New album: James Sullivan || Vital Signs

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

Just because James Sullivan pulled the plug on his band More Kicks, doesn’t mean he’s stopped being an artist. His sophomore solo LP Vital Signs, written and recorded in his home studio in 2022, is out today (on CD & LP) via Stardumb Records. It broadens both the artist’s and label’s horizons, and I am all in!

Freed from the confines and expectations of his former band, Sullivan now has a blank canvas to draw on. Like its album art suggests, Vital Signs is a vibrant and colorful record, blending various styles and influences. Despite the minimalistic percussion and instrumentation, the LP sounds surprisingly rich.

Even more so than on his solo debut Light Years, Sullivan distances himself from the catchy garage power pop he played with Suspect Parts and More Kicks – although songs like Best Friend and Day Late Dollar Short are easily reimagined as songs from said bands. The remainder of the record is full of surprising touches and decisions.

The record opens with It’s Good to be wrong, which carries an almost hymn-like feel yet maintains suspense. My Right Boot, anchored by a groovy bass riff and steady electronic drumbeat, will make you want to get up and move. In contrast, All I Wanna Do (Is Do Nothing With You) with its beautiful finger-picked acoustic guitar, draws you back in your seat. The track is followed by La Rochelle, an emotional heavy song featuring Sullivan’s voice accompanied by a captivating string arrangement. The two songs allow for a natural rest point on the record, quickly followed by the designated hit Day Late Dollar Short – watch the fun video below. Guilty as Charged is another highlight for me. If you have a soft spot for singers weaving stories over hypnotizing music, this one will be right up your alley.

Vital Signs showcases a liberated and inspired James Sullivan finding his groove. Alex Chilton, Paul Westerberg, Robyn Hitchcock, and Jonathan Richman would (or will) be bobbing their heads in approval.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Stardumb Records || Discogs

New EP: Softjaw || Softjaw

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

A Big Star pin on the jacket of Tanner Duffy (Justus Proffit, Hilary Chilton) made Dustin Lovelis (The Fling) reach out. The shared love of power pop marked the birth of a new Long Beach super group that also includes Vinny Earley (Vaguess, Diode) and Daniel Michicoff (Tijuana Panthers). The name of the band? Softjaw!

The band debuts with a 5-song self-titled EP of nod-your-head and tap-your-feet sunny and nostalgic power pop that channels classic (Beatles, Byrds, Big Star, and Nerves) and more modern (Teenage Fanclub) influences. It’s the kind of EP that can only be the product of shared passion, equity of talent and record collection overlap. I definitely want more of where this came from!

EP out now through Dream Machine Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: SYBS || Bad Old Days / Paid Gofyn Pam

By / / Indie Pop, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

New is a relative concept. Take for example Cardiff-based bilingual post-punk/slacker pop band SYBS, featuring Osian Llyr (guitar, vocals), Kieran Macdonald-Brown (guitar), Herbie Powell (bass) and Daf Adams (drums). These two songs will soon appear on their long-awaited debut album, but in reality they have been playing them live for many years. Shoegazey Bad Old Days even is the oldest song on the record – it’s about teenage feelings and experiences that can still follow and affect a person throughout their life – and although there’s been a few versions recorded throughout the years, this should be the definitive take. A pretty good one, but it’s the re-recorded version of Paid Gofyn Pam – translated: Don’t Ask Why – that in my opinion will be reason enough in itself to justify purchasing the LP, because the combination of jangling guitars, grooving rhythm section and infectious vocals is nothing more than awesome. Old or new, who cares?

Double A Side single Bad Old Days b/w Paid Gofyn Pam is out now streaming via Libertino Records.

New single: Could Be Worse || Coming Home To Stay

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Could Be Worse concerns young Oklahoma City-based garage rock duo Randy Quasar and Arthur Manley, who share songwriter, guitar, drums and vocals duties. They debut with Coming Home To Stay and Time And Space, two original lo-fi songs that are primitive and ramshackle, but also strike the right chord in terms of authenticity, commitment and wholeheartedness – full of good ideas and words. A promising start, which easily exceeds the expectations aroused by the pretty cool band name.


Coming Home To Stay b/w Time And Space is out now digitally (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Chloe Hawes || Remains​/​Reminders

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

With four EPs in the pocket, Chloe Hawes finally promotes to the full length format with the nine-song Remains​/​Reminders. It’s an excellent singer-songwriter indie punk folk record that distantly resembles Rocky Votolato but cranks up the volume and intensity.

You don’t need to read between the lines to feel the emotional weight of the themes explored in this record. Hawes’ voice alone conveys it all. It sounds sandpapered, bruised and battered, but vulnerable and gorgeous as well (like in First To Leave). Their voice plays a major role in why this collection of songs is so mesmerizing. When Hawes sings “Can’t you see, this don’t affect the life you lead. Me and my friends, just coz we don’t fit in the space between your binary bookends That’s alright. Yeah we didn’t choose this life. But that’s just fine. You can get on with yours without taking down mine,” these are no empty words, but lived experience. There is a realness and rawness in Hawes’ delivery on Remains​/​Reminders that makes it stand out.

Remains​/​Reminders is out now through Nasty Cut Records (EU), UTB Manchester (UK), Mt. Crushmore Records (US).


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Floppy-Pinkies || Bells From The Bottom

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

The Floppy-Pinkies are a three-piece poppy punk rock band from Tokyo. Recorded in 2023 and released last month, Bells From The Bottom is their sophomore album. I stumbled on the record when visiting the basements of Bandcamp and was immediately grabbed by the band’s infectious songs. The Floppy-Pinkies evoke the raw, melodic punk rock vibes of the ’90s, reminiscent of bands that were on the roster of Go Kart! Records or Liberation Records rather than Fat Wreck or Epitaph. Admittedly, there are more than a little ’70s pop punk touches on Bells From The Bottom as well. The vocals of The Floppy-Pinkies are a major strength. The main singer has a range and sound comparable to Cinder Block of Tilt, and the band knows their way around catchy harmonies – listen to Bayside High School as exhibit A.

Included among the tracks is a cover of The Muffs’ Everywhere I Go. The high level of songwriting leads me to believe there may be more covers that I am missing. But regardless, this record is a whole lotta fun!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Mothra Slapping Orchestra || In Search Of The Swamp Thing

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Mothra Slapping Orchestra is a loud rockabilly trio from Reunion Island, France, featuring Eric Cadène (double bass), Eric Julien (guitar, vocals) and Nicola Vitry (drums). You actually have to experience them live to really feel their insane mix of fast psychobilly and blues-drenched garage punk, but their new full-length In Search Of The Swamp Thing captures that energy quite well. The cover art and album title promise a blood-curdling adventure full of monsters, and the twelve songs do not disappoint – they are dirty and dangerous. The double bass takes a beating, but the dirty guitars, groovy drums and screaming vocals ensure that this record still is uplifting.



In Search Of The Swamp Thing is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Maudit Tangue.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New single: The Night Times || I’m Leaving You

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Every garage rock fan knows: night time is the right time. So you can’t really go wrong with a band name like The Night Times, especially if you continue the sound of the pioneers from the 60s as this Los Angeles-based band does. On their new 45, Anthony Melendez, Christopher Medina, Steven Frias, Sumiji Takahashi and Tanya Pelayo deliver two new fuzz-filled originals – I’m Leavin’ You and Tell Me – in which guitar, organ and screams raise the temperature. Raucous and rousing, a good time guaranteed.

I’m Leaving You b/w Tell Me is out now digitally and on 7″ vinyl through Rogue Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Nervous Nikki and the Chill Pills || St. Anthony’s Fire

By / / Alternative Rock, Funk & Soul, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

“Baby, if you tell me its fine one more time // I will go crazy.” In the lyrics and video of Day Off we get a personal but recognizable insight into the family life of Nicole Bauza and her husband Doug Boice, respectively the singer/drummer and guitarist of Pennsylvania alt-rock band Nervous Nikki and the Chill Pills. Together with bassist Nathan Swavely and Kendal Thompson on guitar and keys, they have just released their new full-length album St. Anthony’s Fire, and it is as captivating and thoughtful as it is idiosyncratic and genre transcending. Apart from the authentic storytelling, it is the frontwoman’s heartfelt vocals – alternately singing and rapping! – that make the nine diverse songs here unique and distinctive. It works particularly well thanks to the loose musical backing, that is ramshackle one moment and groovy the next, with heavy guitars being deployed as easily as a sensitive harmonica. “There’s a chance one of these days I’m gonna write a hit song // And in the car while you’re driving you’ll be singing along // And there’s a chance the we’re never gonna make it // I ‘ll be happy by myself singing these songs down in the basement,” we hear in Here and Gone. As far as I’m concerned, several of these tunes should become hits – this album goes far beyond mediocrity.




St. Anthony’s Fire is out now digitally and on CD through Interdope Records. The title is the nickname for an illness prevalent during the middle ages brought on by poisoning from the ergot fungus found on rye. A drug derived from the same ergot fungus saved Nicole’s life a few years ago. She explains: “I was left in awe that something responsible for so much suffering and death could be used in a different way to save lives. Many of the themes in the album revolve around this play of cruelty and beauty in nature, surrendering to the roller coaster ride of life, and not confusing success with fulfillment.” That is also nicely depicted in the cover art by Catherine Hart.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Blackburns || The Blackburns

By / / Alternative Rock, Glam Rock, Indie Rock, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Joel Tannenbaum (Plow United, The Rentiers) and Nick Palmer (Wax Wav, The Danger-Os) started The Blackburns at some point last year. The creative synergy between the duo, along with additional members Lynna Stancato (vocals and synth) and Abe Koffenberger (guitar) was so strong they have released their full length debut within a year. It is out now courtesy of Sell The Heart Records.

The Blackburns are the kind of band I think will resonate with many of our readers. For starters, this band rocks! What’s more impressive though is their refusal to be confined to any specific subgenre. The album kicks off with Hooks, a glammy radio friendly rocker. It’s followed by Southern Chester County, which to my ears sounds like a modern power pop update of Shoes. Chill City Population You is ’90s alt pop hit material, while Status: Someday embodies the ’00s indie rock vibe. Drama Club sounds like Bob Mould at his catchiest. Listening to this album feels like tuning into a self-sustaining radio station where, instead of changing the channel, you’re eager to learn more about the band. It that applies to you as well, read more about The Blackburns in this interview at Sweet Sweet Music Blog.

Currently, only Hooks is available on Bandcamp. Find the remainder of the record on the streaming service of your choice.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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