And there’s none better out there than the magnificent “Dance Just For Me” – which would be a massive mainstream hit, in a kinder, gentler world.

For those classic pop-rock fans who lament that they no longer make them like they used to, well, the Nines is proof positive that there are folks who still DO!

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