Singles of the Week: Powerpop FTW

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Singles of the Week: Powerpop FTW

June 28, 2008 at 12:09 am | In Music, Powerpop, Single of the Week, mp3 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Julie Ocean, Shake Some Action

Did powerpop ever really go out of style, or come to think of it, was it ever in style? It seems like music history is littered with great bands and songwriters too numerous to mention, that wrote short catchy juiced-up songs that should have been hits. The two bands with killer singles this week are both named after two other great bands. So they’ve not only got great songs buy great pedigree too. I’m partial to bands naming themselves after songs of their favorite bands, as you might have guessed based on this blog’s name.

Single of the week number one comes from Shake Some Action who are named after a Flamin’ Groovies song. The Seattle band have just released their second album entitled Sunny Days Ahead, and it’s a corker. Especially the lead track Get It Together, James Hall’s voice booms over crunching, screaming guitars urging someone to get it together, and with a song this convincing how you not Get It Together?!

mp3: Shake Some Action – Get It Together (buy: Sunny Days Ahead)

Single of the week number two is by a band named for an Undertones song. Washington, DC’s Julie Ocean is fronted by Jim Spellman of Velocity Girl/High Back Chairs/Piper Cub fame and Terry Banks of Tree Fort Angst/Saturday People/Glo-Worm fame. All of those bands knew their way around a good song and Julie Ocean is no different. Teenage Fanclub and the afore mentioned Undertones have got nothing on these guys with their jangly Rickenbackers and ooh-ooh and ahh-ahh choruses, it’s saccharine sweet. Half the songs on their debut album could be hits in that powerpop netherworld, but #1 Song is the standout. And yes, it should be a number one song, Casey Kasem, Rick Dees, et al be damned!

mp3: Julie Ocean – #1 Song (buy: Long Gone and Nearly There)