Raspberries
Remembered today primarily as the springboard for Eric Carmen’s successful solo career and for their 1972 hit “Go All the Way,” the Raspberries were primary architects of the American power pop sound. The sound of those opening guitar chords on their debut album echoed through countless power pop releases of the ensuing decade, even though the rest of that album went off on a variety of stylistic tangents: “Come Around and See Me,” for example, is a clear homage to middle-period Beatles, while “Rock & Roll Mama” is more bluesy and groove-based and “Waiting” is a sentimental love ballad featuring syrupy strings. “Get It Moving” is straight-up boogie rock, and “With You in My Life” uses a brass band that Ray Davies would have killed for. “Go All the Way” is the only song here that had a lasting impact – but that impact is still being felt.
