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
The greatest power-pop album ever in the history of everything has just been reissued on vinyl:http://www.lionproductions.org/pages/GREENLP.html
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 20 November 2014 14:57 (nine years ago) link
How about some Japanese power pop? Puffy AmiYumi - "Planet Tokyo". The whole album "Nice" is worth a listen for anyone into '70s/'80s rock pastiche (all of us). http://open.spotify.com/track/3c8QlMUMpzNjMOZnfoImjx
― skip, Wednesday, 10 December 2014 15:49 (nine years ago) link
Having said Radio City is mostly not even remotely power pop, leading to a small chorus of hoots, I feel compelled to say what exactly power pop would be if not that! And yes, September Gurls strikes me as fitting. But songs with a lot of chugging weird rhythmic moves, screwy extra sounds, and audible pain - this describes the bulk of Radio City - don't seem to show up much in the later canon of songs people refer to as power pop.
If power pop means anything other than just a catchy form of "rock" then it should indicate super catchiness, uptempo excitement, a kind of smiling thing going on (that could be messed over by the actual lyrical content: BETTER!), not too many different parts in the same song (i.e. no, seriously, people listing Big Star's far-superior-trippy-bummer-to-roger-waters-era-pink-floyd "Daisy Glaze" as power pop: you wouldn't even call this masterpiece power pop if it were done by any other band).
People start power pop off with Beatles & Kinks & Who & Troggs which is almost cheating! Isn't that just "rock"? Nevertheless, "So Sad About Us" & "With a Girl Like You" do cross over into that super-catchy but still rocking-zone which I'm figuring is the hallmark. personally, I'd say some serious 60s/early 70s power pop examples are:
Beach Boys - Darlin Grass Roots - Temptation EyesBoyce & Hart - I wonder what she's doing tonightBobby Fuller Four - I Fought the Law & The Law WonNazz - Open My Eyes (this one allegedly an example of 60s punk via nuggets inclusion)Crabby Appleton - Go BackBadfinger - No Matter What (if this ain't power pop the genre doesn't exist)
An obvious question --- well, obvious as soon as I ask it --- is the relationship between power pop and bubblegum. I'd say you can't stick a pubic hair between them in some cases: Yummy Yummy by the Ohio Express isn't just pop, and it isn't just powerful, it's the most obvious template for "Holidays in the Sun"
Another obvious question --- why isn't any black music called power pop? (was everything Christgau said about Trouser Press true?) If there is any black power pop then let me nominate "Apple Peaches Pumpkin Pie" by Jay & The Techniques (any excuse to praise that record!!) and "Fun" by Sly & The Family Stone (road-tested with a battalion of power pop fans who loved it). Just for starters, mind you.
There's plenty more lame genre arguments I can troll here but let me get into safer territory now: some examples of great power pop from the 'recognized power pop era' that I shouldn't get many arguments about, at least if you go and listen to them:
Sniff'n the Tears - Driver's SeatUndertones - HypnotizedUndertones - His Good Looking Girlfriend (2 undertones songs out of many candidates)Buzzcocks - Everybody's Happy NowadaysMonochrome Set - Martians Go HomeAltered Images - Funny Funny MeThe Adverts - Safety in Numbers (allegedly punk I know but Adverts is pretty pop & good for them)The Vibrators - Baby Baby (ditto)Shonen Knife - Bear Up Bison (Pretty Little Baka Guy version is more pop & less punk)
― Vic Perry, Friday, 12 December 2014 00:15 (nine years ago) link
This is the best power pop song of all time:
DWIGHT TWILLEY - LOOKING FOR DA MAGICZ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xq0ykm_SrM
― Moka, Friday, 12 December 2014 00:25 (nine years ago) link
And this the second best:
CIRRUS EDDY - GET DA MSG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Dtg295wVk
― Moka, Friday, 12 December 2014 00:26 (nine years ago) link
This is a storming piece of power pop imo, but might have flown under lots of people's radars through being on a metal album (warning: most pop thing on the record, which is 'only' a great sludge album elsewhere).
http://youtu.be/s7uokNi7qEw
― the bowels are not what they seem (aldo), Friday, 12 December 2014 10:25 (nine years ago) link
The entire Adam Schmitt - World So Bright album is amazing. His second record is worth checking out too although it's a little darker/more disjointed.
― DavidLeeRoth, Friday, 12 December 2014 13:21 (nine years ago) link
weird why did it take me so long to hear about Emitt Rhodes?
reminds me a lot of the s/t Flame album
― Οὖτις, Friday, 12 December 2014 17:32 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_YWc0RszxU
― Moka, Saturday, 13 December 2014 21:17 (nine years ago) link
I don't care for them, but when I think of power pop I think of FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE
― brimstead, Saturday, 13 December 2014 21:20 (nine years ago) link
And why have XTC not been mentioned yet. This is one of the highlights for me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P1o3YRYBmY
― Moka, Saturday, 13 December 2014 22:07 (nine years ago) link
No Game Theory or Loud Family? Ok then: "Nine Lives to Rigel Five," "24," "Erica's Word," "We Love You Carol and Alison," "Inverness," "Motion of Ariel."
― mike a, Thursday, 18 December 2014 16:03 (nine years ago) link
LOVE the first Loud Family album. I'll add Take Me Down To Haloo to your list.
― kornrulez6969, Thursday, 18 December 2014 16:11 (nine years ago) link
We're also missing some of the most popular songs that flirt with the genre:
PILOT - MAGIC
THE ROMANTICS - WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU
THE RUBINOOS - I WANNA BE YOUR BOYFRIEND
THE CARS - JUST WHAT I NEEDED
and I'm not if it qualifies but I see it dumped in several 'power pop' lists:
THE OUTFIELD - YOUR LOVE
― Moka, Thursday, 18 December 2014 18:27 (nine years ago) link
Pilot "Magic" might have been the first power pop song I fell in love with, unless "Little Willy" by Sweet and/or "Jet" by Paul McCartney count.
The Romantics one I go for is "Talking in Your Sleep"
― Vic Perry, Thursday, 18 December 2014 18:32 (nine years ago) link
The Sun Sawed in 1/2 were almost as good as Jellyfish (and very similar in style) for a couple albums. too bad they never really took off. one of my favorites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35-Na1Athas
― yusef latifah (unregistered), Saturday, 3 January 2015 02:00 (nine years ago) link
Chumped's "Something About Geography"--I count it, most wouldn't.
http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Something+About+Geography/7aJL92?src=5
― clemenza, Sunday, 4 January 2015 14:23 (nine years ago) link
Last weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la-ll0dttXM
― timellison, Wednesday, 29 July 2015 03:24 (eight years ago) link
Who else has been playing Power Pop lately?The Toms album is amazing.
― He said captain, I said wot (FlopsyDuck), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:24 (five years ago) link
"Tonight" by the RaspberriesThe whole Singles Going Steady disc"At Night" by Buffalo Tom
― rip van wanko, Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:33 (five years ago) link
"And Your Bird Can Sing" -- The Beatles"Dirty Water" -- The Standells"When My Baby's Beside Me" -- Big Star"Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" -- The Wedding Present"Echos Myron" -- Guided by Voices"I'm Always in Love" -- Wilco"The Bleeding Heart Show" -- The New Pornographers
― reggie (qualmsley), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:50 (five years ago) link
crazy that only 3 tracks by Cheap Trick are listed here! i mostly know the first two albums so these are all just from those records:
"ELO Kiddies""Taxman, Mr. Thief""He's a Whore""Big Eyes""Downed""I Want You To Want Me""Oh Caroline""Southern Girls"
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:08 (five years ago) link
"Downed" is probably my favorite
I want to live on a mountainway down in AustraliaIt's either that or suicideIt's such a strange strain on you
hearing this the first time unlocked some hidden level in my mind completing the gap between The Beatles and Nirvana
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:10 (five years ago) link
Wait a second, there's a list of great Cheap Trick songs from the first two records that omits Oh Candy? What the hell is going on?
― kornrulez6969, Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:33 (five years ago) link
help me list tropes of the genre. I'll start:
Jesussuperstition
― rip van wanko, Sunday, 8 July 2018 00:43 (five years ago) link
― Moka, viernes 12 de diciembre de 2014 0:25 (three years ago)
This is still my answer.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 8 July 2018 01:26 (five years ago) link
Link has died so new link
https://youtu.be/Voa_7sLL7dQ
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 8 July 2018 01:27 (five years ago) link
Ron Howard directed this made-for-TV film called Cotton Candy in 1978. That thing is the ultimate power pop movie!
― timellison, Sunday, 8 July 2018 03:18 (five years ago) link
This is the best power pop song of all time:DWIGHT TWILLEY - LOOKING FOR DA MAGICZ📹― Moka, viernes 12 de diciembre de 2014 0:25 (three years ago)This is still my answer.
― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 8 July 2018 03:48 (five years ago) link
Looking for the Magic is perfect. Adam the next two CT records are great too
― albvivertine, Sunday, 8 July 2018 05:37 (five years ago) link
On the Cheap Trick front, I saw Over the Edge for the first time tonight (in a theatre).
― clemenza, Sunday, 8 July 2018 05:56 (five years ago) link
the next two CT records are great too
i've ordered Heaven Tonight and Dream Police both VG+ used vinyl for under $10
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 18 July 2018 19:24 (five years ago) link
weird al does a surprisingly good cover of Hello There.What's the best power pop song from a decidedly non-powerpop band?
― Philip Nunez, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 19:54 (five years ago) link
Power Pop is probably not the first thing you think when you think NRBQ, but they had a number of great moments in that vein ("I Want You Bad", "Green Lights", "Me and The Boys" etc.).
― Making Plans For Sturgill (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 18 July 2018 19:59 (five years ago) link
Paperback Writer
― mick signals, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 20:00 (five years ago) link
A number of songs on the Ron Goedert solo album!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQDhavk4oh4
― timellison, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 20:19 (five years ago) link
Is Hey Ya power pop or bubblegum?
― Philip Nunez, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 20:37 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF9DBXoBrNk
― ||||||||, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 20:38 (five years ago) link
What's the best power pop song from a decidedly non-powerpop band?
Either 'Drill Sergeant' by N*E*R*D or 'Here Come July' by Scritti Politti
― Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 20:55 (five years ago) link
"My Sharona" for song structure alone.
― ... (Eazy), Wednesday, 18 July 2018 21:02 (five years ago) link
Simon Turner - (Baby) I Gotta Go
― flopson, Wednesday, 18 July 2018 21:38 (five years ago) link
Peace Love & Understanding - Elvis Costello― ImprovSpirit, Friday, April 23, 2010 1:10 PM (eight years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― ImprovSpirit, Friday, April 23, 2010 1:10 PM (eight years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
this is the jamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssd3U_zicAI
― InfoWarriors (Spottie), Wednesday, 18 July 2018 21:42 (five years ago) link
the beat - rock n roll girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cEvEUKN4Fw
― flopson, Saturday, 21 July 2018 19:53 (five years ago) link