Spinning Jennies - Pop 'n Serve (1996, Cool Buzz); Starstruck (1998, Cool Buzz); Peer Pressure (2000, Vast)

It would be misleading to say the Spinning Jennies were innovative, but they did one thing and did it incredibly well. Hailing from the much coveted auspices of San Francisco, CA, this power trio (in the truest sense of the term) doled out four consistent albums in their mid-90s to early-'00s lifespan, brimming with delectable power pop. Think the Posies with an extra dollop of aggression, and you'll have a pretty good handle on the band's straight-up, but effective panache.

The hooks were colossal, and they loomed larger and larger on each successive album, culminating in their finest and final outing, 2002's Stratosphere (available from Power Pop Criminals). The albums included in this post are their first free. There was an ep, Bloom that preceded their debut, Pop 'n Serve, but it's long gone, and furthermore, I don't have a copy. Jennies prime-mover Jeff Shelton formed a "spin"-off band, The Well Wishers, who's most recent album is Jigsaw Days (already on their fourth LP)! The apple didn't fall too far from the tree. At any rate, dig in to these discs.

Pop 'n Serve

01. Creature

02. Snocone

03. Come Alive

04. This Idea

05. All Good Things

06. Generation

07. Power Trip

08. On and One

09. Paperback Writer

10. Beautiful Lie

 

Starstruck

01. Melody Comes

02. All I Know

03. Meet You Halfway

04. Missed the Point

05. Perfect Girl

06. Waking Up

07. This Life

08. Going Gone

09. Girl of the 90's Builds a Bridge to the 21st Century

10. Everything Under the Sun

11. untitled

 

Peer Pressure

01. Tea & Apathy

02. Notice Me

03. Peer Pressure

04. Broken Line

05. Rockstar SF

06. Compromised

07. One Hit Wonder

08. Sunshine State

09. Miracle

10. Mindbender

11. How It Feels

12. Time to Shine

 

Pop 'n Serve: Hear

Starstruck: Hear

Peer Pressure: now available thru Bandcamp, bundled with the Jennies Stratosphere album!