Give More Power Pop to the People

       The really warm spell we had here in the northeast is over, but spring will be back soon so I thought it was time for some power pop.  I've mostly resisted power pop mixtapes on this blog (with the exception of this 90s power pop compilation) in part because there's so many other great power pop blogs on the web.  One of the most prominent one is http://powerpopcriminals.blogspot.com/ and about 4-5 years ago, they put together a huge, 8-9 part compilation from the best 200 power pop albums of all time.  Now, I don't know if this violates some ethical boundary, but I took 32 of my faves from that 200 and created a much smaller 2 volume compilation (I'll post volume 2 next week).

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Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)	Raspberries
The Company of Light	Chris Stamey
The One	Cloud Eleven
Gold Town	Tommy Keene
Sally Works Nights	Liverpool Echo
Couldn't Help Myself	Bobby Sutliff
I Want You To Want Me	Cheap Trick
With My Face On The Floor	Emitt Rhodes
We Love Girls	Buster
Remember The Lightning	20-20
Tiger Nights	The Bongos
The Popular	Splitsville
A Girl (La La La)	Artful Dodger
Faith	Sex Clark Five
A Different Sunday	Beagle
You've Got No Time	The Cowsills

All Hail the New Traditionalists - Sharon Jones and the Detroit Cobras

           I thought of putting together a Sharon Jones and Detroit Cobras compilation a while back, but I was waiting for a new Cobras release.  That was about 18 months ago, and since there doesn't seem to be one forthcoming in the near future.... well, now's as good time as any (especially with summer on its way - if, I may be so bold, I think it would make a nice bbq soundtrack).   And I know traditionalist is kind of a silly term, but, hey, it seemed a bit better than revivalist. :)

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100 Days, 100 Nights	Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Hey Sailor	The Detroit Cobras
Ain't Hittin' on Nothin'	The Detroit Cobras
My Man Is A Mean Man	Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
(I Wanna Know) What's Going on	The Detroit Cobras
Give It Back	Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Wild About That Thing	Sharon Jones, Alvin Youngblood Hart & Teenie Hodges
I'll Be Home Someday	Detroit Cobras
I Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Is In	Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
I'll Keep Holding On	The Detroit Cobras
Pick It Up, Lay It In The Cut	Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Ya Ya Ya (looking For My Baby)	The Detroit Cobras
Heartbeat	The Detroit Cobras
She Ain't a Child No More	Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Last Nite	The Detroit Cobras
What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?	Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
The Dap Dip	Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
As Long As I Have You	The Detroit Cobras

The Damnations - Where it lands

   I know I posted some Texas country two weeks ago, but since SXSW is going on as I type, I figured I'd post the second album, 2002's Where it lands, from the great Austin band The Damnations.  Their 1998 self-titled first album (which they had to release under the name Damnations, TX for legal reasons) is still available as an mp3 album.  It's a little better, imho, but Where it lands  is still an alternative country gem, too.

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All Night Special

Quarter in the Couch

Root On

Steeple Full of Swallows

Wanna Be Your Mama

Animal Children

Bloodhound

New Hope Cemetery

Corona

Tora Tora Tora

Time To Go Home

I'm Living in the 80's! (Disc Four)

     It's really no use try to defend/rationalize/excuse one's musical nostalgia especially since (imho) it's the rare person who doesn't indulge their music nostalgia jones at least occasionally.  In that spirit, here's another 80s (mostly postpunk) mixtape (You can also still download Discs 1-3.

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Dissidents	Thomas Dolby
Appetite	Prefab Sprout
Death at One's Elbow	The Smiths
Landslide	Cabaret Voltaire
Producer	Gang of Four
Motorcrash	Sugarcubes
88 Seconds In Greensboro	OMD
Saint Julian	Julian Cope
The Sinking Feeling	The The
Mandinka	Sinead O'Connor
Clay	Echo & The Bunnymen
Under The Milky Way	The Church
Head Over Heels / Broken	Tears For Fears
Boss Toyota Trouble	Biting Tongues
The Telephone Always Rings	Fun Boy Three
Swirling	Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians
Sugar Hiccup	Cocteau Twins
The Three Sunrises	U2

3 Legends of Texas Country: James Hand, Justin Trevino, and Don Walser

     The annual South by Southwest music conference is fast approaching and even though it's been ten years since I attended one, I thought a little homage to Texas artists was in store for this week.  Don Walser passed away back in 2006, but Justin Trevino and James Hand are still going strong and I would hope they're both playing at SXSW this year (even if it's unofficial events).

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In The Corner, At The Table, By the Jukebox	James Hand
Texas Honky Tonk	Justin Trevino
One More Drink	Don Walser
Cowpoke	Don Walser
I Heard Mama Callin	James Hand
Leavin' And Sayin' Goodbye	Justin Trevino
Don't Want Me Too	James Hand
(The Party Don't Start) 'Til The Playboys Get Here	Don Walser
Brand New Sister Me	Justin Trevino
She Knows My Weaknesses	Justin Trevino
Chime Bells	Don Walser
When You Stopped Loving Me, So Did I	James Hand
Leave The Lonely Alone	James Hand
Chalk One Up for You	Justin Trevino
A String Boogie	Don Walser
Little Bitty Slip	James Hand
Cattle Call	Don Walser
Don't Leave the Leaving Up to Me	Justin Trevino