The famed musician and songwriter discusses the definition of power pop, his days with Velvet Crush, and his exciting transcontinental band, The Small Square.

Today, the Spotlight shines On singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Chastain.

Paul is one half of the duo The Small Square, with drummer, percussionist, and vocalist John Louis Richardson. He is also a songwriter for and co-founder of the group Velvet Crush and has worked with Matthew Sweet, Roger McGuinn, Susanna Hoffs, the late Tommy Keene, and many others.

Paul and John released the second record from The Small Square, Ours & Others, on Farm to Label Records in October 2023. While separated by a continent and ocean (Paul lives in Japan, John in Wisconsin), they co-produced the record and created a modern sound using modern techniques rooted in classic songwriting and musicianship in the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Big Star tradition.

Enjoy!

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from The Small Square’s album Ours & Others)

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Dig Deeper

• Purchase The Small Square’s Ours & Others from Qobuz, Bandcamp, or directly from Farm to Label Records. You can also listen to the album on your streaming platform of choice
• Follow The Small Square on Facebook and Instagram
• Velvet Crush | Trouser Press
• Hyōgo Prefecture | Japan Experience
• How Do YOU Define Power Pop?
• A beginners' guide to the heyday of power-pop, 1972–1986
• Matthew Sweet
• 'Til Tuesday | The Music Museum of New England
• Moldy Old Tapes: White Sisters - The Kind Words sessions
• The Providence Music Scene, Then and Now
• Eight Badfinger Masterpieces That Have Faded From Music Fans' Memories
• The Raspberries: the story of the band
• The History of ADAT: How Alesis changed Digital Recording
• R. Walt Vincent
• Shoes
• Five Sounds With Mitch Easter
• Paul Chastain Talks Synthesizers, Songwriting, and The Small Square’s ‘Ours & Others’

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