New album: Ambulance || Factory Second

Raw energy and controlled chaos

By / / Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

Ambulance is an indie rock band from Finland (fun fact: formed a few years ago in Kouvola’s old accordion factory), featuring Roni Kola (vocals, bass), Erik Lintunen (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals), Pete Muurinen (guitars, backing vocals), and Joona “Bono” Rasalahti (drums). Their full-length debut album, aptly titled Factory Second, is a bold, shape-shifting ride through guitars and grit, alongside noise and melody.

The musicians stretch beyond straightforward alt-rock into more expansive, almost psychedelic territory, with influences from shoegaze, prog and krautrock. What stands out is the friction between tight, catchy hooks and a deliberately rough-edged delivery (in instrumentation, but even more so in the vocals), as if each track is racing against its own momentum.

The nine songs—closing track Babylonia lasts 10:42 and should actually count as three—swing between hypnotic repetition and bursts of distortion, keeping us listeners slightly off balance, but fully attentive next to the speakers listen after listen. And there isn’t even an accordion involved.



Factory Second—written, performed, and produced by Ambulance—is out digitally via Grey Beton Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Dom Mariani || Just Can’t Wait

Another reminder why Dom Mariani matters

By / / Power Pop / Leave a Comment

The ageless legend Dom Mariani keeps on keeping on. And while my favorite projects of his are The Someloves, DM3, and The Stems, I am pretty blown away by the 7″ he just put out on Folc Records to commemorate his Spanish tour.

The A-side is Just Can’t Wait, a song from his 2025 Apple of Life album that may be my favorite recent Mariani cut. It’s simply a fantastic power pop track. The other track, Pussycat, is a two-minute bullet that rocks hard and comes with a super hooky chorus.

All in all, this is a very worthy addition to Mariani’s ever-expanding discography. Sounds great, looks great. A no-regret purchase.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: the Floppy-Pinkies || Bet It

Tokyo trio evoking the charm of flipping through a '90s punk comp

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Bet It is the new four-song EP by Tokyo melodic punk rock trio the Floppy-Pinkies. It’s already their fourth EP, and the band has also released two albums (we covered the last one).

For me, this is one of those bands that makes me nostalgic for those cheap punk label compilations from the ’90s, where each next track could introduce you to your new favorite band. Those comps felt like treasure hunts. messy, inconsistent, but full of discovery, where the magic was in not knowing what hit you next. With their catchy, three-minute songs—highly energetic and nicely unpolished—the Floppy-Pinkies tap straight into that spirit. There’s a strong ’90s feel here, but also plenty of contemporary charm.

Bet It is out now on 10-inch and CD via Glitter Record Industry.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Docks || Migjorn

Instrumental sketches of loss, place, and persistence

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Toulouse, France-based musicians Daniel Selig and Manon Raupp have been on the road for ten years with their indie pop project Docks. After a string of short-format releases, their first full-length album finally sees the light of day. Naturally, Migjorn revolves around the characteristic blend of slowcore melancholy and dreamy shoegaze, but here they really have the time and space to let their instrumental narratives breathe. Subdued guitars remain the emotional core (with the emphasis on emotional), but flickers of ambient and electronic texture widen the frame.

This record is a patient unfolding of mood and memory, which probably comes into its own best late at night. The nine songs drift between intimacy and surge, mirroring the shifting landscapes that inspired them, while subtle thematic hints linger beneath the surface. Even without words, you feel that this beautiful music reflects loss, resistance, and connection, yet when vocals suddenly appear on track 8, Compass, it hits even harder (anti-authoritarian screaming by the artists’ friends Marilés and Fer: “We have the means, leave them the end”). Ultimately, a sense of fragile optimism prevails.



Migjorn—recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Xavier Nadalis—is out digitally and on vinyl LP through Abréactions Productions, Araki Records, Coeur Sur Toi, Indie or Die, Hidden Bay Records, Ligature, and Tout Doux Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Interview: Checkin’ in with The Speedways — on the new record, new lineup, and power pop’s latest comeback

By / / Power Pop / Leave a Comment

The 2026 lineup of the Speedways, clockwise from top left: Matt Julian (lead vocals & guitar), Kris Hood (drums), Adrian Alfonso (bass guitar), Dan Spagnolo (guitar). Photo by David Andrew.

Right now, classic rock ’n’ roll is having a real moment, and one of its best modern torchbearers, The Speedways, have a new album on the way. Plenty of reason to hit up Matt Julian for a Gimme 5 feature, or so I thought. What started as that quickly snowballed into a full-band interview. Turns out they had a lot to say and it is all too good not share. Long story, short: Read the interview below, and Matt’s Gimme 5 is coming next week instead. If you want to know which five bands pushed him to start The Speedways, stay tuned!

You’ve been a band for over eight years now. What are some of the moments that still stand out when you look back?

Matt: Both US tours have to be high on the list. I felt really proud when we played our first ever show over there—a sold-out Brooklyn show with a “who’s who” of our contemporaries in the crowd. 90% of the time you ask yourself “what the fuck am I still in a band for?” and then you have moments like that. The Funtastic show in 2023 always stands out for me. Supporting Billie Joe Armstrong’s Cover-Ups last year was a great moment. I’ll always remember playing Luna Fest in Portugal in 2023 and during Kisses Are History watching the sun set over the river. It sounds corny, but singing a beautiful love song while you watch a sunset is kinda nice. I mean, there are loads more standout moments from an eight-year period—good and bad. From a personal point of view, I’ll always remember the first few days after I put Just Another Regular Summer up on Bandcamp. I’ve never had such a positive reaction to anything like that before.

Adrian: First Spanish tour. We were quite a new band and weren’t expecting such a warm reception as we got when we arrived, with people queuing up to get their LP signed immediately after our first gig. First US tour, considering the plan for the band was one album and one gig. We never quite imagined we’d get quite that far, and we had the support of our contemporaries The Whiffs taking care of us out on the road. Billie Joe Armstrong wearing our band tee in a Green Day music video. It was surreal for me because that’s a design I did—it’s got my wife’s eye on it. We both grew up getting into rock music around the time Green Day were becoming popular, so it was very surreal, then of course opening for The Cover-Ups and those guys all being really genuinely supportive.

Kris: Yes, it’s been a great ride so far. Most importantly, we all became a strong family, that’s for sure. We’ve played tours across Europe and the USA. I think generally the reaction of the fans across the world has been an amazing experience for us, seeing how so many people like our music.

[Click below to read the rest of the interview.]

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Interview: Checkin’ in with The Speedways — on the new record, new lineup, and power pop’s latest comebackRead More »

New EP: The City Feels || The Great Now

A collaborative tribute to resilience, community, and Toronto life

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

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Andrew Champion, recording as The City Feels, took the long road to his debut EP, The Great Now. A 2021 summer spark morphed into a five-year labor of love as life happened (surgery after a bike accident, audio engineering school, fatherhood). It ultimately led to this highly collaborative, triumphant blend of shimmering indie pop and melancholic 80s new wave, solid and charming. The addictive standout track The City Feels (like home) beams with civic pride, but the remaining four songs are also compelling. Although we were not previously aware of this creative process, the result was entirely worth the wait. Hopefully more will follow soon.


The Great Now is out now streaming via Murray B. Records. Featuring Andrew Champion (vocals, rhythm guitar), Adam Thurston (lead guitar), Lucina Rakotovao (bass), and Sam Pereira (drums).

Add to wantlist: PUSH

New album: Parlor Greens || Emeralds

Instrumental funk that actually says something

By / / Funk & Soul / Leave a Comment

Adam Scone (Scone Cash Players, The Sugarman 3) on organ. Jimmy James (True Loves, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on guitar. And Tim Carman (GA-20) on drums. That is right, Loveland, Ohio’s Parlor Greens are back, having never really been away. It has been less than two years since their debut LP In Green We Dream came out, and singles like Eat Your Greens, Drop Top, and Emeralds came along in the meantime, as well as an inimitable Jolene cover. Those tunes are all present on their sophomore album, Emeralds, a tight, heavy, and emotionally resonant set that almost feels like a ‘best of’ compilation.

In essence, this is a grooving mix of soul, funk, and jazz, but the gritty character also gives the eleven songs an unmistakable rock vibe. All instrumental, until the voice of Jimmy’s mother can be heard in the subdued closing track Queen Of My Heart, a beautiful tribute since she is no longer with us. Road-tested chemistry meets something deeper here.




Emeralds—produced by Parlor Greens and Leroi Conroy—is out now digitally, on cassette, CD and vinyl LP, through Colemine Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Colemine || Discogs

New album: Ruby and the Clumsy Dollies || New and Improved

Hypeworthy NYC band that has hooks, soul, and a voice that carries it all

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

Late last month, New York’s Ruby and the Clumsy Dollies dropped their debut LP New and Improved on Folc Records. Bold title, but they back it up. This is a hypeworthy band grabbing familiar sounds and making them feel alive again.

Ruby is Ruby Rogers-Garcia, aka DJ Ruby Q. The Clumsy Dollies are Matt and Rocio Verta-Ray, plus Televisionaries drummer Aaron Mika. Professional rock-‘n’-rollers, all of them. You can hear it in the grooves. This record feels lived-in, analog in spirit and practice.

New and Improved swings between rock ’n’ soul, ’60s girl group shimmer, power pop, and garage rock like it is second nature. And the hit rate? Stupid high. Too True For You struts in with punky power-pop attitude. Star glows with garage-pop charm. Spooky Action slides into alt-country territory without breaking a sweat. Darling Cowboy leans into that loose, talk-sung swagger.

And then there is Ruby. Total cheat code. Her voice cuts through everything, pullsthe songs together and gives the already strong pop instincts even more punch. Front to back, this is a seriously fun record to spend time with, and I can speak from personal experience, is extremely hard to switch off once you start playing it.

New and Improved is out now on LP via Folc Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Melmacs || EUPHANCHOLIA

A fizzy blast of hooks, heart, and high-energy charm

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

Four years after their year-end list worthy debut LP Good Advice, German rock ‘n’ roll quartet The Melmacs has lost none of its enthusiasm. In fact, the twelve original songs on their sophomore album EUPHANCHOLIA exceed all expectations. Max, Connie, Bimmi, and Remo Melmac stir a good dose of fun and idiosyncrasy into the basic ingredients of power pop, garage rock, and proto-punk in the cauldron of magic potion, leading to an explosion of hits and hooks. One catchy tune follows another, fueled by a relentless organ and infectious harmonies that feel universally inviting (I can imagine that a remix of standout track Keep On could also make EDM fans go wild). Big energy, loud fun, and a wink of rebellion; an Electric Night guaranteed.



EUPHANCHOLIA—recorded by Max Melmac—is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Bakraufarfita Records, Spaghetty Town Records, and Wanda Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Bakraufarfita || Spaghetty Town || Wanda

New album: Stepmother || Absurdus Manifestus

Rock muscle with punk blood

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

Melbourne power trio Stepmother is fronted by Annihilation Time’s Graham Clise, alongside Lee Parker (Deafwish) and Robert Muiños (Saskwatch). On their second LP Absurdus Manifestus, they deliver twelve originals and a cover of Journey to the Center of the Mind.

This is a rock record at heart, but punk in spirit. The reference points make sense. Blue Cheer, The Pink Fairies, Nervous Eaters, The Damned. It is loud, riff-driven, and built to move air. Tracks like New World and Gimme Mine hit with that instant adrenaline rush, the kind of riffs that demand you turn the volume up. Running straight into Beast and Man, that stretch is the record’s peak. Still, there is plenty to grab onto elsewhere. Fast, catchy burners like What’s New, Space Invader, and Don’t Be Long keep things moving.

This is no-frills, high-energy rock done right. Nothing fancy, just riffs, volume, and a band that knows exactly what it wants to sound like.



LP out now on Tee Pee Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

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