Here Comes The Flood: Steve Stoeckel: The Power Of And

Nobody has to tell Steve Stoeckel how to write a catchy song. As the singer and bassist for the long-running power pop band The Spongetones he knows what will work to capture the listener's attention. On his debut solo album The Power Of And he hits the ground running with the upbeat rocker Laura Lynn followed by Birds and If/Then. Like a seasoned Maître d' he sets the table for a full course meal of electric and acoustic tracks. It sounds familiar, but after closer inspection it turns out that he as added a little extra to spice things up in all of the songs, like using a distorted guitar for The Emerald Sea, a modern day Irish sea-shanty.

Listening to The Power Of And is a crash course for coming up to speed with the various guises of power-pop from the '60s until .... well, today really. Love is the main theme, which is no surprise, but Stoeckel manages to keep it fresh by avoiding over-used angles and insert some righteous anger in the putdown rocker Christine. He fondly remembers The Monsters Under My Bed from his childhood days, who promised him that he would never grow up as long as he believed in them. His curiosity and need to create are in full-force, and as long as he has those he will be Whistling Past Graveyards for a couple more decades for sure. Sparks fans will love the art-pop rhythm and vocal delivery of that one.