 "There's nothing complicated about Mike Shupp's approach to power pop... big hooks trump big ideas time and again... the former Big Bang Theory guitarist nevertheless has something to say, mostly concerning the ins and outs of relationships, and his lyrics tend to be as thoughtful as they are concise... Shupp's sharp pop instincts are an even bigger plus... Shupp does a lot of multi-tasking here, playing guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion while getting a big, booting assist from drummer Chris Zogby... it's like listening to a power-pop band having a good time in real time..."
— Mike Joyce
The Washington Post
January 9th, 2004
...[more]
"On Shupp's delightful third solo release "This Time," he gives the discerning music lover just what the doctor ordered - catchy melodies, tight
guitar playing, and songs with substance. A true rarity, as you out there still
hooked on radio no doubt realize... Once again Shupp has crafted a
fantastic CD full of the sounds radio should be yearning for. "This Time" should be
the perfect time for those who love great melodies and clever lyrics to
discover Mike Shupp... 4 stars"
— Scott Homewood
Paste Magazine
Issue #5, Q.3 2003
...[more]
"From the Velvet Crush-meets-Tom Petty title track to the lovely yearning of "All Over Town," Shupp, accompanied by Chris Zogby's propulsive drumming, offers a series of tightly focused, well-turned songs. For aficionados, a veritable pop feast..."
— John Micek
Big Takeover Magazine
Issue 52, Spring 2003
...[more]
"Does anyone remember when songs like Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend" conquered mainstream radio? Sadly, that seems like such a long time ago. Mike Shupp's latest disc is a power pop clinic, and another fine representation of precisely what's missing from the airwaves these days..."
— Mike Sweeney
Swizzle-Stick.com
April 15th, 2003
...[more]
"...R.E.M., Tom Petty, Wallflowers or Del Amitri fans will want to own this release.... "Forgiven," [is] a down tempo and brilliantly moody lament on forgiveness... all the songs herein are quite strong... Better said, they are real... Absolutely zero fluff... the guitar work, if you listen closely, is ingenious..."
— Tommy Mullins
Music Monthly
April, 2003
...[more]
"...Mike Shupp knows what works in guitar power pop. The short but alluring opening title track conjures up songs by BoDeans and Bash & Pop with its tight feeling while still being able to jangle at times... There's a lot of Tom Petty figuratively heard in these ten songs, particularly in the airtight Another Life, a mid-tempo melodic pop number. The quality of each track is what sets him apart from so many others... Set Me Free has to be the best track here... a very solid album..."
— Jason MacNeil
PopMatters
April 1st, 2003
...[more]
"...teeming with catchy melodies and sweet pop/rock arrangements. From the opening notes of the title track or the shimmering "All Over Town," Mike Shupp resembles a cross between Tom Petty and Michael Stipe as drummer Chris Zogby propels the music forward... Fans of the Replacements All Shook Down album should find comfort in much of the record... the album is extremely well done..."
— Jason MacNeil
All Music Guide
March, 2003
...[more]
"10 well written songs pumped full of jangly guitars, witty lyrics and steady backbeats. "She'll Come Around" and "This Time" are the two radio friendly tracks that immediately pop to mind..."
— James Richard Oliver
Ear Candy Magazine
March, 2003
...[more]
"From just outside Washington, DC Mike Shupp found some success as a member of local phenom Big Bang Theory during the early '90s. Shupp's third solo disc finds him awash with his jangly and power-pop sensibilities still intact. His sound brings to mind the likes of Matthew Sweet having been weaned on a diet of '80s music from Athens. Something of a sophisticated heartland roots-pop..."
Miles of Music
February 28th, 2003
...[more]
"I have each of D.C. area artist Mike Shupp's previous releases, but his latest disc—This Time—is far and away his best album yet..."
— Eric Sorensen
Fufkin.com
December, 2002
...[more]
"The former Big Bang Theory guitarist has just released his third solo album, This Time, and it's a killer. ...his songwriting is unpretentious and straightforward, almost transparent... hooks come easy, are unforced and populate each tune—from the title track, with its declarative power chord opening, to "Another Life," "Set Me Free" (those shimmery acoustics in the intro are something else too), "Ordinary Way" and "She'll Come Around"... Glistening guitar lines caress melodic bass signatures; ...when he sings, you listen and are transported. The ability to come across as approachable, coupled with winning songs and smart, uncluttered arrangements, makes This Time a must-have..."
— Larry O. Dean
Amplifier Magazine
Issue 34 · Jan-Feb 2003
...[more]
"...Mike Shupp delivers the goods with This Time. ...see Guadalcanal Diary, early REM, The Pixies, The Church, The Smithereens, The Bodeans... [Shupp] fits right in... This album is a professional collection of work. Do not be surprised if you end up recognizing his name down the road..."
— Laurin Wollan
Music Monthly
January, 2003
"...Marshall Crenshaw, The Plimsouls, Firetown/Spooner, The Sighs -- this album holds its own with those top flight acts. ...Shupp really engages his compositions with feeling. His guitar work is subtly terrific. Shupp's songs all share a smoldering drive that gives them a resonant appeal. Songs like "She'll Come Around" and the title track push all the right jangly pop buttons, with Shupp folding in little melodic surprises amongst the bouncy guitar riffs..."
— Mike Bennett
Fufkin.com
December 7th, 2002
...[more]
"The third and best record from Shupp, his previous two records are faves here but here is buzzing and crunchy guitars, soaring vocal harmonies and hooks in the vein of Matthew Sweet or Gin Blossoms... refrains of Spooner and Tommy Keene..."
— Bruce Brodeen
Not Lame
October 29th, 2002
Local Music
This year's top 10 releases
"...Savvy pop from a guy with great songwriting and singing chops..."
— Lou King
The Fairfax Journal
December 28th, 2001
...[more]
"...Mike
Shupp also has this delicate feel for to-the-point power pop numbers
that don't carry the word "power" for nothing.
Songs like "Keep Me Waiting", "The Key", "Right
Through Me" are played with a real edge and have hooks that
one is always happy to hear again. The last could even come
from Husker Du if the guitar were more intense. Here and
there, for example in "My Life", one can also find a
dash of the Replacements in the songs..."
— Robert Pally
Music Scene
August 2nd, 2001
...[more]
"Produced by Jeff Murphy of Shoes and featuring the sharp,
crisp guitar sound of that band, Shupp's voice sounds very similar
to Matthew Sweet and this strong batch of crunchy and sweet guitar-driven
power pop is what purists look for... A consistently enjoyable
and most recommended release!"
— Bruce Brodeen
Not Lame
January 15th, 2001
"...Produced by Jeff Murphy, this is a very fine, straight
ahead pop-rock album with some extremely catchy tunes. Great
sing-along choruses to lift the spirits, and he plays everything
himself, nearly..."
Minus Zero Records (UK)
Spring, 2001
"A song [Keep Me Waiting] that owes its soul to Tom Petty
and Cheap Trick runs the risk of sounding purely corny these days.
But Shupp, formerly of Big Bang Theory, has come up with a great
chorus and truly passionate vocal delivery. He's leading
a band that's played together for four years and it shows in the
seamless arrangement..."
— Dave Marsh
Starpolish Critic's Corner
(Rollingstone Editor, Creem Magazine Founder)
December 14th, 2000
"Three years ago, Mike Shupp released his first solo album,
a solid set of made-in-Virginia pop-rock. For its follow-up,
Shupp traveled to Illinois, where he recorded with producer Jeff
Murphy, whose Shoes helped define power-pop... Shupp wrote
the songs and played all the instruments except the drums – "The
Key" shimmers even more appealingly than its predecessor...
ringing guitars, high harmonies and heartbroken lyrics...
buoyant songs as "Head on Straight" and "Right
Through Me" compare well to the work of Shupp's models..."
— Mark Jenkins
The Washington Post
February 2nd, 2001
...[more]
"...a rocking and emotional gem, full of robust, hummable
harmonies and multitracked guitars. Right out of the box,
the album comes at the listener like a wall of rocking bliss,
with tuneful rockers like "Stranded" and "Keep
Me Waiting" mixed with more hypnotic and lush numbers like
"The Key" and "My Life"..."
— Lou King
The Fairfax Journal
February 2nd, 2001
...[more]
"...a blast of righteously rocking power pop..."
— Eric Brace
Washingtonpost.com Nightlife
January 31st, 2001
"Shupp's second album... finds him plying a very straightforward
brand of pop-rock that will appeal to fans of folks like Jim Basnight,
The Plimsouls, Tommy Keene, Spooner and other artists from the
80's who appreciated the virtues of a biting guitar part married
to an urgent melody. Produced by Shoes' Jeff Murphy, Shupp plays
everything but the drums, where he is ably backed by Chris Zogby.
The partnership with Murphy is appropriate, as a lot of Shupp's
songs have a real Heartland feel..."
— Mike Bennett
Fufkin.com
January 7th, 2001
...[more]
"Together with Chris Zogby (drums) and Jeff "The Shoes" Murphy
(production), Mike Shupp has assembled a strong set of tunes that
manages to re-create the strident post-punk alternative college
rock that eighties' last standers like R.E.M., Replacements and
Soul Asylum 'saved' us with. Which is indispensable because
nobody seems to be churning it out anymore..."
— Kevin Mathews
Power of Pop
December 22nd, 2000
...[more]
"Paul Westerberg done right! A really strong sophomore album."
Audities
November 16th, 2000
"Straight-ahead pop-rock with jangly, slightly distorted
guitars and splashy vocal harmonies. Shupp's well-crafted songs
bring to mind what Tom Petty might have sounded like coming of
age in the VH-1 era, minus the nasal voice."
— Will York
Listen.com
October, 2000
...[more]
"After 'wow-ing' over so many Not Lamers with his latest CD, "The Key", we asked Mike if copies of his previous release were still available—and low, behold. Like "The Key", Shupp provides strong vocals and the usual surfeit of catchy melodies and pop hooks. Excellent production also gives this disc a rich, full sound. Shupp's ballads and mid-tempo pop/rock tunes are recommended for fans of Freedy Johnston, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Del Amitri and the Gin Blossoms... Perfectly fashioned guitar-driven pop pleasing to a delicate touch."
— Bruce Brodeen
Not Lame
April 9th, 2001
"There's nothing better than a songwriter with a sense of melody and the intuition for a killer hook. ...On October Sun, Mike Shupp delivers both of these skills in spades along with some great guitar playing. ...Shupp's sound combines shreds of Marshall Crenshaw and John Hiatt wrapped around a rough-hewn electric core that recalls The Replacements..."
— Ed Yashinsky
Mode Magazine
Vol. 3, No. 10 · April, 1999
...[more]
"...If you liked the vocals from The Posies, you'll love the outstanding performance that Shupp puts out on this CD."
— Peter Oberth
Flick Music
January 16, 1999
...[more]
"...perfectly fashioned guitar-driven pop... The record starts with 'Letter to Annette', one of those crystal-clear, under three-minute pop gems that would have been a great record in 1965 (say around the time the Who was seeing for miles). It's a great song today." Read more ---->>
— Amazon.com
(Customer Review)
November 20, 1998
"The flame of the singer-songwriter movement continues to burn brightly! In the best melodic rock traditions of Bruce Springsteen, Paul Westerberg, Steve Forbert, Graham Parker & Freedy Johnston comes Washington DC guitarist-songwriter Mike Shupp.... heartfelt confessional writing.... deserves more attention from music lovers, wherever you may be." Read more ---->>
— (For Amplifier, forthcoming Issue)
October 28 1998
"...It's comforting to know that melodic rock and roll is still alive and kicking in the US of A... Shupp's knack with heartfelt tunes and guitar dexterity provides the listener with a pleasing ride." Read more ---->>
— BigO Power of Pop
( forthcoming issue )
October 24, 1998
"...classic power pop elements... ...Songs like 'Letter to Annette' are rooted in the pop rock tradition that suggests the Beatles, but actually begins with the early ‘70's group, Big Star..." Read more ---->>
— Mark Jenkins
Metro Connection, WAMU 88.5 FM
January 24, 1998 11:55 a.m.
"...his voice sounds like a hybrid of Elvis Costello and Matthew Sweet....
Shupp is a multi-talented musician with a lot to offer... I look forward to hearing what he comes up with next." Read more ---->>
— 181.4 Degrees from the Norm!
Issue 5, Year 3
January 15, 1998
"A good album, full of guitar riffs and catchy hooks, well-written lyrics... Smithereens/Toad the Wet Sprocket sound..." Read more ---->>
— DC Music WWWeb
Issue 12 Volume 2
November 1997
"Shupp moves easily between power pop, balladry and straight-ahead rock, molding each genre to reflect his fortes: imagery and chord structures. ... Check out this fine album..." Read more ---->>
— Olsson's Books and Records
Summer, 1997
"It works for Del Amitri, The Jayhawks, and Gin Blossoms, now it works for [Mike Shupp]. 'It' is an earthy, guitar based sound, with nice subtle harmonies that would work equally as well in a large concert hall, or on the back porch with a couple of six packs..." Read more ---->>
— IMRS
November 21, 1995
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This Time (2002) (
The Key (2000)
October Sun (1997)