New album: Young Scum || Lighter Blue

Jangle pop gold from Richmond

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

Young Scum’s 2018 self-titled debut album was a hidden gem for indie pop enthusiasts. Now, six years later, the Richmond quartet is back with Lighter Blue, and it feels like a significant step forward while maintaining everything that made their debut such a treat.

If you’re someone who thrives on chiming 12-string guitars, sugar-coated melodies, and that lo-fi indie pop sensibility, Lighter Blue will feel like a warm embrace. There’s an ease in these songs, a confidence in the band’s ability to stick to what they know best, while still sounding fresh. You can hear how the six-year gap between albums allowed Young Scum (Chris, Ali, Ben, Nate) to sharpen their craft without losing any of their initial charm. It is all there, perfectly captured in the studio by Mitch Clem.

If you are having Chime School in heavy rotation, you can easily slide Lighter Blue into the mix as well. The golden age of jangle pop is very much alive still!



Lighter Blue is available now on LP at Pretty Olivia Records (who also brought you that recommended Star Trip LP recently). It’s shipping in the U.S. through Jigsaw Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Gabys II The Gabys II

Beautiful, spare, slow-moving music from the U.K.

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

UK duo The Gabys return to the Fruits & Flowers label to deliver more feather-light, homespun recordings in the form of a four song EP. The Gabys create what has been characterized in the Bay Area as “fog pop”—beautiful, spare, slow-moving music, exemplified by the groups Cindy and April Magazine—and add an unexpected brevity to the formula. In addition to short run times, multiple songs feature fade-ins and -outs, suggesting the listener is hearing them in media res; overall, the music has a blink-and-you-miss-it effect, like you’re witnessing the fleeting moments of twilight on an autumn day.

In true fog pop fashion, the elements here are subdued: soft-spoken vocals, barely audible through tape hiss, and instrumentation that can only be described as austere. The melodies waft by, as if the singer is drifting in and out of consciousness. Fragmentary narratives, only occasionally heard, are punctuated by probing questions (“Is this a dream?” and “Do you feel the same?” on Cursed) that remind you to stay engaged, preventing you from fully entering a dream state. The Gabys may have a roundabout way of commanding your attention, but you won’t easily forget these songs once they have it.

The Gabys’ second self-titled EP is out now on Fruits & Flowers.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Vista Blue || Vista Blue Are The Pop Punk Preservation Society

Nobody told them it was Bandcamp Friday, but Vista Blue delivers anyway

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Nashville pop punk band dropped two new releases this week. The first one is a covers EP that I am sure will find a place in our monthly Dusted feature where we share our favorite cover songs, but I’d like to put the spotlight on the second. That one is a two-song single they intended to release on Bandcamp Friday. Except… no one told them it was Bandcamp Friday. Oops! Hence, we get the hilariously self-aware track Nobody Told Me It Was Bandcamp Friday.

The second song, The Pop Punk Preservation Society, comes with lyrics like, “We are the pop punk preservation society,” and, “We are the Ramonescore executives.” And yes, that combination of words becomes surprisingly addictive. Vista Blue’s tongue-in-cheek homage to the genre doesn’t just preserve pop punk — it celebrates it with an ironic grin. Take them literally, but don’t forget to laugh along the way.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Emmy Woods & The Red Pine Ramblers || Volume 1

A gateway to the intriguing world of the Rodeo Clown

By / / Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

In one of my forays through the endless stream of new releases, I stumbled — by chance — upon two different songs about rodeo clowns, respectively by Emmy Woods and Havelin, both with an intriguing tragicomic feel that made me want to know more about this appealing and photogenic world. I found books, documentaries and even a Clownopedia to exist, but also lots of other tunes.*

Anyway, the first cut is the deepest, so here I share the track that sent me down this fascinating rabbit hole, one of four on the Volume 1 EP by Emmy Woods & The Red Pine Ramblers (click here for a live version). We’re talking about songwriter Emily Royer (acoustic guitar, lead vocals), with Jake Johnson (acoustic 12 string, pedal steel, electric guitar, violin, banjo, mandolin, backup vocals), Bob Delage (bass), Lydia Lecher (keyboard, backup vocals) and Brody Kucera (percussion), based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, delivering fourteen captivating minutes of alt-country immersion — let me be clear: regardless of the theme mentioned, this EP is a true gem for Americana fans.

Volume 1 is out digitally via Countricana Records. Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

*Without trying too hard, I also found recent Rodeo Clown tracks by Lightning Jar, Craig’s Brother, Dan Miraldi, Kait Warner, Nora Kelly Band, nothing,nowhere, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Brad Posey, Dijon, Matt Moran and Tele Novella, but there’s much more, especially if you go further back in time (you probably think of Jack Johnson & G. Love). Interesting stuff, imho. “The way you’re shootin tequila // Like a bad cliche pop country song” sings Emmy Woods. “Making a fool of myself again // Can’t really say I’m surprised” we hear from Havelin aka Alex Zaichkowski. And so on. Although it’s often used metaphorically, I thought it would be a nice idea to sketch a substantiated picture of the psyche of rodeo clowns based on song lyrics on this subject. You guessed it, unfortunately I didn’t have the time to tackle this in a semi-scientific way (we already have too much music to write about here). Feel free to work it out yourself, or refer us to sources if this has been done before!

New EP: Liberty & Justice || Locked In

Texas band walking a tightrope between agression and melody

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

The cartoonesque album art hints that Locked In, the latest EP by Liberty & Justice, may be a whole lotta fun. It delivers on that promise, and more!

Locked In is comprised of five tunes that are streaming now but will officially be out next month on Contra and Oi! The Boat Records. While it makes sense to label Liberty & Justice, currently a six-piece including a key player, as a street punk band, their appeal extends beyond genre fans.

Drawing influence from hardcore and pub rock, Liberty & Justice walk a tightrope between aggression and melody. Their sound is as close to classic bands like The Templars as it is to the modern hardcore-street-pub’n’roll hybrid that is Chubby and the Gang. The anthemic and caffeinated quality of songs like No Substitute and Spirit Of even reminds me of Andrew W.K.

Did I mention this one is a blast? Crank up the volume!


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Shredded Sun || Wilding

Guitar-driven tunes exploring multiple styles, spirited by creative freedom

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock / 2 Comments

Chicago’s trash-pop outfit Fake Fictions disbanded fifteen years ago, but its band members – Nick Ammerman (guitar, vocals, organ), Sarah Ammerman (bass, vocals) and Ben Bilow (drums, percussion, keyboard, guitar, vocals) – are still going strong, nowadays as Shredded Sun. “I feel alive in a way, a way that’s more than alive // ​​Hooked on a feeling like a sugar rush // I’m here riding the tide” they sing in Breaking Out, one of the thirteen new tracks on their third full-length -length album Wilding, and that says a lot about the reason for this recording project that values ​​the DIY mentality. The trio not only captivates with their wordplay, but also because they alternate male and female vocals just as easily as they blend indie rock, post-punk, shoegaze, dream pop and jangle-punk influences (they aptly describe it themselves as guitar-centered rock music that emphasizes energy and creativity over perfection). “When I first met you, I didn’t know how to dance // Twenty years later, I still shuffle my feet and wave my hands // Like a drowning man with no sense of urgency” we hear in (Another Song Called) Mirror Ball, and we can only hope they continue to do so.




Wilding – written, performed, recorded and mixed by Shredded Sun – is out now digitally (self-released).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Cathedral Ceilings || La La La…Whatever

Punk rock and pop sensibility in perfect sync on New Jersey band's second LP

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Two years after making waves with their debut LP, New Jersey’s Cathedral Ceilings are back with their second album, La La La…Whatever — a title that perfectly captures how I feel whenever I open the app formerly known as Twitter on my phone. The music of Cathedral Ceilings, however, evokes the exact opposite reaction. Their take on melodic punk rock is fresh, exhilarating and worth checking out.

Often described as Cheap Trick on speed, that comparison fits them to a T. I also sense a resemblance to the energetic bounce of Sicko and the rock-and-roll heart of The Replacements. Cathedral Ceilings deliver sharp hooks with undeniable pop sensibility while staying true to their punk rock roots. The guitar work is electrifying, and the vocals are dynamic and powerful, setting them a notch above many peers in the genre.

Recommended for anyone looking for high-energy, hook-driven punk rock with staying power.

LP and CD out now on Dromedary Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New Album: City Mouse || So Far Out

City Mouse hit the sweet spot of “pop music for punk rockers” on sophomore album

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

If you’re craving a poppy garage punk rock record that feels like a throwback to another era —melodic but refreshingly unpolished, then City Mouse’s sophomore album So Far Out is the one for you. From the moment Miski Dee’s vocals kick in, you know you’re in for a ride. At Add To Wantlist HQ, the excitement meter spikes immediately. This album fits right into the sweet spot of “pop music for punk rockers,” a niche we’ll never tire of.

Take Magnitude, for instance. Its infectious “wahoo” intro will have you singing along before you even know the words. Then there’s Big Mood, where a catchy guitar lick (later whistled as well) burrows into your brain while Miski Dee delivers a standout vocal performance. While City Mouse doesn’t aim to be the fastest or loudest, they’ve got rock-and-roll energy to spare, and their songs have a way of making your heart skip a beat.

So Far Out is available now on It’s Alive Records in the U.S. and Brassneck Records in the U.K.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New Compilation: Various Artists || Garage Punk Bergen

Bergen’s best-kept secret? Its thriving garage punk scene!

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

This might not be a tourism guide, but if you ever travel to Norway, Bergen is a must-visit. It’s a gateway to the country’s breathtaking nature, a UNESCO World Heritage City and a European City of Culture. But what’s even more surprising — and relevant to this site, is that Bergen has an emerging garage punk scene. Thanks to Back To Beat Records, you can now explore it through Garage Punk Bergen, a compilation featuring (according to the label) ten of the best local garage bands.

The scene offers an eclectic mix: some bands lean towards gritty and dirty (Payphones), others take a punk-heavy approach (Sklitakling, Villspor, Febersyn). Then there are acts rooted in classic garage rock (The Hiveminds) and those blending power pop and beat influences (Silver Monochrome, Romskip). There is a lot of quality material on this comp and much to discover. Who knew Bergen had such a fertile garage punk scene — or that the city harbored so many garages?



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Joe Jennings MVPs || Nothing Wrong With Giving Up

Super duo scores with an infectious mix of power pop and garage rock and good ideas

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

As two valuable players from the American rock ‘n’ roll league team up, we don’t have to wait long for hits. Check it out: Joe Jennings (JJ & The Real Jerks, The Legendary Swagger, The Magnificent) on guitar, vocals, bass, sax and harmonica, with Matt Rendon (The Resonars, The Freezing Hands, The Lemon Drop Gang) on ​​drums, percussion and backing vocals, have just released their collaborative debut album Nothing Wrong With Giving Up. With a passionate mix of power pop and garage rock – energising riffs, thumping beats, inspired harmonies, a loose sound and catchy hooks as main ingredients – they score eleven times. Together they bring their best game for 27 minutes, a rewarding listen.




Nothing Wrong With Giving Up, recorded & mixed by Matt Rendo, is out now digitally, on CD via Rum Bar Records, and on vinyl LP through Take The City Records and Sweet Grooves Records.

Add to wantlist: Rum Bar @ Bandcamp || Sweet Grooves @ Bandcamp || Take The City @ Bandcamp || Sweet Grooves || Take The City

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