The No Frills Power Pop of Phil Yates

After a four-year hiatus, Phil Yates is back. Party Music is in the rear view mirror (back in Vermont) and Yates is now fully entrenched in a new scene – Chicago. And with the help of his new Chicago based lineup, he gives is a more eclectic sound. The new album is called The Thin Thread and its head and shoulders above past efforts.

No Frills Power Pop

No frills Pop was always his strength and that becomes immediately evident right out of the box with the opening track, “I Can’t Wait”. It’s immediately memorable and has all the requisite jangle needed to please most any power pop fan. “Door Number Three” features a slower tempo, killer melody and some syrupy, guitar twang that goes down just right.

The song of choice here may be “Secret Decoder Ring”. Bill Urban’s thunderous percussion work and Jay Lyons’ big guitars dominate but don’t overwhelm a very catchy vocal melody. Or perhaps it’s the film noire vibe of “Ode to a Café Waitress in Montreal” with David Ocasek’s keyboards sounding as if they’re right out of a 50’s foreign film or the dark, sinister guitar lines woven by Richard Bandini.

Get Your Copy of a Thin Thread

You can get your copy of Phil Yates & The Affiliates’ A Thin Thread at their Bandcamp Page. So, what are you waiting for? Get it now.