photo courtesy of Cameron Carpenter on behalf of the Flash Bangs

Single Review of Flash Bangs: “Hide Away”

For those of you who enjoy power pop, have I got a song for you! Power pop is a style that was huge in the days of top 40 radio with its guitar-driven, hook-laden, broad-appeal style securing several spots on each week’s hit music charts. Fans might just call it rock ‘n roll without assigning it a subgenre, but a well-written and well-performed song in this subgenre, with its big, bright sound, energetic rhythms, and catchy beat, is almost impossible not to enjoy.

photo courtesy of Cameron Carpenter on behalf of the Flash Bangs

Well, with “Hide Away,” the Flash Bangs have delivered a great addition to this perpetually engaging subgenre. Launched as a side project of George Westerholm (George Westerholm And The Wild Wild Cats), James Clark (The James Clark Institute), and Sean Ryan (Mr. Miyagi), this Toronto-based trio’s 2025 debut self-titled EP opens with the single, “Hide Away.”

On “Hide Away,” the wryness of Westerholm’s vocals and the rough-edged nature of his vocals combine well with Clark’s sometimes-steady, sometimes-aggressive drumming and the nifty touches yet steadiness of Ryan’s bass work to deliver a timeless rock song that’ll bring you energy and smile every time you hear it, all the way through its final instrumental crash then fade-out. “Hide Away” also sports an old-school, throwback-style music video, which you might enjoy watching on YouTube.