Tag: Popdudes

We Give Thanks For the Singles: Jesse Judies, Terry Alan Hackbarth, Juniper, The Go, Strange Neighbors, Popdudes

powerpopaholic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9_fMDToe3E

Happy Thanksgiving! Sydney-based artist Jesse Judies delivers laid-back pop with “I’ve Been There Before.” Hypnotism and smooth guitars go together just fine. Milwaukee artist Terry Alan Hackbarth recalls “I Heard That Song Before,” and it’s a sweet hook-filled gem. As a follow-up, Juniper’s life gets mentally interrupted on “I was Thinking About You.” Next, a really sweet discovery here is The Go. It’s a power pop band from Yonkers, NY, originally released in 1980 and produced by Rob Freeman (early Ramones and Blondie producer). Thanks to a friend for turning me (and David Bash) to Strange Neighbors. They played at IPO this year in NYC, and “Skeleton Boy” is a neat little earworm. As a freebie, we have the Popdudes (John M. Borack and his usual suspects, primarily Michael Simmons) doing solid covers of their favorite songs to feast on. Enjoy it all now, because I hear sleighbells coming fast for our next singles post!




Popdudes and Populuxe

powerpopaholic
Popdudes

Popdudes “Maximum Rock Stupidity”

This is a bonus CD for buyers of the John Borack penned “Shake Some Action 2.0” book and its a nice mix of classic power pop covers and a few originals. The Popdudes, are essentially author John Borack and Michael Simmons with several high profile guests: Robbie Rist, Michael Carpenter, Kenny Howes, and Torbjörn Petersson. Borack and Simmons know what makes great power pop, and they bring their “A” game to originals like “Joe Sincere.” I wish there were more than a handful here.

The band does a crack job with Cheap Trick, McCartney, ELO, Matthew Sweet and many others. While several covers are faithful, I like the ones that are slightly off-center; like Kenny Howes version of Abba’s “Waterloo” done as a hard rocker. I also love that they go for a few deep cuts, like George Harrison’s “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” or Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel,” an outtake from the Drink a Toast To Innocence compilation.  Highly Recommended.

Good Music Guy

Download the sample “High”

Popluxe

Populuxe “Lumiere”

Brooklyn based Populuxe is vocalist/writer Rob Shapiro, drummer/percussionist Mark Pardy, bassist Mike Mallory and several studio musicians over the years. They bring together a creative soundscape, which gets influences from XTC, Paul Westerberg, Steely Dan and more.

The band’s attitude is shaded with darkness on the opener “Lady Liberty” and it felt like a lost David Bowie track. Next, the brilliantly written “Garage Sale” is a closer match to Black Sea-era XTC, and its a highlight with its quirky percussion and dense chorus. It then mellows out on the bongos and strums of “Schoolyard” before it takes a weird turn on the 8-minute opus “How Long’s It Gonna Take,” with little jazzy guitar elements. At first annoying, I found myself singing the chorus. “Behind Enemy Lines” and “Beat It, Eric” are both built from solid bass and drum structure, with angular guitar leads. After a few spins, I really liked it, as it reminded me of the band Sugarplastic in spots. But there are no hooks to draw you in right away, so while the arrangements are really good you need time for this one to grow on you. Check it out.

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