THE LATE SHOW - PORTABLE POP (1980)

LATEST NEWS: The band will reissue very soon this classic album. Link removed.

This is for sure one of power pop's best-kept secrets and most appropriate record titles but also, unfortunately, a very hard to find gem released in 1980 on a small label called "Rave". "Portable Pop" includes 12 melodic nuggets that rank among the very best of the power pop genre. Songs like "Take A Chance", "Hey Sue", "Protect Your Love", "A Matter Of Time",... are just what you need if you are in pursuit of pop happiness with a slight tinge of melancholy. Not only will you carry around in your head wonderful midtempo ballads and faster-paced power pop numbers but they will be associated and imprinted on your mind with such girl's names as Sue, Judy, Mary Anne... which make them easier to remember as you hum tunes over and over and begin to feel ever so happy. Do not miss out on this treasure trove of awesome melodies if you chance to come across it your quest for power pop's all time greats. By the way, in 1996, it was listed by John Borack in Goldmine as #50 of the 50 essential US power pop albums. (Bubblegumthepunk)

In 2007, the album was listed #46 of the 200 essential power pop albums in "Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide"

Special Note : The album rip is part of a "swapping deal" between a huge american powerpop fan and me. I only worked a little on the original wave files provided (RMS normalization done plus a few minor clicks removed). I also stitched the parts of the LP scans he had sent me. The album was ripped from an unplayed LP. You may have seen this album on other blogs or other places, but this one is a brand new rip.

Songs
Take A Chance / Stop / I Won't Play The Clown / Actions Speak Louder Than Words / What Can I Do / Hey Sue / Look Who's Laughing Now / Judy / Protect Your Love / So Happy / Won't Mind Waiting / Just A Matter Of Time

Click here to listen to some Late Show demos from 2007.

THE ACT - TOO LATE AT 20 (1981)

Prior to Dream Academy, Nick Laird-Clowes led the more down-to-earth Act. On the band's lone album, impeccable production gives his controlled passion and the band's tight, tasteful playing a clearly deserved chance to be heard. Elvis Costello and Tom Petty appear to be the Act's major influences (there are also nods to the Byrds and Springsteen) but the quartet rises above derivation, giving such songs as "Touch and Go" and "The Long Island Sound" indelible emotional authenticity. (Trouser Press)

Songs
Too Late At 20 / The Long Island Soul / Touch And Go / The Art Of Deception / Protection / Sure Fire / Skip The Beat / Zero Unidentified / OK Jerko / Get It While You're Toung

JOOLS HOLLAND - BOOGIE WOOGIE '78 (1978)

Jools Holland released his first solo recording in 1978. At the time, he was still playing with Squeeze and got some help from Glenn Tilbrook, Chris Difford or Gilson Lavis (as writers, producers or musicians). This five-song 7" EP has never been reissued.



Songs
Buick 48 / Deptford Broadway Boogie / Boogie Woogie Country Girl / Mess Around / Should Have Known Better

THE PRANKS - THE WARNER DEMOS COLLECTION (1979)

 

The Pranks were a Santa Barbara band led by Jeffrey Foskett and Randell Kirsch. Circa '74, Jeffrey Foskett first played in a band named Reverie Rhythm Rockers. Randell Kirsch joined him in 1975 and suggested to play originals instead of only covers. Foskett on bass guitar and Kirsch on lead. In fact, they were about to be signed by Warners but that deal never took place because the major label gave eventually Marshall Crenshaw preference over The Pranks. Soon Foskett was invited to tour with the Beach Boys, something he did for the next ten years or so. Too bad! because the band had great originals which tilted towards the classic-retro (perfectly assimilated) sound of the power pop spectrum, with a spontaneous emphasis on Merseybeat and a snappy `79 approach. "Tell Me", "Ab", "Dance Floor", "I Won't Make You Cry", "I Don't Want To Lose The Feeling", "Next Time" would have deserved to be considered as genuine pop standards. Twenty five years later, the Pranks stuff is still in the vaults, only a couple of songs can be heard on official compilations. (Notes by bubblegumthepunk).

More info about Jeffrey Foskett and Randell Kirsch

Special notes : The songs have been transferred either from a master tape or a 1st generation tape (i'm not sure) to a CD-R, i got a copy of that CD-R , then i did the artwork inspired by a famous californian legend.

AVAILABLE ONLY IN LOSSY FORMAT

ZS (129 mb)

Songs
Tell Me / Something On The Order Of Love / Ab / Why / Dance Floor / Turnabout / Paper Planes / Apetopia / S.O.B. / I Believe It's Time / No Love / I Won't Make You Cry / What's The Point / I Don't Want To Lose This Feeling / Next Time / Get Set / I Wanna Know / The Last Ideal / Expectations / Let Me Explain / One Reason / True Love Again / The Message

THE ADVENT WALL OF SOUND - BEST OF (2007)

Now the boxes have been all opened, here's a "subjective" best of the 2007 advent wall of sound. 24 songs, 24 bands (a Jim Basnight song, previously not seen on the blog, has replaced the T.P video of day 5) posted between the 1st of december and christmas eve.
I'd like to thank all the readers for their nice comments about this special feature. And remember, TRY SOME, BUY SOME...Merry Christmas Powerpopsters.

Bands

sylvain sylvain & the criminal$ / game theory / thurman / flamin’ groovies / jim basnight (previously not posted) / roy loney / nick haeffner / the elvis brothers / the lemon trees / the shazam / vox pop / summercamp / beat angels / pyramidiacs / wanderlust / off broadway / liquor giants / the fraternal order of the all / idle wilds / superstar / erik voeks / darin / duffy / vandalias

THE ADVENT WALL OF SOUND

From the 1st of December to the 24th of December, everyday you'll have to click on one slice of the image. Everyday, each compartment will show a (surprizing) new single, album or video never posted before on the blog. Each post will be available for a very limited time (it could be for just one day). Don't click on a part before the day or somebody could be hurt. Now you can enjoy the spirit of powerpop.

Tips
Day 1 : He was born in Africa but was raised in New-York City (deleted)
Day 2 : Raised from the ashes of Alternate Learning, this one was released in 1986. (deleted)
Day 3 : You have to google the name of this outfit with "band" or the first pages to pop up will be all about Uma T.....A glam album released 1995 (deleted)
Day 4 : In 1991, the album was a new "step" for this famous San Francisco band (deleted)
Day 5 : This comes from a legendary french TV show, 11 songs performed by Tom P. (400gb split in 4 parts, unpack when you have all parts), it was originally aired in 1980 but i had the opportunity to capture it in the PC a few months ago as a rerun on cable TV, so i made a high quality DivX5 video. Now available on Girl On LSD
Day 6 : He left his first band (see Day 4), and then recorded a lot of albums as a solo artist. This 1983 album has never been reisuued in CD format (deleted)
Day 7 : Try to remember The Remayns (see previous post) and you'll know who he is (deleted)
Day 8 : Now dig this, some brothers not related to the "King". They say a big hello with their handcuffs (deleted)
Day 9 : Here we go round the Lemon Trees (deleted)
Day 10 : Batman was "powerpop", Spiderman is "powerpop" but Supeman will always be "lame". Shazam (the first one) is definitely "powerpop" (deleted)
Day 11 : Once it was Vox Populi, Vox Dei. In 1991 it was Vox Powerpop, Vox Pop (deleted)
Day 12 : From this first album (1997), they charted with the single “Drawer" in the U.S., while "Should I Walk Away" reached the Top 10 in Japan. "On Her Mind" appeared in the film Baseketball (deleted)
Day 13 : From Arizona, this band had the attitude. They had great songs, great hooks and a great producer (Gilby Clarke from "Candy" fame). They released two fantastic albums and reached cult status. Nothing new since this 1997 album. Track #11 was misnamed by the CDDB database but i guess everybody will know the song covered there. BUY THEM NOW!!! (deleted)
Day 14 : Hailing from Fairfield, a suburb in western Sydney, Australia. The band has released 4 albums and a compilation. This first full length (1994) was produced by Michael Carpenter (The Finkers) and is arguably the hardest to find. Any of their albums are strongly recommended. (deleted)
Day 15 : The leader of this band also fronted Bachelor N°1 and went solo. The first album (1995) is a masterpiece and can be purchased from Amazon for just $0.01. More of their releases at Not Lame. (deleted)
Day 16 : A Tribute to a 70's US classic powerpop band. Preservation guaranteed (deleted)
Day 17 : A former Pontiac Brother released something for the kids in 1998 (deleted)
Day 18 : A "Gold" record that never went "gold" because maybe it was released undercover (deleted)
Day 19 : Released in 1995 on Ardent Records, produced by John Hampton. Jody Stephens was A&R for this gifted and beautiful album (deleted)
Day 20 : McAlinden and his fluid assembly of backing musicians recorded one of the '90s' most ethereal — and most sadly overlooked — albums (japanese edition 1994). (Trouser Press) (deleted)
Day 21 : Produced by the great Adam Schmitt (who also donates some vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards), this 1993 album is for people who love Tommy Keene, Adam Schmitt, Matthew Sweet or Mitch Easter. A pure pop gem (deleted)
Day 22 : In 1999, he released under his first name monicker, this first self-produced, self-performed solo album to crtitical acclaim (...another pure pop gem). More tip: he has a sister called Trish (deleted)
Day 23 : A 1995 album produced by Mitch Easter. Paul Chastain, Ric Menck and Mitch Easter are backing this english artist who "happily" left Duran Duran before the band conquered the charts (deleted)
Christmas Eve : They recorded their first single as the Sparrows, they released it under a new monicker. This pure fun/bubblegum 1998 gem was their second full-length album. It's a must (deleted)