2021-01-05 18:09
And without further ado, here's the top half of the list in reverse order to heighten the suspense.The Top EPs of 2020 list will be up in the next few days.50. The Breakup Society-Before the… Read More
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A place to discover the latest and greatest in power pop releases.
2021-01-01 18:18
Here we go. Although I haven't been doing the usual reviews lately, it doesn't mean I'm still not listening to new music. So here is the back end of the 2020 Top 100 list with the front end… Read More
2020-12-19 19:50
Although my individual reviews have gone on hiatus, I do plan on making the year-end lists. They'll probably appear between Christmas & New Year's Read More
2020-09-22 19:23
The former Maple Mars frontman is back with his second proper solo release after 2014's Trippin' Dinosaurs and it's a welcome return to form. Enlisting help from a wide variety of current-d… Read More
2020-06-23 17:48
Cliff Hillis-Seven Sisters. New music from Cliff Hillis is always a treat, and his latest single may not be the upbeat power pop he usually traffics in, it's a beautiful melancholy ballad fe… Read More
2020-05-12 18:52
Coke Belda-Coke Belda 4. Coke Belda's first two albums - I and Nummer Zwei (German for #2) - were outstanding slices of power pop with the former making my top 20 in 2013 and the latter the… Read More
2020-04-27 18:49
Steven Wright-Mark-Wake Up! This EP is the first new music from NYC's Steven Wright-Mark since 2012's Plastic World, and it's great to have him back even if it's only four tunes. But it's a… Read More
2020-03-21 15:29
Mike Barnett-Scattered Debris. Mike Barnett is back with his one-man Traveling Wilburys-inspired roots rock, and this collection is a mix of new and re-recorded previously-released tunes he'… Read More
2020-01-17 17:00
Time to kick off 2020 with a new album, EP and single!Rob Martinez-Maybe Miss America. Albuquerque pop-rocker Rob Martinez is back with his third album on Adam Marsland's Karma Frog label an… Read More
2020-01-02 18:04
1. Eric Barao-Obsolete2. Stag-Electric Mistress3. David Woodard-Everything in Between4. La Fleur Fatale-Bound to Nowhere5. Joe Benoit-Greetings from Forest Hills NY6. Brady Harris-Keep Your… Read More
2019-12-31 15:28
Without further ado, here's the top of the list. #51-100 can be found here, and the honorable mentions here. Look for the top EPs list on Thursday.50. Nick Nash-Fortress of Gold49. Shake Som… Read More
2019-12-30 20:24
Look for the top half of the list tomorrow (Tuesday). Going with reverse order to heighten the suspense!100. Latvian Radio-Give in to the Night99. Bubble Gum Orchestra-Beautiful Music for a… Read More
2019-12-30 16:19
In preparing this year's list I managed to come up with 125 albums or so. Rather than try to rank them I'll just list them here as honorable mentions, in roughly chronological order of relea… Read More
2019-12-12 20:14
Before we head into the year-end lists next week, here are some more new releases worthy of mention:Lannie Flowers-Home. After going several years without a new album of studio material, pow… Read More
2019-12-04 18:02
Making up for lost time with a mega-roundup with twice the albums!Latvian Radio-Give in to the Night. Patrick Westoo & friends continue to deliver the goods on their seventh album, and i… Read More
2019-10-17 18:14
Jordan Jones-Jordan Jones. Apparently LA's Jordan Jones released this self-titled debut on cassette last year, but it wasn't until Sweden's Beluga Records picked it up for wide release earli… Read More
2019-10-04 17:43
Michael Carpenter-The Start of Being Alone. Michael Carpenter may have "retired" from straight-up power pop, but he remains busy writing, producing and collaborating and his sense of melody… Read More
2019-06-20 18:17
The Lunar Laugh-Goodnight Noises Everywhere. Jared Lekites and Connor Anderson team up once again as The Lunar Laugh with their third full-length (and first on the Kool Kat label), and Goodn… Read More
2019-06-06 18:01
Some new singles to get your summer rolling:JoDee Purkeypile-What I'm Missing/Never is Not. Been quite a while since we had new music from the former frontman of The Alice Rose, so it's grea… Read More
2019-05-16 18:11
Joe Benoit-Greetings from Forest Hills, NY EP. Judging by the Ramones homage of the cover, you'd be forgiven for thinking this new EP from former Regulars frontman Joe Benoit is full of shor… Read More
2019-05-16 17:10
Sofa City Sweetheart-Super(b) Exitos. Since we last checked in on Juan Antonio Lopez's Sofa City Sweetheart (looks at calendar, keeps flipping) in 2008, he's had a couple of sporadic release… Read More
2019-02-21 19:06
Ronny Tibbs-Lone Fry. Power poppers and indie poppers unite! - Detroit's Ronny Tibbs has given us 2019's first truly great release. Reminiscent of the likes of Nilsson, Brian Wilson and (a l… Read More
2019-01-16 19:43
Donnie Vie-Beautiful Things. I'm kind of hestitant to even mention this album since it's not available now - it falls into what is kind of a nether region of being released as it started on… Read More
2019-01-03 18:20
TOP 15 EPs1. Checkpoint Charley-Great Jedi Mind Trick2. Roger Joseph Manning Jr.-Glamping3. Zander Michigan-Kitchen Sink #24. Smash Palace-Right as Rain5. Hot Nun-Born to Blaze6. David Wooda… Read More
2019-01-01 14:39
Happy New Year everyone! Here's the top half of the year-end list:1. Starbelly-Four2. Rayland Baxter-Wide Awake3. Danny Wilkerson-Wilkerson4. Bill Lloyd-Working the Long Game5. Nick Piunti-T… Read More
2018-12-31 17:59
Let the lists begin! A little later this year but that's allowed me to get some later releases in. Of course, it never ends and I'll inevitably discover a 2018 album or two in early 2019 tha… Read More
2018-12-26 14:14
For those checking in and looking for the lists, I should have them up either later this week or by New Year's Eve at the latest. Thanks for your patience Read More
2018-12-10 18:33
Various Artists-White Lace & Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams. Andrew Curry has done it again. The man behind some of this decade's best compilations (including the "lite rock" Drink… Read More
2018-11-06 19:58
It's Election Day in the USA, so here are some releases worth voting for:Creamer-Creamer. If this were a blurb on Kool Kat's site, Ray would lead it off with "BIG STAR ALERT!" as the debut o… Read More
2018-10-19 15:32
Valley Lodge-Fog Machine. The Dave Hill musical assault continues with the fourth Valley Lodge album and first since 2013's Use Your Weapons. That album made Hill's music a household item as… Read More
2018-10-11 17:27
Quite a few power poppers of note have singles out, so it's time to round them all up in one place.Bleu-Love You So. Bleu McAuley has proven to be a pop polymath over the years and his lates… Read More
2018-09-27 18:25
Checkpoint Charley-Pomp, Twaddle & Bombast: Songs 13-24. Back in May I was excited to see the return of Checkpoint Charley after a 10+ year absence when they gave us a Star Wars-themed E… Read More
2018-08-04 23:44
After a year and a half, I've finally updated the Spotify playlist over on the right. It's a bunch of stuff I've featured on the site lately and a bunch of stuff I haven't, so dig in! Read More
2018-07-20 16:21
Nick Piunti-Temporary High. Over the past five years Nick Piunti has established himself as one of the scene's preeminent power poppers (his last three albums finished at 7, 6 and 2 in my ye… Read More
2018-07-09 18:12
Streetcar Conductors-The Very Best of Streetcar Conductors. Naming your debut album The Very Best of is a cheeky thing to do, but technically true (of course it's just as technically true th… Read More
2018-06-27 17:51
The Spindles-Past and Present. The Spindles are a Chicago 4-piece who are not to be confused with the California folk/rock band The Spindles who were active in the previous decade. These Chi… Read More
2018-06-20 16:18
Starbelly-Four. It's not quite the crossover team-up of Avengers: Infinity War, but fans of melodic pop have their own summer blockbuster as Cliff Hillis and Dennis Schocket have reunited as… Read More
2018-06-08 12:01
Wanderlust was one of my favorite power pop bands from the 90s and they did in fact reunite in 2012 but who knows if they will ever again. So instead we have the next best thing - brand new… Read More
2018-05-24 18:18
It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who reads this site, but Futureman Records has emerged over the last several years as one of the top power pop labels around and they're really kill… Read More
2018-05-16 15:14
Catching up on my music backlog with a few words on some fine new releases.Smash Palace-Right as Rain EP. Veteran Philly poppers Smash Palace are back with their first new music in nearly fo… Read More
2018-05-02 17:44
Seems like Dave Hill is everywhere these days. His comedy stylings are ubiquitous and if you've watched HBO's Late Night With John Oliver at all over the last few years you've heard Valley L… Read More
2018-04-20 20:47
Adrian Whitehead-Nerd from the Suburbs. I got heavily into indie power pop in the mid-2000s and started this blog shortly thereafter, so a lot of the discs I grew to love in those first few… Read More
2018-04-02 18:20
Today it's a pair of new releases from artists who've been releasing new music almost every year since I started this blog in 2006.The Well Wishers-A View from Above. Jeff Shelton is back wi… Read More
2018-03-12 18:39
Aaron Fox & The Reliables-In Transit. An urban legend has it that you replace all your body cells every 7 years, so perhaps Chicago's Aaron Fox needs a full reset before releasing new mu… Read More
2018-02-23 18:01
The Junior League-Eventually is Now. Joe Adragna is back as The Junior League for the first time since 2015's Also Rans, and he delivers another fine collection of jangly roots-pop. As on hi… Read More
2018-02-16 20:07
Various Artists-Altered Sweet: A Tribute to Matthew Sweet. Futureman Records' Keith Klingensmith knows his way around a tribute album, and 2016's Sloan tribute was one of the best of the gen… Read More
2018-02-02 21:26
Mark Lane-New Memory. LA singer-songwriter Mark Lane doesn't release new music often, but when he does it's worth paying attention to. New Memory is only his third release in the last 14 yea… Read More
2018-01-19 18:21
Scott Warren's been one of the most consistent artists featured on this site over the last 12 years, from his days in Signal Hill Tranmission to a series of quality solo albums including 201… Read More
2018-01-11 17:49
As always the highlight of the year-end list-making in the power pop community is International Pop Overthrow's David Bash's exhaustive lists.I usually reproduce them in whole here, but rath… Read More
2018-01-09 18:11
Now the list-making is over (although I will share David Bash's exhaustive lists as usual), it's time to get 2018 in gear with a couple of releases, one that came out not long before year's… Read More
2018-01-04 14:13
EPs1. The Tripwires-Fat City Let's Go!2. The Red Button-Now it's All This!3. Cliff Hillis-Many Happy Returns4. Andy Santospago-AM Gold5. Cirrone-Kings for a Night6. Randy Mantooth-S/T7. Time… Read More
2017-12-29 14:00
Here's the top half of the list, and since I never did formally review the album at #1 I'll say a few words about it below. 2017 was another pretty good year for pop, and I say "pop" instead… Read More
2017-12-28 14:00
Let the year-end listing begin, with the top half of the top 100, the top EPs, and my favorite Americana albums of 2017 to follow in the coming days.51. The On and Ons-Welcome Aboard52. Greg… Read More
2017-12-20 15:17
A couple of new releases to feature before the year-end lists hit next week.Tommy Zamp-You Don't Know Me. This is the solo debut album for NYC rocker Tommy Zamp (who was a guitarist in the b… Read More
2017-12-06 17:03
A whole bunch of artists featured on the site have released singles over the past month or two, so it's time to catch up.Reno Bo-Smile Across the Universe. Rather than release a new album, R… Read More
2017-11-30 19:18
Kevin Lee & The Kings-Sticks and Stones. Let it be known that Kevin Lee is a believer in truth in advertising. His site promises "big hooks & chunky guitars", and once again Lee deli… Read More
2017-11-21 18:32
Irish popster Thomas Walsh has been prolific over the last decade or so, releasing albums as Pugwash and cricket-inspired music with The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon as The Duckworth Lewis Me… Read More
2017-11-17 17:38
Dave Caruso returns to the (virtual) airwaves with the dad-joke-titled Buddha Pesto Manifesto, after having first caught my attention with his Elizabeth Parker EP back in 2009. Caruso has a… Read More
2017-11-14 19:32
Today we feature a couple of albums that lean to the more rocking side of power pop.Brian Lisik & The Unfortunates-We're Sorry... I've had this Akron band on my radar since Brian Lisik's… Read More
2017-11-07 18:14
One of the best things to happen to power pop in the last 10 years was Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruekberg, both accomplished solo artists, joining forces to form The Red Button. Their 2007 debut… Read More
2017-11-01 18:05
California's Bret Bingham has released a few singles over the last couple of years which I've enjoyed, but I don't normally review singles on this site, especially of artists I've never feat… Read More
2017-10-30 18:23
As 1/2 of Seattle's Lund Bros, Chris Lund along with brother Sean released several album during the previous decade, the last of which (Songbook IV) was one of the 2008's best. After a long… Read More
2017-10-25 18:22
I like to think I keep on top of the latest in new power pop, religiously checking the daily releases from CD Baby, Bandcamp and elsewhere, and poring over lists of what's added to Spotify… Read More
2017-10-24 17:18
Wrap him for shroud in a petal. / Embalm him with ichor of nettle. — Robert Frost, Departmental, 1936With a name drawn from a Jack London short story and an album whose title refers to… Read More
2017-10-19 17:27
How long has it been since we've had new music from Johnny Walter a/k/a Walty? I'll just say the last time I featured him on this site, the link at the bottom of the post was to his MySpace… Read More
2017-10-18 16:27
Mario Rojas is an LA singer-songwriter who boasts of a "major in FM and a minor in AM" and Lost Angelino, his second album, is solid evidence that he graduated near the top of his class. Dem… Read More
2017-10-16 16:48
Going to start trying something different here as I'm planning on doing one release at a time three or so times a week rather than 3-4 at one time every couple of weeks. (Also Johnny Stanec… Read More
2017-09-27 18:24
Thank you to everyone who wished well in the comments to my last post, and thank you all for sticking with the site while I got through the last month. Now it's time to get back in the swing… Read More
2017-09-21 17:37
I know I only normally post 2-3 times a month, so this near one-month absence is not completely surprising, but I have not posted any reviews since then as shortly after my last post, my you… Read More
2017-08-24 17:45
Trip Wire-Cold Gas Giants. Trip Wire (not to be confused with beloved Seattle pub-rockers The Tripwires) is a San Francisco band/collective that has a couple of pretty good power pop albums… Read More
2017-07-11 18:04
Andrew Taylor-From the Outside Looking In. Dropkick frontman Andrew Taylor has been accumulating a collection of songs over the last 15 years that he hadn't recorded with his band, and he de… Read More
2017-05-11 15:14
As I've noted on many occasions, I don't normally review singles. But as I've also done on others, when artists of note have singles out I'll make an exception.Bryan Estepa-Rattled and Rolle… Read More
2017-04-20 20:51
Greg Ieronimo-Never Leaving California. Greg Ieronimo, who wowed us with his 7-track debut EP in 2014, doubles our fun here with his followup 14-track full-length release Leaving California… Read More
2017-04-07 18:20
Corin Ashley-Broken Biscuits. Corin Ashley has been through a lot since we last heard from him in 2013 with the wonderful New Lion Terraces. In January 2016, he suffered a parietal lobe stro… Read More
2017-03-02 21:22
Hornal-The Game Begins With the Lights Out. Iain Hornal has been quite the prolific sideman over the last several years, playing with Jeff Lynne's ELO, 10cc and The Feeling among others. Now… Read More
2017-01-20 18:41
Caper Clowns-The Buca Bus. It seems that my first reviews of a new year are of albums I missed from the previous one, and 2017 is no exception. Had I stumbled on this pop delight from Denmar… Read More
2017-01-05 17:27
Mr. International Pop Overthrow, David Bash, asked me to share his best-of-2016 lists with the Absolute Powerpop readership so again I'm happy to bring you his lists as well, which are even… Read More
2016-12-30 14:33
The Top Power Pop EPs of 20161. Cliff Hillis-Love Not War2. The Scheme-All the Time in the World3. Preston Cochran-Sunshine4. Fran Smith Jr-Mystic County5. Mozley-86. Hector and the Leaves-L… Read More
2016-12-28 15:51
As those who follow me on Twitter may have noticed, I agonized over picking a clear-cut #1 for the year, since the top 5 (heck, the top 10) were pretty much interchangeable for me. Rather th… Read More
2016-12-27 18:47
It's the end of the year, so that means list time again. Here is the schedule for the year-end lists:Today: Albums #51-100Wednesday: Albums #1-50Thursday: Top EPs of 2016 & my 20 favori… Read More
2016-12-09 17:09
Timothy Nelson-Words Like Young. Aussie Timothy Nelson has been recording for a while as the frontman of The Infidels, who put out a couple of fine rocking records in recent years. On his so… Read More
2016-11-17 14:09
First of all, I have a new Spotify playlist over on the right. It's about half stuff I've reviewed here lately and half stuff I haven't, so of note from the latter are fine new singles from… Read More
2016-11-17 13:09
The Nines-Alejandro's Visions. And now for something completely different. OK maybe not completely different, but Steve Eggers & Co. (with help from The Foreign Films' Bill Majoros) have… Read More
2016-10-26 17:54
The Legal Matters-Conrad. Power pop's Michigan mafia (Andy Reed, Chris Richards, Keith Klingensmith) reunite as The Legal Matters with Conrad, the followup to their excellent 2014 debut. The… Read More
2016-10-19 16:29
Normally I don't write about singles, as often they're just teasers for albums I'll review later or just because I'd rather spend my time on an artist who puts out a full album rather than m… Read More
2016-09-29 17:48
Bubble Gum Orchestra-Sticky Love Songs Vol. 1 and 2. If it's the classic ELO sound you desire, you had to have been excited last fall when Jeff Lynne released a new album as "Jeff Lynne's EL… Read More
2016-09-08 18:08
Nick Piunti-Trust Your Instincts. One of 2016's more anticipated releases in the power pop community is finally out, as Nick Piunti stays on his new album every 18 months schedule with Trust… Read More
2016-08-10 16:49
Today's post features a common theme: Known artists with new releases under a different name.Look Park-Look Park. Look Park marks the solo debut of sorts for Fountains of Wayne's Chris Colli… Read More
2016-07-25 18:17
King Mixer-Hang On. King Mixer is Chicago's Eric Howell, whom some of you may remember from his Greatest Hitch, Vol. 1 debut in 2008 (which itself was a culmination of a 15-year career in si… Read More
2016-07-08 16:54
Justin Levinson-Yes Man. 10 years. That's how long Absolute Powerpop has been around, and that's also how long it's been since Justin Levinson debuted on the power pop scene with 1175 Boylst… Read More
2016-06-24 18:08
Cupid's Carnival-Everything is Love. This London band appears to have sprung up out of nowhere - I can't find a website, Facebook page or anything else for them. Given how Beatlesque they so… Read More
2016-06-10 17:23
Michael Carpenter & The Cuban Heels-Ain't Nothing Left to Say. When we last left Michael Carpenter the previous autumn he had released our album of the year, The Big Radio, which was bil… Read More
2016-05-23 18:25
Bryan Estepa & The Tempe Two-Every Little Thing. A new Bryan Estepa record is invariably one of the highlights of the music year and with his new release 2016 is no exception to that rul… Read More
2016-05-12 12:24
Cliff Hillis-Love Not War EP. If there's one word I associate with Cliff Hillis, it's "songcraft". Few artists today have the ability to write pure, perfect-sounding pop songs on a consisten… Read More
2016-04-20 17:16
Conrad Korsch-On the Threshold. Conrad Korsch, the bassist in Rod Stewart's touring band for the last 10+ years, steps out on his own with a top-notch collection of power pop. Opener "1+1+U"… Read More
2016-03-31 14:52
Broken Promise Keeper-Broken Promise Keeper. Georgia's Rob Stuart is back for the first time in six years as Broken Promise Keeper, and BPK doesn't break the promise of prime power pop this… Read More
2016-03-22 12:05
VA-If it Feels Good Do It-A Sloan Tribute. Keith Klingensmith & co at Futureman Records have put together one of the best power pop tribute albums I've heard, and given how long Sloan's… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
Goodman-Isn't it Sad. NYC's Goodman is back with his second full-length, following up last year's What We Want. Isn't it Sad is another collection of tuneful indie pop, with the standouts be… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
Greg-Ieronimo-Bipolar Love. About once a week, I sift through the latest releases on CD Baby. It's a somewhat painstaking process that takes a couple of hours, and as the saying goes you hav… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
To make up for no new posts last week, I'll double the usual two featured discs with a quick look at four:Shake Some Action!-Catch the Sun. James Hall is back again with another collection o… Read More
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