Poptopia! 70's Power Pop Classics (1997)

About this title: Named after an annual power-pop festival in the Los Angeles, Rhino's three-disc Poptopia! Power Pop Classics series attempts to chronicle power pop's evolution from its '70s roots to its '90s incarnation as a cult genre. Power pop, in many ways, is the ultimate cult music: it has a specific sound, a strict songwriting formula, and a small number of classic artists. In other words, it's a genre that lends itself easily to an anthology -- it's possible to feature both the classics and a number of obscure gems on one compact disc. The first volume of Poptopia proves this point, as it skillfully ... read more

Tracks:

1. Go All the Way [Carmen]
2. Couldn't I Just Tell You [Rundgren]
3. Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?) [Secich/Bartolin]
4. September Gurls [Chilton]
5. Just a Chance [Ham]
6. I'm on Fire [Twilley]
7. Shake Some Action [Jordan/Wilson]
8. Baby, It's Cold Outside [Gauvenda/Bertinis]
9. Come on, Come On [Nielsen]
10. Where Have You Been All My Life [Cowley]
11. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend [Dunbar/Gangwer]
12. Starry Eyes [Birch/Wicks]
13. Girl of My Dreams [Thomas]
14. Cruel to Be Kind [Lowe/Gomm]
15. Good Girls Don't [Fieger]
16. Too Late [Klebe]
17. Yellow Pills [Allen]
18. Rock & Roll Girl [Collins]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.