Review: The Soda Pop Kids - Teen Bop Dream

Label: Full Breach Kicks

Released: September 4, 2007

In their prime, Sweet was only about a half step from being the Bay City Rollers, but that half step made all the difference in the world and Sweet remains one of the best of the early glam bands. However, their close proximity to badness is a potential pitfall they pass on to any band that imitates them. Hence, sounding a bit too saccharine is the Soda Pop Kids biggest problem.

The album starts off on the wrong side of the fine line between Sweet's pop rock goodness and the Bay City Rollers' sickening sweet imitation. The whole album is merely an homage to early 70s glam rock, but the first four tracks lack the edge and energy that better bands combined with AM pop hooks into that inarticulate rock expression of William Blake's innocence versus experience. However, the album picks up down the stretch. Starting with the dirty rock n roll balladry of "Another Cigarette Ends," the album draws a bit on the New York Dolls and pulls itself back onto the right side of the aforementioned line. Whether it's the agitated shuffle of "Six Gun Senorita," the loose soul of "Bloodshot Eyes" or the straightforward pop energy of "The Soda Pop Sting," the second half finds the Soda Pop Kids offering up a worthy tribute to an underserved genre that had its name stolen by inferior though vastly more popular bands a decade later.

Teen Bop Dream is no more trying to change the face of rock n roll than it is trying to hide its identity. This is a revival record that brings very little to the table that wasn't done 35 years ago. However, once it hits stride, it captures a lot of the best qualities of early 70s glam, making it a fun listen even if they are just as cartoonish as the album cover.

Rating: 6/10

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