"Doesn't anyone want to sound like Tom Petty anymore?"

A common inquiry from the young midwestern songwriter Archie Powell, this question is typically met with nervous laughter, confusion, or an assertive "no". The appeal of genuine, high quality American song craft has apparently fallen by the wayside in recent years, with an emphasis instead placed upon ironic chique, chincey underground appeal, or some forced desire to innovate upon an art form that may have reached its limits of expansion and deconstruction.

If the debut release from Archie Powell & The Exports (the "Loose Change EP") is any indication, it is clear to any listener that these boys are staunch supporters of the aforementioned notion, dispensing with the bullshit and delivering the goods with a suite of smart, punchy compositions that not only present visions of the aforementioned Petty, but other like-minded elder statesmen such as Paul Westerberg and Elvis Costello. This is not an attempt to look cool or cash in on a fad, though it seems as if the world would be a nicer place to live if good songwriting were a hip craze to chase.