• Tag Archives power pop

  • The Ledge #544: Power Pop, Pt. 2 (The Present)

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    Last week’s show featured classic power pop tracks from the past. This week, we take a look a the current state of the genre with 40 tracks of fabulous guitar-driven pop music. In fact, the vast majority of these tracks are from 2022, with a handful of tunes from 2021 and 2020. The oldest song of the bunch dates back to 2014, and that tune from The Cry! was selected to be paired with the brand new single by lead singer Tommy Ray.

    It should be to nobody’s surprise that a good portion of the show compiles highlights from Big Stir Records as they are the without a doubt the gold standard of new music of this type. Author S. W. Lauden’s influence also extends beyond the books he compiled with co-author Paul Myers. Not only does he appear on a couple of the Big Stir tunes broadcast in this episode, his suggestions resulted in quite possibly the most exciting set of the show.

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

    For more information, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #543: Power Pop, Pt. 1 (The Past)

    Posted on by theledge 3 Comments

    On a fairly regular basis I’m asked what type of music I most enjoy. It’s a pretty tough question to answer, to be honest. The standard answer I hear in return is “I love all kinds of music”, which to me is code for “I only like what’s popular”. Sorry, but having a playlist on Spotify that includes both Drake, Meghan Trainor, and Luke Bryan isn’t the proof of versatility most of these poeple believe it is.

    So what is the genre or sub-genre that is closest to my heart? “Punk” is a little too confining, and honestly there is a lot of shitty music under that moniker. “Alternative” doesn’t mean the same today as it did 30 years ago since maintstream rock radio has co-opted it. “Garage rock” is indeed getting closer but still doesn’t feel right.

    I think deep in my heart the term power pop, or at least my version of the term, best describes my music taste. I was, after all, born the day The Beatles recorded their first single, and the first two rock and roll albums I owned just out of my toddler phase was the first Monkees record and the A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack. 

    My teen years coincided with the rise of punk rock, and the initial blast of punk was primarily sped up power pop. Catchy tunes played fast, and that is where my description of power pop may be a little bit different from what others consider power pop. There’s a lot of bands in this genre that, honestly, sound a little too wimpy for me. I emphasize the “power” portion of the term.

    Tonight’s show is not only a remembrance of bands and records from that time, but is also a reaction to reading a couple of great books that I recently acquired. Go All The Way: A Literary Appreciation of Power Pop and Go Further: More Literary Appreciations of Power Pop are collections of essays on the genre compiled by Paul Myers and S.W. Lauden. This led me to dig through my iTunes archives to reacquaint myself with some long lost fave, and also asked for some suggestions on Facebook.

    This show is part one of a two part series. Here’s almost 2 1/2 hours of my favorites from the past. Next week will be a show devoted to current (or somewhat current) bands continuing to carry the torch for guitar-driven pop songs. Do you have some favorite current power pop bands or songs? Please let me know!!!

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

    For more information, including setlists, head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #510: New Release (Pt. 1)

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    It became apparent a couple of weeks ago that this month’s new release series would have to be a two part extravaganza. Not only were the quantity of new songs piling up, but there were also quite a few albums that deserved more than a track or two of airtime.

    So the decision was easy, but then how does one split the shows? There’s no real formua to what was aired tonight and what will be held back until next week. Tonight’s show probably features more of the types of artists who are easily found on Bandcamp, which is fitting since March 4 was another of the great bandcamp days where the artist gets 100% of the proceeds of their sales. But otherwise the quality between both sets of tunes is pretty similar, as you’ll see during next week’s second part. 

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

    For setlists and more information head to http://scotthudson.blogspot.com

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #485: New Releases (Pt. 2)

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    Part two of this month’s new release series carries on from the excellence of last week’s first show. There are great tribute records to John Prine and The Ramones, along with some other fabulous covers of the Flamin’ Groovies, T. Rex, The Beatles, and The Blasters. There’s the returns of the Descendents and Pearl Harbour. There’s also new bands (at least to me) such as Vacation, The Umbrellas, Liquid, and a few others. And to top things off are some more tracks from the brand new FREE “XOXOXO Volume One ‘the nice price'” compilation.

    I would love it if every listener bought at least one record I played on either of these shows. These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #475: New Releases (Pt. 2)

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    This week’s show may be a sequel to last week’s new release episode, but there’s no letdown in quality. Here are two hours of some of the best new music from all over the world – not only the U.S. but Canada, England, Sweden, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Spain. There’s some pure punk, along with power pop, heavy rock, indie rock, and much more. There are longtime veterans with five decades of rocking, along with some brand new bands with their first releases.

    One of the many highlights is the opening set that includes a handful of newly-discovered tracks by an obscure band called The Jacks. Originating in Oklahoma, one member of the band found himself living in Minneapolis. Working in a record store allowed him to befriend members of The Replacements, Husker Du, and The Suicide Commandos. Recordings featuring these amazing musicians have now been released on the album “Make ‘Em Cry”.

    We also have the premiere of three tracks from Geoff Palmer’s upcoming album, “Charts & Graphs”. Due out on July 23, this fantastic collection of power poppish punk should be a highlight of the summer. There’s also new tunes by Dropkick Murphys, The Dictators, Juliana Hatfield, and many others!

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Uncategorized 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #470: Playing Catch Up

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    It’s always rewarding when a confluence of ideas results in a show that has a perfect flow. That’s what happened this week. This show began with a slight nudging from a couple of acts that had submitted tracks earlier this year that had just not yet found a place in a show. Add to that a couple of great records featuring Dirty Truckers drummer John Lynch that he sent when we were putting together the Rum Bar Records episode.

    Then a section of super sweet, relatively new records were discovered at a local record store. I’m talking about mint 2020 releases that I had missed out on when they were first put out. Adding to that secton of the show are a few other 2019 and 2020 albums that I was late in discovering, along with a couple of fabulous archive releases and suddenly I have two hours of great music for tonight!

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge! Let them know who is giving them promotion!

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #467: Rum Bar Records

    Posted on by theledge 2 Comments

    Loyalty is an important word in my life. I try to be as loyal as possible to not only friends and family, but also the bands that I love. I’m even loyal to certain record labels. In the 80’s it was Twin/Tone and SST. Merge and a few others fit that category in the 90’s, and I’ve got a handful of current labels these days whose artists I will always check out. One of those is Rum Bar Records.

    No label has been more loyal to what I do with The Ledge than Rum Bar Records. Head honcho “Malibu” Lou Mansdorf has not only kept me in the loop with his constantly growing stable of releases, but he also routinely tosses a care package of physical releases to my mailbox. It’s because of people like Lou that this show has continued to prosper for over a decade.

    But it also turns out that loyalty is an important word to Mansdorf, as proven by the testimonials from his artists that pop up throughout this marathon all-Rum Bar broadcast. Most have been his friends for decades, but even recent signing have nothing but glowing words for him.

    Tonight’s show features tracks from the entire Rum Bar discography, including reissues of his earlier releases under the Melted Records moniker. The centerpiece of the show is a lengthy set that includes two tracks each from three fabulous records that were released today by Beebe Gallini, Electraluxx, and Indonesian Junk.

    The Ledge is even teaming up with Rum Bar for an Instagram contest. Three lucky winners will receive a Rum Bar prize pack for entering via my personal Instagram account. The rules are super simple, and the deadline is Thursday, March 25.

    Special thanks must go to Brent Dowell for helping select tonight’s tracks, and also to the following people for their contributions: Luke Metz, John Lynch, Geoff Palmer, Kurt Baker, Nato Coles, The Right Here, “Muck”, Justine Covault, Hayley Crusher, Miss Georgia Peach, Scott Dennis, Rick Dennis, Daniel James, and Brad Marino.

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs. And if you buy these records directly from the artist or label, please let them know you heard these tunes on The Ledge!

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #454: New Releases

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    It’s the last new release show of 2020, and it may just be the best one of the year. There’s a ton of new music that’s come out the past few weeks, including a few great items discovered shortly before the show commenced. And how can we not be excited by the return of Minneapolis legend Curtiss A? Of course, there’s also the usual greatness from Rum Bar Records, Big Stir Records, and many other friends of the show.

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs.

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #449: Halloween

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    The Halloween episode has been an important part of The Ledge calendar year for over a decade. Outside of maybe one or two years, there has always been a show during the week before the great holiday featuring fantastic Hallowen-themed punk, garage, indie, power pop, and almost every other rock and roll sub-genre.

    Why is this such a big show? It’s simple, and I’ve said it before. Halloween is a rock and roll holiday. The very themes of the big day have been a part of rock and roll since the early days. The sound of an electric guitar itself fits the day, as does the pounding, basic rhythms of the real rock and roll.

    It also helps that every year sees the release of a ton of tracks that can be shoehorned into the theme. In fact, the overwhelming majority of songs on this year’s edition were released in the last ten months, which obviously adds to the freshness of this show every single year!

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs.

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged

  • The Ledge #438: Power Pop

    Posted on by theledge Comment

    What is power pop? According to the dictionary, it’s “a style of pop music characterized by a strong melody line, heavy use of guitars, and simple rhythm”. Yeah, that works. I prefer to just call it “revved up pop music”.

    Tonight’s show features over 50 years of power pop, from The Who single “Pictures of Lily” that Pete Townshend described as “power pop” to some great new bands that are powering that sound into the future. Lou from Rum Bar Records even helped us out with some great gems from the early days of his label.

    After listening, please go purchase those tracks you enjoy! These great artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work, and every purchase surely helps not only pay their bills but fund their next set of wonderful songs.

     

    Download MP3 here


    📂This entry was posted in Podcast 📎and tagged