It all started with Tom Petty and some ironing last weekend. As I got reacquainted with Hard Promises it eventually drew me away from the shirts to exploring on the internet how Petty put the album together and, as one thing led to another, I was soon listening to Petty’s efforts in the producer’s chair of Del Shannon’s 1981 comeback album, Drop Down and Get Me. The record turned out a minor hit with his cover of “Sea of Love” as well as inspired renditions of the Rolling Stones (“Out of Time”) and the Everly Brothers (“Maybe Tomorrow”). But perhaps more surprising was that the bulk of the album consisted of winning Shannon originals like the title track, “Life Without You” and “Cheap Love” (later covered by Juice Newton). Hard to believe that talent like this had been missing from the Top 40 since 1965 but depression and alcoholism had helped stall Shannon’s career more than once. Despite assembling a dream team to work on a new album as the 1980s drew to close, he succumbed to depression and suicide in February 1990. The album-in-progress did finally emerge in late 1991 and Rock On! showcased Shannon’s extra-ordinary talents to good effect in terms of singing, songwriting and performance. The should-be hit single was the album opener, “Walk Away,” with its strong Travelling Wilburys vibe and signature Shannon soaring falsetto. It’s a chill-inducing gem of a single!
Walk Away
You can’t go far wrong with any Del Shannon release, album or single. Visit delshannon.com for more background or news about new releases.
Clicking on this late 1990s track from northern California’s The Orange Peels you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re hearing a great New Pornographers single or maybe a late 1970s new wave reunion of the Mamas and Papas, if they’d become a rock band (and somehow brought a key member back from the dead). The guitar on this track is so striking, fresh and in-your-face resonant without being jarring, while the vocals are candy smooth but never syrup. Clocking at just a minute and 49 seconds it’s all over way too soon but that’s OK, it’s just the opening track of a pretty cool album of similarly fab songs. And now would be the time to add The Orange Peels 1997 debut album, Square3, to your collection as it has just been remastered and plumped up with 27 bonus tracks. Come back 1997! All is forgiven.
Hit play on Wyatt Blair’s latest release “(I’ll Keep) Searching for You” and you’ll notice the winning quality right away. First there’s the sibilant guitar reminiscent of all those early Pretenders singles. Then there’s an organ right off a mid-period Springsteen record. Finally, the record eases into a hooky groove that just doesn’t let go. It’s like it’s 1979 all over again. Blair’s previous releases mined the 1960s garage poprock sound to perfection on tracks like “Gotta Get Away” and “Won’t Back Down” (from 2018’s Inspirational Strawberries). “(I’ll Keep) Searching for You” is the third single in three months from an as-yet-unnamed future album project but, suffice to say, the material released so far advances his sound by a decade into the late 1970s/early 1980s. I can’t wait to see where he’s going next.
We loved Brett Newski’s 2018 album Life Upside Down here at Poprock Record, particularly punchy, addictive tracks like “Ride” and “The Afternoons.” But there’s more to Newski, like his fantastic 2016 LP Land Air Sea Garage. Love the jaunty melody of “Stranger” or the great mix of vocals on “Bending Spoons & Skipping Prayers.” But the killer cut here is undoubtedly the should-be hit single “Garage.” From its opening guitar ring to those hooky ‘da da da da’s the song motors along in a solid poprock groove, repeatedly building the tension back to a great chorus release, with what sounds like some nice French horn near the end (but who knows, it could be keyboards!). The quality on this and his other recordings suggests this is guy just getting started creativity-wise. Can’t wait for a new record!
Fans of Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar Mellencamp and Tom Petty at their hookiest are gonna love the Cerny Brothers’ “American Whore” from their late 2018 release, Looking for the Good Land. Like their inspirational sources, the brothers head a crack band and there’s some pretty amazing playing all over the album, particularly on the boogie piano-heavy “Laugh at the Devil” and the beautiful, moving “Million Miles,” with its light harmonica and banjo touches. But “American Whore” is clearly the centre-piece of the album, with AOR hit single written all over it. Curiously, though the band has nailed the sound and songwriting style of Springsteen and Mellencamp, the song’s message is decidedly different. Internet entertainment magazine 
2018 was a freakin’ fantastic year for poprock! How do I know? Every year-end I put together a playlist of tunes released that year. In 2016 it consisted of 58 songs clocking in at just over 3 hours. By 2017 that list expanded to 98 songs running over 5 hours. This year the list exploded to 175 songs going on for over 9 hours! My list of should-be hit singles had to expand to a top 50 just to accommodate all this talent. Hit the links below to find each artist as featured in my original blog post this past year or to go to their bandcamp or Facebook page if I didn’t write them up.
New Jersey’s The Skullers have a great new single, a cover of a 1977 Richard Hell b-side called “I’m Your Man.” Their take marries a 1970s new wave sensibility with a more recent and fresh sound not unlike the UK’s Vaccines. But the new single is not why we’re focusing on the Skullers here. I have to draw your attention back to their killer 2017 single, “Can We Do That Again.” Described by some writers as neo-rockabilly and bop, I think the sound is pretty timeless. From the hooky lead line opener to the swing in the chorus, the vocals and guitar gel in a way that could put this song in any number eras, including this one.
How did I miss these guys the first time around? The five albums by Camden UK’s Silver Sun are a treasure trove of hook-laden, should-be hits. Indie rock critics have rightly lavished praise on their first two major label releases but I’m fond of this deep cut from their independently released third album, 2005’s Disappear Here. “Jody” sounds like it’s blasting right out of the most poprock moments of the 1980s, complete with obligatory horn section. The sustained chugging guitars are wrapped in an infectious multi-layered vocal arrangement, laid over a swinging beat and hooky melody. The song is all the more impressive because it is work of just one member of the original band, songwriter/lead singer James Broad (though the rest of the band did come back together to tour with the album). Though their last album surfaced in 2013 (A Lick and a Promise)Silver Sun are still putting out the occasional tune via James Broad’s Soundcloud 
Got the heads up on Daisy from Don over at 
I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a band since I overheard The Shins in some small town bookstore in 2005. This specific song is so hooky perfect it hurts. From the elegant arrangement of the instrumentation to the low key sweetness of the vocals, everything just comes together to create a hook that won’t quit. Just try to hit pause after hearing the line “I don’t know how local you are …” The magnetic pull of this tune is subtle but strong. It was pretty much hit play, hit repeat for me for a couple of days.