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New single: CP Westman Orkester || Legalt

Swedish garage rock with a French twist

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

Pontus Westman (Big Kizz, Lady Banana, Tundra Fucks), Lo’Spider (Destination Lonely, Jerry Spider Gang), and Bart De Vraantijk (Bart and the Brats, Teenage Hearts, Skeptics) walk into a studio… It might sound like the setup to a joke, but the result is no laughing matter: the three garage veterans have teamed up as CP Westman Orkester, debuting with a two-song 7” on Ken Rock Records.

Another setup: One Swede, two French-based collaborators, and two tracks sung in Swedish. Side A (Legalt) is a noisy garage original, while Side B is a Swedish-language version of The Who’s Boris the Spider. If you’re into raw, offbeat garage rock with character and a sense of mischief, this is firmly in your wheelhouse.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Richard Hamilton || Pop Factory

Summer nights bottled with a 4-track

By / / Garage Rock, Glam Rock / Leave a Comment

Richard Hamilton is a busy bee out of Cleveland. He writes songs, frontlines bands, spins records, and runs the excellent Quality Time Records—this seems like a good moment to plug that Krystian Quint and the Quitters album the label dropped earlier this year.

Given his prolific streak, it feels fitting that his latest solo LP is called Pop Factory. There’s a clock-in, do-the-work mentality to it: don’t overthink, just let the hooks flow. Hamilton’s sweet spot lies right in the Venn diagram of glam, rock-’n’-roll, and pop—and that’s exactly where Pop Factory plants its flag.

Imagine a slightly warped lo-fi tape filled with sun-soaked California vibes. Now imagine it recorded at night, in the heat of summer, under a redwood tree in a backyard studio overflowing with orange and kumquat trees, aloe plants, and divine fauna. That was Bubblegum City Studios—Pop Factory is the last record to come out of it before it was sold and demolished.

The studio may be gone, but the hazy, timeless outsider pop Hamilton captured there lives on.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Civil Rats || Get Outta Here!

Philadelphia pests drop new anthems for the attention-span challenged

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

“Rats! We are the rats!” Civil Rats cap off their full-length debut with a cover of M.O.T.O.’s We Are the Rats—a fitting closer that could easily double as their personal anthem (though they already have one). After two EPs that served as tasty appetizers, Get Outta Here! is the main course: double the size, just as lean, and built entirely on concise garage punk nuggets that treat the two-minute mark like it’s cursed.

The Philadelphia trio avoids bloat like it’s a trap, and that hit-and-run ethos suits their sound perfectly. This is fast, scrappy, garage punk with enough goofy charm and snot-nosed energy to keep kids of all ages grinning. Get Outta Here! doesn’t waste a second on polish or pretense—it just barrels forward with hooks, attitude, and fun-first lyrics.

Call it punk rock for people who still believe in the magic of three chords and zero patience. Out now on Dummest Records on cassette and LP(!).


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Diaz Brothers || The World is Yours

Scarface references, real-life stakes

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Diaz Brothers aren’t actually brothers, but they do contain “half the Sunderland punk scene.” Their name’s a nod to Scarface, and so is the title of their new record The World is Yours—a worthy follow-up to their 2020 debut.

Sound-wise, they’ve been pegged as a mix of Samiam and Dag Nasty, and honestly, that’s spot on. This is punk rock done right: melodic but forceful, heartfelt yet punchy. There’s frustration in these songs, sure, but also honesty and urgency. Classic themes like disillusionment and rage sit alongside deeply personal, contemporary concerns—mental health, aging parents, and the heartbreak of watching working-class communities fall for right-wing populism.

The World is Yours is out now via Serial Bowl Records (UK), Dead Broke Rekerds (USA), Break The Silence Records (Germany), and Waterslide Records (Japan).


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Serial Bowl (UK) || Dead Broke (US)

Festival report || Stardumb 25 (Day 2)

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk, Surf Music / 2 Comments


Missed our report for day 1? Read that one first.

Day 2 started with a 7:00 AM alarm clock and a rainy 3-2 away game football loss for my eleven-year-old. I missed most of the free shows in Rotown that afternoon (Local Drags, Heavy Kevi, Kepi), but heard they were well-attended and well-received. Late in the afternoon I walked into a crowd of old and new friends socializing, arriving just in time to see Dan Vapid (Screeching Weasel, Riverdales, The Mopes, Dan Vapid and the Cheats, etc.) delivering a 50/50 acoustic/electric solo set. A very welcoming crowd gathered in front of the stage—a recurring theme this festival—aware of Dan Vapid’s reputation as one of pop punk’s influential heroes. In what appeared to be a setlist-less set, Vapid played from memory and whatever the vibe was, embracing tiny screwups and forgotten lines as part of the battle. The crowd often chimed in with his solo renditions of Methadones songs that didn’t make the setlist of the full band performance later in the evening, plus a Billy Bragg cover (“This is the first time I’ve played this song,” Vapid explained his version of A New England, surprising himself most, it seemed). My favorite part was him doing the Riverdales classic I Don’t Wanna Go To The Party Tonight—the response the song got suggested the crowd was actually very much willing to attend the party tonight.

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Festival report || Stardumb 25 (Day 2)Read More »

Festival report || Stardumb 25 (Day 1)

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / 1 Comment


Has it really been 25 years of Stardumb Records? What a run this label has had since its start in 2000! While several legendary Rotterdam venues that staged Stardumb shows (Waterfront! De Vlerk!) have long since disappeared, the label stuck around and became a constant presence—or should I say lifeline—in the pop punk scene. Cherished not just in Rotterdam but beloved globally, Stardumb’s reputation rivals Lookout! Records. They never had their Green Day moment, but they proved durable, run with heart and integrity by head honcho Stefan Tijs. In recent years he’s expanded the sonic landscape of the roster without straying too far from the blueprint. Dare I say the label has released some of its finest material in the past five years?

To mark the occasion, the label set up a celebratory festival featuring many of the fine bands and artists who’ve released music on Stardumb over the years. I immediately bought a ticket upon announcement—partly for nostalgic reasons (remember how much fun those Stardumb Rumbles of the ’00s were?), but also because the lineup was stellar, including old favorites, reunion shows, and contemporary acts I’m a huge fan of but haven’t seen live yet (The Speedways! Local Drags!).

This past Friday and Saturday I attended the sold-out festival, and honestly, I had a blast—and I wasn’t the only one. With ticket buyers from 15 countries, Kepi called it a “Rock’n’roll Summit,” which is exactly what it turned out to be. This festival reminded me how much fun it is to experience catchy rock’n’roll in a sold-out venue with likeminded souls, how the energy between band and audience can build off each other. Loads of smiles and singalongs at this fest! Here are my thoughts and experiences from the weekend.

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Festival report || Stardumb 25 (Day 1)Read More »

New album: Lùlù || Lùlù

A debut that teaches you how to switch off your brain and embrace pure rock joy

By / / Garage Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Never underestimate the power of rock-’n’-roll. Give me a high-energy, super catchy tune with a strong beat and a bit of flair, and I’m fully recharged. Take the opening track of Lùlù’s self-titled debut LP—out today through Howlin’ Banana Records, Taken By Surprise Records, and Dangerhouse Skylab. That chorus? Still gets me every time. The aaa-dwahdawahdoo/chowachowadoo hook bouncing off crisp French phrasing tickles the part of the brain that likes to be tickled. It’s downright addictive, super fun video included.

Across ten tracks, Lùlù—featuring members of AVIONS, Irnini Mons, Edgar Suit, and Pogy et les Kéfars—delivers a shot of joy. You don’t need the press sheet to know what they’re about: reconnecting with the belief that rock-’n’-roll should be fun. And in our recent feature, frontman Luc Simone laid it out clearly: Lùlù was built on a back-to-basics spirit—to-the-point songs, big hooks, and no filler. His musical inspirations are a patchwork of pop instincts and punk attitude—French power pop, Scandinavian punk, ’60s girl groups, Motown, and yes, even hardcore. What links them all? Soul.

And Lùlù has soul to spare. From the wistful ballad Sogni d’Oro to the throwback power pop hits Sonic, Lyon and Terres Basses, and from the riff heavy Ma Si Ma Lo to the bouncy garage rock of Pugni in Tasca,  these songs hit with raw urgency and heartfelt melody. It’s a record you don’t analyze—you feel it. The joy is infectious, the hooks hypeworthy, the energy sincere.

A must-listen. A must-own. Lùlù is here to light you up.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Howlin’ Banana || Taken By Surprise

New album: Smug Brothers || Stuck On Beta

Even a dying recording device won't slow down these veteran masters of lo-fi guitar pop

By / / Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Smug Brothers are messing with the natural order of things. Aren’t bands supposed to peak early and ride the nostalgia wave from there? Apparently not. While most groups flame out or fade away, these Dayton veterans are only getting sharper, stranger, and better with age. Their latest, Stuck on Beta (out now on Anyway Records), follows two of their strongest efforts to date — In the Book of Bad Ideas and Another Bar Behind the Night — and somehow still levels up.

The songs on Stuck on Beta share a kinship to Big Star, The Lemon Twigs and Guided By Voices. But more than anything, this album feels like the product of a veteran band brimming with inspiration and drive. Even setbacks in the recording process—like the motor on their trusted 4-track dying—were turned into assets, lending the album its wobbly, lo-fi charm and a great title.

Smug Brothers’ knack for jangly classic power pop is at full display on Stuck on Beta, and if you arrive expecting timeless melodies and sharp hooks, you won’t be disappointed, There are surprises as well, with Smug Brothers expanding their musical landscape with cello, violin and saxaphone. It makes for a highly durable listening experience. Start with the strong opening sequence, and you’ll find it hard to stop listening to this modern guitar pop classic in disguise.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Xray Xeroxx || Johnny Rotten Is A Fascist Pig

Sloppy punk catchiness from L.A.

By / / Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

I totally missed Bored and Loving It, the debut EP from LA-based Xray Xeroxx that came out last April. Then Richter Scale picked up the EP for a UK tape release, changing the title to Johnny Rotten Is A Fascist Pig—a deft marketing power move!

It’s easy to see why Richter Scale wanted to release this EP. Xray Xeroxx plays super poppy and sloppy garage punk that’s likeable from the get-go. It’s uncomplicated fun really, waahoo-ooohs included (Bored and Loving It), as well as delightfully moronic choruses (“static cling//clinging to that thing//static cling//clinging to that thing” in Static Cling), Ramones vibes (Radio), and classic late ’70s punk jabs (the title track: “i just wanna be anarchy//yeah right”).

Love it.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Mail Manipulators || The Mail Manipulators

Straight from Madison with loud amps

By / / Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Self-describe as “a scrappy rock-’n’-roll band” and you’re bound to grab the attention of the blogging brothers at Add to Wantlist. Actually back it up with six ripping tracks? Now you’re on the wantlist.

The Mail Manipulators—three punks from Madison, Wisconsin—wrote these songs during the pandemic and recorded them over the years since. The result sounds like a garage band that’s been understudying for some of your favorite ’60s and ’70s punk icons, waiting for their moment to sneak on stage and steal the show.

The sound is raw, the attitude dialed up, the hooks scrappy and immediate. It’s the kind of no-frills rock-’n’-roll that lives and dies by energy, and The Mail Manipulators have it in spades.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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