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New single: The Drolls || Novelty Rock Monthly Singles Club, Vol. One

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

The Drolls (two parts ’90s pop punk band Sicko, one part ’90s altrock band Chinchilla) released an excellent debut LP last year. This year, The Drolls came up with the awesome idea of paying tribute to their favorite artists via a monthly singles club. Rather than covering originals, The Drolls opted to write songs in the styles of those bands. Based on the song titles (Kick Out The Jammies and I am A Data Scientist), it’s an easy guess who the first two bands are The Drolls pay homage to. The guess becomes even easier once you start to listen to these songs. “Kick Out The Jammies, Motherfuckers!” What a joy to hear The Drolls go MC5 and Guided By Voices.

The first installment of the Novelty Rock Monthly Singles Club is out now through Snappy Little Numbers – First 50 copies include a custom 7″ vinyl adapter. Volume 1 makes me curious what the direction will be for Volume 2. Fingers crossed The Drolls can keep this up for a long time. Given the following disclaimer, they don’t want to raise false expectations. “Band energy, creative output and vinyl supply chain issues may impact the ability to release a single every month, or even ever again.”



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Snappy Little Numbers

New album: VICEPREZ || Tropical Connexion

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

VICEPREZ are an exciting punk collective from France, Germany and Italy including members of Sport, Smudjas, Young Harts, The Reaction and many more. If you missed their debut LP Jugger, make sure to check that one out. This week, VICEPREZ dropped their sophomore album Tropical Connexion into the digital airwaves, with the LP release expected to ship sometime this Summer.

Leave it to VICEPREZ to record a diverse punk rock LP that feels fresh and inspired. Tropical Connexion harbors a wealth of influences, and could only be written by true fans of punk and hardcore music. LP will be out later this year through SHOVE records, Dispear Records, DON’T TRUST THE HYPE recordz, ADAGIO830, Sonatine Produzioni, Bigoût Records, Inhumano.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Smirk || Smirk

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Four brand new songs by Smirk on one convenient vinyl single? Sign me up! Nick Vicario (Autistic Youth, Crisis Man, Public Eye) uses his guitar as a weapon of mass creation, and most of his songs are heat seeking missiles. The Smirk EP features two new favorites in Polyrhythmic Ticks and Bored By Everything. The first excites from the get go, the second has a chorus that is the closest Smirk has come to late ’70s UK pop punk. The two other songs reveal the postpunk leanings of Vicario.

Smirk 7″ expected to ship around May 12th, order now at Under The Gun Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Under The Gun

New album: Nervous Jerk || Ugly Losers Club

By / / Alternative Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Christchurch (NZ) musicians Tom Kerr, Brad Wright, and Johnny Fast clearly live by the motto of keep your expectations low. Calling your band Nervous Jerk and your record Ugly Losers Club? That is an Underdog release with a capital U! Sufficient reason to press play, I’d say.

The first song you’ll hear is the ninth track on the LP, the anthemic slacker rock of U R. I can see why Nervous Jerk picked this song, as it is one of the best songs on Ugly Losers Club. It is atypical for the band’s sound though. The remainder of the LP is mostly a raucous, fast and loud affair. Nervous Jerk doesn’t do subtle yet they definitely exceed expectations. Ugly Losers Club may not be for everyone, but I could see many misfits feel right at home. LP is out now through Dust Up! Records!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Berlin Blackouts || Hightanic Socialites

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

Ready for some good old r’n’r straight from Berlin? Berlin Blackouts has got you covered! Hightanic Socialites is album #4 by the three-piece and it has all the elements of their trademark sound. Huge street punk singalongs and strong melodies over a dirty glammy guitar sound. Press play on opener Monsters Won’t Show and let the music speak for itself.

Speaking of trademark sound. It’s no surprise that Berlin Blackouts are on Wanda Records, they are a natural fit. If you are quick, you can buy this one in a pretty sweet split color version that matches the artwork.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Wanda Records

New album: Lone Wolf || Haze Wave

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

Lone Wolf, Lone Wolf. What are we going to do today?

I’d suggest playing Haze Wave, which is album #3 by Rotterdam’s most contagious indiepunk band. Lone Wolf has a distinct sound that is build on the synchronized singing of bass player Ox Accelerator and guitarist Merel Schaap, the cool and collected guitar playing of Damien Buquet and the relentlessly reliable drumming of Ivo Backbreaker. Together, these four musicians operate as a tight unit where the sum exceeds its parts.

If you’ve heard Lone Wolf before, Haze Wave will sound familiar. Like their previous work, the new LP is full of high energy modern indie punk anthems. There is no stagnation with the band though, they are still finding ways to improve their songwriting and sharpen their hooks. Listen to Ready To Break (or watch the video below) for example, a song that gets better with each passing second. Haze Wave showcases Lone Wolf in their best version yet, and it’s a joy to witness. Lone Wolf will make you tremble, they will offer you quite the experience. Between this release and the Dutch National Championship of Feyenoord, what a week for Rotterdam! ❤️🤍🖤


Haze Wave is out now through Stardumb Records. You can also find it at Brassneck (UK), The Machine Shop (US), Endless Detention (Australia), and Striped Music (Italy).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Stardumb Records || Discogs

New EP: Faulty Cognitions || Demo

By / / Punk / 1 Comment

Heads up: here is a new band that has upped my excitement level from zero to one hundred in mere seconds. Faulty Cognitions are from San Antonio (Texas) and if my amateur detective skills are not mistaken, the band features Chris Mason of Dirt Cult Records, Low Culture and Shang-A-Lang. The outfit recently toured with Marked Men and Colleen Green, and I wish I’d attended, because those acts are mighty complementary. Faulty Cognitions play scrappy punk rock that is really really loud and unpolished but equally melodic and they play with heart, so much heart. Faulty Cognitions are veterans of a scene they clearly still care strongly about. I mean, just listen to the Let the Kids Have The Scene, read the lyrics, and feel the cathartic delivery of the chorus.

“Goddamn it now I’m getting older
Watching the pit from the back of the show
I’m getting tired, I might make an early exit
I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know
Still feel at home at the record store
A little more money than I did before
Grab my headphones, let the kids have the scene
Never thought I’d make it, if you know what I mean”

I am so aboard on the Faulty Cognitions hype train. Wow!




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Doe St || Stepping Stones

By / / Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Australian label Legless Records has quickly become a go-to source for loud and exciting guitar music. We wrote about Split System, The Brakes, Street Sweeper, Stiff Richards and Jackson Reid Briggs and the Heaters previously, and by now, I think we probably will write about whatever the label puts out next. The latest Legless release is the new Doe St LP Stepping Stones. Doe St’s self-titled debut (mini)LP (2022) was pretty great, and yet, on Stepping Stones, Doe St sound even better and tighter. The crisp guitar playing will make you nod in approval, the loud awesomeness of the music will make you bang you head, while the sweet melodies invite raising your fist and screaming along. Songs like Blue & White, Stepping Stone and Old Guard are particular barn burners. Doe St is unafraid to switch gears though, and they have several songs that leave more breathing room like Rust and the standout Wild Bend.

Legless Records has been on a roll lately, and Stepping Stones is another modern classic out of Australia.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: SPELLS || What The Hell Is Caution + Some Would Say

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

The new 7″ flexisingle by SPELLS (Denver, Colorado) is called What The Hell Is Caution. A question mark is missing, so I assume it’s either a statement of intent or a rhetorical question. Or…a lifestyle perhaps?

I do not have the answer, but SPELLS sure are rockin’ out on both of the songs on the single. I particularly love the gang vocals on these energetic party platters. Clearly, SPELLS has a lot of fun creating songs and playing with each other, and that positive energy shines through. Both songs are new and pulled from sessions for their soon to be released 3rd full length. By this early sample, that one could turn out to be something special!


7″ flexisingle available through Snappy Little Numbers.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Sumos || Surfacing

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

For a band called Sumos, Andrew Kilroy, Joel Sloan, Kyle Tarbuck and Siobhan Tarbuck look surprisingly fit. The Manchester band sounds good as well on their debut LP Surfacing. The record is out today on Meritorio and Safe Suburban Home Records after making some serious waves in the indie scene with their 2020 debut EP. Many of our respected fellow bloggers have been lauding the early singles of Surfacing, and to be honest, my hands have been itching to write about the band as well. We have a strict full release only policy on Add To Wantlist though. After all, our website is all about sharing music you can actually add to your wantlist, or better yet: purchase. Admittedly, we also apply the policy for our own health and safety given the onslaught of new tracks that musicians drop each hour of the day. But I’m drifting off, it’s finally time to explain why Sumos is near the top of my wantlist!

Reason 1: it has one of my favorite songs of 2023 in Small Talk, an energetic jangle pop hit. It’s no surprise the song stays just shy of the 3 minute mark, because it is a near perfect pop song.
Reason 2: Sumos are more punchy and pacey than your average indie pop band. I wouldn’t call them powerpop per se (the jangly brit pop label a more likely fit I guess), but the band has a pleasant edge that makes them stand out.
Reason 3: Sumos like to mix things up. The best example is Mostly Harmless, an outsider finger picking folky song that offers a breather in the middle part of Surfacing. The Other One is another outsider. It is the loudest and longest track and has a chorus that sends Neutral Milk Hotel vibes.
Reason 4: Sweet melodies in abundance!

I could go on, but I rather have the music convince you. Press play below and become a Sumos fan as well!




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Meritorio

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