Adam Power - What Were Sundays For

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 28 / 5 / 2006

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It’s been three long years since Adam Power’s last album; the well received ‘More Juice’ on Laughing Outlaw Records. Like that album this new collection is also produced by power pop ace Michael Carpenter which means that it’s going to be another accomplished set of songs well produced and played. That’s obvious from the duo’s history. But the interesting thing this time was whether they could they come up with something other than a duplicate of ‘More Juice’. As good as that set of songs was, it did make me wonder if this was just going to be more of the same. Well, it is more of the same and it isn’t. Those perfect power-pop songs are all there as before. The production, singing and playing by Carpenter are up to his usual extremely high standard, and Power certainly hasn’t lost his way when it comes to writing those pure pop melodies. But there is a definite harder edge this time round. Sure, those sweet 60's sounds are still there, notably on songs like ‘Two-Faced’ where Power shows his Beatles influences to great effect. Those outstanding harmonies are also all present and correct even on the rockier songs like ‘Walk’ but there’s something in these songs that shows that Power now feels he has a rightful place making music like this. There is a confidence that shines through that was missing from ‘More Juice’. There are many who hark back to that golden era of the 60's for inspiration (and rightly so), but, as so many people are attempting it, just recreating those sounds, however, is simply not enough anymore. Power obviously realises that Michael Carpenter has been responsible for some of the better efforts to recapture the sounds of that time and in staying with Carpenter for this follow up he has been given the freedom to grow while still showing his love of the music of the past. Power has, in more ways than one, found his own voice here. His vocals are stronger. He never had any problem on the slower, melodic, McCartney influenced songs like the title track of this album or ‘The Obvious’ ('Abbey Road' devotees should start with this song) but on the more raucous songs like ‘Eunice Chantilly’ he really sounds like he has found his calling this time. Although the Beatles again could be cited as an influence Power really shines on this song, rocking out with some dirty guitar lines and with back up vocals from Sarah McGregor adding a gospel feel to the song. Although not a giant step from ‘More Juice’ the progression is more than a little noticeable. The greatest thing about this album is that now Power is handling the rockier side of things as well as he does the more sensitive material (just listen to the Carpenter penned ‘Heartbreaker’ for proof) that there is not the need to fall to one side or the other. And when he mixes the two together as on the outstanding ‘Sad And Lonely’ where Power’s vocals take on a tougher edge betraying the heavenly harmonies and dreamy melody ( again the song is that good it could have been an 'Abbey Road' track) one can only hope that Power doesn’t take another 3 years before we hear from him again. All in all, this is an excellent follow up to ‘More Juice’ which shows how Power has grown as a songwriter and performer in the last three years and while never losing sight of his influences now has his own place securely marked out in the power pop genre.

Track Listing:-

1 Amor
2 What Were Sundays For?
3 The Obvious
4 Eunice Chantilly
5 Truth
6 Sad And Lonely
7 Heartbreaker
8 Two Faced
9 Walk
10 Trashed
11 Recluse
12 Praha 1

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