Guitar Pop For Now People—Part 21
10 Recent Tracks + Music Reviewers/Publications (+ Playlist)
Guitar pop is a genre steeped in music of the past.
This series tries to spotlight the countless current artists releasing great music these days, but writing about guitar pop (my catchall for power pop, indie rock, garage rock, punk, pop punk, etc.) often means happily connecting the dots with British Invasion-influenced music from the ‘60s forward.
To wit, this newsletter and our semi-annual print/eBook Guitar Pop Journals, were named after one of my favorite tracks from 20/20’s 1979 debut album (the song title itself suggests trying to recapture something exciting from the past). So, it’s pretty thrilling to hear that they’re releasing new music in 2024.
“Back To California,” which deftly combines early REM energy with classic Plimsouls power pop, is the first single from 20/20’s eagerly-anticipated album arriving from SpyderPop Records in early 2025—the first new music that Steve Allen and Ron Flynt have released under that band name in two decades.
Great news. Great band. Great song.
And it’s great to share that track alongside artists including Pillow Fite, Dazy, The Jette Planes, Bambies, Cori Elba, Vienna Vienna, Cast of Thousands, and Lunar Vacation. We also have new music from other talented lifers like Michigan’s Nick Piunti and The Complicated Men, and indie “supergroup” The Hard Quartet.
As always, I’ve included 10 tracks below along with a blurb and link to one of my go-to music reviewers. If you like what you hear/read, click through to show your support.
⚡️ What Are Your Favorite Tracks Below? 💥
10 Recent Tracks and Music Reviewers/Publications
“They say it’s their vastly different musical approaches that serve to complement resulting tunes that range from soft and sweet to stinging and sour; a mix that propels the new album, Hard Feelings, Soft Promises. …Single, ‘Ativan’ is an aggressive, 90s-fueled case in point.”—David Browne, The Big Takeover
“The openers ‘Seasick’ and ‘Bottle It’ are some of Piunti’s finest ear worms about the songwriting process. The melodies and power chords ‘may be something you’ve seen before,’ as he sings, but they are super catchy and do the job.”—Aaron Kupferberg, Powerpopaholic
“Cori Elba is a Californian (via Florida where this was recorded) who has released a smart, funny, and catchy EP. …On the opening cut, ‘Just A Flight Attendant’ she lets her (true) feelings fly (‘Don't fucking touch me...') against a backdrop of fuzzed-out guitar.”—Tim Hinely, Daggerzine
“But it’s more than just understanding key sounds and influences; the LP nails something abstract that we nip and bite at endlessly with this ‘90s obsession. ‘Tom’ and ‘Bitter’ equally have the weight and maturity to balance and blend dream pop and shoegaze into these massively affective ballads.”—Chris Coplan, Merry-Go-Round Magazine
“These guys have both spirit and energy! Get the single on Bandcamp, and enjoy the rooftop concert video.”—Aaron Kupferberg, Powerpopaholic
‘This is post-Olivia Rodrigo fun from LA, self-described as glimmer rock, which feels appropriate given the high-energy poppy distortion. The opener ‘Vienna (Everything’s Fine)’ has an anthemic chorus that bounces off the walls enough to warrant being most of the song.”—Anne Hurban, The Alternative
“The band pick up the thread they started with First Six Songs, although the full-length continues to add dimensions to Cast of Thousands’ sound–in particular, Ditto’s organ-toned keys add a The Clean-esque indie pop element to the college rock, power pop, and jangle pop (delivered with just the right amount of Lone Star garage rock energy) to the mix.”—Rosy Overdrive
“Alright, kids! Montreal's finest slingers of ultra-energetic poppy punk rock are back at it on the appropriately titled Snotty Angels. Out on Wanda Records and Spaghetty Town Records, this is the sophomore long player from Bambies—a band I find super underrated in the punk rock world.”—Lord Rutledge, Faster and Louder
“Dazy and MSPAINT make a predictably pleasant collaboration; the two acts have toured together, and they’ve both earned Band To Watch honors from Stereogum.”—Danielle Chelosky, Stereogum
“There are so many musical ideas at play here, all delivered with the confidence (and competence) of dudes who’ve been at this for a long time. This particular tune sounds as if it was pulled directly from The Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society, which is a-ok by me. This may not be a ‘supergroup,’ but this album is kinda super.”—Christian Finnegan, New Music For Olds
Guitar Pop For Now People—Official Playlist
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Love that "Back to California" tune by 20/20!
The new 20/20 track sounds great! Also liked Lunar Vacation and Jette Planes. Thanks for sharing.