TITLE TRACKS

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“Everything goes away!” John Davis proclaims on “Shaking Hands,” the first song on the sophomore effort from Title Tracks. As he makes this claim, stampeding drums and his own gruff, jangling guitar threaten to drown him out—and in the process succeed in proving him wrong. One thing that clearly refuses to go away is punky ’70s power-pop, the signature sound on this 32-minute rocket of a record.

Davis formed Title Tracks after playing drums in the aggressively twisty indie group Q and Not U and co-fronting the peppy boy-girl duo Georgie James. Those projects had their merits, but this trio better showcases his talents. As a tunesmith, he’s right up there with power-pop greats Paul Collins and Dwight Twilley, as well as modern-day heroes Ted Leo and Gentleman Jesse. By design, the Tracks don’t offer much sonic variation, but Davis switches from guitar to organ on “Forget the Ghost,” changing things up the way Elvis Costello did with “Clowntime Is Over,” a similar-sounding slow tune from 1980’s mostly hypercaffeinated Get Happy!!. Davis is more direct with his tribute to the Flamin’ Groovies, covering that seminal band’s “I Can’t Hide.” It’s flamin’, all right, but his originals are just as groovy.