I was just reopening my age-old Mac app "FastScripts" to do some more work, and for SOME reason The Beths' "Expert in a Dying Field" came to mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KACt6YhOyY
Buzzcocks release the single “Love You More” b/w “Noise Annoys”
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They released a whole series of exceptional singles during the late 70s and early 80s and "Love You More" stands out as one of the best. It blends catchy, chord-heavy pop melodies with sneering vocals.
My favorite “punk” bands are actually more pop or powerpop than hardcore. I mean, this is a straight up love song! It starts out positive and happy, has the joyous chorus that’s perfect for singing loudly with a group or by yourself, and then ends abruptly and with a gut wrenching line.
I lived in New Hampshire for many years and we'd go to Boston for shows a lot- at T.T. the Bears (closed now 😢) and the Midway Cafe.
I saw The Gravel Pit at T.T.'s back in the early 2000s (a band made up of a singer/songwriter GENIUS, Jed Parish, and members of The Figgs).
Not sure how much (if any) The Gravel Pit got around outside of Massachusetts, but their album Silver Gorilla from 1999 is a modern rock MASTERPIECE. Jed's VOICE, LYRICS, and the arrangements-- give it a listen:
Happy New Year's Eve, folks. Have fun, but please be safe.
Superdrag - Sucked Out
Under 3 minutes of snotty-sounding power-pop bliss. But rather than snotty, the lyrics are a really honest (albeit brief) reflection on the business of making art.
Great find today, maybe I'm late to this party since it looks like they've been around since 2014, but Nasty Rumours are from Switzerland and play some GREAT catchy 70s style punk/power pop kinda like the Briefs (and you all know how obsessed with THEM I am).
I'm super picky about punk, but this Nasty Rumours record 'Bloody Hell What a Pity' from 2022 straight up RIPS all the way THROUGH. Haven't heard the rest of their stuff, that's up next.
A great album that I think was overshadowed by the success of the single “My Sharona”. It has several great songs, including this one. In fact, the whole story of The Knack is interesting (quick rise to fame, industry backlash, career arc, etc.).
This is a great power pop tune in the style of Paul Collins Beat, and early Elvis Costello. There are two versions. This is the second one, and my favorite.
ELVIS COSTELLO
My Aim Is True
1977 Canada pressing
It’s Friday.
Welcome To (the end of) The Working Week! 😂
Still such a wonderful album. I’ve met Elvis on several occasions, and a better dude you will never meet.
His wife, being from the island, has been to our store many times, and they’re just great people. I keep trying to work up the courage to ask her to get Elvis to sign this for my wall, but I think I’d rather not. #vinyl#vinylrecords#powerpop#elviscostello#70s#70smusic#1970s
Split record featuring Big Drill Car covering Cheap Trick's "Surrender" on the A-side, and Chemical People covering the Kiss / Ace Frehley song "Getaway"
1991
Original pressing on yellow vinyl
I love covers. I liked both of these bands and got to meet and interview both of them right around the release of this record. Covering two of my favorite bands too!
THE POSIES
Frosting On The Beater
2018 U.S. 2xLP Reissue
One of the greatest #powerpop albums of the #90s if not all time.
This is one of my Desert Island Discs, and not even Ken Stringfellow’s horrible atrocious behaviour can effect my love for it. There is not one musical misstep, not a single flaw to be found anywhere.
Auer and Stringfellow never reached these heights again. Just one of those lightning in a bottle type albums, but what a bolt it was.
First released as a double 7”, then on CD on 4AD, and a few months later in the U.S. on Geffen Records.
By far their best album, though I suspect casual fans may not be as familiar with this one as their third album, “Retreat From The Sun”.
So many fun, well constructed songs featuring truly beautiful voices singing about things like Shakey’s Pizza, Zodiac signs, and having your area code changed. Very SoCal.
The harmonizing vocals of the Haden sisters and Anna Waronker (married to Steve McDonald of Redd Kross!) are the main draw for me. Best example is the track “Punk Rock Girl”, but you can hear it in the punky indie-pop opening track “Old Timer” 👇
Too much cool new shit, that's my favorite luxury problem and it's what the past few weeks had in store, so a C-90 won't suffice this time. That, and also i totally had to add a ten-minute tune to the tracklist because why the fuck not? Dial A for fuzzed-out depravity and general mayhem. B for egg-ish dementia, quirky and forbidden fun and games for the whole family. C for darkness, death and despair. D for some beeps & bloops, followed by hits, hooks and melodies.
Solidly in the power-pop with grungy guitars zone.
Lead singer Eva Hendricks has a very distinctive, did-I-accidentally-play-this-at-45RPM voice that suits the songs, but can take a bit of getting used to.