Pezband - 1978 - Laughing In The Dark

00:00 Love Goes Underground
03:11 I'm Leavin'
06:36 Stop! Wait A Minute
09:17 Come On Madeline
13:01 I'm The One
16:00 Better Way To Win
19:26 On And On
22:02 Lovesmith
24:51 Black Magic
27:55 Gimme Gimme
30:43 Buck On Fulham Broadway
31:09 Crash And Burn

[@neilherring]

Anyone who likes Powerpop, great tunes and melodies, this is a must have album. Every track is brilliant, for me songs like these are the hardest tunes to write, as they are so complex and the melodies are so strong.

[@nicolasguzman2013]

Right! but I still wonder why they isolated so much the keyboards in this album, they even play live without keyboards :-(

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Must have, indeed. I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but I only ever heard this amazing album for the first time a few days ago. I haven’t been able to stop listening ever since. This is seriously what I would consider one of the all time greatest power pop albums ever recorded… right up there with the first two Big Star albums, the self-titled 1979 album by The Beat (Paul Collins), the first Plimsouls album, and the first 3 Cheap Trick albums. It really is just that good. For some unexplainable reason, this album flew beneath my radar for several decades. I was familiar with their first album (self-titled), and that one is great too, but for whatever reason this one evaded me. As good as the first album is, this one blows it out of the water. This is perfect power pop. Everything the genre should be. Now it’s time to seek out a vinyl copy.

[@ricpink1619]

best power pop album EVER! brings me back!

[@neilherring]

top,top Powerpop album! Every tune is a killer!

[@bolletje1422010]

Nevertheless, side 1 beats side 2 with a striking ease

[@Shikta-poobah67]

@@bolletje1422010 Though I agree that side one is much more consistent, I still think Lovesmith and Gimme Gimme are pure gems. However yes, the rest of side two doesn’t begin to compare.

[@JBJimmyJazz]

We wore this out at Record Bar, Orland Park IL ! One of my favorites.

[@GVal]

Yes, yes, yes!! These kids KNEW how to rock! I used to dance so hard to LOVESMITH!!

[@rod2418]

These guys also did a great live album called 30 seconds over Schaumburg. Worth checking out

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Yep. That’s a great little EP.

[@markstevens1106]

These guys had a high energy live show. The album doesn't quite capture that elusive quality. Come on Madeline is one case in point. Still a great album.

[@frisbeeshawn5356]

Mick Rain on drums lives in Tampa FL now.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

RIP

[@crapple009]

Should anyone ask you about Power Pop, just play them this album.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Yep. This is easily in the top 5 tier of power pop albums, in the company of Big Star’s first, Raspberries - Fresh, The Beat (self-titled), Plimsouls first, and the first three Cheap Trick albums. Everything the genre should be, all the best attributes.

[@Messina254]

Lost classic!

[@jimrader5299]

I remember this album got much more airplay in nyc than first one and justifiably so: better energy and clearer sound. "stop!" was a potential hit. why bram tchaicovsky & not pez or shoes? rotten fuckin bizness, that's why.

[@darganx]

The Motors weren't bad! But I get what you mean, pop was a cut throat business especially in the 60s/70s.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Yeah it has always been a major source of frustration, the way some bands get all the breaks (ahem - The Knack), and other much better, or at least equally great bands are relegated to obscurity. I know that’s just the biz, but as you said, it’s a rotten biz. Pezband *SHOULD* have been massive, if this album is any indication. Absolute power pop gem, not to mention those Hipgnosis graphics on the cover.

[@SteveTheDiva]

@@Shikta-poobah67 Pezband was on a horrible label, though...no marketing power. Jem/Passport label only capable of filling the cut-out bins with unsold albums.

[@Shikta-poobah67]

@@SteveTheDivaYeah I figured it must’ve been a record label and/or distribution issue that kept the big time just out of reach for them, because on every other level this album has all the right ingredients for success. I only heard it for the first time a little over a year ago, and I’ve been a big power pop nerd for several decades. I only knew of their first album for the longest time, and though it’s a decent album, it doesn’t hold a candle to this one. There’s at least 4 or 5 potential hit singles on this album, and I have no doubt that if it had only been properly promoted and marketed at the time, these guys would be known today as the big daddies of late 70’s power pop. Guess it just wasn’t in the cards.

[@TheSeensca]

继续写下去，建议加入荒诞事件

[@justinstewart8954]

Did Kix rip off the first few seconds for their song Cool Kids?

[@Shikta-poobah67]

Until I read this comment, I had never paid one single nanosecond of attention to Kix, but I had to hear it for myself so I searched it out here on YT. Holy shit they’re awful, even by hair metal standards! Just pure crap. It’s kind of similar, but I highly doubt that they consciously ripped it off. I’d be amazed if anyone in Kix has ever even listened to Pezband once. It sounds more to me like they were trying to rip off AC/DC. “Cool Kids” 🤣🤣🤣

[@SteveTheDiva]

Cool Kids was written by Franne Gold (who recorded the original version) and two co-writers, then Atlantic forced the song on Kix a cpl years later.