Is there room for one more great powerpop record in 2022? Popular Creeps like to think so with their new album All Of This Will End In Tears, which is out today through underground poprock label Big Stir Records. My first taste of this band was a single in 2021 which immediately piqued my interest. Both songs from that single are included on the new record, with nine additional tracks to get excited over.
What’s interesting about Popular Creeps (featuring Michigan scene veterans in Lenny Grassa, Andrew Colvin, Joe Heaphy and Dave Nantais), is that people are still trying to find ways to describe their sound. The Big Stir press release wonders if Heartland Punk Or Northern Jangle is the better term, while others have compared them to R.E.M., Buffalo Tom, Guided By Voices and The Replacements. To my ears, All Of This Will End In Tears is best described as a classic power pop record. But sure, there is a good bit of ’80’s underground pop and college rock fueling the songs of Popular Creeps. A song like Tear Me Apart has college radio hit potential for example. Gone By 45 and Keep It To Myself are highlights as well, and sound like they could’ve been written by Peter Case and Paul Collins. There are also hints of modern power pop bands like Nada Surf and Fountains of Wayne in Split Decision. Whatever you want to call it, Popular Creeps hit a lot of the right notes on this record.
It’s always a gamble to release a record this good this late in the year, with fans and blogs looking back and reflecting on the year spending most of their attention on AOTY lists. All Of This Will End In Tears is too good to be overlooked.
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