Over the years, power pop has taken its share of knocks from rock critics and others who can, in turn, be criticized for being too intellectual for their own good. For those who appreciate power pop, however -- which can be everything from
Buddy Holly and
the Beatles (some of their stuff, at least) to
Blondie, the Go-Gos,
Material Issue, and
Cheap Trick -- it's rock & roll heaven.
The Doughboys' power-pop credentials continued to increase with Happy Acccidents, a CD that effectively combines the aggression of punk and alternative rock with a love of sugary pop melodies.
The Doughboys were hardly the first band to bring power pop into the alternative rock/punk realm; even so, infectious, exuberant numbers like "Wait and See," "Sorry Wrong Number," and "Sunflower Honey" do have a certain freshness. Some critics argued that the Doughboys went downhill after 1989's
Home Again, and that they eventually neutered themselves, meaning that the more commercial and pop-minded they became, the less interesting they were -- don't believe that for a minute. On this 1990 release, the Jon Cummins/John Bondhead/John Kastner/Paul Newman edition of the band thrives on melody and does so with engaging results. ~ Alex Henderson