Last Sunday, I watched Paul Collins tear through sixty straight minutes of power pop perfection—almost zero pauses, no breathers. Backed by The Manikins, he played most of the debut Paul Collins’ Beat LP, more than a few Nerves gems, and a choice mix of later Beat and solo material. It was a reminder of everything that makes power pop so timeless: short, catchy, no-frills guitar pop with bite, melody, and heart.
These are good times for fans of the genre. We’re living in a full-blown power pop renaissance, with bands like The Whiffs, The Rubs, and The Reflectors leading the charge. The Speedways are very much part of that front line, and with their new two-song single, they shift into a slightly different gear.
Visiting Hours finds the band channeling late-’70s Elvis Costello with uncanny precision, bittersweet and effortlessly melodic—it’s power pop with brains and a broken heart. The flipside, Now That I Know How, follows the Costello playbook too-a couple of years later in Costello’s career perhaps, but both songs remain unmistakably Speedways.
Hits? You bet. In a better and fairer timeline, this band would be massive.
The Visiting Hours 7″ is out soon on Stardumb Records, Folc, and Beluga Records.