Seaside Stars - The Magic of Stereo (2001)

“Every so often, I'll get a cd from a band I'd never heard or heard of, and put it on, and instantly love it. That can't even begin to describe this disc. I put this on, and by the third song, it's already in my year's top ten. This is the jangle pop record of this new decade, and probably the best melodic guitar pop band I've heard since East Village (with the possible exception of Brideshead, though I may like these guys more). There is absolutely nothing bad I can say about this record, so I guess I'll just continue raving... The guitars: perfect sound, mixing crystal clear guitars with ever-so-slightly distorted rhythm guitars, that occasionally break out louder for the breaks. The music is generally upbeat and always moving. The vocals: sunny male vocals with lots of heavenly harmonies and backing vocals. Think East Village, Teenage Fanclub, Speedboat... take the best bits of all and you'll have "The Magic Of Stereo". All of this comes from two German fellows, and I really can't wait to see what they do next! The disc comes in a funny wraparound cardboard sleeve, around the jewel case (like the Sloan "Navy Blues" cd). Do whatever it takes to find this cd, and you'll love it, too!” (From Indiapages.com).

Download : Seaside Stars - The Magic of Stereo

DM3 - One Time Two Times Three Red Light (1993)

“Fronted by singer/ guitarist Dom Mariani (formerly of The Stems and The Lime Spiders) DM3 got their start in 1992 with the accompaniment of bassist Toni Italiano and drummer Pascal Bartolone. Bringing out their own brand of power-pop to the town of Perth, Australia, DM3 debuted with their first single "Foolish" in 1993 before following it with their first full-length 1 Time, 2 Times, 3 Red Light in 1994. After a European tour in support of these two releases, DM3's second album Road to Rome came out in 1996 before Bomp Records hooked up a "best of" compilation in support of the band 1997 US tour entitled Dig It The Most. With the 5 Greasy Pieces EP released that same year courtesy of Citadel Records, another compilation of b-sides and out takes entitled Garage Sale saw the light of day in 1998.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : DM3 - One Time Two Times Three Red Light

The Nines - Calling Distance Stations (2006)

While Steve Eggers has honed his craft for the last several years in earlier incarnations of The Nines, "Calling Distance Stations" is the first recording to reveal the breadth and depth of his gift. Among those who willingly participated in the project were XTC auteur Andy Partridge, who collaborated with Eggers on “Receiving Me,” and smart-pop cult hero Jason Falkner (Jellyfish, the Grays, Air, Paul McCartney), who mixed several tracks and sang backing vocals on “Darkening Sky.” Joao Carvalho (Sloan, Barenaked Ladies, Cowboy Junkies) and John Adams (Sarah Sleen, John Cage) split up the rest of the mixes.
BACK STORY: The first Nines LP, Wonderworld of Colourful, came out in Canada in 1998 on the Bare Naked Ladies’ Page label and was distributed through EMI. Later that year, Universal Music Canada released a piano-based four-song EP. This preliminary version of the band was sufficiently appealing to connect with the pop underground and top the Canadian college chart, but, as Eggers readily admits, the Nines were then still very much a work in progress. Still, this initial studio foray did offer a tantalizing glimpse of the young artist’s potential. The second Nines lineup cut Properties of Sound, released in North America in 2001 (Airmail Recordings picked up the album in Japan a year later). Additionally, several of Eggers’ songs wound up on network TV series, including Dawson's Creek, Party of Five and Joan of Arcadia (and most recently the theme song for Global Television's comedy sitcom "The Jane Show"). Since then, Eggers has totally committed himself to the making of "Calling Distance Stations",writing, refining and recording the material, and finding cohorts who could help him achieve his vision, which is predicated upon bringing the grand legacy of the 1960s into the present. Picking up where the Beatles left off is a big challenge, but it can be done, as XTC, Jellyfish and Spoon have proved. The Nines belong in that rarefied company.
written by: Bud Scoppa (Rolling Stone Magazine, Hits Magazine, Paste)

Download : The Nines - Calling Distance Stations

The Candyskins - Space I'm In (1991)

“Emerging from the same Oxford, England pop scene which also yielded Radiohead and Supergrass, the Candyskins were formed in 1989 by frontman Nick Cope, his guitarist brother Mark, lead guitarist Nick Burton, bassist Karl Shale and drummer John Halliday.
Space I'm In is a nice solid production, stuffed with lots of great-sounding pop guitar (from jingle-jangle acoustics to wah and fuzz-tone riff), strong drums and nice bass work. While it's another page in that well-stuffed book of nuevo-'60s rock (complete with hints of Squeeze and an Elvis Costello vocal imitation on "Black and Blue") it's a melodic, well-done and highly enjoyable page that's worth rereading a few times. For good measure, they even cover a Stephen Stills song and have an original called "Freedom Bus." (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Candyskins - Space I'm In

The Bongos - Drums Along the Hudson (1982)

“The Bongos were one of the most distinctive bands to come out of the briefly bustling Hoboken pop scene in the early '80s -- Richard Barone's songs were gloriously hooky, but also forcefully propulsive enough to live up to the group's name (aided immeasurably by Rob Norris' agile bass and Frank Giannini's precise drumming), and Barone's guitar work managed to be melodic and oblique at the same time, carrying the tune while allowing room for his own sonic interjections, which could be noisy or richly smooth at will. The Bongos were different enough from their contemporaries that Drums Along the Hudson has dated remarkable little since it was released in 1982, sounding less like "new wave" than a simply timeless example of smart, edgy pop. The joyous charge of the opening cut, "In the Congo," is pure glorious sugar rush, "The Bulrushes" is fraught with seductive mystery, "Three Wise Men" very nearly beats the Feelies at their own high-tension game, and "Glow in the Dark" is one of the most charmingly off-kilter love songs ever. (Norris' anti-television diatribe "Video Eyes" fares somewhat less well than the other tunes, but there's no arguing it's still timely.) Add in a T. Rex cover that's sensuous and almost funky and you get a minor masterpiece from the era of the skinny tie that's still bracing stuff today.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Bongos - Drums Along the Hudson

Single Bullet Theory - Single Bullet Theory (1982)

“The new wave band Single Bullet Theory was shot down by major-label heartaches before they were truly given a chance to be heard. Single Bullet Theory formed in Richmond, VA, in 1976 as X-Breed, a group featuring Michael Maurice Garrett (vocals), Frank Daniel (guitar), and Dennis Madigan (drums). The band changed its name to Single Bullet Theory after Gary Alan "Goober" Holmes (guitar) and Davey Wynn (bass) joined. Inspired by the do-it-yourself ethic of British punk rockers, the group recorded and released their debut EP by themselves. However, Wynn departed from the band before the session was over, replaced by guitarist "Mudd" Herman. Daniel played the bass instead. Herman didn't last; the band added bassist Keith MacPhee and Daniel returned to his guitar. In 1979, the group opened for Patti Smith, one of numerous weekly gigs in the Big Apple that started to reward them with positive press clippings. The band was then asked to contribute a track to the compilation LP Sharp Cuts, distributed by Elektra/Asylum. The song "Keep It Tight" would eventually become Single Bullet Theory's lone appearance on the U.S. pop charts, peaking at number 78. In 1982, the group was offered a deal by Mike Curb Productions. However, the band wanted to release a single with their photograph on it. The label rejected the idea because of its cost; when the group promised to pay for it themselves, the company was incensed and withdrew their offer.

Single Bullet Theory - Keep It Tight
A year later, Single Bullet Theory was signed to the Nemperor label, a subsidiary of CBS Records. The band began recording their first album, a record given a pop polish that didn't accurately capture their sound. The video for "Keep It Tight" was added to MTV in 1984, but CBS abruptly stopped promoting it. "Hang On to Your Heart" was supposed to be Single Bullet Theory's breakthrough single; however, CBS never released it. Disillusioned by the music industry, especially CBS' lack of support, Single Bullet Theory broke up before releasing another LP.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : Single Bullet Theory - Single Bullet Theory

The Glands - The Glands (2000)

“With the Athens, Georgia music scene receiving national press from the likes of R.E.M. and the B-52's, members of the Glands knew that they wanted to create something their hometown was known for. So instead of having a sound that resembled laid-back college rock or wacked-out party rock, members Ross Shapiro (vocals/ guitar) Joe Rowe (drums), Craig McQuiston (bass), Frank McDonald (guitar) and Doug Stanley (keyboards) shaped more of a darker, laid-back, brit-pop style that doesn't cross the line of dismal or brooding.
Eponymously-titled albums that follow a previously released debut (especially once the band signs to a major label) usually seem to indicate that the band is going back to square one, and this self-titled album by the Glands -- who hail from the college burg of Athens, GA -- does just that, offering up refreshingly enigmatic, artfully arranged and bouncy Confederate pop that blends porch swing guitars, jazzy basslines, and jangling Paisley Underground and Britpop aesthetics. "Work It Out" sounds like a pre–Mersey Beat Britbilly workout that woulda rocked the U.K. back in '62, while "Straight Down" is pretty straight-up indie rock.
Vocalist/guitarist Ross Shapiro's endearing but heartbreakingly frail vocals have been compared to Village Green vintage Ray Davies, but fans of Olivia Tremor Control's Bill Doss or the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne may hear a little of them in there too. Doug Stanley's airy keyboard burbles and Craig McQuiston's keening lap steel will appeal to fans of the Elephant 6 collective sound as well.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Glands - The Glands

Three Hour Tour - 1969 (1996)

“Three Hour Tour is an Champaign, IL-based power pop band led by the multi-talented Darren Cooper, a veteran of many pop bands including the '80s power pop group Choo Choo Train (which featured Ric Menck (drums, vocals) and Paul Chastain (guitar, bass, vocals), who later were members of Velvet Crush). Brad Steakley (aka Brad Elvis, from the Elvis Brothers) played drums for the band; he's now a member of the Chicago-based Big Hello. Like all of the aforementioned groups, Three Hour Tour heavily emphasized and pretty much stuck to the three-minute jangle rock format, emulating the familiar punch of '60s and '70s bands like Badfinger, the Beatles, and the Raspberries, as well as more recent bands like the Posies. In 1996, Parasol compiled 1969, a nine-song collection gathering two Parasol singles, a rare Christmas track (the unlisted tenth track), and "Love Sick Trip," which appeared on Yellow Pills, Vol. 1: The Best of American Pop. Velvet Crush member Chastain also co-wrote one of the songs featured here.” (From AllMusicGuide).
Ranked nr. 126 on 'Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide' by John Borack.

Download : Three Hour Tour - 1969

Rubber City Rebels - Rubber City Rebels (1980)

"The Rubber City Rebels are an American protopunk band from Akron, Ohio, that formed in 1976.
The original line-up of the band consisted of Rod Firestone (vocals), Buzz Clic (guitar), Donny Damage (bass), Stix Pelton (drums) and Pete Sake (keyboards).
In their early years, the Rebels were fans (and friends) of fellow Greater Cleveland-area bands The Dead Boys and Devo. Their breakout show was opening for The Dead Boys at legendary New York City rock club CBGB in 1977. This led to a split EP with The Bizarros, entitled From Akron, which was released that year. Firestone and Clic would go on to open the Crypt in Akron, at the time the only punk rock club in the Midwest. Bands including The Dead Boys, Devo, Pere Ubu and the Bizarros played at this club.
The Rebels moved to Los Angeles in 1978, minus Pelton (who was replaced on drums by Mike Hammer) and Sake (keyboards were deemed unnecessary for the band's change to a "heavier" sound), and gained considerable fame on the Sunset Strip. They would frequently headline at the famous Whisky A Go-Go for bands such as The Knack, Fear, The Kats, The Nu Kats, The Dickies and The Plimsouls. The band was signed to Sire Records in exclusive company like The Ramones, however a clash between band and record label ensued and the recording contract was terminated before the Rebels could record their debut album.
Following some personnel changes in the band (Damage and Hammer left, replaced by Johnny Bethesda and Brandon Matheson respectively), the Rebels signed a deal with Capitol Records helped in no small way by Doug Fieger, lead singer of The Knack (who were also signed to Capitol) and a self-professed fan of the band. Matheson and Fieger had previously been members of The Sunset Bombers and had one album released on Ariola Records. The Rebels debut, self-titled album was released in 1980. Although praised by critics, sales of the album never vaulted the band past its underground status and they did not follow up with a second release." (From Wikipedia).

Download : Rubber City Rebels - Rubber City Rebels

The Lackloves - As Far as You Know (2000)

The Lackloves were formed in 1996 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Mike Jarvis of early-90's power-pop band The Blow Pops, who enjoyed international success with the release of the classic pop albums "Charmed, I'm Sure" and "American Beauties", both released on Get Hip Records. Originally formed as a power trio with Dedrik Bornslger on bass and Tommy D on drums, The Lackoves picked up right where the Blow Pops left off.
In 1999, Jarvis got the Lackloves into the studio and on tape. These sessions, with former Blow Pop Nick Randazzo on drums, and the addition of lead guitarist Bob Eickhoff, resulted in the now out of sight, out of print, "As Far As You Know", the fine performances on which do well to showcase Jarvis's Lennon/Townshend/Wilson-inspired pop gems. The disc quickly sold out of its initial pressing and can now be found only in the extensive record collections of pop aficionados worldwide.

Download : The Lackloves - As Far as You Know

Pyramidiacs - All You Want (1994)

“Characterized by a upbeat power-pop feel, the Pyramidiacs sound has remained consistent since the group's 1988 origins. Based in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield, Australia, the original line-up of Eddie Owen (guitar/ vocals), Bob Susnjara (bass/ vocals) and Mickster Baty (drums) took upon a musical idolization for the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, Big Star and Matthew Sweet. With the 1992 addition of guitarist Mick O'Regan, the Pyramidiacs would eventually release a slew of singles and compilation tracks before their 1993 full-length debut, Don't Wish It. The following year saw the Pyramidiacs' second album, All You Want, released through Pink Flamingo Records before their 1995 European tour. The group's third album, Teeter Totter, came out in 1996 courtesy of Ranezz Records.” (From AllMusicGuide).
One of the best australian power pop albums. Don't miss this one! 



Download : Pyramidiacs - All You Want

The Sneetches - Slow (1991)

“The Sneetches' third album (and their first to feature the group's final lineup of singer/guitarists Matt Carges and Mike Levy, drummer Daniel Swan, and new bassist Alec Palao, better known as co-editor of the '60s pop fanzine Cream Puff War), 1991's Slow, isn't quite the equal of their 1990 career high-point, Sometimes That's All We Have, although it stays on that album's course: dreamy, often languid melodies meander under lushly overdubbed harmonies singing Carges and Levy's occasionally quirky, often intriguing lyrics. Slow is a bit more musically varied than their earlier records, moving easily from the shoegaze neo-psychedelia of songs like "Over Round Each Other" directly into the sunny, British Invasion-like surfaces of "What's in Your Mind." The production is pristine without being antiseptic, and the band's usual mix of mod and punk influences peek through, along with unexpected new textures like the almost bossa nova feel of the ballad "Heloise." Newcomers should still probably start with Sometimes That's All We Have or the excellent compilation 1985-1991, but Slow is where they should go next.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Sneetches - Slow

The Mockers - Somewhere Between Mocksville and Harmony (1995)

“Though the Mockers have included a large cast of musicians hailing from all corners of the U.S. rock scene, the band's foundations were laid by two preteen Beatles fans living in Spain in the early '70s. Tony Leventhal and Seth Gordon were the children of New York expats living on the southern coast of Spain when they met. The third-graders quickly discovered their common love for rock & roll and formed a friendship that would last a lifetime. When their families eventually moved back to the States, both began learning guitar and keeping in touch regarding their plans to form their long-awaited rock band. Many years later the two converged in Virginia, creating the surf-pop band the Mockers. With a rotating cast of lead guitarists and drummers, the Mockers climbed their way to the top of the live music scene in Virginia. They spent the next several years touring tirelessly, sometimes playing as many as 20 engagements a month. As the band conquered the East Coast and Midwest, they earned the attention of the local press. Their relentless schedule began to wear thin, and the bandmembers took a long break to regain their creative spark. Some years later Leventhal and Gordon decided it was time for the Mockers to record their debut CD. The 1995 release Somewhere Between Mocksville and Harmony garnered excellent reviews, including a Billboard Critic's Choice Award. Ironically, the disc saw the greatest amount of airplay in Spain, resulting in heavy touring throughout the country and a reconnection with the boy's old stomping grounds.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Mockers - Somewhere Between Mocksville and Harmony

Pugwash - Almond Tea (1999)

Since releasing their debut power-pop album in 1999, ‘Almond Tea’, Pugwash, aka songwriter Thomas Walsh and friends, has become an instant favourite of Irish and British music critics alike, many of whom nominated ‘Almond Tea’ as their album of the year. The Hotpress rated it – only 4 weeks after its release – as one of the Top 30 albums of the Millennium (actually 23, ahead of Suede, Orbital and almost everybody else you’d care to name!) As a result, Thomas Walsh has been singled out by many critics as one of the most talented new songwriters to emerge on the Irish scene in recent years.

Download : Pugwash - Almond Tea

Green - Elaine MacKenzie (1987)

“Four hours of this all-but-forgotten Chicago pop band may be a bit much for all but the most anglophile power poppers, but guitarist Jeff Lescher's group was the kind of all-embracing pop band that burbled around in the late-80s, pre-grunge underground. Far ranging enough to embrace everything from Merseybeat balladry to neo-soul falsetto workouts to off-the-wall experimental pop, Green was a critics' darling back in the day for its ability to turn all manner of styles into gleaming, melodic jangle pop. The 1986 debut is a bit thin on the ground--bare production values drag it down--but has its share of rough-cut gems. By Elaine MacKenzie, though, Lescher had found his voice, and it remains a mystery why Material Issue and the Posies are fixed in the collective memory as the era's prime bands when Green was offering up such frothy guitar pop as "She's An Addiction" and the riff-happy "Up All Night," the latter of which could've been a nice mod-rocker in the hands of a singer like Steve Marriott. That Lescher could also write something as sublime as "Don't Ever Fall in Love With Someone When You're In Love With Someone Else," a strange mélange of Association-style pop and Elvis Costello at his Bacharach best, proves he's an unfairly lost talent.” (From PopCulturePress).

Download : Green - Elaine MacKenzie

Titanic Love Affair - Titanic Love Affair (1991)

Titanic Love Affair started in the late 80's by Jay Bennett. The band's 1991 Major Label debut came out on Charisma Records and got rave reviews across the nation. After leaving Charisma in 1992, the band put out an EP in 1992-1993 appropriately titled "No Charisma". Featuring 5 scorching tracks of the bands own brand of power-pop, this EP was an unsung classic! The bands sound was always compared to Dinosaur Jr. and The Replacements, always playing a little louder and a little more poppy than both bands, it was more like a rocking Cheap Trick meets The Mats meets Dinosaur Jr. Pop rock veterans Tommy Keene and Adam Schmitt were just a couple of people that took great praise for the band. In 1996, the band released its last record titled "Their Titanic's Majesties Request" on No Alternative Records. The band broke up shortly after its release with Jay joining Wilco and Lars Gustafsson joining Mother May I.

Download : Titanic Love Affair - Titanic Love Affair


Titanic Love Affair - Planet Strange

Wondermints - Mind If We Make Love to You (2002)

“During 2000-2001, Wondermints cemented their already direct '60s influences by serving as the backing band for Brian Wilson's solo tours, documented on the concert albums Live at the Roxy Theater and Pet Sounds Live. Upon returning, they went into the studio and recorded Mind If We Make Love to You, a record that ably displays some steady gains in musicianship and expertise from playing some of the best pop music of all time in front of audiences all over the world. As on previous records, the band sparkles simply by playing up their influences instead of hiding them. Surprisingly, though, the Beach Boys inspiration apparently came from their early-'70s phase instead of their classic '60s era; "Ride," with backing vocals from Wilson himself, is immediately obvious, featuring a soulful vocal from the Carl Wilson playbook (first bluesy as on "The Trader," later heavenly as on "God Only Knows") and a progression of short "feels" instead of the usual verse-chorus-verse format.
Elsewhere, Wondermints again call on spirits of the past -- from the Association (for "Out of Mind," on which Curt Boettcher must surely be smiling) to the Zombies ("Shine on Me") to even the Grateful Dead ("Time Has You") -- but any hint of a stale sound is saved by gorgeous hooks, clean production, and an over-all beautiful construction. Occasionally the similarities are to fellow latter-day pop savants like Jason Falkner or even the Ocean Blue, but Wondermints ably display all they've learned during their nearly endless summer of touring with the golden boy of '60s pop.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : Wondermints - Mind If We Make Love to You

The Moberlys - First Album (1979)

“For aficionados of late '70s American power-pop, the Moberlys' eponymous debut may be something of a lost treasure. Falling halfway between sunny, innocent '60s guitar-pop and ironic, nervy post-punk pop à la Jonathan Richman, the Moberlys are garage punks that have their hearts set on being obnoxious, but their talents lie in effortlessly catchy miniture pop songs. That means that the raucous hardcore-wannabe "She Got Fucked" encapsulates their attitude but not their sound. The Moberlys and lead singer/songwriter Jim Basnight were into catchy little songs and this debut shows that they could pull it off with the right amount of snotty defiance. The Moberlys is the kind of record that will only appeal to hardcore power-pop fans, but they will know that it's a real find.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Moberlys - First Album

The Shazam - Godspeed the Shazam (1999)

“Taking cues primarily from early Cheap Trick and Electric Light Orchestra, The Shazam mold hard rock that, initially, sounds out of place on the Not Lame label, which focuses entirely on power pop. However, on repeat listens it becomes obvious why this group is so often lumped in with fine pop acts; their hooks are remarkably strong and melodic. While they're clearly out of step with the times (The music here is entirely steeped in the late '70s, and while it may have sold millions then, it is unlikely to go past "cult" status now), Godspeed the Shazam is an excellent hard rock pleasure. Many of these songs sound like lost classics, especially the excellent "Super Tuesday" (an anthemic rocker on the lament of the loser of a presidential election) and "Gonna Miss Yer Train." The Shazam also occasionally dip into glam , especially on "Sunshine Tonight" and "The Stranded Stars" and, not surprisingly, they make that work too. It all amounts to yet another gem on the Not Lame label.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Shazam - Godspeed the Shazam

The Liverpool Echo - The Liverpool Echo (1973)

“Power pop has never sounded so powerful! When former Mandrake Paddlesteamer mainstays Brian Engel and Martin Briley convened as Liverpool Echo in 1973, the Beatles had been in the grave for just three years, and the world still desperately wanted them back -- so desperately that, with a band name borrowed bodily from an old Merseybeat-era newspaper, what could any record company do, but lift a "Fabs"-headlined copy of the paper for an album cover? But "Beatles Come Home So Quietly" really wasn't the most appropriate banner for an LP jacket, all the more so since, once you hit the vinyl, the spirit of the "Moptops" hung so heavily over the music that it screamed out for attention. Of course, it was true that any early-'70s band that was capable of melding melody with studio-borne creativity would inevitably be tarred "the new Beatles" (as Badfinger and 10cc would readily testify); it is also true that all such comparisons were then hopelessly devalued by the arrival of the Rutles. But still Liverpool Echo have an uncanny grasp of the Merseybeat sound circa 1963 and 64, spliced with a healthy hint of the Hollies, and that was more than enough to raise high hopes for the album. Unfortunately, hope was all that the record label (Spark) could do. They certainly had no promotion or distribution muscle to speak of, and both band and LP sank within seconds, to lie forgotten until Revola revived it (with excellent Mark A Johnston liner notes) in 2005.” (From AllMusicGuide).
Ranked nr. 117 on 'Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide' by John Borack.

Download : The Liverpool Echo - The Liverpool Echo