Name: Torbjorn
Email: torbjorn.pettersson@abersten.com
Location : Sweden
 
1. This Years's Model Elvis Costello
2. Marquee Moon Television
3. Pure Pop For Now People (Aka Jesus of Cool) Nick Lowe
4. Spilt Milk Jellyfish
5. Big Smash Wreckless Eric
6. Field Day Marshall Crenshaw

Comments: This Years Model -
No nonsense powerpop, a virtual chock compared to the mostly laidback, semi-country smells of his first mover. I was fortunate to see Costello et all in Stockholm -78 when most of this set was delivered live. A stunning performance with cold, green light poured all over a grim looking Costello. I still find this as exiting as anything might ever be. Plus - one of the best backing bands there have ever been, including the MG´s!

Marquee Moon - Maybe not your most common/first pick powerpop album but, still, maybe the best album ever made. With lots of sharp guitars in a time when the they were all but extinct. Bought the album by coincidence when released and haven´t parted with it since. And won´t ever. I never bothered to check out Adventure or their latest outing as I assumed perfection could not be overtopped. Magnificent!

Pure Pop For Now People - Could be this or anyone else of his first three albums (after that, the pop´s out of the game). A great figurehead of all the things powerpop should be about - fun, edgy and medlodic. I once bought Billy Bremner a beer, by the way - stunned! I particularly like 36 inches high and No reason, for their exciting production. A man with style. On the swedish edition of the album, an early, uptempo version of Cruel To Be Kind, with a whining Hammond organ was included. I got an email from its co-composer Ian Gomm, who said that it actually was a and old unreleased Brinsley Schwarz version of the song. Now - is that pop or?

Spilt Milk - Didn´t think much of when released but has since the worn down my first CD (second one is about to fall apart...). Never saw them, never saw a video or a concert film, read lots about them though and have tried to pick up the odd songs on mp3s. Super production. Others may say that Bellybutton is more fresh and spectacular but I stick with this one.

Big Smash - A man of great attitude and an instant love ever since the Live Stiffs album ("ahh...forgot to plug me in..."). By the time Big Smash was released Ian Dury no longer played the drums but a sharp and slick backing band provoded Eric with the goods. Great songs all the way through, though the real gem must be Whole Wide World ("She probably lives in Tahiti…"). I used to eat and breath all that came off Stiff Records and much of it is still very, very good. Then there´s always the slogan: Get smashed with Wreckless Eric.

Field Day - Always hard to pick out favourite albums like this. Again, his first album was gently produced with lots of sugar on top; compared to that first outing, this was explosive. Steve Lillywhite's production hasn´t dated a bit. Great songs with great attitude. Don´t think he ever matched it again.