Category: Highly Recommended by Powerpopaholic

Notable Misses of 2024: Phil Thornalley, Chime School, John Davis

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Every year I miss some really good music. These all came out in 2024 and are highly recommended.


““Phil

Phil Thornalley “Holly Would”

With Phil Thornalley, I was genuinely negligent. Phil’s songs can satisfy your longing for Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and The Traveling Willburys. His songs are looser and more free-form on this album, and his sound pallet remains diverse. Starting with the suite “Holly Would,” its like bonus song from the Xanadu soundtrack. From the bouncy “The Golden Age” to the catchy “Drive Baby Drive,” each is gem hits the mark. Check it out!
Amazon

“Chime

Chime School “The Boy Who Ran The Paisley Hotel”

This San Francisco jangle pop reminded me of Mt. Misery, but this its a lot closer to REM and Teenage Fanclub. Just check out the chiming brilliance of “Why Don’t You Come Out Tonight?” and “Another Way Home.” Lead singer Andy Pastalaniec is a great songwriter, and band is very tight. Plenty of highlights here; “Wandering Song,” “(I Hater) The Summer Sun” and “Points of Light.” Another overlooked gem.
Amazon

“Josh

John Davis “JINX”

John Davis never stopped making music long after Superdrag called it quits. And his solo work has been consistently good, from pop, blues, and heavy rock. He has been able to experiment with new styles since leaving the band, but he never loses sight of what makes a great song. Opening with chugging chords of “The Future,” to the gritty “Please Be My Love” its sure to please Superdrag fans. His maturing vocal isn’t as soaring as was ten years ago, but he’s still got the goods – just check out “Already Drowned” and “Indifferent Stars” to see what’s so great. Deserves repeat listens for sure.
Amazon

Car Tunes: A quick drive off the beaten path

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Car Tunes

I been doing radio shows on 11L-RNI for several years now, and I created a series of 30 minute “Car Tunes” pre-shows for host John P. Lightning. These are blocks of songs about cars, driving, and the open road. They start with the early 1960’s hot rod era and move into the later decades, and today with a few surprises along the way. Tons of popular artists featured. If you ever liked a car song, it’s probably here. Stream them and share!



I embeded the first 2 volumes, but there are 7 volumes so far. Visit my MixCloud page to hear the rest!

Drumroll… It’s almost here.

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Enjoy a few New Year’s celebration songs.



The year in review 2024

The phrase “power pop” alone makes one picture jangly guitar riffs, catchy tunes, and vibrant energy. Think Big Star, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, and The Raspberries. But where does the genre stand today?

While the classic sound still resonates with some, the genre’s boundaries have blurred significantly. Rising independent artists challenge easy classification and push artistic limits. Punk, metal, techno, and many other influences permeate the music from indie rock to alternative pop. This combining produces a vivid, always changing soundscape. Rarely do artists limit themselves to a rigid power pop template. Instead they use several techniques to create original sonic tapestries. An album might feature a driving power pop anthem alongside a brooding ballad, an experimental electronic track, or a raw, punk-infused outburst. Actually, I’ve seen more music this year than last year — along with less of that traditional power pop sound.

This eclecticism isn’t necessarily a departure from the spirit of power pop. At its core, power pop celebrates melodic songwriting and infectious energy. From the jangly guitars of the past to the cutting-edge sounds of today, these ideas can be articulated in innumerable ways.

The result is a more dynamic and exciting musical landscape. While purists might lament the loss of a “pure” power pop sound, this evolution ensures the genre remains fresh, relevant, and constantly surprising. Onward to 2025! Next post is the Top 25 of 2024.
 

New Reviews: Dislexia, John Faye and Jukebox The Ghost

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“Dislexia"

Dislexia “Snowball” EP

This is an interesting supergroup; Coke Belda forms a union with two great Spanish power pop artists, Pepe Murgadas (Shennon and Lotton) and Roque Esteban (Inquieto Roque). The result is this sweet EP, and the opening harmonies of “Love Is Blind,” give you a Beatlesque gem that hits all the right buttons.

The guitar and vocal approach are suitably aggressive, but a few songs are just beautifully executed demos (“Mister,” “At Least”). I enjoyed the easy-going pysch-pop of “You Were Water” and “Sleeping All The Days.” Overall a very good example of pop craftsmanship, but more hooks are needed to put it over the top. Highly Reccomended.

Amazon

“John

John Faye “The Long Game”

John Faye (the Caulfields, IKE, John Faye Power Trip, John & Brittany) is back. The title track is a heartfelt ballad, but the catchy “Sell Your Soul as An NFT” would fit perfectly on any of his IKE albums, with its crunching guitars and defiant vocal. He hasn’t lost a step here, as the slowly building “Something Devine” and “Feug Shui” both have great positive energy and lots of cool sonic flourishes. His song “Epidural” is a heartfelt story of parental anguish and the subject of online reputation is the point of  “Asking for a Friend.” Faye is one of the few veteran musicians I know who always consistently delivers, and you should pick this LP up. Highly Recommended.

Amazon

“Jukebox

Jukebox The Ghost “Truth” EP

Piano pop trio Jukebox the Ghost has been returns and asks “Would you rather be happy or be right?,” and seems to be a comment on the state of “truth” in our current political reality. The band’s repertoire has always had a predilection for speculating about the end of the world, but here it’s a case of tuning out on “I Feel So Good,” a catchy theme about letting go, and reconnecting with “Friends Again.” Each song is beautifully rendered, “Save a Little Room” is another standout. No filler here, and super highly recommended. A contender for best EP of the year, too.

Amazon

Great December EPs: Wyatt Funderburk, Sweetboy, Super 8, Blend Eleven, Softjaw

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Wyatt Funderburk “Fleeting and Finite” and “Parkside”

Wyatt is comparable to a “5-tool-player” in baseball. Does many things extremely well, from songwriting, playing, singing, producing, etc. He does punk pop to perfection with Kurt Baker, but I can think of very few people who have the skills to pull off a Brian Wilsonesque combination of melody and earnest romantic delivery. He gives us a double EP (one under the name “Hibiki”) Don’t believe me? Listen to “You’ll Know” and you’ll know! Get it on Amazon


Sweetboy “A Day in the Park”

Local NYC indie pop band has some amazing songwriting, check out the title track “A Day in the Park,” “Island” and the epic chorus of “End of The World.” This is a band you should keep your eyes on for future greatness. Get it on Amazon


Super 8 “Goes J Pop”

Sorry if you were expecting Kenshi Yonezu, but Paul “Trip” Ryan (aka Super 8) does a fine job with these Japanese pop covers (including a Beatles cover). Check out “Keep Doing It” with its shamisen accents. Get it on Amazon


Blend Eleven “Deepest Cuts”

This Aussie band with great sound builds everything off the 12-string acoustic strum. A cover of the classic Cat Steven’s “The First Cut is The Deepest” sets the stage, very much in the vocal mold of Extreme’s acoustic gems. And it’s a freebie to try – so pick it up, and listen to the band’s other material. Get it on Amazon

Softjaw “Softjaw”

Deceptively cool vibe on the opener “Pleased With Me” drew me in, as this Long Beach, California band has a perfect power pop approach. “Don’t Go Walkin’ Out On Me” and “Dragging Mt Feet” are pure gems. This is another band that flirts with greatness, as each song hits the mark and it’s a contender for best EP this year. Get it on Amazon