Power Pop: A Misunderstood Genre

I've heard a lot of people refer to bands like Green Day etc. as Power Pop lately. Power Pop to me was bands like The Plimsouls, The Records, Big Star, The Raspberries, The Beat (LA - not the English Beat), Elvis Costello & The Attractions, and even early Cheap Trick.
I just felt it necessary to make this distinction since this kind of music seems to be disappearing from view, and should be remembered for it's greatness. If there are still bands out there playing this kind of music, I for one would love to know who they are. The most recent one I can remember was Material Issue.

Spoon is the only one of those I've heard. I will definitely check those out. Thanks.

try this site
http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/index.html

Whoa!!! SXSW eat your overrated heart out! That's a LOT of fucking bands! And two whole weeks no less. Long way to travel for me though.

speaking international pop overthrow lets not overlook Material Issue casue
"Valerie loves me!" finally somebody else tooting "Imperial Teen" and "Spoons" horn. huzzah!

I'm a big fan of power pop, especially of the late-'70s new wave variety. Some of my favorites albums not already mentioned, most are on CD:

Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust
Any Trouble - Where Are All the Nice Girls?
Romantics - s/t
Records - Paying for the Summer of Love
20/20 - s/t
The Knack - Get the Knack
Joe Jackson - Look Sharp!
Real Kids - s/t
Rubinoos - the Basement Tapes
Vertebrats - A Thousand Day Dream
The Heats - Smoke

If you're really into this stuff and want to dig into some great rare, obscure singles tracks, I suggest hunting down the Powerpearls compilation LPS and Hyped 2 Death's Teenline series. TONS of great stuff on these...no fan of power pop should miss out on hearing the Shivvers' "Teenline," the Squares' "No Fear," or the Rockers' "I Want to Tell You."

As far as recent stuff, I think the New Pornographers qualify...there's also a few bands like Tina & the Total Babes and 78 RPM that do a really self-concious retro-type thing, but it's still fun.

[Edited on Apr 11, 2004 by DrNecessitor]

Joe Jackson, power pop? Really? That's like saying Tom Waits is a jazz musician.

Actually, "Look Sharp", Joe's first album, is Power Pop INCARNATE. If you're referring to material like "Steppin' Out", then sure... but the stylistic changes that occurred in his music between those two outings was pretty drastic.

I have Look Sharp (wear the button every day ) but I don't know about all that... though I'll admit my understanding of the concept of "power pop" is as hazy as that of "emo".

Sorry, I thought the thread title was Power Poop. My bad.

Hence my reasons for posting this thread.

Some other good power pop bands:

Teenage Fanclub
Unrest (maybe they are jangle pop?)
Overwhelming Colorfast
Senseless Things
The Doughboys

I think that what distinguishes power pop from regular "pop" is that it is more uptempo and tends to have a heavier sound w/out sacrificing the sense of melodies or harmony. Kind of like the Beach Boys on 78

Are you from the bay area? Didn't know if anyone outside of the "scene" from years ago would know this band.

I dig power pop, Cheap Trick was my first 2 concerts, and I am a big fan of the Rhino Records D.I.Y. power pop comps from the early 90's.

A current band that I'd recomend? The Nuggets.

Nope, former college radio DJ. Great band though. Haven't heard from 'em in a while.

O Z M A

Is XTC in this category? "This is POP!!!!!"

I think my favorite power pop song ever would be the Jags' "Got Your Number." Pop songwriting at it's best. Although almost anything off of Look Sharp would be hard to beat.

Look Sharp is a good album but it was little pre-fab at the time. The best power pop was more rough around the edges. Gary Valentine, one of the original members of Blondie, moved to L.A. and started a band called The Know that was fantastic. The Plimsouls have already been mentioned. Their first EP, "Zero Hour" was great. Early Go-Go's was most definitely power pop. The Last put out a great album. The Zippers were another fantastic band that never really made it. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned The Shoes. They were early DIY kingpins of the power pop scene. I never really dug 20/20 that much but they had a couple of great singles. I'd say most great power pop has to be played on a Richenbacher.

Psst -

Cheap Trick is the greatest Powerpop band of all time!!!

Okay; maybe that could be argued. But they're ONE of 'em, at least!

I was in a powerpop band for a while; it was a hell of alot of fun. And so many great bands (such as you all have pointed out). Actually, let's not forget the Knack; they had a fair share of great recordings (other than 'My Sharona, I mean).

Here's some great, more "modern" powerpop bands:

Mathew Sweet - the king of modern pop/rock. , PERIOD. This guy a recorded more great songs than the Beatles.
Material Issue - God, this a great band! "International Pop Overthrow"...the is a perfect powerpop album! So sad when the singer killed himself...
The Sugarplastic - Quirky, but awesome.
Imperial Teen - Mainly tehir second album, "What's Not To Love?"
Sloan - probably the single great powerpop band working today. "Navy Blues" is one of my favorites.
Weezer - in their day, a truly amazing popwerpop band (anyways who says that the "blue" album isn't popwerpop is dysfunctional)

I'm gonna dispute the Beatles crack, but, Yeah Matthew Sweet is a fantstic pop songwriter. I was mainly focusing on late 70's stuff because I thought that was the gist of the thread, but if we're expanding the scope I want to give props to Marshall Crenshaw. His debut album is, perhaps, the greatest power pop album ever recorded. Also, Freedy Johnston is a great modern practioner.

Totally...what an amazing song! The single version is different (and better) than the album version....

I can't believe I forgot to mention Bram Tchaikovsky's Strange Man, Changed Man album...brilliant, totally unique. Not on CD, but the LP has been littering the 50¢ bins for ages. Get it if you see it.

I gotta toss the Posies into this...Frosting on the Beater is just a flat out amazing album

Overground Records in the UK issued a collection of his solo stuff on CD last year. Good stuff

Let's not forget the immortal Nerves ep.