Imagine flipping through the bins at your local record store and stumbling on the new Autos EP. The name’s got a no-nonsense ring to it, the black-and-white sleeve is minimal yet striking, and the band’s logo—with its highway-line typography—feels like something pulled from a 1979 DIY single. It practically screams lost power pop classic, the kind of record you’d snap up on instinct and later discover goes for $100 on Discogs.

Once home, though, you’ll learn Autos are very much a modern band. The members are embedded in the Santa Cruz punk scene, but they’ve clearly soaked up rock’n’roll’s many twists and turns. The Autos EP isn’t a strict throwback—it’s a subtly rich, diverse take on power pop, glam, and punk. Early single Drive hits the sweet spot for fans of the classic stuff, while Spark In The Dark adds a more aggressive punk edge. In between, the band leans into warmth, melody, and a moody kind of soulfulness that makes this EP a keeper.

Out now on 12″ through Dandy Boy Records, this one’s more than just a cool packaging.

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