Who is the greatest POWER POP band of all time ?

Chad said:
I didn't think Badfinger would count seeing as they are as old as the Beatles and older than the Kinks. Or do they get in on a technicality because they changed their name to Badfinger in '69 so they are far enough away from the Kinks and Beatles?
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But us no no nut thing. We not to make words 'bout stuff.
 
Peen Simmons said:
Here's a simple thumbnail description to keep us on the critical path.

POWER POP is a semi-popular subgenre of retro rock that seeks to revive the melodic and sonic excitement of the British Invasion to Early Psychedlic period of rock/pop music with nods to new/fresher recording and arrangement styles. Power pop bands are typically Anglophillic in approach and slightly more arty/idiosyncratic than the actual pop music they're aping, though typically Power Pop bands avoid pure camp or ill-tempered parody of the sounds/acts they're using as models. There's a lot of overlap between Power Pop, Pub Rock, and New Wave--an emphasis on short, melodically accessible songs with variations on basic rock lyrical tropes (girls, cars, teenage troubles, etc.). By the late 80s and early 90s, retro Power Pop and Power Pop revival became a decided thing where acts found inspiration in replicating the sounds of 70s groups trying to revive the spirit of 60s groups.

I hope that this definition prevents any more foolishness where people argue that the Kinks or the Beatles or David Bowie are Power Pop acts.

To the OP, Big Star is the gold standard for beautiful power pop failure. Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend and the Exploding Hearts' Guitar Romantic are the two best Power Pop revival LPs.

This is the greatest Power Pop track of all time...

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If we're talkin' great PP track of all time then tough call...this is certainly up there though...






and that whole album (A catholic education) might be the greatest album in the genre *spits*....a total masterpiece!
 
Chad said:
I didn't think Badfinger would count seeing as they are as old as the Beatles and older than the Kinks. Or do they get in on a technicality because they changed their name to Badfinger in '69 so they are far enough away from the Kinks and Beatles?
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You don't get to be power pop when a Beatle is writing your material. :embarrassed:
 
Chad said:
I didn't think Badfinger would count seeing as they are as old as the Beatles and older than the Kinks. Or do they get in on a technicality because they changed their name to Badfinger in '69 so they are far enough away from the Kinks and Beatles?
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I can ask my team of experts to weigh in, but I'm pretty sure they're in on a technicality--in part because any proper Power Pop act is doomed to unfair failure and cosmic cruelty. That's sort of where the appeal is. It's "shoulda been a hit" music when that was still a not laughable hope for mostly homely white dudes with guitars.

It's a very thin line between being the Shoes and being Hewey Lewis and the News.
 
it could be argued that GBV's are a flower people sunshine music but more on the lofifragmentedpowerbooze end of the spectrum

 
Peen Simmons said:
DEAR EVERYONE...I NEVER SAID THAT YOU COULD NOT LIKE THE KINKS OR WHATEVER OTHER BAND YOU LIKE.

I WAS MERELY ATTEMPTING TO HELP DEFINE TERMS WHEN IT CAME TO A GENRE THAT HAS FANS AMONGST A LOT OF NERDY PEOPLE WHO ARE INTO DEFINING TERMS.

#REMEMBERBOWLINGGREEN
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LOL! Like the guys behind the counter at Tower I was referring too. No worries. I am not offended. More amused. And standing by my position that just because you hold your position defiantly and criticize others' positions on the topic does not make you right. But that is the sort of argument you are saying you enjoy, so no worries!
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
@Peen Simmons. Love you, man. :grin:

For the rest of you, he's absolutely correct, at least regarding power pop. It was a retro thing harkening back to mid-British Invasion, when everyone was still on speed and hadn't found psychedelics yet. But you can't spawn a movement and be part of it at the same time. Which is why I posted the bands that I did. Because it drives him bonkers. :tongue:
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And slowly I catch on. So, when I put forth that "you really got me" is the best power pop song ever IMO, it is more spawning than being part of. To me, it is all about the sound, but I get the distinction in the definition.

So, what do we call the retro thing The Clash was doing when it was taking old Crickets songs and covering them, and also releasing songs of their own that were spawned by that sort of early rock tune?
 
sunvalleylaw said:
LOL! Like the guys behind the counter at Tower I was referring too. No worries. I am not offended. More amused. And standing by my position that just because you hold your position defiantly and criticize others' positions on the topic does not make you right. But that is the sort of argument you are saying you enjoy, so no worries!
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Pro tip: when I post in all caps, I am almost always doing some kind of bit.
 
sunvalleylaw said:
And slowly I catch on. So, when I put forth that "you really got me" is the best power pop song ever IMO, it is more spawning than being part of. To me, it is all about the sound, but I get the distinction in the definition.

So, what do we call the retro thing The Clash was doing when it was taking old Crickets songs and covering them, and also releasing songs of their own that were spawned by that sort of early rock tune?
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The Clash were punk.

But all of this is why I say "oh, I play rock music" and don't get further into labels. Because they don't matter.
 
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