Today was my farewell edition of the Palo Alto Pop Overthrow. Thank YOU so much for listening, for calling in, and for participating in power pop over all of these years. Before I finally hang up my headphones this last time, I’d like to take a moment to thank many of the listeners, musicians, and DJs who helped support the Overthrow:

Hooks and harmonies, then, now, and always.
-Phil Andrews

Our featured album this week was Superdrag’s Regretfully Yours. Based out of, Tennessee, Superdrag had a brief flirt with fame in 1996 when this album came out. In 96, alt rock was flourishing, and Regretful‘s lead single, “Sucked Out”, took MTV by storm. Superdrag went on to release the delightful Head Trip In Every Key in 1998, and later Stereo 360 Sound, but never found the same support from radio or mainstream labels. In the Valley of Dying Stars was their final release before disbanding in 2003. But that wasn’t the end for Superdrag, despite appearances. Superdrag reassembled in 2007 and released Industry Giants in 2009 before fading back into the ether. Here’s a video of “Sucked Out” from Superdrag’s 2007 tour, in their hometown of Knoxville:

Favorite tracks: _4_ Sucked Out , 1 Slot Machine, 3 Carried
Label: Elektra Entertainment Group
RIYL: Fountains of Wayne, Mike Viola, Nada Surf

** Featured Album
+ Former Feature
@ Request/Dedication

Brendan Benson has been crafting power pop tunes since he was 26, and My Old, Familiar Friend, his fourth album, was released in 2009. There had been a gap in his solo output, easily explained by his participation in the musical supergroup The Raconteurs, but he came back wiser and more enthusiastic. Here’s the lead single from the album, called “A Whole Lot Better”:

Hot off the presses as of just a few minutes ago, Brendan announced that he is launching a new record label, Readymade, and that his next solo album, What Kind of World, drops April 21st. We’ll definitely stay tuned for this.

Favorite tracks: __7__ “Poised and Ready”, _1_ A Whole Lot Better, _2_ Eyes on the Horizon, 8 Don’t Wanna Talk, 4 Gonowhere
Label: ATO Records/The Echo Label
RIYL:  Wiretree, Jason Falkner, Paul McCartney

Thursdays 7-9AM on 90.1FM in the San Francisco Bay Area and streaming online in high fidelity at http://kzsulive.stanford.edu/

** Featured Album
+ Former Feature
@ Request/Dedication

The cover of "Girlfriend" is a photo of actress Tuesday Weld

It’s amazing to say that it’s been 20 years since the release of Girlfriend, the third and most critically acclaimed album by Matthew Sweet. Breaking through during a narrow window of time in which music from the 80s had been discarded in favor of grunge and alternative rock, Girlfriend ended up high on commercial radio charts, and even MTV seized on Matthew’s anime-themed music videos and played them non-stop (nearly a decade before, we might add, Daft Punk had success with the same trick.)

The album was recorded in NYC and features incredible solos and musicianship from the lines of Robert Quine, Richard Lloyd, Greg Leisz, Lloyd Cole, Rick Menck and Fred Maher. This year Matthew has been touring the US, playing songs from the album in their original ordering, with backup from long time touring bandmates Paul Chastain (bass) and Ric Menck (drums). But who, in the wake of Robert Quine’s tragic death in 2004, would be providing the signature guitar solos? Dennis Taylor. Who? Dennis is a gem of a find – he was discovered by Matthew whilst guitar teching for the Bangles, and went on to help Matthew record his latest record, Modern Art.

See an excellent interview of Matthew Sweet by the AV Club, which includes an acoustic performance of “I’ve Been Waiting.” It’s clear that as an album, Girlfriend holds up and lives on even 20 years after its release.

Favorite tracks: _2_ I’ve Been Waiting, _10_ I Wanted to Tell You, 6 Evangeline, 9 You Don’t Love Me, 12 Your Sweet Voice, 3 Girlfriend
Label: Zoo Entertainment (defunct), rereleased by Legacy Recordings/Volcano
RIYL: Velvet Crush, The Replacements, Game Theory, The Lemonheads

** Featured Album
+ Former Feature
@ Request/Dedication

** Featured Album
+ Former Feature
@ Request/Dedication

After 2007’s Calling the World and a tour in 2008, Rooney departed from Geffen Records and did their own thing. Taylor Locke, guitarist for the band, put in a lot of time with his band The Roughs, and ended up hanging out quite a bit with our pal Bleu. They released an EP in 2009, and finally in 2010, they released Eureka, through Warner’s independent label, California Dreamin’ Records. Rooney is still the same band that brought us “Blueside” and “Calling the World”, and it shows on Eureka. Here’s the music video for the leading single “Holdin’ On”:

Favorite tracks: _5_ All Or Nothing, 2 I Can’t Get Enough, 12 Don’t Look at Me, 1 Holdin’ On
Label: California Dreamin’ Records / Rooney Music
RIYL:  Weezer, Ocean Colour Scene, Fountains of Wayne

** Featured Album
+ Former Feature
@ Request/Dedication