More 3 minute pop song bands!

December 21, 2004 8:58 AM

Inspired by this question , any suggestions for great "3 minute pop song" bands, in the vein of The Lemonheads, Teenage Fanclub, and the like?
posted by ShawnString to Media & Arts (43 answers total)

No recommendations save for this page of Evan Dando/Lemonheads mp3s including Live, b-sides, Collaborations, Film Soundtracks and Miscellaneous.

Some brilliant and obscure songs. Background of songs here.

Oh yeah everyone will say Big Star who did the brilliant The Ballad Of El Goodo which Evan covered, but I have never heard them.
posted by kenaman at 9:09 AM on December 21, 2004

Sarge made a few spectacular albums in that vein.

Tullycraft is great for 3 minute pop songs, but they're a little more twee than the Lemonheads and Teenage Fanclub.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 9:18 AM on December 21, 2004

Marvelous 3
posted by GeekAnimator at 9:18 AM on December 21, 2004

Probably one of the definitive "3 minute pop song" bands was The Lightning Seeds...
posted by benzo8 at 9:19 AM on December 21, 2004

Rhino's Poptopia series (70's,80's, 90's) is still in print and has loads of suggestions - I find the 1990's volume a distinct trail-off, but maybe that's just me.

For my taste, nobody does this better than Marshall Crenshaw, and his best-of collection is one of my favorites.

Also, you should check out Not Lame Records.
posted by barjo at 9:20 AM on December 21, 2004

Sugar's 'Copper Blue'
Lionheart Brothers
autodrone
looker
dirty on purpose

to name a few....
posted by jasonspaceman at 9:22 AM on December 21, 2004

that's a great page of mp3s kenaman, although it omits "Hot Coals," a Lonesome Strangers song that Dando sang onscreen in the film Heavy. And you've never heard Big Star? Really?

I'll throw in New Pornographers and Sloan. Also, a survey of one person's collection of three-minute pop songs, for better or for worse.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 9:26 AM on December 21, 2004

Sweet Baby's 1989 classic It's A Girl. The review on this page nails it on the head.

Also,
posted by mds35 at 9:28 AM on December 21, 2004

- Flashing Lights. So Good. Recommended songs: 'Highschool,' 'Half the time.' If you like these, get the rest, and track down all the songs by the Superfriendz that Matt Murphy (Flashing Lights singer/songwriter) sings on.

- Zumpano: Mid 90's Sub Pop power popsters. I have a bunch of their rarities available for download here [Danger! self link!]. Their cover of the Zombies' 'Changes' is a pop masterpiece - one of the few examples I can name of a cover making a song infinately better than the original.

Also, Sloan. Tons of great pop songs. I recommend the 'Twice Removed' through 'One CHord to Another' Era, with a few from 'Navy Blues' as well. Their Mid-career B-sides are better then pretty much anything else they ever recorded. Examples: 'Had Enough,' 'Summer's My Season'

All of those recommendations are canadians. Take from that what you will.

Also:

Pretty much everything on the first Emitt Rhodes album [Danger! self-link] is great.

Have you heard the last Blake Babies effort? There are some great Danda / Juliana Hatfield collaborations on there.

I might be barking up the wrong tree though - most of those tend to be a tad less 'power' and a bit more 'pop.' Is this the sort of thing you're after?
posted by adamkempa at 9:28 AM on December 21, 2004

Hey Flanders -
I have heard of them (big star) and heard them recommended but their albums are not in shops in Ireland.

If your mail can hold it 3.6 mb and you wish to have it I can mail you the Hot Coals mp3.
posted by kenaman at 9:30 AM on December 21, 2004

Go to the Nuggets collections. The three-minute single is never more revered than by the garage bands, especially the Hombres, The Blue Things, & The Downliners Sect.

The Fastbacks' Answer The Phone Dummy is another fuzz-pop gem. And while everyone is going to (correctly) mention Big Star, Chilton's previous band the Box Tops cranked out some amazing singles ("Cry Like A Baby," "Soul Deep"). Emmit Rhodes' early seventies work is worth searching out, and the Raspberries are completely underrated set of pop craftsmen, as are The Move.

Also read this book. Trust me.
posted by jonmc at 9:31 AM on December 21, 2004 [1 favorite]

oh, and the Vandalias, if only for "Hey Now."
posted by jonmc at 9:32 AM on December 21, 2004

Someone beat me to The Fastbacks, but it also occurred to me to mention Shonen Knife (no site link because I can't tell which one is the official site). And of course, the New Pornographers and the solo work by their frontman, A.C. Newman.
posted by matildaben at 9:35 AM on December 21, 2004

and the Left banke.
posted by jonmc at 9:36 AM on December 21, 2004

I forgot to mention that Zumpano is A.C. Newman's pre- New Pornographers band, if that helps at all.
posted by adamkempa at 9:38 AM on December 21, 2004

thanks kenaman, I have it, just pointing out that it was missing from the linked page. Also, no offense, but

their albums are not in shops in Ireland

What is this, 1965? Check Kazaa.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 9:41 AM on December 21, 2004

Jonathan Richman, with or without the Modern Lovers.
posted by MrMustard at 9:56 AM on December 21, 2004

Magnapop.
posted by sugarfish at 10:13 AM on December 21, 2004

These are great, but there is only one band you need -

Guided. By. Voices.
posted by Quartermass at 10:19 AM on December 21, 2004

Boston's Letters to Cleo was a great pop-rock band, and their lead singer Kay Hanley has a terrific fun solo album out.

Also second the most recent Blake Babies record.

And The Shazam.
posted by nicwolff at 10:34 AM on December 21, 2004

I don't know if they'll fit stylistically with your listed bands, but when I want 3 minute pop songs, I think of Chixdiggit.
posted by philscience at 10:47 AM on December 21, 2004

XTC.
posted by Skot at 10:47 AM on December 21, 2004

Epitonic.com is pretty amazing for sussing out these links. They don't have an entry on The Lemonheads, but they do have their label. They've got a whole lot for Teenage Fanclub, though. Before I give you the meat, let me say that you can stream a whole bunch of mp3s from these artists at their link.

Versus, Superdrag, Buffalo Tom, Matthew Sweet, The Posies, The Lemonheads, Gigolo Aunts, Jellyfish, Death Cab For Cutie, Redd Kross, Jane Pow, New Pornographers

...and (with apologies for the small) others!
Built To Spill, Silkworm, Modest Mouse, John Vanderslice, Elliott Smith, J Mascis and The Fog, Centro-Matic, Ashley Park, Yo La Tengo, Guided by Voices, Husker Du, Foo Fighters, Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr., The Replacements, Pavement, Ladybug Transistor, Tsunami, Unrest, Quasi, Cheap Trick, Seam, Royal Trux, Sloan, The Soup Dragons, Gumball, The Boo Radleys, The Essex Green, Zumpano, P.E.E., God's Reflex, Wolf Colonel, Shuggie, Pomegranate, Nuzzle, Duochrome, Alex Chilton, Chino, Aviso'hara, Those Bastard Souls, Moped, Smile, The Blame, Yuji Oniki, MK Ultra, Creeper Lagoon, Little Champions, Sweeder, Bunkbed, Josh Rouse, Eskimo Kisses, Subset, The Frustrators, Poison Arrows, Quagmire, pinq, The Deathray Davies, Chomsky, Vinyl Star, TW Walsh, The Standard, Pinback, The And/Ors, 764-Hero, Dealership, Kevin Salem, The Influents, Ides Of Space, The Dambuilders, Anastasia Screamed, The Velvet Teen, Consonant, Furtips, Howie Beck, Polara, Red Shirt Brigade, Metric
posted by metaculpa at 11:18 AM on December 21, 2004

One not mentioned yet: Ash (and a definite seconding of both Magnapop and Sarge).
posted by trox at 11:40 AM on December 21, 2004

I would add Ben Folds Five or just Ben Folds. Also see Death Cab for Cutie, maybe some Superchunk if you want it a bit more punk.
posted by trbrts at 12:02 PM on December 21, 2004

Response by poster: thanks all...now just waiting for xmas money....
posted by ShawnString at 12:16 PM on December 21, 2004

Ok Go is one of my favorites for pop.
posted by u.n. owen at 12:27 PM on December 21, 2004

spoon, poole, tommy keene, superdrag, the push kings (!!!!), madder rose, some juliana hatfield songs, starhustler (juliana's brother jason's band), the clears/shelby bryant, the kinks.
posted by ifjuly at 12:44 PM on December 21, 2004

oh yeah, muler and tugboat annie too.
posted by ifjuly at 12:46 PM on December 21, 2004

Roxette!
posted by Wolfdog at 1:07 PM on December 21, 2004

What metaculpa said, except for the grievous omissions of The Pixies and weezer. Also, Rilo Kiley.
posted by ludwig_van at 2:01 PM on December 21, 2004

fwiw, if you liked the Marvelous 3, you'll also like Butch Walker who was the lead singer of the band. Good stuff. Same vein as the Marvelous 3. Also liked stellastarr*.
posted by mrg at 3:36 PM on December 21, 2004

Guided By Voices, though most are way under 3:00.
posted by kickerofelves at 4:01 PM on December 21, 2004

Im going to go ahead and second do do do do do do kickerofelves, and my above reccomendation. Guided By Voices.
posted by Quartermass at 4:36 PM on December 21, 2004

Fountains Of Wayne
posted by deshead at 5:58 PM on December 21, 2004

The Posies! Also the Merrymakers.
posted by litlnemo at 7:13 PM on December 21, 2004

The Riverdales!
posted by punkrockrat at 7:48 PM on December 21, 2004

Even among the great selections in this thread, some great bands are still missing....

The Odds
Stone Temple Pilots (their singles are great heavy-pop songs)
Velvet Crush
Goo Goo Dolls ("Superstar Car Wash" and earlier)
Material Issue
Nada Surf
Eric Matthews (not as peppy, but still poppy)
David Garza
Elliott Smith (his Dreamworks releases)

And an affirmation of Sloan, Ben Folds and Jellyfish as noted above.
posted by werty at 9:42 PM on December 21, 2004

game theory!
posted by synaplex at 9:43 PM on December 21, 2004

Marykate O'Neil. (Full disclosure - I do some gigs with her, although I'm not on any of the records. She's the bomb...)

Ditto XTC and Fountains of Wayne.

Oh, and give credit where credit is due.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 11:39 PM on December 21, 2004

Second Fountains of Wayne, New Pornographers, Alex Chilton/Big Star, Jonathan Richman, XTC, and the Fastbacks.

Also They Might Be Giants, Apples in Stereo, Dressy Bessy, Tuscadero, Bettie Serveert, the Connells, Papas Fritas, and more when I think of 'em.
posted by Vidiot at 12:10 AM on December 22, 2004

How about Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet?
posted by spicynuts at 7:17 AM on December 22, 2004

I'll second Ash. If you like Brit-poppy stuff: The Bluetones, The Charlatans, Supergrass, Travis, and of course... The Stone Roses.

Matthew Sweet is all about 3-minute pop, almost to a fault. Likewise, Weezer. If you like country-tinged pop, Wilco and its offspring (The Minus Five, and Jeff Tweedy's solo work, to a lesser extent) are worth checking out.
posted by stonerose at 8:08 AM on December 22, 2004