Power Pop

GIMME 5! || Rob Nesbitt (The Suitesixteen) Shares 5 Monumentally Important Albums That Deserve Another Look

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 2 Comments

(Photo by Wendy Nesbitt)

With ‘Gimme 5!’ we take a peek into the collections of artists we admire. The premise is simple: artists WE like share 5 records THEY love.

We started Gimme 5! out of curiosity and a desire to discover must-own records. We’ve been amazed by the lists so far. In addition to the picks, the best part of the feature has been the artists’ introductions and explanations. It’s a thrill to see artists share their passion and love for the music that inspired them. In fact, when the artist of this week’s Gimme 5! sent me his list, I literally got goosebumps from reading his words. I am talking about Rob Nesbitt. Rob played on the first BUM album Wanna Smash Sensation – an early nineties somewhat overlooked powerpop/pop punk classic. He then quit the band and spent the next 25 (!) years working on a Suitesixteen record. It came out last year, and it’s perfect. It is available in a custom triple gatefold, double vinyl package with a 50-page book and beautiful photography.

Rob’s list includes 5 records that were “monumentally important to him and perhaps overlooked.” Click below to read and listen. Rob wrote an extensive introduction to his list and explanations for each pick. He apologizes for it being long, but if you are like me, at the end of the post he leaves you wanting more. Thanks a lot for your generosity, Rob!

…

GIMME 5! || Rob Nesbitt (The Suitesixteen) Shares 5 Monumentally Important Albums That Deserve Another LookRead More »

New album: Sweat Enzo || Painting Salmon in Salmon Colored Rooms

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Sweat Enzo might be my favorite discovery of 2021. Apparently, the band has been releasing music since 2012, and from what I hear they like to switch up their sound with each release. For example, Talking Rock (2016) sounds like a Pavement take on classic rock, whereas Rok n Roll Porch (2017) has an early Replacements feel to it – listen to Go To School for example. Twee Bongos, in contrast, sounds like a mix of twee pop and slacker rock. And on most records they pull it off. It’s baffling how many gems a quick dive in their back catalogue on Requested Records uncovers.

Their most recent record, however, is something else. I am counting Painting Salmon in Salmon Colored Rooms as a 2021 record in spite of it being recorded mostly in 2016, revisited in 2018, finalized in 2020 and ultimately released on the final day of 2020. It’s a record I gladly paid for on the most recent Bandcamp Friday. In fact, I had to, because I had exceeded its streaming limit on the site. On it, Sweat Enzo play the type of powerpop that fans of Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, Fountains of Wayne and Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin will adore. The pop sensibilities on this record are front and center, and the songwriting is too good to overlook despite the lo-fi production. Honestly, I don’t mind that lo-fi production at all. And yet, I cannot help to wonder how broad the appeal of this record would be with a fuller, more produced sound. It’s THAT good.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Sino Hearts || Rock ‘N’ Roll Hurricane

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 2 Comments

The Sino Hearts are based in Bejing, China. They play garage/powerpop/rock-‘n’-roll hits with a punk attitude – it is clear that the band adores Exploding Hearts. The band already has two records under its belt, neither of which was perfect, but both contained several killer tracks. That’s why I am excited by their new release. On Rock ‘N’ Roll Hurricane the band picked the best tracks of both albums, added an exclusive track and pressed them on randomly colored vinyl. Out now on Texas indie label Otitis Media Records. I am definitely buying this.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Sweet Soul || So Far No Further

By / / Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

So Far No Further, the first album by Sweet Soul, provides 23 minutes of pop punk bliss. It does not sound like your typical pop punk record though. It is neither ramonescore nor overproduced poppunk of the 00’s. And although I hear ’90’s influences, Sweet Soul would have looked out of place on the top pop punk labels of that era, e.g.,  Lookout! Records, Fat Wreck and Epitaph. Sweet Soul apparently has roots in the hardcore scene, but their sound is neither agressive nor overly fast. Anyway, So Far No Further is most definitely a pop punk record. It is catchy as hell and full of hits. My current favorite is Noises Drown, a song that evokes Lemonheads and Big Drill Car.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || New Morality Zine

New album: Fuzzy Vox || Program & Control

By / / Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Did you know the mysterious story of three young boys that enter an empty 80’s arcade room filled with flickering neons, in order to play an old arcade game called Program & Control? That’s what the third album by French power pop / garage rock band Fuzzy Vox is all about. Then you’ll understand why computer sounds have been added to the guitars and drums and how to interpret lyrics like “Suddenly I’ve found my treasure” (Charm) and “A drunk guy took my ankles somehow” (Mario Kart). Nice approach, and the music is also quite entertaining, not a bad soundtrack for a night out at the game hall.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

…

New album: Fuzzy Vox || Program & ControlRead More »

New EP: The Shang Hi Los || “Kick It Like A Wicked Bad Habit”

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop / 1 Comment

Boston based rock n roll band The Shang Hi Los plays music that could be from one of the many great compilations with 60’s nuggets, only sounding better. It’s all there in their catchy 3-minute sing-along songs: a combination of two good voices, doo-wop harmonies, cheerful guitar riffs and a boosting drumbeat. The only cover – Chicago’s Saturday In The Park – is the weakest track on this EP, that says enough. “Kick It Like A Wicked Bad Habit” is out now digitally and on CD through Rum Bar Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

…

New EP: The Shang Hi Los || “Kick It Like A Wicked Bad Habit”Read More »

New album: The Airport 77s || Rotation

By / / Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Although they occasionally dress as such, the Airport 77s are not airline pilots, but they play their guitars and drums with enough energy to take flight. Bassist Chuck Dolan, drummer John Kelly, and guitarist Andy Sullivan came together over a shared love of obscure 1970s power pop, so not surprising that they cover Bram Tchaikovsky’s Girl Of My Dreams on their self-produced debut album Rotation. The other seven tracks are own work, a selection from the slowly but surely built up repertoire of more than 100 songs, just as good (according to the band bio, the premise was that “the original material had to be good enough to follow Jessie’s Girl in the set”). The music is power pop like power pop is meant to be, but the lyrics really bring a smile to your face – just listen to (When You’re Kissing On Me Do You Think Of) James McAvoy, an ode to the Scottish actor: (“If Coldplay was his jam / Would you say they’re your favorite band? / It’s like you don’t give a damn about human dignity.”)

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

…

New album: The Airport 77s || RotationRead More »

New Album: Hjelle || Det Måste Inte Vara Så Här

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 1 Comment

Hjelle is the singer for Swedish pubpunkband extraordinaire Bäddat För Trubbel. Det Måste Inte Vara Så Här (It Must Not Be Like This) is his third solorecord. It was released last month by the Swedish Ken Rock Label, but only just arrived on Spotify which is how I discovered its existence. The record consists of 15 short and sweet lo-fi tunes that border between pubrock and rock’n’roll with the occasional and very welcome sax-solo. If you like Bäddat För Trubbel, I am pretty sure you’ll dig this as well.

Add to wantlist: Discogs || Hepcat.se

New compilation: Various Artists || Fakes

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

I’ve always had a weak spot for cover compilations, particularly when the originals are classics and the recreations sound faster, angrier of weirder. So thank you, Drunk Dial Records for asking some of today’s best punk and garage acts to cover their favorite song of fictional artists from movies and tv shows. The result is a highly entertaining compilation. What about Pavid Vermin covering The Beets from ’90’s cartoon Doug? Or Jiffy Marx & kcar doing a delightfully weird version of Sugar Sugar? Or Berwanger doing Welcome to the Dollhouse? What about Careful making this Mitch & Mickey song actually sound good? And bless Charlie Continental for changing Wet Wet Wet’s Love is all Around into Covid’s All Around (“there was a start, there will be an end”). Though I hope this will ultimately get a physical release, it’s currently digital only. There are worse ways to spend $5. And if you need any further encouragement, all proceeds will be divided between the bands and four charities.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

“New” album: The Seeers || Happy Peak

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Psych / Leave a Comment

Seeers, where have you been for the past five years*? In 2015, The Seeers were my band to watch and I frequently played their single in the Windian Records Subscription Series featuring the awesome Without Lites. But then…crickets, like they vanished. It’s absolutely a nice surprise (2021, let’s keep em coming okay?) that they released a full length this week. But is it any good? YES! Better than that actually, it’s full of garagepoppunk hits with a healthy dose of psych influences. Crossed fingers for a physical release, because I need to have this in my collection.

*UPDATE: The band informed me that technically this is not a new release. Happy Peaks was recorded back in 2015 on a Tascam 4-track tape machine. It was never released and this is the first time it’s made available online. Regretfully, this the last recorded material of The Seeers. They stopped being a band in 2016.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Scroll to Top