DWIGHT TWILLEY

Green Blimp

dwighttwilley.com

There’s no shortage of individuals who would take credit for jumpstarting the power-pop movement way back when, but none of them stake as convincing a claim as Dwight Twilley. His 1975 Top 20 hit “I’m on Fire” helped lay the groundwork for the entire retro rock regimen, and by the time he returned to the charts with 1984’s “Girls,” his argument had been made.

Sadly, Twilley’s accomplishments have been limited to one milestone per decade. (His last relatively high-profile offering was 1992’s “Why You Wanna Break My Heart,” recorded by Tia Carrere for the Wayne’s World soundtrack.) He makes up for lost time on Green Blimp via 12 tracks that combine his fondness for Beatlesque melodies with a penchant for killer riffs and catchy choruses. The opening “Get Up” lays out that template early on, his Lennonesque vocal wailing over a ferocious barrage of sound. The diminishing minor chord progression of “Me and Melanie” also brings the Fab Four’s influence front and center. Not that Twilley simply emulates his influences—the driving big-beat rockers “It Ends,” “It’s Never Coming Back” and “Doctor” are plenty potent. Green Blimp sees an oft-overlooked power-pop pioneer soaring once more.