Drawing primarily from British Invasion, 80s college rock and 90s Britpop, they stand as one of the most unique sounding bands making music today. Nowhere is this more evident than in their latest release, Allies and Stepping Stones. Fully matured in their sound, Allies and Stepping Stones delivers a pop punch from front man Dan Villanueva – 10 new tracks from Astropop 3 offers a range of heartfelt slow dance tugs and dark driving beats to carefree summer drives. This time out the familiar trademark Astropop 3 stamp is there but the eclectic sampling of arrangement and songwriting are the Tour De Force. Kicking off in grand pop expression, the album opener "Forget Tomorrow" explodes with a hard driving, roll the windows down winner, that brings the adrenalin level that much higher. The follow-up track "Cubicles," a deep dark Police like waltz, with wailing guitars, throws knives at the music industry – beautiful yet haunting. "Anything," the album's lead off single, is a written wonder with lasting power. The track is truly touching and inspirational with its "just don't give up" mantra. "You can do anything you want to" and you believe it. The instrumental "Spy Tek" offers a cinematic escape into an Astropop 3 thriller, complete with chase scene. "Fade On Your Own" and "Bubble Gum Break Up," featuring vocals from Angelique Everett gives the record its added charm. Her syrupy sweet voice bounces along rounding out "Allies and Stepping Stones." As things draw to a close with the "Catholic Education" era Teenage Fanclub influenced "Our Forgotten Yesterday," it's hard not to come away from Astropop 3's latest work without a sense of awe and wonder. To listen to "Allies and Stepping Stones" but once is to fall into a dream of what pop music could have been. Listen for yourself and take the first step into a new realm of musical possibilities.
