I think of power-pop as existing only in a non-pop scene and not the radio. The most hook-driven thing in the indie club: Sloan, etc.
― ... (Eazy)
Big Star?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 19 November 2017 17:15 (six years ago) link
those first two Possum Dixon albums were very good
I like the third one, too.
― geoffreyess, Sunday, 19 November 2017 18:04 (six years ago) link
Hey Jealousy is a melancholy power pop song. None of the other suggestions are melancholy power pop songs.
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Sunday, 19 November 2017 18:35 (six years ago) link
possum dixon is such a good example of wrong place/wrong time. they would have been way more popular in the mid eighties, when the post-punk was h o t. (though there's also something kinda nineties about 'em too i guess)
― hackshaw, Sunday, 19 November 2017 19:13 (six years ago) link
lovefool is better than "hey jealousy" and all other songs
― you are juror number 144 and we will excuse you (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 19 November 2017 20:11 (six years ago) link
i still do not think "hey jealousy" is as good as "found out about you" which like... could be the best song of the nineties. there's this coda between the guitar playing and those highly depressing, damaged-romantic lyrics by doug hopkins that you can't help but pay attention too. the way those jangly chords kinda fade-in and out like a bad dream. it's very mysterious sounding even if it's a top billboard alt hit or whatever.
― hackshaw, Sunday, 19 November 2017 20:27 (six years ago) link
the video of them in the dark with the lead singer guy wearing a turtle-neck and moping around kinda furthers that vibe
― hackshaw, Sunday, 19 November 2017 20:35 (six years ago) link
the reason these songs (hey jealousy and found out about you) are so good is because they were written by the dude who got kicked out of the band and killed himself.
― akm, Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:07 (six years ago) link
Lovefool is awesome! But not a rock song?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:10 (six years ago) link
(which was to say: I don't think anyone else in the band is/was as talented a songwriter as him and it's telling that their best songs were written by this alcoholic depresso who they kind of fucked over though I'm sure working with him was next to impossible)
― akm, Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:11 (six years ago) link
didn't they force him to hand over the rights to his songs just before he killed himself?
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:15 (six years ago) link
oh yeah. even besides the mythology of him kiling himself, there is most definitely some great songwriting talent there. all of the lyrics are very biting and personal and it has an effect on you when you listen. even way afterwards, when he was kicked out and just living in arizona or whatever, it seemed like they were sorta... trying to write songs in his vein? because they were a popular nineties machine band and trying to be rock stars and stuff. it's a pretty deep story.
like... the most i hear about this band in this current decade is when they appear on the train guys podcast and i think one of the members said "we want to reach the commercial popularity of nickelback" or something in an interview. they dug their own grave.
― hackshaw, Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:20 (six years ago) link
from the "dusted" album and the live videos you could see they could have been a good post-replacements/r.e.m band and then just became victims of trying to be on the charts and making money. i definitely like some of their other songs way after that (til i hear it from you is dope) but idk these dudes made the wrong decisions and now they get compared to vertical horizon and shit.
― hackshaw, Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:28 (six years ago) link
You Gin Blossoms and power pop fans should check out the Goo Goo Dolls song (yes those Goo goo dolls) “Aint That Unusual”.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 19 November 2017 21:53 (six years ago) link
Don’t sleep on “Bittersweet Surrender”
― ... (Eazy), Sunday, 19 November 2017 22:01 (six years ago) link
GGD prior to and thru A Boy Named Goo is worthwhile
― fuck you, your hat is horrible (Neanderthal), Sunday, 19 November 2017 22:02 (six years ago) link
"Jealousy" by Natalie Merchant is better tbh. Both good songs tho.
― J. Sam, Sunday, 19 November 2017 22:42 (six years ago) link
If we're talking 90s songs w/ the word "jealousy" in the title
― J. Sam, Sunday, 19 November 2017 22:43 (six years ago) link
goos covered this tommy keene song too (which is excellent. sounds like some of the mats best stuff)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyNqQdtKZww
― hackshaw, Sunday, 19 November 2017 22:54 (six years ago) link
Hey jealousy (92 version) is not power popIf anything pj’s black (which i suggested above) is a “melancholic power pop song”
If anything pj’s black (which i suggested above) is a “melancholic power pop song”
what is this
― alpine static, Sunday, 19 November 2017 23:18 (six years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Monday, 20 November 2017 00:01 (six years ago) link
aphasia maybe? xp
― ur-oik (rip van wanko), Monday, 20 November 2017 00:05 (six years ago) link
xp it's the harmonies
― Larry Elleison (rogermexico.), Monday, 20 November 2017 00:06 (six years ago) link
Ya it’s funny i was just driving to get some food right now and played the 92 versionNormally i would be an asshole in situations like this but i can kind of see why people call it power popBut it’s notIt really is the vocal delivery as someone mentioned. I listened to black as comparison and his vocals are just a lot more powerful and without any harmoniesGonna have my pork burrito nowPeace homeboys
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Monday, 20 November 2017 00:45 (six years ago) link
can't tell if serious
― Larry Elleison (rogermexico.), Monday, 20 November 2017 00:56 (six years ago) link
Heard The Jayhawks' goddamn "Save It for a Rainy Day" and instead of throwing my shoe at the work Sonos speaker am posting here.
― ... (Eazy), Tuesday, 21 November 2017 16:11 (six years ago) link
Checking further, I guess it didn't come out until 2003 and so falls more under Americana, but it sure sounds like goddamn 90s Friends rock to me.
― ... (Eazy), Tuesday, 21 November 2017 16:13 (six years ago) link
It is in the 10 or 15 best '90s rock singles which is close enough.
― billstevejim, Sunday, 26 November 2017 22:31 (six years ago) link
smh at the number of not-that-great songs mentioned in this thread.
― billstevejim, Sunday, 26 November 2017 22:33 (six years ago) link
rip tommy keene
― geoffreyess, Monday, 27 November 2017 00:21 (six years ago) link
ACTUALLY
"Follow You Down" is the best rock song of the 90s.
― Shitpost in Opposition (King Boy Pato), Monday, 27 November 2017 10:56 (six years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/utzTCyo.png
― Big Pred aka (Noodle Vague), Monday, 27 November 2017 11:25 (six years ago) link
Earlier in the thread tho lol
xp Oh damn, but "Til I Hear It From You" was so fire.
I think I've now heard "Allison Road" at Walgreens, Marshalls and Whole Foods. I would guess it's G-Bloss's biggest spinner in retail stores.
― billstevejim, Monday, 27 November 2017 19:12 (six years ago) link
no
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Monday, 27 November 2017 19:40 (six years ago) link
allison road is a tom petty song with a gen x shrug
― hackshaw, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 02:04 (six years ago) link
There's real Byrds in that song.
― timellison, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 02:26 (six years ago) link
^ yes totally. also this performance is good as fuck, can't deny it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIW5VLy4vZM
― hackshaw, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 02:43 (six years ago) link
Do we have a Spotify playlist of these?
― calstars, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 02:45 (six years ago) link
The lyrics originally contained the line "you can trust me not to drink", referring to Hopkins' addiction, but this was changed by the band.
Whoa, weird. I always heard it as "drink" but I hear now that he actually sings "think" in that line. The original version, and my original hearing, is much better imo.
Tbh, "Found Out About You" is the one I remember hearing in the 90s
― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 03:03 (six years ago) link
"Til I Hear It From You" gave me serious 4th grade love pangs along with "lovefool" in 96. Think I somehow didn't know that all of these similar sounding hits were from the same band until this thread.
― crocus bulbotuber (Sufjan Grafton), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 05:36 (six years ago) link
True they go more for McGuinn than Westerberg on "Allison Road." I hear only Byrds on "Found Out About You."
Fully supporting multiple mentions of "Lovefool" itt.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:25 (six years ago) link
I saw the Gin Blossoms live a few times before they blew up--I lived in AZ and they would sometimes open shows or play on bills with Tucson's Sidewinders (later Sand Rubies) Both of those bands were 2nd generation "Desert Rock" groups, a genre that was maybe only written about by local critics, and seemed to mean jangle guitar music with some Crazy Horse soloing. I think they were playing "Hey Jealousy" for years before it became a hit.
― President Keyes, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:30 (six years ago) link
^ why i ever come to ilx
― i n f i n i t y (∞), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:35 (six years ago) link
Are there non-single fan favorites? I've given their full lengths a fair shot 2-3x but it seems like their 6 most popular songs are their best stuff by far.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:44 (six years ago) link
"Mrs. Rita" is the best non-single track tbrr.
Playing in a band that does 90s covers, I would say that this song and Sublime's "What I Got" are easily the two most-requested songs we get.
― Monster fatberg (Phil D.), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:57 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YCWabygmTg
― Monster fatberg (Phil D.), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 16:58 (six years ago) link
― Monster fatberg (Phil D.), Tuesday, November 28, 2017
yep that's the one.
fwiw "hey jealousy" seems pretty fun to cover. i'd rather be forced to sing "takin' care of business" again than "what i got"
― Larry Elleison (rogermexico.), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 17:25 (six years ago) link
I honestly had no idea that people liked the GB. This is a very weird thread for me.
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Tuesday, 28 November 2017 17:27 (six years ago) link
Like I said, I know 6 songs. But I'll admit feeling invested in 2 or 3 of them.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 18:15 (six years ago) link
feel like the cultural shelf life of those 6 gb songs is pretty impressive, given that the band was never really that huge at their peak.
― intheblanks, Tuesday, 28 November 2017 18:23 (six years ago) link