I Wanna Be A Truck Driver might be a hard to find band at first, but once they’re on your radar, you’ll want to keep up with whatever they put out. Their latest album, While No One’s Looking, finds the Glasgow collective in particularly fine form. Their lo-fi kitchen-core sound is deeply rooted in underground pop history—the ’80s kind (cue your inevitable Flying Nun and Sarah Records references, insert hashtag The Pastels, hashtag C86 as well) with a touch of ’90s indie scrappiness.
What makes While No One’s Looking stand out is how raucous it is for a jangle pop record. Many of the songs have that raw, unpolished spontaneity of a first take, capturing the charm of imperfection. And is it just me, or does Blast Off! has everything you’d want in an underground pop hit?
If you like your indie music quirky, playful, and a little twee, Shy at First, the new LP/Tape from Cootie Catcher, is well worth a listen. The Toronto four-piece may have the standard setup of bass, guitar, and drums, but they’re anything but conventional. With multiple vocalists, synths, DJ scratches, and electronic beats also in the mix, Cootie Catcher take their alt pop in unexpected and exciting directions.
They have a bit of that Architecture in Helsinki energy—twee pop infused with ones and zeros, bouncing between catchy hooks and offbeat experimentation. There are underground pop gems like Words Mean Less and instant earworms like Friend of a Friend, but for most of the tracklist, expect the unexpected. And expect to be entertained.
Initially, Shy at First might seem like an oddball record, but give it a few spins, and it starts to feel like a group of new friends you can’t wait to hang out with again and again.
Based in Sydney, formed during a stint in Vancouver, and shaped by a love of U.K. underground pop and the U.S. riot grrrl movement, Olivia’s World is firmly of this planet—yet hard to pin down. Led by Alice Rezende, the band takes a freewheeling approach on their debut full-length, Greedy & Gorgeous, blending twee sensibilities with a whole lot of alt-pop and noise-pop energy.
It’s fuzzy indie pop with bite, veering from the dissonant chaos of Baby Bathwater to the undeniable radio-friendliness of Healthy & Wealthy, a track that could have slotted neatly into the ‘90s alt-rock scene. Then there’s Sourgum, which channels a modern indie punk spirit. Slacker vibes and a sense of urgency somehow coexist in Olivia’s World, making this a surprisingly cool and unpredictable listen.
Greedy & Gorgeous is out now on Little Lunch Records and Lost Sound Tapes.
I believe Rebel Bishop is the eighth full-length by Irish indie rockers So Cow, a band that’s been around since the mid-’00s and has built up a discography well worth exploring—especially if you like your indie rock catchy and unpolished. There are plenty of gems to unearth in their past work, but their latest album stands out as one of their most consistent. It’s as if they’ve perfected the balance between sounding loose and fully in control.
Take 1993, for example—one of the more laid-back tracks, yet it carries the kind of vocal melody that makes you wonder if it’s a lost pop classic from decades ago. When the percussion finally kicks in at the one-minute mark, it’s a subtle but telling moment, proof of the band’s patience and confidence in their songwriting.
That’s what I love about So Cow. The songs on Rebel Bishop work on a surface level—scrappy, up-tempo tracks like Rebel Bishop I and The Marian Years are instantly enjoyable. But if you really sit with the album, you start to notice just how much depth is packed into these songs. There’s more to So Cow than meets the ear.
“Hey, Pitäskö lähtee, Pitäskö lähtee!” I find myself singing along to the first track on Kissa’s new EP within seconds—without the slightest clue what it means. Time to check the translation. Ah, Do You Have to Go? Safe!
POP// ROCK packs six tracks that battle it out for the title of catchiest pop-rock anthem. Led by untamed rock ‘n’ roller Günter Kivioj, Kissa channels a glammy ’70s sound, cranking up the tempo and injecting these hook-filled tunes with solar-powered energy. The only exception is the classic rock-leaning Jokainen Maaliviiva, but even that feels right at home. Fans of late ’70s pop-punk revivalists like Cyanide Pills and Les Lullies will love the high-speed rush of Kasvot Maitopurkin Kyljessä, while Katoava Kesä is the standout for me—three and a half minutes of garage power pop’n’roll bliss.
POP // ROCK is out now on (mini) LP and CD via Svart Records.
I thought I knew what to expect from the new Real Sickies record. After starting out as a Ramonescore unit in the vein of Teenage Bottlerocket, the Edmonton band found the absolute sweet spot between pop punk, power pop, and rock ’n’ roll on their 2021 Love Is for Lovers LP. But Under a Plastic Bag is far a sequel to that record—it’s more like a reboot.
And that reboot is fully intentional. The band brought in Joshua Wells as engineer and producer, shifting toward a more post-punk sound. Also shaping the album’s vibe? The extreme cold, which left the band holed up in the studio. The result is a record that doesn’t grab you instantly like their previous work, but one that rewards patience.
It took me exactly two spins to warm up to it, but then I started noticing the familiar Real Sickies magic—the infectious melodies, the anthemic songwriting—just delivered in a more subtle, brooding way. This is still poppy punk rock, but it’s less extroverted, more nuanced, with darker edges. Under a Plastic Bag gets under your skin. Less sugar rush, more slow burn—but just as fun. It is out now through Stomp Records.
Damn, I forgot how cool Nära Döden is. Their new 10-song record Villkorslöst is an essential indie punk listen—dark, infectious, and impossible to shake. True to their name (which translates to Near Death), these songs aren’t exactly bursting with joy, but they hit hard in the best way. Drawing from ’70s post-punk and the 2000s Swedish punk and indie scene, the band somehow sounds like Marked Men and Alvvays joining forces—if that makes sense.
Nära Döden doesn’t need more than a couple of chords and two to three minutes to leave a lasting impression. Even if Swedish isn’t your first (or even fifth) language, the emotional weight of these songs is undeniable. Singer Hanna Winberg brings a rawness to her voice that sets the band apart even further.
Songs like Missar tåg and Helvete? I’ll take those for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—no hesitation. Villkorslöst is out now on LP via Septembernatt Records.
The States gimme joy might sound like a sarcastic four-word statement in today’s geopolitical landscape, but in the world of music, The States live up to it—no irony necessary. The Melbourne band has a lot going for them: they hail from a city with a rich rock tradition, they’re backed by the always-reliable Legless Records, and their lineup includes Joe Imfeld (The Prize, Mr Teenage) and Scarlett Maloney (Tuffy, Delivery). Then there’s the knockout label description: “The States fuse ’60s rock’n’roll and glam rock, laced with hints of doo-wop and country, to breathe an electrifying new sound into Melbourne music with bolts of T. Rex and Suzi Quatro.”
The 7-song mini-album lives up to that promise. The States play with swagger, packing their songs with old-school guitar riffs, thick bass lines, pounding beats, and kickass, powerhouse vocal performances from guitarist Scarlett Maloney and drummer Georgie Harkin. The album kicks off strong with the playful and infectious Johnny, while throwback rock hits like Queen of Mean and View from the Top carry a timeless pull. Meanwhile, Take Me Out and Carol bring an ’80s power pop edge, echoing The Shivvers and Joan Jett.
The States sound like a band built for the big stage, but their raw energy feels even more potent in a packed club on a Friday night. Either way, good times guaranteed. But don’t just take my word for it—hit play and let the music speak for itself.
That Tom Brown fella sure knows how to keep things interesting, huh? Between Rural France and Teenage Tom Petties, he’s already got his hands full with two underground darlings. And now, here comes another project—Lone Striker—straight from his bedroom. They say that’s where the magic happens, though in Tom Brown’s case, I suspect it involves more cables and coffee than candles and cuddles.
But let’s stay on topic. Lone Striker is more than just another home-recorded project; it’s a major departure from Brown’s usual sound, even when several of the songs are easily reimagined as TTP songs. Brown spent five years shaping this record, driven by his love for warped Americana acts like Silver Jews and Sparklehorse. Not only did he take his time, but he also threw in all sorts of oddball instruments, loops, and samples, resulting in an album that’s both intimate and unpredictable.
Lone Striker is the kind of record that sneaks up on you, the perfect soundtrack for a productive workday or a long drive to nowhere in particular. It drifts in and out of focus, sometimes hazy and dreamlike, other times hitting with laser precision. The laid-back drum loops pulse like a heartbeat, guiding your breathing without you even noticing. And then there are the surprises—because this album is full of them.
The late-summer melancholy of Dunno will have your BBQ guests asking for the artist and song. Funny Way of Showing It sounds like a lost ’60s pop hit, stripped-down and lo-fi but irresistibly catchy. Cursed Like Roy cranks up the Phil Spector vibes, while Never Blown a Kiss starts so unexpectedly I had to check whether I was still listening to the same album. And that chorus hook? Absolutely massive.
As a fan of Rural France and Teenage Tom Petties, I figured I’d enjoy this. But even so, Lone Striker caught me off guard in the best way possible. Out now on Safe Suburban Home, Repeating Cloud, and Hidden Bay Records.
If Marseille five-piece Flathead (featuring members of Pogy & les Kefars, La Flingue, Aggravation, Tomy & the Cougars, La Flemme, and Parade) impressed you with their debut EP in 2022, just wait until you hear their first full-length. The album, simply titled Flathead dropped last week and is available through Wanda Records (Germany), Dangerhouse Skylab Records (France), and Take The City Records (Spain).
Across nine tracks, Flathead channel the spirit of Shoes, 20/20, The Records, and Milk ‘N’ Cookies—power pop the way it was meant to be played in the ’70s.They fit comfortably alongside contemporaries The Whiffs, The Reflectors, and The Speedways, bands that faithfully reanimate power pop while still sounding distinctly their own.
Flathead have a sharp pop sensibility, but they deliver it with punk urgency and a lean, no-frills approach. Expect effective guitar riffs, a loose-but-driving rhythm section, and sweet, warm harmonies. Flathead is a stellar power pop record front-to-back—no doubt about it.
