Monday, February 11, 2008

MARSHALL CRENSHAW - Self-Titled Debut



Marshall Crenshaw's self-titled debut from 1982 is another vinyl I found for 50 cents, which completely obliterates the theory that you can't get anything good for under a dollar.

This record is pretty much flawless, filled with perfect power pop song after perfect power pop song. Before finding the vinyl I was only familiar with the songs that have appeared on best of compilations, including the galloping There She Goes Again, the unthinkably catchy Someday, Someway, the Phil Spector-infused Cynical Girl and Mary Anne. Those are fantastic tunes for sure, but the album is full of treasures of the same caliber.

I'll Do Anything, Soldier of Love and Not for Me apply irresistible 6os pop melodies and sound like they were written for Ronnie Spector. Others - such as She Can't Dance, Rockin' Around in N.Y.C., The Usual Thing and Girls... - sound like what Buddy Holly might have been making had he been alive in the 80s.

Marshall Crenshaw is not quite as "lost" as most material posted here, and is readily available on Amazon.com, itunes and other music retailers. If you are a fan of power pop or 60s-influenced pop in general you're sure to find it worth more than every penny.

FOR FANS OF:
Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Squeeze, Phil Spector, Buddy Holly, Ronnie Spector

3 comments:

Holly A Hughes said...

Maybe not a "lost" classic, but one that deserves to be a lot better known. And Marshall is still doing great work, deeper and richer every year. Keeping this up for 25 years now -- that goes to show how much range there is within the power pop idiom.

Nice post!

Holly

Adam said...

Mookie at The Post Punk Progressive Pop Party sez - "PLEASE REPOST"

Frank K said...

Hey Mookie - I actually never posted this album for download because it's commercially available. Just wrote about it.