The new album from Philadelphia quartet Hurry is a sterling example of modern power-pop. It might surprise you, then, to learn that band leader Matt Scottoline wasn’t particularly concerned with pursuing that kind of music when the project was founded as a solo venture in 2012. Hurry was quite a different beast than Scottoline’s then-main concern, Everyone Everywhere, who arrived on the scene just in time to be swept up in the emo revival of the early- to mid-2010s with two self-titled albums before going on indefinite hiatus. Hurry then took center stage and released their debut record Everything/Nothing in 2014.
Fast-forward nearly a decade and Scottoline’s got a better handle on the definition of power-pop, as the playlist he put together for us proves. He’s also got a better handle on Hurry itself—from a solo project, it grew to a trio and was fleshed out further with the addition of Justin Fox on lead guitar for 2021’s Fake Ideas. Its successor, Don’t Look Back, is the album on which Hurry collectively levels up, throwing out more hooks than a heavyweight champ as they further refine their vision for the project. Of the 10 potential pre-album singles that hang together as a full record, the three they picked serve as ideal primers for the full-length, which drops tomorrow via Lame-O Records.
In the meantime, we asked Matt to break down the influences that went into Don’t Look Back; he came back with this: Hurry’s Guide to Modern Power Pop. Stream his picks and read his reasoning for each inclusion below, and pre-order Don’t Look Back here.
Young Guv, “Ripe 4 Luv”
This song ignited my brain the first time I heard it. I had followed Slumberland Records for a long time, and always loved their output of their Flying Nun/New Zealand–inspired dream pop bands, but when this Young Guv EP came out, a lot of my perspective on contemporary power-pop changed. The incredibly minimalistic, almost direct-recording-sounding guitar (á la Prince) mixed with warbling, effected vocals and an unforgettable chorus melody just blew me away. I had a show on my college’s radio station at the time, and I must have driven the Philadelphia metro area insane with how often I was playing this song. Young Guv has had a lot of amazing output since then, and I think has continued to push into a more guitar-forward, ’60s-inspired power-pop style, but I always gravitate back toward this song and EP.
The Beths, “Expert in a Dying Field”
Look, there are going to be a lot of songs on this list that I feel like people could debate me on when it comes to what exactly is “power-pop,” but it’s my list! And I’m putting The Beths on it! I’ve loved The Beths for a long time. I think they’re sort of peerless in their ability to be crushingly sincere and matter-of-fact, while still having an incredible knack for melody and harmony. And the way [Elizabeth Stokes’s] vocal can just cruise effortlessly into that amazing falsetto is downright inspiring. I got really emotional the first time I heard this song. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a better postmortem love song. The lyrics are clever without being cheesy or lame, and the way things build and break to the final refrain… I’m trying hard to stop myself from saying “chef’s kiss.” This is perfect pop music.
U.S. Highball, “Picnic at Doughnut Groyne”
I admit this list is going to be chock full of my Lame-O mates, but I think it’s justified—very few labels out there are investing so much in the new flock of power pop artists. U.S. Highball are a duo from Glasgow and take their minimal, Casiotone-driven arrangements to heights that I personally wouldn’t have thought possible. This song barely cracks two minutes, but the guitar lead is so memorable and hummable (a must for any great guitar lead, in my humble opinion) that I find myself just clicking to repeat it over and over.
Mo Troper, “For You to Sing”
I don’t know if there’s any other contemporary artist out there pushing power-pop forward like Mo is. Another of my Lame-O family, this latest single from him is so charming, well-crafted, and downright fun to listen to. Like most of my favorite power-pop, Mo has such a strong knack for melody, and you can hear so many of his influences from the ’60s and ’70s loud and clear in a way that doesn’t feel derivative at all; rather, it’s infused in a way so naturalistic that his songs just feel at home next to them.
Eyelids, “Slow It Goes”
I feel such a strong spiritual connection with Eyelids, a band from Portland, Oregon made up of members of bands like Guided by Voices, Boston Spaceships, The Decemberists, and Cracker. We met through the internet years ago, and have played many shows together since then. I remember years back, Eric Osman [owner of Lame-O] was coming over to my house to listen to a Hurry test press with me. I was listening to this Eyelids record when he arrived at my house, and he immediately asked if they were demos of new Hurry songs. So I guess you can safely say a lot of my love for this band—and this song in particular—is because it feels very up my alley from a craftsmanship perspective. This is how I like to write songs, and how I like to hear them as well. An amazing guitar lead that never overstays its welcome, so every time it reappears, I feel ready to rock all over again. The melodies are great, especially the verses, but I love a song where the guitar lead is essentially the chorus.
Dazy, “On My Way”
Yes, another Lame-O band. Sorry! Sue me! I think the beauty of what James [Goodson] does with Dazy is in one of the true power-pop notions of fusing simple, melodic song structures with driving guitars. This song is basically one part for the entire sub-two-minute run time, but you never mind because you’re humming and rocking along uncontrollably.
Nada Surf, “Something I Should Do”
Look, a lot of people will probably want to argue with me that Nada Surf isn’t a “power-pop” band, but in my opinion you can’t really deny that this song is right at home with any other modern band claiming the genre. The guitars are driving, jangling, and shining, and Matthew [Caws]’s vocal and melody just soar over the whole thing. The synth leads throughout lift things further for me, and harken back to The Cars or even those famous Weezer B-sides. Maybe the most controversial part here is the spoken-word elements. But in my opinion, this is one of the few cases in modern music where it works!
Supercrush, “Melody Maker”
I was introduced to Supercrush a few years back when we played a show with them. I was immediately drawn to their style of power-pop, which leans more heavily on the “power” elements, reminding me of favorites like Matthew Sweet’s “100% Fun” or The Posies’ “Frosting on the Beater.” It rides that line between feeling new and modern, but also like something that feels equally at home in the ’70s or ’90s. This is another song that barely makes it past two minutes. I guess I dig short songs.
The Pooches, “I’ll Be Gone”
This one breaks the rules slightly, as the album is a few years old now, and the band no longer exists (U.S. Highball is the spiritual successor). But the reason I’m including it here is because years back when Eric from Lame-O first shared it with me, it was another instance of seeing a contemporary band doing the kinds of things I wanted to be doing: simple, straightforward, earnest songwriting with extremely catchy melodies and hooks. I just don’t think guitar-pop songwriting really gets better than this.
Jeanines, “Any Day Now”
This band is a recent discovery for me via their label, Slumberland. This is the kind of power-pop that feels like it’s from a different time—more specifically sounding like a lot of that classic Flying Nun stuff, both in the construction of the songs, and the sonic quality of the recording. I’m a sucker for this style. It really reminds me of bands like The Verlaines or The Clean or The Bats. Minimalistic rock and roll with an undeniable pop influence.
Tommy Keene, “All the Lights Are Alive”
Tommy Keene, a true legend of the genre, died a few years ago. This song is from his final album, released in 2015. So while it isn’t totally contemporary, for me, it’s close enough. And I think it’s worth highlighting how even so late in his career, he was still pushing the genre forward and sounding better than ever. He had such a gift for creating wistful melodies. They always seemed to transport me to a nostalgic place that may or may not even exist. I think that’s beautiful.
Diners, “Someday I’ll Go Surfing”
This is a pretty brand-new discovery for me—thankfully a lot of folks in my orbit worked on this album (which isn’t out yet). But the first few singles have been really great, and this one in particular stuck with me. Beyond the great melodies, what really struck me was the lyrics, which really felt like they harkened to one of my favorite songs, “The Outdoor Type” by The Lemonheads. Something about the kind of dryly sardonic lyrics about a desire you may or may not really have. It’s just so fun and smart. What a great song.
Teenage Fanclub, “Back to the Light”
The kings! It’s safe to say Teenage Fanclub are one of my favorite bands, and one of my biggest inspirations as a songwriter. And most remarkably, they’re still writing new music that feels like a natural next step on their long journey of evolution over the decades. I’m not sure any band does harmony better than Teenage Fanclub. I’ve taken a ton of influence from their use of harmony in my own writing, and on their later output, including this one, harmony is really the star of the show. The melodies are beautiful, and this song in particular just feels so bomb-proof in its simple construction. It’s a classic guitar-pop song, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of this record.
