About a year ago, I felt myself becoming a little bit disillusioned with power-pop. Essentially the best of it could still be brilliant. Unfortunately such brilliance was generally coming from middle-aged men and whilst guitars are devoid of ageism, I often felt new life was needed.
Lucy and the Rats certainly provide such energy. Ex Spazzy‘s, Lucy Ellis has power-pop pedigree and has always been able to imbue her vocals with the sort of warmth and energy that is simultaneously capable of slapping her obvious 60s girl band sweetness and vulnerability, with that ‘slight snidey edge’ that slides the sound into the best of melodic pop-punk territory.
This sense of bittersweet is augmented by the grumble and fuzz of Joe Tolosa, Liam Brody and Manu Santos whose Johnny Throttle more caustic rock pedigree is perfectly tempered, but never obscured, by these more pure pop surroundings.
This mixture of sweet and sour is what makes this power-pop so invigorating, with tracks like September, Real Thing, and Pinch Myself providing the fuzz laden ‘power’ and Not One Tear, On Fire and Lucky illuminating the ‘pop.
Sometimes a new haircut, the removal of a beard or a new wardrobe can make you feel 15 years younger. Lucy and the Rats are currently the more traditional side of Power-pops’ ‘new haircut’.
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