Talk of the Town is the third album by The Speedways and one of my most eagerly awaited releases of 2022. It lives up to its expectations and then some. This release on Snap!! Records, Hurrah Musica, and Beluga Records is the third album in a trilogy that began over four years ago with Just Another Regular Summer — Matt Julian's love letter to a special moment in his life. It was designed as a one-off solo project, and I lamented falling in love with a new band that was essentially over as soon as it started. But then Julian reconsidered the dissolution of his one-man project and recruited Mauro Venegas, Adrian Alfonso, and Kris Hood to join him in making The Speedways a proper band. The masses rejoiced, and 2020's Radio Sounds became one of those rare sequels that are even better than the original. I named it my #1 album of 2020. A global pandemic sidelined the band for the better part of two years, but now The Speedways return with part three of their love story. Every word of it is true, and every note is a delight.
Talk of the Town is a difficult record for me to describe. In a way, it's the perfect power pop record. In another way, it finds The Speedways moving past the bounds of power pop. So here's how I'll put it: if you loved Just Another Regular Summer and Radio Sounds, you'll love Talk of the Town. That's a guarantee. But there are also people who might not generally describe themselves as fans of power pop or who have never even heard of power pop who will love this record as well. This is an album for anyone who enjoys melody-driven pop and rock and relates to songs about love, loss, jealousy, and heartbreak. Yes, it's a vintage Speedways album. But it delivers a sound that's bigger and (in the words of the band) more cinematic than ever. In terms of musicianship and production, this album far exceeds its predecessors. This would have been a major label release a few decades back. It's also a total group effort featuring songwriting contributions from three members and lead vocals from both Julian and Venegas. Like Radio Sounds, Talk of the Town is so stacked with pop gems that it's hard to identify which songs are the hits. The rocker "Dead from the Heart Down" is that stone cold killer leadoff track that every great album needs. "Secrets Secrets" would be a chart-topper in some alternate universe where they still play great pop songs on the radio. The 7" cuts "Shoulda Known" and "A Drop In The Ocean" still have Speedway fans brawling in pubs over which of the two is better. "Weekend 155" and "Monday Was The Start Of The Stars (To Forgive & Forget)" deliver widescreen drama in spades. "A Song Called Jayne & A Lie Called Love" features a hook that will be stuck in my head until the end of time. With its funky rhythm and intricate guitar work, the title track finds The Speedways exploring new territory to brilliant effect. If we don't someday hear "Wrong Place Wrong Time" playing over the closing credits of an epic romance movie, it will be a terrible shame. Stop me before I mention every song on the album!
As I consider their existing trilogy of albums, I find it remarkable how seamlessly The Speedways have evolved from a DIY solo project to an internationally beloved rock and roll band. One man's artistic vision has become the shared vision of four exceptional musicians with complementary styles and talents. Regardless of who's writing or singing, each of Talk of the Town's 12 (or 13) tracks sounds familiarly like The Speedways. Talk of the Town doesn't dramatically alter the band's approach, but it continues a progression that's been evident with each new release. You can still count on The Speedways to churn out timeless three-minute love songs with hooks for days. But I love that these guys are mixing in everything from Thin Lizzy guitars to '80s synths to Dexys homages and making it all sound like it was meant to be. Perhaps it was. The title track — perhaps Julian's crowning achievement as a songwriter — came to him in a dream. Is it possible to make a crowd-pleasing power pop album even as you're pushing the boundaries of what the genre can be? The Speedways have shown us that the answer is yes! Talk of the Town releases this coming Monday in the digital and CD formats. Vinyl will be out next month. Pre-orders are live now, so hop to it!
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