Everywhere at Once

The Plimsouls’ major-label debut shows the L.A. power poppers breaking through to the mainstream at the precise moment they were breaking up. First-time producer Jeff Eyrich gave them a more conventional rock sound, which makes Everywhere at Once a little less nervy than the band’s previous independent releases. But the album compensates with several of The Plimsouls' all-time best songs. “Shaky City,” “Oldest Story in the World," and “How Long Will It Take?” combine teenage momentum with a grownup feeling of poignancy. In this way, The Plimsouls weren't unlike a West Coast counterpart to Minneapolis’ legendary Replacements. The band broke up when frontman Peter Case realized he wanted to pursue a more acoustic-oriented solo career. Maybe because of the timing, their breakthrough hit has always had an elegiac aftertaste. Due to its inclusion on the Valley Girl soundtrack, “A Million Miles Away” became the band’s biggest song. It's also their best. It's everything a rock single should be: urgent, catchy, and nostalgic for the fleeting passions of youth.