Album Mini-review: DM3 — West of Anywhere
File Next to: Shoes, Cheap Trick, Raspberries
If you were American and into power pop, the 1990s was a decade filled with riches. You could blissfully ignore all that dreadful hair metal and the wooly, flannel-shirted grunge scene, and instead enjoy the high-octane, hook-filled pleasures of music from Jellyfish, Redd Kross, Matthew Sweet, Michael Penn, The Posies…on and on. And though they made little commercial inroads in the USA, Australia’s DM3 caught the attention of American critics. Unashamed to claim the phrase “maximum power pop,” the group managed to place one of their tunes – the delightful “Show You” – onto the last in the celebrated Yellow Pills compilation series. But there’s so much great music in the relatively slim DM3 catalog that this best-of compilation doesn’t (and doesn’t need to) include that tune. Filled with shoulda-beens and never-weres, West of Anywhere is eighteen tracks of melodic, infectious powerpop in the grand tradition.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.