Review: Atticus Roness' "Power Pop World Domination" is a tongue-in-cheek dispatch of fleeting thoughts, existentialism, and overall songwriting prowess.

Atlanta native Atticus Roness is no stranger to the grind. A fervent and feverish drive to self-sustain through the subgenre of power-pop has guided Roness to relative successes most locals dream of. Fresh off of his endeavors with the pop rock sibling duo The Corduroy Blue, “Power Pop World Domination” is a tongue-in-cheek dispatch of fleeting thoughts, existentialism, and overall songwriting prowess. Direct in his messaging, he leaves no stones unturned in this retrospective outlook on carving a path to victory in music and life.

This LP puts crunchy and warm pentatonics right in that sweet spot of the mix. In passing, you’d be led to believe this record is straight out of the peak of 70’s California rock. It begins on a brawny note, with a heavy bluesy riff and a tenacious drum set bursting only seconds behind. “I”, the first track, affirms the listener of the ferocity that Atticus chases his often-proclaimed pipe dreams with. For underdog independents like him, anything less than 150% is a disservice to the efforts to create the art in the first place.

The latest music video from Atticus Roness

Roness has a signature rasp in his vocal tone that toes the tedious tightrope of sonic legibility. It’s incredible any time you can find an artist that earns your respect from this timbre and doing so without sounding too nasal or too throaty. He seems to be in full control of his intent, and it plays out brightly across the album. No skips is rarity, but the track suit-clad power pop warrior achieves the improbable. 

While every song has its own unmistakable charm, I do have a personal favorite from this record. The track “Why” encapsulates the universal feeling of blissful ignorance. Bouncy guitar licks glide you around to the infectious lines of the first verse. I find myself repeating the line “If time is money, and I think all the time; then I’ll go broke” daily because of how well placed the melody is. There is a lot of room to show off on this record, but I think that is the blissful ignorance that Roness is speaking about. 

There’s collective exhaustion from the oversaturated pop templates. Why not remove the frills? Roness strips most modernity from “Power Pop World Domination” and lets the production, mix and master by Caleb Heiple and Christopher Alan Yates tell you that it’s new. Atticus Roness hasn’t yet taken the world by storm like the title projects. However, this LP is an epic anthem to working class musicians everywhere. The composition and storytelling are enough to make you realize that Roness can’t be denied in his effort to crush. The heart in the record is enormous, and Atticus Roness makes it look easy.