Mod/Psychedelic Garage from the sixties - The Action - Rolled Gold 2002 Flac

The term "lost classic" is applied liberally and often erroneously to unreleased recordings that resurface years later in a maelstrom of hype. However, for the forgotten mod rock also-rans the Action, the term is not only justified, it is painfully bittersweet. On par with such classics of the era as The Who Sell Out or Ogden's Nut Gone Flake but more focused than either, the Action's Rolled Gold goes beyond "lost classic" -- it is the influential masterpiece no one was ever allowed to hear. Despite being signed to Beatles producer George Martin's AIR label and benefiting from a strong club following, the Action never scored a chart hit. By the time they recorded these demo tracks in 1967, the band had grown weary of the musically limited mod scene, which was on its last legs. Guitarist Pete Watson had been replaced by Martin Stone, and the band had developed a more mature sound, one only hinted at on such previous cuts as "Twenty-Fourth Hour." Prefiguring the coming psychedelic movement, the songs were epic, heartfelt, melodic socks to the gut that hinged on vocalist Reggie King's sanguine blue-eyed soul voice and Alan King's slabs of guitar harmony -- think The Who's Tommy meets The Byrds' Fifth Dimension.

Unbelievably, EMI -- AIR's distributor -- was not interested, and the tracks were shelved. Subsequently, Reggie left the band to work on a solo album, and the rest of the group struggled on, eventually morphing into the short-lived hippie band Mighty Baby. Rather than bemoan what could have been though, you are left with what is. Playing like the brilliant missing link between mod and psychedelic rock, Rolled Gold is experimental without being silly or twee and emotionally mature without being pompous and boring. It is the type of album that reveals its brilliance within seconds of hearing the first track and builds momentum from there.

Tracks such as "Something to Say" and especially "Brain" with Reggie pleading for immortality over a hugely anthemic chord progression are as good, if not better, than anything that charted during the late '60s and sound less dated than many of the Action's contemporaries' efforts. It's as if Paul Weller time-traveled back to 1967 and wrote the best songs of his career. Every track is a fully realized melodic and lyrical statement. While there is a roughness to the demo-quality recording, it only magnifies the raw emotions the Action were able to translate into timeless music -- music that deserved much better than it got.

What a good band. What a goddamned good band. Every track here is top notch sixties mod music with such a lovely psychedelic feeling that i can't understand why the band don't got the success they deserved. But maybe the things would be different if ''Rolled Gold'' had been released when it was recorded like Ric Menk said.
This is highly recommended if you are in 60's pop music. I know you guys (and girls) will enjoy!
Have Fun
               Frank   Flac

Powerpop For Saturday Mornings! - Tinted Windows 2009 (Flac)

Comprised of several generations of pop-minded hitmakers, Tinted Windows combine a supergroup pedigree with an appreciation for sugary, unapologetic power pop. Singer Taylor Hanson and bassist Adam Schlesinger initially crossed paths in the mid-'90s, during Hanson's heyday as a teen heartthrob and Schlesinger's early development with Fountains of Wayne. Although the two expressed interest in a collaborative project, each had more pressing responsibilities to attend to, including Schlesinger's management of his own label (Scratchie Records, co-owned with longtime friend James Iha). As the years progressed, Iha left the Smashing Pumpkins' lineup but continued to work alongside Schlesinger, even lending his guitar skills to Fountains of Wayne's 2003 effort, Welcome Interstate Managers.

Several years later, Schlesinger and Hanson decided to finally launch their long-gestating collaboration, and Iha happily climbed abroad as the band's guitarist. The trio then sought out a drummer, hoping to find someone who played in the vein of Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos. They eventually extended the invitation to Carlos himself, who enjoyed the band's demo material and decamped to New York to work alongside the band. Tinted Windows signed with S Curve Records, Fountains of Wayne's former label, and released their debut album in spring 2009.(allmusic.com)

Four poor hard working guys founded a band and...i'm just kidding and without cynism, you know i'm a lover for this kind of music. Sure this is a pretty sugary affair but nevertheless on a sunny saturday morning this is a fine wake up soundtrack. Sometimes i ask myself why this kind of projects will realized. Money? I don't know and if i am honest i don't care. Pull the controller up to full volume and dance in your bed on a sunny saturday morning.
Enjoy
         Frank  Flac

The Blow Pops - American Beauties 1994, Charmed I'm Sure 1993, 7'' My Carrie/Bleary Eyes 1993 mp3

The Blow Pops - American Beauties 1994, Charmed I'm Sure 1993, 7'' My Carrie/Bleary Eyes 1993

Charmed I'm Sure:
One of the key albums of the early days of the '90s power pop renaissance, the Blow Pops' 1993 debut is one of those rare contemporary power pop records that both salutes its '60s and '70s influences and delivers the songs with a crisp freshness that makes it sound like more than another attempt to be the next Raspberries. Plasticland's John Frankovic produced the album with little of the over-the-top mannerisms of his own band (though he does sneak a little lysergic glitter onto a few tracks), keeping the songs front and center. Those songs, by either Mike Jarvis or Tim Buckley, are uniformly sparkling, with catchy guitar riffs, singalong choruses, and the sort of clever arrangements that reveal new facets on repeated listens. The opening "Wake up Mary" is the most immediately catchy tune, but the album's real highlight is the closing "Under the Big Top," a knowing nod to the age of "A Quick One While He's Away" and "Excerpt From a Teenage Opera." The Blow Pops connect four songs into a perfect little miniature rock opera, with sound effects and clever links and interludes. It's a commendable bit of experimentation and easily the most fun tune on the whole album. Charmed, I'm Sure (the title is a wink at Charms candy, makers of the bubblegum-filled lollipops known as Blow Pops) can be difficult to find, but it's well worth the search.

American Beauties (1995):
Milwaukee quartet the Blow Pops were one of the great indie power pop bands of the early '90s, but they broke up after only two albums, too soon to really benefit from the Internet-spawned growth of the underground power pop scene that started around 1995. Although they can be difficult to locate due to their limited distribution, the Blow Pops' two albums are revered by many fans of the style.
The Blow Pops formed in late 1989 when singer/guitarist Mike Jarvis (once in the Chicago pop-punk band Green) and guitarist Tim Buckley (formerly of local legends Wobble Test, and not the late folk-jazz singer) joined with bassist John Daniels and drummer Nick Randazzo, and released their first single, "Stop!" backed with "I Know Nancy," the following year. Daniels was replaced in 1991 by Jack Rice, formerly of the excellently named the Mighty Deer Lick. The quartet's first album, Charmed I'm Sure, came out on the Pittsburgh garage rock indie Get Hip in 1992. A masterful blend of hooks and harmonies produced by John Frankovic of Plasticland, Charmed I'm Sure (a punning nod to Charms, the candy company that makes the bubble gum-filled lollipops known as Blow Pops) even contains "Under the Big Top," a four-part extended mini-opera in the manner of the Who's "A Quick One While He's Away."

Following another single, 1993's "My Carrie" backed with "Bleary Eyes" (both tracks showed up on the CD version of the next album), the Blow Pops recorded their second and final album, 1994's American Beauties. Produced by Jeff Murphy of Shoes, American Beauties is a little crunchier than the harmony-heavy, lightly psychedelic debut. (More Who than Hollies, that is.) The songs are every bit as strong, however.

The Blow Pops broke up in early 1995. Jarvis, Randazzo, and Rice went on to form the Lackloves, a superb power pop band that fulfills much of the Blow Pops' promise. Buckley moved to Richmond, VA, and followed a surprisingly different musical path, forming the neo-psychedelic, almost space rock Maki.

 Here are the Blow Pops with two real great Power Pop albums and a 7'' of the nineties. This is first class Power Pop. Don't miss it. Charmed I'm Sure is in m4a because i downloaded the album from the internet (but i can't remember where. Thanks to the original uploader.) I post both albums separate.

Enjoy it
             Frank  American Beauties
                        Charmed I'm Sure

Robin Zander - Robin Zander 1993 (1996) mp3

Hello Folks and friends here comes after Mr. Carlos yesterday the second guy of Cheap Trick, the wonderful Power Pop Rockband from the United States. To me the band is legendary also because they took Power Pop in the livingrooms in the seventies not only in the US but also around the world.   I remember very well when 'I want you to want me' and the Budokan album came over Germany....ah those were the days...Okay stop!!! Enough of forty years old stories lol. Enjoy the album by Robin Zander because it's a good one and the vocals of Robin Zander are always outstanding. 4 and a half star out of 6. :-)
Cheers Frank 

Unlike many lead singers of successful bands, Cheap Trick's Robin Zander waited until after the commercial fortunes of his band had dissipated before offering a solo project. Although fellow Trickster Tom Peterssen plays bass on one track ("Emily") and Rick Nielsen co-wrote another ("Secret"), Zander had aligned himself with Southern California session men, such as Gregg Bissonette, Kim Bullard and Steve Ferris. Guests ranging from members of the Heartbreakers, Maria McKee, Dr. John, and Stevie Nicks also lend their talents. At heart, though, the artist doesn't deviate much from his work with Cheap Trick.

It's a balanced mix of taut, power pop ("Reactionary Girl," "I've Always Got You"), heartfelt ballads ("Show Me Heaven," "Time Will Let You Know"), and tasty covers (Harry Nilsson's "Jump Into The Fire," Neil Young's "I Believe In You"). Zander's not redefining pi here. Instead, it's fifty minutes of well-crafted rock delivered by one of the most-gifted vocalists and frontmen in rock history.(allmusic.com)

mp3@320
 

A Classic Power Pop Album From 1979

 Get The Knack - The Knack 1979

 The Knack attempted to update the Beatles sound for the new wave era on their debut -- a good idea that was well executed, but critics cried "foul" when millions sold after Capitol's pre-release hype (it went gold in 13 days and eventually sold five million copies, making it one of the most successful debuts in history). Get the Knack is at once sleazy, sexist, hook-filled, and endlessly catchy -- above all, it's a guilty pleasure and an exercise in simple fun. When is power pop legitimate anyway? Includes the unforgettable hits "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't." (allmusic)

...and ten more unforgettable hits. In 1979 when the album came out it kicked me out of my shoes. My Sharona sounds from every radio and everywhere you go. But it was not only My Sharona, to me it whas the whole album. Twelve songs made for dancing the night away. To me the album was like to be in heaven. And i listen today to the album, not like i have done it in '79 but from time to time.
If you like it...enjoy!
                                SB1  Flac