Kevin Bronson on November 7th, 2012

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Few songwriters have found so much fertile soil in the late ’80s/early ’90s as Rich Michalowski, the downtown-based artist who, in the background of day jobs as a radio promotions rep and composer for film and TV, has fashioned some of the hookiest Britpop-inspired songs we’ve heard since New Order had radio hits. His latest nom de tune is simply Rich, and the new single “Alone” was made in cahoots with Lars Stalfors (Cold War Kids, Matt & Kim, Surfer Blood, Mars Volta). Released via Opus Label, it’s a mixtape-worthy anthem that, unlike much current music that uses that era as a reference point, relies on organic instrumentation rather than electronics. Not that Rich couldn’t do that too – a couple years back, he released an electro single as Richard III. He’s also worked as the Lords, but Rich made the biggest impact locally when he fronted the band Mighty Six Ninety [see our L.A. Times missive from back in the day] and the single “Mistakes Like These” was all over Indie 103.1. Call us hopeless Anglophiles, but we could listen to this stuff all day.

||| Stream: “Alone”:

||| Download: “Alone (The Tapeaters Remix)”

||| Also: After the jump, we take you back:

||| Stream: Mighty Six Ninety, “Mistakes Like These”: