There are more wantlist-worthy releases than time to cover them all. Starting this year, Loose Ends is our monthly fix for the great records that slipped through the cracks. Expect a key track and quick take on each release (30+ this month!), and a link to add it to your shelves.
Banda AL9 || Hey! Hey! We’re Banda AL9
Brazilian power pop duo Banda AL9 —brothers Matheus and Thiago Khouri—released this collection of newly remixed and remastered fan favorites alongside new material on Wicked Cool Records: hook-filled power pop songs that pair Beatlesque melodies and harmonies with youthful energy.
BIG GAINER || Frittiert
This Berlin trio plays noisy slack rock, or should we say sl-egg punk?
Brian Jones and his Elevator Music || Outlandish Stances
Brian Jones (of The Easy Button) has a new record out (available on CD and LP) that plays like a more sophisticated yet still accessible display of his power pop chops.
CAGNARD || CAGNARD
Definitely not the only cool release on Noise Merchant Records recently, but certainly one of the most intense. This French five-piece blend hardcore and post-punk with admirable precision and zero interest in taking it easy.
Cel Ray || Cel Rayzer
Exhilerating and frantic (post)punk debut LP on Exploding in Sound. SHREDS!
Change Life || Change Life
Fronted by Lawton Browning (Woolen Men), this collective puts an idiosyncratic spin on indie rock history, sounding familiar and completely sideways at the same time.
Cujo || Cujo
The Bandcamp tags for this debut 7″ single are punk, beer, fuck you, rock n roll, and Melbourne. Should be sufficient information to decide whether this one’s for you.
The Death Chat || The Death Chat
Jakob Armstrong’s passion project wears its Marked Men, Radioactivity, and Cheap Trick influences proudly and delivers plenty of catchy power-pop punch.
Dom Sensitive || Pop Contest
A concept record out of Australia that namedrops Television Personalities, J.D. Salinger and MF DOOM as influences definitely piqued our interests. Turns out, it definitely is worth digging into.
Jake Emissions || Rocky Mountain Highs
New LP from Flamingo Nosebleed frontman Jake Emissions, backed by members of SACK, Shocktroopers, and The Parasites. Released on Mom’s Basement and sounding like Geoff Palmer, Brad Marino, and The Copyrights got trapped in the same rehearsal room.
Few Border || Unknown Gazers
Olivier Boutry keeps churning out fine jangle-gazers with Few Border. His proper debut full-length, arriving August 1 on Subjangle, is easy on the ears and even easier on the soul.
FIFA KID || El Manifesto Del Egg
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association sucks. Mexican egg-punk band FIFA KID, on the other hand, absolutely rules. Please don’t let Gianni Infantino find out and try to monetize it.
Invisible Rays || Blame it on the Rays
How did we miss this excellent indie rock record, especially after the band delivered one of our favorite singles of 2021? Better late than never!
The Jansen || Romantisasi Impulsif
The closing chapter of a trilogy of albums (find our reviews of Banal Semakin Binal,(2022), and Durja Bersahaja (2024) of this Indonesian fuzzy and hazy alt rock band that probably has the most monthly listeners on streaming services of all the bands we’ve ever covered on our site, yet remains a band unknown outside of their Indonesian region.
Kobe Thomas || True Self
Switching smoothly between garage pop, punk rock and alt pop, Kobe Thomas and his friends knock one out of the park with their 5-song EP on Pocket Rocket Records.
Mauro & The Mob || What Have I Got To Lose
Killer double AA power pop single on Snap Records by former Speedways guitarist Mauro Venegas (also of Godfathers, Jonny Cola & the A-Grades, the Rocks).
Me Pica Una Neurona || 3G MALA CONEXIÓN
Mutant punk weirdness (and goodness) from this debut EP from Peru.
My Raining Stars || Toy Club
When Thierry Haliniak and longtime friend Didier Frahier get together, the result is a generous helping of warm, melodic guitar-pop goodness.
Partials || Constant Action
The debut EP from Jesse Litwa’s new indie-punk leaning project, following excellent work with Broadcaster, Adult Magic, and Iron Chic.
Pretty Okay || Things Worse
A charming little debut EP from a band with a humble name and a not-so-humble talent for writing alt-pop hooks that deserve a much bigger audience.
Sick Puppy || Nobody Gets Hurt
Fuzzy alt rock from Canada by members of Swimming, BBQT and Bazooka. Rocks!
Sniffany and the Nits || Best of Luck/Hyperspace
Sister Sniffany is joined by The Tubs’ Owen and Max and Findom’s Aldous. The A-side plays like a riotgrrrrl anthem, the B-side is a These Immortal Souls cover.
Songs From The Film || She Don’t Mind
New band fronted by Chaz Matthews (Cheap Cassettes and the Dimestore Haloes) where he give full rein to the pop side of his rock-‘n’-roll songwriting. Given the obvious quality of the music, this 7″(out on Rum Bar and Sioux) shamefully bubbled under at ATW HQ. Fortunately, our good friend Josh wrote a perfect review.
Space Vampires || 15 Hits From Space
This Fresno three-piece like their X-Files and their Ramonescore so much, they started a whole theme around it.
Sparkle Blood || Zip Zap
Should we have written about this Canadians sooner? Yes! I’m glad Faster and Louder gave this collection of energetic and hooky guitar pop tunes the full write-up it deserves.
Spucke || Zustand
Loud and filthy punk from Hamburg, out now on tape (La Pochette Surprise Records) and LP (No Front Teeth).
Sam and Louise Sullivan || Love & Devotion
The family band blends vintage folk-pop, lo-fi textures, and melodic charm with something warm, intimate, and heartfelt.
Sun Bus || Poison Flavored Candy!
Surfy garage pop from Bethlehem (Pennsylvania) with a sweet bounce to it.
Tacoblaster || Calimero / Garage Girl
Tacoblaster’s latest Summer Singles installment is all fun, hooks, and zero worries. Given what’s happening around Bordeaux with the raging forest fires right now, a couple of carefree garage pop songs feel less like a luxury and more like a necessity.
TIFFY || I Wanted to Know
Dreamy alternative pop and indie rock with jangly guitars, marking a welcome return from one of New England’s quieter gems.
Richard Tripps || Stone Eating Animals
You know the singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from jangly indie folk songs, and there are a few of those on this EP too, but in opener Objects Are Closer we hear him in full throttle rock mode.
Twin Bloom || Twin Bloom
Oakland quartet Twin Bloom debut with four songs of shimmering dream-pop and new-wave-tinged indie rock. Summer’s Gone is quite the jam.
Jay Veil || Off With Your Head!
Two songs, three minutes, and enough catchy punk energy to fight off cultural apathy for at least the rest of the afternoon.
Ultra Lights || Pleasure’s All Yours
As we’ve said before, this Atlanta band seems engineered to become indie rock’s next hype. The debut full-length arrives and absolutely delivers. RIYL: The Cribs.
VETCH || VETCH
Four songs of exhilarating Leeds hardcore, pressed onto a limited cassette run by Noise Merchant. Short, sharp, and probably louder than your speakers can comfortably handle.