Think Quarterly: The Creativity issue

It's always time to get creative. Here's some inspiration. 

Gaslight Anthem live

The more I listen to The Gaslight Anthem the more I'm kinda bothered by the strong Springsteeny vocals. They're from Jersey so you wonder whether it's forced ... but the band delivers a consistently humable form of light punk. 

When I want to listen to punk I dive in fully focused, but there are occasions (like at the gym) where I just need a half-step toward something that's a bit polished, not too deep, half out of sight, half out of mind.

Enter Gaslight Anthem. Kinda there, kinda not. Just when you think a hook is going to stick, whoosh, there it goes.

With that in mind, here's an hourlong show from "The Late Show With David Letterman" that's perfect for multitasking. 

Terrific power pop from Jet Electro and Poplord

There's a lot of power pop artists that peter out after about four songs, so when you run across an act that delivers start to finish, it's hard to squeeze anything else into the playlist. Believe it or not, some of the best of the genre is coming out of the Fresno area, where not one but two acts are quietly producing majestic power pop on par with anyone else currently in the game.

Say hello to Jet Electro and Poplord. And here's the weird thing: Jet Electro is an offshoot of Poplord. How's that for doubling down? 

Poplord has released three special albums over the past few years while Jet Electro just released its self-titled debut. Jet Electro is really Poplord guitarist Craig Daniel in disguise and accompanied by a bunch of friends. 

Both acts work the same terrain, with lush arrangements and soaring harmonies layered atop smart lyrics. I hear influences ranging from Badfinger, Todd Rundgren and The Raspberries to The Skeletons, XTC and The Elms. But this is more than just a trip down memory lane: Poplord and Jet Electro honor their influences but produce richly crafted songs that stand on their own.  

(Not sure where the name Jet Electro came from but I remember a fantastic "Leave It To Beaver" episode in which Beaver and Wally foolishly ignore Ward's advice and invest money in a high-flying space-age stock called Jet Electro).

Unlike Jet Electro the stock, the musical act has a promising future. This is Grade A stuff, and well worth the investment in time and money.