2 replies to this topic

[Andy Whitman]

Now here's how to do power pop. And it's completely unexpected.

Brothers Steve and Jeff McDonald have been on the pop scene since the mid-'80s, and their pre-pubescent selves provided a sort of rock 'n roll novelty act at places like Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. The kids were alright, but songs about breakfast cereal and puppy love didn't do much to dispel the notion that their careers would be over once they hit adolescence.

Remarkably, they stuck around and released a handful of good if non-spectacular power pop albums throughout the '90s. 1997's Show World appeared to be the swan song, and, except for a couple of nostalgic "oldies" shows at rock festivals this decade, the Red Kross saga seemed to be a thing of the past

So here they are, fifteen years later, back with a new album that utterly defies expectations. Researching the Blues doesn't exactly dispel the loud, snotty memories of their previous work, but there's a newfound balance and maturity reflective of guys pushing forty, and frankly, this is by far the best batch of tunes they've ever delivered. It's a short thirty-two minutes without filler, every song full of impossibly catchy hooks, sugary harmonies, and loud, distorted guitars. They call to mind the usual suspects -- Teenage Fanclub, Fountains of Wayne, Matthew Sweet -- and they rock like crazy. So here are ten three-minute bursts of adrenaline, straight from the garage, and ready for consumption. It's great -- and surprising -- to have them back.

[opus]

Heh... Blame it on my age, but when I first saw this, I thought you were referring to Kris Kross.

[Jason Panella]

Andy, thanks for pointing this one out. Otherwise, I would have just ignored it. I tried to dig into Red Kross about six or seven years ago and was really bored by what I'd heard. Researching the Blues, however, is 32 minutes of nothing but gutsy, ultra-catchy power pop.