A Power Pop Record

THE RECORDS - ROCK AND ROLL LOVE LETTER (1979)

Second single from The Records, a cover of the Tim Moore song, it was first covered by the Dirty Angels in 1975. It was a hit in 1976 for The BCR. The song has been covered several times since (Mitch Easter, Gary & The Grip Weeds, The Slingsby Hornets...).

 

"Rock And Roll Love Letter" and its flip side "Wives & Mothers Of Tomorrow" were not included on the first LP "Shades In Bed" but later added as bonus tracks on the 2002 CD reissue.

  

LETTER (64 mb)

Coca-Cola Is All You Ever Drink

THE RECORDS - TEENARAMA (1979)

 

First proper single lifted from "Shades In Bed", "Teenarama" was produced by Robert John Lange with a non-LP track produced by Will Birch. The B side "Held Up High" was later included on the 2002 CD reissue. "Teenarama" is probably the same version as the LP version even though it is just 4 or 5 seconds longer.

  

TEENARAMA (60 mb)

San Antonio Power Pop (Never Reissued)

THE KRAYOLAS - KOLORED MUSIC (1982)

 

"Kolored Music" was an impressive start for this Mexican-American pop group from San Antonio, Texas; their music has a joyous, unpretentious quality that makes every cut a treat. Basing their sound on the '60s - there are traces of Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Box Tops, Monkees and, of course, the Beatles - the Krayolas stood apart from others sharing the basic pop impulse by using brass on seven of the album's ten tracks. The horns never get in the way, but instead add a soulful edge to the sweet innocent voices. A consistently pleasing album.

  

MUSIC (255 mb)

John McMullan's first steps to Power Pop (Original 7" Mix)

THE TREND - LUCKY DAY (1981)

 

In 1981, The Trend cut a single at what was then known as Kennett Sound Studio. The two songs were "Lucky Day" and the still popular "She's Hi-Fi," both written by John McMullan. The single came out just as Collier, Mitchell, and McMullan were headed to college at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Fuller decided to attend school at Murray State, in Kentucky, leaving the band in the process.

  

LUCKY (52 mb)

A Tribute To "Swan"

WHITE LACE & PROMISES - THE SONGS OF PAUL WILLIAMS (2018)

 

The world is going to remember the great works of musical art that Paul Williams and his collaborators have given to the world. 23 fabulous power pop artists (Lisa Mychols, Chris Price, Corin Ashley, Cliff Hillis, Greg Pope and more) have paid homage to Paul Williams. White Lace and Promises: The Songs of Paul Williams is essential listening and highly recommended.

  

SWAN (557 mb)

Original LP (1978) vs CD Reissue (2001)

ADVERTISING - JINGLES (1978)

 

Advertising was a clever young pop quartet with a penchant for quirky but catchy tunes, punny teenager lyrics and the color pink. They had a near brush with UK chart success via their first 7" called "Lipstick". But failure to win a large following caused an early breakup. This album (produced by Andy Arthurs who re-mixed the two Kenny Laguna produced singles) is chock-a-block with engaging numbers, cheery vocals and snappy, clean playing; the songs (written by guitarists Tot Taylor and Simon Boswell) are literate and charming.

  

LP JINGLES (294 mb)

 

CD JINGLES (269 mb)

 

More Catchy Pop from Cambridge

ADVERTISING - LIPSTICK (1977)

 

First 7" single from Advertising with the original versions of the songs produced by Kenny Laguna. They would be re-mixed later by Andy Arthurs and included on their first and only album "Jingles"

  

LIPSTICK (52 mb)

Catchy Pop from Cambridge

ADVERTISING - STOLEN LOVE (1977)

 

Second single from Advertising with the original versions of the songs produced by Kenny Laguna. They would be re-mixed later by Andy Arthurs and included on their first and only album "Jingles"

  

STOLEN (52 mb)

New York Power Pop 7" (B side unavailable elsewhere)

CHEESE - SHE SAID / KIDS DON'T MIND (1978)

 

For many years, this 7" was not widely available (the A-side was only on the compilation Teenline Vol 7). It's only in 2023 that Grapefruit Records included the A-side on the popular collection of American Power Pop In The Seventies (Looking For The Magic). So the excellent and possibly better B-side can only be found on the original 7" of this short-lived New York power pop band.

  

CHEESE (48 mb)

The Big Deal Artists Pay Tribute To Burt

TRIBUTE TO BURT BACHARACH - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW (1998)

 

Exclusive tracks from Wondermints, The Gladhands, Vandalias, Splitsville, Barely Pink, Hannah Cranna, BMX Bandits, Dan Kibler, Michael Shelley, Cockeyed Ghost and more. Cover art was by legendary Jack Davis (MAD, EC Comics, Time and more)

 

BURT (334 mb)

Jangle Pop Covers From Norwich

THE NIVENS - RECYCLE (1991)

 

Howard Turner and Russ Storerson formed The Nivens way back in '85 in Norwich (England). Pioneers of the guitar band thing honing their own brand of jangle-psychedelia, a harder musical edge fusing acid grooves to the REM / Byrds / Smithereens / Groovies sensibilities.

 

COVERS (120 mb)

CD Reissue of the 1985 french LP (New Rose Records)

SYLVAIN SYLVAIN & THE CRIMINAL$ - BOWERY BUTTERFLIES (2000)

 

When Johansen approached Sylvain regarding a lenghty European tour to promote his debut solo LP, on which Syl had collaborated, Sylvain cut a deal with Johansen's management who requested $2.000 upfront to enable The Criminal$ to record a quality demo. '78-Criminals was the end product. This is the demo that led RCA to sign Sylvain up in 1979. Most of the tracks were re-recorded for Sylvain's debut. "Bowery Butterflies" contains his favourites versions of the songs, mainly written between 75-78.

 

BUTTERFLIES (279 mb)

The Neighbors (The Upside Mixes Never Reissued)

THE NEIGHBORS - WELCOME WAGON (1987)

 

In 1985, John Moremen, Scott McKnight and Steve Woehrle were in a group called Punch Me Judy. Then Pete Gilstrap joined up for the experience that was to be, in a basement in Arlington, Virginia.They deemed themselves Herschel's Neighbors, Days later, they played at a club in Washington, DC calling themselves Bag 85. Only months later, the band now called The Neighbors. After their first album "Famous Potatoes", they released this second album on a small label in New York (Upside). It burst forth in 1987. And then the label soon went out of business.

 

Notes from Scott McKnight 

The original band mixes of Welcome Wagon were shelved by Upside (the record company) in favor of mixes supervised by Upside. In some ways the Upside mixes were considered superior. In some ways, not. The tunes from Welcome Wagon and Famous Potatoes which appear on the Power Pop Art CD were remixed for that CD using mid-'90s gear rather than the mid-'80s gear used originally. The mixes of Welcome Wagon tunes on the CD are closer to the band's original vision than those that appeared on the album, as released. Not all of the tunes from Welcome Wagon and Famous Potatoes appear on the CD. Good luck finding the CD.

  

WAGON (296 mb)

The Criminals lettering was used for PPC

CRIMINAL$ - THE KIDS ARE BACK (1978)

 

Sylvain Sylvain (guitar, vocals), Bobby Blaine (keyboard, vocals), Tony Machine (drums) and Michael Page (bass, vocals) cut a single. 5,000 copies of "The Kids are Back/The Cops are Coming" were issued on the Criminals own Sing Sing label. The 45 did amazingly well both in the U.S. and the U.K.

  

WU ARE (36 mb)

Memory Lane (Zion, Illinois)

SOME MEMORABILIA FROM THE SHOES FAN CLUB (1990-1994)

 

No music here, but some scans (PDF format) from the Shoes Fan Club 30 years ago. Shoes News cards, order form from the Black Vinyl Records catalog and a three-page folio.

SHOES (4,5 mb)

PPA Exclusive (The Album That Never Existed)

GARY KLEBE - THE SHOES YEARS (1975-2012) (2026)

 

No need to introduce Gary Klebe, one essential member of the band along the Murphy Brothers. "Black Vinyl Shoes" was the first Shoes album i bought back in 1978 (it was the PVC edition - i only got the original BVS edition a few years later).

Album after album, i was caught by the songs penned by Gary Klebe alone, but also co-written with John or Jeff Murphy. The guy had an exceptional gift for writing memorable power pop songs. 

 

So yesterday, i read that Gary Klebe was releasing his first solo album "Out Loud" on the 10th of April. And i thought it would be interesting to compile some of his best songs from the Shoes years. I made a custom artwork and here is the collection (22 songs written by Gary Klebe only + plus a bonus track).

 

GARY (551 mb)

Wondermints Live in Studio

WONDERMINTS - LIVE AT THE REHEARSAL ROOM (1995)

 

Under the guidance of Chris Carter things go much faster for Wondermints. They get more and more known in the underground scene of L.A. and they even get a chance to record a demo for Epic Records in 1995. Unfortunately, the demo leads to no deal. Record-companies are reluctant in signing Wondermints. They don't really know what to do with the band. They agree that Wondermints' music sounds terrific, but they don't know how to pigeon hole it, since the band's music sounds different from all the other music that is being put on the music-market in 1995.

 

Special note: The six cover versions featured here are quite different and of much better quality from the ones available on the "Mintsmania" unofficial CD  PPA custom artwork included.

 

WU REHEARSAL (137 mb)

Cellophane Remix (Unavailable Elsewhere)

WONDERMINTS - CELLOPHANE EP (1997)

 

Japan only 4-Track CD EP with an exclusive remix of Cellophane (from Bali), plus 3 rare songs.

 

WU CELLO EP (149 mb)

The First Wondermints (Original Single)

WONDERMINTS - PROTO-PRETTY (1993)

 

At the beginning of 1993, drummer Mike D'amico becomes Wondermints fourth member, and not long after the group releases their first vinyl-single on Pop Psycle Records. The single was released on a translucent wax. The B side was penned by Brian Kassan. This song was also featured on the first Chewy Marble CD.

 

7" (62 mb)