Bad Moves - Tell No One

Power Pop has been a difficult one to pitch in recent years.  Being neither rock or pop, it doesn’t fit into our 21^st century pigeon-holed approach to music.  Those with a more rocky approach feel that this genre is a bit limp and pandering to the masses, those with a pop bent seem almost scared to pick up a guitar and use it in any sort of anger.  So, Power Pop bands like Bad Moves are an increasingly rare and breed, usually consigned to soundtrack appearances and not much else. On their debut Tell No One they swing for the fences, not in terms of power or anger, but just as a melodic rock thrashabout and it largely proves to anyone with an open mind that guitar based pop has a chance in our compartmentalised music landscape.

There is a formula of simple drums and riff led songs which doesn’t so much slow build as just explode into your ears then smooth over the damage with the hushed lead vocals.

The simple opening of Out of Reach restrains itself through the verse until the guitars and drums crash in like bells at a wedding and then fade back as verse returns to stake its place. It’s the Power Pop version of loud quiet loud but done in such a straightforward way that it endears itself long after the vocals and guitars fade.  It’s those final vocals where the band lead a chant through the building noise that is a large a hook as anything on this album laden with songs meant to have lots of them.  What’s surprising on this album is the lack of ballads, this is rocking out to chiming guitars and little else.  The only step away from this very short Wishing, which still can’t restrain itself from working out the rock chords and throwing in a quick bash around.

Cool Generator is a lush eighties inspired song which is almost anthemic in sound and its attempt to play to the kids.  Family Secret is a little hint at why this might not appeal beyond a young audience with its focus back to younger times.  This is the song a teenage drama is aching to have on its soundtrack, perhaps that can be said of the entire album.

Lyrically this isn’t the most sophisticated album you are going to hear this hear.  Musically it isn’t the most challenging.  It won’t be the coolest either.  But if you check in your snobbish tendencies before you board then Tell No One might be one of the most fun debuts you hear this year.