The Methadones - 21st Century Power Pop Riot (2006) UPGRADED

100% cover-tunes of obscure and one-hit wonder songs from the '70s and '80s Power Pop phenomenon… before the words «Power Pop» were hijacked by the swill merchants.

×

The Methadones - 21st Century Power Pop Riot (2006) UPGRADED

Close

One of those rare all-covers projects that actually works, the Methadones' 21st Century Power Pop Riot might well actually be the band's best album so far. That's no disrespect to leader Dan Schafer's earlier work, which has been uniformly fine pop-punk, but this set is the first album Schafer has been involved with since his glory days as Ben Weasel's right-hand man in Screeching Weasel (under the name Danny Vapid) that's been this much unabashed fun. It helps immensely that the song selection is spot-on throughout, highlighting forgotten gems and lesser-known cult classics instead of the usual suspects: when the Records' "Starry Eyes" and Scandal's "Goodbye to You" (featuring a kicky lead vocal by Annie Soviette of the Soviettes) are among the most instantly familiar tunes on the album, it's clear that true power pop fans were behind this record. Versions of Elvis Costello's "Welcome to the Working Week" and, even better, the 1979 Costello soundalike "Back of My Hand" by the Jags are instant highlights, with a rockabilly-tinged workout on Nick Lowe's "Heart of the City" and a dead-on resurrection of the Pointed Sticks' "Out of Luck" close behind.

~ Stewart Mason, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. I'm The Leader Of The Gang _ [originally by Gary Glitter]
02. Walking Out On Love _ [originally by The Beat]
03. Back Of My Hand _ [originally by The Jags]
04. Welcome To The Working Week _ [originally by Elvis Costello]
05. I'm The Man _ [originally by Joe Jackson]
06. Into You _ [originally by The Crash Street Kids]
07. Full Moon Turn My Head Around _ [originally by Off Broadway]
08. Goodbye To You _ [originally by Scandal]
09. Out Of Luck _ [originally by The Pointed Sticks]
10. Heart Of The City _ [originally by Nick Lowe]
11. Starry Eyes _ [originally by The Records]
12. He's A Whore _ [originally by Cheap Trick]
13. I'm The Leader Of The Gang (Reprise)


Produced by Matt Allison and The Methadones
Recorded in February 2006 by Matt Allison and Neil Hennessy at Atlas Studios in Chicago, IL.

• Dan Schafer - lead & backing vocals, lead & rhythm guitar
• Mike Byrne - lead & rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Pete Mittler - bass guitar
• Mike Soucy - drums and backing vocals

additional musicians:
- Annie Soviette: lead vocals on "8"
- Jenny Choi: keyboads on "8-9"
- Paddy Costello, Adam Fletcher, Alisha Broniec, Pat Buckley: additional back-ups on some tracks.

Release Date: June 6, 2006
Label: Red Scare Industries
Catalog No.: CCCP 108-2