Report from International Pop Overthrow NYC

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Written by Steven Korn

I first attended an International Pop Overthrow festival produced by David Bash way back in 1999 in Los Angeles, and have been to many since. While I’ve always enjoyed them, that first one was very special. I feel like this past weekend’s NYC edition (Nov. 5-8 at Parkside Lounge) came the closest I can remember to that feeling of catching a special power pop scene/moment in time; it was especially heartening to see the healthy mix of young bands and veterans.

There are too many highlights from the four days to include here, but at Aaron’s invitation I’ve listed some personal favorites that I hope will connect with readers of Powerpopaholic, too. Please don’t take it as “the best of the fest”; there were many more excellent performances worth your time and attention than can appear below. Please visit my YouTube channel in the days ahead, when I plan to add more video clips of them. But here are three that hit a sweet spot for me; if you like what you see/hear, consider attending a future IPO festival and be part of the fun as it happens.

Wednesday Week “Why”

I’d be fibbing if I said this was not my favorite set of IPO NYC 2026. Their excellent album “What We Had” came out in 1987, which had been the year of their most recent NYC show — until now. Forty years vanished in a flash from their first notes, as they sounded better than ever. Icing on the cake is a brand-new EP of smartly selected covers, led by their take on the awesome Dolly Mixture song, “Side Street Walker.” Pure jangle rock joy.

Strange Neighbors, “Whoa! Is Me”

It’s been gratifying watching this amazing young NYC band become a perennial favorite at the festival; also at work on a new album, they debuted a few excellent sounding songs from it, but this “oldie” remains one of my faves in their catalog. See Aaron’s interview with Strange Neighbors here.

Allie Kenny, “Night Train”

A very exciting late addition to the lineup, and — you guessed it! — she has a full album in the works for 2027. Aaron recently sang his praises for this single, with good reason. Read the review here.

Other faves here include performances from Log Flume, The Grip Weeds, Fascinations Grand Chorus, Bubble, and American Darlings. Hopefully I will see you attend other IPO shows across the USA and beyond!

Spygenius and The Guest List

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Spygenius

Spygenius “Rhizomania!”

Spygenius occupies a pretty unique corner of the power pop universe. There’s a definite Colin Moulding (XTC) influence in their DNA, but this is no exercise in imitation. The dry English wit, acerbic humor, and vintage, often elaborate arrangements are all part of the appeal, backed by musicianship that never takes the easy way out. They have a knack for making complicated music sound deceptively effortless.

“Watch Like No One’s Dancing” is about as close to straightforward sunshine pop as Spygenius gets, with a warm, bouncing melody that makes for an inviting opener. Then comes “But Is It Powerpop?,” which pretty much sums up the band’s playful defiance of genre labels. Think Schrödinger’s cat, only here the question is whether there’s a dead cat on the table or a power pop song hiding in plain sight. You get the idea.

Psychedelia and prog tendencies creep into the arrangements throughout, and “Alone Again, Orwell” and “I Don’t Understand It” offer plenty of pop sensibility amid the more adventurous twists. “Desire Paths” features a lovely pastoral chorus and a gentle nudge to pick up a book rather than surrender to the techno-daze of modern life. Meanwhile, “Mr. Blue Sky Thinking Blues” takes a decidedly less enthusiastic view of corporate optimism, delivering a wonderfully sarcastic shove to all that positive-thinking nonsense. But the real standout for me is “Horizon Shine,” where overlapping harmonies and shimmering guitars come together in a terrific display of everything this band does so well. This is easily my favorite Spygenius album in quite some time. Highly recommended!

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The Guest List

The Guest List “Something Real”

The Guest List are a Manchester UK band that are supposed to be the next big thing catering to Gen Z listeners’ nostalgia, with influences like Arctic Monkeys, The Smiths, and Radiohead. The title track kicks things off with a great guitar hook and a sharp take on social media’s obsession with outrage and controversy. It’s a catchy single that’s gone viral and deserves your attention. “Ruine” follows with a catchy alt-rock punch, while “You Should Care” delivers one of the album’s strongest choruses, complete with gorgeous harmonies.

The band shifts gears on “Mundane” with a very Radiohead-like guitar approach with lyrics about the grind of everyday life. Another winner here is “Slow Down Sally,” a very epic Oasis-sized singalong. Vocalist Cai Alty is particularly impressive, showing real range in his songwriting. He tackles everything from mental health and abusive relationships to climate change and digital culture without sacrificing melody. Several tracks appeared on earlier EPs and singles, so longtime followers won’t find much new. Still, the quality of the material is hard to argue with. Keep an eye on these guys. Highly recommended!

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Softjaw and Letters of Acceptance

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Softjaw

Softjaw “Love Can’t Kill You”

Softjaw made a strong impression with their EP debut earlier this year, but their full-length, ‘Love Can’t Kill You,’ takes things up another notch. They come out swinging with “You May Be Right,” a Cheap Trick-meets-The Sweet rocker that barrels along at full speed and dares you to keep up. The glam-infused “You Won’t See Me Cry” is sticky-sweet, and one of several instant gems. There’s even a touch of the Small Faces’ “Itchycoo Park” in its retro charm.

“Poor Disguise” shifts gears with some terrific key changes throughout the verses, and that’s part of the album’s appeal. Every song seems to jump out of the speakers with an immediate hook. The title track keeps the momentum rolling, delivering Lemon Twigs-style melodic flair with an extra dose of hard-rock muscle. “Halfwit” is another standout, pairing a heavy riff with shifting harmonies that explode into a brilliant blend of rock and irresistible pop. There’s a lot to love here, and the consistency is impressive. ‘Love Can’t Kill You’ is an easy addition to my Top 10 albums of 2026. Don’t sleep on Softjaw. This one’s highly recommended!

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Letters of Acceptance

Letters of Acceptance “Frets”

Kentucky’s Letters Of Acceptance take a winding road through power pop and folk-rock. The lineup of Clint Newman, John Harlan Norris, Scott Whiddon, and Tim Welch clearly has deep musical chops, but the results are sometimes more interesting than immediate. Their sound relies on intertwining guitar lines, homespun harmonies, and lyrics that find both absurdity and mystery in everyday life.

“Clara” gets things off to a promising start, with a bit of Elvis Costello-esque magic and some terrific riffs that build between the verses. “Don’t Forget to Try to Be Happy” takes its time getting there, but its one of those tracks that rewards repeated listens. “In Sunken Style” brings a welcome dose of Tom Petty-style jangle and vocal phrasing, an approach that also works nicely on “Sometimes Sunshine Smells Like Rain.”

The band isn’t afraid to wander into stranger, edgier territory, and that’s both a strength and a weakness. Some of the arrangements meander when they should be moving forward, and the songwriting occasionally gets lost in its own eccentricities. Stick around for “Broken Guitars (and Fucked Up Feelings),” a wonderfully offbeat title that leaves you wondering whether these musicians have a few regrets of their own. The hooks don’t come as quickly as I’d like, but there’s an appealing rough-edged charm beneath the surface. Worth spending some time with.

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November singles, EPs and no sleep: The Nervous Eaters, The Oldman Sound, Late Cambrian, Future Clouds and Radar, Eric Barlow, Radio Karma

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We start off November with The Nervous Eaters snarling out “Where’s Johnny Now,”a garage rock banger on their upcoming album, ‘Eat or Be Eaten’, arriving January 15, 2027, via Wicked Cool Records! UK Band The Oldman Sound has a great little EP of gentle rock loaded with crisp harmonies and brilliant guitar lines. Lead Andrew Forster is a natural talent that deserves a deeper dive. John Wlaysewski (vocals, guitar) and Olive Hui (vocals) are back as Late Cambrian and they push the boundaries of guitar prog pop on “Kin Precipice,” so don’t miss it. Robert Harrison (Future Clouds and Radar) also returns with a great single “Wooden Soldiers.” Next, Eric Barlow caught my ear last week. His album ‘Still Moving Parts’ deserves so much more attention, so we’ll start with the single “Burn.” Lastly, Radio Karma is a project by multi-instrumentalist Joe Giddings and Richard Rossi(!) and if you love Joe’s guitar work, you’ll love this too! Enjoy!