David Bierman Overdrive - She Don’t Love You b/w Nope
Bierman’s original outfit Junk Monkeys hailed from Detroit, but if someone told me they were from Minneapolis I wouldn’t hesitate to believe it. A healthy dose of Replacements-esque college radio rock with a side order of Soul Asylum’s weary-but-hooky recitals. Funnily enough, they cover Outrageous Cherry on the other side, another band I’ve listened to in the past, but I had no clue they were from Detroit. I also wouldn’t have pegged them for DBO cover material, as they leaned more towards to indie-psyche-pop territory, but Bierman and crew fold the map correctly and it all fits.

The Bouncing Souls - Ten Stories High (purenoise.net)

The Van Pelt - Artisans & Merchants (spartanrecords.com)

Brokedowns - Maximum Khaki

SCREECHING WEASEL - The Awful Disclosures Of Screeching Weasel (screechingweasel.bandcamp.com)

VISTA BLUE - Stay Gold (wearevistablue.bandcamp.com)

MALEDUKADOS - "Vida Adulta" EP (maledukados.bandcamp.com)

Long Drag - Three Days Dead (Tapehead City)

Buglite - Those Days (Creep Records)

Hang Up The Phone: Snow Plow Show Songs (Radiant Radish)

School of X - Dancing In The Void (schoolofx.bandcamp.com)

Do You Have The Force? - John Savage’s Alternate History of Electronic Music ’78-’82 (Caroline True)

Kawai Sprite - Friday Night Funkin’ OST Vol. 2 (kawaisprite.bandcamp.com)

Black Midi - Calvacade (Rough Trade)

Information Society - ODDfellows (Hakatak/Negative Gain)

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult - Sleazy Action (Sleazebox)

Andrew Toy - Guardrails (atoydrummer.bandcamp.com)

Postdata - Twin Flames (Paper Bag)

Nanny - Can’t Remember, Can’t Forget (Bloated Kat/Midnight Werewolf)

His Name Is Alive - Hope Is A Candle: Home Recordings 1985-1990 (Disciples)

Balthazar - Sand (PIAS)

Antlered Auntlord - Daniel Johnston Covers (HHBTM)

Getting involved in Daniel Johnston’s legacy is a bit of tightrope act. He made some weird, lo-fi, non-palatable music. But his weirdness was sweet, the lo-fi-ness was not just sonically but emotionally raw, and the indie cred one gets from being a “regular guy” instead of a “musician” is something you just can’t buy in stores. You can admire his lyrics, you can reimagine his songwriting, but there’s just no recapturing the immediacy of his style or the essence of his work. And yet many people have tried. A lot of people actually.

Kate Davis released Strange Boy just a few weeks ago. Built To Spill released a cover album last year. The morbidly-titled The Late Great Daniel Johnston was a who’s who of indie artists paying tribute. Then you’ve got another dozen acts like Cub, Mary Lou Lord, Kepi Ghoulie, and Yo La Tengo who have covered him over the years. People, it’s been done… but he *was* really great, so stay up on the high wire if you want, I guess.

Antlered Auntlord bring their own fuzz and rattling to the table, and do indeed make a valiant effort to catch that lightning in a bottle but still make it their own. The singer carries most tunes in a semi-caterwaul fashion, melodious enough to keep the catchiness of the songs but also earnestly revealing flaws here and there. There’s not any piano or accordion (or even an acoustic guitar) to be found here, so there’s no carbon copying, either. My favorite track is the dreamier, echo-ish “Syrup Of Tears.” I don’t think I’ve heard a take on that one before. Hey look, it’s the bottom line: Is it any good? Yeah, it’s pretty good… But is it necessary?

Soccer96 - Tactics EP (Moshi Moshi)

This EP is a masterclass. “I Was Gonna Fight Fascism” takes the relentlessly rhythmic thump of post-punk, combines it with synth rock, and turns it into a deadpan anthem that serves dual purpose as a warning for all apathetic armchair antifas out there. 7 minutes of gold. “Children Will Dance” and “Buy It” are more jabs at society and capitalism, and while the beats splash around the puddles of synth freakouts a bit more here, the delivery is aloof enough to make it seem like they are on the outside stabbing in. Fascinating release.

Wolf Circus - Telephone Dreams (Rainbow Polygon)

A neat little indie pop outfit that reminds me of Barcelona, or perhaps Land Of The Loops, but with the advantage of 20 extra years of techno-pop culture at their disposal. The songs all fall under the umbrella of synthpop, and there are quite a few straight-ahead but infectious cuts like “Death of Robo-Samurai,” but Wolf Circus pulls at all sorts of strands throughout: Found-soundscapes in the 11-minute “Tangerine”, cutesy twee in “Phone Number”, and what I can only describe as jangle disco in the track “Hung Up On A Feeling.” There’s only very slight hints of newer (read as: vapor) and older (read as: 1980s) sounds here. It’s a snug fit in the middle of it all. It might be a tad long to accommodate every idea, but, I somewhat recall from my youth that sometimes parties last until past 10pm.

Pom Poko - Cheater (Bella Union)

The debut from this group out of Norway was well received in 2019, taking playful noise pop perhaps not to the next level, but definitely into an adjacent room with more lights and colors. This new one colors inside the lines a bit more, so if you’re looking for something more “out there” you might start at the beginning. That being said, taking away a lot of the swerves and detours makes Cheater *rock* a lot more than its predecessor, and I find it to be more fun, accessible, and memorable. The title track has a shooting-star arc, “Like A Lady” has a captivating delicate verse/roaring chorus dynamic, and “Andy Goes To School” is just a straight up pop stomper. If the idea of falsetto vocals ringing out earworms, guitars digging their hooks into you, and a few pleasant surprises of noise along the way appeals to you, then 2021 is already starting off well for you with this record.

Potatomen - Toytown: Outtakes & Rarities (thepotatomen.bandcamp.com)

Recently I listened to the entire Potatomen discography. Their output between 1994-1997 was enjoyable and substantial (two LPs, three EPs, and a split EP with Cub,) but my journey was not done yet. Toytown unearths demos from a nearly officially reformed band in 2001, as well as assorted compilation tracks and oddball scraps.

The 2001 demos sound a lot like what the band was doing in the 90's - writing and playing country-tinged jangle pop songs with an occasional Berkley punk edge. It seems ridiculous to imagine Morrissey growing up in the Gilman scene and making songs influenced by late 40s/early 50s country music, but not only is that an accurate depiction, it also works. Crazy, I know! “I Fell In Love” starts off like the boring part of the Enchantment Under The Sea, but then kicks up it two notches for a sweet romantic ramble. They also had the good sense to re-record some really good tracks from the earlier years - “The Beautiful and the Damned” from the Cub split, and “Ontario” from the debut single. “Toytown” and “Loneliest Boy In The World” are dreary ballads, but as they say, what’s a little rain?

As for the miscellaneous songs, “Empty Inside” is a jaunty heartbreak, with a bouncy bass line and zippy guitar lines. “Every Day Is LIke Sunday” is one of the better Smiths homage songs. The recording quality, style, and essence is definitely one you’d mistake for actually coming from the indie/underground in 1986. We are also treated to two cover songs. “Trinidad” by Brent’s TV is done with such enthusiasm you can’t help but connect the audio dots between the bands, and “Debra Jean” by the Queers is another telling example of the Potatomen’s modus operandi: a new band (at the time) making music that sounds like old bands, but not as a novelty. The Potatomen attempt to recreate those classic sounds out of reverence, and maybe that’s why even their leftovers are filled with an endearing sincerity.

Brothertiger - Paradise Lost (Satanic Panic)

One more album in the ongoing saga of the 1980s being reborn again. Modern electro-pop continues to straddle the line between the chillwave sound and the retro stylings of say… the Miami Vice theme song. John Jagos has the perfect voice for this. It’s soothing and heartfelt, but somehow has that cold disconnect that comes with this territory. At it’s best it’s transporting you to the title of the album, a secret space that you could swear was once in our collective memory. A few years ago this guy put out a Tears For Fears cover album, so I don’t doubt the veracity of his claims for 80s nostalgia. On the other end of the spectrum this at times reminds me of “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins (or “In Too Deep” by Genesis, if you prefer). Have we come back around on that, yet? I’m not convinced but I’ve let this cruise around my ears a few times anyway.

Croc Shop - Resist! (crocshop.com )

Normally projects billed as “protest music” put me on the edge of a knife. They could be powerful and timeless but just as easily they could be kinda lame and dated. Having heard a few Mick Hale projects previously, I was a bit more at ease and I think I know where he’s coming from here. That being said, I don’t think it counts as having “hit the mark” when the target is this HUGE mess we are in these days. The beats are steady, the synths push the melodies, and the vocals carry the message when the soundbytes don’t. It’s not as wild as Meat Beat Manifesto or industrial-rough as Skinny Puppy. It’s not as creepy as Cabaret Voltaire or as dancey as Nitzer Ebb. It just kinda sits there in the middle of it all. Granted, this is a complete album (as opposed to say, a very pointed single like “19” by Paul Hardcastle), but the well-executed music and the vague railing both seem to be the backdrop for each other, rather than something truly significant coming to light. Politically charged and with plenty of tools at their disposal, Croc Shop avoids a lot of the protest music pitfalls thankfully, though despite being a decent listen I don’t think it will change anyone’s mind about the government it admonishes, nor the genre of music it promotes.

Liela Moss - Who The Power (Bella Union)

Stepping aside from her duties in London rock band Duke Spirit, Moss gives us a solo outing reminiscent of the 80s 4AD era. There’s plenty of dark, moody tones here, and overall the songwriting and production maintains a good balance - you can hear the roots but you won’t mistake this for something old. Going “all in” is where Moss succeeds, as seen on the propulsive opener “Turn Your Back Around”, the anthemic pop of “Suako”, and the powerful ballad “The Individual.” She’s got the gothic chanteuse chops that can carry you through a song, but her sound emits as theatrical rather than ethereal so it’s more like you’re an outside spectator rather than becoming immersed in the dream. Still, if you’re a fan of Cocteau Twins, Lisa Gerrard, and several others of that ilk, this is more than worthy of your attention.

Maps & His Mothball Fleet - GULF (Azteca)

Harmed Brothers - Across The Waves (Fluff & Gravy)

Really enjoyable Americana indie-folk from Oregon. This one’s a keeper, if only because in addition to liking this, it reminds me of another artist that I can’t immediately think of, and I just won’t stand for that. I’m grasping at Carbon Leaf, Son Volt (or maybe Uncle Tupelo), and a few others, but not quite hitting it. The sound brings forth images of pastures and broken down fences, old barns, dusty roads, and the country home that you can’t go back to because you’re too busy adulting.

While the tone seems to want to pull you to a simpler time, the arrangements are lush and the performances are sharp. Strumming, picking, and sliding guitars wrap things up in a nice package, with a little organ and banjo as the ribbon on top. What’s more is the whole thing works for the uptempo numbers like lead single “Skyline” and “All The Same” and also for the slow floaters like “River Town” and the everything’s-going-to-be-ok ballad “Where You’re Going.” Heck, the mid-tempo “Picture Show” might be my favorite of them all. Well done.

Civic Center - The Ground Below (Chicago Research; civiccenter.bandcamp.com)

Electro-industrial jams that explore sound as art, combine man and machine, and make weird noises, I presume, because it’s fun. This is some dark, echoing, stuff that borders on sound collage. Cabaret Voltaire did this many decades ago. Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 did this with catchier pulses of synth. This is a well-executed album in terms of production and vision, but it’s evoking no real response from me, which, I’ve been told, is what all good art should do.

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud (Merge)

Katie Crutchfield’s fifth proper album and a textbook sleeper. It’s unchallenging, simple, and while consistent, there’s no standout “hit” to be found here. The easy sway of the music is pleasant but just a backdrop for Crutchfield’s vocals. Her nuances and melodic depth become more apparent upon each listen. Her dusty voice shows wisdom beyond her years, but like Dolly Parton, has a down-to-earth attractiveness that turns into timelessness. The songs fall squarely into country and Americana, but there are tinges of past decades of pop crossover (think something like “Closer To Fine” by Indigo Girls or Tuesday Night Music Club-era Sheryl Crow). I enjoy the folksy and catchy “Hell” and the equally strummy “Witches” with vocals that levitate like magic, but the slower, longer ballads have yet to wake me up. Chalk that up to my own impatience and desire to get that pick up truck rolling and delivering those flowers.

L Cars - Bad Ends (Self Released)

My long standing take on the Dead Mechanical catalog, aside from being overall extremely positive, was that even though the band was a trio, Lucas Carscadden’s voice sounded like a second guitar. It was full, abrasive, and the force he put into his vocals sounded like another layer of chords in the mix. Here we get L(ucas) on his own, recording everything himself while in quarantine. The time, place, and isolation converge into some really good, stark stuff. The noise doesn’t push the needle as much, but I don’t believe the intent was to remake music from the past, anyway.

The opening track plods along with apathy, but “Quarantine II” revs up to what old fans would most likely connect to. “Little Light” intrigues with it’s ringing guitar and layers of vocals that take on that oxymoronic sound of a scream-whisper. “The Integratron Breaks Down” is a spunky foray into lo-fi synth punk, and as a bonus made me aware of the Integratron in the first place (look it up). “At The Fences” sounds like a legit Trent Reznor demo, and “Color In No Space” goes in the opposite direction as a family affair. The floating bed of synth supports Carscadden singing, the backing vocals are supplied by his spouse, and the song describes the mysterious phenomenon their son has - synesthesia (the ability to hear a certain note and see a certain color). Bad Ends is different and sparse, but I’m kind of excited to see if L Cars keeps going in this direction even when not confined to home.

Tomemitsu - It’ll Be Alright EP (tomemitsu.bandcamp.com)

Agreeable modern bedroom indie pop from California. Bookended by doses of ambient pop, this EP highlights Tomemistu’s skills in fashioning swirling guitar around his sunset vocals. Melancholic in sound but not particularly depressing. Think post-remix era Erlend Oye and pre-remix era Stars gently mashed together.

M. Ward - Migration Stories (Anti-)

I love M. Ward’s guitar playing. Ever since I heard his take on “You Still Believe In Me” (one of my favorite tracks on Pet Sounds), I’ve been in his corner. There aren’t many modern guitarists (let alone those in the indie realm) that you would describe as a dancer on the strings, but that’s what his style amounts to. It’s not just expert plucking, Ward truly turns it into an artform, and it’s a style that my ears don’t ever get tired of.

So with this new album, my attitude of “Can’t have too much of a good thing” is my own downfall, since Ward seems to coast here in a more standard singer-songwriter fashion rather than showcasing his skills with a guitar. His songs are well-crafted, though they occasionally lean into easy-to-please territory, with hooks devolving into bah-bah-bahs and whoa-ohs. His vocals, as always, take nothing away from the process, but don’t really add anything either. We only get a tease of his best work with the opener “Rio Drone” and the intermission track “Stevens’ Snow Man.” One great thing about the album is it captures the feel of traveling under the stars and stays on point from beginning to end. From “Along The Santa Fe Trail” to “Heaven’s Nail And Hammer” you can just imagine a small group sitting around the campfire after a long day’s journey. Think “Blue Shadows On The Trail” a la Randy Newman/The Three Amigos movie. I’m still in his corner, but I don’t think I would use this album to coax you to join me.

Red Mass - A Hopeless Noise (Mothland/Label Etiquette)

Most of this album’s one sheet is dedicated to explaining the story of this concept album, and also gives us the spectacular laundry list of guest appearances found here. It doesn’t say anything about the sound, which I find interesting, though I’m not sure if that’s due to being purposefully messy or a happy accident. Most of it falls into the realm of psychedelic music, but you’re exposed to the traditional rock’n’roll stylings of King Kahn, the angular art-noise of Mike Watt, and full-throttle garage punk from Mac DeMarco and Rick Froberg (Drive Like Jehu/Hot Snakes) within the first quarter of the album.

The randomness continues with the shadowy and seductive “Devil In Disguise”, featuring Drug Train, songs that howl about intoxication, and Evan Dando asking “Where are my drugs?!”. Ok, so maybe there is a unified theme here after all. We finally end up at “Sharp,” presumably sung by the Diamond Girl herself, which starts off with a slow strum, then hits a dance rock stride, DeMarco returns, then shifts to some shredding, then slows to a crawl. It’s a wild ride for sure, and I’m not averse to that usually, but I’m not as keen on a journey that pulls you in so many different directions.

Nick Kizirnis - The Distance (ATOM Records)

This singer/songwriter has been traveling the circuit for years, and this album is a testament of what musicians like him do - namely, writing solid songs that people will like. At a random bar, probably at an indie venue, definitely at a food truck festival - this music will fit the bill for the general public. While it leans dangerously close to AOR, it thankfully can be described more as Great Americana Songbook-style music. While Kizirnis is the guiding force for the songs, he invites Kate Wakefield (of the Cincinnati-based band Lung) to sing all the vocals. Channeling the proto-country-rock of Gram Parsons and the timeless Sun-tinged pop of Roy Orbison, these songs are custom made for your enjoyment. The album features covers of Lucinda Williams and Tom Waits if that helps put a frame around things.

Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists (Joyful Noise)

That title says it all. The peg-dodging, pigeon-hole avoiding band is back with more experimental pop that constantly lulls you into moods of catchy happiness and then switcheroos you into atonal melodies and rhythm changes that trip you up. Every song is filled with cooing vocals and layers of harmonies, mixed with awkward riffs that rarely get into a groove before someone hits the brakes or changes gears. I think the true brilliance here is that the music never falls back on senseless noise. Nothing is overfuzzed, no mindless feedback, nothing falls apart. The band just uncovers odd hooks and peculiar rhythms and puts them to good use. I find it impressive from a creative and technical standpoint, and I’m envisioning a sleight-of-hand chef magician (Food Network tv producers, please get in touch with me, I have an idea). You are watching them create something delicious, like a piece of art even. And then you bite it and you’re like “How did that creme filling get in there?!?!”

2nd Grade - Hit To Hit (Double Double Whammy)

This is good old fashioned indie pop, similar to stuff you’d find on Kindercore or March Records in the late 90s. Fresh-faced and tuneful vocals (think Ben Kweller’s debut) over jangle guitars in a mid-fi production package. What’s more, the songs are saturated with ear-enticing hooks swiped from dragstrip pop of the early 60s, Chris Stamey’s “The Summer Sun” and perhaps “Here Comes Summer” by the Undertones when the band really kicks up some dust. So yeah, the feel of this album just oozes summertime.

When the band’s not tossing off nuggets like “Sunkist” and “Boys In Heat” or strolling through ballads like “Summer of Your Dreams” we get reference rock bubblegum with “Dennis Hopper In Easy Rider” and “When You Were My Sharona.” There’s a lot to unpack after this vacation, and that’s due to the album’s 24-song length. It’s definitely a fun listen, maybe just what we need right now, but watch out for that crammed suitcase springing open on its own.

Elvis Depressedly - Depressedelica (Run For Cover, elvisdepressedly.bandcamp. com)

A lo-fi duo out of Asheville, NC that mixes the old with the new. At times it has a vibe of Yo La Tengo’s mellower moments, “Float On”-era Modest Mouse, or even real-deal indietronica from the Darla Records scene (and for some reason, I feel the need to point out the album has not one, but two references to Primal Scream). However all those cool influences are filtered through modern contrivances: purposefully auto-tuned vocals, decent equipment that’s punching down to sound like cheaper gear, and oh, let’s just say a millennial affectation.

The band is most successful when the guitar enters stage left. Tracks like the jangly “Holo World” and the breezy “Can You Hear My Guitar Rotting?” have fully-realized melodies, as opposed to the “just there” synth pop attempts. Occasionally we get the best of both worlds with the fuzzy “Let’s Break Up The Band” and album closer “New Love In The Summertime”, both of which balance the scales into pleasurable indie pop.

People Years - Animalism (Chapel)

Modern indie rock from Birmingham Alabama. The band creates a good atmosphere, letting the songs breathe and flow, sounding more like a natural expanse rather than an aimless wandering. However, it’s not until the hooks of “Commonly Known” do my ears perk up. It takes a little bit of The Cure and recharges the battery, with a spritely tempo, a bed of keyboards, and cool cascading vocals. “Animal Taxxx” has a sunny glow about it, and they wrap thing up with “Fear Culture”, a song that rocks in a hypnotic way but is also bursting at the seams with pop goodness, so maybe a nod to the Velvet Underground isn’t out of the question.

Those tracks aside the album cruises along using an accomplished but standard formula. Rolling synths flutter along the path while guitars deftly weave in and out. The sprawl is impressive and the sound is altogether pleasant, but it mostly fades into the background as nondescript alt-rock music unless you focus your attention diligently. This is music that you need to sink yourself into deeply, and not just hear, but feel. Robert Smith fans would dig this.

Fearing - Shadow (Funeral Party)

Didn’t I just review this record? Seriously though, more throwback underground rock that makes me think those left-of-the-dial bands of the 80s have come full circle once again. This post-punk outfit fuzzes it up in a more shoegazey fashion, and the vocals sound more gloomy so I’m looking in Joy Division’s direction. The sound of this is quite good - they definitely deliver on the blend of scuzzed up guitars, eerie effects, and a swirl of 80s gothic rock and modern dark wave. That being said, the dismal vocals don’t really lend themselves to melody, and the overall cohesiveness of the album is it’s own downfall in terms of same-sameyness. Still, I will recommend this to you if your bedroom walls are painted black.

Exmaid - Sorcery (Bangs & Burns)

When Exmaid first hit the scene a few years ago, the idea of the former Hunchback time-keeper and Full of Fancy/Black Wine frontwoman being backed by Philly noise-punks Psychic Teens really made sense on paper. All parties involved had a penchant for making a melodic racket that fell heavily on the dark side. With Sorcery, the plans have finally come to fruition on wax. Never have Miranda’s vocals sounded so magical and dreamy, never have the guitars sounded so strong and punchy, and never have the two blended so well together.

Side A starts off with slow burner “Mary,” gently introducing the listener to floating vocals underpinned by guitars both creeping and chiming, before exploding into layers of fuzz. A barrage of hits follows - the pulsating “Moth,” the hook-laden “Lite,” and the riff-stacked “Dead” all keep the quality bar high.

Side B supplies sing-along “Moldy” and revved-up straight-ahead rocker “Prez,” some of the few tracks featuring backup vocals from Psychic Teen frontman Larry, giving the tunes a little more depth, as if you weren’t already staring into the abyss. We get a breather with some slower cuts at the end of the album, and they are certainly welcome after that ride.

There aren’t too many signposts that hit close to the mark here. It’s a unique combo that’s only done justice by listening to the previous/current bands of all members. But for the heck of it imagine if Sonic Youth went more pop, and Veruca Salt went more punk, and they all wrote songs long distance via seance. The satellites are confused, but it pleases me to say this is the best thing this band has done.

Less Miserable - Insufficient Funds (Rhodehouse)

This Calgary-based punk pop outfit harkens back to the days of singing along with sweaty friends in a dim basement. If that description doesn’t bring forth a specific sound to you, it should! If you’re wondering if the music is any good, it is! Lead singer James has a great, pained caterwaul that hangs onto that melody like you grip on a carnival ride. The tone and delivery reminds of midwest punks like Delay and Jeff Rosenstock’s work in Bomb The Music Industry. The lyrical content is par for the course - the world is going to hell in a handbasket so let’s hurry up and do this!

The playing here is unceremonious and loud but not sloppy. The drumming often gets riffy, which is a welcome treat since it’s done well, and really lends itself to the band’s erratic approach to song structure. Side A gives us the multi-movement “Horses Held”, the bouncy “Functional Embarrassment” the rage-quit of “Burn, Athabasca, Burn” the near-90s-alternative of “The Last Lonely Boy” and the Weakerthans-meets-Gainsville Fest “Sleepwalker”.

Side B offers more variety with the upstroking “Almost Fun” and the zippy, whoa-oh heavy “Soul In Progress”. “It Costs A Lot To Be This Cursed” gets questionably psychedelic and metallic, and the album ends on the anthemic affirmation of “Keep In Touch.” Every step of the way is like putting together a puzzle, where a solo comes in, or the verse/chorus/verse pattern turns on a dime, and you don’t think it fits, but then you rotate the piece and voila, it *does* go together! I’m calling it jigsaw punk and it’s a fine way to pass the time.

The Mr. T Experience - MTX FOREVER: A History of the Concept of The Mr. T Experience (Sounds Rad)

You don’t know The Mr. T Experience?! You might think I’d ridicule such a person, but no. I’d be envious. Imagine hearing those catchy pop punk songs for the first time. Picture those eyebrows raising at the discovery of Dr. Frank’s songwriting prowess. Imagine that smile growing on your face at the funny, insightful, tunes that this band has churned out over it’s multi-decade existence. If not for the fond memories and the comfort of familiarity, I’d almost not be able to contain my jealousy of someone hearing this compilation as an introduction to the band.

So this is pure pop punk - too many to mention, straight to the core 3-chord gems that’ll have the earworms pogoing inside your head. But there are also selections that play at the fringes. The horn-laden “Naomi,” the dark “Deep Deep Down,” the power pop of “Oh, Just Have Some Faith In Me” and the acoustic heartbreaker “Even Hitler Had A Girlfriend”... hmmm maybe this list has too many to mention as well. At 24 tracks, a band that released nine albums and a handful of EPs can be summarized pretty well. There isn’t a major release that isn’t represented here, and of those, the song choice I think is really on point. (Side note: I believe the songs chosen were by a team of engineers cross-indexing multiple spreadsheets of fan surveys, discography experts, and album sales).

That being said, MTX is revered for a reason. These two dozen tunes should only serve to launch (or re-launch) your love of this dumb little band.

Vista Blue - These Songs EP (wearevistablue.bandcamp.com)

Well, these reviews are being written in April of 2020, so we might as well touch upon the music inspired by these strange times. “Emmaline Is Quarantined” is a typically brilliant pop punk boy-loves-girl song, about a girl who just happens to be sheltering in place with all her cool records and movies. The slower paced “Come On, Come On” at 2.5 minutes is the longest track here, and while not my favorite of the trio, I hear a lot of the Travoltas in the chorus, which pleases me greatly, and I hope that trend continues. “These Songs” rounds things out with more catchy isolation rock, and in addition to being a sweet bite of sugar punk, we get a cool keyboard solo too. This band just keeps stockpiling ‘em up.

Bradford Reed - What’s Good For The Goose Is Good (Youngbloods)

Avant-jazz is a tough pill to swallow. Extended sequences try your patience, overblown instruments pierce your ears, and the directionless approach leave you wondering what the heck is going on. Bradford Reed’s new album isn’t a spoonful of sugar, but it does go down a bit easier thanks to relative brevity, pleasant tones, and an atmosphere that doesn’t have you worrying about getting from point a to b. This is space-age free form stuff, so there’s no direction needed, you inherently know you’re just going to float around for a while.

The album starts off with a mood-setting piece and the title track, but it’s “Waves of Wind through Tops of Trees” that first boosts the listener off the ground. Instruments (what I presume are saxophone and guitar, though they may be modified/synthetic versions of such) weave and swirl aimlessly, nevertheless carrying you above the canopy. “A View with No Rooms” pushes us even more forcefully, with the keys being struck urgently and more chaotically as the song progresses. It builds until we get a near full sound, including some rare percussion, though it sounds more like tapping a secret code on the water pipes instead a steady beat.

There’s more oddball movie score-ness to be found, but sprinkled in is the weird interplay of “One Forward, Two Back Out”, the chopsticks-esque exercise of “Birds of Pairs of Dice”, and the spry surprises of “Magnetoreception.” All throughout one may wonder not just why Reed chooses to create this music, but also how. The sound is organic is some instances, and at other times otherworldly. What happened? Did we go anywhere? What was the point? I have to remind myself that we don’t always have an end result. Welcome to experimental music, where the experiment IS the purpose.

Redd Kross - Beyond The Door (Merge)

Alexander Noice - NOICE (Orenda)

Other Americans - Other Americans EP (https://music.apple.com/us/album/other-americans-ep)

Mikey Erg - Waxbuilt Castles (Don Giovanni)

The span of time between the dissolution of The Ergs to Mikey’s debut solo album can hardly be called a hiatus. He logged time in so many other bands as a studio player and tour workhorse that even before 2016’s Tentative Decisions, he was never that far from the stage. That album wasn’t a comeback per se but it was a hurdle. It was an artistic vision finally completed. It was getting those fresh (albeit Gin Blossoms/Lemonheads-inspired) songs out there. With that under his belt, Mikey was primed to do something even more brave.

Waxbuilt Castles is not a loud, fast record. It’s not really a sing-along record. Hype on the street is it’s a 70s pop/rock record, followed by a bunch of name dropping, the most unavoidable of which is Elvis Costello (but think more “Alison” than “Pump It Up”). Some other bands get tossed about (when Mikey Erg is concerned, the list of influences may as well be infinite), but to these ears there’s a lot of AM Gold here. Emitt Rhodes, Gram Parsons, and Harry Nilsson no doubt have some shelf space in Mikey’s abode. The long-player has its flourishes, but for the most part it’s a singer-songwriter affair with Mikey’s vocals at the forefront. Which begs the question, is Mikey a good singer? That question has rattled around in my brain for some time now. Are we talking all-time? Are we talking just within the punk realm? How are we weighing the elements of his tunefulness and his power? Well, let’s see what he does correct: He writes within his range. There are many pop punkers out there with good intentions when they write certain melodies, but you can realllllly hear them stretching for some notes. Mikey succeeds within his limits because he does yet more things right by initiating a good cadence, expressing unforced emotion when the moment calls for it, and he keeps his lyrics and phrasing on a simple, tight leash. He may yet prove to be the Rod Carew of modern punk songwriters.

Back to the bravery: The record starts off with “Kimberly Gofigure,” one of the slowest, longest songs on the album. Yeah it’s got some cool pedal steel in there, but he’s making sure you know right away this is a different ballgame. Following that we’ve got typical, brilliant hits with “Bad Decision Monday” and “Clueless or Cruel,” upbeat songs that will motivate some toes to tap and hearts to ache. Later on the soft but majestic title track flows into the lead single “Hopland Superette,” and “Why Was I Programmed To Feel Pain?,” which would fit right in with his previous album, though I’m glad it’s here. There are a few trying moments along the way, like the unnecessary detour of the 8-minute “City Lettings” but by the time we get to the closer of “Somewhere Drinking, Drinking Somewhere”, I’m having visions of Mikey playing The Fest sitting at a piano and it’s making me well up a bit.

Dude has been putting on the miles and this release exemplifies that fully. If you’ve come with Mikey Erg this far, don’t jump off yet. He’s still in the driver’s seat but there’s a new view out the window.

The Lucky Eejits - Out Of Time (Wiretap/ByPolar)

GRLwood - I Sold My Soul To The Devil When I Was 12 (SonaBlast Records)

If you weren’t aware that this queercore scream pop duo from Louisville, Kentucky is about to take the world by storm, look to the horizon. It’s coming. The topics throughout are the real talk/socially progressive issues of the current year (sex, identity, family dysfunction), and there’s a passion that cuts deep with every line. The anguished, just this side of deadpan vocals levitate around steady, tuneful guitar lines, and bursts of noise erupt in a forceful way but never detach from the melody. Imagine the gloomy surf of La Luz mixed with a more spunky Devi McCallion (Girls Ritual, Cats Millionaire), culminating in a Carrie-at-the-prom like fashion. The singer Rej has a smoky howl as well as a delightful coo, conjuring thoughts of an SST-era Kim Gordon/Sonic Youth.

The brisk “I Hate My Mom” is a teenage punk anthem smash. The haunting “Time” and cautionary “Take Your Clothes Off” are indicative of the build-build-build-RELEASE method of the entire album. That being said, the songwriting isn’t formulaic, since sometimes the slow build explodes at the end, other times it flares up in the middle, and there are plenty of tracks like “Donald”, “Fuck Me Up”, and “No Tongue” that don’t even bother with the tension; they rev from the get-go and detonate in the choruses. The album ends with a peppy surf instro called “Gay 4 U” and the pastoral, I’ll-be-back-again of “I’m Not Afraid Of You”. Your radar definitely needs to track this band.

Weird Skin - Weird Skin (Future Ghost)

Having followed Azeem Sajid from his time in the Steinways, House Boat, and Skinny Genes, there’s nothing surprising here from his new NYC outfit. It sounds like his patented fast-paced, lovesick, catchy af tunage all shoved into songs hovering around 1 or 2 minutes. He’s got the perfect voice for this genre - It’s got the sugar without being sweet, the snottiness without sounding immature, and the sensitive-guy pitch without being whiny. You might think for the sake of brevity the guitar action would be abandoned, but nope, they squeeze in a whole bunch of zippy riffs and mini-solos. This is vacuum packed pop punk! Highlights include the aching “Out Of My Orbit”, the aggressive “Big Sigh”, the frenzied and multi-vocal arranged “Extra Noise”, and the possibly Mean Jeans-inspired, oldiescore “2 Weird 4 Luv.” I’d describe this debut as predictable, but I’ve been closely monitoring the natural progression of pure/Lookout/Mutant Pop/Insub punk for the last three decades. This 20-minute album is right in my comfortable, carpet-worn wheelhouse.

Cherubs - Immaculada High (Relapse)

Long defunct Texas outfit Cherubs are back with some noise. It sounds like the old, abrasive, pummeling, static shock of yesteryear, once brought to our ears from bands like the Butthole Surfers, Melvins, and Jesus Lizard. Altogether nothing outstanding but if you’re into noise rock, they hit all the marks: rumbling rhythm section, feedback heavy, alternating between short, fast songs to lose your shit to and slow burners to get lost in. Where Cherubs stand out from the herd is with Kevin Whitley’s vocals. Instead of a guttural growl or a stoner rock groan, he has a melodic, druggy wail that interplays nicely with all the fuzz. Noise-for-noise’s sake isn’t my favorite take on punk but if it’s your bag this is probably a solid investment.

Summer Cannibals - Can’t Tell Me No (Tiny Engines)

After some DIY releases and a stint on Kill Rock Stars, Portland’s Summer Cannibals take another step on their journey with Can’t Tell Me No. That title is entirely appropriate, as the album’s lyrical content, overall attitude, and sheer existence is one of independence, defiance, and a refutation of industry manipulation (they scrapped an entire record and made this new one in their home studio).

A lot of this is in the Veruca Salt/Charly Bliss/Daddy Issues ballpark, perhaps mixed with that certain indie punk sound that you hear often in the northwest. Carefully constructed, and sometimes powerful axe work matches up well with the sneer and bite of Jessica Boudreaux’s vocals, but there’s also some dreamy harmonies over the top, lifting this out of the pedestrian girls-with-guitars basin. The album starts with some energetic numbers, including the stuttering title track manifesto, but it’s not until the escalating, fuzzed-out-but-angelic “Behave” kicks in that things get interesting. The swirling “Innocent Man”, the quick and dirty “Staring At The Sun”, and the ear hooking “Start Breaking” chalk up more tallies in the hit column, and by the time we get to the Phil Spector-beat “Into Gold” we are distinctly leaning into win territory. I won’t presume to know what this band’s destination is, but I’d like to think with this record they are heading in the right direction.

Electric Youth - Memory Emotion (Watts Arcade/Last Gang)

What a dreamy, understated album this is. Austin Garrick lays down a foundation of 80s vibes, ranging from the ethereal (think early 4AD) to future-urban landscapes (think Blade Runner and Tron). Bronwyn Griffin’s ultra-gentle vocals are as beautiful as they come, but the texture is really electronic, as if they were funneled through a synthesizer with knobs and faders that control temperature and emotion.

Although quite rich in sound, this synthpop holds a similar ambiance and barely approaches mid-tempo throughout. When something glows in the dark you focus on that, because that light invitingly contrasts with the dimness. Memory Emotion is all glow though, which in turn makes everything blend into itself and fade into the background. If you’re looking for something to merely play in the back of your mind, here ya go.

Eli Raybon - Supertoys (eliraybon.bandcamp.com)

The future is now! That phrase sounds so fresh and captivating, but since the future also sounds like 80’s synth pop, it’s more familiar than fascinating to anyone that grew up with Depeche Mode. Eli Raybon’s take on future funk is almost too literal. This is a sci-fi album filled with androids, battery brains, and the moon. It’s also filled with disco beats, keyboard frills, and other staples of the vaporwave offshoot. Electronic despair and dance, together again for the first time.

The album has a great sound - warm, full-sounding layers of synths and sampled beats and all sorts of catchy keyboard squiggling that tease around the melodies. For the most part you’ve got electro-dance pop as solid ground, but occasionally a shake-up occurs in the form of a ballad (“Star Child”) or a true get-on-the-floor number like “Saturday Nights In Space.”

Nothing on Supertoys is off-putting, but Raybon’s vocals are consistently plaintive. Very little vocal manipulation here, he’s got a good natural voice. He seems to stay within a programmed range though, if you know what I mean. The release is a concept album, which is fine, but wow does it hit you over the head with that theme. There’s not a couplet that goes by that doesn’t mention binary trees or electronic brains or computers or outer space. The songs are a tad long for my tastes, but thankfully he’s got a lot of ideas crammed in there, and overall the sound is pleasant. I give this record 3 luminous balls of gas out of 5 luminous balls of gas, held together by their own gravity with nuclear fusion reactions at their core.

The Parlotones - China (OK! Good Records)

Imperial Teen - Now We Are Timeless (Merge)

This four-piece came out of San Francisco in the 90's, doing enough little things to set them apart from the pack. Dual male/female vocals wasn’t extremely rare, but it leaned away from the typical frontman/woman alterna-rock star trope of the time. Injecting pure pop into indie rock was fairly novel, and further still, they seemed to write songs that were playful like the former and off-kilter like the latter (See “You’re One” off the first album and “Yoo Hoo” off the second). Your toe is tapping and you might even mindlessly sing along, but your brain is left scrambling to nail down their essence. Of course you could always just give in and be like “Choruses don’t usually sound like that, but ok.” Now they are back and the sugar has largely been replaced by synths. I can’t say it sounds particularly innovative here in 2019, but at this point I’ve lost track of who’s following who when it comes to cycling through music trends.

The opener “I Think That’s Everything” sounds like a more lush BMX Bandits, and is perhaps one jangle guitar short of the C-86 inspired sound. The chant-laden “We Do What We Do Best” and the driving “Parade” are fine detours, and peppy numbers like “Ha” and “The Girl” let you know the band can still roll out their stylized hits without reinventing the wheel. If you’re an old fan this is an easy walk down memory lane. If you’re new to the group be prepared to navigate a fun game of square peg + round hole.

Wood Chickens (Big Neck; https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/ album/wood-chickens-well-done)

A cuckoo’s nest of punk on broth-colored wax that doesn’t dance up and down the scales enough to be rockabilly, and doesn’t yee-haw enough to be considered country fried. There’s some surf in there, but not enough to get you anywhere near a beach. It DOES freak out in a psychedelic way and blast you with noise that hovers around all those fringes. It’s a mad jumble of Demented Are Go, Meat Puppets on speed, and maybe the Dead Milkmen but somehow it all works. I don’t really know whether to scream or slap my knee or laugh but it’s an enjoyable listen.

There are a couple of tracks that get carried away with some wank, and the whole shebang loses itself in a spiral of psyche-obilly and takes the listener out of the moment. Luckily those forays are rare and overall the sound rips - short, weird stomps that will rattle your brain and your barn.

Dumb Vision - Modern Things (Big Neck)

S’more cool punk in the form of 80s California hardcore mixed with no-nonsense midwest stuff. There’s an enthralling urgency amongst these 12 tracks. The guitar lines have a rapid siren feel to them, bringing on a sense of paranoia. The drums rattle along in an almost-coming-off-the-rails fashion. The vocals are good but unfortunately a tiny bit buried in the mix. Things work best when the back-ups/gang vocals come in and match the power of the music. And if you’re wondering if the song content compliments the sound may I present the song titles “Shadows”, “Negative”, and “Couldn’t Sleep”. For fans of the Adolescents or their east coast offspring Psyched To Die. The band is from Wisconsin so maybe there’s some ground in between.

White Savage/Football - Split LP (Big Neck)

From the ashes of Baseball Furies, Tyrades, and a million other bands, White Savage play some wacked out post-punk complete with angular riffs, well-layered static and fuzz, and vocals that reach beyond the standard fare but not quite stepping into the zolo/asylum realm. All songs nudge past three, four, and almost five minutes long, which usually leaves me skeptical of any band pushing a “manic” sound, but there’s a whole lot of pounding and rhythm changes to make it work. When the shouted choruses come back around to anchor the song I’m sold.

Football are mining a similar part of the rock mountain, but play it with a more simple swagger. Without any curve balls though, these songs seem longer (even though they actually clock in shorter by at least a minute). “Hit By Flying Glass” is a riot though. I don’t want to be the one to recommend this band keep heading in the brutal physical punishment direction, but sometimes you have to sacrifice for the art, man!

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Mick Hale - Hale Haus (store.cdbaby.com/cd/mickhale)

The directions and distance that techno has gone in the last dozen years has been admirable. Any time a genre can branch out to spaces not yet explored is awe inducing. Of course, it’s not always the cuppa tea for people who cut their teeth on trance, house, big beat and the like from TWO dozen years ago, but one can still respect it.

For those that want electronic music with hooks (that have been missing from glitch), multiple layers (that you can’t find in most bedroom chillwave), and hard hitting beats (that have been missing from everything… and yes, I’m now done yelling at the digital cloud), I give you the Hale Haus EP from DJ Mick Hale.

“On Life” brings in a bulbous thump, vocals from Larae, and just keeps piling on the blankets of synth until you are totally buried. “Call Me Up” gives Larae even more opportunity to open up, going for a more verse/chorus/verse structure. It’s got the standard house music quickness to it though, complete with head-snapping stabs that will get a club in sync.

“Lemme Finish” catches the ear by starting off with some tribal drumming, reappearing at intervals - though riding that beat for the duration would’ve been cool. “Movin’ On” sinks into a deep groove and heavy beat and really nails that classic piano loop. Overall a nice throwback release that happily reminds me early Moby, Electronic, and 808 State.

Am I Dead Yet? - Am I Dead Yet? (Wire-Sound)

When a high caliber collab from Noko (Apollo 440) and Mary Byker (Pop Will Eat Itself) drops it should turn more than a few heads. Here’s what you need to know: Mary Byker’s emotive, imitable Britpop vocals are in full effect. The tempo of every song falls somewhere between a crawl and Sunday stroll, but Byker carries the melodies incredibly well, knowing when to wrench and when to keep it smooth.

Noko/Apollo 440 has been racking up soundtrack/score credits for decades now. The fact that his music has landed on the sets of The Sopranos and the Lost In Space reboot film, and that he once dared to remix the legendary Ennio Morricone gives you a good idea of what the music here is. A seamless blend of orchestral movements and electronic waves lay the foundation, while atmospheric soundscapes breeze in and out and guitar hooks squeeze in when the door is left open. Epic ballads like “Joe Meek Shall Inherit The Earth” work just as well as more “modern” tracks like “Futuristic Paranoia.”

It’s pretty weird, and cool, to listen to an album that gives you thoughts of watching neon maglev trains pull out of the station, and then turning your head and watching the tumbleweed go by.

Dreamers - Launch Fly Land (Hollywood Records)

Hey it’s 2019 and feel-good dance rock is still alive and kicking! The formula is pretty much what you’d expect - cruise-along verses with sunshine choruses. Clap your hands and sing along! There’s a medium-thick production sheen here, with a teensy bit of pitch correction and a tasteful amount of what I suspect are triggered drums. So yeah, my earnest vs artificial scales are way off balance here, but… are the songs any good?

Yeah, they are pretty good. If you feel like adulting is making you dizzy, they have a song called “Dizzy.” If you like to party, they have a song called “Celebrate.” If you can’t sleep, their best song here is “Insomniac.” If you feel like you want to listen to more music like Franz Ferdinand or LCD Soundsystem or say, a band that would open up for the Gorillaz then they have seven other tracks on this release (and yes, they DID open for the Gorillaz!). Full disclosure: This album is something that I sarcastically praise today, but I am only dipping my toes in for fear of genuinely enjoying it after these earworms tunnel in. If you want to actually be in a beer commercial where everyone looks like they are having a super good time, just dive right in right now.

Mary Lattimore & Mac McCaughan - New Rain Duets (Three Lobed Recordings)

This release distinctly falls within the experimental genre. Sprouting from ground broken by Brian Eno and John Cage, the pair here give us EXACTLY what they aim for. Duets with an aura of clouds, fog, mists, sprinkles, sheets, and storms. Lattimore plays a pedal-fixed and loop-enhanced harp, McCaughan handles the synthesizers. It’s entirely made with strings and keys, but you can just hear the “plinks” and the “drops” right now, can’t you? You can feel the motion, the rhythm that seems to be there, naturally, only to have it shift in another direction. If you ever listened to Sonic Seasonings by Wendy Carlos and thought, “Yes, well what else is there?” look no further. Leave your umbrella at home.

Unknown Instructors - Unwilling To Explain (Org Music)

The established improvisational punk supergroup is back! Mike Watt and George Hurley (Minutemen/fIREHOSE) provide the rhythm section, J Mascis (Dino Jr.) layers in the guitars, and Dan McGuire performs the poetry. Watt noodles out some cool bass lines, Mascis makes his guitar talk, stutter, and croon, and that might be enough for some. If you’re into on-the-fly jazz rock you’ll be hard pressed to find better indie star power. But the linchpin here is McGuire. Sometimes it’s just a straightforward spit of words (think Steven Jesse Bernstein), other times it’s a spooky delivery (like Tom Waits on “What’s He Building In There?”). Yet more times, and more often thankfully, he’s doing his own thing - using his voice like an instrument itself, echoing himself, experimenting with the flow of the music and the words. A niche release from icons hanging out in a punk basement, but, over there in some weird corner away from everyone else.

Dear Boy - Strawberry EP (Easy Hell)

This Los Angeles outfit has all the landmarks of a band playing it safe. The guitars are warm and fuzzy, the vocals are emotive and unthreatening. The song structures are verse-chorus-verse and follows the recipe to the letter. I can’t really distinguish this from any number of other bands that have popped up over the years trying to expand their base by watering down their sound. That all being the case - I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - There’s nothing wrong with going that route, IF THE SONGS ARE GOOD. A band can sit securely within the boundaries of “typical” and still be worth a listen, if the songs are well written and well played. We get that here with the lead single “Semester” - a catchy, easy-going melody that matches perfectly to Dear Boy’s manicured, soothing pop/rock sound. “Limelight” follows the same formula but picks up the speed a bit, and “Something Good” does it again but slows it down and brings out the acoustics. Reminds me a bit of the soft power pop ballads from Braden Blake or maybe Ken Stringfellow. The EP peters out a bit at the end (I can only take so many four-minute straightforward pop songs) but still, one should get the idea by now. Nothing new to see here, but some decent stuff to hear.

Motherhood - Dear Bongo (Forward Music)

Now here’s some fun, bratty, cacophony. And not the kind that cycles through the same chord progressions and touts “Hey NBD we’re just having a lark anyway.” This is full of twists and turns and creativity and singalong vocals.

The ingredients are your basic guitar/bass/drum set up, but this is still all over the map: poppy, swampy, rocky, rolly, dreamy, grimey… and so on. “Way Down” starts off like a regular, catchy bit of semi-angular indie rock, and then gets, for lack of a better term, groovy. Then it revs up into some soul revue action before exploding into joyous noise. “Costanza” has what I can only describe as a bouncy dirge style going for it, while the instrumental “Sweet Kid” goes in a cosmic surf direction. It seems like I’m just randomly name dropping a whole lot of genres into a barrel, but it somehow works here. Maybe it’s because they are from Jersey, but I can totally see this band carrying on the “weird punk” torch that Hunchback once held.

Swimming Bell - Wild Sight (Adventure Club)

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Katie Schottland has here what the industry (Gasp! Is Jersey Beat part of the industry?!) would call an impressive debut album. This descriptor comes to mind for a very specific reason though. Yes, her voice is great. It’s strong but supple, with the ability to layer harmonies up to the heavens. Yes, the song craft is great. It’s patient, full of flourishes, and completely envelops the listener with it’s pleasantness. Sometimes I wonder about solo artists recording under a different name/persona but I think Swimming Bell really hits the mark here.

Yet what really struck me on the first listen is the flow of the album. It’s cohesive vision was a relavatory journey. It starts off as straightforward singer-songwriter/indie Americana/Lilith Fair folk stuff, with only tinges of hints of what is to come. But as the songs progress, it gets more and more floaty, airy, and spacey. Voices turn angelic and twirls of synth become more prominent. “Cold Clean Moon” has you looking up, “Wolf” howls in that direction too, and “Left Hand Path” might as well have been sung in a vacuum with only twinkling stars as back-up. “Love Liked You” crescendos like a sunrise seen from space and “Quietly Calling” fades out like any good album like this should, in our ever expanding universe.

Skinny Girl Diet - Ideal Woman (Fiasco/Happy Happy Birthday To Me)

Stripped down to a guitar + drums two-piece, London’s Skinny Girl Diet offer up a fuzzy slab of modern punk. Ursula Holliday bashes out heavy thuds while her sister Delilah Holliday makes her guitar growl out grunge riffs and matches her voice accordingly. It’s well executed and you can tell there’s a distinct vision being realized here.

The duo makes its mark by simultaneously being bare bones, but not simplistic. Yes, you can draw a direct line back to early 90's L7 and Hole, but whereas those bands wrote songs straight forward to your face, there is a much more… mobile, writhing, thing going on here. Songs like the title track and “Starfucker” have a sultry and sly feel to them, weaving through verses and choruses, while presenting power that belies the fact that it’s just two people. Again the enigm This stuff keeps you on your toes, but you’d better brace yourself too.

The flipside is filled with a lot of slow/fast, quiet/loud dynamics, which brings this back down to a rather “average” tried-and-true formula, but the songs are still good. “Golden” brings in some dark, dreamy echo effects that sound cool and “Warrior Queens” kicks it up a notch to deliver on the great, and accurate, song title. The band already has been getting nods across the pond (from Iggy Pop no less). I suspect their trajectory will keep moving up so get on board now, eh?

Science Man - Science Man (Swimming Faith; scienceman.bandcamp.com/)

Talk about barreling out of the gates! The lead track, “Dark Matter”, from the self-titled release from Buffalo, NY’s Science Man doesn’t even rev up, it just straight-vertical drops into your eardrums. Pummeling rock’n’roll that sounds like The Hives and Mclusky fighting for the steering wheel. And while Science Man takes only the obvious tropes from the garage punk and post-noise genres, it’s mashed together in a frenzied fine fashion - nothing is blown out, the guitar parts are interesting but very rarely wanky, and the slow(er) burners are few and far between and sequenced perfectly.

If you’re into “Yeeeoooww”-style rawk but are looking for something a little more gritty and potent, look into Science Man. Yes, this genre is oversaturated with dudes presenting a “Look how dangerous we are” attitude almost to the point of losing meaning, but Science Man seems to deliver.

Kleenex Girl Wonder - Vana Mundi (kgw.me/album/vana-mundi)

NYC via Chicago musician Kleenex Girl Wonder (aka Graham Smith) is still pumping out albums. His heavily pop-slanted take on indie rock has been occasionally been cited as a nod to early Guided By Voices, and while he hasn’t been as prolific as Bob Pollard, (really, what band has?) he’s still built up quite a catalog over the past two decades. Which brings me to the good news of the present: This album is as good a place as any to start.

KGW’s sound has always been lo-fi, either by necessity or choice. Somehow he makes his electric guitars sound soft, and even when layers of instruments come in it sounds full and satisfying, but never bloated. Occasionally he replaces real percussion with a drum machine, lest one start to forget his bedroom pop roots. But what really makes KGW, and what makes this LP a welcome addition to the shelf, is the songwriting. Smith’s springy, tumbling melodies just seem to fall out of the speakers so effortlessly. He writes a solid hook, but then puts that hook on a zipline, taking you through each verse and chorus smoothly and quickly before you can really soak in your surroundings. It makes your ears happily flip like your stomach does on a carnival ride. His lyrics follow the same aesthetic. His ability to turn a phrase and craft short, multisyllabic rhymes approaches hip-hop level writing, and yet it’s funneled into good ol’ fashioned indie pop.

Kleenex Girl Wonder has never really launched into super stardom, but with his most recent release being just as good as the earlier stuff that put him on the map, he’s giving us ample opportunities to notice. Good on him.

PEDRO THE LION - Phoenix (Polyvinyl)

Touted as the return of Pedro The Lion, this album packs the 1-2 punch of tugging on the musical nostalgia strings while the songs themselves drag you through stories of growing pains, lost loves, and can-you-ever-truly-go-home-again? feelings. Prepare yourself.

The record comes out of the gate strong with a pair of uptempo numbers, “Yellow Bike” and “Clean Up.” Solid, catchy tracks that will find their way onto plenty of playlists this year. David Bazan’s vocals sound really strong here, stronger than the wistful tones of the earlier albums, but thankfully the warmth is still there. Things wind down until we get to “Circle K,” which if not for sounding so clean and feeling more like a gentle sway than true slowcore, would fit well alongside the PTL work of the late 90s. “Quietest Friend” builds on that foundation and really lets the noise loose. “My Phoenix” has some power underneath the hood as well. There is an inkling and a temptation to lump this in with heartland indie rock alongside My Morning Jacket and Built To Spill, but these songs relentlessly swirl around Bazan’s southwest stomping grounds in Arizona. There’s just too much open desert here.

The original incarnation of the band had a revolving door cast, so the album eschews all the clichés of reunion, return to form, and rebirth. And yet, those familiar vocals and that solid songwriting should have fans welcoming Phoenix with open arms. Don’t call it a comeback, call it a homecoming.

LISA MARR With The Tranzmitors -
In The Summer & Magic 8 Ball b/w Pretty Pictures & Salvation
(lisamarrwiththetranzmitors.bandcamp.com)

Two titans of punk pop join forces to create an all-killer EP. Lisa Marr (of Cub fame) and the almighty Tranzmitors collaborate to produce four cuts, labor-of-love style from start to finish. It’s one of those things that sounds really good on paper, but how does it sound on vinyl?

No need to doubt - this is excellent. They start with a Fastbacks cover. That perfect combo of sugary punk and speedy pop that very few bands “get.” The Fastbacks were one of them, and Lisa and company are paying a ridiculously on point tribute. I don’t care that it’s January, “In The Summer” will be in constant rotation.

Also on the A-side is a reworking of the classic cub track “Magic 8 Ball.” It doesn’t improve upon the original, but asking for that would be asking for the impossible. They do however, turn it into a sweet duet, and the happy-go-lucky melody and playful tone is completely intact. On the flipside “Pretty Pictures” also gets a remake. The original was jangly and wistful, this one is a lot more sharp and has 60s pop undercurrent (I’m thinking the Archies but maybe I’ve let the Betti-Cola aesthetic seep into my brain too much). Comparatively it’s hard to beat out the tunes I adored in my formative years, but I love how they were purposefully made to be *different*, not just a regular rehash.

Finally we get a brand new song called “Salvation.” Catchy, mid-tempo pop that has the sweet hooks of old school Marr projects with a more fleshed out sound and songwriting of new school Marr work. This is the best of both worlds! Old fans can not not get this. If you’re not a fan (yet), you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. All profits go to benefit the Vancouver Rock Camp for Girls.

Red Black Red - Resettlement (redblackredmusic.bandcamp.com/)

Now this is a piece of loose, electronic art. So many new acts these days claim improvisation and real-time creativity, and yet what comes through the speakers is precise and calculated, with nary a beat out of place. On the other end of the spectrum is Red Black Red, the latest venture from stalwart New Jersey musician Enrico Fernando.

Resettlement first and foremost, is an electronic pop-rock album. It’s got clear, weighty vocals, songs that tell a story, and guitars that add layers with understated riffs. It’s not abstract techno or IDM or glitch. And yet the beats stutter and twitch, stabs of electronics punctuate at odd times, and the tempos for all parts rarely match up. I can’t say I’ve heard much like it. He composed most of this album on a laptop while commuting on a subway, and honestly that little tidbit of info goes a long way to help me wrap my ears around this.

Inaccessibility aside, the album provides some noise worth listening to. Enrico’s vocals on “The Scientist” reel the listener in, while the deep grind and just-this-side-of-trash-can-lids percussion spits you back out. “Debris” is probably the closest we get to a majestic heartland rock tune. There are beats and melodic bleeps and bloops just under the surface, but it’s still got that anthemic feel and there’s even a guitar solo. “Black Pearl” mines similar territory, but going all-in on all angles makes it seem like he recorded two different version of the song and boldly sandwiched them together.

My conclusion becomes a warning, or maybe a challenge. Resettlement will defy preconceived notions, and might give your stereo’s equalizers a run for their money. I can’t say you’ll be handsomely rewarded for your efforts, but either way Red Black Red is going to make you work for it.

Gift Wrap - Losing Count (Captured Tracks)

Bendon Avalos from the Brooklyn punk trio B Boys decided to take a venture of his own into the world of post-pop solo recording, using the name Gift Wrap and setting up shop in his apartment. All the classic elements are here - disaffected vocals, parts where you can’t tell if it’s a synth or a guitar, straightfoward staccato bass, and your average garage sale drum machine percussion. Standard building blocks can still make something worth listening to though, if you’re writing good songs.

Things get interesting when the layers of noise pile up on “Change My Mind.” The album was supposedly a loose, experimental work, but hopefully he was paying attention to the knob-twiddle settings on that one because it sounds great. “Mirage” leans heavily into the electro-pop past, and the track is truly an album highlight, but we’ve been through more than one generation of this already. It brings to mind Ladytron circa 2001 more than OMD circa 1981.

Production is spot-on for what Gift Wrap is going for, and there are snippets of brilliance, like the changing gears on “Comatose” and the good sense to cover Egyptian Lover. But, in the end Losing Count is still only a fascimile of a copy of the original - a third wave rather than something creating fresh ripples. I think a very telling detail is that a video was made in conjunction with this release. It looks like a bad-copy VHS, to add to the old school asthetic. However, it wasn’t recorded with an old camera, it was recorded with a new iPhone, and they just made it look like VHS with some technical editing. I think that says it all.

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Sam Davison & Precincts - Professionals (samdavison.bandcamp.com)

When listening to outsider music I sometimes think I need to turn my perspective upside-down. This is some grating, challenging, and just plain weird shit. The first two tracks, filled with attempted singing and vacuum chugging have me questioning the boundaries of independent art. But I have to remind myself, “Yeah, maybe that’s the entire goal here.” The sound is super-stripped down, and while this music might be dubbed “experimental” it seems like everything that was put in is supposed to be there. No happy accidents, just some people purposefully being wacked.

As the album continues though, the tide turns from grating to interesting, from challenging to creative, and from weird to… well, still weird, but in a way I can appreciate. The spastic-beatnik “Apo Y Betun” is like space age bachelor pad music going off the rails. “We Are Professionals” is a great 100 second punk manifesto, and “I Want More, I Want Less” makes me think this guy spent a lot of time in his bedroom, alone, listening to Devo and Ween records.

“I Could Say I Was There” is a spoken-word ramble over an echo-y drone, and would appeal to anyone into storytelling and/or possibly dream interpretation. Professionals is chock-full of ideas, all over the place, and demands your attention. Sometimes it might not elicit positive reactions, but I think Davison knows that, too - see the closer, “I’m Sorry About Everything.”

Meat Beat Manifesto – Impossible Star (Flexidisc)

Full disclosure: I haven't listened to Meat Beat Manifesto since Subliminal Sandwich. At the time, their edgy electro-industrial racket, complete with Jack Dangers' snarls and sci-fi soundclips, hit the spot for a young Mark, but since then I've moved on to less sinister sounds. The group might have as well, since what I've known in the past sounds very little like Impossible Star.

The title is an appropriate one too, since this album lets the manic mechanics of the 90s fade away in favor of something more cosmic. The washes of synth are dreamy, the drum beats are hollow (in that good, spacey way), and the rest of the beeps and bloops bounce along untethered. There are glimpses of the original fire here and there, like when the obscure sound bites pop up, the vocoder effects drop in, and what sounds like a giger counter becomes part of the instrumentation. Overall it's an unsurprising affair, the songs sound exactly like their titles dictate. See: "Unique Boutique", "Lurker", and "Synthesizer Teste".

I don't find it particularly exciting, but perhaps this is truly what evolution feels like. We've got robots making music for robots, which in some ways is a really accurate way to describe this. But is it any good? I couldn't tell you any more than a Keurig machine could explain what love is.

Gary Numan - Savage (Songs From A Broken World) (BMG)

Electronic rock icon Gary Numan is one of the pillars of the genre. The music hasn't changed much at all, but he doesn't need to since he's the one that invented the sound in the first place. And since the 80s are back, the man that once brought us tracks like "Cars" and "Telekon" rightfully reigns again. Savage is classic Numan - cold, deep, hook-laden synths with Numan's pained vocals and a bleak outlook on life. The lead single "My Name Is Ruin" says it all. The future is already here and it don't look good. Sounds great though.

Trans Am - California Hotel (Thrill Jockey)

Trans Am are geniuses. Musical artists have mashed genres before, but usually it's music that goes together like PB&J anyway (disco and rap, etc.). Trans Am are the only outfit that I know of that successfully blend post-rock and synth pop. Snappy, delectable drums mix with keyboard riffs and vocoder vocals. Mathy, almost proggy guitar escapades, the likes of which are usually seen on their longtime label Thrill Jockey, get funneled through a digital wormhole until it becomes a jazz-hacker-nerd-punk hybrid. And if that last sentence turned you on instead of off, keep the switch flipped and rock this album out, because it rules.

Beck - Colors (Capitol)

Beck's oeuvre has bounced around for so long, you can't really sum it up without resorting to the reinvented rhetoric and chamleon cliches. His last album was "one of the serious ones" and this new album is "one of the party ones." Enough said. Morning Phase sounded absolutely pristine and deservedly won the Grammy for Best Engieneered Album. Perhaps Beck took pride in that, because Colors, with all it's slacker raps, handclaps, and oddball instrumentation, sounds great. He's always had an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink aesthetic, but now that sink is polished clean and a luxurious studio is capturing the sound. The ten track album has plenty of highlights, hooks, and even a few throwback moments that nod to earlier works. Basically, if you're a long time fan, get on this.

Esmark - Mara I/Mara II (Bureau B)

Brockmann/Bargmann - Licht (Bureau B)

Eberhard Kranemann & Harold Grosskopf - Krautwerk (Bureau B)

Moebius Story Leidecker - Familiar (Bureau B)

Coordinates met in time and space, producing what could only be captured in this exact moment. The fact that Moebius passed away a few short years after this was recorded only adds to it’s poignancy.

KMFDM - Hell Yeah (earMUSIC)

This German institution is now closing in on two dozen albums, spread out over a 33-year career. Their metal-techno hyrbid eventually fell comfortably into the industrial rock realm sometime early on, and while rock critics like it when bands turn corners, I think it's equally impressive that the band has barely changed its formula at all. Fad chasers get trampled by bands like these. Those pounding electronic drums energize with every beat, and those exact, mechanical guitars push songs ever forward. The vocals from Andy Selway don't carry the melodies that much (the sultry sounding Lucia Cifarelli is a bit more successful), and that makes perfect sense. I would expect everything here to sound like automated cyberpunk, even if it came from a human. What really binds this all together are the synths, filling in every available corner with hooks, trills, waves, stabs, and all manner of rapid electro-noise. Despite the classic KMFDM sound, one won't mistake Hell Yeah for something old. The group is too on point when it comes to ranting about the ills of modern society for that to happen. The uproarious "Freak Flag", the grimey "Fake News", and the foul-mouthed "Rx For The Dammned" make it clear this is a 2017 release. And if you've built up enough frenzied anger and are itching to riot, the album offers not one, but two completely-lose-your-shit anthems in "Total State Machine" and "Glam, Glitz, Guts, & Gore". It might not solve life's problems, but cranking up the stereo, turning on the strobe light, and raging to a chous of "THE GOVERNMENT HATES YOU!" has got to provide some kind of cathartic release.

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Culture Wars - Culture Wars EP (culturewars.bandcamp.com)

One good thing about this self-titled self-release is that while the music is a blend of electro pop and bleacher-stomping rock, neither genre is sacrificed for the other. The synth lines are prominent, the beats are solid and dancable, and the guitars get their licks in too. "Bones" throws it all against the wall, rewarding listeners with a "whoa-oh-oh" chorus that will have the kids involuntarily chanting and putting their hands over their heads. It's a winning move, but they pull the same manuever with "Hideaway" leaving one wondering if they ran out of ideas on a 5-song EP. The last of the cuts, "Money (Gimme Gimme)" puts all their tricks into overdrive. The vocals are snarly, the guitar hook is classic rawk, and the beat is heavy and throbbing. It seems like the band has all their ducks in a row if they want to sell a sporty sedan or open for Twenty One Pilots. I'm walking over to another pond.

Tiny Magnetic Pets - Deluxe Debris (Happy Robots)

The mixture of precise, set-my-clock-to-it rhythms mixes surprisingly well with the warm synth underpinnings, and the soft, lovely vocals of Paula Gilmer add another layer as well. The authenticty of sound is undeniable. It's the inexplicable feeling while you're soaking it in - that notion of "Yeah, they got it right."

If the music is the gold star on Deluxe Debris, then the sequencing is the one demerit. The opener "I Lost My Guiding Light" is ho-hum, and while I think the epic motorik-meets-dream pop "Semaphore" is a standout track, at 11 minutes long you're asking for a lot of patience right off the bat. "Radio On", featuring ex-Kraftwerk member Wolgang Flur, is the hit we're all looking for, and it's followed by some choice cuts in the form of the bubbling "All Tomorrow's Yesterdays" and the dreamy, floaty, "Cloud Sequence." Unfortunately, sandwiched inbetween is "Here Comes The Noise", a track the band thought was so nice, they played it twice (in two parts, or two different remixes - regardless, it's too much). "Never Alone" caps off the album, a nice tune that goes down smooth now that the appetite has been thoroughly whetted.

The band mixes together influences like Jean-Michel Jarre, Berlin-era Bowie, and the Pet Shop Boys. They've also gained fans like Michael Rother of Neu! and Andy McClusky of OMD. Freaking Kraftwerk veteran Wolfgang Flur guests on the album! That's a lot of names to drop in my audio book, and this chapter sounds pretty good.

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Faust – Fresh Air (Bureau B)

One barely raises an eyebrow these days when they hear “70’s krautrock staple Faust have a new album out.” So many bands reform and continue to create these days, it’s hardly anything novel. These German “art-errorists” being as they are, however, never make it that simple. Fresh Air was recorded in the US over the course of their 2016 tour. So not only do we get new material, we also get live takes, guest stars, and field recordings.
The opening epic, recorded live at WFMU in Jersey City, is where you’ll get your classic Faust fill. The title track’s slow, haunting, undulating sounds draw you in, while vocals and voices juuust under the mix have your ears peering into that eerie darkness. Violin from Ysanne Spevack adds to the layers, while the drums and guitar sneak in so gradually before you know the track is already pummeling you with noise.

The middle section of the album takes you through Austin and Los Angeles, where a warped array of vignettes and fully-realized songs are ushered along with the help of the illustrious Barbara Manning. The best of the bunch is “La Poulie”, a tumbling, cranky motortik-on-overdrive tune with Jurgen Engler of Die Krupps lending a hand.

Finally, we close out with another 10+ minute opus back at WFMU, filled with Jean-Herve Peron’s tuneful ranting and ethereal jamming reminiscent of Dead Can Dance. There’s some really interesting stuff going on with this release, and I’d suggest that it’s as good as place as any to start if you want to know what Faust is all about. That being said, only those looking for a challenge to begin with need apply.

DER PLAN – Unkapitulierbar (Bureau B)

One of the pioneering acts of the Neue Deutsche Well (New German Wave) is back! Yes, the line-up has fluctuated over the years, and yes what was once their trademark experimental industrial/synth pop barely registers on the strange-o-meter these days, but nevertheless the band turns in a very solid effort. After 35+ years (with some lengthy hiatuses) of music making, Der Plan’s Moritz R has a bag overflowing with tricks, and he uses all of them to great effect. Plinky beats, pulsating bass lines, and synth hooks permeate most tracks, with a healthy dose of sound waves, vocoder effects, and an intriguing production that I can only describe as minimalist flair.

While top-notch execution is respected, and strong songwriting is always welcome, two more facets of Unkapitulierbar push the record toward the recommended pile: diversity and brevity. There are moments that sound fairly modern – the near-glitchy opener “Wie der wind weht,” and some that are yeesh-evoking 80s pap – the whispery “wowowow” of “Grundrecht” in particular. There’s one song sung in English (and it’s great, with a guest female vocalist), and there’s a tune that reminds me of Welsh-pop act Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. “Der Herbst” is an obvious homage to Fun Boy Three’s “The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum.” There’s even a reggae song. Yes, reggae through a German synth pop filter. Not kidding. It’s quite impressive how much they cram into 39 minutes. The longest song here is four minutes long. By comparison, four minutes is the length of the shortest song on Kraftwerk’s Autobhan record. Each song has a job to do, and once the task is complete, the clock is punched. No wasted space, no bloated drone-fests. German efficiency saves the day!

NRVS LVRS – Electric Dread (Hz Castle/Big Bldg)

Coming in at three songs shorter, but 13 minutes longer than Der Plan’s album, this darkwave disc takes a while longer to sink into. Every song unfolds at a slow pace, but that’s not to say each one is without surprises. There’s a 1980s soundtrack vibe throughout, but tracks vary between Bowie-lite male singing and echo-y female vocals, gloomy city-scapes and majestic climaxes, and the oddball inclusion of various instruments. You’ll hear skronky sax in “I Am Almost Perfectly Awake”, impenetrable mic effects in “Voyeurs!”, and Casio-esque handclaps on “Lost To The Max.” The unraveling of the record is so slow-motion, the rumbling bass, back beat, and shouting of “Rich Man” is like a bolt from the (dark) blue.

There’s great production here, their vision is clear, and the band knows their way around a pair of headphones – the sound is quite immersive. As I toured through Electric Dread I enjoyed the experience, but any distinct memories have since faded in the rear view. The bottom line is they have a big, shadowy, urban playground that does absolutely nothing, other than provide you with a place to get lost in.

Ohmslice – Conduit (Imaginator)

Post-weird, no wave, improv-fusion outsider pop? I know, at first pass I too almost turned my head away in confusion and/or disgust. “Oh great, another attempt at being… creative.” On subsequent listens, I’m acknowledging they succeeding in this endeavor, and almost ready to admit that they nearly made it accessible, too.

The blending of electronic and organic sounds is seamless, and when they can’t get the sound they want from an instrument, they invent a new one (see also Bradford Reed’s electric board zither and his work with King Missile). Deep, syncopated rhythms entrance the listener, while the layers of creepy guitar and horns will have you checking under the bed. The fact that these recording sessions were live and spontaneous means the rotating cast of players (featuring session workers who’ve spent time with Blue Man Group, Yo La Tengo, and Swans, among others) were probably kept on their toes too. All the sounds being filtered through a modular synth is what gels this into a cohesive sound, so no matter what path you take, all roads lead to Reed’s palace of bizarre.

The final element in Conduit is Jane LeCroy’s poetry. Her words are occasionally beat, sometimes dreamy, and always adding to the notion that this is music made by and for those outside the typical musical boundaries. Ohmslice is not everyone’s cup of tea, but just coming up with this new and different flavor at all is a remarkable accomplishment.