The studio version of "Sweet" is on his 2004 album Wake Up Captain.

pE - you touched on this in the intro to this thread, but what helps differentiate power-pop from offshoots jangle pop or orch-pop? I only recently picked up Tihista's Wake Up Captain but have been floored by Don't Breathe since it's release but would definitely classify in my head as orch pop (mind you I'm not one to get bogged down in specific genre's and labels but need some sense of direction) and love what I have always referred to as Jangle pop.... notably of the early 80's SE scene The Connells, The Dbs, Guadalcanal Diary, Let's Active, The Del Fuegos, Crenshaw, Dixon, Love Tractor, Pylon, REM, Miracle Legion, The Reivers, Dumptruck, The Feelies, Lloyd Cole, The Housemartins (okay, I start to stray on the geography a bit) ... but this thread has listed so many new names I need to check out I just wanted to see if anyone had any further lines of classification - not to mention the question of whether the brit-pop and early Scottish twee movement is born of or related to jangle/power pop? heavy stuff here - very entertaining and informative!

I think that power pop, orch pop, and jangle pop are all part of the same branch of the rock family tree, but I would try to differentiate them in this way:

Power Pop is, stereotypically, bubblegummy rock and roll. It's usually got a whole lot of 'la la' choruses and harmonies but is usually amped up a little bit. My choices for examples of pure power pop would include Big Star and CHeap Trick (for rockier power pop) and Shoes, Fountains of Wayne, and The Raspberries (for poppier power pop)

Jangle pop is slightly less bubblegummy, but not necessarily less catchy. It tends to be quirkier and the hooks are usually less 'in your face' but still present. Most of the southern jangle pop bands you mention fit the bill, as do some of the UK jangle poppers (Lloyd Cole, Housemartins, Bluebells, Trash Can Sinatras, La's). I'd consider The Smiths to be as much jangle pop as Britpop.

Orch-pop (aka chamber pop) tends to be expanded beyond the guitar/drums/bass set up to include some sort of large scale musicianship, including brass and/or orchestra arrangements (duh!). I put Jellyfish in the orch-pop category merely for the big dynamics of Spilt Milk. I think the arrangements of Tihista's solo records lean him toward orch-pop. Certainly the stuff done by Eric Matthews, both solo and in Cardinal, are orch-pop, and also The High Llamas, Pernice Brothers, and Archer Prewitt, to name a few.

These are just my initial impressions of the difference...certain bands may push things closer together. Maybe others have a better classification system than I.

quote:

Originally posted by LinnTate:


As for Eugene Edwards, it's been a strong enough year across genres that it's slid pretty far in my year end album list, but the track "Victim at Bedtime" is right up there with the Tihista. I look forward to your thoughts on it.

I think that the Eugene Edwards record sounds like a nice cross between Elvis Costello and the Smithereens. His voice sounds alot like Pat Dinizio, at times...good stuff. Really nice call, LT!

This is a great thread...

One band that I haven't seen listed here is The Bigger Lovers. Their first two albums ("How I Stopped Worrying..." and "Honey in the Hive") are great.

Here are a few related, yet randomly organized comments to throw in to the equation:

1. Other than a couple of songs (like "Sister Jack"), Spoon doesn't fall under my definition of Power Pop. Usually, I find that their stuff (which is awesome, by the way) places a lot of emphasis on R&B structures and vocal/guitar stylings.

2. Guided by Voices seems to have one foot in and one foot out of the Power Pop realm. Songs like "Glad Girls", "Hold on Hope", "Echoes Myron", etc. definitely fit, but much of Mr. Pollard's recordings are too experimental in structure and instrumentation to cleanly fit into the genre. They did tour with Superdrag, though...

3. If you're looking for prime Power Pop Sloan songs, look to the album "One Chord to Another" and the song "Coax Me".

4. In the definition of Power Pop, I think we should add an article relating to the all-important "Verse/Chorus/Verse-with-Bridge-and-optional-guitar-solo" structural pattern. If you disagree, can you name a couple of great Power Pop songs that defy this structure?

quote:

Originally posted by DaneD.Lion:
4. In the definition of Power Pop, I think we should add an article relating to the all-important "Verse/Chorus/Verse-with-Bridge-and-optional-guitar-solo" structural pattern. If you disagree, can you name a couple of great Power Pop songs that defy this structure?

No disagreement here, DD.L. It's such a crucial point, I'm surprised it's not come up before.

Great post and welcome!

Now Playing: The Seahawks rolling over the Panthers on FOX

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
I've been totally underwhelmed by the David Grahame discs I bought a few years back. I'm not sure what the hype is on him, other than his vocal similarity to Macca.

Well, I can say with some accuracy that David Grahame has been totally underwhelmed with your discs as well, and is not sure what the hype is on you. You're being watched ; )

quote:

Originally posted by relyt:

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
I've been totally underwhelmed by the David Grahame discs I bought a few years back. I'm not sure what the hype is on him, other than his vocal similarity to Macca.

Well, I can say with some accuracy that David Grahame has been totally underwhelmed with your discs as well, and is not sure what the hype is on you. You're being watched ; )

I guess David Grahame didn't like my quasi-criticism...

Or, maybe I've angered the power pop mafia...they control almost everything, i hear...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: philosopherEric,

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
Or, maybe I've angered the power pop mafia...they control almost everything, i hear...

Power pop mafia?

I just stop by occasionally to read the complimentary newspaper.

Now Playing: Purdue up 16 at home versus Wisconsin...I would make a snarky remark to the effect that the lead won't last, but since I cannot play basketball better than them, I understand I have no room to talk...

I'm nowhere near being an expert in the power pop genre... but would The All-American Rejects be considered power pop? Or at least carry some power pop traits? I thought they were labelled more as pop-punk-ish, but some songs like "Time Stands Still" and "Swing Swing" kinda sound power pop to me. Of course I could be wrong.

I've heard the name All-American rejects, CW, but I'm not familiar with their music. If, however, they're labeled pop-punk, it's a good bet that their music does carry some of the power pop traits we've talked about here.

Last year I was putting together a collection of 70s American and British power pop for a friend and was really struck at how closely the roots of power pop match the roots of punk. The emphasis on relatively spare instrumentation and simple chord structures are only two of a number of common traits of both genres.

Now Playing: "The Kiss" OST Blow-Up

Cool... thanks for the info, LinnTate.

Interesting thread, especially the talk about the subgenres. One category overlooked though, is singer/songwriter pop. It kind of straddles the power-jangle-orch pop genres, and specifically I'm thinking of artists like Josh Rouse, David Mead and Freedy Johnston (my holy trinity).

Also, I think a lot of the subgenres like jangle and orch pop get lumped in with "power pop" because in general the user wants to convey the impression that they're not just listening to "pop", which these days is considered American Idol/Boy Band/etc. artists, and "power pop" is a strong way of making the distinction. I guess at any given time "pop" is going to be what's popular (duh), but it's a shame for those of use who like 60s/70s style-pop that the term "pop" no longer applies to that type of music.

Steve F
Absolute Powerpop

Splendid points one and all, SF.

While I would agree that most listeners in general try to distance themselves from pop because of the perceived negative connotation, I've often found power pop fans refreshingly unapologetic for liking music simply because they enjoy it regardless of its "hip" quotient.

It's one of the reasons I enjoy this thread so much as well as the Audities mailing list that more than a few of us (including yourself) follow, and look forward to reading your blog.

In other words, welcome and don't be a stranger.

Now Playing: "The Dark, Magic Sea" Karl Blau Beneath Waves

I've already picked up at least one tip from the first page of your blog, Steve F, and ordered a copy of the Josh Rouse Bedroom Classics Vol 2 ep. Danke!

quote:

Originally posted by LinnTate:
Splendid points one and all, SF.

While I would agree that most listeners in general try to distance themselves from pop because of the perceived negative connotation, I've often found power pop fans refreshingly unapologetic for liking music simply because they enjoy it regardless of its "hip" quotient.
Beneath Waves

Thanks for the kind words. You're certainly right there. My 40th came and went a couple of years ago, so I've long given up on "hip" and only worry about listening to what I like. On the other hand, it depresses me to hear most of my contemporaries still stuck on all the classic rock acts we've had to hear ad nauseum over the years.

There's so much good new music out there, and with all of the tools we now have to discover it, this is the greatest time in the history of mankind to be a music fan.

Steve F
Absolute Powerpop

Dug out my copy of the Summer Suns Calpurnia LP (the purple vinyl edition) and am listening to it right now. One of my favorite power pop/jangle pop albums. I always enjoyed the Aussie bands that revolved around Kim Williams and Dom Mariani. Wish they would reissue this album on cd.

Motion City Soundtrack, Apples in Stereo (mmmm)

One of the best power pop albums I've heard this is Poppy Nosh's We Turn On. This one's co-produced by Mitch Easter and reminds me of the Spongetones on some tracks. Beatles influence throughout the album, especially from mid-60's George Harrison. Good stuff.

I think I said something about them a long time ago on this site, but my two favorite power-pop albums ever are by the band Poole. Their first album, Alaska Days, was damn near perfect in my book with the exception of the sub-par production. And their third album, Among Whom We Shine, is chock full of amazing power pop. The first half of that record is unbeatable.

That record was in 1999. Their website has said for a while now that they're planning some kind of reunion, either an LP or EP. I e-mailed them about a year ago and they told me they were hoping to do at least an EP. Haven't heard anything since though.