Can power pop explore thought-provoking lyrical themes while at the same time celebrating the giddy excitement of a classic three-minute single? Blank Pages songwriter Greg Potter thinks so, and his band has been doing just that from their studio in New Jersey for nearly 25 years.
Their new album, Before Your Summer Fades, drops on FDR Label on Friday, January 19, 2018. The record finds Potter pairing lyrics of uncertainty, loss and inevitable change with his signature melodic sound. It’s a unique blend of old school (Big Star, Wings) and modern pop (Sloan, Mike Viola) that is distinctly Blank Pages.
The record comes after a 7-year hiatus marked by the arrival of children and the loss of old friends. But Potter never stopped writing, and he delivers an engaging album that explores his middle age. From the straight ahead rock of the album opener “Take the Stage,” to the acoustic introspection of “So Long, Old Friend,” the record moves seamlessly from fuzzy tweed amps to sweeter moments drenched in jangling acoustics.
Melody is central to Potter’s approach, as evidenced by power pop tracks like “High Flyer,” “She’s Got the Knack,” and “Lost and Found.” The album closes with two songs that find him delving deeper into the uncertainly of midlife: the expansive “Writing a New Tale,” and the anthemic “I Have Been Lost.”
Before Your Summer Fades is the fifth studio album from Blank Pages, featuring Potter on guitar and lead vocals, Jason Brown on bass and guitar, Ed McCaffrey on drums.
