The return of The Rallies is a reason to celebrate. It seems like yesterday that their second album, Upside Down, was released, so it was surprising to see that it has been almost four years. You can read the IDHAS Review here.
It Must Be Love feels much more Power Pop than its predecessor and could be a revival of the genre. After the turning point of all the "Is It Power Pop?" nonsense, the genre suffered greatly. It wasn't the bands, it was the fans, largely people of my age who seemed to thrive on all new music is crap agenda.
Great bands didn't seem to want to be associated with the genre and headed towards a different more appreciative audience. At the same time Indie Guitar Pop's revival welcomed a brilliant set of new bands that had a slightly harder edge and gathered a younger, more engaged audience. Great writers seemed to drift away from Power Pop, IDHAS included.
This album is a reminder of how great Power Pop can be and enough time has passed for people to realise how great the genre can be. It'll take some time for people to come flooding back and the younger listeners to catch on, but albums like this will certainly be a big help.
It Must Be Love contains all the requisites for a great Power Pop album, melody, great vocals, catchiness, big choruses and memorable riffs. It also reveals that Power Pop has a history, well covered here, from Merseybeat to Jangle Pop and all between.
Steve Davis has a wonderfully gentle laidback voice that suits the material perfectly and allows the versatility. No Other Road for instance is splendid 70s Pop Rock, but instrumentally is more at home in Americana, even Country Rock. Yet Turn It Up is great late 70s UK New Wave Power Pop.
All I Ever Knew is an 80s version of the genre, whilst Out Of The Blue is great Jangle Pop. As Long As could be a song from a Jigsaw album, but Are You Hearing Me? is classic UK Beat, even Merseybeat. Never A Doubt has most in common with Alt Country.
Give Me The Truth has a killer riff that dominates the song wonderfully and the title track mixes Glasgow Jangle with Rock and Roll. It manages to sound modern, yet harks back to the great Guitar Pop of the 60s and that Jangle is thrilling.
It Must Be Love is a superb reminder of Power Pop has the ability to get the toes tapping and the choruses accompanied, The catchiness is like an epidemic and the playing exemplary. The key is the melody and this album excels at it.
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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