Niek

New EP: JJ And the A’s || Eyeballer

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

The 2023 self-titled debut by Danish(Copenhagen)/Spanish (Barcelona) trio JJ And The A’s was a statement release. This week marks the release of its worthy follow-up, the 4-song Eyeballer EP. The 7″ sees JJ And The A’s further craft their exciting mashup of styles and influences. Sure, hardcore punk is probably a valid description, but this band does a lot of small things just a little different than others. They may not redefine the genre, but they do nibble at its boundaries. The dividends are significant.

The Eyeballer EP is out now through La Vida Es Un Mus.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Dan Webb And The Spiders || Rich Triptych

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Rock / Leave a Comment

While working on new material last month, the ever prolific Dan Webb received a quirky text from an old buddy from Massachusetts called Rich.

“Can you write me three songs?
Song 1: About a motorcycle
Song 2: About a boat
Song 3: About a pickup”

Rather than feeling boxed in by these sparse instructions, Webb experienced it as “a fun, free-ing exercise…I put the other material I was working on aside to keep up with the creative flow that was unleashed by this handful of characters in a text message…The songs came together quickly and I am really pleased with the resulting tunes,” Webb explains via e-mail.

Indeed, the three songs on the resulting Rich Triptych single are a lot of fun. They sound bright and Webb doesn’t overcomplicate things. Motorcycle is a catchy straightforward indie rocker, with subtle touches that reveal themselves upon closer inspection. The doubled vocals work really well, and the “sounds good to me” line is a killer hook. Boat is an alt country leaning track that blows wind in your hair and provides smooth sailing. Pickup is another enjoyable indie rock song where Webb cleverly uses the pickup as a metaphor for a protagonist’s cry for help.

That leaves one lingering question. Why did his old friend Rich commission these songs? Webb doesn’t know, but he has some hypotheses of which this is one is my favorite: “My own wild speculation is that he might be playing with songwriting AI software and wanted something to compare the computers’ output against.” If that is true, I’d put my money on Webb any day.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Still Animals || Still Animals

By / / Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

This one came out two weeks ago, kinda bubbled under at first, then quickly grew on me. It’s the Still Animals’ self-titled debut LP. The band from Missouri is a mix of veteran presence and young blood, which may explain how the ten songs sound old fashioned yet lively. This is stripped down garage rock-‘n’-roll that is pretty ugly (in a good way), and Still Animals Look Kool, and sound fun. Though perhaps technically, garage is an incorrect description as the band recorded the LP in a 130 year old limestone Mound City basement. And no, I do not have information about the current state of the limestone.

LP out now at Slovenly.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Video premiere: Shufflepuck || Where The Hell Is She? (w/ a S.W. Lauden Q&A about the upcoming Generation Blue LP compilation & Oral History of L.A. Geek Rock)

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

Today, we are thrilled to premiere a video a new music video that’ll transport you straight back to the ’90s and should’ve been a hit. But before we get into that, let’s take a step back and set the scene. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Weezer’s Blue Album. While it’s a perfect time for an anniversary tour or reflective essays about its legacy, we’re more interested in a less explored narrative.

In the ’90s, the Hollywood music scene that birthed Weezer was vibrant. It was teeming with talented bands playing a style of alternative music characterized by catchy guitar-driven tunes, often referred to as Geek Rock. Though they didn’t achieve Weezer’s level of fame, for a decade or so, bands like Shufflepuck, Supersport 2000, Cockeyed Ghost, Nerf Herder, Ridel High, Chopper One, Ozma, and Psoma had quite the moment. It’s a chapter worth revisiting, not just for the tunes, also to understand how these musicians reflect on that specific point in their lives and careers.

This is precisely what Big Stir Records and SpyderPop Record aim to deliver with their upcoming retrospective of the ’90s Geek Rock scene. On April 26, the labels will jointly release the Generation Blue compilation. The LP features 11 vintage, rare or unreleased tracks by Baby Lemonade, Ridel High, Ozma, Nerf Herder and many others and comes with an accompanying book called An Oral History of the Hollywood Geek Rock Scene in the 1990s & 2000s. Generation Blue is curated by author S.W. Lauden (drummer for Tsar, Ridel High, The Brothers Steve), who also edited the book for which he interviewed members of a lot of the bands mentioned before, as well as representatives from labels such as My Records, Side One Dummy, Geffen and Restless Records. We had the unique opportunity to interview S.W. Lauden about this project.

…

Video premiere: Shufflepuck || Where The Hell Is She? (w/ a S.W. Lauden Q&A about the upcoming Generation Blue LP compilation & Oral History of L.A. Geek Rock)Read More »

New album: Brent Seavers || Exhibit B

By / / Power Pop / Leave a Comment

Last year’s When Red Lights Flash by The Decibels arrived through a strongly calibrated ’60s pop filter and turned out to be one of the best power pop records of the year. Well, here is its natural follow-up, Exhibit B, the second solo LP by The Decibels’ Brent Seavers. Like his solo debut, it’s a highly entertaining, nostalgia-inducing collection of top level power pop tunes.

Really, someone should put a warrant out for Brent Seavers, because he appears to have stolen the secret recipe for writing timeless hooky guitar pop hits. Exhibit B is a 35 minutes clinic, and it all sounds extremely effortless in the hands of Seavers – who’s doing everything on the record, mind you! Remember how The Barracudas sang “I wish it could be 1965 again?” Well, give this dude a minute or two or three and you’ve arrived at your destination.

Exhibit B contains 13 nuggets about love gone wrong, love gone right, love unanswered, having the universe kick your ass and getting right back up. But whatever age-old theme Seavers touches upon, most of the songs sound upbeat and appealing from the get-go. Combining classic rock’n’roll melodies, smooth guitar licks and sweet harmonies, Exhibit B has an instant familiarity, the musical equivalent of comfort food, each bite as tasty as the one that came before.

Exhibit B comes out March 22 on CD through Kool Kat Musik and Lucky Shot Records, but already is available for streaming purposes. A vinyl release is in the pipeline as well.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Kool Kat Music

New album: Classic Pat || Won’t Back Down

By / / Power Pop, Punk / 2 Comments

Classic Pat, aka Patrick McVay (Ghost Party, The Putz, The Practice Run), has the curiosity of a youngster and the fearlessness of an adolescent. He asks and acts with zero filter. In a recent covers project, titled Why Not? Vol. 1 & 2, he fearlessly tackled the La Bamba soundtrack and Tiffany’s debut album. And if my intel is correct, McVay is also the mastermind behind Coruscants, a quirky endeavor that reimagines the Riverdales’ discography in the Star Wars universe — because why not?!

The latest question Pat has asked is what happens when I attempt to write a Queers record? The answer? A double whammy of pop-punk goodness! Won’t Back Down is a veritable hit factory, raising the bar for any pop punk release in 2024. Clearly, Classic Pat likes his Queers at their most pop and bubblegummy. The nod to the classic Queers record is fully intentional, because sonically, this is Don’t Back Down era Queers. And like The Queers did on that one, Classic Pat covers a Beach Boys tune as well, an extremely fun version of Do You Remember.

For the record, Won’t Back Down doesn’t sound like a direct copy of the Queers record, but it’s easy to imagine these songs being written by Joe Queer. Then again, I am sure fans of Geoff Palmer’s Pulling Out All the Stops will like this record as well. But let’s be real—who needs specific album references with a record like this one.

Keep asking questions Classic Pat, and keep responding! Won’t Back Down is out now on CD at Mom’s Basement Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Mom’s Basement Records

New album: Kid Chameleon || In Pursuit Of The Cedars (IV) LP

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

Kid Chameleon is a sneaky good jangly guitar pop project out of Sheffield (UK) with a back catalogue that is a treasure cove of gems. The latest album by the prolific Liam James Marsh- the Bandcamp page lists seven additional projects he is or was involved in, is In Pursuit Of The Cedars. It is a wonderful collection of songs and another example of how each subsequent Kid Chameleon record is just a touch better than the previous one.

Marsh wrote and scrapped most of the music a year ago, then revisited and finished In Pursuit Of The Cedars early 2024. The record is instantly enjoyable, but given the lo-fi yet warm production and the subtle songwriting, it actually is a grower. Close your eyes and envision these songs with a fuller, electrified band sound and it’s the best Teenage Fanclub record you haven’t heard yet. But it’s not just sonically that Kid Chameleon delivers, the lyrical content invites introspection and contemplation, adding an extra layer of depth to appreciate. Impressive stuff!



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Gimme 5! Dylan Gamez Citron (bedbug) Shares Five Off-The-Radar Albums

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Psych / Leave a Comment

With ‘Gimme 5!’ we take a peek into the collections of artists we admire. The premise is simple: artists WE like share five records THEY love.

This Friday, bedbug will release their fourth album “pack your bags, the sun is growing” at Disposable America.If you are looking for high quality indie rock with classic emo tendencies, make a mental note to check it out later this week.

Bedbug started out as a solo project by Dylan Gamez Citron, and the new album is their first full band studio recording. On the record, bedbug has retained the heart, intimacy and spontaneity of home recording, but the record also feels thoughtful, layered and varied and, honestly, I have a soft spot for the spine tingling guitar parts.

Leading up to the release, we reached out to bedbug founding member Dylan Gamez Citron to share their influences. Listen to one of the teaser tracks of “pack your bags, the sun is growing” – pre-order here, and continue below to read and listen to the 5 picks of Citron.

…

Gimme 5! Dylan Gamez Citron (bedbug) Shares Five Off-The-Radar AlbumsRead More »

New album: Drunk Mums || Beer Baby

By / / Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

A lot of the Australian garage bands we cover are tight, loud and angry (think Split System, Stiff Richards). Drunk Mums are loud and angry as well, but they use their frustrations as fuel for partying hard, and their sound is loose and dirty.  They don’t aim to dazzle you with exceptionally complicated or clever songwriting, and this should come to the surprise of no one given the band’s name, they are here to provide a good time. On that note, let’s bring out the mission accomplished banner for their new LP Beer Baby.

This is one fun record, filled with catchy choruses you will be belting out before you know it. Drunk Mums start the record strongly with New Australia and the standout garagepunknroll tune Slippin’ Up. They don’t just hit early, they hit often, like in the bittersweet and hilarious end-of-humanity punk anthem Apocalypse and the brash and snotty Livin’ At Night. Drunk Mums strike a perfect balance between infectious hooks and gritty attitude on Beer Baby, and is recommended listening for fans of bands like Dirty Fences, Skeggs, The Pinheads.

Beer Baby is out now via Legless Records, Gaga Music and Bachelor Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New EP: The Klittens || Butter

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

Amsterdam quintet The Klittens straddle a thin yet exciting line between being pop enough to reel in huge crowds, and edgy enough to remain underground stars. The band’s second EP is out now, and is comprised of post-punk infused indie pop songs that can be appreciated for their instrumentation and execution but they also beckon you to move.

Reading Material is a festival anthem in the making with its contagious talksingy call-and-response lyrics. It’s an extremely fun song, but I think Universal Experience is the prize track for me as it showcases all of the best parts of The Klittens.

The Klittens have an undeniable cool factor, and you kinda know they are going to blow up sooner or later. The Butter EP may very well prove to be the spark to light the fuse.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Scroll to Top