Niek

New album: Tatxers || Tatxers

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

When you press play on the self-titled album by Tatxers (Pamplona, Spain) on Bandcamp, a song called Labanak starts playing. From the get go, it’s impossible not to think of the Clash’s London Calling. The song invited further inspection of the band’s latest release. And, I sure like what I’m hearing. Tatxers have an accessible sound that incorporates elements from punk, new wave, jangle, surf pop, noise and underground pop. They write upbeat tunes with a heart and soul, sung with conviction, and with the bass taking a prominent spot in the songs.

Tatxers is out now through Flexidiscos and Tough Ain’t Enough Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Flexidiscos

New album: Cindy || Why Not Now?

By / / Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

Friday is a biased release day, isn’t it? I don’t have the data, but I believe at the dawn of their weekend, the TGIF crowd prefers releases that are loud and exciting over quiet and subtle records. That automatically puts Cindy’s fourth record Why Not Now? at a disadvantage. The dreamy and hazy pop songs of Karina Gill are probably best suited for rainy commutes, lazy Sunday mornings or walks in nature.

The press release describes the new LP as a “muffled street symphony inside a passing daydream.” It’s a perfect description of a record that lets you discover new sounds and instruments with each play. Most of the songs on Why Not Now? are quiet, reflective and subdued. The more extraverted Et Surtout and Earthly Belonging are the exceptions.  For me, those two songs provided a gateway to the rest of the album. It made me discover a song like Wednesday, which use of city sounds elicits an eery, mesmerizing feel. The song is followed by a lo-fi organ in A Trumpet On The Hillside, a dreamy slow burner of a song. Memorable sequences like this are abundant on the album.

Why Not Now? is out today on red or white vinyl through Mt. St. Mtn and Tough Love. On the record, Gill is supported by keyboardist Aaron Diko on Why Not Now? Many familiar faces on this blog (members of Flowertown, Telephone Numbers, Sad Eyed Beatniks and other) contributed as well. It’s may not be a TGIF record, but it sure is special.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New single: Chime School || Coming To Your Town

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

Life can be hectic, the demands of modern society daunting, etcetera. Henceforth, we have a huge relaxation economy to help people unwind. People do yoga, go swimming, use meditation apps, go to spa’s and the likes. If you are one of these people, I have the following question. Have you tried Chime School?

Chime School (Andy Pastalaniec) is from the fertile indie pop fields of the Bay Area. As soon as I play Chime School’s music, I feel my ears relax from all the abuse I put them through on a daily basis. The jangly guitars help to settle any imbalances, relax my nerve system. Listen to Coming To Your Town, the A-side of their new 7″ single for Slumberland, Meritorio and Fastcut Records for example. This is the good stuff right? Don’t think to much about the lyrics of the song or the context in which it was written – okay, if you really want to know, it’s about the breakdown of civil society and was written while sick with Covid. Skip that, just listen to the music, breathe. Or what about the flipside Love You More. Sounds familiar huh? It’s a Buzzcocks song! When one of your favorite indie pop bands starts to cover Buzzcocks, what more proof do you need that things could be much much worse right now? The cover was originally released on an Oakland Weekender Buzzcocks covers cassette that apparently exists and I need to hear ASAP.

But for now, relax, breathe. Play Chime School. Repeat. You’ll be alright.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New EP: Kool And The Gang Bangers || K.G.B.’s

By / / Punk / Leave a Comment

Sweden’s loud old school punks Kool And The Gang Bangers return with a new 5-song E.P. that should erase pessimism among the ‘punk is dead’ crowd. The K.G.B’s EP sure ain’t no disco. This is authentic punk with a dangerous edge, but not without a sense of melody.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: SEX MEX || We’re A Happy Family

By / / Garage Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

San Antonio’s (Texas) SEX MEX don’t fit in. They are “Too punk to be pop. Too pop to be punk. Too late to be New Wave.” But I think they fit in pretty well on Add To Wantlist. Here’s why: Straightforward robotic drums, buzzsaw guitar riffs and synth licks, catchy Ramonesque vocals, and concise infectious tunes still make us turn the volume way up.

The We’re A Happy Family EP is my favorite release by SEX MEX yet. HITS!




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Brontez Purnell || Jaboukie

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

Brontez Purnell used to front The Younger Lovers. He also is a filmmaker, dancer, choreographer, and author. His latest endeavour: A two-song single for Sub Pop’s Single Series.

Jabouki is a head bopping anthem built on a steady drumbeat that has Purnell’s vocals going back-and-forth with a groovy uncomplicated guitar riff. The result? Synergy! Not only is the song a lot of fun, it is accompanied by a great looking video showcasing the many talents of Purnell. The second song on the single is not to be missed either. It is an exciting reimagined version of Aneurysm, a nod to the biggest Sub Pop band that ever was, Nirvana.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Body Maintenance || Beside You

By / / Alternative Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

I have an ambivalent relationship with postpunk and new wave. As a rule, I don’t care much for it. Often, it’s an easy pass. But every now and then a release does grab hold of me. Coincentially, two recent examples come from the same label. I’m talking about Drunken Sailor, a label I primarily associate with classic punk, but that sneakily releases a broad range of subgenres and has a way of finding the most exciting acts. Two months ago, Drunken Sailor dropped Dissipation of Clouds, The Barrier, an awesome and unique LP by A Culture Of Killing that reveals new reasons to fall for it with each additional play. And this week, the label released Body Maintenance’s Beside You LP. Body Maintenance (Naarm/Melbourne) sounds a tad more traditional and a touch less intense than ACOK, but also takes post punk and new wave influences in exciting (and dark!) directions. It may not be for everyone, but if you like music that’s for everyone you probably wouldn’t visit this website. Get Beside You on LP at Drunken Sailor or on Tape at Unwound.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: The High Kinks || Safe American Home

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

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of Exploding Hearts’ essential Guitar Romantic. To celebrate the occasion, there is a reissue by Third Man Records, and surviving member Terry Six this week announced a trio of US shows where he will be playing the record front-to-back. Take a quick look at the response to both announcements and it becomes clear how well beloved this band was and, to this day, still is. And deservedly so. We sure envy those able to attend the shows in LA, Detroit and New York.

Perhaps the biggest compliment to the power of Guitar Romantic is that great hooky, snotty and punky powerpop’n’roll is still being created. Listen to Montreal’s The High Kinks for example, a four-piece that just dropped their sophomore single Safe American Home. It has two killer tracks that are full of energy and swagger, the kind that make you bop your head, start your awkward dance moves, and make you rather happy about the state of rock’n’roll in 2023. Make sure to get The High Kinks on your radar, they are only just getting started.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Glittering Insects || Glittering Insects

By / / Alternative Rock, Punk / Leave a Comment

Both Predator and GG King made a previous appearance on our site, so you bet I was excited to find out the people involved joined forces for a new project. As Glittering Insects, Greg King (Carbonas), Ryan Bell (Predator), and Josh Feigert (Wymyns Prysyn) tag up for a record that expands boundaries, escapes expectations, and defies description. Part of that is by design: Randall (Head Honcho of Total Punk Records) asked the musicians to record a record for his side label Mind Meld – a label build on the idea to let his favorite artists create something mindmelding. And that is exactly what the three-piece did over a couple of weekend writing and recording sessions. If you are curious to hear three punks break the rules and move the posts in the postpunk genre, listen to this record ASAP! Glittering Insects is the fourth release on Mind Meld. It’s definitely different, in a good way.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: ah! || Well Do Ya Punk?

By / / Funk & Soul, Indie Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Here is something you may either hate or love, depending on your mood and fondness of the mashup genre. Meet Alan Hurley (Ireland), who in addition to being a standup comedian, filmmaker and creative artist, also is an avid mash-up magician. Under the ah! moniker, his Bandcamp page has ten plus mix tapes of mashups. Sometimes his focus lies on mashing pop songs with alt rock and classic rock, sometimes it’s on mashing up advertising songs, at other times Hurley mashes up Irish artists, or songs from movie soundtracks.

Hurley’s latest collection Well Do Ya Punk? mashes pop songs with punk tracks. Well Do Ya Punk? opens with Earth Wind & Fire singing September over Sex Pistols’s God Save The Queen. The execution is pretty flawless and it’s sure nice to hear those two bands playing along so well. Remember the Bobby Ramone experience? I am getting similar vibes from this song. Other highlights on the compilation are mashups between Wet Leg and The Chats (I’m On Smoko On A Chaise Longue), Birdy and Buzzcocks (Ever Fallen In Skinny Love?), Olivia Rodrigo and The Damned (neat neat neat 4 u) and between Starship and Stiff Little Fingers (We Built This City On Suspect Device).

Well Do Ya Punk? may not be for everyone, but if you are looking for some tracks to get your next party started, you might find some great material here.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

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