The Exploding Hearts
“Guitar Romantic”
(Dirtnap)
This Portland, Oregon band has a great, skinny-tie sound. Its power pop recalls such post-punk acts as Buzzcocks and The Only Ones. The two-guitar quartet has a full, dynamic sound that propels the group’s vocals in a way done previously by Teenage Head. Songs like the anthemic “I’m a Pretender” and the falsetto “Thorns in Roses” are equivalent to the best in power pop by any group that preceding this top notch ensemble.
