Second Japan CD Reissue 2008 (Blue Cover)

20/20 - SEX-TRAP (1982)

 

When the enormous backlash against the Knack hit "My Sharona", it virtually ended the careers of many far superior L.A. bands, among them 20/20 and the Plimsouls, who were undoubtedly the other two most popular bands of the scene. 20/20's label could never translate radio play and sold-out shows into national chart success, so when the label wanted to do a third album, 20/20 declined, they might have better luck elsewhere. A new deal with a major label fell through, leaving the band without a label and still in debt from the initial advance, so the band released their third album Sex-Trap in 1982 on their own Mainway Records (blue lettering). It was first reissued on CD in 1999 (yellow lettering), and again in  2008 (blue lettering) - both released compiling all the tracks from the 1982 and 1983 editions, and adding a bonus track.

 

WU (329 mb)

Single Edit Version (Unavailable Elsewhere)

DWIGHT TWILLEY - OUT OF MY HANDS (1979)

 

From his first proper solo album "Twilley", "Out of My Hands" was released as a single with a special edit that can't be found anywhere else. The song will stand as one of his greatest tunes with some ELO, Beatles, Tom Petty and Spector thoughts.

 

WU (73 mb)

100% Covers Free, 100% Wilsonesque

VARIOUS - THE POCKET SYMPHONIES TO GOD Vol. 2 (2016)

 

Eight years after the first compilation, i'd finally made a sequel to "The Pocket Symphonies To God". In  2016, I worked all summer long on this brand new collection. Only 6 artists (out of 52) of this new volume could also be found on the first one.

WU 

(text file with mega.nz link)

A-Side Jack Nitzsche Original Version + B-Side Never Reissued (12" Promo)

DWIGHT TWILLEY - SOMEBODY TO LOVE (1979)

 

On July 21, 1979, Dwight cut what would become a signature song for him, “Somebody To Love” (produced by Jack Nitzsche) with a hot version of Barrett Strong's “Money” on the flip side. Released in both 7" and the new 12" versions (with sleeve cropped from the front cover of the unreleased "Blueprint" album), the song very nearly became a major hit, garnering substantial airplay all over the country. The version of “Money” derived mostly from the Beatles' cover, found Twilley taking liberties with the original version by inverting the riff completely, and only playing it ‘right' in the instrumental. The song grew to be one of the most popular on stage numbers, and ironically, became an excuse for the audience to toss money up on stage, ones, fives, change. That era ended when they started bringing Monopoly money to the gigs. Twilley in the fade singing ‘MasterCharge' has always made the song for me. The "Money" 12" version has never been reissued on CD.

 

WU (53 mb)

Dwight Twilley (June 6, 1951 – October 18, 2023)

DWIGHT TWILLEY - RARITIES Volume One (2008)

 

A collection of rarities from 1972 to 2007 released in 2008 on CD-R. It was the first part of the seven volumes briefly available between 2008 and 2009. A tribute to the late Mr. Twilley.

 

WU (300 mb)

Overlooked Power Pop Band (Soundboard)

THE CRETONES - ALIVE AND WELL (1981)

 

The  Cretones recorded live around 1981 for a radio broadcast, performing 11 songs: 8 coming from their two albums, plus three covers "Maybelline", "All Day And All Of The NIght" and "Slow Down". Custom artwork specially made for PPA.

 

WU (277 mb)

Inspired by The Genius Of Jeff Lynne (PPA Compilation)

VARIOUS - ELO-ISH (2020)

 

Originally posted on PPC, this is my homage to the music of Jeff Lynne and his influence on Power Pop either with The Move, ELO or The Idle Race. It features only original songs, no covers.

 

WU (575 mb)

Self Released Canadian Power Pop

THE RYE CATCHERS - THE RYE CATCHERS (2000)

 

Formed around 1996, The Rye Catchers were from Vancouver, Canada. Their self released album is a superb power pop album. It was ranked #21 in the David Bash list of the best Power Pop albums of 2001.

 

WU (310 mb)

Not to be confused with the australian band who also released an eponymous titled album.

First 7" EP (Never Reissued)

THE TEARAWAYS - SOUNDS LIKE... (1981)

 

Hailing from Santa Barbara, California, The Tearaways released their first 7" EP with four stellar songs, including the beatlesque "Don't Feel So Bad". After a 12 year hiatus, The Tearaways returned with "See The Sound" (1993). The band is still very active today and has released their latest album in 2023 "And Four Our Next Trick".

 

WU (76 mb)

Alan Merrill Between Streak & Arrows (CD Reissue 2005)

VODKA COLLINS - TOKYO NEW YORK (1973)

 

Vodka Collins was a Tokyo-based Japanese-American rock band fronted by Alan Merrill (Streak, Arrows), formed in 1971. The original line-up released "Tokyo New York" in Japan only. It features a killer single released in 1972 by Alan Merrill whilst in Japan. Automatic Pilot is the perfect Glitter anthem with a chorus that is pure T.Rex. The band reformed in the 90's and released three more albums.

WU (245 mb)

7" Single Version (Power Pop Heaven)

JOHNNY MOPED - DARLING, LET'S HAVE ANOTHER BABY (1978)

Recorded by a pioneering punk bands of the era, this single sounds like an oddity in the Moped discography but it will stand as one of the best power pop songs of its time. "Darling Let's Have Another Baby" is featured among "The 12 Greatest Punk Rock Records Ever Made" (Danny Baker, NME).

WU (51 mb)

Jangle Pop Perfection (Never Reissued)

BOBBY SUTLIFF - ANOTHER JANGLY MESS (1987)

 

After the Windbreakers' "Run" LP (1986), Bobby Sutliff went solo with the wryly titled five-song "Another Jangly Mess" in the UK. Produced by Mitch Easter, the songs of this 12" EP easily match his finest work with the Windbreakers. These are the original versions of the songs which were slightly rearranged for the full length US album "Only Ghosts Remain", A Top 200 Power Pop album which has been remastered and expanded in 2023.

 

WU (126 mb)

Jangle Pop Covers (A PPA Tribute)

BOBBY SUTLIFF - ALL SORTS OF DREAMS (2023)

 

In 2006, Bobby Sutliff released his "All Sorts" album, including seven covers and a few originals or demos, So, this year i have imagined to make a sequel to that album with covers recorded by Bobby Sutliff which weren't on his other physical solo albums. On the same template as the Lolas, Ed James, Walter Clevenger collections of rarities (tributes, compilations et al...), i have compiled those covers adding a custom artwork.

 

WU (495 mb)

Jangle Pop Demos (80's)

BOBBY SUTLIFF - HOME DEMOS 1984-1987 (198?)

 

The Bobby Sutliff demos have been around for a while, but most of them until now have been available in lossy format, sometimes mistitled. Now for the first time here they are in lossless format (tape source), the original audio was more than brickwalled, so i've tried to repair the audio. For the most part of them, I've indicated the albums on which the songs later surfaced. I also made a custom artwork for this collection.

No demos included here are coming from the rare and self released cassette of demos "Griffin Bay".

 

WU (454 mb)

US LP Edition

THE WINDBREAKERS - RUN (1986)

 

The engaging "Run" is another collaboration with Mitch Easter, who had by then become a virtual (non-writing) band member, and longtime associate Randy Everett. Although the coolest song concept is Lee's anxiety-ridden "Braver on the Telephone," Sutliff's "Visa Cards and Antique Mirrors" runs a close second. Never reissued on CD, four songs of the album were remastered and are featured on the Windbreakers' Anthology (Time Machine 1982-2002). Bobby Sutliff quit the band right after this album, went solo and released the critically acclaimed "Only Ghosts Remain" in 1987, the album has just been remastered and reissued in 2023 with a batch of bonus songs.

 

WU (268 mb)

Scarce First 7" EP (Never Reissued)

THE WINDBREAKERS - MEET THE WINDBREAKERS (1982)

 

The group's introductory salvo, a 1982 debut 7-inch on their own label. Bobby Sutliff and Tim Lee will continue without guitarist Jeff Lewis and will release further masterpieces of jangle pop.

WU (86 mb)

Limited Edition (Fan Club Release)

MARK LINDSAY - VIDEO DREAMS (1996)

 

Two songs were written by Scott "Top Ten" Kempner (ex-Dictators) who previously recorded them with his fabulous 80's band The Del Lords for their excellent second album "Johnny Comes Marching Home" (1986), Carla Olson (Textones, Gene Clark's partner for the "So Rebellious A Lover" album) plays and sings on Kempner's "Everlovin'"

 

Cub Koda Review

This 1996 solo entry from former Paul Revere & the Raiders lead singer Mark Lindsay proves that the intervening years haven't chipped any platinum off of his pipes while simultaneously delivering an album that's all of a piece, just like the man who sings it. Rather than using studio hotshots, he was smart enough to cut it with his regular working band (Tom Kolb's guitar work is top-notch), bringing in a trio of guests to spice it up, then loading it up with top-notch material, over half of it emanating from his own pen. If you're expecting a bunch of Vox Continental organ noodlings or recuts of "Just Like Me," save your bread and pick up any of the groundbreaking recordings by Lindsay's old band, Paul Revere & the Raiders. If you wanna check in with an old friend and find out what's he's up to these days while being more than pleasantly surprised, this is the one. In a day when new albums by veteran artists are usually something to be winced at, Lindsay has come up with something totally rockin' and contemporary without donning a flannel shirt or a MacDaddy outfit and making a total ass out of himself. And this is to be commended as well as listened to, repeatedly.

WU (356 mb)

Garage At The Top (CD Reissue with bonus)

VARIOUS - THE REBEL KIND (1983)

 

"The Rebel Kind" was a collection featuring some of the finest 80's garage and psychedelic bands around including The Nomads, The Slickee Boys, Three O'Clock, Plasticland & The Long Ryders and more. Released in the USA on Sounds Interesting # SILP 011, but also on the Lolita label in France with a different artwork under the copyright of Sounds Interesting. It was reissued in 1992 on Revenge with one bonus track and one year later as "New Psychedelic Sound", part of "Les Génies du Rock collection # 37". It is noteworthy to say that Dan Kibler was a member of The Shout and has released five excellent power pop albums, his latest just released in 2023.

WU (319 mb)

Tasty Power Pop (Never Reissued)

NASTY POP - MISTAKEN I.D. (1977)

Nasty Pop were a beatlesque Liverpool band who were courted by major labels but who didn't quite achieve the breakthrough their bold, sparky song writing deserved. Their first album appeared on Island in 1975 and a move to Polydor resulted in the far superior "Mistaken I.D." album in 1977. Nasty Pop split in 1978. Typically the kind of stuff out of its time in the punk years of 1977. Keith Wilkinson later joined Squeeze.

WU (259 mb)

Solo Heart (Never Reissued)

JIMMY DESTRI - HEART ON A WALL (1982)

 

Jimmy Destri is best known as keyboardist in Blondie. He has contributed greatly to Blondie's straight ahead pop sensibilities (he wrote or co-wrote such classics as "Look Good In Blue","Picture This", "Atomic", "11:59" and "Maria"). In 1982, he released his first and only solo album, but it was something of a disturbing revelation: the presence of Bowie's musicians (Slick, Alomar) and the Bowie-esque production obliterate the glimmer of pop, even with the contribution of Blondie's members (Clem Burke, Chris Stein and Debbie Harry), There are some very nice songs "Don't Look around", "Little Metal Drummer", "Heart On A Wall" but the best can be found on side 2 with "Numbers Don't Count (On Me)", a very catchy power pop tune.

 

WU (262 mb)