Dennis

New EP: El Niño Delta || We Are Flamingos

Please meet El Niño Delta aka Alex Arcas (vocals, guitar) from Andalusia (Spain), who this week released his debut EP We Are Flamingos, recorded together with Sergio Flores (drums, percussion), Pepe Lee (double bass, bass) and Marcel López, David Galera & Hector (horns). You’ll hear six swinging tunes, sung in Spanish – basically 50s rockabilly, but spiced up with influences from blues, country, surf and flamenco. Infectious, cheerful and danceable, at least for those who can keep up with the rhythm.


We Are Flamingos, recorded/mixed/mastered by Pike Cavalero, is out now digitally and on CD through Chicken Attack Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Arrogants || Brainwash

When we got to know French garage rock band The Arrogants via their debut EP (Introducing .​.​. , 2014) and first album (No Time To Wait, 2015), the band members were still teenagers. Thomas Babczynski (lead guitar, lead vocals), Franck Lecaille (bass, vocals, guitar), Adrien Lepers (rhythm guitar) and Simon Hallier (drums) are young men now, but they haven’t lost any of their swagger. On their highly anticipated sophomore album (Brainwash, 2023), they once again dive into the good old sounds of garage punk, mod, R&B and psych, to brew their own fresh melting pot with those vintage ingredients. The fourteen songs – ranging in length from 01:46 to 05:54 – sneer and stun, with so much variety and quality that you won’t skip a single track.



Brainwash is out now digitally, and on CD and vinyl LP around July 21, through 14th Floor Music / Dirty Water Records. Produced by Yvan Serrano & Vincent Cunat.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Generifus || Rearrangel

Generifus is the DIY project of Washington State native Spencer Sult, a prolific local hero who has put around twenty releases on his resume since 2005, and isn’t done yet. “I’m not changing, just rearranging // Rearrangel, bless and save me,” is what you hear in the title track of Rearrangel, his latest full-length album. The ten folk-pop songs here tell about life in the Pacific Northwest, an emotional mix of spiritual vision, road stories and bumper sticker wisdom. Or as sung in standout track Didn’t Even Look at the Mountain: “Take different words and mix them up into the bowl” (while violins weep gently). Get ready for 42 minutes of subdued melancholic music, with lush and sunny instrumentation, and characterful vocals.



Rearrangel, produced by Zach Burba and enigeered by Vin Christopher, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Anything Bagel and Bud Tapes. Featuring Spencer Sult, Lee Baggett, Zach Burba, Wilson Caicedo, Vin Cristopher, Andrew Dorsett, Liam Hindahl, Anna Jeter, Casey Klep, Laith Scherer, Collin Stackhouse and Henry Wilson.

Add to wantlist at Bandcamp: Anything Bagel || Bud Tapes || Generifus

New EP: Sin City || Something’s Cookin’

It was one of my favorite stories last year, how Sin City and their music came to be. Songwriting duo Nick Armstrong (vocals, pianos, bass, guitar, percussion) and Jack Beesley (vocals, guitars, percussion) moved from Auckland, New Zealand to Melbourne, Australia, where they* recorded the Something’s Cookin’ EP. These four fresh songs should ease the wait for their second full-length, which is expected to be released at the end of this year. Their mix of rock ‘n’ roll, country and soul – tough but charming – is at its best live, but these studio versions are also great to consume at home, especially if you can grab some Belgian beer from your fridge.


The Something’s Cookin’ EP, produced by Delaney Davidson, is out now digitally. *Also featuring John Segovia (lap steel guitar, Telecaster), John Egenes (pedal steel on Fringes of Life), Alistair Deverick (drums), Dave Khan (fiddle), Delaney Davidson (guitar, bass) and Takumi Yanai (bass).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Segments || Smiling Faces

Remarkable news this week: smile education is on the rise in Japan, because that facial expression is no longer normal after wearing face masks for a long time. I would like to point out a cheaper and more fun way than such a course: listen to Smiling Faces, the indie flavored debut album of new French power pop outfit The Segments, and it will go by itself. The musicians, known from bands such as The Hi-Lites, The Cavemen V and X-Ray Vision, incorporate influences from glam rock and new wave into twelve exciting stompers full of hooks. The fat guitar melodies catchily tumble over a solid drum beat, the joyful harmony vocals complete the fun. Smiling faces, like pictures from the good old days.




Smiling Faces is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Dangerhouse Skylab / Family Spree Recordings.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Revivalists || Pour It Out Into The Night

“Hey kid // Just sing the songs // That wake the dead then // You keep them ringing in your head, yeah.” American 8-piece rock ‘n’ roll collective The Revivalists are back with Pour It Out Into The Night, their 5th LP, and its opening song makes clear what it’s all about. David Shaw (lead vocals, guitar), Zack Feinberg (guitar), Andrew Campanelli (drums), George Gekas (bass), Ed Williams (pedal steel guitar), Rob Ingraham, (saxophone), Michael Girardot (keyboard, trumpet) and PJ Howard (drums, percussion) recorded 12 radio-friendly tracks – hits – with big ideas and a rich sound. It’s hard to pinpoint what they are reviving (the 2010s?), because the music here is quite original, especially in terms of diversity and orchestration. You will automatically sing along anyway: “These are the good old days.”




Pour It Out Into The Night, produced by Rich Costey (together with the band), is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Concord Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Concord || Discogs || The Revivalists

New EP: Magnatech || An Evening With Magnatech!

Half a year after his magnificent album De Favorieten Expres!, Irish musician Johannes Bernardus Verhoef is back with new Magnatech work. An Evening With Magnatech! is an EP with six instrumental surf tunes, each less than three minutes long. The opening track sets the tone with a tribute to Christopher Lee for being the best Dracula ever, what follows is just as magical and danceable – movie quotes make it extra cool. Fifteen minutes of music is far from a full evening’s program, but this sure is fun.

An Evening With Magnatech! is out now digitally and on CD through Sharawaji Records.

Add to want list: Bandcamp

New album: Gringo Star || On And On And Gone

Atlanta-based slacker rock outfit Gringo Star return with new full-length On And On And Gone. Over fifteen years into their career, Nicholas Furgiuele (vocals, guitar) and his brother Peter Furgiuele (guitar, keys) have developed their own sound that merges surf pop infused garage psych and doo-wop drenched R&B in a cinematic summer soundtrack. The ten new songs, recorded together with Joshua Longino (bass) and Mario Colangelo (drums), are dreamy, but clear melodies break through the haze. The lyrics reinforce the relaxed atmosphere: “All I do is lay around but I’ll wait // I could never tell it’s through till it’s too late” (from Hanging Around). This may be music with a vintage feel, but it will brighten up your 2023 holiday playlist for sure.


On And On And Gone is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through My Anxious Mouth. For fans of The Growlers, Dead Ghosts, Night Beats.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Magon || Did You Hear The Kids?

After a stint in France, Israeli singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Magon has now settled in Costa Rica, where he recorded his sixth album  Did You Hear The Kids?, released just half a year after his successful previous LP Enter By The Narrow Gate. You’ll hear nine original songs in which the sunny outdoors echo both musically and lyrically, with an understated pace (the sound is very relaxed) and all kinds of personal references (Magon thanks his family for endless inspiration). Standout track is Johnny Was A Son Of A Bitch, with jangly melodies and seductive “ooh la la la” chorus, but the other tunes are also quite appealing – again.



Did You Hear The Kids? is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through December Square. Magon handled vocals, guitars, ukulele, bass, synths, percussion and drums all by himself, but he got help on a few tracks – from Louise Bou (backing vocals) and Alan Borg (guitar) on Onie Was A Kid, and by Cary Morin (pedal steel) on Havana Bay.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Gula Blend || Allt Har Hänt

Gula Blend is a Swedish garage rock band (named after a cigarette brand), featuring Jesper Pettersson (guitar, vocals), Lukas Feurst (drums, vocals), Petter Enghed (bass), Måns Pettersson (guitar), Oscar Johansson (saxophone) and Stina Norberg (vocals, tambourine). Their sophomore full-length Allt Har Hänt (translated: everything has happened) contains nine energetic and catchy songs telling about the highs and lows of everyday life, set to music that is raw yet melodic, tough but fragile. Influences from slacker rock, indie pop and surf punk are combined with tempo changes, clever hooks and harmony vocals, you don’t have to understand the lyrics to go wild on this one.

Allt Har Hänt is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through Rama Lama Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Rama Lama

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