Review: Gavin Guss “On High”

Power pop

Power pop fans no doubt have heard Gavin Guss in some way already, whether it was as producer of Super Deluxe or as front man for TubeTop and The Tycoons. He's toured with Nada Surf and provided piano accompaniment for Jon Auer (Posies), Fountains of Wayne, and Harvey Danger. His long-awaited solo debut, “Mercury Mine” was released to wide acclaim in 2010 (reviewed here).

From the first note of “Avenue A” to the closing sounds of “Lesson One”, Guss takes us on a delightful power pop journey that is as equally uplifting as it is melancholy. This is a balance Guss achieves in his songwriting, as he puts it: like dancing in your socks. The songs are short and sweet, but make quite the impression, percolating with keen melodies that will stick with you for days. Guss also showcases his knack for crafting buoyant harmonies (check out “Voices Inside My Head” for a demonstration). While it is best digested whole, some of my favorite picks include “Come Over”, “Wonder Too”, “Will To Fly”, and “Parc Monceau”.

“On High” was released on vinyl by Fin Records, which comes with a special download code to access the mp3 files. A must for power pop fans, especially those who enjoy the Posies, Mike Viola, or Gigolo Aunts.

Gavin Guss - Official site.

Review: Gavin Guss "Mercury Mine"

Whether you realize it or not, if you are a devout fan of modern power pop, you've already heard Gavin Guss in some way, shape, or form. Gavin Guss has been active in the Seattle power pop scene for years, as producer of the fantastic Super Deluxe, and as front man for TubeTop and The Tycoons. He's toured with Nada Surf, and provided piano accompaniment for Jon Auer (Posies), Fountains of Wayne, and Harvey Danger.

Six long years in the making, Guss has released "Mercury Mine", his first solo record. Featuring an amazing line up of guest performances from Chris Ballew (Presidents of the United States of America), Brian Young (Fountains of Wayne), and Phil Hurley (Gigolo Aunts), "Mercury Mine" is simply a power pop lover's dream. Name dropping aside, Guss holds his own and more by bringing a healthy number of tuneful songs to the table.

The record, which clocks in just over 30 minutes, is loaded with short and sweet pop songs that are very easy on the ears. Vocally and musically, Guss reminds me a lot of Mike Viola, or David Gray (Idle Wilds). The lyrics are witty and often amusing, matched well to the mood of the music. The record kicks things off with what has become my favorite track, "X", a peppy song with a perfect mix of acoustic and electric guitar, augmented with plenty of juicy harmonies. The catchy songs keep rolling along with the title track, "Oasis", and "Lifeboat" providing some of the finest 12 minutes of classic power pop I've heard in a while. The record sags a bit after this until "Gato Negro" and the wonderful "Bud". Fans of any of the aforementioned bands will certainly want to take note of this one.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10

Gavin Guss on MySpace. Official site.