From the pop of "Nursey, Nursey" to the pomp of "Epitaph: Angel", the ambitious double album White-Faced Lady by seminal British psych/prog band Fairfield Parlour (formerly Kaleidoscope) had all the makings of a 1971 hit record. By the time of its actual release, in 1991, the moment had long since passed. The cause of the twenty-year delay is explained in this interview with ex-frontman Peter Daltrey (spoiler: it was the labels). [more inside]
posted by Modlizki on May 10, 2011 - 12 comments

Michael Chabon's Tragic Magic: Reflections On Power Pop, featuring; Big Star - September Gurls: Todd Rundgren's Utopia - Couldn't I Just Tell You: The Records - Starry Eyes: Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl Of My Dreams: Baby Strange - T. Rex.
posted by puny human on Jun 9, 2010 - 33 comments

"Slather the holy hell out of the thing with a semi-ironic Beach Boys vocal pad." What if, every time you got stuck writing your next big power-pop hit, you could just call the Fountains of Wayne hotline to get you over the hump? Country singer Robbie Fulks imagines it, and records it, resulting in the best Fountains of Wayne song Fountains of Wayne never wrote. Meanwhile, the original Fountains of Wayne is no more. (No, not the band.)
posted by escabeche on Jul 27, 2009 - 47 comments

The Exploding Hearts. The Exploding Hearts were a punk rock / power pop band from Portland, Oregon. The Hearts were generating enormous buzz: their debut album was getting over-the-top rave reviews and the band were regionally famous for their energetic live shows. Sadly, however, three of the band's four members died in a car accident in 2003 on their way home after a gig in San Francisco, thus putting a sudden tragic end to a very promising career. The band drew their influence from early British punk bands like The Undertones, Buzzcocks, The Jam, The Only Ones and Nick Lowe. [more inside]
posted by psmealey on Nov 3, 2007 - 20 comments