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 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

Numbers - Add Up (1979)

The Numbers were :
Coleman York (drums, backing vocals)
Jim Kennedy (rhythm guitar, backing vocals)
Ed Blocki (lead vocals, bass guitar)
Peter Evans (lead vocals, lead/rhythm guitar, keyboards)
Colin "Archie" Gerrard (keyboards vocals; replaced Kennedy 1980)

“With Canadian record label Attic Records always on the cutting edge of new, innovative ways of developing talent while keeping costs low, they hit on the idea of a no-frills label called Basement Records. Their first signing was Toronto act, The Numbers, in 1979. The band went into the Soundstage studios in Toronto in October of that year with Jack Richardson's son Garth Richardson producing.
Attic co-owner Tom Williams wanted the Numbers to be the first album released in 1980 so, at 9:00 AM on New Year's day, key radio music directors and journalists were sent a copy of the album 'Add Up' to their homes along with a Bloody Caesar alcoholic beverage. The ploy worked as The Numbers received a bit of activity with the first single, "Sideways Elevator", but when it came time to follow that up with a second album the band demanded a larger production defeating the ability for Basement Records to live up to its mandate. As a result the band made a deal to re-sign with Attic Records under the new name Hot Tip (whereby Jim Kennedy was replaced by keyboardist Colin Gerrard). Unfortunately, the band broke up shortly after its two singles could be released in 1981.” (from Canoe’s Canadian encyclopedia of music).
This album, along with The Heats – Have an Idea is my favourite power pop album at this moment. Every song is catchy as hell, absolute power pop perfection. It’s a shame this was never released on CD.
Note : This album was posted last year also on Wilfully Obscure blog, a fantastic blog that I recommend to anyone. You'll find this blog on my favourite blog list.
Ranked nr. 134 on 'Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide' by John Borack.

Download : Numbers - Add Up

Shoes - Black Vinyl Shoes (1977)

“Most bands start out trying to bang their songs together in someone's living room, but Shoes certainly made more of that experience than most people. Jeff Murphy, Gary Klebe, and John Murphy were three pop obsessives from Zion, IL, who bought a four-track, found a drummer (Skip Meyer), and started putting songs on tape in Murphy's living room with all the care their primitive circumstances would allow. While the results were intended to be used only as a demo, Black Vinyl Shoes eventually attracted the attention of PVC Records, who gave the homemade set a nationwide release; the album's positive press eventually earned the band a major-label deal. Like their contemporaries and kindred spirits the Scruffs, Shoes were one of the few interesting pop bands to emerge in the mid- to late '70s who were very obviously not new wave; Shoes were pop classicists in the manner of the Beatles and the Raspberries, and if their low-tech recording setup dictated a leaner and more basic approach than the Fab Four, the thick guitar lines, smooth backing harmonies, and trickier-than-they-sound melodic structures made it clear their back-to-basic style was a nod to past rock glories as much as a call to jangly arms. But Shoes also had their own set of quirks to bring to the table (again like the Scruffs, Shoes had an unusual perspective on the male/female relationship), and there's an understated, off-kilter wit to songs like "Tragedy," "Do You Wanna Get Lucky?," and "Capital Gains" that's as delicious as the band's rich, satisfying songcraft. Black Vinyl Shoes is an album whose somewhat primitive production actually works in its favor; with 15 tunes to record and only four tracks on hand, Shoes made a record that was about melodies, hooks, and harmonies, and the result was an album that helped kick start the '80s pop revival -- and still sounds fine almost a quarter of a century later.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : Shoes - Black Vinyl Shoes

The Rubinoos - The Rubinoos (1977)

“For a brief moment, the Rubinoos seemed to be the last hope for pure pop music, carrying on the tradition of the Raspberries with an engaging blend of innocent bubblegum and power pop. The band was formed in 1973 by teenage friends Jon Rubin (vocals, guitar) and Tommy Dunbar (guitar, keyboards, vocals) along with Royse Adler (bass) and Donn Spindt (drums), but it wasn't until 1977 that they made their recording debut for Beserkley Records. The single, a cover of Tommy James' "I Think We're Alone Now," made an appearance in the lower reaches of the U.S. charts, giving the indie label their first hit. The same year, their self-titled debut LP received rave reviews all-around but failed commercially.
This little gem is a celebration of pop music. There's no other way to describe this record. Catchy tunes with a touch of tongue-in-cheek, mixed with exuberance and joy make this record as much fun as when it was first released.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Rubinoos - The Rubinoos

Simply Saucer - Cyborgs Revisited (1989) (recorded in 1974-1975)

“This four-piece band from Hamilton, Ontario, was formed in 1973 by Edgar Breau on lead guitar and vocals, Kevin Christoff on bass, Neil DeMerchant on drums, and Ping Romany on electronics. Though Simply Saucer had the guts to bring together tremendous influences from rock's past, including the Velvet Underground, early Pink Floyd, and the Stooges, the band was hardly noticed outside of its local area.
Simply Saucer's Cyborgs Revisited is a truly amazing album. In 1974-1975 not many bands had their energy, attitude, and sonic imagination. The tough garage and psychedelic-influenced songs are sprinkled with manic synthesizer freak-outs and theremin breaks. Songs like "Electro Rock" and the manic, two-part "Here Come the Cyborgs" sound simultaneously ten years behind and ahead of their time with their mix of frat-house stomp and art-house clatter. Elsewhere, the ghost of the Velvet Underground is conjured up through Edgar Breau's deadpan vocals and the almost-funky rhythms of tracks like "Dance the Mutation," and the influence of the Stooges is apparent on the Raw Power-lite balladry of "Bullet Proof Nothing" and the frequent punk snarl. You also get visions of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd on the long, trippy "Illegal Bodies," and 13th Floor Elevators on the woozy "Mole Machine." Don't for a minute think that the band were mere copyists, they took these influences and whipped them into a concoction that sounds like no other band of the time. You can hear traces of their sound in bands like Sonic Youth and Das Damen. This is truly an earth-shatteringly important record.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : Simply Saucer - Cyborgs Revisited

The Last - L.A. Explosion (1979)

“Perhaps the least known of the late-'70s L.A. pop acts, the Last rose from the ashes of the Los Angeles club scene alongside bands like 20/20, the Knack, the Nerves, the Plimsouls, et al. Releasing their debut album on a small, albeit influential, indie label didn't help them gain exposure outside of California, but the music contained on this platter is as brilliant as anything that came from that era. Led by Joe Nolte and featuring his brothers Mike and David amongst its members, the Last's secret weapon was the keyboard/flute-playing Vitus Matare, who added extra texture and flair to Joe's engaging songs. Heavily influenced by '60s pop, this album has it all: pure pop ("This Kind of Feeling," "Someone's Laughing"), sunny beach pop ("Every Summer Day"), punk-pop ("I Don't Wanna Be In Love," "Slavedriver"), psych-pop ("She Don't Know Why I'm Here"), etc. Thinly produced, this album has a charm and innocence to it that not many other artists have been able to match.” (From AllMusicGuide)

Download : The Last - L.A. Explosion

Shoes - Present Tense (1979)

“The first of Shoes' three Elektra albums, Present Tense is almost a happy accident in ways -- not that the band hadn't already shown its particular approach beautifully with earlier efforts, but at a time when major labels were trying to figure out what punk and new wave could provide, Shoes just found a perfect balance. Recorded in England and co-produced by the band, Present Tense didn't end up sounding like a Cheap Trick clone, had a winsome, cool air thanks to the brilliant harmonies that distinguished the group from the Knack, and in the end traded off power and wistfulness in equal measure. The harmonies in particular are just lovely -- as distinct and band-defining as those of the Beach Boys -- on songs like "Too Late," "Three Times," and "Your Very Eyes." Gary Klebe and Jeff Murphy have enough crunch and sting in their guitars to add some downright swagger to things -- check out the glammish kick of "Hangin' Around With You" and the combination soar and snarl of "Now and Then" -- while keeping an eye on economy throughout. The fragile acoustic lead on "Every Girl" provides an especially striking dimension to the song. The punch of Skip Meyer's drums adds further heft, John Murphy's bass also can cut through the mix -- the introduction to "In My Arms Again" and "I Don't Miss You" in particular showcases both nicely. Much of the sound of the album finds a sound that could easily be called timeless -- it's inspired by the past but sets a template that so many groups would follow in the future. No one stands out as the obvious highlight, which could be said to show an interchangeable sameness among them, but just as easily means that each has its own particular point in an approach the quartet had down cold.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : Shoes - Present Tense


Shoes - Tomorrow Night

The Nerves - The Nerves EP (1976)

“They could've been contenders had they stayed together long enough, but the Nerves, despite their brief existence, were one of the most exciting bands in power pop. Formed by Jack Lee, Peter Case, and Paul Collins in 1975, their career was over by 1978, but they produced a great EP that featured the power pop classic "Hanging on the Telephone," which was later recorded (and wonderfully so) by Blondie. Ultimately, having three talented songwriters in one band hurried the demise of the Nerves, and all three principals found greater happiness and success with their new bands; although Jack Lee (arguably the most talented songwriter of the three) had the shortest career and eventually dropped out of sight after a fine solo record (Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1) in 1981. Case went on to form the Plimsouls, who recorded two good records and a transcendent pop song, "A Million Miles Away." After breaking up in 1984, Case recorded as a roots rock solo act for the rest of the decade and into the '90s. Collins formed the Beat (later Paul Collins' Beat), who were merely OK, and has done little since the mid-'80s.” (From AllMusicGuide).

Download : The Nerves - The Nerves EP