CD Review - King of Power Pop by Paul Collins

King of Power Pop

Paul Collins

Alive/Natural Sound Records

Paul Collins revisits the fun and frisky sounds of the Nerves and the Beat with a CD of (mostly) new material  on King of Power Pop. You can’t find fault with the title after listening to songs that alternatively bring to mind The Beatles, The Beach Boys and the best tunes from Collins’ groundbreaking power pop bands.

The CD starts off, appropriately, with C’mon Let’s Go, a raspy garage rock anthem with a. modicum of Brit invasion phrasing. Nikki Corvette adds sass with her backing vocals.

The Ramones-y intro  to Doin’ It for the Ladies pulls you into the song immediately. It’s purely reminiscent of the Beat, and the .bon vivant man about town storyline has a clever twist. Hurting’s On My Side, a reflective ballad with harmonies that echoes the first few Beatles albums, has a slight country twang to the guitar.

Collins’ crisp guitar drives the fast-paced songs. The Romantics’ Wally Palmar on harmonica, Collins’ longtime lead guitar player Eric Blakely and drummer Dave Shettler (from Detroit garage rock band the Sights) round out the sound.

Many Roads to Follow, a beefed-up remake of the Nerves tune, is a heartbreaking slice of pop truth with a Wall of Sound lurking in the background. This is America, is a veritable rock ‘n’ roll travelogue compressed into into 3 minutes and 40 seconds. It’s  a flashback to Kim Wilde’s “Kids in America”, updated with namechecks from Chuck E. Cheese to James Brown. There’s an evocative, raspy-voiced cover of The Letter. Collins salutes influential pre-glam, pre-punk band Flamin’ Groovies with a cover of You Tore Me Down.

Collins’ crisp guitar drives the fast-paced songs. The Romantics’ Wally Palmar on harmonica, Collins’ longtime lead guitar player Eric Blakely and drummer Dave Shettler (from Detroit garage rock band the Sights) round out the sound.

King of Power Pop sounds fresh..It’s compulsively listenable, just like the Nerves and the Paul Collins Beat. There’s no "old rocker tries to recapture past inspiration.” vibe. Judging by the tunes on King of Power Pop, Collins never lost it.