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 / 10Sean 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

Sexfaces

Bad Vibes OST
Slovenly (2025)

Best thing about writing reviews is finding out about new stuff that I otherwise might not have heard. Also writing reviews for bands that aren’t friends of mine is pretty cool but when I hear a band I really like, like Sex Faces, it makes me want to be friends with them, I can't help it! I’m not even halfway … Read more

Unseemlier

I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere
Sell The Heart Records (2025)

What does Unseemlier sound like? I've been mulling that question as I listen to I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere for a while now. As I listen to more and more Sell The Heart releases, The band is from Boston, but seemingly influenced by late '80s DC. It's heavy, but more with hardcore-like vocals shouted over moving, building guitars and … Read more

Personality Cult

Dilated
Dirtnap (2025)

I had a hard time starting this review. I can’t help coming back to the fact that it sounds like Marked Men. It does, maybe intentionally so, as Dilated is the second of Personality Cult’s albums that is produced by Jeff Burke of Marked Men and Radioactivity. But I don’t necessarily like to say a band sounds like another band … Read more