Mondo Paradiso, the fifth album by international power pop sensations The Sino Hearts, continues the musical progression that was first evident on 2022's Lightening The Darkness and even more pronounced on 2023's Phantom Rhapsody. With each new album, Mocca Chung's songwriting shows greater development and a wider range of influences without losing its grounding in '70s power pop and punk rock. For this album, he reunited with guitarist Ned Moffit, whom he hadn't seen in nearly two years. The two then traveled to Brescia, Italy to record with the brilliant producer Brown Barcella. With Italian drummer Carlo Manzoni rounding out the lineup, The Sino Hearts created this absolute gem of an album. The band's origins as a straight-forward power pop/punk band now seem like light years away. As much as I like those early records (Leave The World Behind and Mandarin A Go-Go), this is clearly a case of a band that has benefited from finding its own identity and sound.
While it's a power pop record at its core, Mondo Paradiso does not limit itself to any particular genre or defined musical style. Like the two albums that preceded it, this one seems to effortlessly merge the world's of power pop, post-punk/new wave, and modern rock. Also in the mix are a love for '60s pop, garage & surf rock, and even some Chinese and Italian pop. That's a unique blend of musical inspirations, and it all comes together in a way that's cohesive and satisfying. Even as he has matured and evolved as a songwriter, Mocca Chung has held to an approach that's melody-driven and very much rooted in pop classicism. He's taking inspiration from the past but truly aspiring to make something new, and Brown Barcella was certainly the perfect producer to guide the process. Even when it leans into '60s grooves, Mondo Paradiso sounds perfectly in place with the best of today's garage pop. Sonically, there's a sunny warmth to these recordings that really fits the material. "Taste of Romance" is dreamy pop bliss. "Dragon Lady," with its mix of surfy guitars, '80s synths, and power pop energy, encapsulates what The Sino Hearts are all about. "Revolver Club Stomp" is a throwback to the Badfinger/Big Star heyday of power pop. "Arkansas Valentine" is a pretty ballad — the kind of song that is becoming a Sino Hearts specialty. On "Viva La Heartbreak" and "Teenage Hearts," you get classic power pop and punk-pop, respectively. "Love Is Like a Catwalk" and "Whatever Is All the Time" show a softer touch, highlighting this band's flair for pure melodious pop music. "Peking Bikini" and "朝日総動員" close the album with a double shot of adrenaline, proving that this band can still rock with the best of 'em when it wants to.
The secret for a band like The Sino Hearts (or any band in the punk/power pop neighborhood) is that you can keep growing and evolving your sound without having to throw out what already works well. With these last three albums, The Sino Hearts haven't lost anything that was appealing about their first two albums. They've just added more elements and more influences — and grown more skilled at executing the old elements. If you like this band doing power pop or punk-pop, about half this album will be exactly what you wanted. If you wanted this band to try new things, about half this album will be exactly what you wanted. If you, like me, were hoping for the best of both worlds, Mondo Paradiso is precisely that. This is the best Sino Hearts album by a mile. And even after five albums now, it leaves me hoping for more.
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