This past week I was messaging back and forth with one of our avid readers, Benjamin, about the dearth of good power pop bands in my 2014 Popdose posts — when alls a sudden, a sizzling piece of sonic thunder blasts into my inbox. Ask the rock gods and ye shall receive. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed since my last Power Pop round-up (read it here). Two of the stellar bands in that list, High on Stress and Hart Lake Mystery, have members in a new Minneapolis supergroup: Pasadena ’68. If you’re a fan of those bands, not to mention Cheap Trick, The Replacements and Husker DÁ¼, dÁ¼ give it a spin:

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Pasadena ’68 is comprised of Nick Leet (formerly of High on Stress) on vocals and guitar, Mike Hjelden (formerly of Standard Thompson) on drums, Elliot Hilton (Hart Lake Mystery) on bass and backing vocals and Chad Wheeling (formerly of High on Stress) on guitar. Even in demo form, ‘Pardon the Mess’, is a messy little piece of sonic bliss. I guarantee you’ll have the chorus “talk is cheap, you’ve been talking in your sleep/miles of empty roads, before I get home” stuck in your head from first listen. The last words of the song, “this is where I belong”, must surely mean these guys belonging in this band. Hell yeah! More please.

me

No full-length has been announced, but as soon as I hear about it, you will too. But in case I go and get myself hit by a goddamn bus, keep up with the band on facebook and twitter.

Music, New Artists

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About the Author

Keith Creighton

Keith is a music correspondent for Popdose and an advocate on women's empowerment, gender identity, and gender liberation issues. He is a monthly new-music contributor to the Planet LP Podcast and is a marketing writer by day for Sudden Monkey.

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