We'll close out my 2024 reviews with a piece on a new record from an old band. Seattle's The Heats are legends in the power pop universe. In my book, their 1980 debut album Have An Idea is a classic of the genre and remains largely underrated outside the community of power pop super-fans. Last year, original members Steve Pearson (guitar, vocals), Keith Lilly (bass guitar) and Ken Deans (drums) got the band back together, enlisting Jon Memolo on guitar and vocals to round out the lineup. Their goal was to make a new record, and they did just that. Simply titled The Heats, this is the band's first new studio material in 43 years. And you know what? It's really good! The band mostly sticks to a straight-forward style of power pop rooted in no-nonsense rock 'n' roll. You can tell they set out to make a record that would still sound like The Heats. Obviously after forty plus years, the band isn't going to sound exactly the same. But The Heats is sure to be a fan-pleaser with its simple approach and rock-solid execution. These guys still know how to write a punchy pop song with a killer hook. I would say this album is very comparable to the excellent Paul Collins LP from earlier this year. "I Hope You're Wrong" and "Heartbroken Past" are top-quality hooky rockers. "She Belongs To Me," "As If," and "Let's Pretend" are power pop by the book. Tracks like "For You" and "Where's Your Love Now" blur the lines between power pop and '70s/'80s AOR. If you're a longtime fan of The Heats, this very long awaited sophomore LP will not disappoint you. When you think about that whole generation of bands that defined power pop in the late '70s and early '80s, you realize that we'll never have the opportunity to hear from many of them ever again. To be able to hear The Heats sounding this good in 2024 is a gift. Hit up The Heats' website to order the album!
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