Aww man, "Whippings and Apologies" by Sparks as well, totally righteous.
― grandavis, Friday, 23 April 2010 20:46 (fourteen years ago) link
putting this here for future generations:
this video by THE COLORS never fails to make me happy (1980 power pop stuff if you ain't never heard them)
― scott seward, Friday, 23 April 2010 20:51 (fourteen years ago) link
the stiv bators album is terrible/great.
― Philip Nunez, Friday, 23 April 2010 20:58 (fourteen years ago) link
need more 80s power pop:
Scruffy the Cat - My Baby, She's AlrightLet's Active - Every Word Means NoThe Bongos - Bulrushes
― that's not my post, Saturday, 24 April 2010 06:43 (fourteen years ago) link
The fucking Toms record is rocking my shit right now.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 19 January 2011 03:56 (thirteen years ago) link
There was a cool book that came out a couple of years ago, "The Ultimate Power Pop Guide" which selected the 200 best power pop albums of all-time. If you google that name you'll find some industrious fellow took one song from each album and put together a series of compilations. Quite nifty! 200 power pop songs in a row is a bit much for me, though.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 19 January 2011 04:14 (thirteen years ago) link
The Modernettes -- Little Girls
― Chonus, Wednesday, 19 January 2011 18:54 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi0uz8JD9Aw
― call all destroyer, Friday, 21 January 2011 01:07 (thirteen years ago) link
Elastica - Blue is one of my current obsessions.
― Davek (davek_00), Friday, 21 January 2011 01:10 (thirteen years ago) link
Two drunk dudes were walking round the pub singing "Airport" by the Motors the other day.
― Bernard V. O'Hare (dog latin), Friday, 21 January 2011 11:22 (thirteen years ago) link
Brendan Benson's "Tiny Spark" is a nugget-sized wrecking ball. Don't like anything else I've heard by him, but must have played "Tiny Spark" 1000 times in the past 3-4 years. That'd be on my alltime PP comp.
― we can only flee in abject horror from yesterday's mistakes (staggerlee), Saturday, 22 January 2011 02:04 (thirteen years ago) link
Brendan Benson's "Tiny Spark" is a nugget-sized wrecking ball. Don't like anything else I've heard by him, but must have played "Tiny Spark" 1000 times in the past 3-4 years. That'd be on my alltime PP comp. --we can only flee in abject horror from yesterday's mistakes (staggerlee)
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 22 January 2011 16:29 (thirteen years ago) link
200 power pop songs in a row is a bit much for me, though.
Heresy!
― skip, Saturday, 22 January 2011 16:40 (thirteen years ago) link
― clemenza, Saturday, 22 January 2011 16:43 (thirteen years ago) link
I picked up the MFSL of Marshall Crenshaw's self titled album and listened to that and Field Day a few times over the last week. Both albums left me kind of cold in the past and still do. "Too polished" are not the right words but something like that -- the guitar fills that are a little too canned, choruses that are a little bland. A band like the Rubinoos made some real clunkers but there's more heart in their music. Maybe it's his voice--I really liked Jaggedland, his 2009 album, where he sounds grizzled and older. That said "Whenever You're on My Mind" is pretty much perfect and "Cynical Girl" gets close.
MFSL is not really worth picking up but the bass is a little more pronounced.
― skip, Saturday, 22 January 2011 19:33 (thirteen years ago) link
http://open.spotify.com/user/jseraf/playlist/5TRkdCojkl2JpclHE949Mi
― john. a resident of chicago., Friday, 14 October 2011 03:30 (twelve years ago) link
In the vein of The Toms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg1m0T9hwRI
― ███★★★███ (PappaWheelie V), Friday, 14 October 2011 03:35 (twelve years ago) link
If you want Power Pop, you have to check out the excellent Elaine MacKenzie album by Green, crammed with yearning & screaming PowerPopSongs. Follow-up White Soul is excellent as well. If I would have to pick one song to include on your comp, it'd be "Don't Ever Fall In Love With Someone, As Long As You Love Someone Else".― willem (willem), Friday, December 5, 2003 3:56 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark
― willem (willem), Friday, December 5, 2003 3:56 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNrWZBzP6_I&feature=related
― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Friday, 14 October 2011 03:42 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia0uL2vK4dY&feature=related
― per metal injection (Eazy), Friday, 14 October 2011 03:59 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEjutUbgpH8
― frogbs, Friday, 14 October 2011 03:59 (twelve years ago) link
No Tommy Keene mentioned yet? I'd go with Underworld, but the guy has literally dozens of (should be) classic songs.
― jer.fairall, Friday, 14 October 2011 04:20 (twelve years ago) link
"Places That Are Gone" is mixtape gold.
Monroes have amazing hair.
Re: that Mark & the Spies track ... I get what you are saying with the Toms comparison, but IMO that's a lame track, and not alone of late in its old-guy Beatles-ness. I would even put someone like Mike Viola in this category despite his arranging strengths (see this spotify playlist for a lot more http://open.spotify.com/user/roshjosenblum/playlist/62NZXrvkr91d8Ngl0jHfbD ). Too high fidelity? Something that pretty could use some grunge and hiss. Too far removed from the Beatles to know the difference between homage and inspiration? Or maybe it's just songwriting. The chord progressions in the verse and chorus are not only cheesy (forgivable) but boring (not forgivable). The reason hi-fi, poppy tracks by someone like Matthew Sweet tend to work and have replay value is that there is always something at least temporarily ugly and off. e.g. "I've Been Waiting" - there are dissonances everywhere. Of course they eventually resolve, but it's not like it's resonant major chord after chord. "Sick of Myself" is a pretty pat track but the guitar work is good and the lyrics add interest. Those guys should learn from the Toms and do some variations on "Sun" until they learn that dissonance is not necessarily a bad thing.
― skip, Friday, 14 October 2011 17:00 (twelve years ago) link
is this the thread where i mention some of the best power pop songs are probably hard salsa songs
― fauxmarc, Wednesday, 19 October 2011 23:37 (twelve years ago) link
NRBQ - "I Want You Bad", "Ridin' In My Car"Teenage Fanclub - "Star Sign"Nazz - "Forget All About It"Del Amitri - "Roll To Me"Nils Lofgren & Grin - "White Lies"Lemonheads - "Into Your Arms"Hollies - "Look Through Any Window"The Who - "The Kids Are Alright"Marshall Crenshaw - "Our Town"
And since virtually all power pop traces its roots back to the first two Byrds albums, I must mention "All I Really Want To Do", "Feel A Whole Lot Better", and "The World Turns All Around Her".
― Everything else is secondary (Lee626), Thursday, 20 October 2011 05:33 (twelve years ago) link
I'd probably go with "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" for Marshall Crenshaw. Amazing that, to my knowledge, he's only recorded that demo-y sounding take on it.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 21 October 2011 01:47 (twelve years ago) link
probably something by The Pillows
― billstevejim, Saturday, 22 October 2011 00:31 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNcy1RHDHhE
― billstevejim, Saturday, 22 October 2011 00:32 (twelve years ago) link
― Daniel, Esq., Saturday, 22 October 2011 00:55 (twelve years ago) link
Great song I found on a compilation a few years ago--someone's put it up on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT7WNJmqn1Q
― clemenza, Wednesday, 27 November 2013 00:45 (ten years ago) link
I wish she'd open her eyes.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 27 November 2013 00:46 (ten years ago) link
"Ah! Leah!" by Donnie Iris.
― Doctor Flange, Thursday, 28 November 2013 00:44 (ten years ago) link
Here's a real good one from the 90s. The band is Myracle Brah, the song is called Good Day To The Night. It's not on youtube but you can here a sample below. If you like power pop, it will be worth the 15 seconds.
http://www.pandora.com/myracle-brah/super-automatic/good-day-to-night
― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 28 November 2013 01:01 (ten years ago) link
Another great one that should have been a hit. The Wake Ups, Nobody Slows. This isn't on youtube either but you can get a feel for it here. So so great.
http://www.amazon.com/Nobody-Slows/dp/B0015ELT3M
― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 28 November 2013 01:03 (ten years ago) link
Can't find the Wake Ups, but that seems to be a Scruffs cover (or maybe vice versa).
― clemenza, Thursday, 28 November 2013 01:39 (ten years ago) link
Same band. Their real name is the Wake Ups but for some reason they were called The Scruffs, but not the Memphis power pop Scruffs of the 70s
― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 28 November 2013 05:40 (ten years ago) link
Interesting...strange that they'd risk comparisons. I'm not that big on their song, but I love "Good Day to the Night." Will have to get hold of the whole album.
― clemenza, Thursday, 28 November 2013 14:01 (ten years ago) link
teenage fanclub - alcoholiday
― it's the distortion, stupid! (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 28 November 2013 14:32 (ten years ago) link
This is especially good in the context of the album but one of my '90s favorites - Cotton Mather's Password:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsE1AM5-KHI
― skip, Monday, 2 December 2013 16:44 (ten years ago) link
I love "Good Day to the Night." Will have to get hold of the whole album.
The album is called Life On Planet Eartsnop. Well worth searching out.
― kornrulez6969, Monday, 2 December 2013 19:19 (ten years ago) link
It occurred to me that this song really belongs on here. A lost classic, in my opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bDDAOJV1xU
― Poliopolice, Monday, 6 January 2014 05:48 (ten years ago) link
Artful Dodger - most people would say "Wayside" but "Think Think" or "Honor Among Thieves" are even better IMO.Dwight Twilley - "You Were So Warm"
― Sandy, Monday, 6 January 2014 09:01 (ten years ago) link
Modern power pop that I think is really great: Title Tracks from Washington D.C.... The chorus on this one just blows up (ca. 1m 45s)!!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1J9AFDstKI
― Walter Galt, Monday, 6 January 2014 12:23 (ten years ago) link
there should be a poll!!
entire Slow Wonder album by ac newman is great, first song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO4OY_pKKVc
― niels, Monday, 6 January 2014 16:32 (ten years ago) link
I know very little about this band except this has been one of my favorite songs for the last two years. I'm pretty sure it belongs in this thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDk4INQoIcI
― purrington, Monday, 13 January 2014 06:02 (ten years ago) link
"The Laws Have Changed" by New Pornographers
― intimately bellowing (staggerlee), Monday, 13 January 2014 15:52 (ten years ago) link
I downloaded a compilation series a few years ago out of Australia, The Bam Balam Explosion--seven volumes, 22-24 songs each. I burned Vol. 1 last year, and didn't burn anything more; most of it was the kind of power-pop I don't care for (designated by Chuck Eddy as "crunchy" on one of these power-pop threads). Finally got around to burning the second volume, and even though it's more of the same, I like this a lot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXjkjFjXDfM
Could almost pass for mid-'60s Who, or at least the vocal could, one of the most Daltrey-like I've ever heard.
― clemenza, Thursday, 20 November 2014 01:36 (nine years ago) link
Will always be "Tonight" by the Raspberries
― dog people (rip van wanko), Thursday, 20 November 2014 01:41 (nine years ago) link
Pshaw. The best power pop song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbVdrnRm4R4
― augh (Control Z), Thursday, 20 November 2014 02:06 (nine years ago) link
"Shakin' Street"'s great--was just reading Greil Marcus' review of Back in the USA not 30 minutes ago (just posted yesterday):
http://greilmarcus.net/2014/11/18/mc5-back-in-the-usa-051470/
― clemenza, Thursday, 20 November 2014 02:17 (nine years ago) link
On the "Nuggets" end of the power pop spectrum, we present: The Grip Weeds - "Astral Man"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGNjoEfKvbg
One more: "Love's Lost on You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0utX0_i-ndA
― Hideous Lump, Thursday, 20 November 2014 05:10 (nine years ago) link