Danny Ayala

There’s definitely a dividing line between bands that find themselves lumped into the power pop tag by lazy journos, and those that embrace it with the kind of reverence and studied dedication that has fostered a fervent fanbase all these years. Alongside the true believers like Uni Boys, Billy Tibbals, The Lemon Twigs, and The Explorers Club, the new record from Danny Ayala is steeped in a sunny strain of power pop that suspends it backward and forward in time. Where others can often tumble into some glam crunch (and Ayala does from time to time), Only Fools Love Again is remarkable in its near dedication to pristine sounds. The record rips more from the Raspberries and Twilley than from the more punk leaners like The Quick, which seem to have become more of a modern touchstone for the power pop diggers.

Ayala, who’s known to play with The Lemon Twigs live unit, draws from a strain that dips parallel to the Twigs’ affinity for Brian Wilson and his sunshine pop followers. “Life’s Always Worth It” could have easily been mistaken for a Yellow Balloon rarity, “I Was Wrong” seems like it certainly could have been somewhere in the Curt Boettcher catalog, fostering an uncanny familiarity from the first strains of the album. There’s a feeling that “I Don’t Like Her” must have wafted out of an AM station at some point; each song a spectral transmissions across the sea of time and space. Though tenderness is often on the table, when Ayala does toughen the sound, he does it with just the right vamp, turning “Pluto” into a ‘70s squiggler that leans into power pop’s penchant for top-shelf nerdery. The harmonies on the record wrap it in wonders and Ayala’s attention to detail is what really pushes Only Fools Love Again to the top of the modern pop pantheon. It’s a collection of carefully crafted pop dioramas that feel like instant favorites. Don’t let this one slip under the radar.

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.