Power Chords

Mike Krol - Power Chords
Critic Score
Based on 11 reviews
2019 Ratings: #609 / 805
User Score
Based on 94 ratings
2019 Rank: #482
Liked by 4 people
January 25, 2019 / Release Date
LP / Format
Merge / Label
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CRITIC REVIEWS

80
The Line of Best Fit

A return to garage-form; what Krol may have once seen as his foible, has now become his greatest strength - a natural vulnerability housed within pummelling chords, rattling drums and barely audible vocals.

80
Exclaim!

The licks are loud and frequent, the choruses are snappy and filled with hooks, and if at least one of these songs doesn't dig its way into your head for a day, there's a good chance you're not a lot of fun.

80
God Is in the TV
Mike Krol is a musician demonstrating a sincere sound built up with a punk backbone. These songs are all purposeful and in tune with what the genre stands for. Thank the stars there are still musicians championing such work.
78
Pitchfork

Pledging allegiance to fuzz, this power-pop barrage squares off against heartache, disappointment, and sleepless nights—and survives.

75
Paste

Power Chords is much more lyrically mature and musically adept than your average garage rock record, and its teenage sheen might urge you to fanatically scroll the lyrics on your notebook or bedroom wall of choice.

70
AllMusic

Krol is that increasing rare and wondrous species, a natural born rock & roller, and the chunky barrage of guitars, drums, and soulful bellowing that comprises Power Chords is the work of a regular guy with an above average ability to kick out the jams and make them signify.

70
Under the Radar

Tied down by his buzz saw vocals and shattered guitars, Power Chords finds an endless groove in 35 minutes or less.

70
Uncut
Feedback-soaked rockers like "Little Drama" are played with maximum oomph, but much like, say, Ty segall, Krol laces his songs with all manner of sly twists and turns.
65
The 405

You might absorb a couple of hooks and riffs and edit it down to your own abridged version, but you’ll be left wanting more than Krol’s willing to provide.

60
No Ripcord

Fun, but also forgettable, Power Chords marks a not-so-bold transition for an artist who's on track to reinvent his sound.

40
Loud and Quiet

It’s basically like an American garage rock band from 1993 that is desperately trying to remain lo-fi and hang on by its fingernails to its DIY principles, whilst it’s perineum is being stroked by a producer in a Nashville recording studio with a big pot of polish to buff this record until you can see your face in it.

usedtobe
85

I like those pink sheets.

notbuzzzila
76

REALLY GOOD

Sure, it's not the most original album ever, but I REALLY enjoyed this album. This might actually just be me coming down from an intense Jay Reatard high, so in a matter of weeks, I might like Power Chords much less than I do now. But at the moment, it was a very enjoyable rock record from an artist whose discography I WILL be checking out.

FOR FANS OF: CRX, Jay Reatard, Superchunk, Ty Segall, Royal Headache, White Reaper

noob_spoons123
73

Even though I would give this album a 73 I still enjoyed it a ton. The parts that were good were just a ton of fun and I see myself going back to those songs a ton. Even though this was big leap forward for Mike Krol what I feel that could’ve really scored this album would be more experimentation. Which he really hit that sweet spot for me on certain songs but the other songs I couldn’t recall the melody or anything other than that it sounds like Mike Krol. Again still really ... read more

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Track List

1Power Chords
3:22
79
2What's the Rhythm
2:31
60
3An Ambulance
3:15
60
4Little Drama
2:48
78
5Left for Dead
2:40
60
6Blue and Pink
3:32
70
7I Wonder
3:21
70
8Wasted Memory
2:04
70
9Nothing to Yell About
2:56
70
10Arrow in My Heart
3:36
60
11The End
3:32
60
Total Length: 33 minutes
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Added on: October 28, 2018