Blog: Powerpopaholic: The Power Pop Music Review Site!

Its comforting to know that bands like Portland's Throwback Suburbia "get it." This third album builds on the band's consistent sound and musical development. The opener "Give and Take" is an emotional hook-filled gem with a thrilling bridge and jangle filled rhythm. The signature sneering vocals of Jimi Evans and mastery of composition come forward on "Setting Sun." On "Here Again" the band notes "history's overrated" through its slow building power ballad. No filler to be found as each track makes a strong melodic statement. On "Sinking Feeling" the gruff riffs recall Butch Walker and the 502s styled [...]

Click here to view the video on YouTube. Only 2 years after their last album , Archie Powell & the Exports' have a new one coming this May. Here is the first single, "Metronome." Powell says the album title Great Ideas in Action is a Calvin & Hobbes reference (anyone who can describe the strip in question is entitled to free admission to Exports shows for life.) Enjoy!

After a wild debut EP last year, The Chris Alvy Band is back with a more realized full length album. Joined by Fernando Perdomo (who also produced and engineered) it re-does a few of the previous EP tracks and adds several more. Not an easy band to categorize, they have a loose guitar rock style with snappy melodies (sort of like an updated version of The Spin Doctors ) but they also have a touch of Badfinger in there too. The band opens up with "Art Noise" a party styled anthem that reminds me [...]

Son of Skooshny "Lovers Leap of Faith" This is the project of Skooshny founder Mark Breyer and its a pretty good combination of power pop and roots based rock and roll. "Another Time" has a touch of Tom Petty and a terrific buzzing guitar riff. Breyer's vocal cadence also resembles Petty on the wonderfully written "Candy Air." The multi-tracked harmony of "The Right Idea" and bass driven "You Can't Love Me" keeps things on a slow but steady course. The nicely melodic "Science Changes Everyone" picks things up and it's chorus will be humming in your head. [...]

The JTG Implosion "All The People Some of The Time" This resissue of Joe Gidding's band from 2002 is a welcome addition if you've missed it when it was part of Not Lame Record's catalog (which is now gone forever). This is a classic melodic power pop album that needs to be re-discovered. Giddings crunchy riffs get the party started on "Delta 883 and the hand clapping goodness of "This Is What You Get" is another gem. Best compared to Enuff Z'nuff and Velvet Crush these tunes have layers of fuzzy rock guitars against bouncy melodies ("The Biggest [...]

The internet has enabled like minded artists to collaborate like never before. 8X8 is the transatlantic collaboration between Lane Steinberg and Ukrainian musician Alex Khodchenko. Like The Britannicas , they both live on different continents, and have never met in person, but through e-mail they've managed to create an amazing work of musical art. This is the best prog/psychedelic pop I've heard in a long time. Bringing forth influences from Todd Rundgren, The Zombies, The Beach Boys and Procol Harum, it requires multiple listens - but it really sticks. Opening with "Fantastic Sun" it's the most immediate [...]

Secret Powers have been a favorite of this site from the beginning, and each year Ryan "Schmedly" Manes has released one great LP after another. Last year's What Every Rose Grower Should Know cracked by top 25, but frankly it was a small step back as earlier releases made my top ten. Well almost as a response - the band is back with a set of sticky tunes that puts it back into top ten contention for 2012. "Dragon Slide" starts us off, and what is noticeable here is the ELO styled [...]

Jeff Litman gave us a terrific debut in 2009 with Postscript . This new sophomore LP is more than just a showcase for Jeff's musical skills, Outside shows us a burgeoning maturity. The Tom Pettyesque opener "Over and Over" has steady piano chorus and cynical attitude, followed by the fast tempo single "Runaway," which gives us a great hook and bouncing bass line. Giving power pop fans a tasty treat in the title track, "Outside" has Jeff channeling Elvis Costello, and includes Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. doing backing vocals and keyboards. This album also boasts some tender moments [...]

I reviewed The Breakups a few years ago when they had an EP, so now these guys have a new album and are definitely ready for the major leagues. Opening with "I'm Thinking of a Number," it's a slow grower with smart harmonies in the chorus, it builds its strummy melody similar to The Honeydogs. And it gets better from there, "Run From Rock n' Roll" is a brilliant gem with a synth hook that would make Ken Stringfellow proud. Then "Better Off Alone" increases the tempo and the synth rhythms and handclaps are infectious. The ballad "I Don't Want To [...]

Written over a two month period, Jet Electro is the musical autobiography of a guitarist superhero. The opener "I'll Never Find Another Girl Like You," is certainly a catchy slice of rock and roll, and Craig Daniels lead vocal reminds me of Sammy Hagar if he played in the Rubinoos here. We get the Memphis soul of "Buckle Up" and then "For Sale By Owner" describes selling his boyhood home with a background chorus of "Buy it, Buy it." A Big Star vibe is present in the ballads "I Don't Know How" and "Fingerprint." Next we get some wonderful [...]

With his sixth release Jeff Shelton has fallen into a great groove that makes him so prolific, I would call him the power pop version of Robert Pollard (GBV). Driven by tight, punchy rhythms from drummer Nick Laquintano (Spinning Jennies) the Well Wishers hit the ground running on "Escape The Light" with its mix of REM jangle and Posies styled vocal phrasing. "Allison" has a great fuzzy riff similar to Bob Mould's Sugar and the piano led "Nothing Ever Changes" is another standout with a great hooks. The impressive thing here is that Shelton's sound has more variety [...]

Hannah Cranna "A Real Nice Parade" With some help from Badfinger alum Joey Molland, Hannah Cranna does a "re-boot" of its 1997 debut from defunct power pop label Big Deal Records. We get an impressive start with "Hello," a catchy tune in the best Badfinger tradition. This take us to a rootsy "Are You Going Home, Polly?" and some nice harmonizing on "Paul McCartney and Wings," although the band mentioned in the title has absolutely nothing to do with the song. After a solid first half, the album relies on a re-mastered or re-recoreded tracks from the debut, and [...]

Wanna see George Harrison's private guitar collection in detail? A new ipad app will make that possible. For the first time, with the help of unique 360° imaging by photographer Steven Sebring, fans can see the scratches, dings, and worn threads on the guitars as if they were themselves holding the instruments. Fans will be able to examine Harrison's private guitar collection, through personal audio recordings from Harrison himself as he introduces many of the guitars and plays sections of songs. The Guitar Collection: George Harrison iPad app will be released through iTunes [...]

Johnny Stanec "Narrow Is This Ghost Town" Former frontman for First In Space , Stanec's solo debut has a variety of styles on display from guitar pop to alt. country. The echoing jangle of "Goodnight My Love" opens the album a little like a U2 anthem. "Let Me Know The Enemy" is a much better song with a song vocal performance and memorable guitar-led chorus.The next few songs start to drag a bit, although "I'm Not Young Anymore" is moving mid-tempo ballad that reeks of bitterness. Thankfully there are a few gems here as "Sunny Days [...]

Sometimes it makes sense for a power pop artist to test out a different sound. That's exactly what Justin Kline is doing with this new band Origami Hologram. Using a noise pop template Justin is joined by Dan Wax (Bass, background vocals) and Jamie Mclane (Drums) recording it all in his home studio in Murfreesboro, TN. "Bats In The Attic" uses textures like Robert Pollard, with amp hum and feedback as part of each song (mostly as a backing layer) and extra fuzzy guitars. Justin's earnest vocals and harmonies still work each on composition, the standout being "Ghost Horse". It's all [...]

This came out very late in December, but it merits recognition as my favorite new EP so far this year. Named after a great Monty Pythons sketch , this German pop band has put together an all-star cast of guest musicians on this short, but impressive Beatlesque release (you get the hint from the "Let It Be" styled cover). The first song "Beautiful Sunchild" features the talented Rick Hromadka (Maple Mars) and it's swirling chorus is comparable to The Wondermints at the height of their powers. Next Liverpool artist William Oudijk leads us through the "Port of [...]

For pop icon Dwight Twilley, Soundtrack is an autobiography, not unlike Ringo Starr's reminiscing on Liverpool 8 . It opens with "You Close Your Eyes," which closely resembles those early hits that mirrored Tom Petty's work with layered rhythm guitars and ascending bass lines.The album standout "Bus Ticket" has more lyrical muscle with honky-tonk memories and a kick ass guitar solo. The morose themes of "My Life," "Skeleton Man" and "The Cards Will Fall" drive home the message that "Life is a short journey so you better get it right." But overall the [...]

Dark Ocean Colors "Dark Ocean Colors" The duo of Scott Hunt and Mark Mikel have worked on many projects together (including The Pillbugs and The Sprags) to create a rich tapestry of psychedelic textures and looping melodies using numerous instruments (guitars, Mellotrons, violins, etc.) and old analog gear to give it an authentic vintage sound. "My Barbara Closed The Doors" gets started right where the Pillbugs left off and it sounds great. "Crashing The Sky" sports a marching beat to the swirling guitars and vocal harmonies. Fans of progressive rock will also love this, as it's a got a strong [...]

Athens, Georgia band Doctor Squid returns with a more measured tone compared to its debut album . The subtle building guitar strums of "Through Your Eyes" come across like a mix of Field Music and Weezer with its upbeat minor chords. The harmonies that open "Regret It and Let It" are similar to The Davenports, with its poppy backing vocals and steady riffs in the chorus. The band has definitely matured here, with more deliberate melodies and well crafted harmonies (like on "As Soon As I Discern" and "Rock Solid"). The apparent solemn ballad "Come Around" is [...]

Click here to view the video on YouTube. In case you missed it, The Explorers Club has come out with a selection of FREE eps only on Amazon in advance of their new album Grand Hotel. You can get The Californian Suite , The New Yorker Suite , and The Carolinian Suite all for FREE . These dudes have the best vocal harmonies, short of the Wilson brothers - So give it a listen!