THE DIVISION MEN – Hymns and Fiery Dances (divisionmen.bandcamp.com)
The core of The Division Men is the husband and wife team of J. Spencer Portillo (vocals/acoustic guitar) and Caroline Rippy Portillo (vocals/bass). Originally from Texas, the couple formed the band while living in Berlin. Now back in El Paso, Texas, they record with a plethora of guest performers. On “Hymns and Fiery Dances,” they’ve included a veritable who’s who of indie music, including Rafael Gayol (Leonard Cohen), Roch G. Nelson (Afghan Whigs, Twilight Singers), Jay Reynolds (Asleep at the Wheel), Fredo Otiz (Beastie Boys, Los Lobos), Dana Colley (Morphine), Barb Hunter (Afghan Whigs, Pigface), and more. The album features seven tracks ranging from vaguely Eastern European folk to Latin music to country and western. The songs are very orchestral and cinematic in feel, with lush arrangements that feature a string section. “Cemetery Girl” opens the album with a dark driving song that has the vague Eastern European sound. It’s quite unique, with no band I’m aware of playing this sort of sound. The arrangement is filled out with a glockenspiel, as well as the more traditional guitar, bass, and drums. The song is quite creative, when during a break in the music some rapid breaths keep the rhythm flowing. I like the dusty sound of “San Saba,” sounding like something from a spaghetti western, including that deep bass sound. “The Undertow” has a distinct Central American folk sound, while the album’s title comes from the lyrics of the sensuous “Dead Moon.” “Lenora” is a western ballad that closes the album with a melancholy sound. It’s slow and sad, with deep reverb, a harmonica sobbing, a lush dreamy arrangement, and a solemn waltz time rhythm. “Hymns and Fiery Dances” is an album both romantic and mysterious.
DONELLA DRIVE – Axon (donelladrive.bandcamp.com)
Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Donella Drive calls themselves a band that blends alternative metal, post hardcore, and progressive rock. To my ears it’s a mixed bag. I hear elements of metal and post-hardcore, as well as funk and math rock, but I don’t hear much in the way of progressive rock. For example, the opening track, “My Name is Axon,” is an airy instrumental, with plenty of ambience and experimentalism. But after this short intro, “Simian Transmission” is a blast of chaotic noise that resolves into a solid post-hardcore track. It’s hard and pounding stuff, edgy in a Quicksand or Refused sort of way, but with metallic tinges. We get “Mindless Embryonic,” which transforms from atmospheric to metallic funk to mathy metal and finally to a metal song with punk-like gang vocals. There’s even more funk and metal in “Terlingua,” while “Stir the Echoes” starts out as doom metal, with a very Black Sabbath riff, then turns into a Latin-inspired funk rock track, transforms into a hard rock track, then returns to a doom metal note for the ending. There’s space rock here, too; “External Gazer” is an instrumental for when you’ve launched yourself into the deep dark depths of the cosmos. “The Past Inside the Present” is another funky track, with metallic heaviness abounding but it transforms into jazz rock, complete with saxophone. And the band goes full-on hair metal with “Death Animation.” The band is musically proficient, with tight arrangements, but they come across as more of a jam band, and it’s just not the sort of genre I’m into.
MAPLE MARS – 25th Anniversary Double Single (Big Stir Records, www.bigstirrecords.com)
Celebrating their 25th year as a band, LA’s Maple Mars give us a new two-song single, featuring “Couldn't Have Been a Better Time” and “Tidal Wave.” The former is a bouncy jangly power pop tune with British Invasion influences, while the latter is a darker tune that channels 60s psych and progressive rock sounds. Both demonstrate why Maple Mars have reached their silver anniversary: they’re tight and write some good songs. Of this pair, the winner in my ears is the A-side, with its bright retro sound. If you’re a fan of power pop and retro psych sounds, you should be listening to Maple Mars.
CLAIRE MORALES – Lost in the Desert (clairemorales.bandcamp.com)
Lost in the Desert can refer to a feeling, both musically and emotionally. The ten songs vary widely, expressing a range of emotions through tonal and dynamic changes, representing the change and turmoil in our lives. “Road Dogs” opens the album with the sole upbeat track of the record. It’s poppy exciting tune, with Morales’ big alto vocals reminding me of pop punk singer Miski Dee Rodriguez of City Mouse. It’s brash and bold, with a lush arrangement filled with glissando-laden piano, guitars, bass, and drums. It’s the only track that doesn’t have that lonely feeling of being lost in the desert. But as soon as that ends, the tone changes dramatically. “YVB” is a slow, dark song, with a sound of isolation in a vast open expanse. A violin occasionally screeches, as if a bird of prey is circling overhead. The feeling of desolation is palpable, as the music swells, and Morales’ vocals sometimes tremble tentatively, sometimes yell out plaintively. The title track is a song that embodies the themes of the album within the song, morphing between laid-back rocker and solemn pensive spiritual. Morales’ singing belts out through it all in defiance. One of my favorite tracks of the album is “Angels in the Ether,” an epic track that begins tentatively, then resolves into a throbbing hypnotic song. The bass provides a gong-like sound, as the guitars and synths pulse and swirl. There’s a mysterious quaver in Morales’ vocals, adding to the supernatural sound. And I love “Low,” a slow tune that showcases the huge range and emotional qualities in Morales’ vocals, the way she glides between notes mimicking the sliding and bending of notes in the guitars. “Lost in the Desert” is a dramatic and varied record with a lot of feelings, from sadness to frustration, from elation to devastation.
ODD ROBOT – "Buddy" (oddrobot.bandcamp.com)
Southern California’s Odd Robot last released music nearly two years ago, with their album, “Deathmates.” They had some leftover unused tracks from the recording sessions, and have decided to release a few as one-off singles. “Buddy” is the first of these, and it’s a gentle ballad played in 12/8 time, so it sounds both like it’s a waltz and that it’s played in straight time. I love the dreaminess in the clear lead guitar tone, the melancholy feel, and the trumpet used in the arrangement (and no, it’s not ska!). Odd Robot play pop punk in the same vein as bands like The Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio, and vocalist Andy Burris croons with the best of them. It’s a lovely song, and I’m glad it’s getting out and not just collecting dust in some recording vault.
THE PLANET SMASHERS – On the Dance Floor (Stomp Records, stomprecords.com)
Montreal ska-punk legends, The Planet Smashers, return with their tenth LP, their first since before the COVID pandemic. The band’s been around since 1993, and were among the prominent third wave bands back in the 1990s, performing all over the world. This new record features a baker’s dozen high-energy tracks that will be sure to, well, get you on the dance floor. I like how the band sometimes blends in old school rock and roll, like the guitar licks and backing vocals used on “Wasted Tomorrows,” the song that opens the LP. They give the song, which features a blend of two-tone and ska punk, a hint of 50s retro. Back in the 50s, UFOs and alien encounters were a big thing, and the band has that covered, too, with the song, “Alien,” a jumping track about wanting to be an alien, so you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. It’s really more about the freedom and means to do whatever you want, rather than being tied down to a job or place, rather than being a little green person from outer space. And the band aren’t afraid to get political, as they do on the track, “Police Brutality.” The song injects some jazz with great sax and trombone solos, and it features guest singer Neville Staple. I think this may be one of my favorites of the album. Many of the songs are impossibly bright, as ska punk usually is. “Bags of Cash” is one of the brightest of them all, with a great fresh fun sound. After twelve vigorous lively ska punk tracks, The Planet Smashers close the album with “Easy Like I Do,” a two-tone track, with a more relaxed beat, closer to reggae than ska. It’s a nice chill way to end. If you’re a fan of ska punk, check out one of the best of the third wave.
THE PROBLEM WITH KIDS TODAY – Take It! (Shed Records, theproblemwithkidstoday.bandcamp.com)
This New Haven, Connecticut trio (Tate Brooks – vocals and guitar, Silas Lourenco-Lang – bass, and Reena Yu – drums) have been releasing music for the past few years, and after trying the big studio recording and professionally managed tour experience, they decided it was time to go the DIY route. Recording this latest LP in their backyard shed and releasing it on their own Shed Records imprint, the band lived and breathed the DIY ethic. The resulting LP is fifteen songs of garage, power pop, and roots punk sounds, channeling groups such as The Ramones, Dead Boys, The Jam, and more. There’s plenty of pop melody, but also plenty of loud brashness and snot. The songs are up-tempo, with rapid-fire guitar licks, sure to get you moving. An early stand-out track is the manic “Feelin’ Alright.” The title is perfect, because that’s what it does to you: makes you feel alright. It’s a simple song, but, and here’s the simple old trope, it’s high energy garage punk, and the chorus is something everyone can and should sing along to. Another fun one is “Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star,” which, besides being about the cartoon characters, sounds like a raw Replacements. And the title track is classic garage, with a more loping pace, sparse lyrics, a simple melody, and nice gritty jangly guitars. I really like “I Dunno,” in which they clean up the guitar tone a bit, making them sound a lot janglier. The song is solid garage power pop. But I think it’s the more punk-leaning tracks that are my favorites. “The Stranger” and “Secret-Keeper” have the sound of early Southern California hardcore heroes, Channel 3. And “Nothing to Say” reminds me of some of punk coming out of the UK in the early 80s. Wow, fifteen tracks and not a stinker in the bunch. Recommended!
ADRIAN SHERWOOD – The Collapse of Everything (adriansherwood.bandcamp.com; On-U Sound)
Adrian Sherwood is a prolific British record producer, who has specialized in remixes and dub, particularly with a reggae bent. He’s worked with such musical luminaries as Depeche Mode, Coldcut, The Woodentops, Primal Scream, Pop Will Eat Itself, and Skinny Puppy. But it was his work with Tackhead that first brought him to my attention back in the late 1980s. Tackhead were a much harder and edgier outfit than most of what Sherwood worked on, falling into the industrial category of music. Sherwood was credited as the “mixologist” of the band, meaning his took the recorded tracks and manipulated and mixed them to create the band’s unique sound. Tackhead were strongly associated with the record label Sherwood founded, On-U Sound, and he worked with a number of the label’s artists, providing his mixing and producing talents. Like Lee “Scratch” Perry and Mark Stewart. Sherwood also was the co-founder of Dub Syndicate, a well-known band in the dub genre. And Sherwood has also released a large number of albums under his own name, of which “The Collapse of Everything” is just the latest. It’s an album of instrumental mixes with a cool chill sound. The title track sets the tone for the album, with its relaxed flowing feel, the deep reggae-inspired bass, the myriad keyboards, and the gorgeous fluttering flutes. If this is collapse, bring it on. I’m vibing on the Middle Eastern slant in “Dub Inspecter,” and I love “Battles Without Honour and Humanity,” a funeral dirge of a track with moments that are veritably orchestral. You can hear the slow march to death the title represents, the destruction of lives, the ending of humanity. By contrast, “Spaghetti Best Western” has a deep dusty twang to it, music for a lazy hot high noon at your local budget hotel. And “Hiroshima Dub Match” is one of the edgier tracks on the album, with a pounding plodding sound filled with evil clangs, explosive punches of rhythm, and an eerie howling wind. Occasionally you hear the representation of screams. If’ you’re into dub and chill instrumentals, check out this new record from the master.
RICHARD TURGEON – Shungite (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Following up last year’s “Life of the Party” LP, also on Kool Kat Musik, Richard Turgeon returns with “Shungite.” It’s another album full of Turgeon’s mix of power pop, classic rock, and alternative rock. Like that last LP, this has the feel of 80s rock mixed with modern indie. Once again, this LP is primarily a DIY affair, with Turgeon not only writing all the songs and acting as frontman, he plays nearly everything on the album, joined on a few tracks by bassists Ron Guensche and Eric Salk. And Tommy Carmine plays keyboards on one track. Turgeon also recorded, mixed, and mastered the whole LP, so this is truly his vision and voice. The album starts out strongly with the title track, a raucous tune about a rare carbon-rich mineral that new age crystal adherents think offers healing properties, water purification, protection from electromagnetic forces, and other benefits. It’s a hard driving track that leans into the indie rock side of things, and except for an unnecessary guitar solo it’s a solid one – maybe my favorite of the LP. Turgeon experiments with some other genres on this LP. We get grunge in “Small Fry,” and “This Is the Last Song (I Write for You)” has a distinct 90s pop punk sound. “I Won’t Cry” has a mix of African folk and 80s new wave sounds, making it quite unique. “All Good Things Must Come to an End” is one of the tracks that sounds too much like classic rock for my tastes. Plus, despite the title, the opportunity to track this as the final song was missed. The honor of being the closing track goes to “Hit My Ceiling,” and it ends the LP on a weak note, sounding too much like a folk rock tune. Like “Life of the Party,” “Shungite” offers a mixed bag of tunes, but I think that delving into some new genres has served him well.
WILD WILD WETS – Time Mutations (fuzzcoffeeroasters.com)
San Diego’s Wild Wild Wets has been known for their trance-inducing psychedelic rock music for the past decade and a half or so (with a short hiatus somewhere along the way). The rotating cast of musicians has always featured Mike Turi, and on this latest LP he’s joined by drummer Dave Mead, bassist Albert Sanchez, and Rocket From the Crypt member Jason Crane on congas, trumpet, and percussion. The music is hypnotic, throbbing stuff, with bits of dub and tribal rhythms in places. It’s been labeled as “tripped out indie party music,” and that’s as apt a description as any. Think On-U Sound sort of music, then charge it with an extra dose of energy and dose it with acid. The songs are drenched in reverb, and studio manipulations abound. Highlights include “Time On My Mind,” which opens the LP with frenzied mesmerizing beats on the conga, thick guitar jabs, and Latin-inspired guitar solos. The minimalist riffs of “Sunshine Sue,” combined with the enthralling flutelike keyboards, and mixed with ethnic percussion samples yields a wonderfully chill flowing atmosphere. The combination of experimental noise and reggae dub on the too-short “When Your Ghost Becomes an Island” is amazing. The penultimate track is an outlier, different from the rest. Eschewing the party-psych of the rest of the album, “On the Moon” is a sensuous ballad with a cinematic quality that sounds like it was pulled from an old spy thriller, making it a cool unique track. This is a cool, out of the ordinary record.
DEAD FORMAT – Forget What I Said (Say-10 Records, www.say-10.com)
Hailing from Say-10’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia, Dead Format play a mix of 90's melodic punk and aggressive pop-punk. In some ways, the mix of poppiness and aggression reminds me of Pears, though Dead Format doesn’t quite reach the powerful grind of Pears, and is maybe a little poppier. Dead Format definitely use more “whoa-ohs” in their songs. Some songs lean further into the 90's skate punk sound, like the opener, “Daybreak,” which has an ironically dark tone to it. It’s got big heavy riffs in the bass and guitars, mixed with a lighter melody in the vocals, providing an interesting contrast. “I Had Fun Once, It Was Awful” is another solid track, with big broad riffs, gang vocals, and a speedy poppy feel. Shark in the Pool” is a great mix of aggressive skate punk, gritty post hardcore, and poppy punk, making it one of my favorites of the album. And I like “Pendulum” for its Descendents-like pop sensibilities mixed with fiery instrumentals. While this record features ten tracks, it qualifies as a mini-LP or EP, clocking in at under 20 minutes. That’s way too short for how good this is.
EASTERN BLEEDS – Lake Huron (Ashtray Monument; easternbleeds.bandcamp.com)
Eastern Bleeds is a new band from Los Angeles, and
Lake Huron is their debut full-length LP. Their general sound is big and broad alternative rock, with expansive sounds. Sometimes songs have hints of grunge, other times they tend toward the dreamier end of the spectrum. The band features veterans of the 90s “college rock” scene, including Bill Kielty (vocals), Bob Penn (drums), Joe Rivera (guitar), and Trent Steinbrugge (bass), so the band sounds seasoned and tight. The songs on this LP began as a simple collaboration between Penn and Rivera, sending each other demo recordings of song ideas over a three-year period. Eventually, they recruited Kielty and Steinbrugge, and what was once considered a side project became a full-fledged band. They claim influences from Sunny Day Real Estate, Twilight Singers, and Hot Snakes, who were all notable 90s indie bands. I can definitely see the comparison with Sunny Day Real Estate. Eastern Bleeds play songs with the same sort of deliberate pace and pensive quality, but Eastern Bleeds has arrangements that are somewhat thicker and lusher than SDRE. I see less influence from the other two bands, though maybe some of the dreamier nature comes from Twilight Singers. But I can’t see much in common with Hot Snakes, a band with more garage fury and intensity.
Probably the most intense track of the album is the opener, titled (with or without irony,) “The Opener.” Maybe this one is where they get the Hot Snakes comparison, because it’s the one track with the most driving sound and most powerful guitars. It’s part grunge, part garage, and extra parts dreaminess, with smooth vocals and plenty of reverb. The rest of the songs have an even more expansive sound, with more reverb and lots of big sustained notes and broad chords. “Sinking of Miles” probably embodies the band’s aesthetic the most completely, with its sweeping epic sound that slowly builds over the track’s four-minute span. The mix of indie rock and dreaminess is strong, vocals rising and ringing out. The guitar’s melodic lines dig deep, and the totality feels like it’s exploding with joy toward the end. “Back to Shore” is another one, with a bouncier beat and strong hopping guitars. And the title track is the most relaxed, laid back song of the album, with a slower pace and more passionate vocals. It’s not quite a ballad, but it’s the most ballad-like song of the record, with a softness to it. If you’re a fan of the 90's and 2000's alternative music genre, you should check out this new band, Eastern Bleeds. They keep the flame alive.
DAVEY LANE – Finally, A Party Record (Kool Kat Musik; cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com)
Davey Lane is a prolific Australian musician, playing in the bands You Am I, The Pictures, and The Wrights. Lane has also had an extensive solo career and is an in-demand session artist who has shared the stage with the likes of Crowded House, Todd Rundgren, Robyn Hitchcock, The Saints, and more.
Finally, A Party Record is Lane’s fourth solo LP, and it’s a wide-ranging effort, covering a variety of genres, from the titular party music to indie, power pop, blues, and more. As a result, the album is disjointed, without a sense of cohesion. That said, there are some solid tracks here. Favorites would have to include “Over, Over & Out,” a song that has a nice indie meets folk rock vibe, with acoustic and electric instruments. Lane’s vocals are strong, clear, and emotive. I like “God, I’m Fucked Up Over You,” too, a track that’s alternately angular and smooth and flowing. The synth tuned to sound like a marimba gives the verses a quirky sound, while the chorus is silky smooth. Another good one is “He’s a DJ,” which blends indie rock with a Springsteen-style anthem. The closing track, “If It Can Rain, It’ll Rain,” feels like a cross between a Broadway show and a mid-late period Beatles tune, complete with horn section. It’s the most unique and may be my favorite of the LP. There are also some tracks that didn’t do it for me. Included is the opening salvo, “Mach IV.” I think it’s intended to be the track that introduces the “party” vibe, but it’s just a funky instrumental jam that doesn’t really catch my fancy. “Not Expecting to Fly” sounds too much like a cross between AM top 40 of the 70s and arena rock of the same era, complete with sugary harmonized backing vocals and cock-rock guitar solo. And “Saint Me” comes across like a cheesy hair band track. The result of all this is a ten-song mixed bag with some strong highs and some disappointing lows.
SAN GABRIEL – Nights and Weekends (Share It Music; sangabriel.bandcamp.com)
James Bookert is a musician, best known for being part of the band Whiskey Shivers, but the band called it quits during the COVID-19 shutdown. Bookert is also known for acting in the film, “Pitch Perfect 3,” where he played a member of the fictional band Saddle Up. But, with the movie wrapped and the band broken up, he took a job in a liquor store to make ends meet. This, plus waking up in a hospital after a series of seizures, led him to rethink his life and finally embark on a solo career. His job gave him ample opportunity to write and record, as his shifts were primarily on nights and weekends – resulting in the title of his debut solo LP. The album contains ten songs that are contradictorily impossibly bright and filled with melancholy. Recorded in his home studio, Bookert plays everything (a variety of synths and drum machine) and sings, giving his songs a danceable beat, sparkling instrumentals, and tuneful vocals that sound cracked and weary, filled with sadness, yet still hopeful. This is evident right from the start, with “Tape Machine,” a song with a shiny 80's feel in the instrumentals, but with lyrics about coming undone and needing a tape machine to hold one’s self together. And the lush “Alone in My Room” is a rich tune with lyrics of isolation and loneliness. “Running Out of Time” is a fun sounding track that makes use of studio production to augment the drum machine rhythms, with sharp digital cuts. I also like “Going Nowhere,” another driving dance tune that sounds right out of the 1980s, but with downer lyrics and vocals. The closing track, “Breathe,” reminds me of something that could have come from a John Hughes movie soundtrack. It’s a slow, deliberate song with huge lush synths and pensive vocals that sing of an intense love. “I can’t breathe without you,” is the refrain. It’s like the climax of the film, when the guy sees the girl at the prom. It’s an almost spiritual sound, with a feeling that gets more and more hopeful as the track evolves. Deep nostalgia on this album.
THE SPONGETONES – The 4oth Anniversary Concert… And Beyond (Big Stir Records, bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com)
The Spongetones should need no introduction, but just in case you just crawled out from under a rock, they’re a power-pop band formed way back in 1979 in Charlotte, NC. They grew up listening to 60's pop, particularly the music of The Beatles. They decided this was the kind of music they wanted to play, and that’s exactly what they’ve done for more than 40 years over nine LP's. Their last LP came out back in 2009, so it’s been a while. In 2021, the band played a big hometown show to celebrate their four decades, playing songs from across their catalog in an epic hour-long set (it had been delayed more than a year by the pandemic). The recordings from that show sat dormant for the past four years and are finally seeing the light of day in this new commemorative release. But not only do we get 18 live tracks of their greatest hits, we also get three brand-new studio recordings, hinting of new records to come at long last. The band play great, jangly 60's pop songs, complete with Beatles-like close harmonies, delighting fans worldwide. And the hometown crowd were clearly appreciative, as can be heard on these recordings. We get their biggest hits, like “She Goes Out with Everybody,” “My Girl Maryanne,” and “Here I Go Again,” all catchy tunes that are sure to have you up and dancing. “Little Death,” which comes from their 1995 album “Textural Drone Thing,” is one of the more unique tracks, eschewing the Beatles-esque pop for some cool jazz mixed with dark psychedelic pop. And “Where Were You Last Night,” from the band’s debut LP
Beat Music, sounds like a cross between The Beatles and Roy Orbison.
The three new songs appear at the end of the album and are classic Spongetones, but updated with a more modern feel. “Help Me Janie” is a solid power pop tune, complete with those vocal harmonies. It’s bouncy and fun, but it sounds modern, not antiquated. “Honest Work” is a throwback, sounding more like a 60s track than a lot of the band’s songs. It lopes along with a quirky novelty feel. And “Lulu’s In Love” has a smooth pop sound that blends 50's and 60's pop with a Latin influence.
In a bit of poignancy, the band has dedicated this album to Chris Garges, the band’s second drummer, who joined the band in 2014. The show this record presents was his penultimate with the band. Shortly after his last show with the band, he passed away from cancer. Garges’ close friend, Eric Wilhelm, who helped Garges set up for that last show, and who sat in for a few songs at Garges’ insistence, is now the band’s full-time drummer.
If you’re a fan of power pop, you should be a fan of The Spongetones. If you’re a fan of The Spongetones, this is a record you should have.
TTTTURBO – Modern Music (It’s Eleven Records, www.itseleven-records.de)
Short review: Manic garage pop that sounds like it’s played underwater. Longer review: take synths and guitars, add lyrics, sweet pop melodies, and record it as poorly as you can. You end up with super lo-fi music that makes regular lo-fi pop records sound crystal clear, music with a sugary pop sound mixed with garage intensity, and music that warbles and quavers. The band calls their sound the “Modern Sound,” and that’s also the title of the opening track. It’s a bit frantic, but it has a great pop sound, though it sounds filtered through a ton of dirty water. The synths shine through the muck, while the vocals are a bit chaotic, giving the song that garage-like vibe. Less garage-like is “Motorbike,” with synths and vocals playing competing melodies that intertwine in an enchanting way. I love the way the vocals feel very casual, like people are just kind of singing along to a karaoke machine or something, the way different voices come in and out. “Words, Notes, Songs” is a great example of this, with different vocals appearing in different places in the mix, some sung, some spoken, like it’s people at a party or something. The distorted synths are smoother sounding here, but dissolve into crazy noise at the end of the track. And “Chainmailed Dreams” is a favorite, with a mix of post-punk, goth, and garage sounds. The vocals are really weird here, sped up after recording. The closing track is the most confusing of all, called “Rock Outro.” It sounds like skinny Elvis on acid. TTTTurbo is brilliant, strange, sweet, and confusing all at the same time.
BAND ARGUMENT – if the accident will (bandargument.bandcamp.com)
Band Argument is a San Diego trio featuring Jake Kelso, Sila Damone, and Jordan Krimston. The key feature of the band, which on the surface looks like a standard guitar-bass-drums combo, is that they hook everything up through MIDI interfaces and manipulate the signals to create sounds these instruments don’t normally make. The trio have been evolving since their earliest releases, and this album marks a big change in Band Argument’s sound. Gone are the quirky poppy tunes with angular rhythms and mathy beats. Well, the angular rhythms and mathy beats are still there, but there’s less quirky pop and more smooth, sweeping, soothing melodies. What is the same is the high-pitched high-tension sound in the guitar, courtesy of the MIDI interface. The album feels a lot more introspective than past efforts, too, with songs that are more subdued and less sparkly, and lead vocals sung in a quieter more thoughtful manner. Case in point, the opening track “pawn,” feels breezy and modal, even as the rhythms shift. There aren’t a lot of chord changes, but the song has a grand and floating yet driving demeanor, and the vocals are quite hushed. Even breezier is “specs,” a song that could be in 3/4 or 4/4 time, depending on how you count it out. It’s a cool effect. One favorite is “thou shalt,” a song that has a dark urban feel to it. This is a song that sounds like the city at night, with an air of mystery and with plenty of buzzing activity. “do not” has the brightest poppiest sounds of the album, but Krimston’s vocals are quieter and more subdued than I think I’ve ever heard him sing. There are a number of instrumental pieces on this album, too, all very moody, offering up interludes and side-trips. The title track, “if the accident will,” is one of these, with a disjointed rhythm, and another is “socket,” with a mix of indie, experimental, and jazzy Afro-Cuban rhythms. Some of the more experimental pieces include the jittery “dust rmx” and the gritty “you are so smart.” The former is digitally sliced and diced, while the latter is noisy and experimental instrumental. Another favorite of the album is “birds,” which exhibits many of the sounds I’ve previously described, shifting from noisy experimental parts to breezy and smooth, and it’s got some of the quirkiest brightest moments of the album. But it’s also go some of the darkest and moodiest. Band Argument continues to evolve, but they remain an exciting and engaging trio.
BROKEN YOLKS – The View of the Bystander (High End Denim Records, highenddenimrecords.com)
When you want your fried eggs to not be runny, you break the yolks. The resulting breakfast has hardened centers. Likewise, Broken Yolks, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, play punk rock that’s hard, tough, rugged, furious stuff. They play skate punk, speedy stuff that’s metallic tinged, melodic, and frenetic. They’re only a three-piece, which is mind boggling, because they’ve got a much bigger sound. A lot of skate punk bands try too hard to sound like slick 90s melodic punk, but that’s not the case with Broken Yolks; their sound is raw and urgent, even as the band are a tight unit, expertly executing the 15 tracks. The title track is the viewpoint of someone who has been a bystander in the past, watching injustice but not taking any action, and who now determines that they will no longer stand by. It’s a call to action in these dark times, and the music is as powerful as the message, with an angry demanding quality. While most skate punk steers clear of political topics, Broken Yolks dive right in. They think the world has been fucked up and aren’t afraid to call out those responsible. In the track, “Danger Close,” for example, we’re warned not to drink the water, with the polluted state of the world laid at the feet of do-nothing politicians. What may be my favorite track of the album is “Plaids, Hats, or Tats,” a song that uses 90s youth crew hardcore, a scene that featured a lot of conformity, to decry just that – conformity. People wear plaid or get tatted up or wear certain kinds of hats to “fit in” with a scene, giving up their individuality, what makes us each special and unique. Another favorite is a song that’s 180 degrees from the previous track. “Misery” is the poppiest song of the album, high energy pop punk played with a fury to match the subject matter. “Quitting Old Habits Ain’t Easy” is an old school hardcore banger about the things we do that stop us from being our best. Smoking, procrastinating, and working a shit job that we hate are all targets that keep us from making a real difference in the world. Broken Yolks are not just another run of the mill skate punk band. They’ve got something to say, and we should listen.
THE DIRTY NIL – The Lash (Dine Alone Records, thedirtynnil.bandcamp.com)
All hail The Dirty Nil! The little band with a big sound from Dundas, Ontario, Canada is back with their fifth LP. The trio have always had a core of Luke Bentham (vocals, guitar) and Kyle Fisher (drums), but they’ve been going through bass players, lately. After their first release (sans bass), Dave Nardi joined the band, and was the third member for several years before taking his leave. Ross Miller took over for a number of years before bowing out and being replaced by Sam Tomlinson. And, though Tomlinson is featured on this LP, he, too, has gone on to new endeavors, leaving the Nil to look for a new person to fill that low end. But they won’t let this deter them. The Dirty Nil have always worn their love of heavy rock and roll on their sleeves, and that’s still the case.
One of my favorite tracks of the LP is “Rock N’ Roll Band.” Not only does it have a great heavy rock sound, it’s got a solid poppy melody, those trademarked guitar harmonics that Bentham does so well, and lyrics that speak to the realities of being in a touring band (“So you wanna be in a rock and roll band / With your friends in a broken van,” and “I’m gonna call it as it is / It’s a hole in your pocket and you’re all out of gas!” “Someone else is getting rich, not you.”) It’s an admonition that being in a touring band today is something you do for love, not for money or glory. And the album closer, “I Was a Henchman,” is classic Nil, with a big brash sound, power chords aplenty, and Bentham’s vocals that can knock you down at twenty paces.
There’s something new for The Nil on this album: a heartfelt ballad, complete with strings. “This Is Me Warning Ya” is completely unexpected, featuring only Bentham’s delicate guitar and soaring vocals (and those strings in the background). It’s truly gorgeous. And another unexpected track is the smooth lounge-like stylings of “Spider Dream.” Both of these two tracks are perfect vehicles to showcase Bentham’s awesome vocals. Since I first came across this band more than ten years ago, I’ve been amazed at how clear and strong his singing is, and how he can bend notes effortlessly.
What are my takeaways from this album? The Dirty Nil are evolving, adding some new sounds to their arsenal, showing their softer side, yet they continue to demonstrate their technical prowess and they remain true to their core mission of being a Rock N’ Roll band, with their friends in a broken van. Solid, as always.
THE DROWNS – Live at Rebellion (Pirates Press Records, piratespressrecords.com)
The Drowns have been getting bigger and bigger, their mix of punk rock, street punk, and glam getting more and more popular. They’ve toured all over the world and been invited to play multiple festivals. And on a recent visit to the UK for Rebellion Festival, their set was recorded and is now being released on this live LP. They run through a dozen tracks over 40 minutes that span the band’s entire catalog, from their first LP, “View from the Bottom” to their most recent, “Blacked Out,” and everything in between. It’s fascinating to listen to, because The Drowns have evolved over the seven years this represents, and putting it all together into a cohesive set is quite a challenge, one The Drowns are more than up for. And if you like their records, well, hold onto your hats because they’re about to be blown off. The Drowns, live, are a machine to be reckoned with. Maybe it’s a tired trope, but “high energy” doesn’t even come close to describing The Drowns’ live set. Not only is the band on fire, the crowd is obviously really into them, and roar with approval. A lot of live albums have the great energy, but the sound sucks. Not so with this record. The sound is almost as good as any studio LP, so you can hear how crisp and on fire they were in Blackpool that summer day. As far as highlights, well, every song is a highlight! But if I had to pick out some favorites, I guess I would pick these. “Black Lung,” with which they open their set, is from a 2020 7” flexi-disc, and reminds me a lot of Rev’s old band. Success and their song, “Believe In,” which opened their final (and best) LP, “Radio Recovery.” I really love “Cue the Violins,” too. The song originally appeared on the band’s second LP, “Under Tension,” and it’s solid street punk mixed with power pop, with a great melody. On this live set the band supercharges the song, playing it faster and with more fury than on the studio LP. “Just the Way She Goes,” off their most recent studio LP, “Blacked Out,” is another power pop gem, and this live rendition is grittier and more “real” than even the excellent studio version. It’s catchy, energetic, poppy, and a ton of fun. “Eternal Debate,” from their “View from the Bottom” LP (2018) makes an appearance here, too, and like with “Cue the Violins,” the song is on steroids, with more power and snot than ever before. It’s a big street punk tune, with big fist pumps and beer-soaked sing-alongs. And, of course. The band’s cover of “Ballroom Blitz,” the glam-rock song from Sweet, is a hell of a lot of fun. As is the whole record. If you’ve never seen The Drowns live, you’re in for a treat. Recommended.
LEATHERFACE – The Peel Sessions (A.D.D. Records, leatherface.bandmcamp.com)
Florida’s A.D.D. Records has scored a major coup, here. Digging through the archives of the legendary John Peel, the BBC radio presenter who hosted numerous punk and indie bands on the UK airwaves for many years, three sessions from the legendary Leatherface were uncovered. And now, they’re available on a single LP. There are a dozen stellar tracks over nearly 45 minutes to entertain your ears and mind. Leatherface were a band from the North of England, mainly operating from the late 1980s through to the mid 1990s, reuniting in the late 90s and then calling it quits in 2012. A point of reference that’s been used for the band that I think is spot on is a cross between Hüsker Dü and Motörhead. They had a gruff hard rock vibe, like Motörhead, but also a solid indie-punk melodic sensibility that was pioneered by the Hüskers. They were certainly a band way ahead of their time, and they were one of the most interesting and exciting bands to come out of the UK in the 1990s. This album focuses on the band’s early years, before the hiatus, featuring songs from each of their five studio LPs and some from EPs. And because the band was so ground-breaking, the music still sounds fresh and current, even today, decades after these songs were performed on the radio across the ocean. Songs like “I Want the Moon” embody all the best aspects of Leatherface. It’s driving, powerful, edgy, rocking, with a great flowing indie melody. I love the indie feel of “Springtime,” with guitars that are both jangle and sneer, and the lead vocals that are just rough enough, but still hit the melody just right. I think my favorite track may be “Peasant in Paradise,” because in addition to the qualities I’ve already mentioned, it seems to have the same sort of gruff melodic sound that the Chicago scene in the 80s and 90s was known for, from bands like Naked Raygun, The Effigies, and Pegboy. One fascinating track is “Not a Day Goes By,” a bouncy track, with Frankie Stubbs’ gruff, gravely vocals lithely bounding around the complex melody. It’s like the vocal equivalent of driving a big rig truck around a twisty racetrack; you would think it would tip over and crash, but it doesn’t. And then at the close of the song they immediately launch into a punk rock cover of Elvis Presley’s “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” It’s incongruous, but it works. But even legendary bands have an occasional song that doesn’t quite hit right, and here it’s “Heaven Sent.” The arrangement feels a bit thin, with little variation in tone, and Stubbs’ vocal style doesn’t match the flowing melancholy melody. And the closing track, “Little White God,” likewise feels awkward and lacks the excitement and energy of the other tracks. This LP is a great document of the past that sounds like it could have been recorded in the present. Fantastic stuff.
SAM RUSSO – Hold You Hard (Red Scare Industries, redscare.net)
The UK’s Sam Russo is known both as an acoustic singer-songwriter and as the frontman of his eponymous band, and on this, his fourth full-length LP, we get both! The first half of the album features five full-band songs that are both raucous and emotive. We get the big broad style of poppy punk with emo tinges in songs like “Gator Lodge,” “Graveyard,” and Santa Monica Waves,” the last written “with my feet in the sand in California,” as Russo relates. Of the full-band songs, I like “Bruises and Sunburn” best; it’s got a nice lope to it, and is a bit poppier than some of the other full-band songs. The couple of times I’ve seen Sam play live have been solo acoustic, and the second half of the LP is Sam, mostly alone with his acoustic guitar and vocals. To me, solo acoustic is where a singer-songwriter is most exposed. There’s no band to hide behind; their entire being, emotions and all, are laid naked to the world. And such is the case on “Hold You Hard.” Without having to compete with electric guitars, bass, and drums, Russo’s vocal dynamics can express a wider range of emotions. I love the crackle in his voice in “The Muckleshoot Casino,” and how his voice is raised as a cello comes into the arrangement in the background. It’s just gorgeous. The string choir on “Bait Machine” mated to both acoustic and subtle electric guitars, with Russo’s more raucous vocals results in an exciting heart-tugging track. And the album closer, “Unsolved Mysteries,” is another quiet one, Russo’s hushed vocals really setting a thoughtful mood. Just lovely.
BIG LIFE – "The Cost of Progress" EP (Setterwind Records, setterwindrecords.bandcamp.com)
Michigan’s answer to the DC/Dischord Records scene, Big Life, returns with their latest release, their third EP. These EP's are really mini-LP's, packed with plenty of music in a handful of songs. In this case, “The Cost of Progress” has eight songs filling some 22 minutes of exciting music. Think Embrace, Rites of Spring, maybe some Gray Matter. Hell, the whole Revolution Summer sound from the mid-Eighties and the evolution of the sound into the Nineties is here. The hardcore lineage is there too, but the songs are tempered with melody and, dare I say it? Emotion. The instrumentals are crunchy and melodic, and the vocals are passionate. There are spoken and shouted lead vocals and plenty of big gang vocals, too. The album is exciting and current, with songs that ponder the dystopian nightmare our world has become. There’s the opening track, “Go-Getter,” about trying to get ahead in the rat race, but ultimately wasting time and going nowhere because of the forces aligned against us. In a similar vein is “Out of Breath,” about how we chase after targets set for us, never reaching the goal and killing ourselves in the process. But “that’s the cost of progress,” we’re told, giving the EP its title. “Civilwarland” brings the band to new territory, mixing in some harder-edged post-hardcore, with angular and dissonant chords. The song speaks to the divide in the country, the chorus pleading, “Somebody say we’re gonna be OK,” but the reply is “No we won’t.” The song paints a grim picture of our future, with militias roaming the streets and the people “delirious with hunger,” waiting for a savior that never comes. And I really like “Killed Twice,” which sounds like something Fugazi might have done, but also has a soulful jazzy bridge, complete with sax solo. Big Life has successfully taken sounds from the past and brought them to the present, giving them exciting new vitality. An excellent release that’s highly recommended.
THE DEPTH BENEATH US – Descent (thedepthbeneathus.bandcamp.com)
The Depth Beneath Us are a Pennsylvania quintet that play instrumental music. It’s orchestral post-rock and roll, with sweeping pieces that approach symphonic qualities. The ten tracks here provide for a lengthy 55 minute LP, with minimalist rhythms and maximalist guitars, bass, and synths. The sonic landscapes are huge and dreamy, and with the reverb, it’s almost as if this is space-rock. There’s the feeling of being out in the vast empty spaces, far from anyone else. There are elements of post punk, elements of metal, and elements of jazz and blues in these tracks, and parts of them feel deeply spiritual and emotional, while others are more clinical. There are elements of math rock, too, as meters shift, rhythms change, and riffs clash and mutate. “Cluster B” is a good example of this; after an introductory portion, there’s a shift into very mathy jabs and off-kilter rhythms. And after a while, the piece changes tone yet again, to smooth and serene. “Jealousy Professor,” by contrast, is swirly and spacey, with free jazz beats and no discernable meter until the rhythm section settles into a pulsing pattern. Some of the pieces are uplifting, particularly the ending track, “Closure.” There are no lyrics, of course, but the tone and the melodic lines are driving and positive sounding, like someone with determination to reach a goal. And the sounds resolve at the end, with the satisfaction of a goal reached. If you’re into contemplative instrumental post rock music, you should check this out.
OK COOL – Chit Chat (Take a Hike Records, okcool.bandcamp.com)
OK Cool, the Chicago duo of Haley Blomquist and Bridget Stiebris, returns with its debut LP,
Chit Chat. I last heard from the pair in 2023 with their wonderful “fawn” EP, my only complaint being that it was too short. Well, they’ve now fixed that! OK Cool play easy breezy indie-pop, with songs that are both understated and lush. It’s simple music, but really pretty, really well-done. There’s less shoe-gaze influence than what I noted on the EP, but there’s some bits of pop punk influence this time out, some hints of grunge, and plenty of solid indie-pop. “Intro” begins the LP with lovely acoustic guitars and the pair’s subdued vocals. As the short piece continues, electric guitar joins in, and then the full band; the arrangement gets thicker and richer, the vocals rising. This flows smoothly into “Waawooweewaa,” a break-up song that ranges from punchy pop punk to thoughtful dreamy pop. The song was the LP’s lead single, and I can see why it was chosen – it’s the most straightforward song, and I think my favorite. “Safety Car” is a cool shiny tune with glittery synths mixed with grungy bass and jangly guitar. It’s got a nice bounce to its rhythm. “Splitting” is a nice driving indie-pop tune, with the vocals pulled back in the mix and layered with reverb, creating the illusion that they’re being sung from far away. I like the quiet melancholy of “Loop,” a subdued song with acoustic guitar and piano, and I like the big airy sound of “Ruined,” with thick rhythm guitar and lead guitar playing meandering lines. This one reminds me the most of 90s indie-pop. There’s plenty of variety in the songs, yet you can always tell they’re OK Cool songs. That, to me, is the mark of a great band and great record.
THE UNKNOWNS – Looking from the Outside (Drunken Sailor Records, theunknowns4.bandcamp.com)
The Juice Man who runs Drunken Sailor Records is well-known for his love of old school punk rock, releasing some great current bands playing an older style. His latest find is The Unknowns, who hail from Brisbane, Australia. The band’s been around for over a decade, mainly self-releasing their records or doing so with Australian indie label Bargain Bin Records, so this LP is their first foray into international distribution. While their general sound is that of old school 1970's punk rock, they mix in some more modern garage punk sounds, giving them hints of a Marked Men vibe. The songs are mainly played at a mid-tempo lope, but the guitars snarl almost as much as the snotty lead vocals. The album starts strongly with “All Grown Up,” a bitter sounding song about growing up and leaving behind the foolish things of childhood, learning the hard lessons of life that “they don’t teach in school.” I like the dark urgency of “Lost Me,” and in particular the opening salvo of the bass angrily fighting with the drums. This is one of the faster tracks of the album, and also one of the simplest, sung and played with lots of powerful ire. Another favorite is “Hold My Shadow,” with more of a power pop sound and simple yet effective melodic riffs. “Tongue Tied” is another quicker-paced track, and this one reminds me a lot of some of the garage punk sounds that emanate from Denton, Texas. There’s even some rockabilly influence here, in the hard-driving song “Crazy Eyes,” with plenty of bluesy rock and roll guitar licks. Good stuff here!
DOUBLEVEE – "Periscope at Midnight" EP (doublevee.bandcamp.com)
Allan and Barb Vest, better known as doubleVee, return with a new EP featuring six new songs – well, four new songs and two that are reimagined versions of songs from Allan’s previous band, Starlight Mints. The couple recorded the EP in their home studio, with Allan providing vocals and playing guitars, bass, and drums. Barb provides vocals and plays keyboards, while violinist Brent Williams and trumpeter Christi Wans contributed to the record, as well. The completely new songs include “Diamond Thumb,” with a fun retro calypso lounge feel. The production is really well-done, with the marimba sounds contrasting with the off-kilter keyboards. And the closing track, “Everyone’s Lonely Under the Sea,” is a hell of a lot of fun, too, with a retro mod feel. The reimagined songs are “Submarine Number Three Vee,” which opens the EP, and “Maybe Tonight (What’s Inside of Me?).” That opening track is a bit quirky and a lot theatrical, coming off as a mix of power pop and stage musical from the mod era of the 60s. There’s violin and cello in the arrangement, along with some jangly guitars and cool vocal effects. The use of unexpected rhythms in the vocals are pretty fun, and this track is probably my favorite of the EP. “Maybe Tonight” is a lot more straight-forward, though the keyboards and the mysterious horror-surf guitar tone really make the track. doubleVee are creative and masters of musical production.
FVRMN – Suicides (Sweet Cheetah Records, www.sweet-cheetah-records.com / Steadfast Records, steadfastrecords.net)
FVRMN, a Tokyo-based band, play thick, noisy, distorted indie rock. It’s lo-fi with a gritty sound, yet underneath it’s soft, smooth, and melodic. The melodies are poppy, the rhythms bouncy, yet the instrumentals are concentrated and impenetrable. Frontman J Holmes must listen to a lot of old jazz, because the circle of fifths chord change pattern is prominent in some of the songs. One such song is “Parasitic Sympathy,” a song with dense guitars, angst-filled lead vocals, and haunting backing vocals. “Moloch,” too, has those wonderful chord changes, and Holmes’ scratchy vocals tug at the heart. “French Uhuru” has this a bit, too. It’s a nice loping tune which also features guitars and keyboards that sound like violins. Outliers include the ballad, “Too Innocent” and “Invitation Phase.” The latter starts out clean and jangly before the distortion comes in, creating a lovely quiet period of reflection. And perhaps the most exciting track is the final one, “Razorblade.” It’s got a powerful anthemic punk rock quality to it. As I said in my review of their previous LP, “Back to the Whip,” FVRMN have a sound that’s pretty unique and very worth your while.
LOLAS – Big Hits and Freak Disasters (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
It’s been a few years since Lolas put out their last LP, “All Rise.” In the interim they’ve released a plethora of digital singles, all of which are included on this new album – plus a few more even newer songs. Lolas’ last album focused on good old bubblegum AM rock and roll, with plenty of Beatles and Beach Boys influence. This latest LP still has that nostalgic fun, but they mix things up a bit. Much of the album is sure to evoke memories of pop music of the past, like the AM power pop tune, “Trick Myself,” one of my favorites of the LP. The opening track, “Work Is the Blackmail of Survival,” is definitely in the retro camp, with gorgeous vocal harmonies and jangly guitars, but there are hints of garage rock sounds mixed in. 1960s Beatles influence is strong in “Shut Me Down,” but so is 1970s pop rock. And things sometimes get a little grittier and modern, like the grunge-filled pop of “Call Your Name.” Even while the song is heavier, with fuzzed up guitars and bass, the lighter vocals and harmonies are still there, creating a cool contrast. And there’s even a folksy tune that borders on Americana; “I Wish You a Happy Journey” is subdued and delicate, quite different from the rest of the record. I enjoy, too, the 80s power-glam-folk-rock of “From the Start,” a song with a great lilting melody that’s made even better by Tim Boykin’s solid lead vocals. And then we get “All Sewn Up,” one of the tracks that wasn’t previously released as a single. It’s a frantic garage punk tune, the most raucous of the LP, making it an instant favorite. And if you’re looking for 80s new wave crossover, “I Couldn’t Stop It” is the song for you. Lolas latest LP is a continuation of the band’s legacy, bearing the torch of power pop of the past, yet still sounding varied and fresh.
LOT LIZARDS – The Horrors of Adulting (Punkerton Records, punkertonrecords.com)
Lot Lizards are billed as a “melodic punk band,” but that term conjures mental images of 90s bands that played “punk” that was metallic, melodic, and, well, dull. Lot Lizards are not that. They’re definitely punk, definitely melodic, but with a mix of pop and emo. The songs are punchy and bouncy, but they’re meaningful and packed with emotion. “Broken Parts,” for example, the closest to sounding like “melodic punk,” is a song about coping with the slow breakdown of those we love. In this specific case, it’s about frontman Jon Barnes’ father, who is struggling with Parkinson’s disease. The song laments those times “when you have to watch your heroes dying,” and asks, “Are you still you?” I can relate, because my dad suffered with Parkinson’s for many years. Eventually the medications lost their effectiveness, and he passed away in a nursing home. Barnes’ lead vocals on this and other songs are appropriately gruff and gravelly, perfect for this sort of punk band. The album title, “The Horrors of Adulting,” refers to the difficulties we all encounter as we grow up and become “responsible adults.” For example, “Exploding Heart Syndrome” is about navigating relationships and dating, trying to be true to your authentic self and hoping your partner is the same. And “Surprise Party” is about self-destructive behaviors some of us turn to in an attempt to cope with the chaos of life, often leading to death. “You’re going off the edge / You’re heading straight for death / You’re running out of places / To run away from you” warns the song. The ten songs fly by in under half an hour, way too fast. Good stuff.
UPSET BOY & THE QUEENS – "Silver Dreamer" EP (Sweet Cheetah Records; upsetboyandthequeens.bandcamp.com/)
A new EP from Upset Boy & The Queens! This four-song record collects the band’s previous double A-side single from last summer (“Trying to Get to You” and “Think Too Much”), their recent single “Amphetamine Queen,” and a new song that becomes the EP’s title track. And as I mentioned in the review of the double A-side single, though the band features singer, songwriter, and guitarist Chris Watts, best known for playing alt-country, along with bassist Lulu Jones (formerly of Thelma and the Sleaze, the queer all female southern rock band) and drummer Dan Dolive, the resulting songs are neither alt country nor southern rock. Instead, we get solid indie rock with a power pop melodic sensibility. I like the bluesy grunge of “Think Too Much,” along with its chaotic mayhem, as well as the power pop bounce and indie pop jangle of “Trying to Get to You.” “Amphetamine Queen” has more of a hard-driving classic rock vibe, and the new title track mixes these styles together to create some solid listenable indie rock. Good stuff.
ACAPULCO LIPS – Now (Killroom Records, acapulcolips.bandcamp.com)
What would have happened if The Go-Go’s were formed in Seattle instead of LA? Imagine mixing the sunny sweet bubblegum pop and surf of 1980s LA with the gritty garage, grunge, and psych sounds of 1990s Seattle and you’ve got an idea of what Acapulco Lips sounds like. The band has been a staple in the Seattle music scene for over a decade, yet they’ve released precious few records. In fact, only two: one EP and one LP, the latter nearly a decade ago. It may have taken almost a decade, but the band’s sophomore LP is here. There’s a solid 60s rock feel throughout the album, and the mix of pop and grit is very appealing. The band says that the unifying theme of the record is time. As singer/bassist Maria-Elena Herrell explains it, “In 3rd grade my teacher had us all sit and look at the clock in the front of the classroom above the chalkboard, starting with the seconds arm on 12 and it rounding back, in a circle, to the 12. She then told us that was a minute and that we could never get that minute back. And that is time. What a bummer, time.” Life is about living in the moment, in the now, and that’s what the band is trying to get across through the eleven tracks contained herein. “Welcome to the Other Side” opens the album with a very retro bubblegum sound, which immediately conjured images in my mind of The Go-Go’s. It has a bright sound, yet it’s played a little slower than it might be, giving it a feeling of melancholy. Like being sad on a warm sunny day. I also really love the gentle jangle of “Take My Hand,” with a British Invasion sound and lyrics that reflect hope and support.
Most of the songs have a similar vibe – 60s garage and bubblegum pop. But there are also some that get even grittier. “Everyday” has a fantastic mix of noisy fuzzed out instruments and serene heavenly vocals, and lyrics about the insanity of doing the same thing over and over every day, but expecting, somehow, you’ll get a different result and change things. I love the stark contrasts this presents. Similarly, “The Flim-Flam” has a great 60s psych sound, particularly in the growling bass and chilling keyboards, but the vocals are smooth and seductive, singing a song of the allure of groups of people that seem socially acceptable, but suck all your time from you for their own benefit. They exhort you to “come along, be a part of the family,” and end up being almost cult-like, as they promise to “show you the way.” And the opening of “Slowly Disappearing” is very reminiscent of the old Iron Butterfly tune, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” before settling into the familiar 60s pysch-pop-bubblegum vibe. Midway through the song, though, it turns very spacey, with sitar creating a wild psychedelic aura on the bridge. The psych drone continues in “Fuzzy Sunshine,” and I love the hopeful sound of “So Many Miles,” a jangly tune about looking at where you’ve been and about making the changes you need to get where you want to go. I think this one may be my favorite of the album. Solid stuff here, gorgeous to listen to.
SPLITSVILLE – Mobtown (bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com)
In 1994, starting as a side project, Splitsville was born out of creative differences. Twin brothers Matt and Brandt Huseman had written and recorded some raw demos during downtime after recording the debut LP with their band, Grenberry Woods. Producer Andy Paley heard these demos and encouraged the brothers to make their next album sound more like these demos. The rest of the band disagreed, resulting in the band’s demise shortly after the release of their second LP. But the Husemans kept going with their collaborator on the demos, Paul Krysiak. The new band was dubbed Splitsville, and, as they say, the rest is history. The band released five albums and a couple of EPs over the decade or so of their existence, then going on hiatus after the release of “Incorporated,” their fifth album. That was in 2003. The band was named to the Power Pop Hall of Fame at some point of their journey, as well, but the silence has been deafening. But no more. More than two decades after “Incorporated,” the hiatus is over.
This new album features ten solid tracks of guitar-fueled power pop meets indie, opening with the aptly titled “Cold Open.” They call this their “nod to the Monkees,” and it’s a song about their comeback (“Here we come again / All dressed up and ready to party / We’re gonna make some noise / Our sound and fury signifies nothing”). “A Glorious Lie” is a great power pop meets grunge song, with a heavier thicker sound, but still with a great pop bounce. I like the soulful “Gray,” a stripped back bluesy tune about the police killing of Fredie Gray in Baltimore in 2015. Power pop is not usually associated with activist songs, but here we are. “Each one a tragedy / Prayers and sympathy / Don’t change anything” the song opens – a reference to the lack of action when state sanctioned murders take place. As the song fades and stops, it’s replaced by a huge orchestral sound, turning into a new wave gospel, singing that there’s never enough love.” And “Fallsway” is a bouncy tune about crime, illegal “red-lining” of neighborhoods, and crumbling infrastructure in their hometown of Baltimore. “I Hate Going to Hutzler’s” is a power pop gem about anxiety in a supermarket. But one of the most poignant songs of the album is “Beth Steel,” about the closing of the Bethlehem Steel plant at Sparrows Point. “They’re burning down the empire / But the trains still run on time” is a reference to our increasingly fascist government, which works solely for the wealthy and screw over the rest of us. The song has a mix of power pop and progressive rock that reminds me of Ambrosia’s classic first album.
When most bands reunite it’s to play the old songs and make that nostalgia money. When good bands reunite, they do it for the right reasons – the create new music and because they have more to say. Welcome back, Splitsville, we’re listening.
SPOILS SYSTEM – The Nope Out (Sweet Cheetah Records, spoilssystem.bandcamp.com)
PR outfit Sweet Cheetah has been branching out into releasing records for a while now, and it not only demonstrates their commitment to the indie music scene, but it demonstrates their impeccable taste in music. They’ve been on a streak of releasing quality records, and this latest, from Hudson Valley, New York band Spoils System, is more proof. The band plays a mix of late 90s/early 2000s emo, and indie (think Get Up Kids or Jets to Brazil), with bits of shoegaze, and I even hear some early Mission of Burma influence here and there. The songs are solid indie rock, with an almost power pop melodic sense, but instead of the clean jangly guitar tone of power pop we get some great fuzzed and clanging guitar tones. “Subtle Amends” is a standout track, with a resemblance to Jawbox and other 90s DC bands. The chugging rhythms, the call and response riffs between the bass and guitar, and the slow, smooth, halting vocals are all hallmarks of that band’s songs. And it makes a lot of sense when you check the liner notes and see that J Robbins gets engineering credits on the record. “A Fight Broke Out in Church,” too, has a similar sound, with some mathy rhythms and the same sort of vocal and instrumental patterns. The contrast of “Force for Good,” which follows “Subtle Amends,” couldn’t be starker. The song is heavenly, with a softer, smoother sound that flows more evenly and gently, but builds in intensity over its four and a half minutes. And on a song like “The Fits” we get a lusher modern dreamy indie sound that reminds me a bit of Cymbals Eat Guitars in their heyday. Spoils System’s sophomore LP has great variety, but is also coherent and consistent. Quality music here.
WE ARE SCIENTISTS – Qualifying Miles (Grönland Records, www.groenland.com)
I last reviewed “We Are Scientists upon the release of their 2021 LP, “Huffy.” At the time I noted their sound is sparkly indie rock meets power pop with hints of glam. They’ve been evolving in the interim, though, including the 2023 release of another LP, “Lobes.” With that record, they veered away from a guitar-pop formula into a direction more replete with electronics. The guitars were still there; they just weren’t the centerpiece. The danceable rhythms were still there, too, and maybe more prominent. With “Qualifying Miles,” the evolution continues. Gone is the manic danceroom energy, with guitars brought back to the forefront. The songs are slower, dreamier, more wistful and introspective. The opening track, “A Prelude to What,” is the perfect embodiment of this newest direction, with delicately jangling guitars, ambient synths filling out a rich sound, and glorious vocal harmonies. The song’s slow steady pace, expansive sound, and heavy reverb give the feeling of tiny insignificance in the great big universe. “Starry-Eyed” is the closest the band come to dance music on this album, but it’s not a dance tune. Yes, it’s got a stronger rhythm, but it, too, feels big and dreamy, with a brooding pensive sound. “The Big One,” too, has a distinct rhythm, and a poppier sound, but it’s also big and lush, with a thicker dreamier sound than in the past. “Dead Letters” is about as close as the band get to their earlier indie meets power pop sound, but it leans more heavily into indie rock, feeling more modern, and even though it’s got a bright waltz-time tempo, clapping and all, there’s still a general feeling of introspection and melancholy in the song. The whole album feels more modern and more mature, and I think it’s their best work to date.
VARIOUS - Pop Aid 3 (Koolkatmusik1.bandcamp.com)
Besides putting out a plethora of power pop records, Kool Kat Musik has been a contributor to various worthy causes, via compilations. This, their third such foray, is a benefit for the victims of the LA fires this past January. I’m sure everyone saw the news this past winter of the devastation suffered in the communities of Alta Dena and Pacific Palisades, where only a scant few homes and businesses were spared. This comp is bigger than the previous efforts, with two CDs chock full of musical goodness, with an hour and forty-two minutes of content across thirty tracks. And with so much music, you know there’s going to be plenty of highlights. Here are a few! We get jangly yet gritty lo-fi power-pop-punk, like “Hero Drink,” a tune from The Stewart Dolly. There’s some cool frantic retro garage meets indie from The Trafalgars on “Hip Young Man,” and if you’re after old school top 40 sounds, Robin Schell’s “Simple Explanation” is your ticket. Hanemoon’s “Rain” scratches the soft folk-rock itch nicely, while Joywire (featuring Jeff Murphy), channels their Elvis Costello influence in “Underrated.” Herb Eimerman’s “Years Behind You” has a lovely delicate jangle in the lead guitar mated to a nice crunch from the bass and rhythm guitar, and the lead vocals are ethereal. The Dreambots’ “High Road” is lovely for its rolling feel, subtle harmonized backing vocals, and power pop jangle. I’m a sucker for guitar jangle, and “Catch You When You Fall,” from Tim Izzard and the Distractions has it in spades. And I really like the lithe power pop sounds of The Red Sticks and their song, “Walk on the Darkside.” 100% of net profits from sales of this compilation will go to the American Red Cross, earmarked to help the victims of the fires, so be sure to pick this up. You’ll be getting some solidly good music and helping a solidly worthy cause.
VARIOUS - Red Scare Across Canada: 2025 (Red Scare Industries, redscare.net)
Another surprise release from Red Scare! They’ve got a group of their artists embarking on a tour across our neighbor to the north this summer, so they thought this four-way split might be a good thing to bring along. The new EP features Brendan Kelley and the Wandering Birds, Guerilla Poubelle, Sam Russo, and In the Meantime. Brendan Kelley’s contribution, “Tracksuit,” is very gritty and slimy rock and roll. Imagine someone trying to be smooth and cool, drinking cheap booze and wearing the titular attire, and now image what they’re really like. Imagine the sleazy rock and roll track that would accompany said person. There you go. Guerilla Poubelle’s track, “L'incendie, le canadair et le colibri,” (“The Fire, the Canadair, and the Hummingbird”) is a great raucous street punk tune, with big gang vocals, gravelly lead vocals, a prominent bass, and an epic sound. Sam Russo is a wonderful troubadour, and he offers up his solo acoustic stylings on the emotionally packed “Leaving.” And In the Meantime closes out the EP with “Old Gum,” a solid 90s punk track. I’m a little jealous of those Canucks because this looks to be a banger of tour, if this EP is anything to judge by.
REMY VERREAULT – Never Take for Granted (High End Denim Records, highenddenimrecords.com)
Quebec punker Remy Verreault began his solo career at the worst time possible: during the pandemic shut downs. His first LP came out in the musical wasteland of 2021. Yet he has persevered. And thankfully so. Verreault makes aggressive crunch-filled melodic punk rock. It can loosely be put into the modern skate punk category, with metallic tinges. Verreault takes the term “DIY” to heart, writing all the songs, playing all the instruments, and singing all the songs himself, for the most part. He is joined by a couple of friends on two of the tracks. The eleven songs here are loaded with power, played fast and loud, packed with melodic punk sensibilities. If you’re into this 90s punk inspired sound, you’re going to love this album. It’s really well produced and performed, and the music is intensely assertive and energetic. Though I do have the same general feedback from my review of his previous LP, “Break the Silence,” that many of the songs sound too much alike and there’s not enough variety, this album does branch out s bit more. “Nothing Comes for Free” is a little slower, played at a loping place, and it has a somewhat brighter sound than the dark-tinges of most of the tracks. That darkness is a trait common to a lot of 90s melodic punk. “Echo” is less melodic in the vocals, which are shouted, giving the track a 90s NYHC feel. Blending 90s hardcore and metal, “One Life” has a slower sludgier feel, vocals shouted and growled as the guitars, bass, and drums pound and sneer. The topic of the song is straight out of the 90s straight-edge scene, too, singing about how we have “one life, one chance,” and we need to make the most of it. And “Doomscroll Prophets,” too, has a slower metallic hardcore feel. Maybe Verreault’s best output to date.
WENCHES – Stupid Sick (The Ghost Is Clear Records, theghostisclearrecords.com / Already Dead Tapes, www.alreadydeadtapes.com / Master Kontrol, masterkontrolaudio.bandcamp.com)
On the border between hard rock and punk rock, Wenches play music in the vein of Motorhead, MC5, and The Stooges – or more aptly, like your friends that play in the local dive bar and are fanatical about that sort of style of music. It’s loud and powerful, with driving rhythms and heavy riffs, and manic vocals. It’s loaded with aggression and energy, with vocals shouted maniacally. The band scores on “Kick It Down” by recruiting Chad Price to join the fun (ALL, Drag the River, A Vulture Wake). And they’re joined by Jonathan Newby (Brazil, JC Autobody, Fixation Arc) on “Like Lightning.” These are easily the best two tracks of the album, sounding the tightest and most professional of the eight songs here. If you’re a hard rock fan, check it out. It doesn’t do a lot for me, though.
THE WIND-UPS – Confection (Dandy Boy Records, dandyboyrecords.bandcamp.com)
What would the love child of The Ramones and The Marked Men sound like? Possibly like The Wind-ups, a band from Chico, California. They play a mix of lo-fi noisy garage and poppy punk rock. I say “they,” but The Wind-ups are primarily the work of a single person, Jake Sprecher. He’s joined here and there by various friends, but this is an amazing solo effort, really, recorded at “the cottage” in Chico. We get gritty noisy garage punk on tracks like “A Fine Pink Mist,” or “the dark “I Can’t Sleep at Night.” They have a frenetic nervous energy, like someone who just can’t sit still for thirty seconds. We also get poppy tunes that are layered with the same distortion, like “I Love Her,” a stupendous mix of Ramones-core and gritty garage. “Keep Away,” too, could have come from a Ramones LP – or maybe a Ramones bootleg with lo-fi recording quality. “(That’s Just My) Dream Girl” is a solid jangly power pop song, but produced with a thick film of gravel and dirt over it. A little more laid back is “Cheer Up,” a tune that mixes spoken word art with The Jesus and Mary Chain style noisy post punk shoe-gaze. And I have to laugh at the insertion of lyrics from “Laverne and Shirley” in the song, “Pain In Your Heart.” The Wind-Ups have another solid record of noisy punk here.
THE LEGENDS OF THE SURF GUITAR – Recorded Live at The Lighthouse April 1, 1995 (Oglio Records, www.oglio.com)
On April 1st, 1995, a special event occurred at The Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California. It was a celebration of the greatest surf guitarists and surf music ever. This gathering brought together musicians from the first wave of the 1960s and the second wave of the 1970s and 1980s. Joining in the fun were members of such iconic surf bands as The Chantays, The Surfaris, Davie Allan & The Arrows, and guests like Bob Dalley of The Surf Raiders and Bob Demmon of The Astronauts. Joining in the backline were luminaries Don Murray, of The Crossfires and The Turtles, Pete Curry of The Halibuts and Los Straitjackets, and John Blair of Jon & The Nightriders. The entire set, more than an hour of the greatest surf hits throughout history, was captured on tape, and now it’s finally seeing the release it deserves. The music on this album is outstanding and is a must for all fans of classic surf music. Many of the hits of the genre are here, including “Apache,” “Mr. Moto,” “Peter Gunn” (a version which also quotes the song “Baby Elephant Walk”), “Pipeline,” and more. There are also some lesser known songs (at least by me – I’m sure they’re all hits), such as the fantastic “Lanky Bones,” originally recorded in 1964 by Eddie & The Showmen. I like the use of the circle of fifths chord progression in The Lively Ones’ “Andele,” and the jazz, power pop, and surf mix of “Windshield Wiper” makes it a favorite. “Tally Ho” has an almost baroque feel to it, the high pitched guitar tone mimicking a harpsichord. Bob Knight, the original saxophone player in Eddie & The Showmen, joins the group for “Squad Car,” playing the part of the siren on this classic dark tune. I really like the contrasts of high-pitched lead guitar and deep bass of the rhythm guitar (and bass), plus the driving rhythm of “Green Room.” And the eternal classic, “Baja,” originally recorded by The Astronauts, is here too, lovingly performed. And the album closes with what’s probably the most well-known surf tune in history, “Wipe Out!” The performances are spot on, the sound quality is top notch for a live recording, and the music is a must for all surf music fans. I’m not normally one for instrumental albums, but this is good stuff.
TERROR MANAGEMENT BAND – Austerity Gospel (terrormanagementband.bandcamp.com; belladonna-records.com; ashtraymonument.com)
Florida is not the first place one thinks of when one thinks of emo-noise bands. Pop punk? Sure, Boy bands? Of course. But Terror Management Band play music that’s noisy, dissonant, sludgy, emotion-packed, and exciting. “Austerity Gospel” is their sophomore LP, and it’s also their mantra. But there’s nothing austere about the ten tracks here. They’re thick and flavorful, intense and raging, with pounding shredding instrumentals and roaring vocals. The opening track, “Deincarnation,” reminds me of early Midwest emo, as made by bands like Gauge, Cap’n Jazz, and Friction, but with more dissonance. It’s, perhaps, the best track of the album, so it’s placed perfectly at the beginning. I love the floating feel of the guitars and vocals over the complex drum rhythms of “Chamber Music,” and the vocal fury of “Exit Interview” is outstanding, the lyrics shouted as if reciting beat poetry. The melodic lines are minimalist and unconventional. Minimalist repetition of riffs is a key feature of many of the songs, including “Neon Pond,” which is another Midwest emo influenced track. It’s smoother and janglier than many of the other songs, but judicious use of feedback keeps the noise alive. These guys are good. Recommended.
VARIOUS – Acoustic Revolt CutAway Live Sessions Vol. 2 (acousticrevolt.bandcamp.com /redbrontosaurus.com/)
Acoustic Revolt is a regular series of live performances in San Diego, featuring acoustic performers both from the local area and from around the country and around the world. Last year, Acoustic Revolt founder Kevin White released a benefit compilation LP featuring many of the performers, recorded “live,” just as they would play at one of the shows. The San Diego Food Bank was the beneficiary of that comp, and once again will receive the proceeds from sales of this new one, volume 2 in what’s now become a series. The sole repeat performer, Half Man (Chase Spruiell of Big Loser), hailing from Texas, opens this comp with “Survival,” a song that’s a staple of his Half Man performances. It showcases Spruiell’s stellar songwriting. Matt Caskitt is a local punk rock drummer known for his bands Caskitt and Matt Caskitt & The Breaks, but during the pandemic lockdown, he taught himself to play guitar and has been performing solo acoustic shows for the past few years. His song, “Crossroads,” is a heartfelt rendition of a song written for The Breaks. He came up to speed on the guitar super-fast, and his vocals have always been outstanding – but you can hear them even more clearly in this solo performance. Half of the punk band, Urethane, makes an appearance here. Pro skateboarder Steve Caballero and Tim Frog offer up a delicate tune, “Sigh Sign,” the dual vocals offering an added dimension. Like Matt Caskitt’s entry, this is a stripped back version of a song they do with the full band, and I think this acoustic rendition feels even more sincere. Marc -Alan Prince is an acoustic performer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I recently reviewed a split live LP he appeared on. His songs are big, brash, and beer-soaked, and “We Were Young” is no exception. It’s acoustic, but this is the kind of song that gets the crowed riled up. Be prepared to shout and stomp to this one. Acoustic Revolt curator Kevin White makes an appearance here, too, in his guise as Never Pass Go. He offers up “Changing with the Tune,” a frantic political anthem about the growing chaos in society that’s going to be the end of us all. We get two tracks from Long Island’s Clover’s Curfew, the folk punk duo of Jameson Urcuiolio and Danni Christian. “Low Road” has the sound of an old time gospel tune, while “I’ve Got a Name” has a great folk jangle. The mandolin and harmonized vocals give this a great old timey feel. Ciaran O’Reilly, formerly of local band Petty Saints, has started doing more solo stuff, and I think his material is stellar. “Red Wine and Vinyl” is no exception. It’s strong singer-songwriter fare. Son Terre is a local, too, playing what he calls “indie folk.” His song, “Shine,” has a wonderful unorthodox melody that shifts unexpectedly. City Mouse, from Los Angeles, is the sole electric entry here, performing with electric guitar rather than acoustic. City Mouse is normally Miski Dee Rodriguez and a rotating cast of supporting musicians, but here Rodriguez stands alone with an interesting choice. “Hialeah Blues” is a song from her other project, Floor Notes. I’ve loved that song since I first heard it ages ago, and in solo form it comes across as more delicate than in full band form. And the album closes with Canadian singer, Greg Rekus and his song, “Encampment,” from his latest LP, “Sinners Go to Church, Saints Go to Jail.” Rekus’ raspy vocals are unmistakable, and the song about hitting hard times and living day to day is an anthem for all of us these days. As always, White has brought together a very worthy collection of singers and songs for a very worthy cause. The record is out now, an there’s a two-part record release show (a matinee and a nighttime event) on Saturday July 5th.
HLLLYH – Uruburu (Team Shi, hlllyhband.bandcamp.com)
HLLYH is the title of the final album of DIY music collective Mae Shi, a band with a rotating cast of characters that operated out of The Smell, Los Angeles’ oldest DIY space. “HLLLYH” was released in 2008 and then the band fell silent. In 2022, though, founding member Tim Byron began reaching out to past members of Mae Shi about reuniting for one final album. The response was positive, and some old unreleased songs were taken out of mothballs, but more importantly, a slew of new songs were written. To the band members, this began to feel less like a final Mae Shi album and more like something new. HLLLYH, the band, was born, and Uruburu is the band’s debut LP, and there’s a promise of more to come, because they wrote so many new songs.
What would be the same as the old band is that their music would be built from “spastic drums, guitars, hoots, hollers, claps, and candy-coated synths.” This is a perfect description, because the album has a bright, glorious feel to it. It sparkles and shines. According to the band it’s “an end-of-the-world story written on a Mobius strip. Built from bright colors and loud sounds, it is a puzzle to be solved, written in English, Morse code, and machine language.” I don’t know about Morse code and machine language, but bright colors and loud sounds is spot on. The 15 songs on the album are impossibly gleaming and luminous. There’s a mix of indie and pop punk, but performed in the most unconventional of ways. I think the title, “Uruburu,” is taken from “ouroboros,” the snake that eats itself, a circle that symbolizes the continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth, both the beginning and the end of time itself.
A real stand-out track appears almost immediately: “Flex It, Tagger,” features scintillating electronics on speed, huge gang vocals, and a radiant melody. The arrangement is chaotic, with so much going on at once, yet it’s all perfectly coherent. This is actually a good way to describe the whole album: sparkling tight coherent chaos! The songs are big and brash, exciting and engaging. Another highlight for me is “Trapped in the Song,” a mostly quiet understated song, with a thin arrangement and a bit of a funky beat and bass. But they’ve got a big pipe organ in the arrangement! When it comes in, it completely changes the vibe of the song from a hushed introspective number into a huge ecclesiastic hymn. Speaking of spiritual, that’s what I get out of the sweeping “Endless High Five.” It’s got a holy feeling to it, full of glory and quiet digital power. And “(Failed Teste)” melds mysterious synths, tentative percussion, whispered voices, and field recordings of everyday sounds into a cool experimental piece. I like “Black Rainbows,” too. It reminds me of a synth-fortified PUP, with its big gang vocals and abundant energy.
HLLLYH are now based in the San Francisco Bay area, and played their first show this past winter (with the legendary Brainiac), and they’re playing a handful of west coast shows this spring and summer, sadly not getting far enough south to hit San Diego. Hopefully they will, one of these days. I would love to see them live. Are you paying attention, HLLLYH? “Uruburu” is one of the most creative records I’ve heard this year. Hell yeah for HLLLYH!
LAMMPING & BLOODSHOT BILL – Never Never (We Are Busy Bodies, wearebusybodies.com)
Lammping is a Toronto based band known for playing psychedelic music that blends in samples and hip hop beats. Bloodshot Bill hails from Montreal, and he’s that city’s rockabilly icon. This is the first chapter in a four album set, due to release over the course of the next year, featuring Lammping’s experimental hip hop psych beats and melodies, with Bloodshot Bill’s unique vocals. “Never Never” features seven tracks and clocks in at just about a quarter hour, and they take us on a fascinating musical journey over that short time. It starts out with the title track, which features prominent saxophone samples, giving the track a cool jazz meets hip hop vibe. Bloodshot Bill’s vocals have an almost Cajun sound, with a strong accent, unsurprising because the Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians, from Nova Scotia. Bill almost sounds like he’s rapping to the beats, and the track is layered with a multitude of rhythmic and melodic samples. The result is an outstanding funky chill track.
“Coconut” is next in our travels, and it’s an island destination, with calypso beats. But it’s a trip on psychedelics, with perception twisted, senses overloaded, and a jungle thick with samples. It’s an instrumental, way too short, because it’s a destination I want to revisit. “One And Own” has rockabilly guitar with Bill’s vocals, and a bunch of samples and sound manipulations, creating something akin to acid rock mixed with old timey jazz, on, well, acid. There’s more jazz samples in “0 and 1,” with a piano riff forming the backbone of the tune, with both an open sound and a processed muffled sound. Hip hop drum beats and various samples accompany this instrumental. I really like the appropriation of gospel choir samples in “Anything is Possible,” too. “Never Never “is an outstanding collaboration, even if Bloodshot Bill only appears on only a few tracks, and I’m excited for the next three adventures.
OMO CLOUD – Mausoleum (Dusty Mars Records, omocloud.bandcamp.com / Silver Girl Records, www.silvergirl.com)
Short version of this review: Absolutely stunning. Longer version: Omo Cloud is the alter-ego of San Diego born and raised Cole De La Isla. The non-binary musical artist grew up a child of musicians, hanging out in recording studios and listening to Radiohead, Wilco, and Bowie. Mausoleum is their debut LP, and it comes after a smattering of singles released over the past few years. Omo Cloud’s music can best be described as ethereal indie. The arrangements are heavenly, ranging from feathery and diaphanous to thick, dreamy, and almost grungy in some songs. Some of the songs reach near orchestral level of gorgeous complex arrangements, while others evoke the theatrical. Of the album title, says De La Isla, “A mausoleum can be a lonesome place, cool and lonely and sad. But it’s also a monument to what has come before.” And via the eleven songs presented, it’s a way of letting go to a painful past, moving beyond it, while being able to come back and reflect upon it.
“Ode to Twenty” opens the album, speaking of orchestral, with a simulation of the sounds of the players tuning, then settles into a quiet reflective song with acoustic guitar and hushed vocals, with dreamy keyboards that lurk in the background and then burst forth. De La Isla’s vocals are breathy and delicate, so perfect for setting a mood. “The Summer” is a bold indie tune with a tinges of folk and grunge, while “Brutal” is an amazing tour de force, featuring acoustic guitar, bass, drums, and synths in a lilting courtly dance number. The music is subtle and lively, while the vocals are emotional and heart-wrenching. The angelic backing vocals and the flute solo are spot-on perfect. “Ultimate Love” is one of the earlier singles, a song that blends indie, grunge, and radio friendly contemporary pop sounds in a soft song that explores the true meaning of love, what we’re taught it’s supposed to be, and what we find for ourselves. I adore “Good Intentions,” an exquisite song that features gorgeous strings and De La Isla’s amazing vocal range, creating a song that feels out of time, something from the misty past. And “Tell Me,” also featuring the string ensemble, has the feel of a ballad from an old black and white film. The album ends with a short instrumental, “Orbiting,” that fades away. It does have the feel of moving out into space, into the void, away from reality.
Omo Cloud’s debut LP is one of the most touching, emotional, and wonderful records I’ve had the privilege of listening to so far this year. De La Isla may be young, but they have an old soul. Very highly recommended. There aren’t enough words to describe how good this is.
ROBERT SCHEFFLER – Truce (robertscheffler.bandcamp.com)
New York singer-songwriter Robert Scheffler’s third full-length album “sets out to explore the agreements, unspoken or overt, that shape our bonds to friends, partners, and the world at large,” as the album notes state. So it’s no accident that this predominantly solo album sees Scheffler recruiting various friends to help with back up. Scheffler provides his own guitar, ukelele, and lead vocals in a home recording affair (inspired by Warren Zevon’s “Life’ll Kill Ya” LP), and the resulting recordings were mixed and mastered by New York legend Scott Anthony. The eleven tracks have a solid indie vibe, ranging from folk and Americana to bluesy to pop, with a wide range of feelings and emotions on display. It’s a nice understated affair, relaxed and not too in-your-face. The arrangements are lush without sounding complicated, and the melodies are smooth and easy. Scheffler’s musicianship is solid, and the songs are both meaningful and pleasant. From the acoustic driven “Excuse the Mess” that opens the LP to the quietly desperate “We’re All Waiting” that closes it, this is a really nice listen. One highlight in between is “Hang On, Skyline,” a song that starts out quietly, with hints of indie and Americana. It slowly builds over its three and a half minute length, with both electric and acoustic guitars and subtle electric organ. Another is the delicate “All In Good Time,” with acoustic guitar, piano, and strings. It reminds me a bit of the late great Michael Johnson, a folk and pop singer-songwriter who wrote and recorded some amazing songs, but sadly passed away several years ago. “All In Good Time” has the same sort of lovely light touch and smoothness that packs a hefty emotional punch that Johnson had. There’s also “Carry On Without Me,” a song that let’s Scheffler express his soulful rock side, while still retaining the casual relaxed feel. “Blue Sky Mess” is a solid indie rock tune. And “I Don’t Love You Like I Should” is absolutely adorable, played on ukelele with accordion accompaniment. Just beautiful.
TORPEDO – What the Fucked Do We All Do Now? | Lights (Broken Clover Records, brokenclover.com)
Torpedo is a Swiss trio that makes music that’s experimental, noisy, and dreamy all at once. After releasing their debut LP, they’re back with their curiously named sophomore release. The first six tracks account for half the LP’s 45 minute length, and the final track holds the balance. Interesting. There is dissonance throughout the album, with guitars gently clashing in atonal chords, yet it’s played in a pensive way, sometimes calm and sedate, sometimes noisy, angry, and chaotic. The opening track, “Some Wolves,” takes us on a journey through all these sounds, exploring a range of emotions. Then there are two short noisy ominous tracks, “Some” and “Where” (get it?). They’re dark and mysterious, filled with deep, baleful, sinister, tones, threatening clicking sounds, and indistinct French dialog. The noises ebb and flow, menacing all the time. “ONW” is downright melodic, in comparison. It’s a gritty garage-like song with clean lineage from Sonic Youth, with a rapid tempo, angular guitars, and brusque inharmonious vocals. That is, until we get to the bridge in the middle of the song, when it gets downright smooth and lithe, the vocals transitioning to melodic singing. The song eventually transitions back to a noisy sound,, with the guitars manifesting a wall of melodic fuzz, as the temp speeds up, the vocals matching the drummer’s rapidly increasing tempo, before ending in a slow puddle of sludge. “Sugar Love” is a short track filled with the sounds of birds, the vocals reciting, as if poetry, “Spring, 94, spring, two oh fifteen, sugar love.” What does it mean? Damned if I know, but it flows int that final extended track, appropriately titled, “NOISE.” This one is for all you experimental and industrial noise addicts. It’s a stream of consciousness sort of piece, dreamy and nightmarish. It goes through changes over its 23 minute length, from chaotic to serene, to surreal and thoughtful. A work of sonic art.
THE WHIMBRELS (Dromedary Records, dromedary-records.com)
The Whimbrels are like a Who’s Who of the New York City underground and art music scene. It features Arad Evans (guitar, vocals, writing), who was part of Glenn Branca’s ensemble from the 1980s until Branca’s death in 2018 (among other groups). It has Norman Westberg (guitar), who was the main guitarist for Swans for over 35 years (and has had a solo career and contributed to other projects). Matt Hunter (bass, vocals, writing) is a co-founder of New Radiant Storm King and has played with J. Mascis, King Missile, Silver Jews, and others. Steve DiBenedetto (drums) is an artist who has collaborated, musically, with members of Bongwater, King Missile, Yo La Tengo, and When People Were Shorter and Lived by the Water. And the group is rounded out by composer and guitarist Luke Schwartz, who also has played with Branca and myriad other projects. With a line-up like that, there are high expectations. It doesn’t disappoint. The album features seven tracks that span from indie-pop to more experimental, all thickly arranged with complex riffs and rhythms. “She is the Leader” opens things with the most jangly indie song of the album, the vocals read out like an actor reading his lines, full of vigor and emotion. But many of the songs have more of a minimalist feel, with pulsing rhythms and short repeated riffs, still with lush instrumental arrangements. “Monarchs” is one such track, and the guitar tuning gives it a hint of South Asian flair, almost like listening to rock and roll sitar. If you want to get dark and gritty, “That’s How It Was” is for you, the noisiest toughest sounding track on the LP, with guitars growling most of the time, even more than the vocals, even with the smooth flowing bridge halfway through the song. “Scream for Me” throbs with garage rock goodness, even as it’s adorned with buzzsaw guitars cutting through your perceptions. The closing track, “Four Moons of Galileo,” is a masterpiece of instrumental experimental rock and roll, a hypnotic eight minute sonic excursion through art rock and progressive rock genres. The Whimbrels debut is as good as you would expect.
MERCY MUSIC/DANGER DAYS – Split 7-inch (doublehelixrecords.com)
Las Vegas’ Mercy Music and international punk collective Danger Days team up with Double Helix on a new split 7”. Each band gets one song to make their case, and both do so without a doubt. The A-side is Mercy Music’s first new release since 2023’s outstanding LP, “What You Stand to Lose.” The song is called “Big Fucking Mess,” and it’s a perfect description of how we’re all feeling about the world today, with a chorus that screams, “Big fucking mess, and I’m always depressed / Will I ever be over it?” It mixes pop-tinged melodic punk with some cool 80s post-punk tinges, like melancholy guitar riffs pulled back in the mix and loaded with reverb. The resulting track sounds different from the “usual” Mercy Music tunes. It’s got the trio’s usual top-notch performance, but a different vibe. Danger Days, a four-piece featuring members from the UK, Sweden, and New Zealand, offers up “Wasted Time” on the B-side. It’s a more straight-forward punk rock banger, singing about feelings of hopelessness. It’s got a solid 90s punk sound, big and crunchy with plenty of melody. These are two different bands, but it makes for a solid split single.
HALICON – Relocation Spells (Gamma Ray Gun Records, gammaraygunrecords.bandcamp.com)
Welcome to another episode of Difficult Listening Hour. The Spot on your dial for that relentless and impenetrable sound of…difficult music. So, sit bolt upright in that straight-backed chair, button that top button, and get set for some…difficult music. I kid. And hat tip to Laurie Anderson. But this new album from Halicon won’t be for everyone. Halicon is the alter-ego of Tim Krug, who plays in bands Oh Condor, Hexadiode, and, oh yeah, he’s been playing with Brainiac for a while, too. Halicon is the name he works under for his more experimental electronic music, and though he released his first material under than name more than 20 years ago, he’s gotten a lot more active, with several LPs over the last five years. “Relocation Spells” finds him in peak form, with sonic brainscapes that are dark and mysterious, brooding, grating, yet rhythmic, hypnotic, and trance-inducing. The opening track, “Gold Leaf,” is like something out of a Lynchian nightmare, with foreboding flowing Badalamenti-like sounds beneath ominous static, scraping, and grating rhythms. The mix of smooth and rough, each vying for dominance, is a recurring theme through the songs, with even the smooth parts, at times, rising with shrill dissonance. “Silver Arrow” uses this technique to echo societal divisions that vie for the hearts and minds of the people, with each side waxing and waning in influence. The gritty beats are tentatively danceable, yet there’s a heaviness to the music, a lugubriousness that contradicts that feeling. Some people will, indeed, find this to be…difficult music. I find it fascinating.
WALT HAMBURGER – …and Louie (Thousand Islands Records, thousandislandsrecords.com)
Walt Hamburger’s first LP of all new music since 2019 is a full-band affair that features an all-star lineup that includes Neil Hennessey (The Lawrence Arms, Sparta, The Treasure Fleet, and many more), Mikey Erg (The Ergs, Laura Jane Grace, Worriers, and too many great bands to list), Jon Snodgrass (Drag the River, Scorpios, Jon Snodgrass and Friends) and Asher Simon (Joey Cape’s Band, Bad Loud). It’s an interesting choice for Thousand Islands Records, a label that tends to focus on much more aggressive skate punk sounds. Walt Hamburger often plays solo acoustic, and that’s represented on this album, with some acoustic intros or breaks. The album starts out that way, but then the full band comes in full glorious blast. The song is “Anyway… Come Over,” and it’s short, simple, bright, and hopeful sounding. The lyrics are minimalist: “I want you to call me” repeated over and over, followed by “Tell me come over” repeated. It’s a shiny bright plea, and a wonderful beginning. The album contains a great nix of acoustic and full band material – mostly fully band. I love “Insolence,” a hopping bright song about living life as if there are no consequences to one’s actions. It’s solidly pop punk, and one of my favorites of the album. The other song that really rocks on is the closer, “Hell, Fire, Brimstones, & Electric Guitar/Johnny Rocker.” It’s a hard rocking tune, just as the title implies, with gang vocals, guitar solos, and plenty of power. But there’s a plethora of folksy Americana on the album. The use of acoustic guitar along with full electric band on “Just Me” gives it a nice dark feel in this vein, and “Do Crimes” is a gorgeous song featuring acoustic guitar, cello, and piano, and has the distinct feel of an old folk tune. It’s not a song about doing crimes, rather it’s about falling in love with someone who makes you want to be a better person. There are eight songs in total here, and none of these songs ever seems to get stale with repeated listens. There’s variety, solid songwriting, and top notch musicianship. Recommended.
THE LEN PRICE 3 – “Emily’s Room” b/w “I’m a Fake” (Wicked Cool Records, www.wickedcoolrecords.com)
The English trio is back with new music on a limited edition 7”! Garage pop abounds in the two songs, with bouncy bright melodies and fuzzed up guitars. The A-side is a tribute to the 1970s BBC kids’ TV show, “Bagpuss,” about toys that lived in a shop run by a girl named Emily. It was a very short-lived program (only 13 episodes ever made), but it’s been voted favorite children’s TV show in the UK. The song is lively, fun, and sparkling, certain to get you bobbing your head. Flip this over and “I’m a Fake” still has The Len Price 3’s British Invasion sound, but the song also feels a lot more updated and modern at the same time. It’s garage pop blended with modern indie rock, and it’s a great sound. Solid stuff here, recommended!
MK NAOMI – Dream Hiss (mknaomima.bandcamp.com)
MK Naomi is a Boston area indie pop trio and Dream Hiss is their debut EP, after releasing a pair of singles over the past several months. The trio (Andrea Neuenfeldt – bass/vocals, Lauren Garant – guitar/vocals, and Ally Bull – drums/vocals) play bubbly indie-pop melodies with gorgeous clean lead vocals and instrumentals that are appropriately driving and can sometimes get nice and raucous. This debut EP has four songs, and every one of them is a solid indie-pop listen. Lead single, “Wasserland,” has some grunge influence, with a tougher guitar sound and some gritty riffs. It’s a near-ballad “about thought-spiraling and trying to snap yourself out of it, “says Neuenfeldt. “Sometimes the vacuum that sadness creates pulls in everything until you’re feeling crushed by the weight of existence and reminding yourself you can get through this is the only way out.” The other three tracks have a brighter sound, with opener “Soft Swerve” being a solid favorite with its loping pace and sparkling lead vocals. “Magic Smokin’ Grill” is a sure summer pleaser with a nice light lithe sound, particularly in the willowy vocals. The band use the word “emo” in describing themselves – “emo-pop hallucination,” to be precise. And the closing song, “Choking Hazard,” comes to closest to that description. It's still indie pop, but the instrumental arrangement is thicker and richer, coming closer than the others to what we think of as “emo.” Regardless of the labels, MK Naomi is a great addition to the US indie-pop scene, and I hope they plan to tour to the west coast.
WILLIE NILE – The Great Yellow Light (River House Records, willienile.bandcamp.com)
Longtime New York rocker Willie Nile has been making music since the 1970s, and releasing records under his own name since 1980. Now, some 35 years later comes his 21st solo LP, “The Great Yellow Light” (the title is a reference to a letter Vincent Van Gogh write to his brother, Theo, where he described the light in Arles, France that inspired him), Nile’s songs range from anthemic rock and roll to power pop gems, from gentle ballads to down home country twang. And there’s even an Irish folk rock tune in the mix. We get the raucous “Wild Wild World,” which mixes surf, garage, blues, and pop all into a single song about the tragedies that occur all around the world, and how we have to laugh to keep from crying sometimes, and also some of the simple joys the world has to offer. And we get the twangy “Tryin’ to Make a Livin’ in the U.S.A.,” a countrified tune with a bit of Cajun influence about the difficulties of making ends meet in these times. Some tracks do sound a bit like generic pub rock. “We Are, We Are” and “Electrify Me” fall into this category. When Nile does something different and unexpected, though, the results are more interesting. That Irish tune, “An Irish Goodbye,” with tin whistle, bagpipes, accordion, and a mix of electric and acoustic instruments, is a real delight, with just the right blend of traditional folk and modern rock. Another highlight is “Wake Up America,” a great striding song with a bright hopeful feel, about the decline happening in the country, with a call to all Americans to wake up to that fact and work to turn things around. “Washington’s Day,” despite having a full arrangement, feels like sing-songwriter fare, with a folksy feel and filled with emotional intent. There are some good, well-written songs here, and some that are just OK.
WORN THROUGH – Barely Real (Strange View Records, www.strangeviewrecords.com / Just Because Records, justbecauserecords.bandcamp.com/)
Worn through. It’s your favorite pair of jeans you’ve been wearing for years that are falling apart, or that old t-shirt that’s gotten so soft that you keep wearing it, even though it has holes in it. Things that are worn through are comfortable and familiar. So it is with the band, Worn Through. They feel like a bunch of old friends you’ve been hanging out with since you can remember. There’s a relaxed casual feeling to the dozen songs on this album, remarkably the band’s debut. It sounds more like they’ve been playing together for years, so comfortable are these songs. But maybe that’s because they’re all veterans of other bands, denizens of the road, who all decided to settle down in Baltimore and found each other. The band plays indie rock that’s got hints of folk and Americana, like good story-telling songs. Some songs have a bit of psych, too, like “Difference is Thin,” which opens the album. It draws on 70s folk rock for inspiration, with a subtle twang in the lead guitar. “Omaha” is one of my favorite songs of the album, embodying the essence of the album. I particularly love the dynamic chorus, and the lyrics that look back on better times. “Everything’s Different Now” is another, with group singing and an almost folk-punk power in this slow dirge-like song. “Arms Forever” is the most straight-ahead indie tune, and its wonderful jangle and unorthodox melodic lines make it another favorite. The album’s shortest and sparest song is also its most powerful. “Kentucky State Flower” features just piano and vocals singing a short song about these desperate times we live in: “You say we’re lucky, we’ve got so much to hold / Like a thirty-year long mortgage loan.” It talks about hopes and dreams unfulfilled, but having each other, at least. It’s under a minute, but says so much. Your mind and soul may have holes and thin spots, but Worn Through will help you mend them.
CASH BRIBE – Demonomics (Futureless Records, cashbribe.bandcamp.com/)
Cash Bribe is modern day New York hardcore. Hardcore music today is louder and more chaotic than the hardcore of the past, sounding not only angry, but furious. This is music of catharsis, with everything spilling out and splattering all over the place. Metallic riffs and deep fuzzed guitar and bass mate with furiously pounding drums and shrieking vocals on six tracks, each of which opens with the obligatory guitar feedback before launching into the mayhem. These songs express an intense release of built up anger and frustration. I find “Bay of Pigs” to be a fascinating track that has hints of 90s industrial mixed with gritty metallic hardcore. The title track, too, has an almost early 80s punk vibe in parts, with the garage-surf sensibilities of the Dead Kennedys. And the vocal delivery on “10” reveals the band’s NYHC roots. I really like some of the screechy guitar work on this track. Modern thrashy hardcore usually doesn’t appeal to me very much, but Cash Bribe stand apart from the crowd of hardcore bands, with tighter performances, nods to hardcore of the past, and an actual musical approach to their songs.
CASUAL HEX – Zig Zag Lady Illusion II (Youth Riot Records, casualhex.bandcamp.com)
Casual Hex is a trio from the Pacific Northwest who claim Pylon, Unwound, A Frames, and early Sonic Youth as influences. But I think they’ve got their own thing going on that’s pretty unique. They call it no wave, post punk, and noise rock, and I get some of that. The music has definite song structures and melodic lines, but they’re definitely more in the experimental realm than pop, by far. The music is angular and abrasive, repetitive and minimalist, sometimes atonal, and always chaotic and noisy. The lead vocals are intoned flatly and without emotion, reminding me a lot of Lydia Tomkiw and her band, Algebra Suicide. The music too, has a similar mechanical feel, but where Algebra Suicide was heavily synth-based, Casual Hex is guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards. Casual Hex sounds more dangerous, too, with edgy riffs that are left unresolved. The bass lines are heavy and murderous, the guitars are frigid and stabbing, and the drums are relentlessly mechanical and industrial. Two of the tracks stand out as different from the rest. “Samuel Joner II” is the most experimental and the least song-like track of the album. Rather than a song, it’s a sonic collage, with pulsing buzzing synths and processed eerie vocals. The track is, in a word, ominous. And “Like a Product” is the most “normal” sounding song of the record. It’s still angular and loaded with tension, but it’s less atonal than the other tracks. The band call this an LP, but it’s eight tracks clock in at a mere 18 minutes, so maybe mini-LP is a more accurate description. Either way, it’s an exciting and unique release. Recommended!
DANCE MYTH – The Shapes We Make (Say-10 Records, thedancemyth.com)
Dance Myth is the new solo project from Dan Smith, of Labklik, Deepspace5, and Listener. The first two groups were unconventional and experimental hip-hop, while Listener blended emo and spoken word poetry. Dance Myth goes a step further, with music that’s quieter and more subtle, setting moods more than moving our bodies. The vocals are the centerpiece, and the Beat Generation style poetry is similar to what Micah Schnabel does. But where Schnabel focuses on the daily struggles of survival and making art in a world that seems stacked against us, Dance Myth is more optimistic, lighter, inspirational, and even excited and enthusiastic. As an example, “Waking Up to Your Island” features acoustic guitar, trumpet, and birdsongs, with lyrics telling us that we are a miracle, “a rising sun, exactly everything you need, and enough.” It’s the sort of stuff that would be on those motivational posters, but it feels a lot more earnest and real. The music is gentle and poignant, shining softly. The opening track, “Gentle Gentle,” is stately, with acoustic guitar, bass, and keyboards, as it declares “We’re not just the sum of who we’ve been, all of us complicated angels, strange and beautiful and weird of a kind. The world is magic, how else can it be.” It’s the sort of thing we all need to hear sometimes. The synths on “Playing Pretend” have the feel of Gothic minimalism, creating a piece that’s moody and dark. I love the meandering grandeur of “Glass Maze,” and “Dry County” has a smooth jazz vibe mixed with post-emo. It’s graceful and moving, and the frantic vocals are a perfect match. This is the record to listen to when you’re feeling down and you want to feel that everything is going to be OK.
OLD JULIAN (oldjulian.bandcamp.com)
Old Julian is a new project from a name that’s been around the San Diego music scene for a while, Todd Allen. He’s best known for Squarecrow, lesser known for Beside Myself, and has recorded several bands and released records on his Paper Street Cuts label. Old Julian is his latest outlet, more of a recording project than an ongoing band. I suppose he had some new songs bouncing around in his head that had to get out. So Allen recruited some friends to help him out on this “solo” project. Allen handles lead vocals, plays guitar and bass (and all “other stuff”). Along for the ride on Old Julian’s debut EP are Wyman Harrell (of Bastards of Young), on drums, Tim Putnam (of Allweather and Deadbed) singing backup vocals, and Marissa Jones, also on backup vocals. Now, as good as Allen’s previous bands have been, I think Old Julian is his most mature and fully realized work to date. The songs are thicker and lusher, bigger and grander, yet they still have the same bounce and fist-pumping excitement as his past work. But Allen has suffered from an inferiority complex, always self-deprecating and not knowing how good his songs are. This comes out in the opening track, “Nice Shot, Slow Draw,” a big striding song that says “It’s time to give it up,” and “I could care less and I could care more but I don’t.” Even as Allen mulls chucking it all, he gives us the best song on his best record. “Borrowed Lines’ is another solid track, and one that has the bones to make it onto alternative radio charts (do those still exist?). “Frazzle” reminds me of early Decent Criminal songs, with a slight hint of retro rock and roll and some glorious multipart harmonies in the vocals. And “Trigger” sounds so very different from anything Allen’s done before; it’s darker, edgier hard rock. It’s good to see Allen making music again. I hope he doesn’t give it up, because this new direction is a good one.
SLEDGES – Losing Pace (Quiet Panic, sledges.bandcamp.com)
) Sledges began as a COVID era trio, and quickly expanded into the four-piece of today. Based out of the San Diego area, the band have a couple of singles under the belts already, and a trimmed down version of this EP came out on cassette a few weeks ago. Now the full six-song EP is coming out on limited edition vinyl. Sledges’ music is best described as grungy metallic shoe-gaze. It’s big and heavy, with sinister metallic licks, but at the same time there’s an airiness to it, with a hazy layer of fuzz laid down over the whole thing. I like the big punch of the opening track, “Stumbling as I Fall.” The heavy grunge sound mixed with shoe-gaze distortion and reverb is a fascinating sound. “Weightless” has a great driving indie rock sound that reminds me of Mission of Burma a little bit, if Mission of Burma became a shoe-gaze band and added a bunch of fuzz and reverb to their sound. And “Letters,” with which the EP closes, is a great poppy tune that alternates between smooth dream pop and hard and heavy grunge. With their mix of dreaminess, edginess, and power, Sledges should start getting wider recognition.
UNSEEMLIER – I Have a Screw Loose, Somewhere (Sell the Heart Records, unseemlier.bandcamp.com)
Formed in late 2023, Unseemlier is a Boston quartet that plays what they describe as “heavy emo/soft punk,” and the description is pretty accurate. The vocal delivery is shout-spoken-sung, in the tradition of emo originators out of Washington, DC, while the instrumentals are broad, melodic, and strong. The opening track, “Lifetrap,” begins with tribal drumming, and then a deep hum from the bass comes in. The guitars come in with clarion call, demanding attention, and then the vocals come in with lyrics about persistence in the face of adversity. It’s an auspicious opening to this debut LP. There are songs like “My Own Summer (Pop Shuv It)” or “I Know I’ll Love It, That’s Why I Hate It,” with an easy emo-punk melodic sound in the instrumentals but those intense vocals that completely change the tone of the songs. They’re some of my favorites. There are songs about life in suburban Boston, like “Dirt King of Allston” and “In the Shadow of Stoughton.” But I think my favorites of the LP include the jumpy “Anarchist Scholastic Book Fair,” with mathy rhythms and sparkling guitars, as well as “Power Chord Career Criminals,” the poppiest brightest song of the album, even as it’s also one of the heaviest and hardest hitting songs. These two songs have the most positive and hopeful feel of the album. This is propitious debut LP.
WPTR – Redness & Swelling at the Injection Site (wptr.bandcamp.com)
WPTR is the solo effort of Peter Gill, best known from the bands 2nd Grade, Friendship, and Hour. “Redness & Swelling at the Injection Site” is his debut LP as WPTR. It’s a wide ranging album, mostly acoustic, but with electric guitar here and there throughout. The album has folk, indie-pop, jazz, country, experimental, and nearly everything else amongst the album’s 18 tracks. It could be called “arty,” because it comes off as a musician who is experimenting with various ideas. Supporting this idea is the fact that these are short snippets of musical ideas, with the longest track clocking in at just two minutes, and most in the minute to minute and a half range.
Now, I’m a sucker for good experimental music and the avant-garde, but WPTR’s attempts come off as trying too hard, with nonsensical or incoherent ideas. But when Gill hews closer to standard song structures, the results are not only listenable, they’re beautiful. For example, the opening track, “If the Wind Could Talk,” is an acoustic bossa nova folk hybrid, and is lovely. But right after this, “Italian Crime Thrillers” has electric guitar and an awkward melody with multi-tracked vocals that are not completely in key with each other, so this one is not so effective. There are some truly wonderful tracks. The wistful “Past Days” is one such song, with delicate acoustic guitar and a nice singer-songwriter feel. “Assisted Seaside View” is a solo electric guitar song, with reverb in the vocals, giving it a nice indie vibe, but I wish it was longer. At just a minute in length it’s too short. The minimalist jazzy mien of “Taylor & Burton” is nice, though the stream of consciousness lyrics are head-scratching. The bouncy “In Bruges” has a nice indie pop sound, but could be vastly improved with better recording quality and a full band. And the closing track, “No Star General,” is a solid indie song played with both acoustic and electric guitar.
“Secondhand Smoke” is one of the less successful tracks. It tries to be artsy, but just feels ungainly, with odd intervals in the melodic line. “Deep Blue” sounds like something an art school major might write, with a strange melody and a “bridge” that features two people reading off a series of chess moves. I guess it’s a song about the Deep Blue super computer designed to beat chess masters. It’s weird. And “300 Meter Hurdles” is just 38 seconds of random guitar and drum noise.
I get that Gill is using WPTR to try out different musical ideas, and that’s fine. But those less successful experiments should never make it to an actual release. This debut has about a 70/30 split of listenable vs. confusing songs.
BORN RUFFIANS – Beauty’s Pride (Yep Roc Records; bornruffians.bandcamp.com)
Born Ruffians is a band that’s hard to pin down or pigeonhole. Their songs vary widely, from smooth pop to indie, from folk
pop to jazz, and to new wave and experimental soundscapes. And this makes sense when you understand
that the Ontario band began as a straightforward indie band back in 2004, but has been steadily evolving
and experimenting with their sound, adding considerable amounts of pop and experimenting with
electronics. The opening track, “Mean Time,” is one of those smooth pop tunes, and can give a false
impression of what the band is about. Upon my first listen to this album, when this song began playing, I
was somewhat disappointed, because I thought this was going to be an album filled with soft synth-based
chill dance pop. But as soon as that song ended, “To Be Seen” started playing, and the electric guitars
became more prominent. Sure, there was still a bouncy dance-friendly rhythm and there were still synths,
but those became the background to a solidly enjoyable indie rock song. “What a Ride” follows and the
band shifts sounds, yet again, to a bright indie pop sound with hints of jazzy rhythms. The instrumentals
range from quietly jangling to big and shiny. “All My Life” is a fascinating song, quiet and delicate with
rumbling ambient noises and smooth gorgeous instrumentals crowned with beautiful harmonized vocals.
The end result has the feel of smooth jazz with a hint of mystery. And the mood shifts 180 degrees after that
with the bubbly synth-heavy indie-pop track, “Athena,” which has hints of Devo-like new wave sounds.
I’m a fan of musical experimentalism, so the short instrumental, “Incoming,” which serves as an
introduction to the pretty folk-pop tune “Supersonic Man,” hits my heart. “Supersonic Man,” itself, is a
gorgeous understated song with acoustic guitar, and it makes effective use of synths to create a complex
sonic texture for the song. As the song evolves, electric guitar joins in and the electric instruments grow
and swell. My favorite track may be the short piece, “The Knowing Is Easy,” which features wonderful
cello with the sounds of nature from field recordings and various people reciting the piece’s title in various
ways. It’s such a perfect mood-setter. “Do,” which follows, has the sound of a chamber music pop song. The
lyrics refer to the previous track, and seem to say how knowing what to do is easy, now it’s time to do it.
Thought is cheap, action is what brings change. The title track closes the album out, and begins as a lovely
acoustic singer-songwriter piece, the synths soon joining in just as delicately. The full band comes in
around halfway through, but it maintains a folksy pop vibe. Born Ruffians have crafted an album that
takes us on a wonderful sonic adventure.
CHESTERFIELD KINGS – “Your Strange Love” b/w “It’s Only Love” (Wicked Cool Records,
www.wickedcoolrecords.com)
Chesterfield Kings are a rock and roll band formed in the late 1970s in
Rochester New York, and they’ve been putting out music almost continuously since. They did have a
hiatus for about a decade back at the end of the 2000s, but came back and continue to put out solid rock
and roll records. This latest release is a surprise limited edition 7” announced just barely in time to make
deadline for this column! It’s two new songs, centered around the eternal rock and roll theme of love. The
A-side, “Your Strange Love,” is a perfect representation of the Chesterfield Kings sound, with a driving
garage rock sound, guitars that have a tough sound, and vocals that glide smoothly over the instrumentals
with wonderful harmonies. The B-side, “It’s Only Love,” has more of a 60s pop ballad sound, with quiet
delicate guitars and crooning vocals. It’s got an almost Beatles-like 60s pop sound. Surprises are fun!
DEAD HISTORY – Departures (Landland Colportage; deadhistorymn.bandcamp.com)
Hailing from
the upper Midwest (Minneapolis), Dead History is made up of five seasoned veteran musicians with
experience in the punk, hardcore, and indie music scene. They draw on these past experiences and other
influences in their sophomore LP, “Departures.” The opening track, “Tentative,” is aptly named, as it’s got
a subtle meandering sound, hushed vocals, and many parts of guitar musings free of the constraints of
rhythm. The first half of the song feels like that space between waking and dreams. Just past the halfway
mark, the track explodes in fury, thick guitars screaming out as the vocals soar in glorious harmony. This
period of certainty lasts just over a single minute before the song quiets again and returns to its namesake
nature. In stark contrast is “Perpetual Motion,” a big pounding track with an epic quality. It’s in a modal
key, rather than minor or major, so it’s got a non-committal sound, not upbeat or melancholy. But it drives
hard, the drums pounding furiously and the lead guitar screaming angrily. At times, the complex intricacies
in the songs gives the album the feel of what might be labeled “progressive post hardcore.” One such song
is “Battles,” with a post-grunge vibe, guitars that sound as alarm bells, thick harmonized vocals, and
pounding rhythmic drum and bass breakdowns. “Oscillated” is another, with complex repeated riffs and
throbbing rhythms. And in “Through the Shadows,” I hear 90s alternative rock, with hints of Pearl Jam,
mixed in with some post-emo influenced riffage. “City Sidewalks” is an outlier on the album, with a
quieter, more relaxed vibe that features acoustic guitar and piano. It’s got hints of Americana and folk, but
also has a definite pop ballad melody. “Departures” is a big moody album for fans of emo-alternative
music.
SMUG BROTHERS – Stuck on Beta (Anyway Records, smugbrothers.bandcamp.com)
The Smug
Brothers, the power pop and indie band from Ohio, continue to evolve and grow on this, their latest LP.
I’ve reviewed their last few releases, and on each, the band seems to get more mature and confident, more
sure of their direction. On earlier releases the songs seemed to be mere fragments or ideas, and these grew
into more fully realized songs on later releases. “Stuck on Beta” seems to be the most fully realized and
complete Smug Brothers album to date, with longer songs that give the musical ideas the room to stretch
that they’ve been demanding. The band still exhibits its love of power pop and British invasion music,
with lovely jangly melodies, most notably in the short introductory track, “Borrow the Hook,” a tongue in
cheek reference to appropriating one’s influences. It’s the only song on the album that still feels
fragmentary, ending unresolved after a mere 49 seconds. Beyond this lies a dozen other songs that still
have a pop jangle, but lean more heavily into a modern indie rock sound. The power pop is strongest in
songs like “Paper Jane,” and “Take It Out on Me,” which focus more on pop guitar jangle and great
melody. The latter of these two has a bit of R&B soul in the mix, too. “X-Ray Is Everywhere, too, has some
bluesy R&B mixed with pop. And “Sidetrack Ghosts” takes it a step further, including sax and trumpet in
the wonderfully bouncy arrangement. Some British invasion music had classical influences, and the
delicate guitar and flutes of “Voltaire Basement” certainly has this. It’s a lovely piece. And “Cheers to
Everything We Used to Do” uses acoustic guitar, piano, and strings for another gorgeous classically
influenced song. And “Arcade Strange” is the most different from past Smug Brothers material, with a
dreamier indie sound. To my ears, this is the best Smug Brothers record to date.
SPEED THE PLOUGH – Songs With Anna (speedtheplough1.bandcamp.com)
Here’s a new four-song EP, from New Jersey’s Speed the Plough! It’s two songs from the band’s 2020 album, “Marina,” a track
from a compilation, plus one new one, all newly recorded and performed with harpsichord virtuoso, Anna
Clemente. Speed the Plough has always called themselves “chamber pop,” and it’s never been more apt
than it is on this lovely EP. Toni and John Baumgartner are also joined on this record by Brenda Sauter, of
The Feelies, Marc Francia, Michael Baumgartner, Stanley and John Demeski, upright bassist Naomi Smith,
Rich Barnes, and Glenn Mercer. The first track is “A Saint, Restored,” the sixth track on “Marina.” The
original is, itself, a wonderful traditional sounding folk melody played with acoustic guitar, bass, and
accordion. This new rendition scales back the accordion, replaces guitar with harpsichord, adds a beautiful
flute, and includes wonderfully harmonized vocals. It ends up sounding like a long-lost medieval folk
tune, making me think of people dancing in sunny flower-filled fields. “Written Each Day,” which appears
as the second track on “Marina,” is transformed from dark and driving to something lighter, yet more
foreboding, by adding harpsichord on top of the piano. “A Plan Revised,” which closes the EP, was
originally a song from The Trypes, a band John Baumgartner was in and was featured on a Coyote Records
compilation. It was later adapted and performed by Speed The Plough, appearing as the digital release,
“On WFMU’s Live Music Faucet, 1990.” The thrum of the original is transformed into a delicately hazy
neo-Galliard or Canario (lively 16th century Renaissance dances). The new song is “Poison Dart,” and it’s
the most Speed the Plough of all the songs on the EP. The harpsichord here seems more like embellishment
to the rest of the song, rather than the centerpiece. It’s the lushest song, too, with a rich arrangement, and
it’s the most modern sounding song here, as well. I honestly love everything about this EP, but my favorite
track is “A Saint, Restored.”
HER HEAD’S ON FIRE / ARMS LIKE ROSES – Split EP (Double Helix Records, doublehelixrecords.com)
The two songs on this new split 7” are the kind of music that I devoured
back in the late 80's and into the 90's. Bands were moving away from hardcore and more toward an indie
style, full of jangle, full of melody, but more importantly, full of emotion. The swirling guitar sounds,
impassioned vocals, and edgy rhythms were my jam. The A-side of this record features Her Head’s On Fire,
a band that includes members of Garrison, Small Brown Bike, The Bomb, and Saves the Day. Their song,
“Universal,” reminds me of the kind of music coming out of the Washington, DC scene in the 1990s, with a
big epic post-emo sound. I like the contrast of the tougher sounding instrumentals with the smooth soaring
vocals. On the flip-side of the record is Arms Like Roses, a band with a lighter lither sound. The rhythms
border on mathy, and the guitars jangle and swirl with an early 90's Midwest emo sound (even though the
band is from New England). Both songs on this record sound both nostalgic and current at the same time.
And they make me want to hear more from both bands.
THE METHADONES
"Love On Layaway" b/w "My Insanity Plea" (Red Scare Industries, redscare.net / Stardumb Records, www.stardumbrecords.com)
Another surprise release from Red Scare! And it’s new music from The Methadones! Led by Dan Schafer (aka Dan Vapid, of Screeching Weasel, Riverdales, Sludgeworth, and Dan Vapid & the Cheats fame), the band’s last release was a split with The Copyrights more than a decade ago (not counting their Naked Raygun cover for a benefit comp a couple of years ago and another cover for a Muffs comp around the same time), and they really don’t play out all that often anymore. But perhaps this new 7-inch is an omen of good things to come? We can only hope! The new 7-inch is a joint release between Red Scare and Stardumb, pressed up in limited quantities as a “party favor” to celebrate Stardumb’s 25th birthday. The A-side, “Love on Layaway,” is a love song played with a relaxed feel, moderate tempo, and big broad punk rock chords. Schafer’s vocals have a pleading quality to them, and the song has an edge of melancholy. Flip this sucker over and “My Insanity Plea” is the winner of the pair. I mean, they’re both great songs, but this B-side is stronger, louder, faster, and more insistent. It’s melodic punk rock in the best Chicago tradition, with big muscular guitars and a simple yet effective melody. It’s only two new songs, so it’s not enough! Let’s hope The Methadones have more surprises coming!
WHATEVER… – Into Darker Days (Doctor Strange Records, www.drstrange.com)
This album has a strong 90's punk sound to it, which makes a lot of sense when you realize that Whatever… had their heyday in the 90's. Formed in 1991 in the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio, the core of the band was and is Ben Wrecked (guitar, vocals) and Matt Fish (drums). After a decade, three albums, a split LP (with Zoinks!) and several singles and EP's, the band called it quits. Now, a quarter century later, the band is back and releasing new material. Whatever... actually reunited a couple years ago, started playing out, and even released a 7-inch with Midwestern label/record store Siren Records McHenry. But here in 2025, the band, now including Brett Moore (guitar) and Peter Woodward (bass and vocals,) has a new full-length LP and plans to tour nationally and internationally.
So, what does 2025’s Whatever… sound like? Well, they’re pretty much like the 1990s band. In fact, they may even sound better: tighter, faster, and more energetic. The music is still deeply rooted in 1990's punk, with tinges of metal. The melodies, rapid-fire vocal delivery, and harmonies show a pretty strong Bad Religion influence. And that can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing. On the plus side, they’re playing a solid sub-genre that a lot of people know and love, and it’s a sound sure to gain them new fans, as well. On the minus side, though, to my ears, this particular type of punk rock tends to all sound too much alike. There’s not enough variation in the sound, with every song played at a consistent tempo and volume level. This album suffers from that too. This doesn’t bother some people, and Whatever… are more than capable musicians, putting in a solid effort playing these songs. That said, there are a couple of tracks that stand out a bit more than the others to my ears. My top tracks are “Our Decline,” “Shelter in Place,” and “Monotony.” “Our Decline” is the most hard-hitting and driving of the tracks, and I love the subtle bright jangle in one of the guitars. The track also appeared on the 7-inch the band released last year. All three have something interesting to offer in the melodies. And “Monotony” has a cool chugging vibe that reminds me a little of “Urban Struggle,” the Vandals’ “hit.” I can see big punk festivals in Whatever…’s future.
DEBASED: A Pixies Tribute (sweetcheetahrecords.bandcamp.com)
This is the latest in a series of benefit comps released by Sweet Cheetah, which they call, “Covers for a Cause.” This comp is a celebration of The Pixies, and it benefits Border Angels, a non-profit organization that promotes a culture of love through advocacy and education, by engaging in direct action to defend the rights of migrants and refugees. A wide variety of bands contribute cover tracks to this release, including San Diego noise-core stalwarts, Deaf Club. Led by Justin Pearson, best known for his other chaotic bands, Retox, The Locust, and Swing Kids, Deaf Club leads things off with their cover of “Broken Face.” It’s probably the perfect choice for Deaf Club, as one of the most raucous off-the-wall Pixies songs, and Deaf Club manage to make it sound even wilder, more sinister and twisted, as only they can do. Also hailing from San Diego is Hauntu, who tackle “Velouria,” one of The Pixies iconic songs. It represented the band’s move toward a more melodic sound, and the shivering guitars and use of theremin give the song a cool quivering quality. Hauntu’s rendition is more straightforward, more of a standard indie-pop song, replacing the desperation of the Pixies’ vocals with something breathier and sultrier. MK Naomi does a version of “Gigantic” that’s partially faithful to the sparsely arranged original, but also includes some bigger instrumentals. The Pixies’ biggest song, “Where Is My Mind,” is attempted by Toilet Rats, and they make the song their own. All it shares with the original is the melody; the instrumentation, the vocals, the whole vibe is different here, with a darker, more melancholy sound, distorted synths sounding somewhat sinister. It's a great take on the classic. Oh Condor’s version of “Tame” is a little slower, and definitely darker and grittier than the original, while FVRMN’s cover of “Gouge Away” is smoother, lusher and richer, more insistent sounding. There’s even some jangle in the bass! Holy Hands’ version of “Wave of Mutilation” is probably the most faithful cover of the album, and Kill Surf City does a solid job with “Debaser.” Chris Broach males “I Bleed” sound even more poetic than The Pixies, and Palm Ghosts close out the comp with “Bone Machine.” Some of the tracks here stay pretty close to the source material, some bands go in new directions with the songs, but they all do a great job. And the album supports a very worthy cause.
THE BONGOS – The Shroud of Touring: Live in 1985 (Jem Records, jemrecordings.com)
Longtime Jersey Beat readers will surely be aware of The Bongos, as our Fearless Editor has been their number one fan since the band’s earliest days back in the early 1980's. The Bongos even graced the cover of the second print issue of Jersey Beat back in 1982. But I had remained oblivious for decades, having never listened to the band’s records or seen them play live. So, when it was announced that a long-lost live recording from 1985 was being released, our Fearless Editor asked me to provide my opinion, unbiased by past exposure. For the younger set out there, or for those who, like me, just never encountered the band before, The Bongos are considered the founding fathers of the Hoboken indie music scene. A band called ‘a,’ which later morphed into The Bongos, was the first band to play at the legendary Maxwells. The Bongos played extensively in the greater New York and New Jersey areas, as well as in the UK and Europe, where they gained a large following. They were eventually signed to RCA Records, and toured across the US quite a bit.
Forty years ago, on Memorial Day, 1985, the band played to a packed house in a steamy club on the Jersey Shore, and the night was captured on a 24-track recording. At the time, RCA intended to release the live album, but it never happened, and the recording languished in a vault. But now, the tapes have been restored, remixed, and remastered for this 40th anniversary release, the first time this performance has been heard since that glorious night. The band played an electrifying hour-long set that puts all of their influences on clear display. I hear the early pop punk simplicity of The Ramones, I hear solid power pop, I hear new wave, and I hear adventurous experimentalism.
There’s a lot to like here. The very first song in the set, “In the Congo,” is quite simple, with only a few chords, but the Ramones-like energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and I can see why crowds got so worked up when the band played. I really like the angularity in rhythms and melody of “A Story Written in the Sky,” which might be traced to their earliest days in the UK, when they recorded for Fetish Records and were linked with bands like Throbbing Gristle and Clock DVA. It helped bring more experimentalism to traditional pop sounds. “Glow in the Dark” has a great fun sound, with an early Talking Heads vibe that makes it one of my favorites. “Totem Pole” is a real standout, partly because if its dark jangly garage pop sound, and partly because of the expert percussion work of Steve Scales, who was fresh off The Talking Heads’ “Stop Making Sense” tour. Scales’ percussion work is present throughout, but is also showcased on the ecstatic funk-rock “The Beat Hotel,” which closed the main part of the set (pre-encore). But it’s the intense, dark, mysterious and driving sounds of “Numbers with Wings” that steals the show. Richard Barone’s vocals range from smoky to soaring, from a hush to a bellow, and the band is truly on fire. [That's my favorite too. - Fearless Editor]
There are precious few songs I didn’t get into on this record. Exactly one, actually: “Apache Dancing.” Taken from the band's RCA full-length, Beat Hotel, the song is sparely arranged and feels thin. The melody is a bit awkward to my ears, too. But one song out of seventeen, in a fantastic hour-long set? I’ll take it. Listening to this record makes me wish I had been in Hoboken in the 1980's. And, hey! If you’re in the greater New York/New Jersey area at the end of May, The Bongos will be playing some shows with the original lineup to celebrate the release of this album! You should go!
JEFFREY BROUSSARD & THE NIGHTTIME SYNDICATE – Bayou Moonlight (Fairground Records, fairground-records.com)
What happens when you mix the Zydeco sounds of veteran Jeffrey Broussard and friends with the soulful sound of members of To Be Continued Brass Band? The result is jazzy and folksy and down-home, all at the same time. And sometimes the songs sound like jazzy Zydeco indie, like on the opening track, “Whatever.” The accordion and organ blend seamlessly, backing a smooth easy indie melody, the horns stabbing away at notes, and Broussard’s lead vocals sounding very cavalier, as befits the tune. “Sit back and have yourself a cup of coffee, or whatever,” Broussard sings. I love the soulful R&B ballad, “Richest Man,” with the added texture of a Zydeco accordion. Have you ever heard the Zydeco blues? You will with this record, particularly on the instrumental, “Swing.” It’s a bluesy boogie-woogie song, but with accordion jamming the main melody. Piano, bass, and drums get down, while the horns punctuate the proceedings, and everyone takes turns with improv solos. The trombonist gets extra special kudos here for rocking out. And there’s a great cover of the classic Sam Cooke song, “A Change is Gonna Come,” the orchestral arrangement replaced with Zydeco and jazz instrumentation. Broussard’s passionate vocals are a perfect match for the tone of the song. If you like R&B and Zydeco (and who doesn’t? They both good time music!), and if you’ve wondered what they would sound like together, check this fascinating album out.
CHIMES – Pile of Parts (ashtraymonument.com)
Chimes is a band from Gainesville, Florida, home of one of the bigger punk music festivals, The Fest. And given the members, which includes a former member of Against Me! and another from Sunshine State, you would think the band would have a similar sound. But you would be wrong. The band also includes a member of Averkiou, who have more of an indie shoegaze sound, but on a grand sweeping epic scale. In short, Chimes sounds nothing like any of the members' previous bands. Instead, it melds post-punk with synth-pop, with some of the songs veering into 80's New Wave/Goth territory, others with a deeply mysterious quality.
Some songs boast a cheery 80's sound. The opening track, “First of None,” begins with a dark, gritty bass-synth, with quiet high-pitched screeches in the background. It’s a very cool, eerie sound. But then the drums come in with a dance club beat, and then the rest of the band joins, and we get some solid post-punk guitars and vocals, with poppy sounding synths providing the foundation. There’s big sweeping quality to the song, which likely is influence from Averkiou.
“Wishing for Summer” is a solid favorite of the album for me, beginning with a "Phantom of the Opera"-style pipe organ, the synth lurking underneath and slowly emerging. And when the full band comes in, we get relaxed Latin-inspired guitars in a song that alternates between subdued and sweeping epic. And the contrast between buzzy and smooth is on display in “Hold On,” a song with noisy synths and a subtly pounding rhythm, but smooth epic vocals and melody.
It’s the closing track, “Start Over,” that I think is my favorite. It starts out with mysterious and magical ambient sounds, and those qualities remain throughout the track, even as the band comes in. The first third of the song is fully instrumental, and chimes are used to play the melody, giving the track a dark foreboding quality. Once the vocals come in, the song begins to slowly build in intensity, with string-synths swelling toward the end, reaching glorious heights. Brighter and more ebullient is the title track, “Pile of Parts,” which has such a hopeful optimistic vibe to it. It’s solidly in the 80s pop camp, with its guitar, bass, and drums instrumentation, but the synths take us back in time. “Friends of the Deceased,” too, has a bouncier 80s feel, though it’s also got a bit of melancholy. Chimes play music that’s a little poppier than I generally listen to, but they’ve got some cool touches and creative arrangements that keep things interesting.
CROSSWORD SMILES – Consequences and Detours (Big Stir Records, www.bigstirrecords.com)
This is the sophomore release for Detroit power-pop troubadours Crossword Smiles, the duo of Tom Curless (guitars, drums, vocals) and Chip Saam (bass, guitars, vocals). The album’s 11 tracks are best described as a light mix of 80's power pop and 90's indie, with occasionally jangly guitars and smooth melodies and arrangements. Electric and acoustic guitars intertwine, as do the closely harmonized vocals. Sometimes a heavily reverbed lead guitar is included in the arrangement, strengthening the 80s influence. The melodies are pleasant and the musicianship is solid, but the whole package feels a little too clean to me, too light and unemotional. If the arrangements were dirtied a bit and the performances a little more raucous, this would be a much better record. For example, the opening track, “Counting by Fives,” begins with a wonderful power pop jangle, but immediately the sound smooths out and the song feels more adult contemporary than power pop. Get rid of the acoustic guitar and the reverb solos, pick up the tempo a bit, and make it a bit rowdier and it would be a stand-out track. Likewise, “Falling All Over Myself” could pick up the tempo, be played with more oomph in the guitars and the vocals, and it would be 100% better. But maybe this is the sound they’re going for. “Millicent,” for example, focuses on acoustic guitar and mandolin in arrangement, along with accordion. The result is a light folk rock tune that you might hear on NPR. It’s perfectly nice for what it is, but it doesn’t get my blood pumping. And sadly, that's true of the entire album.
FLORRY – Sounds Like… (Dear Life Records, www.dearliferecs.com)
Florry calls themselves a “country rock band,” and that evokes thoughts of Southern rock, a genre that makes me think of hard rock with a bit of twang, like Molly Hatchet, The Marshall Tucker Band, or Lynyrd Skynyrd. But Florry is not metallic, they’ve got more of the sound of an indie band, with plenty of Americana twang. These are essentially indie-rock songs but arranged with country instrumentation to give them that down-home sound. When I first started listening to the first track, “First It Was a Movie, Then It Was a Book,” and I heard the buzzy guitar and ticking drums, then a jangly guitar came in, I thought, nice indie sound. But then steel pedal guitar joined in, and suddenly I felt like I was in the deep south. Even the Bob Dylan-like vocal delivery gave it more of an indie sound, but you can’t hide the smooth twang of that steel pedal guitar. And speaking of Bob Dylan, the very next track has a strong Dylan influence, with harmonica and electric organ prominently placed in the arrangement.
“Hey Baby” starts out sounding like a jangly power pop tune, and mostly stays that way, except for the bluesy Southern rock guitar solo and the hints of steel pedal guitar that creep in. Even the deep grit of the intro to “Truck Flipped Over ‘19” fooled me into thinking we were going to get something a little grungy, but instead, fiddle is added to the arrangement, and we get alternating smooth and crunchy sections in this song. There are some songs that are pure country, like the lazy ballad, “Sexy,” played on acoustic guitar with steel pedal accompaniment. And there’s no hiding the country twang of “Big Something,” which is folksy country through and through, from the rhythm to the melody and the arrangement. I’m not going to try to change Florry, who I’m sure are committed to their countrified sound, but I can imagine some of these songs without the fiddle or steel pedal guitar and they’d be solidly enjoyable.
LOST FRIEND – The Promises You Don’t Keep (Poptek Records, www.poptek.com)
This Ohio band is touted as “moody indie pop,” and man, that’s putting it mildly. Lost Friend is a duo, with Christopher Palassis singing and playing both guitar and bass, while Andy Ingram plays drums and keyboards. The songs range from tense emo to dreamy and sullen indie. The 6-song EP opens with one of the best tracks, “Next Year, Saint Peter.” The tension and dissonance in the guitar penetrates the soul while the smooth baritone vocals demonstrate a deep melancholy. The song features dark chords in the verses and bright major chords in the chorus, alternating between despair and hope. “Let Me Sleep” uses both acoustic and electric guitars for a melancholy indie folk sound, Palassis’ vocals ringing out with the sound of a lament. “Underwater” is for shoegaze lovers, with its wonderful pop melody and thick lush instrumental arrangement, while “Patient, Maybe” has a hint of Latin folks in its acoustic guitar and bass. The most disturbing song of the EP is “Little x Little,” which is about someone obsessed with revenge. “I want to hurt you like you hurt me, so satisfied, I want to be satisfied,” the song opens, with just hushed vocals and subtle bass. The song recounts how these thoughts occupy the protagonist’s mind on a daily basis. The full band doesn’t come in until halfway through the track, and after a period of tension, the song brightens considerably. “Veria 1967,” which closes the EP, is the most straightforward indie track of the record, with the most hopeful sound of all six songs. It’s got the most driving rhythm, the most emphatic vocals, and is a lot less tentative sounding than the rest of the record. Yeah, “moody” is an understatement. If you like a heavy dose of strong emotions with your indie music, check out Lost Friend.
TOMAS NILSSON – Inside My Universe (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Swedish musician Tomas Nilsson may be best known as the front-man for the long-running power pop group, The Mop Tops. That band ran from 1985 until their final release just last year. Nilsson wrote all the band’s material, as he does here on his solo debut LP, and it’s a somewhat uneven release, with some outstanding jangly sounds but others that feel generic. Nilsson sings the lead and backup vocals, also playing electric and acoustic guitars, and the band is filled out with some musicians from other Kool Kat bands (Janne Borgh on bass, acoustic guitars, and backing vocals, Niclas Österberg on drums, and Lisa Sydhagen on keyboards and backing vocals). The opening track, “Oh What a Shame,” is one of the best, with a great jangly sound and a 60's pop vibe. “Give It All I Got” blends power pop and modern indie sounds in a pleasant way. “Stupid Friends” is another good one, with a Robyn Hitchcock influence clearly shining through. And the relaxed feel of “I Thought It Was Love (But It Was Not)” is really nice. The harmonized vocals, particularly with the high pitched singing, just feels so warm and right. The rest of the album, though, doesn’t do much for me. For example, “Tired of Being Tired” tries to be a blues rock tune, but it just doesn’t have the sort of grit or emotion to make it work. Mixed bag.
YOU VANDAL – This Is Where People Come to Die (Euclid Place Records, euclidplacerecords.com)
Hailing from Gainesville, Florida, You Vandal play a 90's brand of pop-punk, very melodic, a bit crunchy and slick, with full arrangements and a little bit of emo. They describe themselves as “too pop for the punk kids / too punk for the pop kids, inspired by an era of emo bands actively trying not be labeled emo bands.” That’s pretty much on target, as the band have some great pop melodies, just enough crunch and punk energy, and loads of passion in the performances and vocals.
This Is Where People Come to Die is the band’s fourth full-length LP (they’ve also got a handful of EP's under their belt), and it finds them in fine form. Their sound is right there on the cusp between that of well-known alternative rock bands and some of the more successful pop-punk bands. Comparisons that have been made to Alkaline Trio, Jimmy Eat World, and Third Eye Blind are reasonably accurate, but I think You Vandal has a bit more punk edge to their sound, especially when compared to Third Eye Blind. Tracking of the album was done well, too, putting the best song first. “Lords of Nothing” begins with what sounds like noisy liturgical music, like you’re entering a church, and then the band blasts off with a raucous poppy punk rock song. The passion is palpable, and there are places where competing melodic lines vie for dominance, especially between the guitars and vocals. I like the easy jangle of “Stovetop / Playing with Matches,” with a relaxed tempo and gruff gritty vocals mated with a smoother arrangement; it’s a nice contrast. “Imagine Draggin’,” besides having a hilarious title, is another good song with a boisterous pop punk sound, and it has some mathy-emo guitar flourishes thrown in. And I enjoy the gravelly emotive sound in “STAY. STILL.” There’s a slightly darker melody, and those gruff vocals are spot on. Sometimes the songs do veer a little more toward the commercial punk side of things than I’m comfortable with. Such is the case with “Get Me 2 the Grave,” a pop punk ballad with too slick and radio friendly of a sound for my tastes. But on balance, there’s more to like here than not.
JOHN GALM – River of Blood (countyourluckystars.bandcamp.com)
John Galm is best known as the front man for Snowing, an emo revival band that’s been around since the 2010's, but he’s also tried his hand at other genres and bands. When one of those bands failed to move forward, with people moving out of state, Galm was left with idle time, so he wrote and recorded his second solo LP, the first in 11 years.
River of Blood was the result, and it’s a wonderfully understated album, filled with mostly acoustic singer-songwriter material, but there are some subtle variations, with hints of folk. jazz, and Americana sprinkled throughout. And though this is very different from what Galm does with Snowing, it’s still deeply moving and emotional music. Galm’s fragile vocals are perfect for this music, high pitched and trembling, matching the tentative nature of the songs. The core theme of the album, says Galm, is “the idea of home, both as a place and a state of mind.” The songs were written as he felt he had lost his community, when he stopped drinking and in the wake of the failed band. He went back to his mother’s house, and began writing about the concepts of what home and community are to him, and this album grew from that. The title track opens the LP with some lovely jazzy cymbals and fluttering piano, while warm synthesized keyboards swell in the background. It really paints a sonic picture that sets a mood. The arrangement is incredibly effective, with the instruments dropping off completely, except for acoustic guitar, when Galm’s vocals begin, then come back in. I love the hazy thoughtful feel of the song, and I adore the touch of ambient noises of water flowing that fill the final 30 seconds of the track. “Fear It All” has a magical ethereal sound in its acoustic guitar, and the melody feels like it could come from a successful pop song. But the song is sung in such a light and airy manner, it feels like a warm blanket. The lyrics are about home as a refuge away from the fears and troubles of the outside world. “Let Me Fall” is deliciously melancholy, with acoustic guitar and some subtle keyboards. The first half of the song is recorded with the ambient sound of rain falling, adding to the effect. A couple of the tracks add a touch of Americana through use of steel pedal guitar, giving the song a bit of twang. One such track is, “lmlu,” the meaning of which is revealed in the chorus, “Let me love you.” And the moving epic, “Into the Fire,” too, using steel pedal guitar, though more sparingly. The ache in Galm’s vocals is palpable in this song about life spiraling out of control, and the desperate measures we take to keep from breaking down. The album ends with a cover of “Stand By Me,” the 1962 song by Ben E. King. Galm’s cover is stripped back, slow, and subtle. Galm’s delicate vocals are sung with a quaver, with very little in the way of backing instruments. Toward the end of the song, we get background ambience that grows to take over: It’s the sound of a train that grows to a roar, its bells ringing to warn others of its presence. This is the perfect album to put on for those quiet moments of reflection at home. Gorgeous.
M(H)AOL – Something Soft (Merge Records, www.mergerecords.com)
M(h)aol’s sophomore full-length LP is the opposite of its title. While the basic song structures of indie rock are there, the arrangements are gritty and abrasive, hard and edgy. The topics are hard, too, such as on the opening track, “Pursuit,” a song about attempting to escape a predator. At the start of the song, the vocals are whispered and understated, speaking about trying to camouflage one’s self, stay hidden from the pursuer, and as the song evolves the vocals get louder and more urgent, as the fear grows, reaching a fever-pitched scream at the end. The instrumentals, too, grow in intensity, guitars buzzing ominously. It’s an auspicious start to a gloriously unconventional LP filled with a range of noise, experimentalism, and emotions. Loss and anguish are covered in “I Miss My Dog,” a song that was inspired by drummer and vocalist Constance Keane’s loss of her dog, Poppy. The music is emphatic and eerie, like something out of a science fiction film, while the lyrics are filled with the torment of a beloved pet’s absence. I love the guttural bass tone in “DM-AM” and “E8-N16,” the former being about aggressive incel online culture of men DMing women and getting upset and insulting when they don’t get a response. “Vin Diesel” starts out with a cool jazzy vibe, but as it grows in intensity, with the distortion growing in the guitars and bass, it takes on the grating mechanical feel of industrial music. Som of M(h)aol’s songs are about gender stereotyping and identity, and such is the case with “Snare,” one of the smoother songs of the album. The song’s topic is about the irrational gendering of an inanimate object, such as a snare drum, and the assumption that it’s only men who can be drummers. The music pulses and throbs, only occasionally getting chaotic. One of the most unique arrangements comes with the use of a touch tone telephone on “1-800-Call-Me-Back.” Guitars are used to create a menacing backdrop, while the bass growls threateningly. Drums are minimalist, but it’s the touch tones that provide the song’s melody and rhythm and the vocals are spoken. The closing track, “Coda,” is chiefly an instrumental, and it’s intensely spooky, with ghostly shrieks and reverb laden noise.
Something Soft is one of the fiercest and most blistering albums you’ll probably listen to this year. Strongly recommended!
MOURNING [A] BLKSTAR – Flowers for the Living (Don Giovanni Records, dongiovannirecords.com)
This is not your usual Jersey Beat release. This is not punk or indie rock; this is musical poetry. The band’s self-description is pretty accurate: “M[A]B looks to forage new pathways toward heart music by blending soul, blues, electronics, avant-poetics, with futurist beats.” Instrumentation consists of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, trumpet, and dual lead vocals, and you can hear the jazz and soul influences throughout, while the vocals are emotional poetry. There’s a deep spirituality running through the ten tracks of this album, and I feel transported back to the 1970s. Some standout tracks that break the mold: “Letter to a Nervous System” is simply gorgeous, with a hazy ambience of guitars and keyboards and the smooth crooning of the trumpet and lead vocals. I love the smooth jazz meets funk of “88 Pt. 1,” with its minimalist beats and vocals, and “88 Pt. 2” melds smooth jazz, a bit of trip hop, and spoken word poetry for a fascinating musical collage. And “Let ‘Em Eat,” which features Fatboi Sharif, starts out with some experimental ambient minimalism, lovely lounge-like guitar, and gorgeous lead vocals. It then transforms into a smooth bluesy tune, but at the end goes full avant-garde with guttural growls underneath dual tracked vocals reciting some eerie poetry, while a snare drum pounds out a staccato rhythm. One of my favorite tracks of the jazz-soul nature is “Lil’ Bobby Hutton,” an ode to the first recruit to join the Black Panther Party. Hutton acted briefly as the treasurer of the organization, but was killed at 17 years of age, after a confrontation with police, reportedly while he had his hands up and was surrendering (police claimed he ignored commands and attempted to flee). There’s a great pulsing sensation in the keyboards and guitar, while the trumpet plays dual-tracked harmonized flourishes and the vocals are sung with deep meaningfulness and intent.
Flowers for the Living may not be a typical album Jersey Beat readers might listen to, but if you’re looking for a record with deep meaning and soulfulness, here it is.
THE RAGING NATHANS – Room for One More (Rad Girlfriend Records, www.radgirlfriendrecords.com)
How is it possible that The Raging Nathans keep getting better and better with each new record? Beside their usual brand of pop punk, on this record we get dark 90's punk and huge epic tunes. And by huge, I mean enormous. Gargantuan. The opening track, “The Grudge,” has that dark 90's punk sound I referred to, and it’s got a driving rhythm with guitars ringing out in alarm, the gang vocals singing in harmonies and dueling lines about not caring if someone dies, knowing that you should let it go but not being able to do so. It’s the kind of intense feeling you get from massive betrayal, and the music matches the intense emotion. “Looking Out for Me” is, by contrast, a bright pop punk tune, but it, too, has a big sound, with rumbling bass, wall of guitars (and cool guitar harmonic flourishes), and massive gang vocals. The balance of the LP falls somewhere between these two poles, the bright and dark ends of the pop punk spectrum. But they’re all bigger than any band has a right to sound. I like the call and response of “Misery Loves Company,” and the urgency the song has at the end, as it concludes without resolution. And I like the indie vibe of “Back to Yesterday,” a song about ruing wrong choices and owning up to them, realizing you can’t go back. “Nick at Night” and “If I Want You to Hate Me” show that The Raging Nathans can compete on equal footing with any of the big pop punk bands on the bigger labels, and are one of the most underappreciated bands in the scene. The album closer, “Edited for Time and Content,” too, is tight and poppy, yet crunchy as hell. These songs are executed to perfection, with solid melodies, big crackling aggressive instrumentals, and smoothly harmonized vocals. With this new LP and how good it is, there’s room for a lot more than just one more.
THE INCITERS – I Give You My Soul (Pirates Press Records, piratespressrecords.com)
The Inciters, the ten-piece soul band from Northern California, return with a new five song EP to follow up 2023’s LP, “Bring Back the Weekend.” I loved the “live” quality of that LP, the high energy and exuberance, and how it oozed soul from every groove of the record. But this new EP doesn’t quite stack up. The songs are smoother and more relaxed, lacking the same dynamic sprit. The musicianship and singing are more than capable, with tight performances, but the songs fall a little flat in comparison. The opening track, “Give Me,” for example, feels more like a soft disco tune from 1980 than a soulful stomper. Songs like “How Can I Make It Without You” and “A Hundred Faces” sound more like 70’s AM radio Motown pop than real soul. “Dark” is a dreary ballad that should be a slow burner, but never ignites. And the closing track, “I’m Alright,” is the most unique of the EP. It’s a light indie rock song that uses a full horn section in the arrangement. The Inciters are very capable musicians and they’ve put out great music in the past, so I know they can do better than this, but the new EP is a disappointment.
LITTLE LOW – Sunshine Guilt (littlelow.bandcamp.com/Sell The Heart Records / Thousand Islands Records / Waterslide Records)
Boston’s Little Low, after having released a couple of EPs and singles over the several years of their existence, finally are bringing out their debut LP (almost; at eight songs in 22 minutes, it’s more of a mini-LP than a full-length). The easiest way to classify the band is as emo-pop, in that their songs share a lot in common with modern emo, but also there’s a strong pop streak through the songs. That, plus Christine Atturio’s lead vocals are bright and effervescent, even when the songs have more of a melancholy sound. “Dark Beer Archives,” which opens the record, could almost be a modern pop hit, as the instrumentals are played with a lighter touch and the melody and vocals are so well done. After that track, things settle into more familiar emo pop territory, with a more aggressive edge in the instrumentals. Attrurio’s singing has just the right mix of edginess and smoothness. I really love the passion expressed in the broad waltz-time song, “Shake Hands,” a song that has both the band and vocals soaring to unbelievable heights. Another standout is “Glouchester,” a track that starts out as a delicate ballad, but soon swells with sweeping ardor, the inclusion of cello in the arrangement being a brilliant stroke. But it’s the title track at the end of the record that stands out the most. It’s raucous and energetic, with a nice balance of pop, punk, and emo. Having not heard them before, Little Low is a very nice surprise.
SEX SCENES – Everything Makes Me Sick (Big Neck Records, bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com)
Finishing up their first decade as a band (they started in 2016), Milwaukee’s Sex Scenes is finally releasing their debut LP. Well, maybe mini-LP is more appropriate. Though there are nine songs, they fly by in a scant fifteen minutes, more like EP territory. The music is hard and crunchy, sometimes speedy, but more often mid-tempo. They play a blend of hardcore, thrash, and metallic garage punk, with loud and angry music and powerful raging lead vocals. This is heavy, foot stomping fist shaking stuff, sure to get the adrenaline pumping. Top tracks: “I’m Not Your T.V.,” has some dramatic tempo shifts and a nice unresolved ending. I like the eerie short filler track, “Coming To,” which is less a song and more pure emotion. And “Impressive” is an old school hardcore track that alternates between fast’n’loud 80s hardcore and hard and heavy 90s crunch.
WITH PATIENCE – Triptych (withpatiencechicago.bandcamp.com)
With Patience is a new band from Chicago, featuring Lee Diamond (Alkaloid, Douglass Kings, Replica Republic, Tungwood) on drums and vocals, Lance Curran (hose.got.cable, Orlock and Groove) on bass and vocals, and Chris Wade (Careful) on guitar and vocals). The scene vets were all looking to get back into serious music-making and shared an affinity for the crunchy post-hardcore of bands like Tar, Shellac, Hot Snakes, and Fugazi. After releasing a single and a couple of EPs over the past couple of years, they’re ready to step forward with their debut full-length LP. And perhaps one way to describe the band’s sound is “Fugazi with swagger.” The music is big, heavy, and crunchy, never plodding (with one exception, more on that later), always driving and powerful. But there’s also a sense of overpowering confidence, a feeling that the music is strutting in front of you, showing off. The Fugazi influence is especially evident in “False Memories,” the funky rhythm in the bass and guitar reminding me of the classic, “Waiting Room.” It’s got the same pulsing feel. Like most post-hardcore, the music has plenty of angularity and grit, and vocals are more shouted or spoken emphatically than sung. It’s like rolling 80s Dischord and 90s Touch & Go and Amphetamine Reptile records into a big tube and squeezing it to see what comes out. There are only two weaknesses I find in this album. One is when they try to do gang vocals, especially on the opening track “Let Bygones Bury the Hatchet.” The song itself is great, especially the frantic buzzing bass and the edgy nervous guitars. When there’s just one person screaming out the lyrics, it’s fine, but when all the band members try to do so together it sounds a bit messy and discordant. But the music itself is fantastic. The other is the song “Heart Is a Pump,” the only slow track of the record. It’s a little thin sounding, and it does seem to plod and sounds a bit sleazy. One favorite track is “Cobra,” with its bass ringing out as clear as a bell and the guitars crackling away, the steady rhythm marching along ever forward. I like how “Disco” blends the power of post-hardcore with a brighter more melodic pop sensibility. Another is “Temple.” I like the complex drum beats and I love when the drums, bass, and guitars pound out the rhythm together, almost in unison. The song sounds edgy and dangerous. And the closing track, “Exit as Instructed,” is alternately funky and punishingly chaotic, making it a real standout. I like the end of the track, too, the sounds of a CTA train rumbling into a station, the loudspeaker intoning, “This is Chicago.” It makes me a bit homesick, that. I love the sound of this record, too, besides the music. Much credit needs to go to J Robbins, who did the mixing, and to Bob Weston, who did the mastering. Solid debut here.
VARIOUS – The Direct Records Story Volume 2 (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Direct Records was a short-lived UK record label run by members of the band The Direct Hits. Operating out of a council flat (subsidized low-income housing), using rudimentary equipment, they recorded a variety of UK bands that played mod, pop, psych, and British power pop. Many of the bands were recorded long after the label stopped operating, just because they loved the music so much. As a result, they have a library that has a large number of unreleased recordings. Kool Kat Musik took a second dive into that vault (Volume 1 in the series was released last year), and the result is another 21 tracks from lesser known UK bands that, nevertheless, were making some great music. The music may have been recorded in the 1980s, but this stuff definitely has more of a 1960s sound. And the gear they used to record the bands has something to do with that, beyond the songs themselves. The crude quality gives them an authentic vintage sound, especially notable on “I Stand Accused,” the leadoff track from The Activation. The song itself is a real standout on this album, with a great 60s garage pop vibe and a high level of energy. The guitar work is pretty nice, too. The next track, too, “Johnny None” by Sheila Takes a Break, is a solid gold nugget. I could find nothing about this long lost band via Google, but they sound like a classic 60s girl group with wonderful vocal harmonies and romantic melody, and the lo-fi scratchy recording really sets a mood. The Direct Hits are featured on this collection, too, of course. “The Ordinary Girl” is a 1986 track that sounds like it could have been made some 20 years earlier. It has a smooth, easy Beatles-esque sound. The Direct Hits featured Colin Swan, who helped curate this collection, and who also contributes a couple of his solo tracks. “Hush Now Sister Charlotte” is some solid 60s folk pop, and he’s also got a cover of “Silly Girl,” originally by Television Personalities, that’s fairly faithful. There’s an interesting artifact at the end of “Sister Charlotte” that may be unintentional. At the end of the track there’s a moment of silence and another song starts, but is abruptly cut off after a few seconds. It could be an editing error, or it could be that only the fragment of the song remained and was kept for archival purposes. Another notable song is “You’re My Kind of Girl” by the Page Boys. It’s a loping track with a jangly British pop sound and trumpets in the mix. The Lola Jones contributes a soulful tune, “These Monday Mornings” reminiscent of the merger of soul and pop that was happening in the UK in the 1960s, most notably with some of The Beatles’ tracks that were covers of R&B tunes. And “How About That” by The Sound of ’69 has great jangly guitar that reminds me of Herman’s Hermits. This is a fascinating document of the 1980s UK mod and pop underground, and at about an hour in length, there’s plenty of music to enjoy.
ELWAY – "Laugh Track" (Red Scare Industries, redscare.net)
Oh, snap! A surprise new release from Colorado punks Elway! This single is the band’s first new music since their excellent 2022 LP, “The Best of All Possible Worlds.” The A-side is the title cut, and is prime Elway, emotionally driven pop punk, and lyrics about how time doesn’t seem to change much, how we seem to spin our wheels and end up in the same place we started from.. The B-side contains a new rendition of “Better Whenever,” originally from the 2015 album of the same name. It’s a song about getting old, wondering how that happened when we swore it wouldn’t, and a desperate desire to connect with others to recapture what we used to have. The full-band version is a ballad that starts quietly and builds in intensity, like we all wish we could do as we age. This new version, coming ten years after the original, is stripped back to just piano and vocals, and it’s more of a dirge than anything else. It’s a reality slapping us in the face. The refrain, “But I’ll get better whenever,” is no longer one of defiance, it’s one of resignation. The song is one filled with melancholy rather than hope. The pain and anguish are palpable. As always, solid, meaningful, and relatable music from Elway.
PACO CATHCART – Down On Them (Wharf Cat Records; thecradle.bandcamp.com)
This is not your typical Jersey Beat record. It can’t be classified as punk, grunge, metal, indie rock, indie pop, or any of the other genres typically found in these “pages.” Instead, New York City singer-songwriter Paco Cathcart presents quiet songs influenced by a variety of other genres, including folk, jazz, Americana, and yes, indie rock. And while Paco has recorded a lot of music under the name The Cradle, this is their debut LP under their own name. And though these songs are smooth and subdued, you can hear a sense of firm resolve in them, as well. The arrangements primarily include both electric and acoustic guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards, but there’s some unexpected instrumentation on some tracks. “Your Reflection” opens the LP, and it’s somewhat different than the others, in that it’s got Americana twang from the steel pedal guitar, but I also hear the flutter of Flamenco guitar, the rich beauty of French horn and trumpet, and the stoicism of tympani. I’m generally not a country fan, but these disparate sounds blend together so well. After this is the song, “Bottleneck Blues,” and from the title you might expect more twang and some down-home soul, but instead we get a lovely mix of folk and pop. Even better is “Cry on Command,” with smooth gentle saxophone in the mix, the electric keyboards sounding like a Fender Rhodes, and the steel pedal guitar again. It’s an unexpected blend of jazz, country, and pop that curiously works very well, with backing vocals sounding like an ethereal choir of angels. I like the quiet intensity of “TM Joint,” which has a subtle Latin undercurrent in the bass and guitar. And “Gender Neutral” sounds downright spiritual in an otherworldly celestial sort of way. I think my favorite track of the album, though, is the song titled “Oh, Joy.” It doesn’t sound joyful; it’s very solemn, very deep, with wonderful electric guitar riffs and vocals that swell with emotion. It opens with a burst of subdued noise, like someone trying to suppress emotional pain. Lyrics speak to a broken relationship with a lack of communication. “There’s still so much to say / Between you and me / You never said a damn thing to me / But I’m gonna love you anyway,” sings Paco. It’s hard to be in this relationship, but I’m going to try to hide the pain and make it work, they seem to say. Paco Cathcart’s debut solo LP may be different from most records we review here, but it’s absolutely heavenly.
NIGHT WINDOWS – Nonsense (nightwindows.bandcamp.com)
About a year ago, Night Windows released the lovely LP, “In Memories.” “Nonsense” is the new follow-up EP, featuring three songs of introspection. Where last year’s LP was primarily the work of one person, Ben Hughes, with some assistance from others, the EP is more of a full band affair, with a thicker, richer sound. “Your Phone Call,” the lead single, starts out with acoustic guitar, but the full band quickly comes in, and as the song evolves the arrangement thickens. The pace is moderately bright, but the overall feeling is one of pensive rumination. I particularly like the lovely backing vocals that remind me a bit of Stereolab. “Baseball Cards” is a favorite, with a solid singer-songwriter feel in the vocals, but with a gorgeous dreamy arrangement that features guitar, bass, drums, piano, synths, and I think I hear a toy piano in there at times. And “Boring You to Death” takes a pop melody and turns it into a wonderfully moody singer-songwriter tune. Music is supposed to set a mood and evoke feelings, and Night Windows does that very well.
PERSONALITY CULT – Dilated (Dirtnap Records, www.dirtnaprecs.com)
Is there such a thing as the perfect blend of garage, punk, and power pop? Some may shake their head in derision or raise an eyebrow with suspicion, but Personality Cult proves the answer to the question is a resounding YES. This is the band’s third LP, but sort of their second. The debut LP from 2018 was a “side project” of Ben Carr’s, at the time, but it morphed into a full-fledged band for the 2020 release of “New Arrows,” the second LP. It’s taken five long years to get here, but “Dilated” has been worth the wait. It takes the brightness of the debut and the darkness of the sophomore release, and combines them into something that’s got more variety, more texture, and, if it’s even possible, more excitement. The songs have a powerful drive, huge impenetrable walls of guitar, urgent vocals, and more power pop melody than you can shake a stick at. The whole LP is astoundingly good, so I’ll just point out a few of my favorite songs. “Anticipating Action” opens the LP with a striding song that really makes you feel like you’re bursting with anticipation for something special. “Not Ready” has some great contrasts from quietly grand parts to loud and raucous parts, and I love the use of bass to play the melody on the instrumental bridge. The power pop is strong in “Colder,” and the rhyming of “I get a little colder” with “I get a little older” hits home. The pace is a little more relaxed on this one, and the song has a touch of melancholy. And the anger in “Bled From Me” is palpable. The LP’s mix of high energy and more relaxed tracks and the mix of driving edgy garage with power pop melodic sensibilities makes “Dilated” the best Personality Cult record yet, and perhaps one of the best regards of the year.
VIOLETS (violets2.bandcamp.com)
Sometimes, punk veterans create a new band to relive their past glory, and the new band ends up sounding like a weak version of their past bands. Other times, punk veterans just get the itch to create and play new music again, and the new band sounds completely new. With Violets, the latter is definitely the case. Bill Stephens and Fritz Doreza saw that it was likely Naked Raygun wouldn’t be playing any more shows, and began discussing a new band. Since Raygun had played with and respected The Methadones, they asked drummer Michael Soucy to join them. They rounded out the band with guitarist Simon Lamb (Dan Vapid and the Cheats, Riverdales) and guitarist/vocalist Aly Jados (Blood People), and this self-titled EP is the new band’s debut. The four songs on the EP definitely sound nothing like any of the bands these folks have played in before. The songs are dark and crunchy, with more in common with grunge than traditional muscular Chicago punk rock. “The Tower” has a somewhat melancholy tone to it, even as the chorus roars, Jados’ lead vocals ranging from subdued and introspective on the verses to enormous and practically bellowing on the chorus. “Devotion” is the most grunge-like of all, with a solid wall of guitars (three guitars in this band!) and Jados’ vocals nice and raspy as she screams out. “Staring at the Ceiling” is more ballad-like, a slower tune with a mellower approach to the guitar fuzz, and more of a melody-forward approach to the song. It’s a real showcase for Jados’ vocals, which really shine on this one. And “Eras” closes the EP with perhaps my favorite of the record. It’s dark and modal, with guitars used as percussion to keep the beat, all strumming a straight rhythm in unison. The melody is dark and mysterious, and there’s a wonderful surf-like guitar solo. Violets may be different from Chicago bands of the past, but I predict they’re charting a new future for Chicago music.
MARC-ALAN PRINCE / RED AT NIGHT – DCxPC Live Vol. 34 Deep in the Heart of Texas (DCxPC Live, dcxpclive.com)
Marc-Alan Prince is a solo performer from Austin. Texas, but is better known as the drummer of Avenues. A Milwaukee-based band. Red at Night is a solo artist from Italy, but currently living in Berlin. In May, 2024, the two embarked on their first European tour together, and they had such a good time they decided to do it again, this time in the US Midwest. And, as it happened, both were celebrating the release of new EPs. The last night of tour was in Prince’s hometown of Austin, Texas, at Kick Butt Coffee. It was a show filled with friends, and DCxPC was there to capture the magic. And now you can too, with this LP. Each side of the record contains a full set from the night, each featuring just acoustic guitar and the performer’s singing. Marc-Alan Prince’s songs are raucous and rambling, his vocals throaty, graveled, and passionate. Even the slower songs are rowdy, and you can hear and feel the many miles of his life with every note. Red at Night (real name, Al), by contrast, sings songs that are less raucous, more introspective, but no less moving. His vocals are less throaty, but have just as much grit and sand and passion. One thing I love about solo acoustic material is that there’s nowhere to hide. In a full band setting, people can tuck themselves away behind the instrumentals and they can let the other members pick up their slack. But when it’s just you and your guitar, you’re laid bare to the world. Not just technical abilities, but feelings and emotions are plain to see. I find more passion in solo acoustic, and the songs tend to be a lot more personal, too, giving us glimpses into the performers’ souls. Both artists on this live split record do just that.
RYAN ALLEN – Livin’ on a Prayer on the Edge (Setterwind Records; ryanallen.bandcamp.com)
Ryan Allen is a musical wunderkind. He fronts or plays in multiple bands spanning multiple genres, including power pop giant Extra Arms and DC-style emocore band Big Life, both of which have been reviewed here before. For his latest solo LP, Allen wrote every song, played all the instruments, and recorded everything in his basement. He calls it “the most ME record I’ve ever made.” He says “Livin’ on a Prayer on the Edge” was made for the 15-year old kid inside him, “The one who would walk into a record store and buy something just because it was on Matador and the cover art looked cool. The one who would score album liner notes for new bands to check out.” And you can hear all those influences distilled in this record, the punk, the power pop, the indie and the glam. But more than anything, this is an homage to all those 90s indie bands, back when they were still called “college rock” or “alternative rock.” The album is a pastiche of the big noisy guitars, the dreamy fuzzed out shoegaze, and the pop-filled melodies that were made popular in the indie underground by a multitude of bands and fledgling indie labels. “Lost in a Daze” is a highlight of the album, with a big soaring sound, mixing garage pop and power pop with a great jangly melody. “Anxious All the Time” is another, with its sweeping shoegaze vibe that still has a danceable beat. “Devil’s Juice” is a great garage punk rager loaded with soul, and “When I’m Gone” has the lovely pop bounce mixed with noisy guitars of a Guided By Voices type song. And “So What Who Cares” mixes the minimalist rhythms and keyboards of Stereolab with 70s power pop and prog rock sounds. With “Livin’ on a Prayer on the Edge,” Allen again proves he’s one of the most versatile and accomplished indie musicians and songwriters of our day.
EATING CLUB – Manager’s Special (eatingclub.bandcamp.com)
Alex Bortnichak created Eating Club as his solo outlet some two decades ago, though it wasn’t until about ten years ago that he became active in recording and releasing material. “Manager’s Special” is his third LP under the Eating Club moniker, and the first since 2023’s “Lose This Parade.” Once again, Bortnichak explores a love of power pop and indie rock music, with nine tracks over the span of 35 minutes. Bortnichak funded the recording and production of this album via Indiegogo, and he made excellent use of the funds, because the production quality on the album is top notch. There’s less sonic variety on this album than the last, but there’s enough variety and the result is an album that feels more cohesive, yet varied enough to hold listener interest. One of the highlights of the album for me is “Bloody Flowers,” with a 70s funk rhythm, the feeling of a mysterious movie soundtrack in the verses, and a big 70s pop sound in the chorus. “On and On,” too, has a cool retro 80s pop sound, and do I hear toy piano buried in the mix? Why, yes, I do. I like the song’s creative arrangement and the thick luxurious vocal harmonies it’s got. “Relief” is the grittiest track of the album, with a tough guitar sound, but it’s the pair of songs, “In My Head Alone” and “Redemption,” that make the album for me. The opening of “In My Head Alone,” in particular, has a very spiritual feeling to it, and the rest of the song alternates between big dark dance pop in the chorus and Latin pop in the verses, with acoustic guitar and a sparser arrangement. The spiritual sound continues in “Redemption,” which opens with a solemn guitar. When the full band comes in we get a lush sound that’s equally bright and expansive yet somber in tone. Toward the end of the track, the band drops away and trumpets and organ take up the melody, and it’s pure joy and glory. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Eating Club is hard to pin down, hard to pigeonhole into a particular genre. And that’s always a good thing.
THE MOONLANDINGZ – No Rocket Required (Transgressive Records, transgressiverecords.com)
Although The Moonlandingz began life as a fictional band referenced on an album release by the Electronic Research Council, it was given life by the ERC and members of fellow UK weirdo musicians, Fat White Family. Since that initial appearance, The Moonlandingz have put out a handful of EPs and a single LP, but it’s been more than seven years since we heard from them. “No Rocket Required,” like music from both Electronic Research Council and Fat White Family, is different from standard fare, definitely more adventurous that plain old pop or punk or indie music. Quirkiness here takes the form of a disco beat and plenty of electronics mated with off-the-wall vocals. I can definitely sense a reverence for 80s new wave and dance music throughout the record. “Some People’s Music” opens the album with an easy dance rhythm and a funky 70s melody, while the vocals are provided by special guest, Scottish actor, Ewen Bremner, lecturing about the different effects that various kinds of music can have on people. He eventually starts talking about the music backing him, and how he’d rather go deaf and blind than have to listen to it ever again, and he starts shouting to “TURN THIS SHIT OFF!” Other special guests include Nadine Shah on “Roustabout,” the one and only Iggy Pop on the smooth jazzy ballad, “It’s Where I’m From,” and experimental UK musician Jessica Winter on the dance club tune “Stink Foot.” “The Sign of a Man” features deep mysterious vocals whispering the lyrics in a sultry way over a disco soul tune. It’s a very 80s sound, complete with funky bass and saxophones. I like the beep-boop nature of the synths on “The Insects Have Been Shat On,” those deep mysterious vocals returning, and as the song progresses, the music gets more ominous and chaotic. And “Yama Yama” has the hypnotic quality of Future Sounds of London. But the craziest track may be “The Krack Drought Suite (Parts 1-3), which ends the album. Part 1 is heavy industrial dance that channels Laibach, part 2 is modern electronic pop that’s been twisted and gnarled, and part 3 has the has deep funky electronics with poetry-slam style spoken vocals, reminding me a bit of 80s experimental synth-pop due Ebn Ozn and their “hit,” “A E I O U Sometimes Y.” This is quite a unique album, and given the personnel involved, I would expect nothing less.
MUCK AND THE MIRES – Beat Revolution (Dirty Water Records, muckandthemires.bandcamp.com)
Boston’s Muck and the Mires bring their blend of garage, power pop, soul, and classic rock back for their seventh full-length long-playing record. It’s a powerful blend, and it’s no surprise that the band first rose to prominence after winning Little Steven Van Zandt’s national garage band showdown on, of all places, MTV. "Beat Revolution" opens the album with a rock’n’soul tune that’s meant to excite and stir the crowd. “C’mon join the beat revolution!” the chorus demands, the song being about how the band travels the world to recruit people to “join the fight.” Also in a rock’n’soul vein is “Down in the Underground,” a strong sound with a smoky 60's drive. There’s some early pop punk influence here, too, in the raucous “Julia (I Want to Kill Your Boyfriend),” channeling a smoother more melody-forward version of power pop that the Ramones turned into punk rock. And at the opposite end of the spectrum, “You Can’t Try It (Before You Buy It)” sees the band exploring jangly retro 60's pop sounds with a Beatles type sound. Similarly, “Cool Imposter” mixes 60s Beatles-like pop a gritty garage vibe and some surf guitar tone for one of the album’s best tracks. And “Carefree” a song about a woman living a carefree life, “like there’s no tomorrow,” is one my favorites, with breathy vocal delivery, and a melody that mixes retro power pop and a modern aesthetic. Muck and the Mires have another winner on their hands.
THE SLACKERS – My Last Star (Pirate’s Press Records; theslackers.bandcamp.com)
A year ago, we lost Greg Lee, the legendary ska musician and member of Hepcat. Lee was sometimes a collaborator with The Slackers, as well. And one night shortly before he passed away, he had a dream in which The Slackers were playing a song that did not exist! Upon awakening he quickly noted down the lyrics and melody. And after his passing, Greg’s partner, Mandie Becker, passed the song notes to The Slackers to complete. This was that song, and in a sense, this single represents the final collaboration between Greg Lee and The Slackers. The band has three versions of the song on this record, the standard version, a dub version, and an instrumental (the last which includes snippets of Greg’s voice notes at the end). The song is a nice relaxed reggae tune, with lush strings filling out the arrangement, along with saxophones, guitar, bass, and drums/percussion. The dub version doesn’t stray too far from the standard version, adding more reverb and isolating individual tracks here and there, with most of the vocals dropped from the mix. And the instrumental version returns us to the lushness, with saxophone filling in for the vocals on the melodic lead. Reggae fans, Greg Lee fans, and Slacker fans will want to get on this unique release.
THE SLEIGHTS – This One’s Gonna Hurt (thesleights1.bandcamp.com)
Hailing from Colorado Springs, Colorado, The Sleights play punk fucking rock, and “This One’s Gonna Hurt” is their sophomore LP. Most the of album is speedy and aggressive, barn burning punk rock, played with a fiery passion. Hell yeah! The songs have solid pop punk melody, but they’re played much harder than typical pop punk, so in that sense they’re sort of like early Screeching Weasel and the Chicago school of pop punk rock. After a short instrumental “Intro” track, “Bridge to Nowhere” starts the album out with a bang. Tons of gang vocals and whoa-ohs mix with powerful rapid-fire guitars for a perfect opening. It really does remind me a lot of some of the great Chicago bands in this vein, like The Brokedowns. It’s catchy as hell, tight and crispety-crunchety. I like “Brother,” too, a song of political unity. “What you gonna do, what you gonna say when they come to take you away?” the song asks? The song has an urgent feel, speedy bass and drums, with spare guitar lines. Another highlight is “Already Gone,” a loping tune that features Jen Razavi of The Bombpops on guest vocals. The lyrics speak of being in a relationship after the love has gone out of it. “The Promoter” is another favorite, with a solid Ramones-core sound. The closing track, “Avenue,” is darker in tone and has a bit of a skate punk feel, with double-time speed in the rhythm section through parts of it. I had not been familiar with The Sleights before receiving this album, but this is solid stuff here. Recommended.
TEETHOUT – Brittle But Elite (High End Denim Records, highenddenimrecords.bandcamp.com)
Hot on the heels of their debut EP just at the start of the year, Prince Edward Island’s TeethOut have had a lineup change and immediately started working on fresh material. And compared to the first EP, all the energy, power, and passion is still there, but now they’re more focused on the 90s skate punk sound they were aiming for. The music is speedy and crunchy, and though the angst is still there, the emotional pop influence of the first EP is lessened somewhat. Once again, the EP contains five songs that encapsulate TeethOut right now. “Lifeline II” opens the record, a new version “Lifeline” from the first EP. They’ve expanded the song, doubling it in length. It’s about having someone who can help you through tough times and guide you to better life choices. The song features a guest vocal appearance by Madison Regan of Last Good Thing. “Flicker Out” follows, a song about watching futile battles that play out over and over that no one wins, and the frustration that comes from that. It’s crisp skate punk with just a hint of pop melody. “To The End” is a bit slower, more focused on melody than on power and speed. It’s one my favorites of the EP. “Walking Down” is a song of introspection and self-actualization. It’s about wandering around at night, lost in one’s thoughts about the uncertainties of life and figuring things out. The EP closes with an astounding acoustic rendition of “Cancel Me,” from the debut EP. It feels completely different from the original, with a slower pace and stronger emotional content. I love the production, where the guitar starts out muffled and unrecognizable, slowly clearing. Acoustic guitar, bass, and tambourine are the only instruments accompanying the heartfelt vocals for a time, until warm synths come into the background. It’s a lovely version that I think I like more than the full band version. When the debut came out I said I was looking forward to hearing more from TeethOut. I didn’t think it would be this soon, but I’m happy it is.
THE TISBURYS – A Still Life Revisited (Double Helix Records; tisburys.bandcamp.com)
Everything old is new again! The Tisburys have been releasing records for the past decade, but they are influenced more by the college rock of the 1990s. They make no bones about their key influences being bands like Gin Blossoms, the Replacements, and they even inject a little Wilco style Americana twang in some of their tracks. Power pop is a powerful influence, as well, with solid guitar-driven pop melodies. With these sorts of disparate influences, the album ends up with a wide variety, but also somewhat uneven. Some of the songs are solid and enjoyable, like the opening track, “By a Landslide.” It’s bouncy, poppy, and bubbly in a perfect 90s college rock sort of way. It’s got a cool arrangement that includes trumpets and saxophones, too. But some of the songs work less well for me. “A Still Life Without You,” for example, is a little too country-twangy for my tastes. I like the quirky bright “Forever,” with its minimalist repeating lines. The good very much outweighs the bad, though. “Painted Eyes” brings back the horns, this time with more of a 70s jazz-pop sound, sort of like the band Chicago. And “Elephant Hotel” is a real favorite, with its out of the ordinary meter and a light, lovely folksy sound. I like both the breezy drive of “The Anniversaries,” and the use of strings and piano in its arrangement is effective. “Lost in Electricity” reminds me a bit of early Police, and the closing track, “Here Comes the Lonesome Dove,” is a big sweeping epic of a track. As far as tracks that don’t do it for me, besides the aforementioned “A Still Life Without You,” “Wildfire” sounds to me too much like 80s MTV new wave. But that’s really about it, the rest of the album is pretty enjoyable.
THE VICIOUS CYCLES – Get Wrecked (Pirates Press Records; theviciouscycles.bandcamp.com)
With a name like The Vicious Cycles, you might expect an old school hardcore band, but this band from British Columbia play a mix of street punk, garage rock, and hard-driving rock and roll. It’s been six long years since their last LP, “Motorpsycho,” and the band has come roaring back, better than ever. Where “Motorpsycho” was a bit too clean and sanitized, “Get Wrecked” is raw and primal. The opening track, “I’m Alive,” rages like Motörhead, pounding, roaring, and growling. “Blowing Smoke,” too, has a hard rocking sound, but tempered with a garage feel. “Hold On Tight” is a perfect example of modern North American street punk, with big gang vocals and the feeling of an anthem of working class unity, with just a hint of retro rock and roll sounds in it. The tone on the guitar solo in the loping street punk tune, “M.I.A.,” sounds kinda like a kazoo! And “Life As You Climb” mixes street punk and hard rock genres pretty effectively, and it’s got theremin in the mix!” I enjoy the R&B and soul influence of the garage rocker, “Daddy Was a Gambler,” with a distinct retro feel. But for pure garage enjoyment, check out “On Fire in the Hot Tub.” “Trouble Again” is one of the more unique songs, with a cool mix of indie rock, garage, and surf sounds. Solid LP.
HANS GRUBER AND THE DIE HARDS / SGT. SCAG – Reboot (Ska Punk International Records, www.skapunkinternational.com)
Are you ready to skank? Ska Punk International has a new 7” EP for you, a split featuring two bands. There’s less punk and more ska on the A-side, featuring Hans Gruber and the Die Hards’ new recording of “We’re All Gonna Die,” which was featured on the band’s 2017 debut LP. The song’s become a fan favorite and a staple of their live set. It’s a bright hopping ska tune, big and bold, even happy sounding. It’s about the one inevitability we all share. Being ska, it’s thickly arranged, of course, with horns aplenty, electric organ, along with guitar, bass, and drums. Vocals are shared by Kurt and Rosey Armstrong, sounding as happy and chipper as can be. It’s a great song. The B-side features two tracks from Sgt. Scag, both live recordings. “Sideshow” has the sound of a dark circus from Transylvania, with a cool metallic breakdown in the middle of the song. “Ives” is a curious mix of ska, hard rock, rap, free jazz, and Eastern European folk music, making it the clear winner here.
DATURA - Songs from a Dark House (selltheheartrecords.com; daturapnw.bandcamp.com)
This is not the Italian techno band, nor the Polish experimental post-metal band. It’s not the stoner rock band from New Zealand, either. This Datura is a dark wave post-punk neo-Goth type band, with influences ranging from Siouxsie and the Banshees to the Cure, to, Bauhaus, The Chameleons, and Depeche Mode. The music sounds like it’s the 1980s all over again, and the lead vocals croon with a deep baritone, like Ian Curtis in Joy Division. The melodies are dark and mysterious, with reverb-laden production and a treble-rich scratchy guitar tone. The band hails from Washington State, and songs are sung in both English and Spanish. “Tired” opens the LP with a driving upbeat song, though the general tone is somber. It’s like trying to feel excited about something, but deep down you’re depressed. “I’m staying home tonight / I don’t want to see your friends and I’m so tired,” the song says. “I can’t wait to be alone / I want you by my side and I can’t stand it / I don’t want to socialize with my negative state of mind.” “Sirena” is another upbeat song, this one sung in Spanish. Like “Tired,” there’s a sadness in the vocals and overall tone, despite the bright pace and melody. “Scarecrow,” too has a driving quality, and this one has synths, but used sparingly. Vocals are in Spanish again, on this one. Some songs are darker and more mysterious in tone, like “Time” and “Cave,” the latter having a brooding dangerous feel to it. Then there’s “Still Waiting,” the most 80s new wave sounding track of the bunch. It’s got the synthesized double hand-claps, the dance rhythm, and pall of moroseness. One bit of constructive criticism. The band is a three-piece, with just guitar, bass, and drum (and vocals). As a result, the arrangements often sound thin and incomplete. The addition of a second guitar and/or keyboards to fill out the sound, make it thicker and richer, would be an improvement for these otherwise good songs.
FOTOFORM – Grief Is a Garden Forever in Bloom (fotoform.bandcamp.com)
Seattle’s Fotoform is a band that blends Goth dark wave, post punk, shoe-gaze, and dream pop to create moody music. Unlike most shoe-gaze, though, the instrumentals are not fuzzed up; they’re clean and clear, and Kim House’s lead vocals are angelic and ethereal. The songs are primarily solemn and melancholy, and many have a strong, lonely bass sound, reminding me of the Goth and post-punk music of the 80s, especially with the deep reverb. This kind of music is very effective at setting a mood, and when you’re writing songs that examine grief and loss, as is the case here, somber and melancholy is on target. Dark synths fill these tracks nearly as much as House’s pretty voice. The downside of this genre is that the songs tend to sound very similar to one another, with too little variation. It can cause boredom from overload. It’s hard to identify standout tracks when they all sound alike. One exception is “If You Knew Don't You Worry, Baby,” a song that feels light and airy, even hopeful. House’s vocals even feel lighter and brighter on this song, and the synths less heavy. If you’re into this genre, check it out – the band have a gorgeous tone. It’s a little much for me, though.
MY WIFE’S AN ANGEL – Yeah, I Bet (Knife Hits Records, knifehitscollective.bandcamp.com)
Do you want to feel like you’ve dropped acid without actually having dropped acid? Then listen to this record. That should be enough to encourage you to check this album out, but I will elaborate. This record is filled with sensory overload, chaos, and noise. It’s creative, disorienting, humorous, sad, and amazing. The album opens with “Not Me,” a wonderfully discordant sludge fest, with, deep growling bass, thrashing drums, and avantgarde guitars playing jarring riffs with an amazingly mysterious tone. The lyrics are emphatically recited, and shouted rather than sung. “Grampa Jim” is a short answering machine recording, with Grampa sounding very lonely and a little miffed, and it’s followed immediately by “Ol Man Sleep,” a two-minute sonic blast of improvisational music, and the lyrics sing-spoken in sarcastically jovial way. The post-apocalyptic noise jazz of “Funny How That Works” is a favorite, too. But it’s “Hey Jimmy” that’s the real highlight. The track begins with the sound of spinning through the radio dial, until we land on a news report about James Pitts, a former Philadelphia homicide detective who was arrested and convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice when his violent interrogation tactics were exposed and he lied about it, with the result that an innocent man was imprisoned for murder. The recording is manipulated, sped up, and slowed down for emphasis and effect. At the report’s conclusion, the band screams for the piece of shit Officer Jimmy Pitts to kill himself, because he’s a loser. This record won’t be for everyone, but if you’re adventurous, give it a spin. I love it.
THE RATCHETS – Can’t Walk Until You Run (Pirates Press Records, piratespressrecords.com)
The Ratchets are one of the most versatile bands out there these days, and this is made clear with the campaign of singles the band have been releasing over the last year plus. Their songs range from old school late 70s punk rock to modern street punk, from post-punk to indie rock and occasionally mixed with ska and reggae. This makes for a very entertaining listen. But wait! There’s more! Each single has included a remix of the A-side song, taking the basic tracks and recreating them from the ground up. This latest record, “Can’t Walk Until You Run,” finds them in peak form with Clash-like sound on a bright sunny punk tune about…drug smuggling? It’s the perfect sound as the days get longer and warmer. Flip the record over and “Haus Feuer - Strawberry Zaiquiri Mix” plays. The Ratchets have collaborated with Strawberry Zaiquiri before, and the results are always amazing. The source material is barely recognizable, turned into a chill new wave dance tune. In addition to the A-side material and various electronics beats and beep-boops, Zaiquiri includes a variety of found sound clips, creating a fascinating sound collage. This is one of the best singles in the series yet.
BLACKWRISTBAND – My Escape (linktr.ee/blackwristbandmusic)
BlackWristband’s debut LP, “My Escape,” is, very astoundingly, the work of a single person, John McGeown. He writes all the songs, He sings, he plays guitar, bass and drums. But unlike many bands dominated by a single person’s vision, BlackWristband sounds like many bands in one, because of the vast variety in the sounds of the songs, from hardcore to pop punk to indie. The Chicago musician gives nods to other Chicago punk bands, Oblivion and Apocalypse Hoboken, as influences, along with classic punk bands like the Dead Kennedys and the Buzzocks. I hear some of Ohio’s Vacation in there too, with the fuzzed up garage punk sounds loaded with melody, particularly on the opening track, “Split Open.” That song starts things out with a bang. It’s an explosive track that mixes garage punk and indie sounds, with powerful riffs and a great melodic line. Another notable track is “Second Chances,” a great jangly pop punk tune, with shades of the East Bay circa 1990. “Eternal Rest” is pure indie, with some dreamy parts and some dissonant angry parts, and it’s so very different from the rest of the LP. “In the Mouth of the Beast” is pure hardcore, angry and spiteful, yet tempered with garage punk sounds. “Time” is another driving, pounding melodic garage punk tune, with a mix of older Bad Religion in the vocal patterns and modern pop punk in the melody. And “Vastness” is perfectly titled, with a huge open sound. Really, every track is great. I love the variety here, the songwriting, the arrangements – it’s all top notch.
CIGARETTE MACHINE (linktr.ee/cigarette_machine)
Rising from the ashes of other bands from the glory days of southern California’s Inland Empire punk scene, Cigarette Machine is here to remind us that the area used to be home to several thriving DIY punk bands. Members of Horror Squad, Dudes Night, and Turkish Techno got together to jam in pre-pandemic times, and it stuck. After things started opening up, they started playing occasional shows, and now, more than 5 years in, they’ve released their debut recording. It’s a mini-LP of seven songs over about 20 minutes, mixing indie rock and pop punk to create solid songs. There’s a loping character to many of the songs, not too fast or too slow. Like on the opening track, “Crestfallen,” which will get you bobbing your head. It’s not an energetic fist-pumping type song, that’s not who Cigarette Machine are. It’s the kind of music you feel more in your head, with some cool creative riffs and rhythmic breaks. “Sledgehammer” is a great, jumpy, poppy tune that has echoes of 60s and 70s mod-pop and an unexpected melodic line. Like Crestfallen,” it features certain short riffs that get repeated multiple times in a row, in a sort of pop punk minimalism. “Can I Live” starts out as a lovely ballad with a distinct 90s indie sound (as opposed to “alternative,” which was more commercially-oriented music), but it’s the back half of the song that I love. The pace picks up, the drums more insistent, the guitars jangle more frantically, and Aaron Ohio’s lead vocals are sung passionately. “Too Late for Love” is a gentle ballad that seems to be influenced by Smoking Popes, making it another favorite. The closing track is another ballad, this time mixing big dreamy guitars with a grunge-like sensibility, especially in the big vocals. Cigarette Machine is a reminder that, though times have changed and the scene isn’t what it used to be, there’s still good music coming out the Inland Empire.
CHARLIE CONTINENTAL – Singles & Jingles (2016-2021) (www.snappylittlenumbers.com)
Charlie Continental, otherwise known as Chuck from the Denver band, Spells, spends a lot of his time writing “jingles” for TV shows, podcasts, and sometimes for “cool” companies. “Singles & Jingles” is a collection of Chuck’s, well, singles and jingles that he’s written and recorded. There are eight songs in total, covering the five years of the title, and the songs are generally solid lo-fi pop punk in a home recording DIY vein. Perhaps one of Charlie Continental’s biggest claims to fame is having written the theme song to the truTV show, “Those Who Can’t,” a sit-com about teachers in Denver. “Quit Wastin’ My Time” was that theme song, and it’s here. It’s one of the best tracks, too. “We’re Getting Fixed (Grawlix Save the World)” was written for the comedy trio, The Grawlix,” and was used as the intro and outro for their comedy podcast. It’s a hopping, energetic pop punk tune with a nice key change toward the end. In a different vein, “Be Much Better” is a two-tone style song that was originally released as a 7” flexi in late 2020 to benefit Black Lives Matter. It was Chuck’s attempt to channel his frustrations with the direction the world was taking into a song. And it features guest vocals from a variety of people, including Daryl Wilson, Ella Sugar, and the Calgary Family Singers, all of whom recorded their vocals at home and sent them back for Chuck to mix. This mini-full-length cassette is bookended by two recordings of “Monotony of Care.” The opening version is with a full band and is solid pop punk, with a big epic sound. The acoustic version is a little slower and a lot more solemn sounding, with just electric keyboards and acoustic guitar and more emotional vocals. The recordings may be lo-fi, but the songwriting is hi-fi.
MIDDLE-AGED QUEERS – Theatre of Shame (www.selltheheartrecords.com)
The last time the Middle-Aged Queers put out a record, there was the unfortunate timing of the pandemic that had just started. Now, five years on, they’re back with nine new songs that are better than ever. They still play snotty sassy pop punk with queer-themed lyrics, but they’re tighter and poppier than before, and the songs are filled with more fun, irony, and sadness. Where the last album was OK for what it was, sloppy goofy funny punk, this new LP is much more well-done. There’s still a lot of humor, like on “Glizzies Bangin’,” which opens the album. Is it a song about hot dogs? Or is it about something more queer-oriented, hmmm? With lyrics about not needing to “raw dog when we’re relishing the toppings,” it’s up to the interpretation of the listener. Or “Pajama Party,” which is about cheering up your friends who have been going through a rough patch by having a punk pajama pizza party and having a break from adulting. But there are serious songs, too, like “Big Sisters.” It's about the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, how society abandoned gay men suffering and dying without treatment, and how it was lesbian women who stepped up to care for the community when no one else would, including doctors. It was lesbian women that organized blood drives to ensure that gay men suffering with AIDS and anemia could get blood transfusions. This song is a recognition and thank-you for the support that has too long been ignored in queer history. The song includes a short oral history spoken word piece by Anna Joy Springer. And “This Song Is Sponsored By Absolut Vodka” calls out corporations that are queer-friendly once a year for Pride, in order to make money, those in the LGBTQ community who accept sponsorships and revel in the “bourgeoisie” aspects of Pride, ignoring queer people who are working class or living in poverty. It’s a timely song right now, as major corporate sponsorships of Pride events around the country are withdrawn in fear of retaliation by the Trump administration and Trump’s MAGA cult. And “Nobody Wants” is the darkest song of the album, about hate crimes. “Nobody wants to be the victim of a hate crime,” the chorus informs, in response to claims by the right that members of the LGBTQ community bring hate upon themselves. The album even has a gay anthem, similar to “Theme Song” from the last LP. This one is “Queerdo,” and it’s a celebration of been queer and of being a weirdo. Simple Ramones-core pop punk and simple lyrics singing the praises of being gay and a misfit are the order here. The album ends with a song asking “What’s Your Favorite Kink?” and another singing the praises of “Anal Beads,” as if to answer the question. Middle-Aged Queers may be middle-aged, but they’re having the best time of their lives.
NO DREAMS – Good Life / All Bent Out of Shape (www.snappylittlenumbers.com)
Hailing from Denver, Colorado, No Dreams is a newish pop punk fronted by Jack Oberkirsch, a talented film and media composer who also plays with The Rotten Blue Menace and The Consequence. “All Bent Out of Shape” was their debut EP, self-released just a year ago. And “Good Life” is a brand new EP, which the kind folks at Snappy Little Numbers are packaging together with the debut EP on both cassette and CD. Taking the first EP first, No Dreams may be a pop punk band, but they aren’t bubbly and saccharine. They play a more emotional brand of pop punk, with lyrics that are more introspective. “Now I Know” is a song about a break-up and the realization that you only have yourself to blame. It speaks to how “All good things must change,” but realizing “As years went by it was me who stayed the same / And watched the world pass me by.” “Passing Time” is lyrically dark, about being stuck in a rut, the world passing you by, and being oblivious to the precious moments we’ll never have again. Musically it’s big and expansive, making for a great song. I really like “How Does It Feel?” with an edgy stage show feel, slightly doo-wop influenced, and lyrics about being stuck in a relationship that seems to go nowhere. And “Pressing Me” is about feeling pressured by others to be something you aren’t. OK, that was the past. The new EP, “Good Life,” which takes up the first half of this release, shows a progression over the past year, with richer arrangements (including keyboard) and bouncier melodies. The songs still seem to be about lost opportunities, missing out on things, and wanting to know how to get more out of life. I particularly like “Romantic in Me,” with its jaunty rhythm and melody. Both the new EP and the first one are solid enjoyable records.
REBELMATIC – Black Hole Eats the Tornado (www.say-10.com)
Rebelmatic is a New York City band that mixes the power of NY hardcore with street punk, funk, and hip hop. They’ve been around for over a decade, and their music offers the hope and resistance found in all these genres. Take the opening song, “Peace,” which uses street punk gang vocals and offers a message of anti-racism and peace and love, all doing it with a heavy punk sound, punctuated occasionally by 70s funk-psych guitar licks. There’s the heavy metallic crunch of “Fly Broken Wings,” and the hardcore guitars and funky bass of “Walls Have Ears.” “Forever More” is super heavy and hard-hitting with poetic spoken and shouted lyrics, hip-hop style. But the punk-funk-hip-hop blend reaches its peak with “Corn Bread and Collard Greens,” a song about eating the titular food and having a good time. One of the hardest-hitting, heaviest, and angriest tracks is “Smoke Clears.” It opens with a woman relating the experience of surviving an attack and massacre of a Black neighborhood by a white mob. She says she still sees the images of Black men being shot, Black bodies lying in the street, Black businesses being burned, airplanes flying overhead, and the smell of smoke in the air. The music comes in with a death toll chime, and heavy metallic crunch. The song is one of defiance, with the chorus crying out, “When the smoke clears, we’re still here!” Another one that’s a little different is the Latin-inspired “The World Is,” a song that seems to say that we hold our destiny in our own hands. But I think my favorite track is “Cooking Up the Medicine,” which has the sound of DC’s Revolution Summer blended with angry hardcore hip hop. Rebelmatic offers a unique sound and point of view in today’s music scene.
ERIC SCHROEDER – Cat’s Game (www.enablerno6.com/)
Though I live in San Diego, I was completely unfamiliar with Eric Schroeder, the multi-instrumentalist songwriter from the same city in which I reside. Schroeder mixes modern indie with retro power pop sounds, and his guitar tone is loaded with a mix of surf and Americana, giving it a cool sound. For this LP, Schroeder recruited friends Matt Scheussler on bass, Jake Richter on drums, and Aidan Finn on keyboards. One track highlight is the power pop meets 90s British indie song, “Emily,” a song that speaks of lost love. I like the contrast of the melancholy vocals and the bright music, reflecting the bittersweet memories. I like, too, “As I Sit Here in My Car,” with vocals reminiscent of Elvis Costello, and “I’ve Got Problems” has guitar riffs that mix classic rock and Americana, while the overall melody is pure power pop. “My Big Brother” is a waltz time song that drips with sentimentality, and “Slipstream” has a big yet mysterious sound. “The Road to Recovery” closes the album with a big grungy sound mixed with 60s psych vibes. These are just highlights. The whole album is pretty solid. I’m going to have to look at the local music listings more closely now and see if I can catch Schroeder live.
THE SLOW DEATH – No Light to See (Don’t Sing; anxiousandangry.com/collections/slow-death-the)
After last summer’s celebration of The Slow Death’s 15th anniversary as a band, which saw the original lineup reunite, as well as various members throughout the band’s storied history take turns playing, The Slow Death present their fifth studio full-length LP. The band has always had a rotating lineup, with the sole constant being guitarist and lead vocalist, Jesse Thorson, a towering giant of the Minneapolis punk scene (both figuratively and literally). On this outing, joining Thorson are Jack Gribble (drums), Luke Lechler (organ and guitar), and Alex Bammel on some lead guitars. And this album is bigger, broader, and yes, better than any past Slow Death LP. And that’s saying a lot. This isn’t the first time The Slow Death has included organ in their arrangements, but the keyboards are much more prominent on “No Light to See” than any past release. It goes a long way to creating the enormous sound the band exhibits on the record. They’ve always been larger than life (both figuratively and literally), but the sound on this album could fill an arena. Some of the tracks rock hard, in the vein of Motörhead, something I’ve never heard from this band before, as they have tended to focus more on edgy and emotionally-laden pop punk songs. Songs that fall into this category include “Tough to Admit” and “Last One to Know,” the latter having the same hard-driving sound as “The Ace of Spades.” Some are extensions of their past sound, but bigger. “Desperately” and “I’ll Be Fine” are notable entries in this category, particularly this latter one, with Thorson’s thunderous vocals crying out in desperation. I really like “Little Ghost,” which has a solid post-punk pop sound mixed with raucous anthemic rock and roll kind of like mixing Joy Division with Bruce Springsteen. And the closing track, “Hard Time,” is a rare ballad for The Slow Death, and Thorson’s vocals are pulled back from his usually booming delivery. The song is dreamy and introspective, and gets bigger and louder after the halfway mark. It’s a real favorite of mine on this album. Now close to reaching their 16th birthday, The Slow Death is better than ever.
NELL SMITH – Anxious (bellaunion.com)
You would be forgiven if you’re not familiar with who Nell Smith was. She was just starting her career, only 17 years old when she passed away in a car accident last October. She had released her first recordings at age 14 in collaboration with The Flaming Lips, an album called “Where the Viaduct Looms.” And she was preparing to release this, her debut solo LP when tragedy struck. Now, six months after that fateful day, we get to hear the career that could have been. And it’s a document that reveals a massively creative soul, a top-notch singer and songwriter. And it shows that regardless of genre, whether punk, indie, or pop, good songwriting and arranging is universal. And here, the arrangements are rich, lush, complex, yet simple. Smith’s singing is beautiful and ethereal. There are interesting choices in the arrangements and production. Even the tracking was done thoughtfully, alternating bright pop numbers with pensive songs. And one thing that strikes me about these songs is how even the bright poppy tunes have a tinge of sadness to them, a sense of poignancy. There are ten songs on this album; about 40 minutes is all we get to remember Nell by. But what a 40 minutes it is. All of the songs are gems, but there are a few that stand out to me. I love “Bubba,” a song with acoustic guitar, zither, and keyboards backing Smith’s incredible vocals, the stringed instruments providing the rhythm and the keyboards, both electric and acoustic, provide a pretty fluttering accompaniment. “Service Song” is another gorgeous acoustic tune, recorded with a bit of scratchiness in the guitars and tons of reverb in the vocals, giving it an old and distant sound. It’s a wistful, melancholy song about the difficult life of a service industry worker. The use of angular guitars as percussion in “Boy in a Bubble” reminds me of David Byrne’s songwriting, its rhythms acting as a prominent part of the song. I enjoy the playful sound of “Splash,” with a jaunty rhythm and bubbly instrumentals, yet it still has a melancholy feel to it. And “Billions of People” is a brilliant pop tune with sparking instrumentals, but you can hear a sense of both romance and heartache in the vocals. And I am enamored with the arrangement that includes various non-musical sounds adding percussive effects. I never knew Nell Smith, never saw her perform. Yet, listening to this album and thinking about what could have been, I’m kind of heartbroken myself. This is a wonderful LP.
DRU THE DRIFTER AND THE BACK ALLEY HOOKERS – The Intimidator (Goodbye Boozy Records, goodbyeboozydigital.bandcamp.com)
This is described by the label as “raw, lo-fi mayhem,” and that’s as succinct a description as there is. Dru the Drifter and the Back Alley Hookers hail from “Nashville’s gritty underbelly,” they say, though you won’t hear any of the country twang that city’s music scene is noted for. Instead, you’ll hear massively distorted guitars, bass, and drums, with manic screaming vocals with a distinct garage punk edge, the kind that will slice you up if you get too close. This is a seven-song EP in under ten minutes, but it’s not because the songs are speedy, they’re just short. Mostly they’re mid-tempo, but they’re high on the chaos factor, low on the melodic content. Lyrical content is equally simply; for example, the lyrics to “I Wanna Be a Nascar” consist of “Nascar Nascar wanna be a Nascar” repeated over and over, apparently referring to the racing series. “I Don’t Wanna Take My Meds” is a dark song about, well, not wanting to take your meds and not caring if you die. Of course, there’s a song called “I Wanna Die,” too, so there you go. The most punk track of the EP is the last one and it’s also the shortest and fastest. “Prager U” is likely about the far right non-profit that is not a university, but is a social media propaganda machine. It’s the most political Dru the Drifter and the Back Alley Hookers get. I like garage and early punk sounds, and some distortion can be very effective in setting a mood on a record, but I think this goes too far into anarchy and pandemonium for my tastes.
HEADLIGHT RIVALS – Drum Machine (Dumb Ghost Records, dumbghost.bandcamp.com)
Hailing from the middle of America, in Kansas, Headlight Rivals are an alternative rock band that have awakened from a bit of a slumber. Their last release was “Mattson,” their debut LP, back in 2019 in pre-pandemic days. Now comes their sophomore effort, “Drum Machine.” The sound is generally that of 90s alternative rock. Think Foo Fighters or Local H. You can sense the punk and grunge roots, but also the influence from big arena rock bands. As such, these songs are big and crunchy, with loads of melody. It’s more of a mini-LP, really, with eight songs in just over 20 minutes. The production is slick and professional, and the band sounds very polished. There are lots of heavy riffs, metallic guitar licks, and emotive vocals. Two of the songs break this mold: “Blackout” is a hard rocking hair-metal style track about blacking out from drinking because of a medication, and the fun alternatives to be had. And “Hospital Bed” is the album’s lone ballad, a primarily acoustic tune with acoustic guitar and piano. If you’re a fan of the 90s alternative rock sound, you may enjoy this. I never really saw the appeal of the genre, though, sounding to me too much like the commercial rock of the past, but with a grunge edge.
KILOGRAMS – Beliefs & Thieves (Rad Girlfriend Records, http://www.radgirlfriendrecords.com/)
Last year we were introduced to a new “supergroup” featuring Joe Gittleman (Mighty Mighty Bosstones), Michael McDermott (The Bouncing Souls, Joan Jett), J. Duckworth (Newport Secret Six) and Sammy Kay (The Duke Street Kings). Now the band also includes Craig Gorsline (The Circle City Deacons). Last year the band released a self-titled EP, which was reviewed here. Now comes the band’s full-length debut, and it's got the same mix of reggae, soulful rock, and pop music that was featured on the EP. But this time out, rather than alternating between sounds, which led me to call for them to decide what kind of band they wanted to be, they’re actually blending the styles together, presenting a consistent hybrid style that’s fairly unique, though I hear echoes of The Clash in many of the songs. This shift makes for a stronger record that’s much more enjoyable to listen to. There’s still reggae influence, though there’s less emphasis on it, the strongest coming in the title track that opens the LP. It’s got less reggae and more of a rock steady sound, mixed with post punk. The keyboard tone is solid, and the lyrics seem to decry the so-called world leaders who continue to act with hypocrisy and oppress the people of the world, while calling on people to stop feeling defeated and unite. One particular line stands out, too: “So bury me with democracy,” an indication that a world without self-determination isn’t worth living in. But it’s some of the other songs that are the best of the LP. Like “Saddest Songs” and “Fireworks,” which are both solid indie rock/post punk tunes with slight reggae influences. “Battles” has the sound of a pop punk burner, but played at a slower tempo and with electric organ in the mix. And “Hoodie Song” may be the best of them all, with a big grand punk sound, the reggae hiding in the background, and the vocals almost crooning. “Hard Lines” is a smoother song, with sort of a lounge pop sort of sound mixed with a hint of reggae rhythms, and is less successful, in my opinion. That, along with the closing track, “Old Dog,” are the weakest of an otherwise solid LP. Kilograms is definitely moving in the right direction, and this LP is worth your time.
LEOPARDO – Side A / Side B (Dot Dash Sounds, dotdashsounds.bandcamp.com)
Leopardo is a Swiss band that play a quirky sort of style that blends European folk, country, indie pop, and… children’s music. The recordings are somewhat lo-fi and recorded to emulate the sound of playing underwater. There’s loads of reverb, and the instruments have s wobbly quality to them. Harmonium is a unique element in the otherwise traditional guitar, bass, and drum arrangements, but it’s the producer that has to get a big credit for creating such a unique tone. The songs seem to lope and bounce lightly, and “Île d’Ogoz” is a perfect example of their sound. Acoustic and electric instruments join together in a light, yet distorted, pop tune. It’s a singular sound that’s very appealing and very confusing at the same time. “Düdinger Moos,” too, has a childlike quality in its melody and execution, played in waltz time, though the noisy guitar sliding its notes around is less juvenile. The uniqueness continues throughout the album. We get the pseudo-garage rock sound of songs like “Be Proud of Me,” garage in its chord progression and vibe, but still with an arrangement that sounds like undersea kids’ music. And there’s the country-jazz of “Monday Somersault,” with a western melody that uses smooth saxophones in the arrangement. I like the field recording that ends the track, too, featuring what appears to be a shepherd or goatherd shouting, and the sounds of dozens of little bells on the collars of the animals. “Make a Decision” is a lusciously awkward sounding tune, with vocals intoned like a Gregorian chant. The final two tracks are particularly interesting, with “Bank Bank Bank” being a dark ominous song with sinister instrumentals overshadowing the stoic vocals. Abd “Temperature,” which closes the album, starts out sparsely, but grows in intensity, becoming quite large and dreamy, with a single note hammering away. “Side A / Side B” is a thoroughly fascinating record.
THE LONELY BULLS (Kool Kat Musik, koolkatmusik1.bandcamp.com)
Kool Kat’s been digging up some long lost bands lately, and The Lonely Bulls is their latest. They were an LA band back in the 1980s, and they were making a name for themselves in LA’s clubs, playing along the Sunset Strip and in North Hollywood. The labels sent their scouts, and it appeared the band was on the verge of being signed, but the contract never materialized, and the demo they recorded with Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) languished. The band members went on to other projects and other careers. But now, Kool Kat has uncovered the long lost recordings and have released them on this, the band’s only album. Musically, The Lonely Bulls played a mix of power pop and Beatles-esque pop music, with other genres showing an influence, like R&B, Americana, and folk songs. Some of the songs are fine 80s power pop, but nothing ground breaking. But others do stand out. Here are some favorites. “Walk On By” is an early Beatles-like tune, making strong use of 50s and 60s R&B sounds. I really enjoy “I’m the One,” an up-tempo power pop tune with a high energy, acoustic guitars, and Americana twang. The multi-part harmonies are well-done, and the song generates excitement. I’d call it the best song of the album. “Gotta Learn” is quite unique, blending Cajun sounds, baroque waltz, and folk music. The slow deliberate pace of “Back Where You Started,” with its acoustic bowed bass, harpsichord, strings, and woodwinds gives it the sound of the soundtrack of a major motion picture. Amongst the classical instrumentation there’s also acoustic guitar folk and power pop melodies and harmonies, making it quite a unique animal of a song. Overall, it’s a pleasant enough album, and there’s certainly enough variety to keep it interesting.
SMOKING POPES – Lovely Stuff (Anxious and Angry, anxiousandangry.com)
I love The Smoking Popes. I have since the day I first saw them at an all-ages show at McGregor’s, a long-lost beloved all ages venue in Elmhurst, Illinois, when they were still known as Speedstick. I’ve followed them for the past 35 years, seeing them grow from a trio of high school kids playing raucous pop punk to a four piece melding 90s pop punk and the crooning pop music of our parents’ and grandparents’ generation. The mix of loud buzzing guitars, smooth melodies, and even smoother lead vocals became the band’s hallmark, Josh Caterer’s lead vocals instantly recognizable. “Lovely Stuff” is the band’s first new LP in seven years, since 2018’s “Into the Agony,” which was their first LP with the classic lineup of the three Caterer brothers, Josh (lead vocals and guitar), Matt (bass), Eli (guitar), and Matt Felumlee (drums), since Felumlee had rejoined the band after a long hiatus. That album was a return to the Popes’ classic sound after the previous album’s departure (“This is Only a Test”). “Lovely Stuff” is an evolution, rather than a repetition. It’s got a strong 90s pop punk vibe and a smoother modern pop sound, though at their core these are Still Smoking Popes songs, and Josh Caterer’s crooning vocals are still as strong as ever. It’s certainly the band’s most polished record ever, too, with stronger production and richer arrangements than ever. You can still hear the buzzing guitars and crooning vocals, but listen for other touches like synths, strings, and other unconventional instruments for punk rock music. Like in “Golden Moment,” which opens the album. It’s got bigger guitars, rising synths, and more than a touch of reverb, giving the song a huge soaring sound. “To This Very Day,” too, has a big pop sound evoking some of the popular music of the 70s, blended with noisier 90s pop punk. There are songs that evoke the band’s Midwestern roots, such as “Fox River Dream” (the Caterers grew up in the Fox River valley in suburban Chicago), with its big AM pop influence, especially in the huge harmonized backing vocals. And “Racine” is a song about hopping on a train across the border to the Wisconsin town to see a lover. It’s of note that, in one sense, this album is a return to form in the sense that these are overwhelmingly love songs, with nary a political anthem among the ten tracks. This is unlike “Into the Agony,” which saw the Popes getting more political on some of their songs than I had ever seen. “Madison,” a song that was released as a single a couple of years ago and has become a staple of the band’s live shows, makes an appearance on the album. And “You Will Always Have My Heart” is a gorgeous Americana acoustic love song, complete with woodwinds and strings. It’s got a Smoking Popes sort of poppy melody, and a lovely warmth to it. It may be the Popes’ most ambitious recording ever, and it feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket by the fireplace on a snowy evening. Josh Caterer has long been known for his love of old pop music of yesteryear. He’s recorded and performed numerous covers of standards with his Josh Caterer Trio, and recorded some on past Popes records. This album closes with a cover of “Over the Rainbow,” the Judy Garland song from “The Wizard of Oz.” It’s got the lovely wistfulness of the original, but it’s also big and grand, imagining a fantastic dream coming true. “Lovely Stuff” shows us that, unlike many of the punk bands that have been around for more than 30 years, The Smoking Popes are not stagnating or resting on their laurels. They’re a band that continues to grow and evolve.
VISTA BLUE – Clear Eyes, Full Hearts (wearevistablue.bandcamp.com)
Ten years ago, Vista Blue released their debut LP,
Good Eye. Now, a decade on, they celebrate with a new LP,
Clear Eyes, Full Heart. Most Vista Blue releases are organized around a central theme, and this one is no exception. High school football seems to be the order of the day for this latest outing (odd, because football season is in the fall, and the Vistas’ releases are usually seasonally appropriate). And in particular, it’s a celebration of the football fanaticism of the TV show, “Friday Night Lights. The album title comes from the TV show coach’s slogan, and the opening track, “Can’t Lose,” completes it (Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!). It’s a big driving inspirational song with a grand sound, with lyrics that tell us that if we put in the work, we’ll be successful. “Yeah, each day we’re paying our dues / And we say clear eyes, full hearts can’t lose.” We get songs with titles like “Everybody Loves Football,” “Go, Panthers!,” “Mud Bowl,” “State,” and more. Musically, this is just what you’ve come to love and expect from the Vistas, buzzy guitars, solid drums and bass, warm keyboards, bouncy Ramones-core melodies, and Beach Boys harmonized vocals. Some songs are a bit different, though. “Texas Forever” has a dark tone to it, and a more aggressive feel, as is appropriate for the state that takes high school football more seriously than any other. And “Go, Panthers!” is also dark, mostly instrumental (except for shouts of “Go, Panthers, Hey! Hey!), and it’s got a trumpet! I particularly like the message of “She Doesn’t Want to Be Your Rally Girl,” which turns the stereotype of the empty-headed high school girl fawning over the star football player on its head. It’s about a smart girl who knows what she wants out of life, and it’s not to tie her fate to a dumb jock who’s never going to get out of the small town where he’s seen as a hero now, but will be a loser in the future. “Everybody Loves Football” is a fun slam, too, on the type of people who “don’t like to read,” but “everybody loves football.” Instead of learning about the world in which we live, they focus on a game, and they perceive their enemies to be everyone not in Texas. It’s the simplistic mindset that’s gotten our country into the mess it is today. And “Grady Hunt’s List” is the closest thing the Vistas have every gotten to hardcore. The song is a plea to get on the titular list, Grady Hunt being s college scout that appeared in one episode of the show. The Vistas always have fun with their music, and that makes it fun for us, too.
BART AND THE BRATS / JACKET BURNER = Good Cop/Bad Cop (Goodbye Boozy Records, goodbyeboozydigital.bandcamp.com)
In the spirit of international debate and cooperation, Italy’s Goodbye Boozy Records presents French punkers Bart and the Brats and US garage punks Jacket Burner. Each band gets two songs on this split EP to make their case. The esteemed representatives from France go first, presenting “Pigeonholed” and the title track, both being snarling punk that could have been written in 1980. “Pigeonholed” has a driving sound and buzzsaw guitars, with a great pogo-ready beat. “Good Cop Bad Cop” is slow and deliberate, with more of a hard rock sound. On rebuttal, the US musical ambassadors present a solid argument in favor of pounding, lo-fi garage punk, with distinct melodies and powerful guitar riffs. Vocals are distorted, as befitting the genre. “Nothin’ to Me” is the stronger entry, with a more urgent sound and lyrics warning about the coming of the fascist state. “Born Fucked” has a bit darker of a sound befitting the feeling of resignation of the song. Both bands make a solid case here, and I see plenty of room for agreement.
CHRIS CHURCH – Obsolete Path (Big Stir Records, www.bigstirrecords.com)
Chris Church is a North Carolina musician, a singer-songwriter whose songs span multiple genres, from indie to Americana, from 70s and 80s pop-inspired songs to REM-influenced sounds, from folk to rock. This leads to an album filled with variety, but it also leads to a confusing jumble of genres. When he focuses on the indie sound or the folk-inspired sounds, I think Chris Church is at his best. When he emulates older pop sounds or infuses the songs with Americana, my interest starts to wane. There’s a lack of cohesion that makes for a mixed bag. And some of the tracks feel like Church tries too hard. The title track feels a little overwrought, with acoustic guitar, and string, and flute, with too much reverb. Thankfully it’s pretty short. Most of the weaker songs appear in the first half of the LP. “I Don’t Wanna Be There” is one of these, sounding like a cross between adult contemporary and 70s AM pop radio. In the middle of the LP we get a transition, with “Life on a Trampoline.” It has a driving feel to the verses that makes me like it a lot, but the chorus has more of a smooth pop adult contemporary sound that turns me off. In the back half of the LP, we get a mix. “Tell Me What You Really Are” sounds sort of like a wannabe artsy prog rock tune. “The Great Divide” is plain old Americana, twangy and a little dull, with AM pop vocal harmonies. But then there’s “Vice Versa,” a solid indie track that reminds me of REM in its heyday. “Like a Sucker” is a power ballad, but one that’s sung with passion and emotion, giving it gravitas. And “What Are We Talking About” is a gorgeous acoustic singer-songwriter masterpiece, the best song of the album. It’s the perfect way to close out an uneven LP.
THE DERELLAS – Trust Me This is Going to Hurt (Rockaway Records / 14th Floor Music, derellas.com)
The DeRellas are London’s trash rock band, with one part hard rock, one part glam, and with a dash of punk rock swagger. This is over-the-top music with too much mascara, cheap lipstick, leopard print shirts, and torn fishnets. You can practically smell the cheap cologne, the stale cigarettes, and who knows what emanating from the bathroom of a dingy dive of a club. The PR description is pretty spot-on when it describes a mix of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Alice Cooper, and it mentions heartaches and hangovers. And then there are the lead vocals, raspy and witchy, gritty and evil. “Night Time” is a favorite, with a cool loping pace and a bass line that reminds me of the legendary Flipper and their song, “Sex Bomb.” “Night Time” is about living in the moment, living life to its fullest. “The world is sick / Enough to make you cry / Might as well live / One day you’re gonna die,” advises the song, as it commands, “Live for today, in the night time!” It’s the sort of nihilism that used to ooze through underground rock and roll and is too often absent these days. “Fake It Til You Make It” has a dark sound with a cool blend of modern indie and old school punk and glam. There’s the urgency of songs like “A Shot of Feelings” and the punk-glam freakout of “Stop Living in My Brain,” which closes the album. All in all, it’s a down and dirty rock and roll album that glitters through the muck.
ŸDEG – Elme (It’s Eleven Records, www.itseleven-records.de)
Ÿdeg is a band from Eastern Europe, from Saxony (in the former German Democratic Republic) and Hungary, and “Elme” is their debut mini-LP, released just over a year after their debut EP. They mix aggressive post-hardcore and Revolution Summer style emo quite effectively, presenting songs that are edgy and sharp, hitting hard, yet flow smoothly at the same time. Lyrics are shouted forcefully in Hungarian, and you can hear the anger and despair in the vocals. It’s seven strong tracks over 17 minutes, with the opener, “+36,” being a standout. It’s filled with ire, cuts like a knife, yet also swirls almost dreamily. It’s a dream that turns into a nightmare. I love the guitar jangle of “Ui,” but “Bajok” will really get you moving. It’s old school DC hardcore, tough, pounding, vengeful sounding stuff (even with its slow ethereal breakdown at the end). While Ÿdeg’s songs are rooted in influences from the past, it’s also firmly set in the present, sounding vital and alive, never stale or dated. A mini-LP isn’t enough.
YOURS AND MINE – The Shadow You Cast (Kool Kat Musik, http://www.koolkatmusik.com/)
Yours and Mine is a New York band that’s been around almost a decade, but only released their debut LP in the middle of last year (as a digital only release). Now it gets a proper physical release, courtesy of Kool Kat Musik, and that’s a very good thing. While the bulk of Kool Kat releases focus on power pop, bubblegum, garage, and British Invasion sounds, Yours and Mine is distinctly 90s indie pop and rock. There’s a quality to their songs similar to The Posies, with a strong guitar pop college rock vibe going on. The band is just a trio, but sound bigger, with lovely jangly guitars, clean shining tenor lead vocals, smooth backing vocals, and lush arrangements. There’s a lovely lightness to the songs, a lilt and warmth that are undeniable. Yet there are also hints of sadness and loneliness in the songs, particularly in “Who Knows,” about the death of a loved one, and the persistent memories and reminders of what’s been lost. I like, too, the driving quality of “Keep On,” one of the more aggressive tracks of the album (though aggressive is a relative term here). There’s a consistency throughout the album, too. Maybe too much consistency. There’s little variation in tempo and tone, and not much in the way of dynamic variation. One exception is “The Here & The Now,” which is a quiet introspective number that appears near the end of the LP. It’s softer and more delicate, with a subtle intensity, making it a favorite of the album. Even though too many of the songs sound a little too similar, I still can recommend this, especially for fans of 90s guitar pop.
GO TIME! – X (Kool Kat Musik; gotimeband.bandcamp.com
“X” is an appropriate title for this LP, because it’s Go Time!’s tenth full-length. The Chicago band have been together for about 16 years, so ten LPs is a pretty prolific output. And prolific may be an understatement, as this album contains a whopping 17 tracks and clocks in at just over 51 minutes long. That’s a lot of music! Go Time! plays a mix of power pop, garage, and classic rock and roll. There’s a Bob Dylan-like vibe to the lead vocals, with plenty of treble quality and short phrasing, and there’s an emphatic pounding from the drums. The opening track is one of the better songs of the LP, as it should be, with a solid garage rock and roll sound and power pop guitar work and melody. There’s a nice loose garage quality throughout that album, and I don’t mean that the band sounds sloppy; it’s more that they sound relaxed, rather than hyped up. “Pushing the Limits” is a good example of this, a garage power pop tune that’s got a cool groove to it. I like “Baseline,” too, with the short vocal phrasings, strong garage vibe, and keyboards featured prominently in the arrangement. I think it could be even a little better if the tempo was quickened a bit. And that leads to one piece of constructive criticism I’ll offer is that the tonal quality, tempos, and dynamics of the album have too little variety. It makes a lot of the songs sound too much alike and can lead to listening fatigue. The songs, each on their own, are decent listens, especially for fans of power pop and garage rock. But 51 plus minutes is a bit much without more variety.
SOMEONE’S DAUGHTER – Property Damage (Loud Circles Records, www.loudcirclesvinyl.com)
Someone’s Daughter is a new band out of Seattle, featuring three newcomers, Lane Matravers (vocals, guitar), Emily Miller (vocals, guitar), Kaija Cornett (bass, vocals), and scene veteran Rosie Gonce (drums). The four songs on this debut EP are aggressive and angry hardcore that examine rampant misogyny in our culture, especially as it’s getting worse today rather than better. Lyrics are shouted with spite, sometimes in a call and response way, the drums pound furiously, the guitars playing loud simple chord progressions, and the bass thrumming with frantic complex lines. “Human Lifesize Doll” is a raging track about the sexist view of women as sex objects, no better than a blow-up doll. “Test Subject” mixes rap vocals with post hardcore instrumentals in a song about disappearing reproductive rights. After examining various methods of birth control, the song flatly states, “And if it ever fails, good luck with that / We care more about a clump of cells than about some breeder slag.” “The King” looks at online incel propaganda, in which small-minded white men puff themselves up and talk shit about women, blaming them for all of their ills, and how the “echo chamber of hate” invariably results in physical violence against women. The final track, “Just Kidding,” looks at the rising tide of men who sexually harass women, and when called on it say, “just kidding.” “You should smile more / You should wear a skirt / We want women to stay pure / You’re a cock tease and a flirt,” the song says, repeating the contradictory statements misogynistic men make toward women, before getting defensive and declaring they were “just kidding.” This is a raw, angry, and promising debut.
THE TAXPAYERS – Circle Breaker (Ernest Jenning Record Co.; taxpayers.bandcamp.com)
The Taxpayers are a genre-bending band from Portland, Oregon, and have been making adventurous sounds for nearly two decades. This latest LP represents a different sound for the group, reflecting the massive changes taking place in the world since their last album. The opening track, “Circle Protector,” was written in the wake of the house show shooting that occurred not long ago. Lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Rob Taxpayer, explains that he and his wife had been invited to attend the show by friends they ran into, but had tickets for something else that night. After learning of the shooting, mere blocks from his home and where his young son slept, and of the death of an old friend, he lit some dry lemongrass and walked a protective circle around his home. The song came right after. It’s a beautifully solemn blend of jazz, classical, and traditional spiritual folk, with rich and unexpected instrumentation. Immediately after is the very relevant “Evil Everywhere,” a twisted jazz-funk-noise-rock track about the out of control world in which we find ourselves. After this is “I Am One Thousand,” a glorious epic of a song, sounding like a cross between the finale from a twisted stage show and a pop punk song. “I am a mountain / I am a sea / I am one thousand / I am so solitary / I am on fire / Everything is / I breathe in the sunlight / I live for the future,” declares the chorus, in defiance of the chaos consuming the world. It’s one of the more hopeful songs of the album. I love the heartbreaking “Empty Shed,” a melancholy waltz full of loneliness, with gorgeous arrangement that includes horns and strings. But nothing encapsulates the state of the world better than the funeral dirge, “Constant Headlines.” It speaks not just of the news cycle swirling around us and our dwindling freedoms, but also the confusion, hate, lies, and disinformation that swallows us through social media and the internet. “These are songs about circles, and they’re the most personal songs we’ve ever shared,” says Rob. “The amount of death and birth we experienced prior to and during the making of this album – the violent deaths of friends and family members, the births of our children…it’s been a journey for us.” Indeed, this album is a journey, too, for the listener, with a full range of emotions. This gets one of my highest recommendations.
VISTA BLUE – Clearing the Benches (wearevistablue.bandcamp.com)
Spring training is here and all the home openers are mere days away, so it’s time for Vista Blue’s annual baseball-themed record! Those buzzy pop punk boys are back with their unique Ramones-core sound and two-baseball tunes, the title track and “See You Later, Billy Ripken Card.” The title track is a mid-tempo loper about things going wrong during the game that cause the team to clear the benches, “But we don’t wanna fight tonight,” says the chorus. The other song is an upbeat song of regret.” “See you later, Billy Ripken card / I traded you away / See you later, Billy Ripken card / We’ll meet again someday,” is the lament. Vista Blue is always a fun time, and this latest is no exception.
VARIOUS – Pop Aid 2 (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Back in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine and began its deadly war against that country’s sovereignty, the Pop Aid project was born to raise money for World Central Kitchen to benefit the Ukrainian people. Now, in 2025, Pop Aid 2 was created to provide assistance here in the US for victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton. The compilation features 23 bands from around the world who each provided an exclusive track for this benefit. It’s an hour and a quarter of music, and every track is a gem; I honestly can’t say there is a single track I don’t enjoy. And the fact that the good folks at Kool Kat Musik have been able to pull together so much good music is a testament to how alive and well power pop remains to this day. While every track is a gem, I do need to point out a few favorites. “Stop the World” by Mothboxer starts the LP. The band is from the UK and has been around for about 15 years, playing music that seems like a blend of XTC and the Beatles. Hailing from Vancouver, BC in Canada, Star Collector’s contribution, “I Feel You,” mixes 70s soft pop with modern indie rock. Vegas with Randolph (Washington, DC) play some gorgeous chamber pop, featuring acoustic guitar, violin and cello, and lovely harmonized vocals, with their song “Above the Blue.” Joe Giddings’ song, “Shine Again,” has big operatic harmonized vocals and beautiful melody played on piano, so it’s very Queen-like. I love the melancholy sound from Chicago’s The Second Summer. Their song, “Glimmerglass,” has a gorgeous indie pop sound, more 90s than 70s or 80s. I enjoy the clear jangle of Norway’s Armchair Oracles on their song, “An Extension of Life’s Necessities.” It mixes 70s power pop with just a hint of 80s new wave, and their use of trumpet in the arrangement is perfect. These are some of the songs that stood out to me, but really, every track is good, and the album is for a good cause too, so you can’t go wrong here.
IAN M BAILEY – Lost in Sound (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Ian M Bailey has, once again, teamed with his Cosmic Rough Riders partner, Daniel Wylie, for this, their fourth collaboration. “Lost in Sound” is ten tracks of solemn psych-tinged folk rock. Acoustic guitars blend with electric guitars, synths, bass, and drums. “Rooks” opens the album with, one of the best tracks of the LP, containing the most urgent sounding instrumentals. I like the use of horns in the arrangement, providing an instrumental chorus. The vocals on the verses have a hushed yet desperate quality to them. Right after this is the delicate “I’ll Be There to Save You,” a song that reminds me of a modern rendition of a medieval madrigal, and another favorite. Most of the songs are just soft 70s style folk rock, quiet and pretty, but not particularly moving. Some tracks include sitar and others make stronger use of the synths. All of them feature those hushed, calming vocals. But then there’s “Desert Star,” a cool loping jazzy tune that swings. The arrangement includes guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, horns, and vibraphone, and it’s mainly an instrumental track; vocals don’t come in until the very end of the song. But there’s also “Never Read the Signs,” which is my least favorite track, with its swell of strings and faux western guitar twang. It feels too much like an “easy listening” song to my ears. Overall, a nice soothing record, but not ground-breaking.
THE LOFT – Everything Changes Everything Stays the Same (Tapete Records, www.tapeterecords.de)
The Loft were an indie sensation in the UK back in the 1980s. Formed in 1980, they achieved early critical acclaim with a pair of singles on the Creation Records label. But, on the eve of success, at the end of a national tour, the band spectacularly broke up on stage mid-song. That was in 1985. The band unexpectedly reformed for a handful of reunion shows in 2006, releasing a new single at the time, and have played occasional shows since. Now, 40 years after their fateful breakup, The Loft are finally ready to release their debut full-length LP. The Loft were considered influential in the UK indie scene back in the day, and it’s interesting to think “what if they hadn’t broken up?” especially in the way they did. They could have been bigger than Oasis or Blur became in the 90s and 2000s. The Loft certainly has the right sound, with jangly guitars and pleasantly poppy melodies that resound with echoes of The Beatles or The Kinks. As such, there are hints of R&B and psych-pop present in the ten songs that make up the LP. The songs here are not complex or raucous stompers; they’re simple and relaxed. And that’s a big part of the appeal. Music that has gained the most mass appeal has always been simple and easy to sing along to. And that’s precisely what you can expect from “Everything Changes Everything Stays the Same.” One exception is “Greensward Days.” Not that it’s complex, but it’s not a sing along type of tune. It’s a pretty, relaxed, breezy song, with lovely melancholy crooning vocals. Another is “The Elephant,” a song with Lou Reed like vocals and some cool dissonance in the guitar and keyboard lines that tries to emulate circus music. Will The Loft find the success in 2025 that they missed out on in the 1980s and 1990s? Time will tell, but it’s important to note that pop music has moved on significantly since those days, and the artists that are topping the charts today play music that’s very different from this. But this is certainly a pleasant record that will fit nicely into your 90s indie pop collection.
UPSET BOY & THE QUEENS – Amphetamine Queen (Sweet Cheetah Records, www.sweet-cheetah-records.com)
Upset Boy & the Queens reportedly started as a joke, when, at Nashville’s independent music venue Exit/In’s last show, singer/guitarist Chris Watts and bassist Lulu Jones stumbled into each other and fell to the ground. Rather than get angry, the pair decided to form a rock band because, why not? Now, with last year’s double A-side release, the band is no joke. They’re back with a new single and plans to go into the studio later this year to record a full-length LP. This latest single, “Amphetamine Queen” is indie rock mixed with classic rock. Where the earlier singles leaned more heavily into the indie-side of their sound, “Amphetamine Queen” leans more into the blues infused classic rock sound, with hints of The Rolling Stones mixed with grunge. I think I liked last year’s songs better, but I will be looking forward to giving the new LP a listen when it comes out.
PISS MIST / WRINKLED RAT – Split EP (pissmist.bandcamp.com; wrinkledrat.bandcamp.com)
Two bands from Oakland, CA. Two sides to this 7” EP. Two songs per band. Piss Mist Are a pretty new four-piece, having just played their first show less than two years ago. They skew a little more into the metallic hardcore end of the spectrum, with their song “Salute Deez Nuts” being speedy and crunchy, with metallic guitar licks and political lyrics sung with very expressive vocals. Their other contribution, “Dialectical Imaterialism,” is less metallic, more 90s hardcore, with a dark sound. I really enjoy Tommy Dean’s over the top vocals, which inject a sense of sarcasm and punk attitude to both songs. The band is tight as hell and execute these songs well. Flip the record over and you get two songs from Wrinkled Rat, who are unsurprisingly also from Oakland. “Tradition of Submission” makes abundant use of guitar harmonics, reminding me of some songs from The Proletariat, the 80s post-hardcore band from the greater Boston area. The band is more hardcore than Piss Mist, and less metallic, and parts of this song remind me of Black Flag, with crunchy guitars and bass chugging along. “Sabbath Muddy Sabbath,” their other offering, is more like 90s hardcore mixed with Black Flag, with a slower tempo, deep growl in some of the vocals, and there’s some cool angularity in the chord changes. Wrinkled Rat, like Piss Mist, are a tight and effective unit. Solid split.
THE DUSTAPHONICS – Gasolina (KingALing Records, thedustaphonics.bandcamp.com)
The Dustaphonics are a London band that blends roots rock and roll, surf, garage, soul, and punk, along the lines of The Bellrays from California. And their latest LP even features collaborations with Lisa Keaula and Bob Vennum of the Bellrays, as well as psychobilly legend Mark Robertson. As you might guess from this description, there’s quite a variety of music on this LP, from straight-up surf (“Pastilla”) to Latin-inspired pop rock (“La Fille de Piccadilly Street”), from raw garage punk (the title track) to French pop mixed with surf (“Come Dans Les Films de Fellini”), and even Ramones inspired punky pop (“R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”). Of special note are the deeply soulful and rockin’ “Hey Sister Hey,” featuring Robinson’s explosive drumming, and the acoustic soul of “Voodoo Love Jinx,” featuring Keuala’s dynamic singing. If you ever wondered what a dusty western tune would sound like with surf guitar, look no further than “Ten Gallon Mile.” And “La Chica Rockarolla” reminds me of a roots rock B-52s. The island life is brought to us through the bright and sunny “Shingaling Calypso,” while the album closes with a 50s sound in “Sally Lou,” with Lise de Luck’s smooth vocals. If you’re a fan of rock’n’soul and surf, check this out.
ERRTH (Uncle Style Records, errthisaband.bandcamp.com)
ERRTH released their first couple of songs way back in early 2023 and promised an LP the following year. Well, they’re a bit late, but it’s finally here, the band’s debut full-length. And it was worth the wait. ERRTH, a newish band from Philadelphia, features punk scene vets Kevin Day (Aspiga/Graduation Speech), Eric Saylor (Reunions), Tim DeMarco (ex-Public Serpents), and Brian McClure (Seeing Snakes). They play big, grand punk with a melodic west coast style, injected with pop but dripping with emotional intensity. They use dual lead vocals to mix things up, and three of the band members write the songs, so there’s plenty of variety to the textures in the songs, but they are all big and over the top. This is the kind of music I love hearing in crowded dive bars, with all the friends crowding to the front to sing along. The energy is infectious and the passion is palpable. I love the way many of the songs feel like their gliding on top of a gravelly crunchy road, the melodies soaring smoothly while the instrumentals and vocals spew the grit. I really like the lead single, “New Orleans,” with guitars that sound like their ringing out almost like bells, double time speed in the drums and bass, and lead vocals pleading. And “Halloween Eternal” is a favorite too, with a somewhat melancholy melodic line contrasting with a real head bobbing rhythm. The ten songs, sadly, are over in the blink of an eye, just 24 minutes. But it’s a hell of a ride. This makes me feel good.
JIM KNABLE AND THE RANDY BANDITS – Pale Fire (jimknableandtherandybandits.bandcamp.com)
Jim Knable and his longtime backing band, The Randy Bandits, are a New York institution, having been knocking around the vicinity for over twenty years. “Pale Fire” is the band’s fifth LP together, and finds their brand of light and easy Americana in fine form. In some ways the music reminds of the sort of timeless and placeless music that was frequently featured on NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” with elements of country, folk, blues, soul, and pop. Acoustic and electric instruments cavort together, including guitars, fiddle, bass, drums, and piano. I enjoy the mix of indie pop melodies and down home twang, exemplified by the opening track, “American Antihero,” a song about not fitting in, something many of us are proud of. “Between” has a lovely jazz vibe, with pretty electric keyboards, plucked acoustic guitar, and brushed drums. The 6/8 meter gives the song a kind of swirling sound which is quite nice. “Burned” proves you can play power pop songs with a countrified arrangement, while “California” has a nice light touch, mixing doo-wop, folk, and a hint of island calypso. The title track leans the heaviest into rock, leaving behind country twang for a growling guitar, power organ, and heavenly backing vocals. But, “heaviest” is relative to the rest of the album. The song isn’t heavy rock itself. It’s more like introspective pop rock, with a bit of a pensive sound. The soulful “Sun Rises and Falls” closes the album with a song that mixes light jazz and country, and is the closest thing you’ll get to “A Prairie Home Companion” without a time machine set to land in St. Paul, Minnesota. Simply charming.
LAKE – Bucolic Gone (Don Giovanni Records, laketheband.bandcamp.com)
This Lake is the American band from Olympia, Washington, who have been around since about 2005. Bucolic Gone is their tenth LP, and their first for Don Giovanni. This album is somewhat of a departure for Don Giovanni, because it’s a lot softer and more relaxed than most of the label’s output. Lake plays a blend of indie pop and soft rock, easy and relaxed, sometimes with a bit of light jazz, sometimes with a bit of Americana twang. Acoustic and electric guitars intertwine, while mellow keyboards provide a gossamer backdrop for pretty vocals. Songs topics are equally light, such as likening riding in a fancy sports car to relationships that sometimes go too fast, in “Ferrari,” or taking to the air as a metaphor for new adventures in “Airplane.” Not everything is so light and airy. “My Dear Brother” was written by vocalist Ashley Eriksson after the passing of her brother from COVID-19. Her angelic voice is accompanied by acoustic guitar, piano, glockenspiel, and what sounds like autoharp. It’s lithe, delicate, and very touching. Another track that stands out as different from the rest is “The Way Old Friends Do,” which has the sound of an Irish folk song mixed with an Appalachian spiritual. After a couple of verses and choruses, there’s a twang-filled guitar solo that’ll put the holy spirit in you. The whole track feels just so majestic, like a river meandering through a bucolic landscape. The album ends with a new rendition of the band’s “No Wonder I,” a song of theirs that appears in the cartoon series “Adventure Time” as BMO’s favorite song (BMO is a living video game console). The whole album is wonderfully understated.
MANTAROCHEN – Cut My Brainhair (It’s Eleven Records, itselevenrecords.bandcamp.com)
After releasing a handful of singles and an EP, Leipzig, Germany’s Mantarochen returns with an eight-song mini-LP. At nearly 20 minutes long, it’s longer than an EP, but not quite a full-length LP yet. The band plays the sort of dark post-punk Goth sounds that were pretty popular in the 1980s, with plenty of reverb, jangling treble-filled guitars, eerie synths, deep understated bass, rock-steady drum machine, and mysterious vocals. If you ever went to a club in the 80s that featured punk and post-punk, rather than hardcore, you’re very familiar with the sound. It’s dance music, but with a dark pall covering it. Some tracks are a little more urgent sounding than others, like “Shadow,” with a quicker beat, louder guitars, and vocals that are downright ghostly. Or “Count the Dust,” with its minimalist riffs and vocals that are more spoken than sung. Fans of darkwave post-punk will eat this up, because it’s pretty well done and true to the genre. My one complaint is not with the band so much as it is with the genre, and that’s that the sound has too little variation.
MILLER LOWLIFES – Pinch Hitters (A.D.D. Records, addrecords.limitedrun.com)
Beer-soaked pop punk has a long history, especially around places like Florida, Baltimore, and San Diego, homes of The Fest, Insub Fest (RIP), and Awesome Fest (RIP), respectively. A.D.D. Records have been at the forefront of introducing bands playing this style of music to the masses of drunk punks, and their latest is Miller Lowlifes, a Tampa band well-versed in the ways of cheap American lager. Raspy vocals, poppy melodies, and raucous guitars, bass, and drums blend together into a hell of a good time. This is the music of whoa-ohs, simple bright melodies, and self-deprecating humor. These lowlifes also include vintage audio clips from movies and educational reels, with kids plotting to sneak out of the house to go to parties (before the first track, “Today,” and after the last track, “I’m a Lowlife, Baby.”), and about the wonders of modern air travel (“Airport Beers”). The arrangements are thick and noisy, with medium tempos that you can bob your head to, and melodies you can sing along to and drink along to. Sometimes (rarely) the music and singing gets a little wistful, like on “Learn My Worth.” It’s still good-time pop punk, but you can hear the introspection in it. The sound is pretty consistent, and solidly good stuff. One track that’s just a little different is “Gentrified Diners,” which uses piano to emphasize some of the beats toward the end of the song, low notes ringing out ominously. If you’re a fan of festival pop punk (which you must be if you’re reading Jersey Beat), this record is for you. Recommended.
MSSV – On and On (BIG EGO Records, mssv.bandcamp.com)
MSSV is Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges, and Mike Watt, and “On and On” is the trio’s third LP. For me, it was a highly anticipated release, because 2023’s “Human Reaction” was one of my favorites of the year. MSSV specializes in music that’s adventurous, eschewing standard song structures for music that’s bolder and out of the ordinary. It’s what made me fall in love with “Human Reaction.” With some of the songs on “On and On,” though, the trio sticks a little closer to more recognizable indie rock sounds and structures, though there’s still room left for sonic explorations. The title track opens the album with a breezy indie rock tune, something that could have been written and recorded by any number of bands. It’s a fine song, and the musicianship is top notch, especially Baggetta’s creative guitar work. But it lacks the outré explorations I expect from MSSV. “Careful What You Wish For,” too, has a more familiar structure, though the lyrics are spoken poetically rather than sung. And the closing track, “OK To Change,” is another nice indie rock song, with lyrics sung, though the creativity in the arrangement helps keep it somewhat unique. Some of the tracks are exactly the sort of thing I was expecting and hoping for. “Super Dumb” features free-jazz-like noise interspersed with free verse lyrics, like something out of a poetry slam. “On Its Face” is some cool jazz with vocals reminding me of Ken Nordine’s “Word Jazz.” “Boat Song,” too, is very subdued and jazzy with poetic lyrics. It uses some field recordings, too, opening with the sounds of a police siren and traffic and ending with the backup beeping of a large truck. In between is music that’s quiet and mysterious and lyrics that explore what makes someone turn to theft to make a living. Some tracks feature a Slint-like quality, with subdued spare instrumentals and spoken poetic lyrics. “Despair and Hilarity” falls into this category. And “Tiny Pipes” is a great jazzy instrumental. It’s another great LP from MSSV, though it’s not quite as audacious as “Human Reaction.”
THE RIPTIDES – Burn After Listening (Pirates Press Records, theriptides.bandcamp.com)
The Riptides are a long-running Canadian pop punk band. Formed in 1998 they neatly fall into the same sort of category as The Queers, Teenage Bottlerocket, and similar 1990s pop punk bands. They’ve even done splits with The Queers and The Dwarves. The songs on this, their tenth full-length LP, are poppy and melodic, with speedy tempos and loads of woah-oh backing vocals. There are fifteen tracks in just over 30 minutes, and sadly, every song sounds very much the same. Don’t get me wrong, I love pop punk. But with little variation in sonic textures or dynamics, there’s little to hold my interest here. The music is pretty derivative and there are a thousand bands playing songs just like this.
SEANCES – Power is a Phantom (Triple Eye Industries, seances.bandcamp.com)
Debut LPs from new bands can be hit or miss because you never know what to expect. Seances is a Milwaukee band that features members of crunch-heavy band Fight Dice, swaggering rock lounge freaks Tigernite, garage rockers Devils Teeth, and buzzy indie pop-rockers Faux Fiction. But Seances sound nothing like any of those other bands. No, singer and bassist Eric Arsnow wanted to make a new wave album. He was inspired by listening to bands like The Cure and Joy Division and wanted to make an album that sounded like them. The resulting nine songs show he succeeded, with synth-heavy 80s new wave and post punk sounds that evoke the era of MTV music videos, big hair, and all black clothing. Though there’s a distinct Goth new wave streak running through the album, there’s also a hopeful brightness and less gloom than the aforementioned inspirations. The synths sometimes get downright bright, though the lead vocals are deep and solemn, like Ian Curtis. And apparently Modern English was an influence, too, because the opening track, “Crimes,” has a distinct similarity to that band and even steals some licks and lyrics from their hit, “I Melt With You.” And immediately after is “Forgiveness,” which has a cool melancholy tone, but with a fun bright dance beat. Later on, is “Hours,” which leans more heavily to indie rock and has the most modern sound of the LP, with synths relegated to the background and the guitar, bass, and drums taking center stage. The lead vocals, too, are less morose and higher pitched than many other songs. And the grand intro to “Weighted” is incredible, reminding me of the sweeping soundtrack from the movie “Mosquito Coast.” But it’s “Hours” that has the most hopeful sound of the album, remind me of something from a movie soundtrack, maybe an 80s John Hughes film. The only really dark tune is “Fathom,” which reminds me a lot of Stiff Records artists Department S, and their hit “Is Vic There?” It’s got the same sort of dark chord progressions and deep vocals. Overall, the things I like about this debut from Seances are the variety in the songs and their fresh take on an old genre. They evoke memories of the past while still moving forward toward the future.
ALL HALLOWED – "EP III" (allhallowedmusic.bandcamp.com)
All Hallowed isn’t very creative when it comes to naming their EPs. Their previous EP was titled "II,"" and that one came out in late 2021. In between EPs they released a full-length LP, but this is their first new stuff in over two years. Since those previous records, they’ve grown from a trio to a quartet, but Lacey and Ricky Terrell are still at the core of the band. Chris Cox has been replaced on drums by Nick Schaeff. Lacey has moved from lead vocals to backing vocals, and Jenna Valyn has taken over fronting the band. What hasn’t changed is that the band’s instrumental makeup consists of bass and drums, without guitar. So the five songs still have that cool sparse feeling, deep and gritty, while the lead vocals are smooth and sensuous. There’s a cool mix of garage and goth to the sounds, with a tough punk rumble and somewhat melancholy melodies. While “Unknown” has some speed to the tune, giving it a hardcore edge, “Oppressor” is slower, grungier, and more emphatic, with a blues-like feel. “Ravaged” reminds me of the sort of heavy industrial sound of the 90s, with a big driving beat and strong low end, while “Ghost” has a rocking and soulful vibe. “Deadly Mission” closes the EP with the most voluptuous track of the EP; you can hear the hedonism. Good stuff.
AMUSEMENT – Holding On (Dirt Cult Records, dirtcultrecords.com)
This is the third release from the band that features members of From Ashes Rise, Deathtreat, Signal Lost, Brothers, and Young Livers (the previous releases were singles, where this is an EP). The three songs have the perfect balance between melody and aggression, with the title track being a solid favorite. It’s got massive pop punk bounce, gang vocal interjections, and big crunchy guitars. “Standing on Top of the A Bomb” leans heavier to the aggressive side, with darker modal tone and high-strung tension in the guitar sound. Call and response lead vocals add to the feeling of intense anxiety. “Amusement” finishes the EP with a big pop punk sound that’s a little looser and reminds me of Jawbreaker. Excellent stuff, recommended.
BUR – Snowy Chloe (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Chicago’s Bur has come a long way since releasing “We Are Bur” three years ago, the first music of theirs I heard. They still play a blend of power pop and British invasion, but there’s more now, including bright sparkling synths, bluesy R&B influence, and even 90s indie. There are plenty of catchy bubblegum melodies, like on the opening track, “From the Top,” a song that’ll be sure to get people up and dancing. A couple of songs with some 90s indie vibes include “Pretzel Style” and the title track. The former leans heavily into some Beatles-style pop in the mix, while the latter is pretty straight-up 90s indie. These are a couple of my favorites of the album. Another favorite is “Good at Goodbyes,” which has a nice easy lope with piano and acoustic guitar, and those cool harmonized lead vocals. I also like how the band blends Beatles-like pop with an old-timey melody on “Do You Think.” Bur has a great blend of old and new guitar pop and rock sounds.
CIGARETTES FOR BREAKFAST – Slow Motion (Abandon Everything Records, abandoneverythingrecords.bandcamp.com / Candlepin Records, candlepinrecords.bandcamp.com / The Upstate Sound, http://theupstatesound.com/)
With a name like “Cigarettes for Breakfast,” I expected the Philadelphia band to be crust punk or grunge metal, but they’re a band that plays lush, dreamy shoe-gaze songs. The eleven songs on “Slow Motion,” the band’s second full-length LP, are thick and rich, full of noisy distortion and feedback, but also full of hazy melodies and vocals. Notes bend and warble, guitars squeal and scream, and drums pound, while vocals glide smoothly and lazily. Comparisons that have been made to The Jesus and Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine are apt, because Cigarettes for Breakfast have that same mix of noise and pop melody. This is evident from the first track, “Glue,” arguably the best song of the album. It’s got a big emphatic sound, almost raucous, with a powerful rhythm. Two of the more interesting tracks are the short instrumental interludes, “Time Creeps By” and “Looking Off into the Distance,” which feature free-form noise and fluttering flutes. Speaking of noise, “Goodbye” sometimes is so noisy that it gets chaotic. And “Mesmerized” is different than all of these, with a big 80s sound that reminds me of OMD. Taken individually, each song is a wonder. But in a full LP, the singular textures are a bit overwhelming to the senses. A bit more variety here and there would be welcome.
KILLING DAISIES – Echoes of Tomorrow (Thousand Islands Records, thousandislandsrecords.com)
Killing Daisies love 90s punk. That much is very clear from listening to the band’s sophomore full-length LP. They hail from Sept-Iles, a smallish town in Quebec, Canada, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. The ten tracks here are crunchy 90s punk with metallic flourishes and a skate punk vibe. Lead vocalist Nadia Guillemette sings with a powerful snotty punk attitude, reminding me at times of Bad Cop/Bad Cop’s Stacy Dee. The musicianship of the rest of the band (Yves Landry and Mathieu Anzueto on guitars, Dave Bourgeois on bass, and Denis Dumais on drums), too, is top notch, playing the speedy songs seemingly effortlessly. Most of the songs’ have dark melodic lines, as is typical of the genre, and Guillamette’s singing strikes a chord of desperation, yet also confidence and conviction. “Downfall” is a stand-out track for its solid melodic lines, the lightspeed drumming, and the magnificent bass runs. I like, too, the outstanding use of harmonized lead vocals on “One for All,” the sharing of the leads and tight harmonies reinforcing the theme of the song, that we’re stronger together, when we have each other’s backs. “Crossfire” is another good one, still with the expected dark sound, but there are rays of hope shining through in the melody that make it compelling. The closing track, “Resilience,” may be my favorite of the album. It starts with a more relaxed pace than the rest, and has a more casual feel, poppier melody, with lovely tinges of melancholy. 90s melodic punk and skate punk can be pretty generic stuff in the wrong hands, but Killing Daisies do a good job here.
PUNCHCARD – Soap Box Hero (Felony Records, felonyrecords.bandcamp.com)
San Diego’s Punchcard love 90s punk rock, and that love is on full display on their latest release, their sophomore full-length LP. It’s a dozen songs of energetic punk rock that channels the best-known bands of the 90s punk scene, particularly NOFX. And though this isn’t pop punk, there’s a strong sense of melody in the songs, especially in “PBR,” the poppiest song of the album, and probably my favorite. Some of the songs have that dark edge of a lot of 90s punk, like the opener, “Die.” And though NOFX seems to be the biggest influence in play, I hear a bit of Green Day mixed with Bad Religion in the song, “Stealing My Identity.” There are serious songs, and there’s lighter fare, too, like “Mucho Dinero,” or “I’m on Drugs,” with a humorous edge. “Common Censorship” goes a different route than most of the tracks, with a reggae-rock feel. And there’s even an excellent punk rock cover of 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up.” The band also includes some speedy skate punk like songs to complete the tour of 90s punk. Solid stuff.
PUNTER – Australienation (Drunken Sailor Records, www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk)
Aussie band, Punter, have a demo cassette and a self-titled 12” EP to their name, and they’re now back with their debut full-length LP. It’s thirteen songs of loud, raucous, and raw punk rock. It’s a mix of early punk and hardcore, with bits of melody and lots of anger, spit, and spite. It’s a solid LP without any bad tracks, but there are few stand-outs to mention. I love the opening track, “Safe in the Bubble,” a song with a loping pace, anxious vocals, angular chord changes, and cool use of bagpipes in the arrangement. “Turf Layer” may be the most aggressive track of the album, with a strong old school hardcore vibe, fast’n’loud, lyrics shouted mightily over raging guitars, bass and drums, playing just a couple of simple chords. And I like the injection of pop punk in “Purgatory is a Pub.” A few tracks bring the spirit of metal into play, and one such song is “Chin Stroker,” which reminds me of the hardcore/metal/thrash music that was happening in the mid-80s, plus it’s got a cool post-punk thing going on from the halfway mark of the track. Punter brings a vital voice to the punk scene. Recommended.
SORROWS – Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow (Big Stir Records, www.bigstirrecords.com)
It’s always fun when a lost album is found, and such is the case with Sorrows’ “Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow.” The album was recorded way back in 1981, when the band was at its peak, but it was never released, as the band’s label tried to overproduce their music and turn them into a top 40 hit machine. The band broke up the band’s final recordings never released. The lost tapes were remixed by founding member Arthur Alexander and are finally seeing the light of day. And it’s about time, because this is a great record, especially for fans of power pop and British Invasion pop music. Sorrows were active around the same time as bands like The Cars, The Knack, The Beat, and The Plimsouls, and they played shows at venues like CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City, injecting punk power into some of their songs. One such song is the opening track, “Never Mind,” which is a scathing rebuke to their label’s attempts to water down their music. “Never Mind, never mind, never mind / Just leave me alone!” the song shouts. The music is dark and angry, the melody reminiscent of 60s pop mixed with punk rage. I love the Who-inspired “What a Good Boy!” with its hints of mod rock and roll, and “Let Me Know” is a rockabilly meets power pop scorcher, sounding like the 50s crashed into 1980. “That’s Your Problem” is another in this vein, though its lyrics are somewhat problematic in this modern era (they complain about a woman being too much of a “nice girl” to “waste time” on) I enjoy the John Lennon inspired “Cricket Man,” and “Love Ain’t Nothin’ (Without You)” has hints of the soulful Motown sound in its arrangement. Besides these outstanding originals, there are some covers on this album, too. They do a version of The Rolling Stones’ “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?” But in place of the noisy honky-tonk sound the Stones made famous, they smooth it out and speed it up so it sounds more like a lilting power pop tune. “Somethin’ Else” is a cover of the Eddie Cochran song, a little bit sped up from the original, but with the same roots rock and roll sound. And “You Don’t Own Me” is a cover, but not the Lesley Gore song; it’s a lesser-known song by The Pirates and later covered by Status Quo. It’s pure 70s rock and roll, of the arena variety, so it’s my least favorite track of an otherwise excellent LP.
KESTRELS – Better Wonder (Darla Records; kestrels.bandcamp.com)
Canadian band Kestrels has been around since 2008, and the constant figure of the band has been English teacher Chad Peck, even as other members have come and gone. 2025 sees Kestrels releasing their fifth full-length LP, filled with a dozen tracks (well, ten, because two of them a short 30 second interludes) of shoe-gaze. Noisy fuzzed out guitars fill wide open spaces, while Peck’s clear vocals sing hazy, dreamy melodies. This latest LP is a mixture of songs that were scrapped a decade ago and songs written during COVID isolation a few years back. Joining Peck on this LP are Jim MacAlpine on bass and drummer Michael Catano, both from the band Weird Nightmare. The first part of the album is the noisier, with a big wall of guitar fuzz contrasting with diaphanous vocals. “Float Alone is a bit of an outlier in this part of the record, though, with sections with a cleaner guitar sound that almost jangles, and an almost power pop sensibility. And as much as I enjoy some noisy shoe-gaze, the serene interlude, “A Thousand Bare Diamonds” is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and the song, “Sleepless,” which follows, is much more subdued than the rest of the LP; even when the guitars come in, they’re not as chaotic and noisy as they are on other songs, and the gorgeous synths are ethereal, giving the song a shimmery floating feel. The other interlude, “Sunflower,” is gorgeous acapella vocals intoning a lovely melody. It leads into the pop-oriented “Free Forever,” with a smooth flowing sound. “Nightlife” has a tough noisy intro followed by alternating Krautrock and shoe-gaze, with a steady beat and minimalism in the verses, while the chorus goes “full send” in the instrumentals and the vocals are a chorus of angels. I love the contrasts on this record.
MINORCAN – Rock Alone (minorcan.bandcamp.com)
Initially a full band, which released multiple LPs, the album’s title references the fact that Minorcan is now a one-man band. Minorcan founder Ryan Anderson performed, produced, and recorded all eight of the album’s songs in his basement in North Carolina. He calls his music “basement arena rock,” and I can see that. The songs have the vibe of big rock songs, but are dialed back significantly into more intimate performances. I hear shades of Bob Dylan in these songs, and even Chicago’s dear departed singer-songwriter Steve Goodman (who wrote John Prine’s hit, “City of New Orleans”). So, there’s kind of a folk-rock thing going on here. Anderson makes judicious use of keyboards on the album to supplement his guitar, giving the songs a warm rich sound. The title track, besides speaking to Minorcan’s new status as a solo project, speaks to our attempts to find a place where we belong, where we don’t feel so alone. “You are not alone,” Anderson sings. “Pick up any rock and call it home.” The song has a bouncy feel with somewhat melancholy instrumentals, Anderson’s vocals both singing and reciting the lyrics (like Dylan famously did in his heyday). Another great example of the Dylan-esque folk-rock sound is the down home bluesy “Burial Insurance.” It starts out with a synth tuned to sound like a violin, but pretty quickly the twangy blues starts up. “All I want is to be buried under a large oak tree,” Anderson sings, “next to my bride, but they tell me that’s going to cost a lot of money.” He then explains that he wrote this song to make money to pay for his funeral, how he fell for dreams of stardom but failed to achieve them, and how, like many of us, he’s worked all his life but he can’t afford to die. And I really like “Here On Out,” a song with a distinctly retro 80s power pop meets Joy Division meets glam vibe. Besides enjoying the sound of the song I like the sentiment, about not being the “sad one at the bar, listening to heartbreak songs in the car” because he’s found love. And it goes further to decry those “telling us to be ashamed” and that “we can’t make art unless we’re suffering.” The song is about being true to yourself and taking joy in love found where you can. “Let’s change the culture and abolish gender / People gonna love just who we wanna love.” Music for both the head and the heart.
SPLIT SYSTEM – On the Edge/On the Loose (Drunken Sailor Records, www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk)
Australia’s Split System had a big 2024, with the release of their “Vol. 2” LP and a US tour, and they’re jumping into 2025 right away with a new 2-song single. “On the Edge” is a sludgy metallic track with dark lyrics about how you can’t live “on the edge,” either too confident that you can take on the world or too depressed that “the world is fucked and there’s nothing you can do about it.” The flip-side, “On the Loose,” is quicker-paced, with a cool garage punk meets early hardcore sound, full of manic energy and lyrics about always being on the loose, with “nowhere to run” and acting like there’s “a gun to the back of your head.” Split System will continue to make 2025 another big year, with a European tour and another release forthcoming.
SARA JEAN STEVENS – Lovesick (www.sarajeanstevens.com)
Sara Jean Stevens is an Americana artist, born in rural Illinois and now based in Chicago. Lovesick is her latest EP, four songs of twangy country-pop rock that cover a range of emotions. The opening song, “Swamp Angel Road,” is a foot stomper, with Stevens singing about growing up somewhere you can’t wait to get away from, but ending right back there later in life. About the song, Stevens says that Swamp Angel Road is “an actual road up by the border of Illinois and Wisconsin. We used to drive it when I was a kid. I wrote this song a few months ago, after I took my kids swimming in Lake Geneva like my mom used to take me.” Besides he down home vibe, the guitar takes some cues from surf music, making for an interesting texture to the song. “Thaw” is next and has a dark country sound, singing the praises of the Black Hills of South Dakota. “14 Carat Mind” is a Gene Watson cover, and is the most straightforward country song of the EP, while the title track closes things with a gorgeous ballad that showcases Stevens’ lush vocals. There are hints of soulful jazz and blues mixed in with the Americana, making it the stand-out of the EP. If you’re into Americana, check this out.
BRIAN STRAW – The Hidden Years (2000-2007) (Wax Mage Records, waxmage.com, brianstraw.bandcamp.com)
Brian Straw is a Midwesterner, born in Indiana. He got the itch to play music as a teenager, and after a false start with a band with which he moved to New York City, he returned to his Midwestern roots, landing in Cleveland. He began to make a name for himself, both as a solo performer and with the band The Six Parts Seven. After a few years of touring, both domestically and internationally, though, Straw succumbed to addiction, and dropped out of music for some fifteen years. It wasn’t until 2022 that he emerged, sober and stronger, and released his first new music since those early years. And it wasn’t until more recently that he regained access to his early recordings of solo albums released in that critical growth period of his musical career. Wax Mage has compiled selections from these recordings into a new double LP. And what I hear is the same sort of quiet desperation that made Nick Drake such a compelling and timeless artist back in the 1970s. There’s the same sort of mix of folk and rock, with a blend of acoustic and electric, understated vocals, and a distinct sense of melancholy. “Veins” opens the album in an unconventional way, with a slower song that has deliberate downbeats, vibraphone providing a soft texture, and a palpable sadness. The song flows smoothly into “Cuyahoga,” a short instrumental with an Asian sensibility, played on a homemade acoustic instrument made from a washtub. It’s simply haunting. This, too, flows into “Wreck of Dreams,” with background noise from the previous track remaining present as Straw’s acoustic guitar and breathy vocals begin. As the noise fades, gentle piano lines emerge. This is the first of many tracks on this album that made me think of Nick Drake. “Don’t Know Why” is another, a live recording of just Straw and his acoustic guitar, muted song, unadorned, emotions laid bare. And “Bleeding Sun” is pure beauty. Sonic experimentalism is something Straw embraced, too, and there’s evidence of that on the album. “Black Noise” is one such track, a short blast of noise, recorded live. The closing track, “Backfeed Pools,” is a fascinating extended length sonic experiment. Straw reportedly was reluctant to delve into these songs, saying, “I tried to move on from these early works, feeling that nothing met my expectations. I was still learning how to write songs, record music, and navigate my artistic path.” My response is that Straw’s expectations must be unusually high, because these songs are amazing.
JOE GIDDINGS – Stories with Guitars (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
Stories with Guitars is Joe Giddings’ first new LP since “Better from Here,” which was initially released as digital only in 2016 and later reissued as a physical release by Kool Kat. Nine years is a long time between releases. Giddings specializes in a mix of power pop and AM bubblegum pop, with occasional bursts of Beatles-esque touches, and this new LP is no different. Big AM pop vocal harmonies abound. This all makes sense when you realize that Giddings writes a lot of jingles and film scores. The songs aren’t about politics or deep emotions; rather they’re the stuff of pop music, love and life’s trivial adventures. My Riviera is literally a song about guitars, starting out declaring, “Not Gibson, not Fender, Epiphone!” The song has Queen-like ornamentation, with high-pitch complex guitar riffs and is punctuated with vocal harmonies, bending notes just like Queen did. The song details Giddings’ history with various guitars, particularly his beloved Epiphone Riviera. “A.I. Lover” is very much an old school 70s AM radio pop rock tune about falling in love with an artificial intelligence/robot. It’s got sparking synths competing for attention with crunchy guitars and vocal harmonies. Many younger listeners will miss the significance of a particular sound in a break near the end of the song: a modem. There’s the bluesy pop tune, “Pandora’s Brand New Box,” and the lovely jangle of “David Stepanski,” an apology to a childhood friend who loved rock and roll music just as much as Giddings does with whom he had a falling out. Though there’s some variety here, it’s all around the AM pop vibe, light entertainment sort of stuff.
THE JELLYBRICKS – Dreaming in Stereo (Wicked Cool Records, www.wickedcoolrecords.com)
The Jellybricks are close to wrapping up their second decade as a band, yet this is my first exposure to them. And I find I’ve got some catching up to do. They play power pop, but with a twist. Some songs are edgier than many power pop bands, almost pop punk. Other songs have a 90s college rock vibe (what we called “indie rock” back in the 90s). Then there are some songs that are harder to classify, which is always a plus. The album explodes with “The Age of Stupid,” the opening track, which exemplifies the power pop with a punk edge thing, and it immediately grabbed my attention. A driving rhythm, rapid-fire vocal delivery, and great close harmonies make the song a winner. The college rock thing is encapsulated in the very next song, the title track. It’s got jangly guitars and a smoother, more introspective feel. The harmonized backing vocals are still there, now with hints of 70s AM pop. I like the hints of 60s mod in “All About You,” and “Enchanted I Am” also has a retro 60s pop sound that’s appealing. “Follow That Girl” has a jazzy vibe mixed in with the power pop, making it a cool standout. It’s a little quieter than the rest of the songs, sparser in arrangement, and has a mysterious quality. I think it’s one of my favorites of the LP. This is a solid record.
THE MOLES – Composition Book (Splendid Research, www.rockathonrecords.com/splendid-research)
Richard Davies may not be a household name, even in the music world. The Moles likely aren’t, either. But these are names you need to know. Davies hails from Australia and now lives on Cape Cod, where he recorded this latest LP, his tenth over the past four decades. And though he doesn’t have a large following of fandom, some of his biggest fans are people who do. He’s collaborated with members of bands such as Sugar, Sebadoh, Flaming Lips, The Clean, and more. And this latest LP is being released by none other than Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices) on his Splendid Research imprint. And though Davies is a lawyer in his day job, he’s also a remarkable songwriter, creating melodies that quickly worm their way into your brains and become soothing favorites. For “Composition Book” Davies recruited drummer Malcolm Travis, of Sugar and Human Sexual Response, Sue Metro on pedal steel guitar and vocals, David Gould from Inner Banks on bass, and Caroline Shutz and Katherine Poindexter on vocals, as well. The songs are relaxed and driven by acoustic and electric guitars, some with a bluesy feel, others with an Americana twang, all with great melodic lines and riffs. One favorite song is “Alvin Hollis,” a bright tune with a sunny 70s pop-funk vibe, thanks to the cheerful keyboards. I also like the moody, mysterious, and melancholy “Lost Generation,” which blends dissonant experimentalism with psychedelic folk. The lyrics seem to speak to how every new generation of young people are decried by older generations as being “lost” because they do things differently. And the ethereal backing vocals of the dirge-like “Since I Don’t Know When” make it a real stand-out. I also like the hoppin’ and fun-titled “Rattlesnakes, Vampires, Horse Tribes and Rocket Science,” one you can think about dancing to, if it weren’t for the fog horn like blasts and bleats that come through at times (are those guitars or trombones?). But I think it’s “Tragedy” that’s going to win here, an Americana song with plenty of twang in the acoustic guitar, and with incongruously heavenly vocals singing a chorus of “Tragedy begins at home, or so I’m told.” Hopefully, Richard Davies and The Moles won’t be so criminally under-appreciated anymore with the release of this LP.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE – Sick and Tired (Pirates Press Records, piratespressrecords.com)
Here comes a Los Angeles band that harkens back to the 1980s, melding west coast punk rock with goth-like post punk sounds. This five-song EP is the band’s first for Pirates Press, but I can predict it won’t be their last, because this is strong stuff. “DNA” opens the EP with an aggressive hardcore sound, vocals shrieking with anger on the verses, but singing with new wave pop qualities on the chorus. The title track that follows continues in the 80s west coast hardcore sound, with domineering guitars and powerful vocals singing with a solid sense of melody. Think mid-period TSOL, with their hardcore roots still showing, even as they experimented with more melody and hints of Goth. Third up is a solid cover of Black Flag’s “My War,” while after that, “Smiles” brings the Goth-inspired sound further to the forefront. “Whips and Chains” closes the EP with music that’s crunchy and bouncy – and fun! I’m looking forward to more from Slaughterhouse.
SQUID – Cowards (Warp Records, warp.net/)
What happens when you mix the avant-garde and musical experimentalism with indie pop music and jazz influences? Squid has been making adventurous music for the better part of a decade, though they didn’t release their debut LP until a few years ago. Their latest, “Cowards,” continues to slake the thirst of music lovers who aren’t content with standard fare. The band started out playing instrumental jazz, and their roots still come through in their present music, though they now have a more indie pop and rock sound. Some of their tracks are downright orchestral, too, with multifaceted textures. “Building 650” is a great example of this. The song starts out somewhat jazzy and dark, but eventually transforms into a big glorious stage show type number, complete with strings and horns. The subtlety of “Blood on the Boulders” reminds me of the quietly gorgeous music of Slint. This quality extends into the magnificent two parter, “Fieldworks I” and “Fieldworks II, particularly in the latter, which starts quietly, builds in intensity throughout the track, and at the climax it drops back to quiet, a guitar playing a repetitive three note line beneath subdued vocals. The title track starts out tentatively and mysteriously, with subdued vocals and instrumentals shimmering in the background, but just before we reach the halfway mark, some gorgeous smooth jazz-pop bursts out, with trumpet taking the lead. “Showtime!” is filled with bluster and swagger, with insistently angular guitars and vocals that sound like Lou Reed as a carnival barker. The instrumental break includes cartoon mechanical sound effects, and the tempo starts to pick up from a plod to a manic pace. As the song takes on a more traditional song feel, the rhythms are still quicker paced, but the vocals glide more slowly over the instrumentals. “Cowards” is quite an inventive album, and each listen opens up new sonic discoveries. Recommended.
AUD WHITSON – A House That Can’t Get Quieter (linktr.ee/Audwhitson)
Four tracks. That’s all it took. Well, it really only took one track for me to fall in love with Aud Whitson, the singer-songwriter from Lawrence, Kansas. “A House That Can’t Get Quieter” is her debut EP, and it’s absolutely stunning. Acoustic guitar, mellotron, and midi tools were used to record the four songs on this EP, which was recorded using iPhone voice memos. The stripped back arrangements and bedroom recording feel are perfect for these intimate songs, and the deeply personal lyrics are moving. The feeling is subdued, melancholy, and yes, quiet. Whiston’s vocals are beautiful, and the arrangements couldn’t be better for these songs. I think if she tried to rerecord them in a studio with a full band they wouldn’t be quite as moving. All four songs are stunners, but the closing track, “Nine Lives,” is mind alteringly good, from its feeling of quiet desperation to the way the instrumentals grow and swell as the song evolves, to the point where they start to distort and suddenly cut out, and we’re just left with the quiet again. That’s effective songwriting and arranging. This is a debut of only four songs, but it’s already earned a spot in my Best of 2025 candidate list.
ERIC VAN DIJSSELDONK – Half Time (Kool Kat Musik, koolkatmusik.com / Zip Records, www.ziprecords.nl)
Eric Van Dijsseldonk has had a long career in the Netherlands, both as frontman of Smalltown Romeos and as a solo performer. After several LPs sung in Dutch, he’s returned to writing songs with lyrics in English, and “Half Time” is a return to his roots, if you will. And roots is a good way to describe this LP, with plenty of classic album rock mixed with Americana. Many of the songs are just smooth classic sounds, focusing on power pop, blues, folk and pop. There’s a 70s pop rock feeling running through the album, with an easy vibe to it. Some songs have a deep soulfulness, such as “Keep Walking,” and others have a down-home country feel like “Charlie’s Coming Home.” It’s interesting to hear very American styles of music coming from the Netherlands. There’s lovely folk-rock in “Stronger Than It Was,” with acoustic guitar and a pretty lilting melody. I like “Everybody’s Busy” for its blue feel, and “So Many Songs” is a lovely acoustic singer-songwriter piece. My favorite song of the album, though, has to be “Blackberry,” with the most power pop feeling of all of the songs; I like that style better than 70s folk-rock. Overall, Van Dijsseldonk has a solid voice and can play well, but I’m not a big fan of the genre he favors.
GUS BALDWIN & THE SKETCH – Sketch (Permanent Teeth Records, permanentteethrecords.bandcamp.com)
Gus Baldwin is a well-known artist in the Austin, Texas music scene, performing both as a solo act and with various bands, but now he’s teamed up with The Sketch and they’re releasing their debut LP of exciting, powerful garage punk. The music is fast and loud, raucous and distorted, bringing together the best aspects of garage punk. The eleven tracks are mostly short blasts of a minute or two. Only a couple of tracks exceed that length. I hear echoes of early 80s hardcore punk in the opening tracks, a trio titled “Part I,” “Part II,” and “Part III.” There’s manic energy in them and lots of great angular chord changes, pummeling power, with the theme from “Part I” recapitulated at the end of “Part III.” I can hear the desperation in both the playing and the lyrics of “Steady On It,” a song with a sparer arrangement that allows the bass to take the forefront for a lot of it. I like the use of the pretty melody in combination with the distorted tough instrumentals in “Slacker’s Prom,” giving it more of a traditional garage vibe and less punk. But my favorite track of the album has to be the unbelievably bouncy “(She’s Gone) Arigato,” a song that sounds like a mix of indie pop and sunny surf, but layered with distortion and noise, a perfect combination. This is an outstanding debut and is highly recommended.
HE'S DEAD JIM – Head Like a Toyshop (Kool Kat Musik, koolkatmusik.com)
How many bands reunite after a four-decade hiatus? Not many, but Aberdeen, Scotland’s He’s Dead Jim is one such band. Active back in the early 1980s, the band drifted apart, as they do, when members left to pursue education, work, or family life. But a casual conversation about getting back together led not just to a reunion show one-off, playing old favorites, but to writing and recording a brand new album. While the band’s original influences were more punk-based, such as The Buzzcocks, The Clash, The Fall, and Gang of Four, time has mellowed the band, and the new LP focuses more on glam, psych, and classic rock sounds. Take the opening track, for example, “Paradise Fayre.” It’s got a whimsical feel to it, from the arrangements to the backing vocals and the lyrics. The keyboards and trumpets add to the “fayre” like feeling, the bicycle bell, the highland piper riff tossed in, all of it is just fun. “On the Beach” sounds just how you might imagine, with a beachy power-pop vibe, sunny and urgent. But a lot of the album is just light and fluffy. For example, “The Land Where Dolls Go” is white boy post punk funk-lite. There’s even a cover of “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” the Blue Öyster Cult hit from 1976. Most incongruously, there’s a “club remix” version of the song “Why I Gave Up,” with a strong dance beat, loads of electronics and bass, and breathy female vocals. The closest the band comes to their earlier roots is on the track, “Adam Eterno,” from which you can hear the band’s love of The Clash. One great thing about this new LP: it was recorded with modern technology, so it sounds vastly superior to the garage and live recordings that make up the band’s previous sole output.
JORDAN KRIMSTON – Count It All Joy (jordankrimston.bandcamp.com)
San Diego’s musical prodigy (he was writing and performing music in high school in the band, Big Bad Buffalo) is all grown up. He’s been a key member in a couple of other notable San Diego bands, including Band Argument and Miss New Buddha, and he’s become the drummer for national touring band Oso Oso. And a few years ago, he began working on some solo projects under his own name. And it’s been interesting watching his evolution, from early experimentations with genre on his first LP, “Bushwacking,” through his playful pop of “All Commodities,” and settling into a mature groove on the beautifully hazy and introspective indie rock and pop LP “Somewhere I Might Go.” “Count It All Joy” is Krimston’s third full-length, and it finds him pulling all of the threads from past releases together into a cohesive sonic quilt. The music on “Count It All Joy” is playful, complex, and technical, without being showy, and there’s a nice balance between indie and pop. A perfect example of this balance comes in the song “Mtn. Decoy,” with bright and burbling synths mixing with a pretty indie melody. There’s lovely indie-folk-pop in the opening track, “Good Time,” which features acoustic guitar, gliding synths, and smooth relaxed vocals, creating an almost ethereal song. Krimston goes full electronica meets pop in “Hands Off My Halo,” a song ready-made for club nights, while “Boulder” has a simple indie melody and feel, but with layers of complexity in the background that support the song without overwhelming it. The most unique track of the album is “Rainbows,” an instrumental that features meandering jazz-math experimentalism. Its uniqueness makes it one of my favorites of the LP. And another favorite is the closing track, “Line in the Middle.” It’s probably the most indie-rock sounding track of the album, somewhat more raucous than the others, but it’s the ending of the song that slays me, a ghostly lo-fi synth line that floats off into the clouds. Krimston seems more self-assured on this album, with a more definite control over the direction in which he’s taking his music.
LET ME DOWNS – North By Northwest (Felony Records, felonyrecords.bandcamp.com/)
This is not what I was expecting from Felony Records! The Southern California label puts out a lot of crunchy skate punk and 90s-influenced metallic punk, but this sophomore LP from Tacoma Washington’s Let Me Downs is neither. Instead, it’s some great pop punk meets street punk. I wasn’t familiar with the band, but just last night (as I wrote this) I went to a show at San Diego’s Tower Bar, because Urethane was playing, and it happened to be the record release show for this very LP. And I was impressed. Their songs have a great emotional pleading feel, plenty of heart-on-sleeve passion, bouncy melodies, and just the right amount of punk aggression. I hear a lot of mid-period Social D in “Home Sweet Home” even down to the nasally Mike Ness lead vocals. It’s one of the stronger tracks in a generally strong LP. Another favorite is “One More Round,” which closes the LP, and you’ll swear it’s a cover, because it sounds so familiar. It reminds me a lot of another Washington State band, Seattle’s Drowns. It’s solid street punk, with big gang shouts of “hey!” Two of the tracks are a more what I expected: I hear speedy skate punk mixed with some glam and power pop with a hard rock edge in “3am,” and “My One Regret” is harder edgier punk with a 90s influence and a metallic guitar solo. I like the other tracks much better. But, overall, this is a strong LP.
OH THE HUMANITY! – Ground to Dust (Thousand Islands Records, thousandislandsrecords.com / Sell the Heart Records, selltheheartrecords.com / Engineer Records, www.engineerrecords.com)
If you’re ready to shred, here’s a new record for you. Massachusetts band Oh the Humanity! have released an eleven-song screamer of a record, full of power and aggression, angst and emotion, yet still eminently melodic. There are metallic guitar licks mixed with big gang vocals, speedy tempos driven by thundering bass and drums, and soaring melodies. Listening to this record you can smell the sweat and beer of the crowded dive bar. In some ways they remind me of A Wilhem Scream, which makes sense when you note that that band’s Trevor Reilly produced the record. The opening track fools you with its gorgeous dreamy intro, making me think this was going to be some relaxing emo pop record, but after the short intro of swirling guitars, the band launches into a brutal song about feeling inadequate and unworthy, “Imposter Syndrome.” It sets the tone for the rest of the record, with technical licks, big flowing melodic lines, and those pounding drums. One favorite is “Love Irresolute,” a song influenced by power pop and emo, but played in a much crunchier arrangement. The melodic lines even have a hint of jazziness to them, and the huge glorious ending, with gigantic gang vocals, reminds me a little bit of the late lamented RVIVR. Another is “Never Do Another,” particularly for the contrast between the crunchy verses and the smooth melodic chorus. And “Last Gasp” is another favorite with a poppier melody than most of the other songs. If you’re looking for a record with a tough, yet melodic sound, look no further.
SLOKS – Viper (Goodbye Boozy Records, goodbyeboozydigital.bandcamp.com)
Sloks are an Italian garage band, hailing from the city of Turin. Their sound is raw, with minimal production. The music is gritty, but the songs all sound a lot alike, with thin arrangements, plodding tempos, and vocals that are shouted more than sung. There’s a “no-wave” atonality to the songs, with little to no real melody – just a couple of chords and plenty of dissonance. I love garage rock and punk, but I just can’t get into this record.
ZEPHR – Past Lives (Snappy Little Numbers Quality Audio Recordings, snappylittlenumbers.com / Dumb Ghost Records, dumbghost.bandcamp.com)
ZEPHR is a trio hailing from Denver, Colorado, a band with which I was unfamiliar. That needs to change, because this second LP of theirs really hits the sweet spot for me, in most aspects. I hear echoes of bands like Hüsker Dü and Jawbreaker, in the sweeping nature of the songs, the pop and emo-oriented melodies, the big vocals, and the enthusiasm the band brings to their songs. I particularly like the Hüsker Dü vibe in some of the songs, most notably on “Bitter.” The tone and shifting rhythms remind me of that storied band’s mid-period sound. The song sings of the bitterness and frustration at the growing wealth divide, as it references “the billionaire” who “rides a silver rocket to the moon” for no reason, while the rest of us have to “work three jobs / work your sullen fingers to the bone” just to survive. Though the situation evokes bitterness, the song also exhorts us to “keep on climbing, keep on searching, keep on hoping.” “Cannery Row” starts out with some cool Jawbox-like dark dissonance in its intro, but then brightens up and begins to sound like a Fest band, with big energy, a simple melody, gritty gravely lead vocals, and huge gang vocals singing “whoa-ohs.” We get a great mix of these sounds throughout the LP, with plenty of power, emotion, melody, and passion. The title track deserves special mention. It’s an ode to Johnny Wilson, aka Johnny Bender, for years a fixture of the Denver punk scene and founder of the website “For the Love of Punk.” He and members of ZEPHR were close friends, and they were shocked and saddened when Wilson took his own life in 2018. About the only low point for me is the primarily acoustic “My Memorial Day,” not because it’s acoustic or because the arrangement includes mandolin (if you’ve read my column, you’ll know I love acoustic). I like the melody and instrumental performances on the track. It’s also not because of the more relaxed vibe of the song, compared to the rest of the album. It’s the lead vocals that are a little off-putting on this one. They’re not gravelly or gruff, which would be fine. It sounds more like the vocalist is gargling while singing, and it gets very distracting. That track aside, this is an excellent LP, and I’m glad it came across my inbox. I hope ZEPHR do some touring along the west coast soon!
EX-VÖID – In Love Again (Tapete Records, www.tapeterecords.de)
With a name like Ex-Vöid, umlaut and all, I was expecting some sort of heavy metallic band from Sweden or something, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The band features Lan McArdle (Joanna Gruesome, Lanny) and Owen Williams (The Tubs). The pair have a chemistry that only comes from a longtime friendship and years of collaboration. And, in fact, they’ve known each other and played music together since they were teenagers. “In Love Again” is the band’s sophomore LP, and sees them evolving from power-punk to full-on indie pop with loads of jangle. And that chemistry shines through with gorgeous harmonized vocals. The music is, at times, a little chaotic and raucous, but the melodies are, in contrast, somewhat subdued and definitely pop-filled. The pair’s vocals are equally smooth and a little somber, but always gorgeous. One song highlight is “July,” a silky pop tune with an epic feel. Another is “Nightmare,” which has an almost folk-pop feel, probably from the use of acoustic guitars in the mix. In “Pinhead” you can hear their punk roots, with huge powerful block chords and deep bass thump, but the melody is pure sweetness, and if not for the upbeat tempo this song could go full-on shoegaze, but the incredibly bright feel and sun-filled melody are absolutely buoyant. The album closes with the exquisite “Outline,” a quiet, subtle song with those perfect vocal harmonies. It starts with just guitar and vocals, but the last minute of the song gets bigger, drums and bass coming in and giving the album a majestic send-off.
THE ON AND ONS – Come On In (JEM Records, jemrecordings.com)
Australian band The On and Ons have been around for about a decade or so, releasing records locally to an appreciative fanbase. For this latest LP, they hope to gain wider recognition with their signing to the storied JEM Records. Stylistically, the band focuses on the sounds of the 60s and 70s, with plenty of Beatles-esque pop, power pop, and garage pop. The baker’s dozen songs here have a lovely jangle and light, lithe vocals, as demonstrated right from the start on “Roller Coaster,” a song about the roller coaster of life, with its many ups and downs, and the determination to never give up. It’s got a bright sense of optimism throughout. Another favorite is “She’s Leaving,” both for its gorgeous jangle and for the perfect vocal harmonies, particularly on the song’s chorus. “The Games People Play” is classic jangle-pop, though the electric organ provides a soulful warmth. The electric organ appears frequently on the album, and on “(Scare Me) Outta My Mind” it gives the song more of a 70s psych-pop sound, along with the tougher sounding guitar solo. “Back for More,” though, may be my favorite for the way it glides and soars. If you’re a fan of jangly retro pop, check out The On and Ons, because they do it right.
TEETHOUT – Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (High End Denim Records, highenddenimrecords.com)
Hailing from Prince Edward Island in Canada, TeethOut present their debut EP, five energetic, poppy, yet aggressive punk tunes. They say they’re influenced by 90s skate punk, and if we’re talking about the energy level, sure, I can see that; they’re a powerful band that pours themselves into the songs, unrelentingly. But musically, they share more with modern emo-inspired punk with a pop edge. Gritty vocals plead through rowdy guitars, pounding drums, and thumping bass. My favorite track of this auspicious debut is the very first track, “Lifeline,” a much too short song with a great striding feel and epic vocals. But “Streetlights” cranks up the power pop influence, with a solid melody. The tempo is a bit more relaxed, but the energy level never rests. “Cancel Me” is the closest they get to skate punk, with a speedy pace and crunchy guitars, but they never get too metallic, remaining firmly in the punk camp and not falling into a trap too many skate punk bands do. This is a great debut, and I look forward to hearing more.
20/20 – Back To California (Spyderpop Records, bigstirrecords.com/spyderpop-records)
It’s been more than a quarter century since 20/20 last released music, 1998 to be exact. But when the music wants to come, there’s little to be done other than write and record it, so longtime friends, bandmates, and musical partners Steve Allen and Ron Flynt found themselves back in the studio, recording all new songs. The title’s genesis was an actual return to the Golden State, where 20/20 cut its teeth back in the 1970s, for a show at Hollywood’s The Roxy. Thus began the process of creating the eleven new songs that grace this LP. The band is best known for playing power pop, but their songs are lean a little more toward the classic rock sounds than bands like compatriots The Beat or The Plimsouls, for example, and have a decent dose of dusty Americana in some of their songs, too. The title track is a good example of this, with a lonely feel and lyrics about returning to try to regain “what has been lost” and to “feel the magic once again.” It’s a song deeply rooted in nostalgia for better days gone by. The album’s arrangements are lovely, with not just guitar, bass, and drums, but with keyboards and harmonica. A favorite of the LP is “The End of Summer,” which builds from quietly jangling power pop to lush and orchestral, almost progressive rock. “Lucky Heart” has the feel of a story-telling song, with dusty Americana vibes. It’s mysterious feel for a song about two people making a rendezvous to drive off together into the proverbial sunset. I like, too, “Laurel Canyon,” for its 70s psych-folk-rock vibe, and it recounts Allen and Flynt’s journey from their Oklahoma origins out to California. The sound is appropriate for a song that speaks to the feeling of “revolution in the air,” the feeling of freedom where “barefoot girls dance on the corner,” and where there are “no winter winds.” “Long Distance Call” has a dark, bluesy, smokey feel, perfect for a song about waking up to find your lover left in the middle of the night, and everything reminds you of her. You wish desperately for her return, but all you get is silence at the other end of a long-distance call. I’m not familiar with 20/20’s back catalog, so I can’t comment on how this new album sounds compared to earlier efforts from their prime. What I can say is that “Back to California” features enough sonic variety to keep things interesting, and they acquit themselves respectably.
BUILD US AIRPLANES – All Things Expire (Sell the Heart Records; buildusairplanes.bandcamp.com)
Build Us Airplanes is made up of veterans of the Northern California music scene, some of whom have been playing music together since high school. For example, Matthew and Richy played together more than 20 years ago in Monster Squad and again in a project called Anne Ramsey, which also included Build Us Airplanes member Dorsey. And Richy and Dorsey have played together in many bands over the years. Build Us Airplanes have actually been around a long time, having released a couple of EP's and an LP's as far back as 2011. But life and other projects got in the way (including the late, great Great Apes). But the longtime friends decided it was time to write and record some new material, so here it is, the band’s second LP. Musically, the band mixes passionately emotional pop punk with indie, creating loping mid-tempo songs that are both melodic and introspective. The arrangements are well crafted, and the music has the perfect blend of pop melodies and angsty emo. Song topics touch on themes of the daily struggles to eke out a life, growing apart from others, the freedom felt after the end of a toxic relationship, the worsening global situation, religion, and more. I really like the sound of the songs; there’s a distinct feel of seriousness and apprehension in most of the music, similar to one of the things that made me love Great Apes. “Sinking” and “Sonoma” are a little different; they’re the most pop-punk songs of the album, with a brighter rhythm and instrumentals, though the topic of “Sinking” is pretty dark, about how the world is falling apart, particularly through climate change. I like the mix of solo and group vocals in the songs, but if I had one criticism it might be the lead vocals. They’re certainly authentic sounding, and I can hear the emotion and pain, but sometimes they’re just a bit off-key, which can distract from otherwise satisfying tracks.
THE DOWNSTROKES / THE PROZACS – "Better Late Than Never" Split LP (Punkerton Records, punkertonrecords.com)
East coast punk rock! Two bands each provide six tracks for a full-length LP of fun. The Downstrokes, who take up the “D-Side,” hail from Maryland and play raw garage punk, sometimes inspired by music of the past. For example, “Disconnect” feels like an 80's garage punk track, similar to “Inside My Brain”-era Angry Samoans, or mid-80's TSOL. I like, too, “(Call Me) Bartleby,” with an early Vandals vibe. And “So Much Frustration” blends in hints of Naked Raygun, especially in the vocals. They close their side with the super-crunchy “We Gotta Go,” a song about, well, wanting to leave somewhere. They also play a solid cover of The Clash’s classic, “Police On My Back” that’s ever-so-slightly quicker than the original, and a tad looser in feel. Flip the record over to the “P-Side” and meet The Prozacs from Massachusetts, a pop-punk band best known from years of playing Insub Fest and Vans Warped Tour. Though they weren’t formed until the 2000's, they’re heavily inspired by the 90's pop punk sounds that were coming from the opposite side of the country, in the Gilman/Lookout Records scene, as well as The Ramones and Ramones-core in general, with sometimes slyly humorous lyrics. Like “Getting Bored,” with which they open their side. It’s a song about getting pissed off about getting old and having to act a particular way commensurate with age and maturity. “Hey What’s Your Face” has the classic Ramones-core sound, with a primitive drum beat, simple chord progression, and repetitive lyrics wishing someone a Happy Birthday and teasing them about getting old. And “Reflection” has a huge epic sound, and is an instrumental that’s cinematic, like it could come from the climax of a punk rock Spaghetti Western film, with loads of tension and grandeur. Their closing track, “Take the Hint,” couldn’t be more different, feeling more like a Screeching Weasel track, including the snotty lead vocals that sound like they’ve got a chip on their shoulder. Two sides, two bands, 12 tracks, infinite entertainment.
PALM GHOSTS – Façades 4–Decoder (Sweet Cheetah Records; palmghosts.bandcamp.com)
Palm Ghost has achieved their goal of releasing four EP's this year, each with five songs, all connected. “Decoder” has songs that sound distinctly more hopeful than the previous EP, “Channeling.” Once again, Palm Ghosts’ sound features bright synth-pop mixed with smooth Ian Curtis-like baritone vocals, but rather than the darkness and melancholy of past records, these songs sound almost optimistic and triumphant, like everything will work out. I love the jubilant nature of “Come Inside,” while “Through the Grove” sounds downright sunny. But it’s “Bright Note” that’s going to make you want to get up and dance. “When We Were Young And Life Was Beautiful” and “Aftermath,” the final two songs of the EP, are a little different, the former being a smooth post punk tune that’s got a very pensive quality, while the latter supplements the synths with a real piano, and there’s an angelic choir of backing vocals for this song that has the qualities of a sacred hymn that uplifts the soul. What a great journey this year has been with Palm Ghosts.
WONK UNIT – Good Good Glad to Hear It (Pirates Press Records; wonk-unit-bandcamp.com)
The storied UK pop punk band is making its Pirates Press debut with this, their latest full-length LP (after having done a split single with The Drowns, to be fully accurate). As always, they mix solid, tight music with heart-on-sleeve sentiments and tongue-in-cheek sarcasm to create energetic and thought-provoking songs. Such is the case with the opening track, “Rapidly Declining Dignity,” an urgent song with a dark pop melody and lyrics reflecting frontman Alex Wonk’s bout with addiction and stint in rehab a quarter century ago. “Overwhelmed” is another highlight and another personal song from Alex. It recalls a time in his life when his marriage had fallen apart and he was living in a single room apartment, a colorful curtain cutting the room in half so he could share it with his young daughter. “Those were the saddest, most precious, painful, terrifying times of my life,” says Alex. “Luxury Flats” uses the famous line from Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” to juxtapose the gentrification of neighborhoods with the increase in homelessness and the widening divide and wealth inequality. “Please sir, may I have some more?” comes the question, along with buzz-saw metallic guitars, as if they’re being used to cut down homes to make way for the titular accommodations for the wealthy, ignoring the impact on those who were already living there. It’s intense and high energy, ending with a basso vocalization stating, “And that is the story of modern Britain,” though it’s the story nearly everywhere in the industrialized world. “The Thickest Skin” has an old school pop punk sound to it, in the vein of mid-period Descendents, and lyrics about hardening one’s self enough to survive in the world. There are some interesting tracks here outside of the normal pop punk sounds, like the country-fied “Shiny Horses,” and the jazzy honky-tonk pop of “Complicated Girl.” “True to Who I Am” feels like it comes from a turn of the century stage show, and the closing track, “Stage Fright,” is a Band-Aid Brigade style lounge tune, with piano and vocals. One great thing, too, are the many sampled recordings inserted at the start or end of tracks, providing some added humor – because you have to laugh to keep from crying. Wonk Unit’s latest is another in a string of solid records.
BRIGHT LIKE STARS – Reflections (brightlikestars.bandcamp.com)
Bright Like Stars combines a variety of genres and blends them together to create something new. Shoegaze, indie, and noise pop combine into songs that are thick and lush, pensive and misty, sometimes speedy and gritty, other times soothing and calming. The band is only about a year old, having been formed in November 2023, by Neil Burkdoll (of Whimsical, LoveBlind, and Dirty Dead) and Craig Doublas (of Neonach and Omega Vague). They wanted to create music that was inspired by the shoegaze type of music they had been doing, but which would also reflect their love of other musical styles. You can hear the influence of My Bloody Valentine in the deep distortion and noise in the bass and guitars, but you can also hear 90s indie rock and pop in the lilting melodies. Some of the songs, like “Unaligned,” have a quick pace to them, recalling punk-inspired indie bands of the 90s. One thing that remains constant through the album is the use of vocal harmonies, giving those vocals the feel of 70s AM radio bubblegum pop. But with the dark distorted instrumentals, no one would confuse this for bubblegum. It provides a smooth relaxing contrast to the intensity of the guitars, bass, and drums. Most of the songs, though, are more mid-tempo, big and broad, with gorgeous melodies that are dripping with distortion. “Reeling” is perhaps the best example of that, oozing introspective sensuality and covered in a thick layer of distortion. I like the driving energy of “The Less You Know;” combining that energy with those gliding vocal harmonies and a great pop melody seems incongruous, but it works well. One fascinating aspect of this record is that the two members live on different continents, so all of the writing and recording was done by sending files back and forth over the internet. That’s not the odd part; what is strange is the two have never met in person or been in the same room! The cohesiveness of the songs here, though, doesn’t make that readily apparent.
INNOCENCE MISSION – Midwinter Swimmers (Bella Union, bellaunion.com)
The Innocence Mission’s latest LP is their first since 2020’s “See You Tomorrow,” which was a mixed bag for me. This album is better. It’s still their brand of delicate, fragile easy listening music, as I said of their previous album, and still the sort of thing aging hipsters might listen to in the background on a lazy Sunday morning as they sip their fair trade coffee and page through the newspaper. It still features a mix of electric and acoustic instruments, guitars and piano in the forefront, and it still features Karen Peris’ vocals, this time out with a more unique tone. The songs are still light and airy, but feel a little bit lusher than those from the previous LP. Some songs recall the folk songs of the 1960s, like the opening track, “This Thread is a Green Street,” while others channel bossa nova, like “The Camera Divides the Coast of Maine,” “Sisters and Brothers,” or “A Different Day,” both in their rhythms and the lithe guitar. String synths and the very relaxed tone of some of the songs remind me of easy listening music from back in the day, too. It doesn’t really change my mind about these songs being best listened to in the background, but they are certainly more inviting than before.
LUNA HONEY – Bound (lunahoney.bandcamp.com)
Well, this is a fascinating album! Luna Honey is described as a “dark-avant” group. And there certainly are varying levels of experimentalism on these tracks, some of which have reasonably standard song structures, and others which are pretty much out there. There’s an immense amount of variety on this hour-long musical journey, starting with the opening track, “Kerosene.” It reminds me of mid-to-late ‘80s DC music, which makes sense, since the band is originally from DC. There’s a throbbing repetitive rhythm and bass line, the guitars playing a repetitive phrase, as well, with lots of noise and feedback while the vocals intone the lyrics, sometimes mystically, sometimes angrily. It became an instant favorite. The next track, “Vacuum Cleaner” is out there, with a free-form feel, operatic singing, grinding synths, and angular melodic lines. This is true avant-garde. “Barbie Cake” has a cool jazz beat and attitude, while the vocals and guitars often get fairly intense. Then we come to the title track, which begins with a mysterious new age Irish folk sound, droning ambience beneath ethereal vocals chanting an ancient melody. Then the instruments come in, and we get a mix of old and new, and the track induces a trance-like state from its ritualistic sounds. It instantly became another favorite. The bulk of the album is very hypnotic, with a generally serene sound, but with tension seething beneath the surface, while others sound like they’re channeling ancient magic, and others are cool jazz. “Lemons” is the latter, with the sound of vibraphone embellishing the tune, Maura Pond’s vocals gliding delicately, the rhythm and bass line still creating that trance-like effect. “Gravity” has spacey sounds and feels like it comes from another world. The only semblance of melody is in the vocals, while there are bass, chimes, and what sound like frogs or insects in the background. It’s very eerie and cool. I adore “Hriddel,” with gorgeous ambience and delicate harmonized vocals. The title is an Old English word for “riddle,” emphasizing the historical influence at work here. This isn’t punk or indie pop, but it’s worthy of your attention and time.
THE RATCHETS – Holy Mother of God (Pirates Press Records; theratchets.bandcamp.com)
The Ratchets continue with their campaign of releasing 7” singles backed with remixes. This time out they give us a holiday song, but it’s one that has a soaring anthemic sound, full of majesty. But it’s not a holiday song about Santa and his reindeer or snow falling (though there is a subtle hint of sleigh bells), it’s a political song that likens divisions and arguments we all experience at holiday family gatherings to the divisions and arguments that have overwhelmed our nation and the whole world. It’s got a more somber sound than previous singles in the series, and at times reminds me of the late lamented Great Apes from San Francisco. The B-side remix is, once again, done by Strawberry Zaiquiri, and it’s titled “Peace in the Middle East.” Unlike past remixes, this one doesn’t veer too far from the source material for the bulk of the track, rather just inserting some synths and a chill dance beat. It retains the solemnity of the original track, the strong guitars and smooth vocals being a constant. This series of singles with remixes continues to showcase The Ratchets’ wide range.
THE BOY DETECTIVE – Exhibition LP & I Renounce Verdukianism! (Punkerton Records, punkertonrecords.com)
My previous exposure to The Boy Detective came from a recent split single to which they contributed, and it was enjoyable. Now they’ve released their debut full-length LP (repackaging their “Art Theft” and “Banned from the Bathtub” EPs), and it’s solid entertainment. The band, broadly, is ska-punk, but they’re more than that. Their songs are poppy, punk-filled, and sometimes hardcore. Sometimes they’re all the above. Like the hilariously titled opening track, “Some Drakkar Noir Wearing Dexter With A Boner.” It’s got youth crew hardcore elements, with speedy crunchy parts and big gang vocals, but it’s also got a great poppy melody, and fantastic ska breakdowns. It’s a perfect way to introduce the album. “Laugh It Up, Funny Boys” has great raucous punk parts with intense vocals, smooth ska parts, and a sparkling synth punctuating the proceedings. “A Dreadful Collection of Memoranda” is mostly straight-up ska, but it’s also got some great pop punk parts, the overall song having a smooth, soaring sound, though it’s end gets pretty hard and intense. Another favorite is “I Just Want to Take You to Applebee’s,” another one that has the perfect blend of speedy poppy punk and ska, with lead vocals bouncing back and forth. And if fourteen songs on an LP wasn’t enough, The Boy Detective has also released a new holiday single! Sure, “I Renounce Verdukianism” is also ska punk, but it’s got sleigh bells, sadness, and sentiment galore. And it’s named for a fake religion from a TV show! I’m not usually a ska-punk kind of guy, but these guys are great and worth your attention.
HOLY WATER – Tides (Sell the Heart Records, www.selltheheartrecords.com)
This is an unusual release for Sell the Heart Records, which usually focuses its efforts on punk and emo related records. Holy Water is a duo from California, featuring punk rock veterans Jacob Desrochers (Lonely Kings, Coercion96) and Ian Smith (Pregnant Men, Ways Away, Racquet Club), but here they’re exploring electronic music. There are dance beats aplenty, and loads of chill ambience. Some tracks have hints of 80s new wave, like “Solid State,” with New Order and Depeche Mode vibes. The thing I like about this album is that the tracks are soft and smooth, with the dance beats feeling relaxed and easy, as opposed to the heavier industrial dance sounds that are harder and grind you up like a piece of meat. There’s also gorgeous ambience that start and end the tracks, before and after the rhythms come and go, and they’re lurking underneath the beats and vocals throughout the record, creating an ethereal atmosphere for the songs. A favorite track is “Blurred Life,” for its resemblance to early New Order. It’s got a great throbbing bass sound (it’s really a synth, but would have been even better as an actual bass) and some gorgeous sparkling synths, and the vocals are smooth and relaxed. The duo are at their best when the focus is more on the chill vibes and less on the dance beat. Such is the case with “Control Me.” Yes, it’s got a strong rhythm that you can dance to, but it’s subtle and smooth, ands there’s more ambient sounds that are nice and soothing. My only complaint is that the record feels a little too long. It’s 41 minutes, which doesn’t seem a lot, but it just feels like a bit too much.
KNIVES – One Cut Away from Love (Punkerton Records, punkertonrecords.com)
Hailing from Jacksonville, Florida, Knives are a newer band that play mid-tempo pop punk, heavy on the pop, with added screaming to back the lead vocals. In other words, ready made for Fest. The PR materials reference Warped Tour sounds, but I think Knives has a more authentic sound than a lot of the bands that made it big with the moving festival sponsored by a major sneaker brand. The songs a relatively simple, and even-keeled, but the screamed backing vocals that shadow the leads add a new dimension and more angst. Speaking of angst, “Darling Please” is the saddest song of the album, about a break-up message left on voicemail. The music is solemn, the screamed vocals are gone, and we hear snippets of the recording throughout the song. Other songs are solid, if not groundbreaking, pop punk songs that I’m sure make the band a draw in their hometown. Enjoyable stuff.
REMY VERREAULT – Break the Silence (High End Denim Records, highenddenimrecords.com)
Remy Verreault, Canada’s one-man skate punk band, is back with another LP. Verreault writes all the songs, plays all the instruments, and records it all, making it a true DIY effort. This time out, the eleven song LP contains songs with messages about personal choices and the consequences they may hold, about clearing one’s mind by becoming sober (Verreault gave up alcohol and cannabis), about strength through self-reliance, learning to let others live their lives as they see fit, personal growth, and more. It’s all very positive stuff, played with a youth crew skate punk sound. That sound is speedy and metallic, with dark melodies and played with virtuosity. Those are the positive aspects of the album. But, on the other hand, there’s too much sameness to the songs, with little variety. They tend to blend, one into another, all sounding too much alike. The one exception is the final track, “Digital Descent,” which is an angry electronic hip-hop track that warns of the impersonalizing influence of social media. I don’t know. On the one hand, it’s a pretty awesome achievement to have made this album, but on the other I wish there was more variety in its sounds.
WHATEVER… – Our Decline (Siren Records, whatever-punk-ohio.bandcamp.com)
Nineties punks Whatever… were last active almost 30 years ago, and now the band have reunited and are releasing their first new music in 27 years. It’s two songs on a 7” released by record store turned label, Siren Records, in McHenry, Illinois. The Ohio band still features original members Ben Wrecked (vocals, guitar) and Matt Fish (drums), along with Brett Moore (guitar), and they’re joined by new bassist Peter Woodward. The title track is on the A-side, and features a hard-driving 90s punk track, with a nice melody. But I won’t call it 90s melodic punk, because that conjures up thoughts of slick bands on major tours, which were a real turn-off for me. Whatever… have a more sincere sound in their songs. “Among the Dead” is the B-side of this 7”, and it’s got a darker sound, sort of like heavy post-punk with a metal tinge. The reformed band are playing some shows, so perhaps there’s a new album in the works, too?
AUTHORITY ZERO – Thirty Years: Speaking to the Youth (Thousand Islands Records, thousandislandsrecords.com)
It’s hard to believe it, but the Arizona punk outfit, Authority Zero, are thirty years old! And to mark the occasion they’ve released a new six-song EP (and have embarked on a celebratory tour). The EP features a diverse set of songs, but all based in the 1990s sounds that put them on the musical map. The songs range from melodic punk to post-hardcore, from pop punk to ska punk, and all of the music is tight and energetic, the way Authority Zero have been throughout their career. One highlight for me is the mélange of rap and post-hardcore titled “Lights Out,” a song that encourages us to get out on the dance floor, and does it with a strong rhythm and aggressive edge, and a big dreamy bridge. And “Long Way to Go” is another good one, with hints of Descendents-like pop punk mixed with more aggressive 90s punk. Here’s to the next 30 years!
BART AND THE BRATS – "Only Fair" EP (Dirty Water Records, dirtywaterrecords.bandcamp.com)
The name of this band is very similar to the title of a Ramones song, “Beat on the Brat,” and I think this might be intentional. The band plays a variation of the Ramones-core sound on this EP. The French band is a solo effort when in the studio, but transforms into a trio for live shows. This latest effort contains four songs of Ramones-core, but with a darker punk vibe than bubblegum pop punk more associated with the Ramones. The songs have the guitar power of the genre, but there’s less pop and more gritty garage rawness to the melodies. This is definitely 70s punk influenced stuff, and it’s very well done.
BOTTOM BRACKET – I’m So Afraid of Where (Count Your Lucky Stars Records, www.cylsrecords.com)
Bottom Bracket are a Chicago band that play 2000s style emo, with lots of meandering guitars, mathy shifting rhythms, poppy melodies, and angsty vocals. “I’m So Afraid of Where” is the band’s sophomore long-player, and they channel the sounds of progenitors of their genre such as American Football and Algernon Cadwallader. People call this “Midwestern emo,” and perhaps that’s what the genre evolved into, but real midwestern emo, in my mind, was made by earlier bands like Gauge (the progenitor of the sound), Braid, Cap’n Jazz, and Friction. The bands that followed a decade later never had the same raw emotional punch, and I never got into them. Sadly, Bottom Bracket doesn’t change this for me. Oh, they’re very proficient, with virtuoso guitar playing, solid vocals, nice harmonization and gang vocals. But these songs feel like they come more from the head than the heart. There’s less of a raw emotional feeling than there is of slick calculated sounds. If you like the genre, go for it. They’re solid musicians, tight and controlled. Maybe that’s part of the problem for me – too controlled.
THE ROUTES – Surfin’ Pleasures (Topsy-Turvy Records, theroutesjp.bandcamp.com)
Have you ever wondered what Joy Division’s groundbreaking songs would sound like if played by an instrumental surf band? No? Well, Japanese surf band, The Routes, did. So they decided to pull together some of Joy Division’s songs and reimagine them as surf tracks, just as they did last year with “Reverberation Addict,” their surf covers of Buzzcocks songs, and “Twang Machine” before that, featuring Kraftwerk covers. Well-loved songs like “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atmosphere,” and “Transmission” are here, like you’ve never heard before. Rather than the warm melancholy of the originals, we get sunny summer vibes. On “Transmission,” for example, the original droning song that features just two chords and simple bass line is transformed into a surf version that sparkles and glistens. “Ice Age,” which was written as an icy unemotional song with a big beat, becomes a raging surf tune that stands with the classics of the genre. These surf covers of classics of the underground’s past have been a blast, and “Surfin’ Pleasures” is no exception.
ED RYAN - Along for the Ride (Kool Kat Musik, www.koolkatmusik.com)
NYC power pop stalwart, Ed Ryan, returns with his latest full-length LP, his sixth for Kool Kat, and his best yet, in my opinion. Past efforts have been a little uneven, with songs that were solid and others that fell flat. “Along for the Ride,” though, is satisfying throughout. Power pop predominates this album, with side sojourns through folk rock and excursions into British pop rock. The opening track, “Fine Art to Letting Go,” is a highlight for its high energy and hopping sound, while “Better Than That” is a favorite for its jangly mix of acoustic and electric guitars. Ryan’s vocals on this one are reminiscent of the great Ray Davies, of The Kinks. We get country twang in “Looking for Something,” as well as “Popee’s Garden,” while “Imperfect Life” feels like a mod-era updating of an old English folk tune. I really enjoy the jangly ballad, “Unspoken,” which reminds me a bit of the classic “Save the Last Dance for Me.” “Follow You Down” closes the LP with a story-telling song that’s a mix of Americana and folk. And this is one of the nice things about Ryan’s music: it’s loaded with variety. I can’t think of a single track on this latest album that doesn’t hold up. Best one yet.
THE TRICERATOPS – Charge! (Learning Curve Records, learningcurverecords.bandcamp.com)
The Triceratops are driven by the duo of long-time friends John Van Atta and Melvin Monreau and was a long time in the making. The pair met while working at New York City’s famed CBGB in the 1990s, and they both fell in love with the heavy, noisy, yet sweetly melodic music made by many bands of that era. After CBGB closed, they went their separate ways, but years later re-bonded at a Future of the Left show and decided to form a band that played the kind of music they both adored and missed. Thus, “Charge!” is the debut from this new band, and it features fifteen tracks of music that’s sometimes big and beefy, sometimes poppy and tuneful. The songs are almost universally bouncy, and I like the pop punk feel of many of then, such as the opening track, “Can’t Take You.” Most of the tracks are not as big and heavy as I expected from the PR write-up, though, with mostly a nice 90s indie sound. They cite Melvins as an influence, but I hear a lot more Dinosaur Jr. in this album. The exception to this is “Efficiency Expert,” which is massive, leaning more into hardcore and grunge. There are also quiet folk-like tunes, like the subtle acoustic track, “Neoliberal Bedtime Routine,” or the understated “Straight With You,” and the very pretty “Distance.” “A Deep and Lovely Sound” is in this camp, too, but with piano included in the arrangement. One favorite is the doo-wop inspired “We Will Shatter,” which does, indeed, mix noisy chaos with a sweet melody. And “Something Done Right,” too, has a blend of massive guitar and bass, in parts, and lovely melody in others, showing a mastery of dynamic changes. While The Triceratops aren’t creating anything new here, they do an excellent job of recreating the 90s indie sound. If you like Dinosaur Jr., you’ll very likely enjoy this.
GHOST WOLVES – Consumer Waste (Dirty Water Records, theghostwolves.bandcamp.com / Saustex Records, www.saustex.com)
What would it sound like if aliens from a 1950's science-fiction movie came to earth to play rockabilly music? If you want to know the answer, listen to this album! Ghost Wolves is a wild duo from Austin, Texas, but the rockabilly they play is insanely crazy, with manic vocals, discordant guitar, thumping bass, and sizzling synths. The title track, which opens the album (after a hilarious rant with a British man yelling at Ghost Wolves to get out of his club), is a love-hate song about our throwaway consumer culture, and it’s a fucking great roller-coaster ride that’s going to make your head spin. “666 Mankind 666” bears the mark of the Beast, and it sounds like the song came directly from the depths of Hell, with a great foot stompin’ rhythm and blues-driven melody. Even more astonishing than how good these songs are is that they’re somehow actually played by just the two people, Carley Wolf fronting the duo, with Jonathan “Jonny Wolf” Konya behind the drum kit. “No overdubs” is what I read about them, but I can’t see how it’s possible, with so much going on. I even read one report indicating Konya sometimes plays both guitar and drums at the same time! Space aliens, I tell you! The songs offer up plenty of societal commentary, like that title track, and “Wage Slave,” about feeling trapped working for little pay. I love how raw this stuff is, yet how complex it comes across, and how unbalanced and feral it is, too. Every time I hear a song that makes me think, “this is the best song on the album,” another one tops it. I was sure “Under Your Skin” was going to be my favorite, with the guitar notes bending and swirling through thick distortion, warping my sense of reality. But then “Back Against the Wall” started playing and its shifting rhythms pulled the carpet from under my feet, and I went flying through the air. To be honest, every song on this album is my favorite now.
HAMMERBOMBS – F For Effort (Loud Circles Vinyl; thehammerbombs.bandcamp.com)
Hammerbombs is a band that’s a whole lot of fun. They play raucous pop punk songs that often are hilarious, sometimes personal and filled with emotion, and always fueled by plenty of beer. Because of this, it’s hard to decide whether I like them better live or on studio recordings. On the one hand, the live shows are always a blast, and they’re great people to hang out with. But on the other hand, the studio recordings are typically tighter and cleaner. And this is top-notch fun time pop punk that needs to be heard. But maybe some of the drinking and partying is taking its toll, if the album’s opening track has anything to say about it. “Tired” sounds like a typical good-times Hammerbombs song, but the lyrics begin, “Tired of drinking, tired of everything.” It sings about being stuck in a rut doing the same shit, day after day, and then going “without a sound.” It sings about being in a room full of strangers and feeling alone. Are the Hammerbombs giving up their party ways? Well, maybe and maybe not. “Talk To Me” seems serious enough, about shyness and attraction and how the two things together can immobilize us. The song sure isn’t immobilized, though; it’s bouncy as hell. Hammerbombs often turn real life experiences into songs, and “Midnight Pancakes” is one of these. Hammerbombs are famous for their pancake brunches the mornings after shows, but sometimes the urge hits to have some RIGHT NOW. Such was the case when the band were in Chino, California, staying at some friends’ home, and the song recounts making the titular meal. It’s party pop punk rock time with this song, and you can just hear the drunkenness that led to this late night desire. The album features songs about people who speak poorly of others behind their backs, about pure hatred, about love, about deep anxiety, about loss, and about partying. “Meteor Mick” is one of Hammerbombs’ more serious songs, and it’s a love song. Not quite a ballad, but not one of their raucous tunes, it’s about a real long-term relationship that works and keeps getting better, something rare in the dysfunctional pop punk world. It has a quieter feel than the other songs (but it’s still buzzy and noisy), and it has real warmth to it. “Funeral” is a heart-tugger of a song about losing multiple friends in a short period of time, the memories, and especially the regrets. It’s almost anthemic, especially in the chorus, as the whole band sings, “I don’t wanna say goodbye, but I do it all the time.” It’s really nice to hear these studio recordings, because it’s easier to listen and reflect on the meanings behind these songs. But those live shows, man, they’re so much fun! I guess the answer to my dilemma is both – listen to their records to really hear the songs, and then go see their live shows and prepare to party hard and have the best night of your life.
NIGHT COURT - $hit Machine (Recess Records, www.recessrecords.bandcamp.com)
Night Court are fast becoming one of my favorite active bands. After the one-two punch of “Nervous Birds! One” and “Nervous Birds Too in 2021 and 2022, the Canadian band quickly came back with the “Humans!” LP and “Frater Set" EP in 2023. Their latest full-length is now ready, and “$hit Machine” is another solid effort filled with fun poppy garage punk and indie rock. They’ve mastered the ability to present fully formed yet economical musical ideas: their songs struggle to reach the two-minute mark. In the hands of any other band these songs could end up sounding like unfinished sketches, yet Night Court leaves my ears fully sated, the seventeen (!) tracks filling a boisterous 27 minutes. They also keep changing things up to keep the sounds fresh. The album starts with “Human Torch,” an anti-gun violence song that has a strong Marked Men feel. But immediately after that, “Mistakes Become You” has a much brighter indie pop sound, with a catchy melody and some nice harmonies. The buzzy 70s style synths give the bridge a retro sci-fi sound. There’s nerdy pop punk in “Infrared Glasses” and I love “Make Up My Mind” for reasons hard to pin down. It’s probably the great melody and the creative arrangement. It may be my favorite song of the album. “D List” is a song filled with contradictions: It’s chaotic, yet glides smoothly, it’s hardcore-like yet it’s melodic. And immediately following is the very pretty “Miranda July,” an indie-pop song that’s wonderfully noisy and lo-fi, yet it soars and wafts on the breeze. ”Where the Light Comes From” is a cool garage tune that reminds me of some of their new label mates – Recess Records has a distinct sound, courtesy of the various Todd Congelliere-fronted bands. And the closing track, “My Last Acid Trip,” is different from all the rest: it’s very Devo-like. There are all these different sounds and styles on the album, yet there’s a cohesiveness that ties everything together, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Yeah, Night Court have really been growing on me, and they will on you, too.
SPEED CIRCUIT – Survey the Damage (Setterwind Records, setterwindrecords.bandcamp.com)
Speed Circuit is a new band that includes Ryan Allen on drums (and some guitar, piano, and backing vocals), and I absolutely love Ryan’s other bands, Extra Arms and Big Life, so I was very excited to receive this. The PR materials liken Speed Circuit to Dinosaur Jr, The Buzzcocks, Built to Spill, Hüsker Dü, and The Pixies. But I don’t get any of that. What I get, sadly, is disappointment. Oh, the band is perfectly competent, but the songs sound more like generic alternative rock than anything else. Those other bands are noted for their power, their originality, a specific tone, and so on, but I don’t hear anything particularly unique in Speed Circuit. Of the eight songs, maybe the one that stands out a little bit is “Maybe Another Time,” with a nice jangly guitar tone, nice vocal harmonies, and a Mission of Burma-like bass line. But overall this just doesn’t move me all that much.
VOLUME – Joy Of Navigation (A Trip Through The Eternal Unknown) (Kozmik Artifactz, volume-rocks.bandcamp.com / volume-rocks.bandcamp.com)
Volume was originally formed in 1993 by Fu Manchu’s Patrick Brink, and has featured a rotating cast of musicians. These days the band also includes Ed Mundell (Monster Magnet) on guitar, Mike Amster (Nebula) on drums, and Dave Catching (QOTSA, Arctic Monkeys, Iggy Pop) on keyboards. The band calls 29 Palms, California home, a place deep in the desert, some three hours east of LA, and you can hear the desert in their music. Volume plays what is best described as “stoner rock,” the sort of 60s and 70s style music that melds metal and acid rock. Think back to Black Sabbath’s pivotal first LP, but make it heavier and spacier and you’ll get an idea of Volume’s sound. This latest record is a five-song “mini-LP,” that’ll last you a good half-hour before you need to take another hit. The album opens with “Mercury Pull,” which features spacey sitar sounds mixed with mysterious keyboards and cool backward guitar tones to create a nine-minute epic to launch you into your trip. The band has mastered the art of dynamic control, ranging from soft and delicate to massive, dense, and weighty. But it’s always recognizable as the proverbial stoner rock. Listen to the deep fuzzed bass on “Heavy Sunshine” and you’ll be transported back to 1968, the smell of “funny cigarettes” wafting through your mind. The one track that breaks the pattern is “The Golden Age,” the band’s sole ballad-like tune. It’s got a softer sound and feels more story telling like, with a hint of Americana. There aren’t a lot of bands playing this style anymore. Or at least, not many good bands. Volume could be one of the best around today for this genre.
WEEGEE – Primitive Thrill (Dot Dash Sounds, weegeenyc.bandcamp.com)
Of course, Weegee are a New York band. Hailing from Brooklyn, Weegee’s debut LP instantly brings to mind the New York No Wave sound made famous by Lydia Lunch, Sonic Youth, and others. Music is played at a slow deliberate pace, hypnotically hammering away at us, with droned vocals and repetitive melodic lines. The title track, in particular, is a five-minute adventure in total musical chaos, invoking memories of the great band from the other coast, Flipper. “Maybe I’m Blind” is quite different, with a cool lazy feel, very hypnotic, very relaxing, yet very Lydia Lunch-like. There are only six tracks, but none is less than five minutes long, so these are somewhat extended sonic explorations, with screeching guitars, sludge-filled bass, and those captivating vocals. A blast from the past brought to the present.
JOY BUZZER – Pleased to Meet You (Wicked Cool Records, www.wickedcoolrecords.com)
Stevie Van Zandt must have a time machine at his record label, because Joy Buzzer’s new LP sounds like it was recorded in the 1970s. It’s power pop, yes, but more than that, it’s got influences from British Invasion, progressive rock, and psychedelic pop sounds. This New York band channels the sounds of The Who, Yes, The Beatles, and more. “You’d Be Surprised” is a favorite, with a great Beatles-like drive, but even better is the jangle and the intricate psych-prog lines of “Jeanette.” The harmonized vocals on the chorus are right out the late 60s. And “All These Yesterdays” closes the LP with a song that sounds like it the ending song for a hit stage show. Though they don’t have orchestral type instruments, in some ways, Joy Buzzer reminds me of The New York Rock and Roll Ensemble, a group of classically trained musicians who played rock and roll in the late 60s and early 70s. There’s some of the same care in arrangements and some cool complexities to some of the melodies.
MANICBURG (Respirano Records, respirano.com)
Manicburg’s debut LP is one part psychedelic folk, one part chamber pop, one part dream pop, one part jazz, and one part experimentalism; it all adds up to a singular art rock experience. It’s what happens when New Yorker Ray Lustig meets up with Italian Luigi Porto. Lustig is an instructor at the famed Julliard School, and Porto is a renowned composer in Europe. The album is filled with a variety of musical textures and poetic labyrinthine lyrics, creating a thought provoking musical tapestry. Just the opening track, “One for You and One for Me,” veers from hard rock to chanson-like, from jazzy riffs to abstract imagery. Listen to the haunting “All Together Now,” with its subtle Euro-folk sounds and martial rhythms. “Monkey World” blends Euro folk with swinging blues, using creative instrumentation. The music box tone with a non-traditional melodic line and tympani in “Your Balloon” is fascinating, while “Harness” has the delicate feel of the 60s folk of Simon and Garfunkel, with quietly plucked acoustic guitar and harmonized vocals, but the ambient sounds from piano and electronics in the track give it an orchestral feel, too. “One Man Cult” is best described as “space-pop,” because it’s got a pop song structure, but a spacey arrangement. And “Daughters On Valentine’s Day,” starts as an old timey folk song, complete with scratchy sound like it’s from an old 78 rpm shellac record, then becomes a twisted experimental country tune from another world. This is an engrossing and captivating debut.
ONSLOOW – Full Speed Anywhere Else (Tiny Engines, onsloow.bandcamp.com)
The Norwegian band that changed my perception of Scandinavian music returns with their sophomore LP, this time signed with Tiny Engines. The band offer up another ten tracks of perfectly lovely indie pop, with guitars both jangly and noisy, and lead vocals that are clear, emotive, and very pretty. The melodies are catchy and the songs feel light and lithe. Sure, there’s some grit in the guitar tone, but just enough to give some oomph without overwhelming the melodies and vocals. The result is a band that sounds full and rich, poppy and fun, and a little bit wistful and dreamy. Some songs sound downright breezy, like “Brakes,” a song that makes me feel like I’m riding in a convertible with the top down, along the ocean on a bright sunny day. “You From Before,” too, has a calm breezy feel, so smooth and relaxing. Onsloow’s new LP is just as lovely as the first.
THE RATCHETS – Late Stage Capital (Pirates Press Records; theratchets.bandcamp.com)
The Ratchets are back with another in their series of singles with remixes. This time, “Late Stage Capital” is a hopping ska tune with early punk influences, ready made for dancing. This is real ska punk! The remix this time around is titled “Bunker Rock,” and it’s a remix by Strawberry Zaiquiri. As is the case with all of the band’s remixes, it bears little resemblance to the original song, but it’s still awesome in its own right. The vocal lines are pulled in, and some guitars, but there are subtle synths added, funky bass, and some horns; the overall song sounds super relaxed and chill. I love this singles series. The Ratchets keep changing things up each time out, and the remixes are so cool.
SISTER THIEVES – Crawl (sisterthieves.bandcamp.com)
Heavy. Dreamy. Grunge. Romantic. These are the words that pass through my mind as I listen to “Crawl,” the new LP from the New York City group known as Sister Thieves. This sophomore release is a regrouping, of sorts. They formed in 2017 and released their self-titled EP in 2019, but the pandemic led to a hiatus. Returning in 2023, they’ve now built up enough material for a debut LP (they call it an EP, but with eight tracks and over half an hour of music, that qualifies as a full-length to me). And the first notes of the album are noisy and heavy, but also bluesy and dreamy. And then when Steph Twyford-Rigley’s lead vocals come in, it’s dripping with mysterious romance. Her singing flows beautifully. I like the jazzy vibe of “Be Bad,” a song that has a swinging rhythm, and Twyford-Rigley’s singing is gorgeous, but the keyboards and guitar have deep grit in them, giving the song a dangerous sound. And songs like “Save Yourself” have a hazy dreamy feel while remaining heavy and noisy. The mix of heavy grunge and light pop on “Let It Down” is astoundingly good and unique, too. Fascinating LP.
SQUINT – Big Hand (Sunday Drive Records; squintstl.bandcamp.com)
Squint are a band from St. Louis that are hard to pigeonhole. They call themselves a hardcore band, but they aren’t really. Yes, they have hardcore influences. I also hear grunge, and I hear post-hardcore, emo, and even dreamy pop. This is big 90s style music, with catchy melodies played with layers of noise and dissonance, and sung with as much intensity as can be mustered. But along with the distorted guitars, pounding drums, thrumming bass, and bellowing vocals are ethereal keyboards (or it may just be a really cool unique guitar tone). It’s hard to imagine anything catchy in a cacophony like this, but there it is, catchy melodies and even bouncy rhythms. “Half Asleep” is a favorite, a downright poppy song, but played with a thick layer of doom and sung as if the world was ending. You can hear the brightness of the synths coming through the dense guitars, as Brennan Wilkinson’s vocals cry out in anguish. “Well Wisher,” too, has a catchy melody with some angular lines that feel like they’re rotating around, and the singing feels almost like rapping, with a rhythm to match. And then there’s a song like “Grace,” which veritably soars, with big sustained guitar notes. The chorus of “Golden State” reminds me of Beat poetry, and the closing title track cycles through every one of its component genres, from dream pop to emo to grunge and everything else. It’s a real tour de force. Quite a unique, solid debut LP here.
ST. LENOX – Ten Modern American Work Songs (stlenox.bandcamp.com)
This is one of my most anticipated albums of the year. Andrew Choi has been teasing about this album for quite some time, and it’s finally here. Choi, an attorney by day, is the driving force behind St. Lenox, and his songs are always beautiful and filled with meaning and emotion (I once was moved to tears by a song about his relationship with his father). Each of the previous St. Lenox albums has made my “best of the year” list; that’s how much I love St. Lenox. The songs are simple, just Choi singing gloriously and playing his keyboards. But the emotions conveyed are often incredibly heavy, and the sentiments full of gravitas. His albums revolve around a central theme, and this time it’s about work, labor issues, the hopes and dreams our parents have for us, and the realities in which many of us find ourselves. Those realities can include crushing student debt, hard long hours working, balancing the trade-offs between our passions and the reality of paying bills, what we give up for financial security, and those who sometimes literally work themselves to death. It’s this last topic that Choi chose to open the album with, “Eulogy for the Company Man.” It’s a farewell from the fresh new hire to his mentor who died without ever getting to retire and enjoy his “golden years.” It sets the tone for the rest of the album, which seems to serve as a cautionary tale. The closing song, “On Fulfillment,” relates the meeting of two former classmates at a wedding of a mutual friend, and they catch up on each other’s lives. But more than that, it seems to be about how the most fulfilling parts of life have nothing to do with work. Our lives are not defined by the work we do. Instead fulfillment comes from truly living life, from the people we share it with, and the love that we give. In between we get sparkling songs about hard work, struggle, sacrifice, goals that always seem to be out of reach and that disappoint when attained, and missing out on what we ultimately find out what’s most important in life. Particularly moving is “Rudy,” a conversation between two friends, one chasing the life of a successful businessman and the other who gave up the rat race to move away and enjoy life with his family; the former regards the latter with jealousy as he realizes how empty his “successful” life is. The music is simple, but gorgeous. “Lust for Life,” for example, has the sound of a baroque chorale, as does “Quasi-Nichomachean Ethics,” the latter featuring Choi’s violin skills (he was a classically trained violinist before he went to law school). It seems inspired, in some ways, by Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” and features the protagonist giving life advice to his nephew, most of it the standard sort that conformists live by, with rigid rules intended to make one look good in the eyes of others. And “Your Local Neighborhood Bar” is bright and lively, a sparkling recollection of a past when life was simpler, remembering the joys that were given up when moving away to pursue a career and money. While all of St. Lenox’s albums are, it their core, slices of life, in all its various aspects and glories, this may be both the darkest and the brightest of them all, providing both a warning and a path that can take us out of the darkness and into the light.
VARIOUS – Count Your Lucky Stars Split Series #5 (Count Your Lucky Stars Records, www.cylsrecords.com)
This is the fifth in a series of splits among CYLS artists, duh This time around we get new tracks from four bands: Camp Trash, Expert Timing, Mt. Oriander, and Thank You, I’m Sorry. The four tracks cover the spectrum from pop punk to indie-pop, with Camp Trash’s “Friendship America” being the most punk of the group, with a tough guitar sound, a catchy pop melody, and some big group vocals. Expert Timing is next with “Sudden Glow,” and they blend more traditional light indie pop with the thick guitar distortion of bands like My Bloody Valentine. It’s a lovely combination. Mt. Oriander’s “Everything Is Connected, but Nothing Is Working” continues the delicate 90s emo sound they’ve been presenting, with clear stoic guitars and sad nerdy vocals. Thank You, I’m Sorry rounds out this split with “Snow Window,” a huge booming track with jangly guitar, sparking synths, sweet vocals, and a ton of reverb. It crosses bright indie-pop with dream pop, creating something both luscious and epic. Gorgeous stuff here.
CORKER – Hallways of Grey (Feel It Records; corker.bandcamp.com)
Ohio band Corker’s sophomore LP is a mix of past and future. There is a distinct post-punk influence, but dystopian science fiction films also appear to inhabit the band’s thoughts. The music uses minimalism often, with repeating lines and rhythms. This can result in tracks that are overwhelmingly hypnotic. Such is the case with “Night Ride” and “Vital Fall,” the former with the guitar line and the latter in its bass line. “Distant Dawn” mixes punk rock guitars and Goth synths for a dark track, and “Forever Silent” is a favorite of the album, with its pulsing rhythm and warbling synths, along with spoken word vocals. At the end it gets downright eerie, with just the spoken vocals, speaking as if reading poetry, and single tone synth, like out of some art sci-fi dystopian film. I enjoy the urgency of “Wiring,” with a surf-punk meets new wave Goth vibe, and “Sunken Submarine is almost mechanical, with sharp, angular, repetitive lines. This is a moody LP that sometimes veers toward the experimental, and uses influences from well-trodden genres to create something new.
THE DOPAMINES – 80/20 (Rad Girlfriend Records, www.radgirlfriendrecords.com)
If you don’t know the Dopamines by now, you need to fix that fast. They’re only one of the top pop punk bands around today. They have a strong Midwest pop punk sound, akin to Dillinger Four, mixed with the immediacy of PUP. The songs are performed full throttle, with massive energy. Powerful vocals, including vibrant backing vocals, abound, and the instrumentals are lively and dynamic. But the band has been stretching time between albums; this is their first new LP since 2017, so it’s long overdue and cause for celebration. The album starts out strongly and never lets up. “Wedge” and “For Heaven’s Sake Pt. 2” sound urgent and exhilarating. I love the big anthemic quality of “The Other Room,” and the punny title and huge emo-pop-punk sound of “Parasites Lost” make it another winner. Some songs are more introspective than is usual for The Dopamines. “The Doctor" is a little slower paced, with a bigger, melancholy (but no less powerful) sound. “Treatment Center Blues” is an unusual song for The Dopamines, with more of an introspective indie sound than pure pop punk. And the title track, which closes the album, goes through multiple transformations through its three-minute length and could be the best of the album – which is saying a lot, because every track has the potential to be a top track of the year. This gets my strongest recommendation.
THE DUMPIES – Gay Boredom (Dirt Cult Records, dirtcultrecords.com)
Tongue planted firmly in cheek, The Dumpies fly through nineteen tracks in 39 minutes, giving us a tour through hardcore, punk, and pop punk sounds over the decades. There’s lots of humor and lots of great music here. Favorites include “Bisexual Hedge Fund Manager,” with its Radioactivity-like garage punk sound and humorous title, “Cum Gutter Punks,” which channels old school early 80s hardcore to a tee, and “Get Fuzzy, which seems to be the band’s take on the late 80s Lookout/Gilman pop punk sound. “Hats” is manic crust-core, while “Ol Pal” is frantic gutter punk noise-core. I love “Ballad of Two Stubborn Men,” a sped up indie pop song with a single line of lyrics and melody repeated over and over. “Hot Wash” mixes 70s AM radio harmonies and 80s cow punk, while “Gay Boredom” continues the smooth pop sound. The band’s obsession with everything gay continues on “Waste Connection, another early hardcore tune, mixed with more modern pop punk, which starts with a recording of someone asking people “Are you gay?” And the album ends with “Dumpies Theme,” a hilarious track of self-identification. It sounds sort of like a nightmarish pop tune from the 70s, with lyrics all about being The Dumpies – after an intro that again fixates on the question “Is everybody gay?!” which starts the track. This band screams “party time!” And their live sets are notoriously chaotic. Sounds like a fun time to me!
EARLY RISER – Big Life (Asbestos Records, asbestosrecords.com)
The first thing that caught my eye is that Mikey Erg is in this band. The second thing that caught my eye is that the band includes a cello. And upon listening to this, I fell in love. Besides the cello and Mikey Erg on drums, there’s acoustic guitar and bass, plus sweet vocals from Kiri Oliver. The songs have the sound of a mix of traditional folk and pop punk, making for a wonderfully adorable sound that melts my heart. Heidi Vanderlee’s cello is not just a novelty add-on, either; her playing drives the melody of many of the songs, and the songs, as a whole, have a lovely warm feeling. The fourth member of the band is bassist Nicole Nussbaum, who provides a solid foundation for these songs. And the songs are catchy, like good pop punk should be, but also charming and exquisite, due to the cello and acoustic guitar. It’s like mixing Martha with Even in Blackouts, a perfect blend. Some songs, like the first two, “Beetlejuice” and “Strays,” could almost be called raucous, because they’re a little bit more aggressive and bouncy than others, but it’s still light and lively. The title track has the most amazing group and harmonized vocals, and “Go Away” is a fun track of independence, with the lyrics telling someone to go away. “You only text me when you’re high,” the song begins, and it recounts all the terrible things about this other person. And “Keepers” is an absolute favorite for its strong traditional folk flavor. Early Riser has a wonderfully unique sound that I adore. My only complaint is how fast the album is over. I want more!
FOUR LIGHTS (fourlightsrock.bandcamp.com; Bypolar Records, bypolarrecords.com / Double Dos Recordings, doubledos.bandcamp.com)
At long last, Four Lights’ third LP is here! After making a big splash with their first two, “Death to False Posi” in 2016 and “Kobayashi Maru” in 2018, the band went quiet, with members working on other projects. But now, after a long 6-year wait, the band’s self-titled third LP has arrived. And it was certainly worth the wait. The band gives us a dozen songs over 38 minutes, which is a whopping length for a pop punk LP, but not one second of it is filler. It’s filled with energetic, upbeat pop punk tunes and more. More? Yes, Four Lights have expanded beyond pop punk on this album. But fear not, they still offer up some spirited poppy punk rock, like on the opener, “One Year.” One of the great things about Four Lights, too, besides their excellent musicianship and solid songwriting, is their ability to sing with tight multi-part harmonies, and this is on display throughout the album. “Ride or Die” is poppy and grungy at the same time, with a dark hard-driving sound. And “CVA” is noisy, buzzy, and tuneful. “Just Tonight” glides with a great pop punk sound, and is one of my favorites of the LP. The more? They give us some indie rock songs that aren’t quite pop punk, like the somber sounding power pop “Clap Clap,” new wave synths and beats on “Good Ol’ Days (I’m Still Making Them),” and “Chill Song” is, of all things, a ballad! “Take Away” ventures into 90s melodic punk territory, and the closing track, “No Idea,” is wonderfully pleading indie rock, and another favorite. There’s even ska punk song, complete with trumpet (Of course it’s called “skasong”)! This latest LP from Four Lights shows the band remains in top form and are more than a one-note band. Solid stuff here.
L.A. CRIMES (Self-Released; distrokid.com)
L.A. Crimes is a new four-piece band out of, well, L.A. It’s fronted by Bradley Riot, whose solo acoustic material I’ve previously reviewed glowingly. What we get in his new band is the same wild, raucous, passionate sound of his acoustic songs, but bigger, richer, and electric. This makes sense, since four of the five tracks on this EP are full-band versions of songs from his solo LP. These new versions have all the excitement and intensity of the acoustic originals, but with an added layer of grit. “Dark Side of the Road,” in particular, has a huge sound, giving it even more of an urgent feel. “Don’t Say Goodbye” trades the smooth lonely electric guitar for a gruffer tone, and the song turns from melancholy to bitter. “Port to Port” transforms from a morose ballad to a striding travel tune. And “RIP” manages to sound even more heart wrenching in the full band version than its acoustic predecessor. The new song is “Pirates Brawl,” and it’s got a big 90s Epitaph punk sound mixed with sea shanty vibes, appropriate for a pirate song. While most of the songs aren’t strictly new, the full-band arrangements breathe new life into them and reconstruct them, and make them even more exciting than before. Which is a tremendous accomplishment.
PRIME DIRECTIVE – The Fallout (Punkerton Records, punkertonrecords.com)
This Columbus, Ohio band has been around for a long time, having formed nearly two decades ago, going on hiatus, and reforming in 2013. Their sound focuses on 90s melodic punk, rock and roll, and metal, and this is clearly evident on their latest release, “The Fallout.” With songs like “Reaper,” “Planet X,” “The Last Starfighter,” “Wolfman, “ and “Landing Party,” you can tell the band has a thing about science fiction and horror. Their invented backstory, too, says they “attacked from orbit” and that their “invasion” has begun. Kinda cheesy, if you ask me. But, hey, other more successful bands have their shtick, too, so I’ll allow it. But what I can’t allow is the generic nature of the record. The mix of 90s punk and metal is so overdone and it does nothing for me. One of the lead singles, “Reaper,” at least has a bit of pop melody to it, but the gang vocals on the chorus sound lethargic, and it brings down the whole song. The one thing notable on this record is the metallic punk cover of The Human League’s hit, “Don’t You Want Me,” replacing the shimmering synths with gritty guitars. It’s an odd choice of a cover in this day and age; it’s a song about a woman leaving a relationship and asserting independence, and the man claiming he’s responsible for her success and demanding she not leave him. Kind of a creepy song choice. A bland and not very appealing record, in my opinion.
TIMMY VULGAR’S GENETIC ARMAGEDDON – Zeta Reticuli (Goodbye Boozy Records, goodbyeboozydigital.bandcamp.com)
OK, this is a weird one. The A-side is the title track, and it’s strange psychedelic folk-punk, with synths creating an eerie atmosphere, a drum machine and bass pulsing hypnotically, and Timmy Vulgar singing a deep bass melancholy song. The B-side, “When The Booze Is Gone The Sorrow Is Still There,” is acoustic country folk, with delicate guitar plucking and vocals that sound deeply sedated. This is one for the stoners who are into the unconventional.
WHY BOTHER? – Hey, At Least You're Not Me (whybotheriowa.bandcamp.com; Feel It Records)
Garage punk from the heartland of America. Yes, there is music amidst the cornfields of Iowa. This stuff is gritty and lo-fi, with plenty of old school punk angular chord changes, but it’s also got subtle ambient synths creating a mysterious mood. Warbling solos sounding like they’re played underwater add to the otherworldly punk effect, while some tracks feature bouncy pop melodies. One such track is “The Wayside, sounding much brighter and less menacing than others. But speaking of menacing, “Grim Anticipation” sounds downright diabolical, with thin guitars plucking away at the melody, surrounded by sinister synths creating a cloud of confusion. “Monoamine Oxidase A” is an oddly named track that’s got a mix of garage and hard rock sounds, and it gets downright noisy and windy on the metallic guitar solo filled bridge and especially at the end of the track. I can’t call it breezy, because it’s more like a hurricane is roaring through the speakers. “Descension” is a hopping Latin-influenced dance tune that’s a lot of fun, the title track sounds like an ancient folk-song mixed with an alien soundtrack, and “I Fall Down” has the sound of a dusty western folk tune from the desert. You can hear the scream of the hot wind blowing in the synths. Each listen reveals something new. This is more creative than a “garage punk” categorization would imply.
HALF DIZZY/THE BOY DETECTIVE – Split Single (Punkerton Records, punkertonrecords.com)
It’s Spooky Season, so it’s time for some spooky music! Well, sorta – I mean how spooky can ska and reggae be? The split single features Long Island’s Half Dizzy on the A-side, assisted by Vic Ruggiero of The Slackers, on two versions of the song “The Faceless,” a song about eerie monsters without faces coming to get us. The first version is the original, and yes, the minor key and sinister electric organ give the song a spine-chilling feel. It’s a nice variation on the typical ska formula, and it gets twisted even more on the other version, which is a dance remix by Destryur. The original track is sliced and diced, and heavy electronic beats are inserted, so you can dance to the zombie apocalypse. The Boy Detective lives on the B-side and are joined by special guests J. Navarro (of Suicide Machines, Break Anchor, and J Navarro and the Traitors) along with his Traitors band mate Eric Abbey on their song, “For the Record, I’m Not a Cannibal Anymore.” This is reggae, but it also features a dark sound and eerie organ, but it’s a lot more chill and smooth sounding than the Half Dizzy track. If you like ska, reggae, and Halloween, this is the record for you, but grab it fast, because the different color variants are very limited.
AMERICAN MOTORS – Content (The Ghost Is Clear Records, theghostisclearrecords.com / Expert Works Records, expertworkrecords.bandcamp.com)
American Motors, founded just a year ago, are here to destroy the concept of “post” punk. Their debut album features a cover photo of a living room in a decaying abandoned home, upholstered furniture situated amid crumbling walls and debris, the front door wide open. It’s an apt description of the musical landscape they’re trying to evoke, ripping apart the sounds that many have considered their musical “home” for the past few decades. The band’s promo photo, too, the trio of Dustin Travis White (guitar/vocals), Alex Steward (drums), and Brad Williams (bass) sitting on the steps of Dischord House, the birthplace of much musical influences in the 80's and 90's, is fitting. American Motors’ sound mixes 90's post-punk with big dreamy sounds, noise rock sounds, ambience, and experimentalism. The biggest influence I hear is that of J Robbins, especially his 90's Jawbox material. It makes sense, in a way, because Robbins produced the record. The basic Robbins-like melodic structures are there, and the interesting angular guitars, too. But they deconstruct that genre, add layers of reverb, throbbing bass, drums that alternately pound and stab, and a filmy covering of dreaminess. But there are also lots of empty airy spaces in these tracks. Like on the opening track, “Colonial Lanes.” There are times when just the bass and drums play sparse lines while the vocals are intoned, and there are times when the guitar comes in and fills the entire space, the plucked strings ringing out like carillon bells. Another big influence is Shellac, with songs featuring harsh guitar tones, endlessly repetitive lines, and starkly bleak vocals. And when the styles merge, the result is fascinating. Like on “Three Crosses,” with throbbing bass on repeat, stabbing drums, J Robbins like vocals, with tuneful sustained tones, and massive guitar with a tone that’s dreamy, but dark, like a nightmare. The topics of the songs are as grim as the sounds. An example is “The Former Mall Anchor Store Call Center Blues,” a song whose sound is harsh and forbidding, and whose lyrics sing of urban decay and futile attempts to repurpose our municipal albatrosses. With songs ranging from thin to lush arrangements, from stark to grand, from minimalist to orchestral, American Motors tear down our concepts of “post” music to forge something new out of the ruins of the old.
THE ARMOIRES – Octoberland (Big Stir Records, www.bigstirrecords.com)
Just in time for October comes The Armoires’ fourth full-length LP, “Octoberland.” The Armoires are led by Rex Broome (vocals, guitar) and Christina Bulbenko (vocals, keyboards,) who are also Big Stir Records’ label bosses. The band’s latest LP features a dozen songs of lithe indie pop with hints of power-pop, psyche, and glam. Broome’s buzzy synths give many of the songs an expansive 70's sci-fi soundtrack feel, while Bulbenko’s vocals glide smoothly, and other songs include romantic sounding violin. “This One’s for the Swedes” features all of that in a song about being a band on the road, specifically, touring with Swedish band In Deed. It’s a definite favorite for its unique sound. The end of the world sounds downright bright and happy in “Ridley & Me After the Apocalypse,” with sparkling synths and joyous vocals singing about attempts to build a new world among the ruins of the old one. There’s plenty of variety on this LP, too. For example, there’s Americana-tinged Beatles-style pop in “Ouroboros Blues (Crow Whisperer"), cinematic songs like “You Oughta Be Cut In Half,” and an old-timey song like “It's A Good Time To Come Back Down From The Cold,” complete with saloon style piano. The closing track is the most touching of all, a delicate song about the two most important things for us to thrive, “Music & Animals.” Songs to uplift us and companion animals to keep us grounded and to share unconditional love with are essentials. Another lovely album from The Armoires.
ARMS & HEARTS – The Future Is Not Bright (Thousand Islands Records, thousandislandsrecords.com / Mt Crushmore Records, mtcrushmorerecords.com / UTB Manchester, utbmcr.bandcamp.com)
This is not the sort of record I was expecting from Thousand Islands Records, a label most noted for releasing skate-punk and melodic punk records. Instead, Arms & Hearts play gentle, emotion-laden, indie music, in the vein of Spanish Love Songs. Many of these songs are slow-paced, pensive affairs. I adore the opening track, “Time Flies When It’s Meaningless.” It starts out very quietly, with just guitar. Then the vocals come in, and there’s a very lonely feeling to the music. It builds very slowly, another guitar joining in with a big shimmering sound. The bass and drums beat out a doleful pace. It’s a very moving song. “Val” is like this, too, a hazy, lazy sort of song about death and fading away from people’s memory. “They say you die twice,” the chorus declares, “Once when you die and when someone speaks your name / For the last time.” It’s a commentary about how, within a few generations after we’re gone, no one remembers us and we’re truly gone. And how it takes a concerted effort to keep the memory of our forebears alive. A few songs change things up from this formula, with a mid-tempo pace and more of a broad West Coast pop punk feel (which is interesting because the band hail from Manchester, in the UK. “Ghost” is one of these, with a breezy sound. “Elvis Will Do in a Pinch,” “Binaries,” and “Sink, England, Sink” also fall into this category, with the last being downright bright sounding. And “Bottom Line” is almost plain ol’ pop punk. Plenty of bands were playing this sort of music a decade or so ago, and there are fewer doing it now. It’s nice that Arms & Hearts are, because it’s a style close to my heart. And they do it well.
BLACK ENDS – Psychotic Spew (Youth Riot Records, youthriotrecords.com)
Black Ends is a newer trio out of the Pacific Northwest, and
Psychotic Spew is their debut LP. Despite their location of origin and the PR materials that tried to tell me otherwise, they are not a grunge band. Or, at least, the songs on this album are not grunge. There’s no heavy sludge or hard rock present, and there’s no 70's acid-rock influence, things I consider prerequisites for the grunge label. Rather, Black Ends play indie rock that’s got some of the riffage of grunge but is lighter and much quirkier and more experimental. Nicolle Swims’ lead vocals have a unique tone and glide and ooze through the music artfully and sensuously. The lead guitar injects angular melodic lines, while the drums give the songs an incongruent jazz-funk rhythm. “Bent” is a favorite; it’s got an instrumental bridge with lots of stop-start action and off-kilter beats. But honestly, a lot of the tracks have plenty of unconventional touches like that, which makes for great listening.”Suppin On Strange” is another favorite, with a breezy feel, an atypical 12/8 meter, and more raucous rhythms in a couple of instrumental bridges. I love the mysterious sounds of “Black’s Lullaby,” with tension filled chords and violins, Swims’ vocals reminding me of the great Lydia Lunch. There’s even sampling of William S. Boroughs to close the song “When I’m Alone.” And “Red Worry” is a tour de force, more up-tempo and with more spasmodic instrumentals mixed with those sultry steaming vocals. No, this isn’t grunge, but it sure is adventurous, and that’s what we need more of in music these days.
CLASS – A Healthy Alternative (Feel It Records, www.feelitrecordshop.com)
This Tucson, Arizona band sounds like they stepped out of a time-machine blender. They’re a throwback to the sounds of the 1970's, but it’s a variety of sounds all mixed together, including garage-rock, power-pop, glam, and punk. They’ve got the raw power of early punk, the poppy melodic content of power-pop, the bright fun of glam, and the grit of garagey rock 'n' roll. Through 25 minutes, comprising ten tracks, the band radiates megawatts of power. “Scared to Care,” with its fast and loud character and angular chord changes, is the most punk of the album. Songs like “Burnout City” are very glam-like, with more of a loping tempo and attitude dripping from every note. And there are songs like “Not an Idiot,” which are very power pop, but with a strong raw edge. Besides guitar, bass, and drums, instrumentation includes saxophones and synthesizers. The track “Move So Fast” uses these in a broader song that gives it the sound of mixing progressive rock and the minimalist sounds of Krautrock. Seventies music has been making a real comeback lately, and Class are a strong participant in this movement.
DEATH DOULA – Love Spells (Death Doula Records, deathdoula.bandcamp.com)
Love can create beautiful music. Such is the case with Death Doula, formed from the budding romance of Kerry Jones and Kyle Alexander, who first collaborated a few years ago on some demo recordings, then fell in love, then moved in together in Portland, Oregon. After drafting some area musicians to fill out a band, Death Doula was born. It’s an odd choice of name, as a "death doula" is someone who provides emotional and spiritual support to people who are dying. This Death Doula should not be confused with the doom/sludge band of the same name from Northern California. No, this Death Doula is an indie rock band that plays music dripping with passion and romance. The music is poppy and dreamy, and Jones’ lead vocals are ethereal, bringing to mind amorous lounge songs. The songs are mostly hazy and lazy, but sometimes have a more dangerous and mysterious sound, like on “Poet for Hire.” “The Witness,” one of the lead singles for the album, has a huge rolling epic of a sound, while “Disembark,” the product of the original collaboration, has a big dreamy feel, the guitars drenched with emotion, and the rhythm section getting as emphatic as they can, the bass lines flying up and down while cymbals crash. This is a fine debut for Death Doula, and is a wonderfully pensive and idyllic album.
DELTA SLEEP – Blue Garden (Wax Bodega, waxbodega.com)
Delta Sleep is a UK band with whom I was completely unfamiliar until receiving this record for review, and I am ashamed, because they’ve been around for more than a decade and they’re one of the most unique bands around today. They combine mathy emo and breezy pop, using a creative mix of electronics and acoustic and electric instruments to create something new. They have developed a novel genre that they alone occupy; no one else sounds like them. They play songs that are smooth and relaxing, and songs that are emotionally charged and moving. They have incredible control over dynamics, going from quiet and solemn to explosive and back again at the drop of a hat. There are so many interesting creative touches on this album, and each listen brings something new to my ears. I love the jazzy pop rhythms, the shifting cadences, the huge emo guitar tone, and the quiet somber moments. There’s some amazing warbly electronics juxtaposed with subtle bass, and poetic vocals against hip hop beats. It’s hard to pick out standout tracks, because they’re all amazing, but I’ll mention a few that really opened my ears. “The Distance” mixes math rock and smooth jazz-pop to create something so lovely, with complex rhythms and silky guitars and vocals. “Illuminator” starts out with shiny sounds from the synths and a guitar played in the most unique way, sounding like a ticking clock, turns gloomy and then epic, then dark and mysterious. And the closing track, “Sun Chaser,” is pure beauty, starting out quietly, then exploding with joy, big pop-filled group vocals reminding me of PUP. This is a wide -ranging album that’s like nothing you’ve heard before, and it’s highly recommended.
STIFF RICHARDS – “GFC” b/w “Empty Barrels” (Drunken Sailor Records, www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk)
Stiff Richards are the undisputed kings of old school punk rock, keeping alive the flame of the first wave. I’ve reviewed a number of their previous releases, always enjoying each one. This latest single, though, may be one of their strongest releases yet. “GFC” is energetic punk rock bordering on hardcore, fast and loud, angry and powerful. The flipside, “Empty Barrels,” is more firmly rooted in the early 80s hardcore sound, faster, louder, with the beats and fierce vocals echoing each other. It’s a bit of a departure for Stiff Richards, but it’s blazingly effective. Solid single here, and I wish this was at least an EP. I want more!
ALIEN NOSEJOB – Turns the Colour of Bad Shit (Drunken Sailor Records; aliennosejob.bandcamp.com)
Alien Nosejob blends 80s new wave and early punk sounds. The best analogy I can come up with is early Devo mixed with early Go Go’s. Buzzy synths and raucous guitars, bass, and drums mix with sing-shouted vocals and poppy melodies. Saxophone appears in the mix on some songs, too, adding some nice texture, and alternating male and female lead vocals keeps the sound changing up. There’s enough retro here to keep older punks happy, but not so much as to be maudlin and nostalgic. Most of the songs have a great garage pop feel, with a gruff sound and upbeat tuneful melodies. “MAU” is one such notable song, while “Gone to Gowin…” and “It’s So Easy” are the most punk songs of the album, with a faster pace and rawer sound. The latter reminds me a little bit of the garage punk sounds of Marked Men or Radioactivity, but a little more melodic. One of the songs has a solid party sound; “Trapped in Time” has a real B-52s influence in it, making it a favorite of the LP. There are ten songs, in all, and at just under 30 minutes long, listening to “Turns the Colour of Bad Shit” is a pretty good use of your time.
COLD SUMMER – Altlasten (Kink Records/Eleven Records; coldsummerpunk.bandcamp.com)
This is dark, gloomy, aggressive music. Cold Summer’s latest release is four songs, sung in German, with Goth-like post-punk, metal, and hardcore influences. There’s a solid wall of guitar, bass, and drums providing an almost martial rhythm, and shouted vocals barking in a commanding way as if to demand you heed what you are hearing. Occasional keyboards provide ambience, both light and dark, and the entirety sounds plain ominous, especially with the buzzing guitar tone, the fuzzed distortion, and the minor and modal chords. It’s as if we’re listening in a fog-filled room, searchlights scanning the room, looking for those who would commit treasonous acts.
DOCTOR VELVET – New Breed (Wap Shoo Wap Records; wapshoowaprecords.bandcamp.com)
Way back when, there was a period in music when blues and jazz merged to become rhythm and blues. And then R&B was electrified and became the progenitor of rock and roll. Doctor Velvet aims to bring back that era with their debut full-length LP, “New Breed.” We get ten tracks of rockin’ R&B, with guitar, bass, drums, electric organ, saxophone, and vocals, all soulfully crafted. They tracked this album thoughtfully, mixing raucous rockers, slow burners, and darker tunes, like the Latin jazz-rock inspired “Road to Nowhere.” Some tracks lean more toward the jazzy side of the equation, while others are more rock and roll. Such is the case with “Messed Up,” which is a time capsule of 50s rock and roll, from the rhythm cadence to the rollicking guitar solo. I really like “Snake Pit” and “Blue Moon Caravan,” both of which have a lounge-like feel but with a tension-filled slow burn. Right after these two we get the hopping “Bad Luck Baby” that’ll surely get you out on the dance floor shaking your behind. But it’s “Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere” that’s got the juice. Mid-tempoed, rockin’, soulful, with a great sax solo. The closing track, “I’m Crying,” has the most modern sound of the LP; though it’s still an R&B/rock and roll song, it seems to have undertones of 60s mod that was yet to come and even hints of power pop. What a cool record!
FELDSPAR – Old City New Ruins (TTK Records; feldspar.bandcamp.com)
Imagine mixing post hardcore’s dark angular sound, progressive rock’s complexity, and youth crew hardcore’s anger and big gang vocals. That gives you an idea of what Feldspar sounds like. The band from Rome plays songs with loads of melodic content, thick, rich arrangements, and furious vocals. They’re fairly new, having only formed a year or so ago, but they sound like seasoned pros. The arrangements are more labyrinthine than typical punk or hardcore, which may seem at odds with the genre, but Feldspar break through normal expectations to create something new and unique, and it works surprisingly well. One song with an unexpected twist is “Dead Friends Still Alive,” which includes an angelic choir of backing vocals on the chorus, but the verses are a mix of loping hardcore, indie, and post hardcore, with passionate pummeling vocals. I really like “18 Karat,” which reminds me of old school youth crew hardcore like Gorilla Biscuits or Youth of Today. It’s the most straightforward track of the album, eschewing the creative mix of genres and going with a more pointed approach for an attack on people who constantly seek approval from others and think they’re better than anyone else. Right after is another solid youth crew type song, “Your Resistance Is not Only Futile but Also Pathetic.” And “Scalp Is an Ashtray” may be my favorite track of the album, with a mix of post hardcore, hardcore, and even DC style emo hardcore. The angriest track has to be “God Is Fired,” a vicious attack on organized religion and the Vatican. It opens and closes with ethereal synthesizers, and its end flows into the title track with that same sound. But in between is powerful hardcore that has some great riffs and a huge epic sound. Feldspar is one of the most original hardcore bands around today.
THE GOBS – “Go Soft” b/w “Pop Off” (goodbyeboozydigital.bandcamp.com)
The Gobs’ debut is a two-song blast of noisy lo-fi synth punk. Italian garage record label Goodbye Boozy Records gifts us with this new band from the Pacific Northwest of the US, and their two songs of raucous, buzzy, synth-laden punk-fucking-rock. “Go Soft” is fuzzed to the max, speedy garage punk, but super poppy and buzzing with synths. “Pop Off” is slightly cleaner sounding, but it’s darker, more hardcore, and less pop. Both songs show a promising future for the band.
HOTKID – Downtown (Fortune Stellar Records, fortunestellarrecords.bandcamp.com)
Toronto indie band HotKid returns with a new four-song EP. These are lovely songs, and Shiloh Harrison’s vocals are smooth and soothing. There are two versions of the title track, a full-band version and an acoustic version. The full-band version leads of the EP, and we get fuzzed rhythm guitar and jangly lead guitar playing gorgeous riffs while Harrison croons beautifully. The acoustic version closes the EP, and it has a more somber sound, not only from the acoustic guitars, but also in Harrison’s singing. Rather than crooning, the vocal delivery has a sense of melancholy. It’s hard to decide which I like better, because they’re both good and both very different. “Naked” has a darker sound, with throbbing bass and frantically picked guitars. There’s a hint of 70s soulful rock and roll in here, too, particularly from the guitar tone. “All Time” sees a brighter song, the presence of the instruments being felt in the quality recording job. Harrison’s singing on this one glides in a very soothing way, and this may be my favorite of the EP. Nice job!
KILL LINCOLN – No Normal (Bad Time Records; killlincolndc.bandcamp.com)
Oh, c’mon! You know Kill Lincoln! You shouldn’t need me to write a review to tell you they’re one of the foremost ska-punk bands around today. They have a PUP-like intensity in their pop punk parts, complete with big gang vocals, and the ska sections are just made for skanking to. The arrangements include trumpet, trombone, and saxophone that blend thoughtfully, injecting hints of jazz, as well as ska. The arrangements are thoughtfully done and really add to the songs, which are hugely poppy, and the lead vocals are equal parts passion and nerd-punk. There isn’t a single song on this album that isn’t a solid banger, but there are some notable tracks. “Planted” starts out as more of a hardcore song, fast and loud, and then the horns come in, jazzing things up, while the guitars play those ska riffs and the song turns eminently poppy. I really like the mix of loud and raucous with the tamer, poppier parts in this song. I love “Roll Me Away,” with its big fun sound, and I can see this one as a huge crowd pleaser at shows, with lots of singing along and fist pumping. The horns in ”Buried Alive” deserve special mention. They do a great job bridging the gap between jazz and ska, and the more melodic punk of the guitars, bass, and drums, especially in the amazing ending of the song. And “Coming or Going” is one of the best songs of the album, with a mysterious Middle Eastern folk sound in the ska parts. The flute intro and the horn solos are spectacular, and when the punk parts start, it’s wonderfully controlled mayhem. The songwriting, performances, and arrangements on this album are all top-notch. And even if you’re normally not a fan of ska, you need to hear this album, because it’s so well done (and there’s more pop punk than there is ska, anyway).
THE LOW SIXES – The Oshawa Tree (Forge Again Records, forgeagainrecords.bandcamp.com)
The Low Sixes are indie rock from Montreal. And though the PR material call them a “punk-injected power pop” band, I don’t get that. They’re not raw or raucous enough to be called punk, nor are they simplistic enough to be called power pop. Yes, their songs are catchy and melodic and will get your head bobbing with ease. But the nine tracks are lusher and more complex than either of those genres; this is definitely indie rock. There’s a definite streak of fun in the songs, plenty of excitement in the sparkling instrumentals and just the right mix of angst and joy in the lead vocals. Listen to the opening tracks, “Turn on the Night” and “Ryan’s Favorite Song,” and see if you don’t agree with me. They just sound so rapturous and bouncy. Many of the songs have really lovely backing vocals, too, adding to the celestial sound of these tracks. There are hints of Beatles influence and glam in some songs, too, particularly “The Worst is Yet to Come,” which has an almost cinematic vibe. And “I Know Somebody” is super soulful, and has trumpet and saxophone in the arrangement. The Low Sixes’ new LP is a lot of fun.
MATT CASKITT & THE BREAKS – California Dream Hearse (Loud Circles Vinyl; mattcaskittandthebreaks.bandcamp.com)
The producer needs a band credit on this album, because the production really gives these songs an added dimension. From the reverb to the guitar tones selected, and the smooth harmonious backing vocals, the songs sound bigger, and dare I say, dreamier, than they do live. I can more clearly hear the emotion and passion in Matt Caskitt’s lead vocals, and the high pitched jangle in the lead guitar gives the songs a bit of old honky-tonk feel. The songs sound breezier and more epic, and the keyboards add a new twist to the band’s sound. There’s more use of harmonized gang vocals on this album than there is in the live shows, and it really makes a positive difference, making the songs sound both bigger and dreamier. Many of these songs have become staples of the band’s live set, but some of them are so different here that it’s like hearing them for the first time, and it’s glorious. “Talk Talk” opens the album, and it’s a longtime favorite. The album version uses all sorts of great production techniques to make the song feel so much more epic than in the live set, the keyboards and guitars blending in the reverb, and vocals bouncing around are amazing. The song is about those people who are always rambling on about something, interrupting other people, and spewing verbal diarrhea. Listen to the tone of “Got Me On Your Hook.” It has a big breezy sound and those tightly harmonized backing vocals remind me of 70s AM radio top 40 in the best way. And “Renovations,” a song using home renovations as a metaphor for making changes in one’s own life, is generally introspective sounding, and a bit wistful, but the chorus iteration after the halfway mark veritably shimmers with pop goodness, thanks to keyboards. A song I haven’t heard in the live set is “The Long Lost Arts.” It’s a much darker sounding song than MC&TB usually do, and very mysterious sounding. There’s an impenetrable wall of guitars through much of the song, and a piercing quality to the guitar tone that reaches right through the soul. “Back Pedal” has also been a regular live set fixture, but this album version sounds so much bigger and flows so much more smoothly. You can really hear the care that went into making this album, and the attention to detail. This album outdoes the band’s debut, “Welcome Home,” and also any of Matt Caskitt’s previous work.
ROWDY (Drunken Sailor Records, www.drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com)
When a band has the same name as several other bands, it’s hard to find info about them on the internet, but it’s still easy to listen and provide my impressions. And Rowdy are a fun band that play simple, straightforward rock and roll with a punk rock twist. There’s nothing fancy or flashy going on here; this is straightforward raw music. The songs are poppy, yet aggressive, in a power pop meets garage sort of vein. “Be That One” is a favorite for its harder garage sound, with a deep rumbling bass and growling guitars. Right after that we get “Rollin’ and Strollin’,” which has a softer sound, slower pace, and an almost ballad-like melody. The simple chords and melodies, along with the tough female vocals, reminds me of The Runaways. Listening to this short LP (eight songs in 22 minutes) is like stepping back in time to the 1970s.
SEAFARERS – Another State (seafarersmusic.bandcamp.com)
Seafarers are an indie-pop band from London, but they have a thicker, lusher sound than typical indie-pop bands. Their songs also feature folk-inspired melodies and a story-telling vibe, creating something very pretty and compelling to listen to. But the topics of the songs are hardly fodder for typical folk songs. Take “Televangelists” for example. There’s a hint of Celtic folk in the melody, and the shimmer of the instruments underneath the delicate vocals gives it a magical sound. The lyrics are about the cynical use of religion by greedy shysters to control people and enrich themselves. As the song evolves it grows louder, adding keyboards, plucked guitar (in place of harp?), bass, and drums, swelling into something glorious before quieting again and ending with that spiritual shimmer. “Melissa” also has a folk-pop sound and lyrics that are a slice of life, speaking of the hardships of adult life, trying to hold onto relationships, and just trying to get by. Lauren Kinsella’s lead vocals are enchanting, as they are throughout the album. She makes it sound so casual and easy, almost conversational, which gives the songs that story-telling feel. On songs like “Crashing Cars” we get a sense of why the band is the Seafarers; it has the sound of a slowed down sea shanty, but rather than being a song about life on the ocean it’s about looking back on one’s life, the with its ups and downs. It feels almost like a solemn anthem. “Tiny Itch” is very different from the rest of the tracks, with Matthew Herd taking vocal leads on a song that’s part hip hop, part pop, and part ethereal magic. And the closing track, “A Little Loss,” is simply gorgeous. The song features simply piano and vocals, and it’s a very somber song, also with a traditional folk mien. This is a spellbindingly beautiful record.
THE BAD UPS – Life of Sin (Jump Start Records, jumpstartrecords.com)
The Bad Ups is a band from Philadelphia, formed fairly recently (in 2018) by front man Travis McKayle. The name comes from a slang Jamaican term (McKayle is from the island) “baddup,” which is bad treatment of someone else. After six years as a band, The Bad Ups are finally releasing their debut full-length LP, which features 90s style poppy punk rock, in a Bouncing Souls sort of vein. Poppy melodies mix with aggressive guitars, throbbing bass, and powerful drums to create something that falls halfway between the 90s Epitaph and Fat Wreck sounds. It’s edgy enough to be please your punk side and poppy enough to keep your dancing feet jumping. Songs are mid to up-tempo and expertly played and produced; a lot of care obviously went into making it, as it sounds almost slick. Some of the songs have a loping mid-tempo, like the opening track, “Better Than You,” “or Ego Trip,” which sounds a bit like an old Green Day song. “Paloma” has the sound of a punk rock cover of a Latino anthem. I enjoy the striding feel of “Dawg,” which mixes some barking (both human and canine) into the tune. And “Sweet ‘n’ Low” has a more indie rock sound than pop punk, and it’s got a cool 80s guitar tone in it. Some songs are a little quicker paced, with a higher level of excitement, like “Underground” or “Lowes,” the latter of which has some great ska-punk breaks (belying McKayle’s Jamaican roots). The closing track, “NTB,” is acoustic, with a dark haunting sound, but it’s also got a raucous feel to it. I honestly can’t pick out a favorite song of this album, but likewise, I can’t pick out any I don’t like, because they’re all good.
BAD YEAR (Snappy Little Numbers Quality Audio Recordings, www.snappylittlenumbers.com)
Bad Year hails from Denver, Colorado, and mostly play big pop punk songs. They’ve been around awhile – since 2016 – and they’ve released a handful of singles and EPs, but this is their first proper full-length LP. Across thirty-five minutes we’re treated to ten songs of thickly arranged pop punk in a 90s vein. “Opener” opens the LP, and is a favorite, with a sound that’s both nostalgic yet still sounds modern and vital. The arrangement is rich and full and the vocals are powerful and tuneful, the melody broad yet bouncy. I like “Washington Your Home,” too, for its wistful sentimental feel in the melody and gang vocals, even as it’s still raucous poppy punk. “Black Zin” has a broad emotional sound mixed with the pop punk, while “Closer,” which, of course, closes the album, we lose the pop and get a bigger more emotional sound. The only track I couldn’t get into at all is “Paper Cuts.” It’s easily the worst track of the album with more of a generic hard rock sound than anything pop punk or punk at all. Bad Year is firmly rooted in pop punk traditions of the past, so in that sense they aren’t unique, but they play well and write songs you can get into and jump around to.
BRACKISH – Rear View (brackish.bandcamp.com)
Philadelphia’s Brackish have been making music for nearly a decade, but only released their debut full-length LP a couple of years ago. Their follow-up is a new three-song EP that loosely could be called emo pop punk. The first song, “Threatening,” is the bet of the three, with an aggressive sound, thick loud guitars, passionate vocals, and a melody that’s alternately dark and bright. “Lay Down” is the middle track, and starts out with the same aggressive edge, but with a more plaintive melancholy melody. And “Rear View” has a milder jangly indie sound. While there’s an argument to be made that Brackish aren’t creating anything new and sound like other bands, they do a solid job of it and are nice to listen to.
FLOURISH – Deep Wellsprings of Being (Lost Future Records, www.lostfuturerecords.com)
Flourish are a band from Northern Ohio that are a bit tough to classify. The album title seems very appropriate, as the songs are very spiritual and artistic. These are songs that ebb and flow, the band painting musical landscapes. There’s a sense of dreaminess and shoegaze, as well as edgy grungy metal, jazz fusion, ambience, and more. And though the songs feel primarily like instrumentals, there are vocals in some songs, though the vocals seem to blend in with the instruments to become another aspect of the sonic art. The dynamics are massive, songs going from huge mounds of deep sludge to shallow pools of clear water blown by a light breeze and back again. Unorthodox time signatures create unique rhythms, synths generate a shimmering backdrop, and guitars, bass, and drums shift the mood from serene to chaotic and everything in between. It’s hard to conceive of dreamy music contrasted with noisy guitars, but Flourish do just that, smooth ethereal vocals vying for attention with the gruff gritty instrumentals on songs like “Steel Tracks Move the Trains” or “New Cosmic Terror.” I think one of the coolest aspects of this album is how, on certain tracks, when the music comes to an end there are still ambient sounds gently shimmering. At first I thought it was sounds coming from outside, but it’s part of the music. This is fascinating stuff, perhaps best listened to for setting a mood.
PALM GHOSTS – Façades 3 – Channeling (Sweet Cheetah Records, www.sweet-cheetah-records.com / Poptek Records, www.poptek.com)
We’ve reached the third EP in Palm Ghosts’ ambitious endeavor to release four EPs this year, culminating in a double LP collection at the end of the year featuring all four EPs and some bonus tracks. Like the previous two releases, this one features five songs of music that could loosely be called post-punk, with deep baritone Ian Curtis-like lead crooning vocals. The first EP (“Escape”) hopped through variations within the post-punk genre, and the second (“Masks”) had a more cohesive sound mixing bright and dark post-punk with a pop edge. But this new EP’s songs are a little more experimental in nature. From the start of the first track, “Wilderness of Mirrors,” we hear something more sinister, darker than anything Palm Ghosts have done before. The wilderness of mirrors that surround us are constantly reflecting distortions of our collective features, as the song tells us, seeming to explain that our worst fears are mere reflections of ourselves and what we put into the world. “Church Windows” is a dark, brooding song about how organized religion, though a solace for many, seeks to keep people in ignorance (“Stop asking questions you don’t wanna know the answers” comes the song’s refrain, as the song also alludes to religious leaders purposely creating shadows to obscure things (“I seek to starve the shadows born from / The church’s window lights”) and how they cast a fog to confuse (“But through the fog beset on me / I see not my own hand”). The upbeat “Love Bombed and Conquered” features dark booming bass and glittering synths, while singer Joseph Lekkas’ sonorous vocals sing of being trapped in an evil cult. “We Measure Days by What We’ve Lost” sounds brighter than the preceding tracks, with a sweeping saga sound, though the topic is darker. “This Side of Heaven,” which closes the EP, is the brightest song of them all, and one of the brightest Palm Ghosts songs yet. It’s got a nice thick sound, surfy lead guitars singing out while the rhythm guitar sits in the background creating more ambience than rhythm. Three EPs, a cohesive sound, yet all three have significant differences. I think “Channeling” may be the best one yet.
MT. ORIANDER / AMID N THE OLD WOUNDS – Split EP (Count Your Lucky Stars Records, www.cylsrecords.com)
Three songs on a 7” split. The A-side is from Mt. Oriander, fronted by label boss Keith Latinen. The song is a sweeping epic of gorgeous 90s indie-emo, with lightly jangling clear guitars that turn into big soaring guitars, and Latinen’s wonderfully nerdy 90s emo vocals. “You Chip Away at Anything that Isn’t an Elephant” is a long song that doesn’t feel long, because it’s so simple and so pretty – and so sad. Amid the Old Wounds is Daniel Becker and his acoustic guitar, and he lives on the B-side of this split, also playing two quietly sorrowful songs, “Field of View” and “Hypothetically Speaking I.” Becker’s voice is clear and sonorous, the acoustic guitar spare and stark; his resulting songs are genuine and moving.
ALL HOPE REMAINS – Find My Way (Pee Records, peerecords.com / Double Helix Records, doublehelixrecords.com)
All Hope Remains is an Australian band that plays “melodic punk,” that generic name for generic punk-based music that was popular in the 1990s and 2000s, and remains popular in bro-punk circles today. It’s heavy and metallic, often speedy, with skate punk leanings, and it’s dark and loud. And all ten of the songs sound very much alike, and they all sound like a million other bands that play this genre.
BEEF – Il Manzo (Goodbye Boozy Records, beef.bandcamp.com)
Beef ain’t what’s for dinner, it’s what’s going to knock you for a loop. Beef are a quartet from Cincinnati that play heavy rock music that’s inspired by garage rock, but isn’t quite garage rock itself. It’s a brutal pounding assault with soaring screeching guitars, thumping bass, pounding drums, and vocals that sound emphatic, yet casual. The result is a four track EP that’s hard-hitting and raucous, with a wall of fuzzed insistent music that won’t let you escape. Exciting shit here. The one drawback is that the EP is over in a scant seven minutes. I want more BEEF, and I’m a vegetarian!
THE BLACK PACIFIC – Here Comes Our Wave (Dine Alone Records, dinealonerecords.com)
The Black Pacific is a side project for Pennywise front man Jim Lindberg, along with various friends from other bands. They formed in 2010 and quickly released a debut LP and announced more new music would be forthcoming. But they’ve been pretty silent since – until now. “Here Comes Our Wave” is the band’s sophomore LP, now recorded with the band’s quartet configuration (as opposed to the initial LP’s trio). Upon starting to listen, it sounded exactly how I expected it would – like 90s melodic punk, in the same vein as Pennywise, Bad Religion, and that ilk. There are plenty of crunchy guitars and vocal harmonies creating a familiar sound in the opening track, “I Think I’m Paranoid.” And the second track, “Superhero,” similarly mixes speedy beats, a metallic punk edge, and strong melodic sensibility to create that 90s sound. But that’s not the only sound we get on “Here Comes Our Wave.” “Won’t Make a Sound” has a hint of Nirvana grunge mixed in. “Here We Come” is one of the better tracks of the LP, with a brighter sound, sort of like garage mixed with 80s new wave; the vocals on the chorus for some reason remind me of Duran Duran’s “Rio,” with a melodic croon. “Best Day Ever” has a great pop melody sung over loud fuzzed and distorted guitars, in the way Hüsker Dü used to do it, though the song doesn’t sound like a Hüsker Dü song. “When Paper Burns” has a 90s punk sound, but less of the west coast variety and with more of a Midwest sound – I hear hints of Pegboy in there, which is pleasing to my ears. And things seem to keep getting better as the album evolves. A lot of these tracks do have varying levels of 90s melodic punk sounds, but there’s enough variety in this album to keep it from getting dull and repetitive, like so much 90s melodic punk can do. This exceeded my expectations.
CHRISTOPHER LEE LEWIS – They Still Haven’t Figured Out What’s Wrong with Me (Sweet Cheetah Records, www.sweet-cheetah-records.com)
Christopher Lee Lewis and his acoustic guitar return, a mere two months since his last LP, “They Haven’t Figured Out What’s Wrong with Me.” Once again, the release benefits a worthy cause, with all proceeds from the sale of the record being donated to Doctors Without Borders. And again, the album consists of ten songs that are subdued and relaxed. The folk influences remain, though there’s less psych than before. Again, the songs are delicate and the singing is heartfelt, such as with “Not Sticking Around,” a song with overdubbed acoustic guitars and pained vocals crying out, “Who am I, anyway?” and “Who am I kidding?” It’s a refusal to confront one’s own feelings and experiences, choosing instead to run away from uncomfortable realities. I enjoy “Family Secrets,” a song with a less delicate and more emphatic sound, again with overdubbed dueling acoustic guitars, plus what sounds like acoustic bass guitar. There’s a steady rhythm and brighter sound, Lewis’ vocals singing in a higher register. It almost has the sound of an indie pop song. I also enjoy the album’s closer, “Wheel Spinner,” a folksy song about creating one’s own problems and spinning your wheels, not moving forward. If you liked Lewis’ previous LP, you will enjoy this one, too.
THE MERINGUES – Pavlova’s Dog (themeringues.bandcamp.com)
The Meringues are a Canadian outfit that mixes indie and psych, reminding me of Playboy Manbaby but with a lighter touch, less punk, and more indie. The general feeling is an album of big time party music. “Shambles” leads off the album with a song that sounds fun but sings about a toxic relationship involving insults, threats of break-up, and confusion. It has a great bounce and bright party-like vocals, belying the dark lyrics. “Royalty” has a cool mix of new wave and psych, with shimmering guitars and keyboards, and the big party-like gang vocals that make The Meringues who they are. “Outta Time” has a big striding vibe and sassy sounding vocals, and “A.I. (Actually Incredible)” sounds like a lighter indie PUP. Some songs have a garage punk sound, too, like “Medusa” or “Nvr Rlly Hnst,” with a strong beat, fuzzed up guitars, electric organ, and simple chords. The vocals still have a B-52s party mix vibe, so despite the instrumentals trying to sound serious, the songs still sound too darn fun. “Time to Breathe” and “Speed” are a couple of the more rockin’ songs, with a harder edge and with the vocals still sounding quirky, but angry rather than partying. If you like fun, you’ll like this album.
NO GUIDANCE – Late to the Party (Thousand Islands Records, noguidancepunk.bandcamp.com)
No Guidance is a band with a split personality. Are they a skate punk band? Do they play melodic hardcore? Or are they a pop punk band? We get all of this on “Late to the Party,” the German band’s sophomore LP (and their first for Thousand Islands Records). It’s an album filled with anger over the greed and corruption of people who destroy the planet to feed their greed and lust for power, about the rightward tilt toward fascism running rampant in the world, and about the lack of regard for the rights of equality for all by the very people who swear to uphold such rights. The album begins with “Oh Hell,” a metallic melodic hardcore track filled with anger and aggression and lyrics about the quest for power, the monetization of war, and the extraction of wealth from the most vulnerable people on the planet. Several of the tracks have this sound, blending skate punk speed and Bad Religion influenced melodic hardcore. “OK Boomer” is another, a song about aging people who selfishly choose conspiracy theories and fascism over equality and freedom for all. But I must say I resent the title; not all Boomers think this way. There are plenty of us who want a better, fairer society where everyone has a seat at the table and shares in the fruits of our shared labors. There are also emotional songs about loss of loved ones. “Shores” is a poppier sounding song, blending the speediness of slate punk with the brightness of pop punk to create a song on a melancholy topic: the despondency in the aftermath of loss of a loved one, and how such a departure often leaves us feeling lost and rudderless. Other poppy songs include “Back To You,” and “Where She Belongs,” a track that verges on indie rock, with a slower pace and thicker sound. A favorite of the album is “Constitution.” It successfully melds a poppier melody with the harder edge of melodic hardcore on a song of accusation targeting those who would eliminate liberties and elevate others to special status. “Adequate Salary Blues,” too, brings together pop punk, super speedy skate punk, and the angularity of melodic hardcore, making it one of the more interesting tracks of the album. If you like a mix of pop, hardcore, speedy playing, and politics, check out No Guidance.
SATANIC TOGAS – “Illusions” b/w “1998” (Goodbye Boozy Records, goodbyeboozydigital.bandcamp.com)
Italian garage punk label Goodbye Boozy Records brings us another pair of stripped down blasts from Aussie band Satanic Togas. Guitar, bass, drums, and 80s style synth play a thin arrangement of frenetic punk, with simple chords and distorted shouted vocals. This is raw lo-fi stuff, harkening back to the earliest days of punk rock. “Illusions” is about living a life filled with distractions from reality, pursuing material wealth instead of real connections. “1998” is about the slow march of society towards deeper authoritarianism. While both tracks are fun, the B-side is a little more raucous, focusing more on guitar-driven punk and less on synths. If you’re a fan of retro garage punk, check this out.
THE SHITDELS – Where’s Your Head? (Mono) (Big Neck Records, bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com)
The Shitdels are a noisy distorted garage punk band that plays impossibly bright, poppy, and fun songs. The layers of noise and the careening nature of the songs makes The Shitdels sound like they’re maybe a little sloppy, always on the verge of falling apart, but no, they’re proficient and hold it together. The opening track, “Headstone,” sparkles and shines in a way that’s totally unexpected for garage punk. Sure, there’s plenty of grit, but the lead guitar and vocals and even the bass sound so damned elated and happy, you can’t help but smile and dance. “Hold On” has a bouncy 50s doo-wop sound that transforms into 60s mod toward the end, with the addition of bubbly backing vocals. I like the gritty psych sound of “Electric Cars,” while the garage surf vibes of “All I Wanted” and “Raybans” make for perfect fun-in-the-sun music. The title track is very simple, yet it’s got a compelling energy, making it a favorite of the album. And “Any Girl” has a great retro 60s mod-pop sound buried under layers of distorted garage and psych. It’s clear The Shitdels are having a blast making this music, and that makes it fun to listen to.
THE SLACKERS – "What We Gonna Do Now" b/w "Pick and Choose" (Pirates Press Records, piratespressrecords.com)
New York City’s ska-reggae band The Slackers are back with a new single, just in time for election season. The title for “What We Gonna Do Now” comes from the Clash song, “Clampdown,” and is a jazzy tune that asks the far right MAGA types, who have spent the last four years parroting conspiracy theories and who rioted in the US Capitol to try to overthrow the government what they plan to do now. It accuses them of having a “psychotic break” and asks if they’re ready to “rejoin the human race.” It’s a bouncy finger-snappin’ song that features smooth sounds, a big band worthy arrangement, plus powerhouse sax and trombone solos. “Pick and Choose” is a more traditional reggae tune, with a more soulful sound and more emotion. It’s about how words are meaningful, but only if they’re backed up with action. Otherwise they’re meaningless. Another winner from The Slackers.
STOKE SIGNALS – Make Dying Fun (stokesignalsband.com)
Stoke Signals is a newer band out of LA (they played their first show just this past January) that plays powerful melodic punk rock that’s poppy without being pop punk, but also doesn’t veer into “melodic punk” territory that most associate with 1990s and 2000s punk. A mix of big gang vocals and solid melodies makes some of the songs on this album more akin to PUP. Songs like “Alternative Medicine,” which opens the album, have a big striding sound with the sort of nerdy punk lead vocals and group singing that PUP are so well known for. Or “Neon,” with vocals shifting between leads and the group. Some of the songs have a darker emotional cast to them, like “Burning Daylight,” “Holy Fangs,” or “Take the Wheel,” yet still have a strong urgent and speedy sound. Stoke Signals say they decided to hit the ground running and debut with an LP rather than releasing an EP or a demo. I think they made the right choice. This is exciting stuff, with a big wall of guitar, bass, and drums and passionate vocals. I see big things for them in the future, if they’re able to get outside of Southern California and tour.
SUNSET RUBDOWN – Always Happy to Explode (Pronounced Kroog, pronouncedkroog.bandcamp.com)
Sunset Rubown began life as a solo project from Spencer Krug (of Wolf Parade). It since has grown to a full band, toured extensively, went on hiatus, and finally have reunited for this, their first new recordings in fifteen years. The PR materials call it an “art rock” band. Well, all music is art, but I don’t know if I would call Sunset Rubdown an “art rock” band in the traditional sense of the term. But they do play unique music that doesn’t neatly fit into any specific genre categorization. And that, right there, starts them out with a plus. There are plenty of good bands that write and play good songs that sound like several other bands. But when a band creates something new and different, that becomes more intriguing to me. The songs are generally spare in arrangement, with guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals – which sounds like a lot, but the arrangements sound thinner and more delicate that would be expected. There’s a melancholy feel in the nine songs, a sense of sadness and loss. Like on the opening track, “Losing Light,” a song about living lives of quiet desperation. It’s about the daily compromises we make, following in the footsteps of others to stay safe and comfortable instead of striking out on our own and exposing ourselves to the accompanying risks. The deep bass, with its slight distortion, creates quite a texture on “All Alright,” along with dueling lead vocals. “Candles” is bouncy and tries so hard to be bright, but still has a shadow of wistfulness to it, a blue cast in the synth-heavy tune about loneliness and patience (at least that’s what it seems to me). “Call me if you still need me I’m still here / I am in the last place you went looking for me,” says the chorus. On some songs, piano is added to the synths, like the deeply sorrowful “Snowball,” a slow waltz that starts out quietly and has some big epic moments, too. “Reappearing Rat” is one of my favorites of the album, with a sense of quiet urgency and lyrics about how we try to make things just the way we want them, but just as things are getting good, there’s always something going wrong to ruin it – the “rat” reappears. And that rat is us, self-sabotaging. “Worm” is, perhaps, the most mournful of all the songs, with heavy buzzing wavering synths and a morose melody. The closing track, “Fable Killer,” is quietly stunning. A piano strikes some chords as the vocals sing plaintively. A lovely sad album.
KAL MARKS – Wasteland Baby
(Exploding In Sound Records;
kalmarks.bandcamp.com)
This latest album from Kal Marks is a concept LP, one that’s close to frontman Carl Shane’s heart: his fears about fatherhood and bringing a child into this mess of a world we have made for ourselves. It still bears the hallmarks of a Kal Marks LP, in that it blends melodic indie-rock with sonic art experimentalism, but this time there’s a singular focus to the songs. The first track serves as an intro, a lullaby of sorts, with muffled keyboards and warbled vocals, punctuated with occasional digital noise and artifacts and blasts of static. As the track progresses, the noise increases until it overwhelms everything else. It’s an omen or fear of bad things to come. “Insects” has the sound of alarm, the guitar acting as a siren and the drums beating out a martial rhythm, with lyrics likening people to vile, violent insets, all trying to cash in before the collapse of everything. As the song evolves it becomes an aggressive alt-rock tune, with angular guitar jabs stabbing and the vocals rising with desperate anxiety. I love the sweeping epic that is the wish for “A Functional Earth,” and “All God’s Children” is a chilling interlude, with a bell tolling and echoing in an empty landscape, with the sounds of pained screeching growing louder and louder. The closing title track is a promise. It has a much more optimistic and hopeful sound than anything else on the album, and lyrics that declare, “We’ll keep the Hellscape at bay/ And doom is on the rise, oceans of blood and decay. There’s only one thing in this world I don’t despise, it’s in her eyes.” Love wins out, as it always does, and despite the state of the world, everything will be OK as long as we keep that love in our hearts. Kal Marks is a unique voice in today’s musical world that deserves to be heard more widely.
MK ULTRAS (Big Neck Records, bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com)
MK Ultras is a band that crawled out of the pre-pandemic punk ooze of the Cleveland punk scene, released the 5-song “Secret Tape” EP, and now presents their self-titled debut full-length. Four of the cassette’s songs make the cut here, and there are four additional songs to boot. Musically, MK Ultras presents a mix of punk, old school hardcore, and garage. It’s edgy and aggressive. It’s a gut punch and it’s a back stab. This is the music listened to and made by the people you’re afraid to meet in a dark alley. “Target Killer” sounds like the title track to some twisted indie film about punk rock assassins for hire, while “Your Face” reminds me of the great Texas band, Radioactivity, but with electric organ included in the mix. It’s a bit poppy, but it’s also rapid-fire garage punk. “You Say” is classic early 80s hardcore, from the music to the lyrics, and “Listen to Me” reminds me very specifically of early 80s Midwest hardcore, especially Chicago’s Naked Raygun. “License to Steal” is a slow burner bluesy garage punk tune that closes the album, with sax, dripping with grease and sleaze. If you’re a fan of old school garage, punk, and hardcore, this is for you.
OH, ARE THEY? – Guilt (oharethey.bandcamp.com)
Oh yes, they are. Philadelphia band Oh, Are They? is well worth the time spent listening on this, their third record. In a departure from their previous releases, titled, “i” and “ii,” they’ve titles this one with a word rather than a number. The title is “Guilt,” and it’s a harbinger of the topical nature of the ten songs here. There are themes of guilt here, guilt about one’s identity, guilt about indecision whether to remain stagnant or to embrace change, guilt about whether to stay or go. These songs are more than solid. They’re in the post-hardcore realm, with strong, heavy, aggressive instrumentals and powerful, emotion-packed shouted and screamed vocals, but the songs are much more compelling and complex than typical post-hardcore. Unexpected chord changes and thoughtful arrangements with a sometimes near orchestral sensibility are evident. The songs get better and better as the album evolves, going from good to strong to phenomenal. The intro, “Movable Headstones,” is a quiet eerie song that tells of a dream that one’s home is inhabited by a ghost trying to escape. But more than a ghost story, it seems to be a story of how we sabotage our own attempts to get out of bad situations or improve our lives. “And it tried to escape through a door / And I was behind each time pushing it closed,” the song says. It tees up the rest of the album’s themes of self-sabotage and uncertainty of one’s own identity, with songs like “Stop Hitting Yourself” and “Mistaken Identity.” The latter track is about imposter syndrome, the feeling that you aren’t who others think you are, that you’re somehow “less than,” and the uncertainty of whether you should strive to live up to those perceived expectations or not. “A Stranger Revelation” is jaw-droppingly good, showing impressive dynamic range, with sections shifting from loud to soft to loud and with rhythms that shift on a dime. In addition to the huge songs there are quieter ballads with a thinner arrangement and slower pace, but the vocals are, perhaps, even more angst-filled and forceful. Such is the case with “Perfect,” a song about being in denial of the need for change in one’s life. “Don’t make me change!” the chorus demands, “Because everything’s perfect.” “Everything the Light Touches” moves from quiet to loud, but rather than sounding aggressive, the song has an almost breezy sound through most of it. The lyrics are about knowing self-destruction and avoidance of responsibility. “I’m slowly killing myself / And I know you’re concerned about my health / Am I doing my best / Or am I playing a trick on everyone else?” the song asks. “I’m going away for awhile / I hope that you come too.” “I’m so afraid to be alone,” the song chimes, as if to reveal the recognition that you may be pushing others away, but you don’t want to. The song builds and builds, the guitars distorting and all the instruments sounding like a bell tolling. The climax of the album is reached with “Dweller (On the Threshold),” an amazing tour de force, a sweeping epic of a song. It seems to be about being on the threshold of change, at the point of choosing life or death, choosing to move forward or sink deeper, and the struggle to decide. The album’s postscript, “Removable Headstones,” is a bookend to the album’s intro, featuring just piano and vocals. “Your dreams, they don’t matter to me,” the song states, “You don’t matter to me,” it concludes. The interpretation is left open. What decision was made at the threshold? Is it the dream of the ghost or is it the sense of self that doesn’t matter? It’s up to each of us to decide for ourselves what matters. What would you decide? Whatever course you choose, do buy this record. Do it now. It’s that good.
SPACE AGE ZEROS – Strange New World (spaceagezeros.bandcamp.com)
Space Age Zeros are a newish band from the Chicago area, formed just over two years ago. But these aren’t newbs; Space Age Zeros is made up of five veterans of the Chicago punk scene. The band has an EP under their belt, released mere months after coming into being, but Strange New World is the band’s debut full-length. They primarily play a variety of pop punk that focuses more on melody than on speed, and the band is tight. Close multi-part vocal harmonies add to the appeal. The opening track, “Fireworks,” is a celebration of American summers, with references to the Fourth of July, convertible Camaros, fun in the sun, and being an irresponsible teenager. It’s played at a mid-tempo pace and is laden with nostalgia for simpler times. Some songs have a dark cast to them, such as “Save Me,” which has more of a 90s melodic punk sound. A real favorite is “Smile,” a song with more of a jangly indie-pop sound than pop punk. And another is “No More Heroes,” a song that has a big Naked Raygun sort of sound, complete with gang vocals of “whoa-ohs.” The closing track, “You Hate Me (I Love You)” is very different from the rest; it’s a solemn ballad with acoustic guitar and piano, more of an Americana track than pop punk. I’m not sure of the intent here, but it does feel out of place. Though Space Age Zeros aren’t treading new musical waters, I appreciate the solid musicianship and production quality here. And I like the injection of various samples on some of the tracks. “Merry Go Round” starts off with a calliope playing a familiar circus sort of melody, while “Jet Lagged” features air traffic control chatter throughout the track. These sorts of thoughtful details add to the enjoyment of the songs. Thumbs up.
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