If you like: Power pop legends Big Star or Flamin’ Groovies, this album is a must-have.
About: Prior to his career as a high-visibility producer of unbalanced older rock musicians (Brian Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis) and pop bands (NRBQ, Greenberry Woods), Andy Paley teamed with his brother Jonathan in 1978 to form the power pop duo The Paley Brothers. They released a self-titled album that same year which didn't do much commercially but is fondly remembered by power pop fans. Their song “Come Out and Play” was featured on Rhino’s D.I.Y.: Come Out and Play - American Power Pop (1975-78) compilation. The Paley Brothers also recorded a track (“C’Mon Let’s Go”) with the Ramones for the soundtrack to Rock ‘N’ Roll High School. Unfortunately they made no more records as The Paley Brothers, but they have worked together a few times. In 1980, they played together on a Nervous Eaters record and in 1995, Jonathan played bass on the Jerry Lee Lewis record that Andy produced. *^{via Tim Sendra}
Why it’s worth your time: Few albums are as classic to the simpler days of fast drives with the windows down in the summertime as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is to the eternal teenage romanticism of the promise of being on the brink of some special season itself and the adjacent lackadaisical abandon of responsibility we all tend to suddenly feel at that very moment–but The Paley Brothers is just so. If only for the great power pop bits, “Lovin’ Eyes Can’t Lie” and “Tell Me Tonight”–a song worthy of cult-summer-anthem-status–and the saccharine hit “Come Out and Play”, this album begs you to reminisce of the good times and just perhaps drown in a daydream for a while...in one of those cheesy “I must be in a movie because this soundtrack is perfect” moments. An experience we should all induce at least once a summer, no?
A favorite track: Tell Me Tonight