It's Time (Again) for Power Pop!

A recent article on Bandcamp profiles a number of recent power pop performers, and makes a few excellent points on the genre.  The author (Ben Salmon) opines that power pop "has consistently surged as a reaction to some other musical impetus. The First Wave (The Raspberries, Big Star, Todd Rundgren) pushed back against the complexity and indulgence of prog and psychedelic rock in the early 1970s. 

"A decade later, the Second Wave (The Cars, Cheap Trick, Nick Lowe) provided a less aggressive alternative to the rise of punk. And the Third Wave (Teenage Fanclub, Matthew Sweet, Fountains of Wayne) offered a reprieve from the self-seriousness of ‘90s grunge and alt-rock."

The current wave "is power pop rooted in the Beatles (it always is, really); but it’s also deeply influenced by Sugar’s distortion pedals, Buzzcocks’ propulsive pace, and Guided By Voices’ philosophy that melody wins out over fidelity every time."  

The author places the newest generation of power pop in opposition to "a landscape of music that’s been pitch-corrected and snapped to a grid, over-compressed, edited into oblivion and robbed of character" and "an industry ruled by platforms that prioritize short songs and front-loaded hooks for shrinking attention spans."  Well said!  I've only heard two of the artists mentioned in the article, but will check out the others.

This seems like as good a time as any to share a collection of some of my own favorites from the Nineties, the Noughties, and beyond; beginning with the aforementioned Third Wave's reaction against grunge and what was once memorably labeled "complaint rock".  Maybe not all of it will meet your own definition of power pop, but to me these are all examples of accomplished songcraft, ringing guitars, soaring vocal harmonies, and clever perspectives on the eternal lyrical themes of love found and love lost.

ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOG:  more music from Hypnolovewheel, New Pornographers, Oranger, P.Hux and Redd Kross.  

IN THE MIX Susan Cowsill Edition Vol. 1 - Psycho Sisters, Redd Kross, Cowsills, Continental Drifters & Solo!

IN THE MIX Susan Cowsill Edition Vol. 1

SUSAN COWSILL has had a long and incredible career, and despite the tough childhood outlined in the documentary about her family's band THE COWSILLS, she seems to have turned out to be a wonderful person—and is definitely an amazing singer.

She makes no secret of her love of Linda Ronstadt and possibly the best compliment I can pay her is that she’s every bit as good a singer/harmonizer.  Aside from covering Warren Zevon’s Mohammed's Radio, there aren’t many similarities between them, other than singing ability—and an unerring ability to choose material that’s perfect for them.  

Mohammed's Radio was on a digital single that also contains the lead off track It Might As Well Rain Until September—a GOFFIN/KING song that was written for Bobby Vee, & instead released as a Carole King single because Don Kirshner loved her demo of it.  King is an intensely personal & emotional singer, & COWSILL easily matches the original on both counts.

SUSAN’s versions are as dear to me as the originals of songs a vocalist has to be fearless (or foolish) to cover like Sandy Denny’s Who Knows Where The Time Goes, Brian Wilson’s Don’t Worry Baby, & John Lennon’s Julia.  Julia is a live recording with another artist I’ve given the IN THE MIX treatment; The Bangles’ VICKI PETERSON.  

PETERSON is Susan’s partner in PSYCHO SISTERS—and they both seem to love to collaborate.  They were both also in CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS, who are represented here by two live-in-studio tracks from an appearance on NYC’s WFUV, and two album cuts.  VICKI PETERSON is married to Susan’s brother, JOHN COWSILL and the couple recorded an album of songs by his brothers Bill & Barry.  SUSAN gets to the heart of Barry’s River Of Love—a song that they left alone--& one Susan started performing with her own band during the four months after Katrina that Barry was missing.

Naturally there are plenty of tracks with THE COWSILLS.  Readers who haven’t dug into their catalogue (which is packed with power pop) would be forgiven for mistaking Is It Any Wonder for The Plimsouls.  The hit versions of Indian Lake, & Hair, are included, as well as an incredible live version of The Rain, The Park & Other Things (on Huckabee's Jukebox). Recorded 52 years after she was added to the line-up, it proves that Susan and her brothers are the vocal counterparts of Dick Clark.

Jonder will be happy to see her duet on REDD KROSS’ Love Is Not Love—which could be a lost track by THE COWSILLS—and has become one of my favorite songs on this edition—but it has a LOT of competition.

Because of the high quality of her work, the songs on this collection could be randomly shuffled & it would still flow, but I spent much more time than usual on the track order.

 

HAZLEWOODIZM: Incurable Lee

Lee Hazlewood spent most of his adult life in a psychiatric hospital.  “Haze” (as his fellow inmates called him) couldn’t sing or play any instruments, but was convinced that he could become a pop star.  He befriended Duane Eddy, a young hospital orderly who played guitar to entertain the patients.  Hazlewood made up band names and song titles in exchange for cigarettes. 

Duane Eddy’s success in the music business made Hazlewood bitterly jealous. He began writing songs day and night, and insisted on making a record.  Duane got Hazlewood a recording contract on the advice of the staff psychiatrist, who thought it might cure Hazlewood of his monomania.

To everyone’s surprise, Hazlewood’s debut wasn’t a complete disaster.  Haze escalated his demands.  He was obsessed with the original “Brat Pack” – Sinatra’s daughter Nancy, and the sons of Dean Martin and Desi Arnaz.  He wanted them to record his songs.  His original lyrics read like a confession (or a threat):

These boots are made for stalking

And that’s just what I’ll do

One of these days, the cops 

Are gonna catch me stalking you

ARE YOU READY, NANCY?  BETTER START RUNNING!

Nancy Sinatra never met Lee Hazlewood -- their duets were recorded separately.  She had a restraining order against him, and was terrified that he would one day escape or be granted release from the psych hospital.

Hazlewood’s next demand was to make a record with Ann Margret.  Hospital administrators were improperly swayed by the possibility of meeting the popular sex symbol.  But she was almost as delusional as Hazlewood about her own singing ability, and the pairing was a flop.

Hazlewood’s treatment team decided to invent a fake duet partner for their patient. This too backfired.  The album Requiem For An Almost Lady was written after Haze discovered that “Suzi Jane Hokom” was pure hokum.   Heartbroken and betrayed, Hazlewood spiraled into a deep depression.

A series of LSD treatments finally relieved his depression, and Haze found a new obsession.  This time it wasn’t a celebrity: it was an entire country.  And now he wanted to make movies as well as albums.  Hazlewood never actually visited Sweden.  Everything was done on a soundstage, constructed by hospital staff for their famous patient.  Everyone had to wear costumes and pretend to speak Swedish.  The ruse was abandoned after the record buying public lost interest.  

Hazlewood’s later albums are rare because “Lee Hazlewood Industries” was a vanity label that existed only to press small quantities of Haze’s music during his declining years.  Lee Hazlewood was one of the first “outsider” artists in pop music. He belongs to the tradition of Wild Man Fischer, Daniel Johnston, and Wesley Willis.

SONGS OF SEX WORKERS Vol. 3

SONGS OF SEX WORKERS Vol. 3

SONGS OF SEX WORKERS Volume 1 spurred lots of suggestions.  Jon suggested REDD KROSS’ Standing In Front Of Poseur, Richard proposed Lili Marleen, & Jimi Jamez tossed out Black Diamond (but I threw him a curve & used a cover by REGGAE KISS).

Never On Sunday seems to pop up on a lot of volumes, but it’s a great song with a ton of cover versions in a wide variety of styles.  Few can sing it with the raw sexuality EARTHA KITT does.  Other well-known songs about sex workers include Private Dancer, Honky Tonk Women, & Walk On The Wild Side.

Less well-known is Ladies Of The Night by THE TWISTERS a Los Angeles band that was competing with The Blasters, X, & The Go-Go’s for gigs—and who put out a 12” EP on Rhino when it was primarily a reissue label.  They must have had faith in the song, because they also included it on their only full-length album on The Goods label.

ELTON JOHN sings of a Sweet Painted Lady, VENUS & THE RAZORBLADES sing of a Workin’ Girl, & NOFX sing of a specific—but fictitious fallen angel—Lori Meyers.  The person who sings Lori’s part is none other than THE MUFFS’ Kim Shattuck.

Punk's Got Soul and We've Got More Triple Song Titles

A tip of the hat to Hal, who recently found the blog and was inspired to send in two dozen Triple Song Titles from his own digital music collection! Why on earth hasn't "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" been included until now?  Heaven only knows.

We still haven't identified the mystery artist who performed "Really Really Really" (see my last post for the details, or lack thereof) -- but Koen and I each found another song with that same title. Really, we did!

I added a couple more triples to bring the set closer to the 80 minute mark, because you triple title fans have no doubt burned every one of these collections to CD. I know I haven't!  

Hal also suggested a perfect tune for the Punks Got Soul series, Serious Drinking's swell version of Candi Staton's "Young Hearts Run Free".  Thanks again, Hal!

James (another friend of the blog) nominated Lizzy Mercier Descloux's "Funky Stuff", and Richard found Akron band Chi-Pig's recording of "Going To A Go-Go".  Greetings and gratitude to all involved!

I finally found a way to get my man Moon Martin onto one of these compilations, with his version of "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" (with Jude Cole on guitar and BV).  There's a swell set of Moon Martin classics over at One Buck Guy's blog.  

They aren't all punks (there's some new wave, post punk, garage rock and whatnot), and it's not all soul (disco, funk, and R&B are present). Nevertheless, please enjoy Punks Got Soul #11 as well as Kill Kill Kill (Triple Song Titles #45).

ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOG:  much more Moon Martin.

Songs Of Sex Workers Volume 2

Songs Of Sex Workers Volume 2 

I don’t believe I’ve ever posted a compilation with four rap songs on it, but pimpin’ & being pimped is common subject matter in rap, so Tone-Loc, LL Cool J, Salt ’n’ Pepa, & Taraji P. Henson get us started off in style.

A Van Morrison-less THEM supply Street Walking Lady, but there’s also mention of Red Light Ladies, Chelsea Girls, Willie The Pimp, & Charlotte The Harlot.

Elvis Costello sings of Love For Sale, Guns N’ Roses relates the tale of My Michelle (who’s daddy was in porno), & Aerosmith are Back In The Saddle, again.  

I don’t think I knew that Gary Numan’s Are 'Friends' Electric was about the world’s oldest profession before I started my research for this series—nor The Kings Of Leon’s Arizona.  

Morrisey weighs in, as does David Bowie, & Nico, & Ramsey Lewis dusts off Never On Sunday.

 

JERRY LEE LEWIS On Larry King Live '96 Interview & Performances!

JERRY LEE LEWIS On Larry King Live '96 Interview & Performances!

 

WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?