During a recent-ish interview with Remember the Lightning members of Log Flume started name-dropping bands from their local Philadelphia music scene. Given how much I love their stuff it was a no-brainer I’d scoop up their suggestions for a special Philly pit stop. I mean, other than Hall and Oates I really have no sense of what has gone down music-wise in the brotherly love city. But that is about to change.

Fair Game’s 2025 EP Pony Boy is a rush of ringing guitars and slightly snarly pop attitude. Always with an uncurrent of electric melody. Opening cut “I’ve Been Alone This Weekend” captures all the excitement, with relentless rhythm guitar strumming and subtle hooks. “New Jersey” is pretty special too with its fuzzy guitar tones and pop punkish vocal veneer. I’ve written about Canadian Invasion before it became Presidential policy and there is an amazing back catalogue of material that will take you through their DIY beginnings right up to their more current polished pop. “Catch a Falling Knife” from 2023’s Your Favorite Lies EP is a master class of curio pop songwriting. Recent singles “Picture Frames” and “Joey” also strong. But here I want to draw attention to the band’s brilliant deconstruction of Michael Penn’s “No Myth” from 2023’s Out of Body Experiences: Covers 2003-2023. Positively pedal steel-approved country. Listening Mopar Stars’ 2024 EP Burning Question all the sonic elements seem to meld together. It sounds like it’s been run through a filter to give everything a great buzzy pop sheen. Title track “Burning Question” bristles with kinetic energy and an eminently hummable tune. Dipping into Pontiac Flare’s 2024 LP The Blueprint you’d be forgiven for finding 10 different albums going on. For instance, “Couldn’t Be Falling Faster” is pure adrenaline-fueled power pop, a sweet blast of great hooks. But elsewhere the album runs the gamut of sophisticated pop and rock styles. Rounding out our Philly tour Benny P offers a full collection guitar pop stunners on his 2024 LP No Place. So hard to choose just one song to feature so I’ll settle for two, “Some Days” and “Aching Hearts.” These tracks combine a driving acoustic guitar rhythm section with harmony vocals and surprising melodic turns.

Surely we have stop by our Philadelphia power pop influencer just to remind us who we’re hanging with? Log Flume have always had unerring melodic chops, as is apparent from their early single “DB Cooper.” The vocals and guitar are so perfectly calibrated here, slightly edgy but solidly pop too.

Man Philly seems to have quite the melody-rich music scene. Quality power pop definitely lives there and you don’t even have to leave town to enjoy it.

Photo ‘Sun sets on Philadelphia’ courtesy Thomas Hawk Flikr collection.