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Posted
Cheap Trick will always be the answer to "who's the best power pop band ever?" 

I feel like Bun E. Carlos has to have some sort of interesting life story that never came out.
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  • 4 months later...
Posted
On 8/29/2022 at 3:08 PM, jimmyjazz said:

OK, I'm gonna make a couple of counter-arguments:

1.  you didn't know who the fuck SQUEEZE is?

2.  "Tempted" is absolutely, without a doubt, my #1 favorite pop tune of all time.

3.  I strongly suggest you look up the band Ace and Paul Carrack (the singer on "Tempted", save one line by Elvis Costello)

 

Please tell me I misunderstood your post.  Holy fuck.

 

On 8/29/2022 at 3:34 PM, TwiceHorn said:

Two Squeeze faves.

 

Celery, you should check out Singles, cover above.

Is Squeeze power pop?  It almost sounds like throwaway pop, but the lyrics seem to always have an edge or some darkness to them.

 

On 8/29/2022 at 3:37 PM, jimmyjazz said:

It's not "good", it's perfect.  Melody, structure, lyrics.

 

LOL whatever.  Some people don't like "Let It Be", too.

 

On 8/29/2022 at 3:41 PM, TwiceHorn said:

Another:

 

I'm a musical nimrod, but I like all three of those and several others better than Tempted, probably because to me it was overplayed.

I love Cracker, a lot, but hate Low, for the same reason.

 

On 8/29/2022 at 4:07 PM, jimmyjazz said:

"Tempted" is the odd song out for a couple of reasons:  (1) it was their biggest hit on the US rock charts and (2) it wasn't sung by the songwriters.  It still has their DNA all over it.

 

On 8/29/2022 at 9:06 PM, Carl Spackler said:

My wife (no pics) loves 80's music in general but doesn't care for Squeeze.  It's one of her only flaws.  (She does, however, like the song "Tempted," so maybe there's hope.)

Several terrific Squeeze songs are mentioned above.  Here's another one.

 

 

 

On 8/30/2022 at 6:30 PM, TexPx said:

Squeeze faves.
“ There’s a stain on my notebook where your coffee cup was”
Great opening lyrics.

Necro bump but we're going to see Squeeze tonight here in Dallas.  Co-headlining with Boy George.  Anyone go last night in Austin?  Which one of them opened?  (Apparently they are alternating each show).

Also interesting is that Squeeze was often categorized as "New Wave" but the band (in particular Glen Tillbrook) felt they were truly "pop" and also resented that many critics called him and Chris Difford "the next Lennon and McCartney."  

One of my favorite bands from my youth (high school and college) along with Elvis Costello, the Police, the Cars, the Clash, etc., etc.

On 4/8/2024 at 9:32 PM, tbone_ said:


I feel like Bun E. Carlos has to have some sort of interesting life story that never came out.

I caught a pick from Rick Nielsen at one of their concerts back in the day.

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Posted
On 4/13/2023 at 11:13 AM, jimmyjazz said:

I love that song.  I pretty much love everything Aimee Mann has ever done.

If you haven't seen her episode on Portlandia you definitely should check it out.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Ah shit. Matthew Sweet had a stroke. 

Godspeed, sir:

 

https://deadline.com/2024/10/matthew-sweet-stroke-1236156672/

 

 

Quote

'90s alt-rocker Matthew Sweet has suffered a 'debilitating' stroke while on tour in Toronto, Canada. The 60-year-old musician, best known for hit songs Girlfriend and I've Been Waiting, now requires weeks of rehabilitation in order to recover from the health scare. Sweet, who also appeared on the soundtrack for the cult 1996 movie The Craft, needs costly medical care including being flown back to the US from Canada. 

To assist with his recovery expenses, his management company have set up a GoFundMe asking fans to donate.

'Our longtime inspiration and dear friend, suffered a debilitating stroke this past week in Toronto while in the early days of a national tour,' a statement read. 'He has been unexpectedly and tragically forced off the road and onto a long, uncertain path to recovery. 'We are asking for financial help in this difficult time from his family, friends, and fans. Without insurance or touring income, Matthew faces an enormous financial burden.  'The doctors and hospital care in Toronto were instrumental in saving Matthew's life, but health care is not free for Americans in Canada. 

The statement continued: 'He must now be flown back to the States on an ambulance transport plane with medical staff on board, to a specialized rehabilitation center, where he will receive around-the-clock care and therapy for six weeks. 

 

'He will then require months of treatment and rehabilitation that we hope will lead to a full recovery. Needless to say, the costs for all of this treatment will be overwhelming. We anticipate a total close to a quarter of a million dollars. 'Your thoughts, love, and support will mean the world to him. But please donate financially if you possibly can. Matthew will be forever grateful to you.

Fans were quick to pay tribute and support the star, with some in disbelief that he has been forced to ask for financial help. 

'Un-f***ing-believable that someone like Matthew Sweet is just one medical emergency away from being destitute. I wonder how much money Sony makes from Girlfriend streams?' one fan wrote on X.

Sweet emerged from the 80's Athens, Georgia music scene and became a leading figure of the power pop revival in the 90's with the release of his album Girlfriend in 1991. The songs Girlfriend and I've Been Waiting became fan favorites. His next two records, Altered Beast (1993) and 100% Fun (1995) included the popular songs, Time Capsule and Sick of Myself.

 

 

 

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Posted
15 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Dang.  "Girlfriend" is a permanent fixture on my Desert Island Disc list.  Crazy good songwriting.

I always thought it was brilliant to throw a drum break in that song.

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Posted
On 10/23/2024 at 6:42 PM, jimmyjazz said:

Dang.  "Girlfriend" is a permanent fixture on my Desert Island Disc list.  Crazy good songwriting.

I absolutely love that whole album.  Divine Intervention is one of my all time favorite songs.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Spotify serves me a lot of 80s alternative, also a lot of female fronted indie stuff like ratboys, palehound, slow pulp, alvvays… that song worked into the rotation and I thought for sure it was a similar vintage as superchunk and stuff like that. But nope - apparently it’s siblings, brother was the voice of the boy from the Incredibles. And yeah, Kim Deal vibes for sure.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Going back to my early 2000s playlists today, revisiting a lot from The Format. Nate whatever his last name is of course went on to more acclaim with fun. And I feel like the other guy was in Steel Train? Wait scratch that, it was Nate from The Format and some guys from Steel Train that made fun. And I think one of them was dating Maebe Fünke.

 

 

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
Posted
8 minutes ago, UTCzech III said:

Pretty damn solid 1-2 punch to open up side two

You're damn right it is. Side one opens with Stop This Game and Just Got Back, which is really hard to top in the power pop genre. So good that I went ahead and got a signed copy for my wall: 

image.thumb.jpeg.1e56b26ddfec55c33ad3e8ae017b7028.jpeg

Posted
11 hours ago, honolulu horn said:

You're damn right it is. Side one opens with Stop This Game and Just Got Back, which is really hard to top in the power pop genre. So good that I went ahead and got a signed copy for my wall: 

image.thumb.jpeg.1e56b26ddfec55c33ad3e8ae017b7028.jpeg

Jealous!  Hardly a bad song on that whole LP.  Can't Stop It But I'm Gonna Try is severely underrated, great damn song.

Posted
7 minutes ago, UTCzech III said:

Jealous!  Hardly a bad song on that whole LP.  Can't Stop It But I'm Gonna Try is severely underrated, great damn song.

Doesn't hurt to have near virtuoso talent at 2 3 all 4 spots.

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Posted
2 hours ago, UTCzech III said:

John Lennon once called ELO "Son of Beatles", but I think he was really warming up to Cheap Trick before his passing.  I would have loved to have heard this version on Double Fantasy...

 

That's definitely the better version. If I'm not mistaken, Rick Nielsen did that studio work with John the same day his son Zak was born. 

Posted
22 hours ago, honolulu horn said:

That's definitely the better version. If I'm not mistaken, Rick Nielsen did that studio work with John the same day his son Zak was born. 

Daxx.  But, yes, Rick did miss Daxx's birth because he was in the studio with Lennon and Bun E. Carlos.

Quote

You're damn right it is. Side one opens with Stop This Game and Just Got Back, which is really hard to top in the power pop genre. So good that I went ahead and got a signed copy for my wall: 

I'm a big CT fan and I love side one of All Shook Up.  That whole first side is great.  I don't think side two comes close to matching it, though.  Just my opinion.  

Posted

Went to Cheap Trick here in Dallas a couple of weeks ago.  Good show, they're still pretty tight.

I have a friend that plays in local bands that basically idolizes them (has been playing since early 80s) and clued me in that they have a shit ton of material since their last hit/airplay, something of which I wasn't really aware, thought they kind of hung it up when Bun E did.  Made me kind of sad, and I understand they're sort of resentful of not receiving much of their due.

Posted
6 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

I understand they're sort of resentful of not receiving much of their due.

I never got that sense in any of the articles I've read about them, interviews I've seen, etc.  They're pretty self-deprecating guys and still play a ton of shows each year.  Their attitude is along the lines of, "We'll keep playing as long as we love doing so and people still want to see us."

Posted
5 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

I never got that sense in any of the articles I've read about them, interviews I've seen, etc.  They're pretty self-deprecating guys and still play a ton of shows each year.  Their attitude is along the lines of, "We'll keep playing as long as we love doing so and people still want to see us."

That’s the vibe I get too. I love that they change their set every night but that they keep playing several nights per week. It’s unbelievable.
 

Also they have put out some great stuff in the post-Bun years. Daxx (not Zack, duh) is capable but will never compare to Bun; still, they have some great stuff out there with the latest lineup. Heart on the Line is one hell of a badass rock song and it holds up against anything else in their catalog, as one example. 
 

 

Posted
8 hours ago, honolulu horn said:

Also they have put out some great stuff in the post-Bun years. Daxx (not Zack, duh) is capable but will never compare to Bun; still, they have some great stuff out there with the latest lineup. Heart on the Line is one hell of a badass rock song and it holds up against anything else in their catalog, as one example. 
 

 

Yep -- there are some really good songs on each of the three non-Xmas albums they've put out since BEC stopped playing with them.  (I haven't heard the Xmas one, so I'm not including it.)

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