Started by Berkeley alum Chris Chu and friends as The Morning Benders, POP ETC is a sunny songwriting machine that encapsulates its title with their recent fourth record, Souvenir, out January 29 via Rough Trade. โI Wanted to Change the World but the World Changed Meโ is a standout example of the bandโs combination of smart honesty and ability to turn any theme upbeat. If anything, their steadfast formula of sparkly keys and bouncy guitar riffs tires after a while, and the recordโs left standing on lyrical pillars such as this song and โYour Heart is a Weapon.โ โBeating My Head Against the Wallโ boasts a moodier accompaniment, with a guitar ostinato that almost resembles the one in Katy Perryโs 2013 hit โDark Horse,โ distant whoops like Pharrellโs in controversial chart-topper โBlurred Lines,โ and cymbal-happy drumming a la Larry Mullen, Jr. Meanwhile, lead single โRunning in Circlesโ follows a throwback trajectory with a New Wave vibe. While thereโs nothing terribly stellar on Souvenir, thereโs nothing out of place on it either — like their contemporaries in Strange Talk and RAC, POP ETC have perfected the art of synthpop. Theyโll be in town March 28 at SFโs Social Hall with BANNERS and The Moth and The Flame. Until then, hereโs the video for โRunning in Circles,โ which features the Chinese sport of wushu: Article by Joanna Jiang Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Δ