Tony Molina

Everybody’s favorite bite-sized pop purveyor is back with a new album. Tony Molina’s 2019 LP Songs From San Mateo County embraced a wider scope, throwing some pre-solo jangles he’d been working on with Ovens back onto the fire and making jangle pop take a bite on brevity. For his new album he pushes back into the power pop havens that won him into all our hearts, but he’s found a balance between the pastoral nuggets and the ‘90s indie grinders. Where he jumps right into the DGC rare bin of riffs on “The Last Time,” he pulls back the big guitars on “Not Worth Knowing” and “Don’t Be Far,” creating longing pop tracks that, swoon hard before leaving us wanting for more, as usual. He doesn’t let himself get wedged into a corner stylistically, though. Every press release from the moment he went solo has been trying to paint the shadow of Weezer over his works, but to me he’s always felt like Adam Schlesinger with regards to his chamelonic ability to digest the 20-amp turbulence of the ‘90s without fully committing to one style.

The mutability comes through in the downer perfection of “Leave This Town,” a song that comes seething but leaves on a sweeter note. Whatever nostalgia you want to hang on In The Fade seems like a reflection of your own experiences. Molina’s a cracked mirror, bending his light like a rough prism casting dazzling shapes on the wall in hues that deepen over each new listen. The only real criticism remains stable over his career — once the 90 second stunners hit your ears, its hard not to want another round on those noughatty choruses. Molina doesn’t look back, though. His pop gets in, gets under the skin, and is gone on the wind before you can ever let it settle into your soul. Doesn’t mean its not worth trying to get these songs to last again and again.

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.