Pure Pop: Nick Piunti and Trust Your Instincts

If it’s pure pop you crave, look no further than Nick Piunti’s Trust Your Instincts. Like all good power pop records, there’s the requisite chiming guitars and spot on harmonies. Add hooks a-plenty and a clear killer single and you’ve got it all. Trust Your Instincts should be a wake-up call to all those who insist that the best days of the genre have passed. People still make great power pop records and Nick Piunti is living proof.

Ryan Allen, who has his own outstanding release out, contributes backing vocals and guitar. One might say Allen’s punk pop persona is to Piunti’s power pop sensibilities as Dave Edmunds’ rockabilly leanings were to Nick Lowe’s pure pop. Time will tell, I suppose.

The killer single? “One Hit Wonder” is as radio friendly as they come. With a monster hook for a chorus, this track is guaranteed to have you bobbing your head and playing air guitar. Intelligently written, it makes one wonder if it’s better to have never had a hit single at all.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! (says the voice from the K-TEL commercials)

There’s a number of tracks here that are memorable for various reasons. “Vaguely Familiar” is a catchy mid-tempo track while “Ready For Whatever” is an up-tempo ass-kicker that’s catchy as all get-go. I love the Records-like guitars on this one.

The harmonies are great throughout the entire proceedings. “Stay Where You Are” is a jangly gem and the perfect way to end the disc.

Packaged in a 4-panel digi-pak, Trust Your Instincts is being released on the newly revived Jem Records label. If you don’t know the work of Nick Piunti, it’s time you get acquainted. You can pick up a copy from Kool Kat Musik or from Nick’s website.

You don’t want to miss this one.