Review / 200 Words Or Less
Smoking Popes
Stay Down

Appeal (2008) — Sean K.

Smoking Popes – Stay Down cover artwork
Smoking Popes – Stay Down — Appeal, 2008

Can't say that I was too familiar with this band's music. But after seeing them at a recent intimate club show, I walked away convinced. A break-up of many years has done nothing to dull their songwriting chops. This record is brimming with catchy songs right from the first note. "Welcome to Janesville" kicks things off with a power pop punch, and everything after goes full tilt. By the time we get to the last song, the acoustic "First Time," I feel like I need a bottled water to pour over my head. Think if Morrissey fronted The Plimsouls and you may get a sense of what's on tap. Hopefully this release will push them out of the Midwest and into the nation's consciousness. Maybe someone in DC is a closet fan?

7.5 / 10 — Sean K. • February 11, 2009

Smoking Popes – Stay Down cover artwork
Smoking Popes – Stay Down — Appeal, 2008

Related news

Bouncing Souls Announce More Legs To Tour

Posted in Tours on June 10, 2025

Smoking Popes dates

Posted in Tours on January 4, 2025

Smoking Popes with Lovely Stuff

Posted in Records on November 26, 2024

Recently-posted album reviews

Eater

The Lost 1978 Sessions
Cleopatra (2025)

Hopefully everyone reading this already knows that Eater was one of the early British punk bands. Forming in North London in 1976, Eater was one of the youngest bands in the burgeoning UK punk scene, with the members being aged 14-17 at the band’s inception. Eater issued a series of singles and one album for The Label between 1977-1978 before … Read more

Spark of Life

Plagued by the Human Condition
New Age Records (2025)

Spark Of Life hails from LA and has been around since the early 2000s. Their debut album dropped in 2003, but it took almost two decades to drop their newest album titled Plagued by the Human Condition. This album was released through New Age Records out of southern California, and it is worth checking out. If you’re familiar with New … Read more

The Dwarves

Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows
GREEDY (2025)

Sunshine, Lollipops & Rainbows is a live studio recording from 1989, released on picture disc earlier this year on limited vinyl for Record Store Day. Given that it came shortly before the release of Blood, Guts & Pussy, it's no surprise that it's heavy on songs from that record (10 of 14, if I've counted correctly). It's more primal than … Read more