Power Pop Lives at 1301 Highland Avenue

If you’re a music aficionado, you might recognize the name Ken Sharp from the meticulously researched, well-written books he’s authored on artists such as Kiss, David Bowie, Rick Springfield, The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Or you might have checked out Play On! Power Pop Heroes, his in-depth, multi-volume series tracing the history of power pop, which is essential reading for fans of the genre. What you may not know is that he’s been writing and recording his own engaging and power pop-infused music for a long time. Ken recently decided to re-release his 1994 debut, 1301 Highland Avenue. Originally issued on a Japanese label, the album is now available in the United States for the first time, in a revised edition that includes a new song, and updated vocals and instrumentation.

The album is full of lovingly crafted songs like “Break Down The Walls” and “Beating Heart” which float right out of your speakers, powered by Sharp’s joyous vocals, the scintillating guitars and glittering production. You may think you’ve time travelled back to the heart of the 1970s when you hear the fantastic Raspberries-flavored “For The First Time” and the crunchy Cheap Trick-styled rocker “Tonight (All I Want).” Dyed in the wool power pop fans will dig the sparkling “Magic” and “In My Dreams Tonight” a pair of tunes featuring backing vocals from The Rubinoos, who’ve been making great music in the genre since its heyday in the 1970s. “Like Everyone” and “Karen Love Me” are lighter than air, hook-filled pop confections that would sound perfect blasting out of a transistor radio on a summer day.

While 1301 Highland Avenue generally plants its foot firmly in the power pop landscape, Sharp also manages to visit some other genres throughout the album as well. “Lazy Day” and “Sitting On A Porch In L.A.” feature a laid back, almost jazzy variation on the singer-songwriter sound. There’s a groovy, 1970s soul feeling throughout the excellent “Not Afraid of Love” and a definite Motown vibe on the energetic “Underground.” The multi-talented Sharp also indulges his inner power balladeer on the inspiring “Believe,” the lovely "If You Ever Change Your Mind" and the album’s emotional closing track, “Wash My Tears Away.” It sounds like a cliché to say it, but in this case it’s true: there’s not a bad track on the album.

This extraordinary record is truly a gift for for power pop fans everywhere. Whether you love the jangly guitar-based part of the genre, the lighter pop vocal centered side, or you enjoy all of it’s variations, you’ll find a lot to love on this wonderful album. Devotees of The Raspberries, Todd Rundgren, Cheap Trick and The Beatles, and more recent practitioners of the genre like Matthew Sweet and Jellyfish, definitely need to visit 1301 Highland Avenue. I think it’s one of the best albums of the modern power pop era. You can purchase the record, and find out more about Ken Sharp’s other work, by visiting www.ken-sharp.com. Here’s a link to the audio for “Tonight (All I Want):” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1IL12RDae4, to give you a taste of this awesome disc.