Nobody told Paul Collins guitars were over. Thirty-five years into his career, the former songwriter of The Nerves re-embraces that skinny tie and white sneakers Seventies punk pop sound, and you are duty bound to fall in love with his latest album.
King Of Power Pop is precision-engineered to embed itself into your subconscious, each song a terrible psychic hookworm, with harmonies, lead breaks and key changes falling perfectly into place at the most emotionally manipulative of moments.
You’ll have the stand-out track, Losing Your Cool, on permanent repeat, like a rat wired to a sugar dispenser.
Covers of The Box Tops and The Flamin’ Groovies seal the deal.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian