Next week we will publish our lists of favorite albums, but first here is an overview of short format releases that were—in my humble opinion—the most wantlist worthy. It’s a mix of welcome comebacks and uncompromising discoveries, all energetic and passionate.
Below you can listen to the Top 50 singles and EPs that I enjoyed the most last year (note: individual songs are excluded), in alphabetical order. Links point to Discogs or Bandcamp (the titles), and to previously posted reviews (in the body text). Add to your wantlist (or collection) what you like!
Atlantic Thrills || Bone Rattle
[Garage Punk, US || Almost Ready Records] How happy I was with the return—a decade after their must-have debut album—of the Rhode Island trio, especially because this new single reignites their surf-punk energy.
Bag of Cans || Favourite Shirt
[Pub Rock, UK || Fierce Panda] Five catchy songs with—again—brilliant witty lyrics about everyday life. Be sure to also check out Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps 2, but the title track is the biggest hit here.
The Boss Martians || Venus & The Western Sky
[Surf Rock, US || MuSick Recordings / No-Count Records] After a long hiatus, Seattle’s Foster brothers returned with a thrilling EP of six cinematic, high-energy surf-rock instrumentals.
Neil Brogan || New Light
[Indie Pop, UK || Self-Released] As we’ve come to expect from Belfast-based songsmith Neil Brogan (Sea Pinks, Girls Names, Cruising), this release also hits the mark with jangly pop tunes that always provide a good vibe.
Bromheads Jacket || Juiced Up
[Garage Rock, US || Self-Released] After an eighteen-year absence, the Sheffield trio surprisingly came back—”to set the record straight”—and they do so with self-explanatory lyrics about the future and the past of the band, and music and vocals that are just as raw and raucous as I remember from their early days.
Gene Champagne || Let’s Jet
[Pop Punk, Canada || Yeah Right!] The drummer of Teenage Head and The Killjoys stepped forward with his first real solo EP, featuring four solid tunes that only a true Rock ‘n’ Roll Boy can create.
Wild Billy Childish & The Chatham Singers || Troubled Mind / Ranscombe Farm Boogie
[Blues, UK || Spinout Nuggets] Naturally, prolific British artist Billy Childish is present again this year, here dousing two of his earlier songs with a gritty blues sauce.
Cosmit || Still Cosmit
[Garage Punk, UK || Specialist Subject] The bittersweet swan song from the Bristol-based five-piece blends soul and punk energy into three emotionally charged tracks.
Cowabunghouls || The End of the World
[Horror Surf, US || ZombieAB] A band with ‘Crank The Reverb’ merch raises justified expectations in terms of sound, yet the instrumentals here are quite diverse and original, and more cheerful than the title suggests.
The Crystal Teardrop || Running Out Of Time / Apres Jeudi
[Garage Rock, UK || Rogue Records] A 60s-inspired gem, blending fuzz, psych and yé-yé influences into two ravishing floor fillers.
The Dada Movement || I Was Wrong / Heart Heart
[Garage Rock, UK || Dock Road Records] Awesome debut from London-based four-piece, two danceable tunes—cool and catchy—with a vintage feel but even more so with infectious harmony-laden hooks.
Danny’s Favorites || Silent Movies b/w Turn My Motor On
[Punk Rock, US || Self-Released] Trevor Lake (Televisionaries, Sweet Pete, The Shine) breathed new life into Danny’s Favorites, resulting in two amazing punk-infused hits—rock ’n’ roll brilliance.
Dayaway || Ghost Beach
[Indie Pop, US || Turn to Wind] Amber Renee and Graham Marsh (CLAVVS, Draigh) colored the summer with shimmering melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and angelic vocals.
Arend Delabie || Stain
[Bedroom Pop, Belgium || Mayway Records] The debut single of this young singer-songwriter mixes indie rock, art pop and rap influences, with a glamorous groove, distinctive vocals and hypnotic harmonies—addictive and memorable.
Draculina / The Fathoms || Our Kingdoms / Sinhella / Hard To Fathom / Funny Farm
[Surf, US || MuSick Recordings] A cool split 7″ with the best from the instrumental surf world, with dark mysteries on one side, and sunny hip-shakers on the other.
Fascinations Grand Chorus || Summer Love
[Indie Pop, US || Silent Stereo Records] Sweet, warm and delightful music, with a sense of romance, optimism and nostalgia, that holds onto the summer as long as you use the repeat button.
Faux Départ || EP
[Punk Rock, France || Andalucia Über Alles / Hidden Bay Records / Mutant Records / Rollmops / Tocsin / Tranzophobia] Two shiny sides of black vinyl offer four catchy tunes with meaningful French lyrics, blissful guitar chords, a vibrant rhythm section and characterful vocals.
The Fleshtones || Festa di Frankenstein / The Dedication Song
[Garage Rock, US || Yep Roc Records] The legendary garage rock revivalists from New York not only released a new LP, entitled It’s Getting Late (…And More Songs About Werewolves), but also this fun 45 on which they rebuild two forgotten tunes in their own unique way.
Fleur || Tu Es Un Être Parfait b/w Laisse-Moi Faire!
[Garage Beat, The Netherlands || Soundflat Records] This advance single for her third full-length— Fille Sauvage—offered the best of what the Dutch yé-yé singer has made so far—fuzz-driven garage rock from The Kryng with appealing vocals from Fleur, an irresistible mixture.
Frown Pow’r || F.P.E.P.
[Garage Rock, US || Self-Released] After fifteen years of silence, this motley crew from Arkansas returned with a raucous mix of styles such as dance punk, indie rock, krautrock and country blues, with memorable choruses but above all with an unbridled groove.
The Garnals || Buzz Me In
[Indie Rock, The Netherlands || Brighter Records] Hook-packed tracks that blend charismatic vocals, sharp orchestration and electrifying guitar duels into a dynamic rock experience.
Generador || Queremos Diversión
[Garage Rock, Spain || Discos Marginales / Snap!! Records] It was a no-brainer to include their Spanish-language version of 1959 rock ‘n’ roll classic Hippy Hippy Shake in our monthly favorite covers feature, but their originals are pretty tasty too.
The Greasy Gills || Corn Cob Racer / Meat Swamp
[Rockabilly, US || MuSick Recordings / No-Count Records] the Oakland-based rock ‘n’ roll trio delivered gold on their last 45—surfy reverb-soaked instrumentals brimming with infectious, high-octane riffs, perfect for dancing like crazy.
Anthony Green || Last Summer In America
[Indie Folk, US || Born Losers Records] The singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (also from L.S. Dunes, Circa Survive, Saosin, The Sound of Animals Fighting) followed his Doom. Spun. LP with a reflective 7″—thought-provoking and heartfelt: “Anyone who’s claiming they’re not afraid is lying where they stand // Let’s enjoy the last summer in America, this one might be the end.”
Here For You || Sibling b/w Moving Away
[Indie Pop, US || Self-Released] A nostalgic yet timeless debut from this New York City-based seven-piece, two songs—easy to embrace—with lush instrumentation, sincere vocals and witty lyrics.
Horse Chops || Bureaucratic Tone EP
[Indie Rock, Canada || Self-Released] Four tracks that captivate with jangly and/or fuzzy tunes infused with garage psych and dream pop. Lead single Mr. Headphones is an earworm that stands out for its very clever lyrics and irresistible hooks.
Ichi-Bons || Snake Eyes / Watusi Zombie
[Garage Rock, Canada || Go-Time Recordings] The first 45 of new label Go-Time Recordings, pairing a surf-rockabilly original with a high-energy cover of Jan Davis’ Watusi Zombie—instrumentals that provide a lot of fun.
Ladybird || No Stones
[Garage Rock, US || Many Such Cases] Anyone who digs the aforementioned Bromheads Jacket tune should definitely check this one out. The Columbus, Ohio trio burst onto the scene with raw, electrifying vocals, gritty guitar riffs and pounding drums, brimming with swagger.
The Laughing Chimes || Tomorrow’s 87
[Jangly Post-Punk, US || Slumberland Records] Another irresistible release from the Seurkamp brothers, blending jangly pop, post-punk, and dream pop into richly textured, sunlit melodies paired with unforgettable vocals. Their sophomore album—Whispers in the Speech Machine—will be released next month.
The Liquorice Experiment || Pretty Baby
[Psychedelic Blues, UK || Rogue Records] A sultry and swinging 7″, with an energizing groove, unique hooks and cool vocals, but it’s especially the guitar riffs that make these songs addictive.
Lou’s Rendezvous || Your Old Ways / Don’t Mind Mine
[Garage Pop, US || Self-Released] Florida-based musician Lou Koster (Bona Roba, Choke City) conquered my repeat button with primitive rhythms, atmospheric bells and ramshackle charm.
Love Collector || First Night / Last Night Of Leather
[Garage Punk, US || Sweet Time] Killer 7″ with sing-along punk tunes that are dirty and dangerous, explosive and exciting—literally breathtaking.
Maruja || Connla’s Well
[Post-Punk, UK || Self-Released] What on earth is happening in this 12″, for which you now have to pay a fair amount if you want to get one of the 500 copies? Rock meets jazz—urgent and emotional.
Mary in the Junkyard || This Old House
[Experimental Rock, UK || AMF Records] I already knew how good the London trio were from seeing them play at the Left of the Dial festival in 2023, yet I was floored by this rich debut EP—dynamic and mesmerizing brilliance.
The Masonics || I Got It All
[Rhythm ‘n’ Beat, UK || Spinout Nuggets] Four swinging originals from The Medway trio, blending groovy hooks, earworm melodies, and seasoned charm.
MOOON || Hurtin’ My Heart b/w How I Learned (To Say Goodbye)
[Garage Psych, The Netherlands || Soundflat Records] Hot on the heels of their third album—III—came this 7″ full of vintage perfection, with a mono mix of one of the standout tracks from that LP, and an unreleased song from the same session.
The On And Ons || Looking Out Of A Mirror
[Garage Rock, Australia || Rogue Records] One of many cool 45s from French record label Rogue Records this year, skillfully combining jangly guitar melodies and catchy hooks with psychedelic harmonies.
The Por Ella Runners || Yeeeeee!
[Power Pop, Spain || Self-Released] The title actually says it all.
Kora Puckett || 3 Songs
[Indie Folk, US || Let’s Pretend Records] Not what you’d expect from someone who plays in noisy bands like Narrow Head, Sheer Mag, Bugg, Laffing Gas, Angel Du$t and The Berries, because the first three singles under his own name can be filed under rootsy indie pop—sophisticated and melancholic, above all very appealing.
Radio Free Alice || Polyester
[Dolewave, Australia || Double Drummer] Jangly guitars, hypnotic bass lines, sun-kissed synths, semi-nonchalant vocals, attractive harmonies, and memorable lyrics: “I saw your name on the wall of a bathroom stall // I wrote mine too underneath in a frantic scrawl // Is it a waste of time?”
The RSA’s || Bottle Shop
[Garage Rock, Australia || Self-Released] Seven rock solid songs about working in a liquor store, in which the Melbourne-based retail staff answer frequently asked questions such as “are you still open?” or “do you have anything out the back?” in a brilliant way.
Slack Times || Gone Things
[Indie Pop, US || Meritorio Records] Another four jangly pop songs that provide a nice tingling feeling as if the sun is shining just a little too bright.
The Zack Static Sect || Rock ‘N Roll Records
[Garage Rock, US || Static Records, Books and Distribution] With such themes you can’t go wrong—love for record stores and participating in the Portland music scene—but it’s even better than expected, thanks to the potent vocals and fist-pumping guitar riffs. The oh-yeahs from side A are just as irresistible as the whoo-hoos on the flipside.
Street Sweeper || Don’t Wait
[Punk Rock, Australia || Legless Records] A high-octane fusion of pub rock boasting, storage unit grit and power pop hooks, with scorching vocals and explosive riffs.
The Studio 68! || The Way It Is
[Mod Revival, UK || Detour Records] The band has been through a lot, but they’re still going strong. The A-side of their latest 45 shows shines with Dani Turner’s stellar vocals and Sean Poe’s saxophone.
Terra Twin || Head Leaking
[Indie Rock, UK || Self-Released] Magnificent debut characterized by a grooving sound—animated and bouncy—with memorable hooks and earworm choruses
Together Pangea || Misery
[Garage Pop, US || Nettwerk] Born from frontman William Keegan’s lockdown introspection, Together Pangea’s usual raucous energy has been exchanged here for poignant, subdued tracks. Lyrically raw and emotionally resonant, it showcases the band’s undeniable versatility and appeal.
Tuxedo Cats || Fake Punk
[Punk Rock, US || New York Punk Records] An explosive 7″ blending glam, power pop and garage rock, with this New York City supergroup firing off one hook after another at a rapid pace.
Vanity Box || Strange Man / Eurydice Says
[Indie Rock, The Netherlands || Zeevonk Records] A promising debut single—a precursor to the Good Luck, See You Friday LP due out in February 2025—with two fuzzy, 90s-inspired gems featuring layered guitars, haunting vocals and motivational lyrics.
Doctor Velvet feat. Tito Ramirez || Road To Nowhere / Camino Hacia Ningún Lugar
[Rhythm & Blues, The Netherlands || Wap Shoo Wap Records] The normal, English version of this track is one of the highlights of the New Breed LP (spoiler: one of my favorite albums of last year), but this 7″ cannot be missed because of the B-side on which ‘Kink of Mambo’ Tito Ramírez gives the song a Latin treatment.
You want more? Niek’s list will follow this Thursday! (UPDATE: here it is!)
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