Various Artists - Rockets Of Love! Power Pop Gems From The 70's, 80's & 90's (Big Beat)

Format:  CD
Cat No:  CDTOP 349

On this follow-up to our “Come On Let’s Go! Power Pop Gems From The 70s & 80s” compilation, we have extended the timeframe to cover the 90s and even include one outlier from the 2000s. There was just too much great power pop being made beyond the 70s and 80s for us to ignore.

Another change to this volume is we look beyond American shores and include selections from the UK and Australia. As before, we take a broad view of power pop and you will find elements of punk, new wave, garage and various other sub-genres within. However, we can guarantee that all our selections are top-notch songs delivered with all the jangling guitars, catchy hooks, banging beats and snappy tunes that make power pop such a blast.

Among the many highlights is ‘Better Things’ by the Kinks, which returned the group to the UK singles charts in 1981 after a nine-year absence. The song’s uplifting message should have made it a trans-Atlantic #1 with Dave Davies’ clever guitar lines and brother Ray’s inspired lyric combining to create a feeling of rejuvenated optimism as they look forward to overcoming old difficulties with a fresh new start – the perfect antidote for recent times:

"Here’s hoping all the days ahead won’t be as bitter as the ones behind you
Be an optimist instead & somehow happiness will find you
Forget what happened yesterday
I know that better things are on the way"

TRACKLISTING:

1. ROCKET O’ LOVE - The Knack
2. IT’S YOU TONIGHT - The Flashcubes
3. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FUN… - Candy
4. I COULD BE THE ONE - Fire Town
5. I NEED YOU (THAT THING YOU DO) - The Wonders
6. THE POPULAR GIRL - Martin Newell
7. VACATION - Richard X Heyman
8. STORYBOOK - The Blow Pops
9. I WANNA BE A TEEN AGAIN - Tom Foolery
10. SOONER OR LATER - The Innocents
11. WINTER IN THE HAMPTONS - Josh Rouse
12. HAD TO MAKE YOU MINE - Cheap Trick
13. SKY HIGH - The Vandalias
14. HEY BABY - Disguise
15. 867-5309 / JENNY - Tommy Tutone
16. HEARTS IN HER EYES - The Records
17. MODERN MAN - 4 Out Of 5 Doctors
18. MARY ANNE - Marshall Crenshaw
19. ANOTHER NIGHT - The Searchers
20. THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID - The Greenberry Woods
21. WHAT’S HE GOT? - The Producers
22. FOOLISH - DM3
23. NEVER TO COME AGAIN - Brad Jones
24. BETTER THINGS - The Kinks