Category: Power Pop Classics

The Wind and The Shivvers

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The Wind

The Wind “Re-Wind”

The Wind formed in 1982 and their debut LP was a criminally overlooked by most. It was a power pop classic that had influences from Beatles and Dylan to Motown. Now thirty years later Lane Steinberg is rejoined by his mates Steve Katz and Steve Burdick. Add to this pop maestro David Grahame, who co-produced and mixed this reunion. A mature sophisticated pop sense replaces the youthful energy, but they definitely recapture that old magic.

Keeping the production simple and clean similar to the Grahame Steinberg series, “Fight Like A Girl” has a catchy hook filled gem with hand claps and a fight bell to get the point across. Those harmonies of Lane and Steve work magic on the ballad “Let Me Show You How It’s Done.” The soul pop piano of “Think On Your Feet” is another great song with a low key chorus (think Todd Rundgren’s “Something/Anything”) and solid composition. Additional standouts include Steinberg’s piano melody “Weak Spot” and Katz does his best Motown in “Baby I Can Take A Punch.” Lane remains a superb songwriter on the breakup song “Which Part Of Goodbye?” and the hopeful gem “There’s A Clamoring.” “The 99th Percentile” is another rock blues riff about romance that sticks to your head. The reunion feels like a easy going session between friends, and while these men are no longer the youths that rocked out “Bad Eloise” from the debut LP thirty years ago, the themes of the music remain the same.

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The Shivvers

The Shivvers “The Shivvers (Remixed and Remastered 2014)”

Hard to believe, but this “lost” power pop classic belongs alongside the great albums of the early 1980’s era. If you love Blondie, The Scruffs, The Toms, and The Shoes then you should make it your business to listen to Milwaukee’s first real power pop band. The debut record LP finally saw the light of day this summer with terrific vocals from Jill Kossoris and backed up by Scott Krueger, Jim Eannelli, Jim Richardson, Mike Pyle and the late Breck Burns. Although the music was available in 2006, it has been newly remixed and remastered in 2014. Its being re-discovered today (thank you, internet) and well worth the listeners effort.

“Teenline” was bona-fide hit single that got attention from Raspberries’ frontman Eric Carmen who wished to produce the bands LP. “Please Stand By” is another fast paced song with bright angular guitar chords and hand claps in the chorus. “Hold On” is built very much like a Raspberries song, even the opening chords closely resemble “I Wanna Be With You.” The slower “Why Tell Lies” is song about heartbreak that echoes those fifties ballads with repeating vocals behind the chorus. Every song here resonates and impresses, from the heavy riffs of “When I Was Younger” to the piano melody on “Don’t Tell Me.” Krueger eventually joined The Wigs, and the group was disbanded. As a lush coda to the bands career, the 1989 reunion single “Remember Tonight” is included. Despite the simple production techniques, the music doesn’t sound dated due to the solid songwriting and energetic performances that carry each tune. When building a power pop collection, The Shivvers remains an essential LP to get.
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Reissues: Jellyfish “Bellybutton” and “Spilt Milk”

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Jellyfish Bellybutton

Jellyfish “Bellybutton” 2-CD Remastered Edition

When it comes to power pop, the band Jellyfish have been the most influential band for the genre in the past 20 years, and is a yardstick by which most other bands from the modern rock era can be judged. Jellyfish captured the melodious qualities of The Beatles in a modern indie rock style, all wrapped up with tight melodies and arrangements.

This new 2-CD set captures the 1990 debut, with a set of live performances and demos adding up to 25 additional tracks. Previously these demos only appeared on the long out-of-print box set. On top of the remastered sound quality, you get expanded artwork and liner notes. More details at Omnivore.
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Jellyfish Spilt Milk

Jellyfish “Split Milk” 2-CD Remastered Edition

Once established, the bands driving forces Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning, Jr. increased the intensity on “Spilt Milk” and delivered an updated “Sgt. Pepper” for the new generation. The dream concept incorporated many music styles from the classical strings on “Hush” to the guitar rock on “Joining a Fan Club” to the polka style of “Bye Bye Bye.” This is another one of those desert island discs, and its a shame the band imploded after this masterpiece.

Like the debut CD, the new remaster includes 26 additional bonus tracks that are mainly demos and live performances including the last ever recording from them, Harry Nilsson’s “Think About Your Troubles.” Also included is expanded artwork and notes, including a track by track commentary, and essays from Ken Sharp. More details at Omnivore.
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Considering the the long out of print box set “Fan Club” is worth well over $150 in new condition, these new albums are the definitive Jellyfish collection (at a bargain price.)
Also if you have friends that want to know what power pop is supposed to sound like this is the best gift you can give them.

Reissue: Trip Shakespeare

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Trip Shakespeare

When people think of the “Minneapolis sound,” most think of Prince or at least Bob Mould during his Hüsker Dü days. But in the mid 80’s a highly creative band named Trip Shakespeare combined alternative rock with a power pop twist. Elaine Harris and Matt Wilson founded the band with John Munson and produced the debut record Applehead Man in 1986. Matt’s brother Dan Wilson soon joined the band later and eventually Wilson and Munson went on to form the mainstream power pop band Semisonic. I never got the chance to appreciate Trip as a band back then, so I did some digging and was lucky to find that Omnivore Recordings has reissued the bands debut and follow up Are You Shakespearienced?

Trip Shakespeare

With a new listen Trip Shakespear’s music has held up much better than I remembered. On the the debut Applehead Man, best described as both melodic and esoteric, starts good and gets better with repeated listens. Harris’ unique rhythmic skill and Wilson’s poetic lyrics set Trip apart from other 80’s bands. Highlights include the title track, “Washington Bridge,” “ Necklace,” and the angular tribute to the Fab Four “Beatle,” without sounding a bit Beatlesque. Are You Shakespearienced? is more polished and with the addition of Dan Wilson, contributes to the harmonies and sophisticated arrangements shown on “The Lake” and “Two Wheeler, Four Wheeler.” The band would soon earn a contract with A&M Records after these 2 albums, so its cool that you can re-discover them with the added bonus tracks and demos.

Applehead Man | Are You Shakespearienced?

 

Jellyfish: Remastered, expanded editions come out Jan. 20, 2015

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Coming January 20, 2015 – Even though Jellyfish only released two albums in their short lifespan, their legend continues to grow. And thanks to Omnivore Recordings the buzz can begin all over again for an expanded deluxe CD editions of Bellybutton and Spilt Milk. Both titles have been expanded to two discs and include the original albums in their entirety fortified with a colossal 51 bonus tracks spread among the packages. With tracks from the demos to the albums to the tours, these releases are the ultimate Jellyfish experience.