Poprock Record - Songs with a Hook Posted by Dennis Pilon in Breaking News
In 2020 Bruce Moody was the middle-aged comeback kid, peddling a fabulous collection of his unreleased 1980s era recordings as Forever Fresh! Then in 2024 he pulled a few more lost treasures out of the vault, giving them a modern makeover for PopCycle. Now on the aptly-named Keep Showing Up! he proves his creative spark is definitely alive in the present. The vibe here is still very much in that power pop sweet spot circa 1978-82 though, given how our times have broken down all genre walls, the songs could be from anytime in the new millennium. Dropping the needle anywhere on the album the sound could be Dwight Tilley or The Outfield or Mark Oliver Everett’s ‘E’ project. “Mary Goes ‘Round” opens the record with a splash of keyboard but then it’s new wave rhythm guitar all the way. “She’ll Never Know” is very 1979 Knack or Cars. Then “Break My Silence” ventures out into a broader 1980s feel. As the record plays it’s clear the songwriting throughout the album is consistently strong. Moody’s tunes often sound deceptively simple but routinely feature a knock-out killer chorus. As you can hear on “Local Hero,” “Love Is,” and “Cruise Control.” Stylistically, there are departures too, like the psych Beatles-tinged “Nastassja” that includes a bagpipe solo and the enigmatic “Ghosts!” with its distinctive opening and uneasy pop tension. Or check out the inventive build on “Waiting for You.” This one has a Buggles or a-ha sonic appeal to it. Run, don’t walk, to your power pop retailer for this LP!