(This review first appeared in issue #63 of Shindig! magazine.)
Sugarbush
LP
Not strictly a new
release, but this 2015 album by Detroit's Nick Piunti gets its debut
on limited blue vinyl. For those uninitiated the former Respectables
front man is one of the leading exponents of guitar-driven, uptempo,
melodic pop. Put simply this is top notch power pop. Twelve tracks
with not a duffer among them. Aside from his knack for boss tunes
Piunti can also turn out neat, sharply barbed lyrics - “She's in
six bands, none of them good”, or “while I'm burning both ends,
you're just fanning the flames” delivered by his slightly raspy
vocals. A little lyrical sourness to offset the sweet melodies.
Detractors may say
there's no new surprises with Piunti staying well within the
parameters of the genre. But if you do something this well, why
change? Fans of Red Kross, Nick Lowe and Silver Sun need to get on
this. Let's party like it's 1979!
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