Power Pop Hidden Gems #3
Uncovering power pop bands that you might have missed.
Welcome to the third instalment from a series of short pieces on power pop obscurities or hidden gems. Each week, I will present to you a band that you may not have heard of before, or perhaps a band that deserves a bit more recognition, and feature that artist’s key album as an introduction to their work (indeed, that might be their only album!).
This week’s hidden gem #3 is:
Ninja Gun
Multiple labels have been used to describe Ninja Gun’s musical style: 70s power pop, melody-driven rock ’n’ roll, Americana, classic rock, indie pop, rural rock, punk, alt-country, southern rock. The band uses the ‘gutter pop’ label! One reviewer suggested equally copious amounts of Tom Petty, Johnny Cash and Ramones.
Ninja Gun, led by Johnathan Coody, seemed to combine all of those labels and influences to produce some outstanding music. The band’s debut album, ‘Restless Rubes’ (2008), is simply brilliant, and is one of my favourite records of the last 20 years.
In an interview reproduced on the band’s website, Coody discussed their unique sound:
I think you have to listen to a wide variety of music and then filter and distill…
